Help with overclocking q6600 on 680i board

Hello everyone this is my first post on ocforums,

My computer is the following,
Mobo
EVGA 122-CK-NF63-TR LGA 775 NVIDIA nForce 680i SLI
(from what I read online, this one sucks at OC quadcores)

Mem
OCZ SLI-Ready (2 x 1GB)DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) (4-4-4-15-1T)

CPU
Q6600 Revision B3 ( I wish I had a G0) Stepping 7

Storage
74 gb raptor and 320 gb seagate

Case / Cooling
Scythe SCNJ-1100P 120mmc w/ Thermaltake A2018 120mm
LIAN LI PC-7B

GPU
EVGA 8800 GTS 320mb SLI
XFX PVT80GGHF4 GeForce 8800 GTS 320MB SLI

PSU
Mushkin Enhanced 550200 550W ATX12V SLI Ready

Currently I am only able to reach 2.95ghz - ish 3+ seems impossible with stability in prime95,
all the bs turned off in bios settings, memory unlinked.
9x 322.25 at 2.9 ghz memory at only 667 just to see if it was my limiting factor in FSB. Memory timings are just left at optimal from bios.

Voltages
Cpu core- 1.35v
FSB - 1.3v
memory - 2v
SPP 1.35V
MCP 1.55V

Anyways my question is, do you think my 3ghz limit could be broken? My temperatures are in a very good range, 40c-42c idle, 60c-65c full load in prime95. I am on revision p32 on my bios, and there is a newer on p33 that i have yet to update too. I have read online that the limiting factor on this board isn't bios, but actually a electrical. Is this true? is there any kind of work around or should i just be happy with what I have?

I have been thinking about trying to buy a used mobo off of ebay or elsewhere online, would the Asus P5N-D be a good alternative from the N63-TR? Does the P5N-D do well with overclocking the q6600?

Any recommendations?

here are a few tests of mines, currently clocked in at 2850 MHz stable(not a whole lot of testing yet)

Idle Temps

Full Load Temps


Super Pi

Hyper Pi

Give these settings a try for 3.0GHz...

I just noticed something interesting inside of CPU-Z.


Is it possible I received a NF68 instead? I might have warrantied the board a long time ago, I can't really remember. Where would the sticker for what model it is be on the board?

I'll try those setting's soon to see what results I get.

The NF63 and NF68 models are identical, other than one model (I believe the NF63) is often bundled w/ a CPU while the other isn't.

I registered my mobo on EVGA site and the S/N shows that it is definitely a N63-TR model.

I've down clocked my pc for more stability to 2.8 ghz with memory at 800mhz 4-4-4-15-1t

What I do not understand is that with the slower clock speed I am running now, Hyper Pi actually scores better than before.

What happened after you plugged in the settings I suggested?

To be honest, I have yet to plug all of those in yet. I'm currently downloading windows 7, so I just put it at a known stable save. Once I finish burning windows 7, i'll try those settings out.

i have a 780i never had a quad in it but runs fine with my dual @ 500fsb.

What do you have for a HSF ?

Stephenishere said:

To be honest, I have yet to plug all of those in yet. I'm currently downloading windows 7, so I just put it at a known stable save. Once I finish burning windows 7, i'll try those settings out.

Click to expand...

Which version of win7 did you get?

You should be able to get a B3 to 3ghz fairly easily, even on that particular board.