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Overclocking Q9400 and MSI P45-C51

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1- Find the model of your RAM and go to the companies website. Find out what the timings are supposed to be, and be sure to manually insert them. 1- Don't worry about the ratio at first. Manually set the RAM multiplier to make it as close to the factory approved speed as possible. 3- The max "safe" voltage as per intel for the chip is 1.3625. Set it around 1.3 at first, you can tweak as needed. 4- Go through your entire BIOS with the guide Earthdog mentioned in hand. You need to turn off all the power saving options in the BIOS, as well as any turbo or accelerating features.

Overclocking is fairly simple, its just time consuming and tedious. However, you want to ensure that you have everything running cool and stable on minimum power for the longevity of the chip. The first processor I worked with took me about a week to tweak with all the right voltages and to its max. And about another 3 days when I bumped it down a bit for every day running.
 
Sure, but this is in that guide.....

When you overclock your FSB, you also overclock your RAM. The ratio is used to change ram speeds. It only goes down so low. Im GUESSING since I cant see the info I need to, that you are overclocking your ram and that is whats holding you back.
 
Sure, but this is in that guide.....

When you overclock your FSB, you also overclock your RAM. The ratio is used to change ram speeds. It only goes down so low. Im GUESSING since I cant see the info I need to, that you are overclocking your ram and that is whats holding you back.

Okay, so what you are saying is that I should not at all overclock my RAM, but keep it at 1333 with stock timings of 9-9-9-24? When I overclock in the BIOS to 376 FSB and all other settings on auto, it sets the FSB/DRAM frequency automatically at 2:3, making my DRAM Frequency run at, I think, something like 540. Is that not under-clocked for my 1333 RAM?

If I try to set the FSB/DRAM ratio on anything else, the system wont even make the BIOS sounds and restarts repeatedly until I switch it of with the power button. then I have to reset the BIOS by removing the motherboard battery to get it going again.
 
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Thats what Im trying to figure out by seeing those screenshots. If your numbers are correct, then that is underclocked and likely NOT the issue.
 
Thats what Im trying to figure out by seeing those screenshots. If your numbers are correct, then that is underclocked and likely NOT the issue.

Okay, will get those screenshots up as soon as possible when I get home. I am really frustrated at the moment and just want to sort this out, with your help if possible. Thank you for all the help so far.
 
Its just depends on your board really. The P45 chipset is normally a good clocker, but, if its a cheap board, may not be good.

Have you tried lowering the CPU multiplier a bit to see if you hit the FSB max? (Again this information is in that guide...you really need to read it to get the basics down or a lot of things i/others will explain will take significant time to do so).
 
Its just depends on your board really. The P45 chipset is normally a good clocker, but, if its a cheap board, may not be good.

Have you tried lowering the CPU multiplier a bit to see if you hit the FSB max? (Again this information is in that guide...you really need to read it to get the basics down or a lot of things i/others will explain will take significant time to do so).

Its a MSI P45-C51 board, which I think is okay? I will do that, but have played around with it before having these problems. The thing is the minimum FSB is 333 and the maximum is 400 for 1333. If I lower the CPU multiplier I have to go to a much higher FSB to reach the 3GHz mark.
 
Right. The point now, since we believe you are running your ram underclocked, is to see if you are hitting a FSB wall. If you can lower the multi a few notches and push the FSB up successfully, then we know its not the FSB. If you keep running in to the same problems, it may be a FSB wall for the board.

So try 400x7=2800Mhz with the same voltages.
 
Right. The point now, since we believe you are running your ram underclocked, is to see if you are hitting a FSB wall. If you can lower the multi a few notches and push the FSB up successfully, then we know its not the FSB. If you keep running in to the same problems, it may be a FSB wall for the board.

So try 400x7=2800Mhz with the same voltages.

My board only has a 7.5 option and then a 6, but will try the 7.5. The voltages are all on auto, so will see what happens. Thanks!
 
You want to LOWER the multiplier, not raise it. LOWER it. Use the 6 if thats the lowest it offers.

Please, take a look at that guide my man. Its going to help us all out tremendously if you have an idea of what we are talking about.
 
