Help with Overclocking Q6600 beyond 3.3Ghz (Warning Image Heavy!)

Hello all!

New user here. I would like to thank the moderators and all members for the excellent community they have here. I've been reading through many threads and the quality of the posts is truly incredible.

I apologise in advance if this is in the wrong place but since my question involved my cpu, motherboard and memory, I was not sure where to post.

I have a little overclocking experience but have not done it in a long time. My last overclock was during the Celeron era

I am trying to get my Intel Q6600 (B0) to run over 3.3Ghz. At the moment is it stable on 3.3Ghz with a Max load temp after 24 hours of 55degrees. The problem is that if I increase my clock to 400 x 9.0, the computer boots but Windows 7 bluescreens. I have also tried increasing the voltage on the CPU to 1.4V and it also bluescreens.

I am relatively certain it is not a temperature issue but something I am missing in the BIOS Settings.

Could someone please take a look at the screens below and let me know if there is something I am doing wrong or could do better?

Quick Computer Spec Summary:
Asus P5Q Pro Bios 2102
Intel Q6600 2.60Ghz @ 3.3Ghz (B0)
4 x 2GB Kingston HyperX RAM
Gainward Geforce 560 Ti
Antec Kuhler H2O 620 (All in one CPU Water cooling)

Thanks in advance!!!

BIOS Settings:




CPU-Z:





CPUID Hardware Monitor:


GPU-Z


Mem Specs:


RealTemp Idle:


RealTemp Load Prime95:

You have 8GB of DDR2-800 that's currently running at an effective DDR2-915 (457MHz x 2), this by utilizing the 4:5 FSB : DRAM divider (2.50 DRAM multiplier) on the 266 strap. Change FSB Strap to North Bridge from Auto to 333, and select the DDR2-732 option from the available DRAM Frequency selections (= 1:1 FSB : DRAM ratio), this w/ the FSB at 366MHz and up. Also manually change the DRAM Voltage from Auto to 1.80 - 1.85V, the four primary RAM timings to 5-5-5-15 (all sub-timings on Auto), and NB Voltage from Auto / 1.10V to 1.20 - 1.30V (this because of the added stress on the memory controller w/ 8GB installed). You might also want to consider enabling Load-Line Calibration (LLC) to eliminate Vdroop, w/ a light increase in Vcore under load.

redduc900 said:

You have 8GB of DDR2-800 that's currently running at an effective DDR2-915 (457MHz x 2), this by utilizing the 4:5 FSB : DRAM divider (2.50 DRAM multiplier) on the 266 strap. Change FSB Strap to North Bridge from Auto to 333, and select the DDR2-732 option from the available DRAM Frequency selections (= 1:1 FSB : DRAM ratio), this w/ the FSB at 366MHz and up. Also manually change the DRAM Voltage from Auto to 1.80 - 1.85V, the four primary RAM timings to 5-5-5-15 (all sub-timings on Auto), and NB Voltage from Auto / 1.10V to 1.20 - 1.30V (this because of the added stress on the memory controller w/ 8GB installed). You might also want to consider enabling Load-Line Calibration (LLC) to eliminate Vdroop, w/ a light increase in Vcore under load.

Click to expand...

Hi redduc

Thank you for your reply!

I changed all the settings you mentioned and left my clock as is. I then did another Prime and it was still stable.

I then increased my clock to 400 x 9.0 and started Windows. It crashed again.

I then increased my cpu voltage to 1.4 and once again it crashed...

Does this mean that my system just can't go beyond 3.3Ghz?

You're jumping ahead of yourself by trying to go directly from 3.3GHz to 3.6GHz, a 300MHz bump in the clock speed. Depending on the VID of your particular chip you may need to supply upwards of 1.475 - 1.5V or higher Vcore to hit 3.6GHz, especially seeing as it needs ~1.33V for a stable 3.3GHz. Shoot for a stable 3.4GHz (425MHz x 8) w/ the RAM at 1:1, and be happy w/ a 1GHz overclock.

Thank you redduc.

I've set cpu voltage to 1.38125, (425x8) with RAM at 1:1.

So far so good, Prime is with stable temps at 56 degrees.

Could you please let me know what you mean by VID of my particular chip?

Also, is it not safe to push the voltage on the CPU to 1.475 to try and achieve 3.6?

Instead of using Prime to check for stability, use LinX...

http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=201670

... and the VID (Voltage ID) = the default voltage (Vcore / Vcc) of a given chip, which can be read either w/ Core Temp or Real Temp--> Settings page. A higher VID normally equates to more Vcore required for a given clock.

redduc900 said:

Instead of using Prime to check for stability, use LinX...

http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=201670

... and the VID (Voltage ID) = the default voltage (Vcore / Vcc) of a given chip, which can be read either w/ Core Temp or Real Temp--> Settings page. A higher VID normally equates to more Vcore required for a given clock.

Click to expand...

Okay, I'm running LinX now.

Real Temp states my VID is 1.3125. Does this mean that at 2.4Ghz it requires 1.3125 and then this increases as my overclock increases?

Please try 1:1 and try 400x7.0 This will run the processor at only 2.80 Ghz, but this is for testing northbridge stability.

Then I can see if it's the northbridge. And I dunno if you can even get a reasonable OC with RAM async.

It's possible that 4:5 is causing crashes.

Wow LinX is a monster

It's still stable but my temps hit 72degrees. Prime 95 only gets 58...

LinX reports 43 GFLOPS. Is this a correct result for my CPU?

