Vcore while OCing a QX9650

So this is my first experience with 45nm Quads. Really, my only other experience with the "core" series was with my E6420 on a P5B-D... So I don't really know what's "normal" anymore for a Quad OC.

I got this CPU and Mobo from MIAHALLEN, so I know what he's done with the chip (12x333=4.0ghz benchmark stable w/1.282V CPU-Z). It seems like I need to give this a decent amount of Vcore to be stable (see FAILURE below) which has me questioning myself. For right now, I'm just trying to find the max stable for CPU (upping multi since I can), then later I'll do FSB/memory etc.

This is at 1.4125V BIOS (1.36V CPU-Z):


Here's the shot of the BIOS:


I'm rock solid stable with these settings at 3.6Ghz (and possibly 3.66), but as can be seen, it's not so hot for 3.7Ghz, and I am starting feel like I'm doing something wrong to be pushing this much voltage into it. I know that this chip has hit 4.5Ghz on "cold water" before (obviously not 24/7 stable), so it has me questioning my methods. I'm not familiar with the clock skew settings, and I don't know if there are any BIOS tweaks that I'm missing.

I guess the point of this is to ask if I'm going about this the right way, and if I should just keep cranking up the Vcore. What voltage are people normally running these things at for around 3.8Ghz anyway? I'd like to be 24/7 stable at 3.8ghz if possible, but I'll settle for less (or more!).

Thanks in advance guys!
Cheers

try playing with your GLTREF lanes,

unless you board doesnt have it.

I have been running my QX9650 since Nov'07 (18 months) at 4GHz and 1.40 vCore via CPUz. You should have a lot more room to grow provided you have the cooling. This thing has been rock solid.

(Dont mind the HD Bench, this screen was for someone else I captured today)

Thanks guys. I've never actually messed with GTLREFF settings (didn't even know I could till I tried CTRL+F1 to get "uber bios" just now). I'll mess with that some more.

Surfrider, it looks like your system is about the same as mine (except I have the X48T mobo), do you have an recommendations for bios settings? I'm new to both quads and gigabyte boards.

Well, after some tweaking of the GTLREF settings and other voltages I'm stable at 3.7Ghz.

1.418V Vcore (1.4 w/o Load, 1.36 max vdroop)


I haven't taken it up more, but I hope I can without cranking the vcore anymore. Is it worth trying to prime without LLC (loadline calibration)? I've heard mixed things about having it on or off... After all these years I thought I knew the ins and outs of overclocking, but I can see there are now more things I need to tweak... if only I had more free time to try ever option.