You want to LOWER the multiplier, not raise it. LOWER it. Use the 6 if thats the lowest it offers.

Please, take a look at that guide my man. Its going to help us all out tremendously if you have an idea of what we are talking about.

Sorry! I think you you misunderstood me. the 7.5 is lower than the 8 it is on now, and then there is still a 6.
 
Use the 6. Again, the point is trying to isolate the FSB from the cpu clockspeed and ram as best we can. :)

EDIT: When I have a bit more time I will try to give you cookie cutter settings to start with, but be aware it may not work so learning what you are doing is paramount (sorry, I really keep repeating myself there, but its THAT important to efficiently helpy you).
 
Use the 6. Again, the point is trying to isolate the FSB from the cpu clockspeed and ram as best we can. :)

EDIT: When I have a bit more time I will try to give you cookie cutter settings to start with, but be aware it may not work so learning what you are doing is paramount (sorry, I really keep repeating myself there, but its THAT important to efficiently helpy you).

Okay, will try the 6 and see what happens. Will report back to you. Thanks again and sorry for the misunderstandings. Will go through that guide. That's okay, I need the help. I would really appreciate some cookie cutter settings to start with, thank you!
 
Okay. So I have upped my FSB to 400 and lowered my multiplier to 6 (lowest), giving me 2.4 GHz. All other settings on auto, including RAM timings. All options such as C1E and EIST are disabled. The system wont even give me the BIOS sounds with these settings, and had to reset BIOS again. After this I had to completely reinstall my system from scratch for all was corrupt.

Now I have the settings on 376 FSB, Multiplier at 8, all voltages on auto, RAM on auto, and all options such as C1E and EIST are disabled. With these settings Windows 7 booted up and I took a screenshot of all the information that was asked of me. Hope this helps. I am at work again and my PC is running Prime95 at home with these settings, so hope it is still running when I get home. Will put up a screenshot of my Prime95 and CoreTemp when I get home.

Anny Ideas?????
 

Attachments

  • Overclocked to 3GHz (FSB 376, Multiplier 8) in BIOS (all voltages and other settings on auto, al.png
    Overclocked to 3GHz (FSB 376, Multiplier 8) in BIOS (all voltages and other settings on auto, al.png
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Look at the MEMORY tab. See how the timings are set to 8-6-6-15? Thats low for even that clockspeed for those sticks (see SPD tabs). Set the ram manually to its stock timings and voltages. You also have mismatched ram, thats not the best idea but hopefully it works.

You need to do the following (says this in the guide by the way, did you read it yet? :p):

1. Set your ram timings manually to 9-9-9-25 and 1.5v and leave it on the lowest multiplier for now.
2. Take Vcore and add .15, Vtt add .1, and MCH add .1 volts, see what happens.
 
Look at the MEMORY tab. See how the timings are set to 8-6-6-15? Thats low for even that clockspeed for those sticks (see SPD tabs). Set the ram manually to its stock timings and voltages. You also have mismatched ram, thats not the best idea but hopefully it works.

You need to do the following (says this in the guide by the way, did you read it yet? :p):

1. Set your ram timings manually to 9-9-9-25 and 1.5v and leave it on the lowest multiplier for now.
2. Take Vcore and add .15, Vtt add .1, and MCH add .1 volts, see what happens.

Yes, can see everything you explained to me now, thanx. So the only thing I do now is set the timings to 9-9-9-25 and DRAM voltage at 1.5v. And then set the voltages you gave me. By the lowest multiplier you mean the CPU multiplier? So I set it back to 6, but that will only give me 2.4 GHz?
 
No, now we are pushing for clockspeed since we added voltages. Highest multi you have now. ;)
 
Here is a screenshot of my BIOS from its manual. I take it your Vcore wil be CPU Voltage in mine. Vtt on yours will be VTT FSB Voltage on mine, and MCH is ICH on mine (or is it the NB Voltage on mine?), and the DRAM voltage I set to 1.5v?

Okay so I leave the multiplier on 8 and FSB on 376?
 

Attachments

  • Cell Menu.bmp
    1.2 MB · Views: 489
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