The theoretical max. Gflops for a Q6600 is 38.40 at 2.40GHz (4 x 4 x 2.4 = 38.4 Gflops), and at 4.0GHz it would be 4 x 4 x 4 = 64 Gflops. So at 3.4GHz, 43 Gflops is somewhat lower than the theoretical max. of 54.4 Gflops (4 x 4 x 3.4), but the test is highly dependent on the memory subsystem. See if you can run the memory at 5-5-5-15-1T (Command Rate) at DDR2-850 (FSB of 425MHz x 2). The formula for calculating Gflops is (Number of cores) x (Number of double precision floating point instructions per clock cycle) x (Clock frequency).

Follow those steps:

1. FSB Strap to North Bridge: 333 Mhz
1.a DRAM Timing Control: Manual
1.b Set timing manually: 5-5-5-18-3-50-6-3
2. DRAM Static Read Control: Disabled
3. DRAM Read Training: Disabled
4. CPU Voltage: 1.45625 V
5. Mem OC Charger: Disabled
6. FSB Termination Voltage: 1.32 V
7. NB Voltage: 1.40 V
8. Load-Line Calibration: Enabled
9. Max CPUID Value Limit: Disabled
10. Intel Virtualization Tech: Disabled
11. CPU TM Function: Disabled

Should give you stable (or very close) 3.6 Ghz. Let me know how it went.

redduc900 said:

The theoretical max. Gflops for a Q6600 is 38.40 at 2.40GHz (4 x 4 x 2.4 = 38.4 Gflops), and at 4.0GHz it would be 4 x 4 x 4 = 64 Gflops. So at 3.4GHz, 43 Gflops is somewhat lower than the theoretical max. of 54.4 Gflops (4 x 4 x 3.4), but the test is highly dependent on the memory subsystem. See if you can run the memory at 5-5-5-15-1T (Command Rate) at DDR2-850 (FSB of 425MHz x 2). The formula for calculating Gflops is (Number of cores) x (Number of double precision floating point instructions per clock cycle) x (Clock frequency).

Click to expand...

Thank you.

I am not sure where to change the Command Rate. There is no option to change it in the BIOS. I imagine it changes when other settings are altered?

elari20 said:

Follow those steps:

1. FSB Strap to North Bridge: 333 Mhz
1.a DRAM Timing Control: Manual
1.b Set timing manually: 5-5-5-18-3-50-6-3
2. DRAM Static Read Control: Disabled
3. DRAM Read Training: Disabled
4. CPU Voltage: 1.45625 V
5. Mem OC Charger: Disabled
6. FSB Termination Voltage: 1.32 V
7. NB Voltage: 1.40 V
8. Load-Line Calibration: Enabled
9. Max CPUID Value Limit: Disabled
10. Intel Virtualization Tech: Disabled
11. CPU TM Function: Disabled

Should give you stable (or very close) 3.6 Ghz. Let me know how it went.

Click to expand...

Thanks for this! I will try it when I get home.

Few quick questions:
1) Do I need active cooling on the NB when I increase the voltage?
2) I use Intel Virtualization Tech for running a few virtual machines. Can I leave this on or will it make a big difference in stability?
3) Is that CPU voltage still safe? I know I always take a risk when overclocking but I don't want my CPU to last 5 weeks

PS My VID is 1.3125 and I don't run my comp 24/7 and when it is on, I'm hardly ever utilizing 100% of the CPU.

vampirnata said:

Thanks for this! I will try it when I get home.

Few quick questions:
1) Do I need active cooling on the NB when I increase the voltage?
2) I use Intel Virtualization Tech for running a few virtual machines. Can I leave this on or will it make a big difference in stability?
3) Is that CPU voltage still safe? I know I always take a risk when overclocking but I don't want my CPU to last 5 weeks

PS My VID is 1.3125 and I don't run my comp 24/7 and when it is on, I'm hardly ever utilizing 100% of the CPU.

Click to expand...

1) Yes, but not with 1.40V.
2) You can leave this on. It doesnt affect stability.
3) 1.45625V is safe. If you have a good chip, you may need even less. I needed that for 3.6 Ghz. My CPU is running over 4000 at moment, with 1.59V, and still working.

elari20 said:

1) Yes, but not with 1.40V.
2) You can leave this on. It doesnt affect stability.
3) 1.45625V is safe. If you have a good chip, you may need even less. I needed that for 3.6 Ghz. My CPU is running over 4000 at moment, with 1.59V, and still working.

Click to expand...

Sounds good.

Would you recommend using 400*9 or 450*8 for the clock?

vampirnata said:

Would you recommend using 400*9 or 450*8 for the clock?

Click to expand...

400 x 9. Then you should be able to run memory at 1:1.

elari20 said:

400 x 9. Then you should be able to run memory at 1:1.

Click to expand...

Unfortunately no go :/

Windows starts but as soon as I open a program, it blue screens.

Also would you happen to know how to get 1T on the RAM timings? I can't seem to find the setting in my BIOS.

Command Rate isn't an available option in your BIOS. You would have to use a program like MemSet in Windows to change the setting via a chipset register, then load the software at each bootup.

http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=92190

vampirnata said:

Unfortunately no go :/
Windows starts but as soon as I open a program, it blue screens.

Click to expand...

1. Increase VID by 1 step
2. Reboot to Win. If crash, go to 3.
3. Increase NB Voltage by 1 step.
4. Reboot to Win. If crash, go to 5.
5. Increase DRAM Voltage by 1 step.
6. Reboot to Win. If crash, go to 1.

Eventually it stabilizes. Just dont go too high. VID should stay under 1.50V and NB under 1.46V. You can minimize your non-problematic voltages later.

Setting PLL to 1.62 is worth trying too.

redduc900 said:

Command Rate isn't an available option in your BIOS. You would have to use a program like MemSet in Windows to change the setting via a chipset register, then load the software at each bootup.

http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=92190

Click to expand...

Thanks for the link. However I am not able to select 1T. It has the 1T option but when I click it, it just goes back to 2T...

I am running the app as admin.