[yorkhung]

Hello
I ordered my Q6600 + XFX 680i LT combo and have been tried to overclock it for the past few weeks.
I read many posts about the CPU and motherboard, and collected many data about overclocking; however, I experienced a totally different issue.

First is my spec
Q6600 G0
XFX 680i LT
Zerotherm BTF90
A-DATA PC6400 1.8V
Antec Earthwatts 500W
MSI 8800GT OC

From what I saw in other posts, people usually can overclock to 3Ghz with stock voltage (Vcore = 1.2V); however, it was very hard for me to get it stable at 3Ghz. I tried many different method to overclock includes flash P31 bios and finally get it to be stable. The following is my setting now for 3Ghz stable:

FSB Speed: 1333 (333 x 9)
MEM Speed: 667 ( 5-5-5-5-17 on auto) <-Adata is 1.8 rating
CPU core: 1.44375
FSB core: 1.4
SPP: 1.3
MCP 1.5
SPP <-> MCP 1.2

Temp is 65,60, 60, 65 with CoreTemp reading on prime95
Vcore is 1.408 idle on CPUz

Notice the Vcore is very high! If I lower it even by a bit, the system locks up when running prime95. I don't know how can people use 1.3V or even 1.2V for 3.0Ghz.

Now I want to get it up running with 3.2Ghz, but I can't get it to be stable even with the following setting

FSB Speed: 1424 (356 x 9)
MEM Speed: 712 ( 5-5-5-5-17 on auto)
CPU core: 1.8
FSB core: 1.5
SPP: 1.5
MCP 1.5
SPP <-> MCP 1.25

And what's even wierd. If I increase the FSB by 1 with the stable setting. The system becomes unstable:

FSB Speed: 1334
MEM Speed: 667 ( 5-5-5-5-17 on auto) <-Adata is 1.8 rating
CPU core: 1.44375
FSB core: 1.4
SPP: 1.3
MCP 1.5
SPP <-> MCP 1.2

Is there any problem with my method of overclock? Do I misintreprate any posts?

Thank you.

[Zuzzz]

Try dropping the multiplier to 8 or even 7 and see if this is an FSB or a RAM issue. The ram should easily let you go to FSB/1600(400). Maybe nudge the RAM voltage to 1.90. Also set the RAM timings manually. Did you turn off speed-step and C1E?


Z

[aja]

Manually set the memory timings to 5-5-5-18

Have you locked the PCIe bus? If there is an available setting, set it to 101

[Tweaked!]

At first glance from your numbers there, it looks like your ram speeds are too high. 6400 ram is designed to run between 400 and 500 mhz with timings averaging 5,5,5,15 at 500mhz. I'm not sure about that Adata ram, but my HyperX and Ballistix both run at these speeds and settings.

[Zuzzz]

I picked up the cheapo G.Skill ram and it will will do 540Mhz @2.0v 5-5-5-15. That A.Data should perform similarly.

Z

[yorkhung]

I tried to lower the multi, and it seems to run stable. So does this mean I just have a really bad CPU that eats lots of Vcore and cannot go over 3Ghz?

FSB Speed: 1400 (1400 x 6)
MEM Speed: 700 ( 5-5-5-5-18) <- actual speed 350Mhz
CPU core: 1.44375
FSB core: 1.4
SPP: 1.3
MCP 1.5
SPP <-> MCP 1.2

[Zuzzz]

It maybe that chip isnt as overclockable is some are but I also know being its a quad core it tends to really beat up the FSB bandwidth. I would try to see if at the lower multi you can reach 1600/400 RAM speeds. That would be 7x400 or 2.8. If its stable there then we can move on to some other testing to try and narrow it down.
Z

[yorkhung]

Okey, I just tried to increase my FSB as much as possible, and found that I hit a wall arround 1520. Anything larger than that are unable to post. I can see the FSB and CPU speed posts and then the computer restarts.

I then reduce my FSB to 1420 and test out again, the system runs stable at multi 8, but is unable to post at multi 9. This is my current setting.

FSB Speed: 1420 (440 x 8)
MEM Speed: 710 ( 5-5-5-5-18) <- actual speed 305Mhz
CPU core: 1.44375
FSB core: 1.5
SPP: 1.5
MCP 1.5
SPP <-> MCP 1.2

So is this problem actually caused by my CPU? Anything I can do about it?

Thanks

[Zuzzz]

Sure looks like you got a chip that doesnt seem to overclock well. I guess I would get the most I could out of it or sell it and buy a new one. Maybe youll get one that clocks better. I mean there might be another setting Im missing but so far as I can see it just seems that chip doesnt want to go that high.

Z

[gsrcrxsi]

yea something seems not right with that chip. (or an unknown seting) my G0 q600 runs perfect at 333x9 with 1.3000 vcore (PCIe @ 100, everything else auto) prime 95 tested for 12 hours.

right now im doing prime on 355x9, DDR3-1066, 1.3500 vcore been running a few hours with nothing wrong so far

[mhiner]

I just put together a EVGA 780i with a Q6600 g0 stepping and this thing is just sucking down the volts! To get it stable @ 3.2 it is eating 1.4250... The temps are fine with 32 at idle and ~53 at full load for 2 hours but I haven't been able to get it completely stable @ 3.4 or higher yet. The odd thing is that my combo won't post anything 3.30 -3.39 but will post higher. I have tried 1600 fsb (3.6 @ 1.5volts) and it posted and went into Vista, which I was able to run 3dmark06 and SiSandra without error but prime95 errors out after 20 minutes.

My Two cents...
Michael

[kamelkamel]

q6600

vcore 1.18

333x9

stable for couple of hrs with prime 95