Got a new system - Overclocking a QX9650

[Method320]

Hello all.

My previous system was a crappy AMD based one. I always loved it because AMD was the only kind of system I've ever owned, and they've never failed me. Here's the specs I had:

AMD Phenom 9650 (yes, first gen, it didn't OC hardly at all. About 300ish mhz.)
Asus M3N78-VM and 8 gigs of generic ddr2 ram. Eventually I got a GTS-450. At this point my bottleneck was my cpu for sure.

Thankfully, and surprisingly, where I work, they were getting rid of old hardware they arent using anymore. Mostly server based stuff. Out of it all I grabbed a couple server cases, some intel boards and processors. Here's what I am now running on my system, AMD one is in the corner hiding.

Intel QX9650 @ 3.99ghz (333 FSB x12) [interesting that I moved from an AMD 9650 to an Intel 9650 ]
Intel DX48BT2 with 4 gigs of Corsair DDR3 at 1333.

I'm running a decent aftermarket heatsink my friend gave me, idles around 40C in an air conditioned room. Prime 95 brings it up to around 85-90C, no other application or game can bring it above 80.

Here are my questions to you all:
I was able to boot at 400FSB x10 successfully a few times, but other times it just doesn't want to boot at all, and sometimes hangs at post. Just a sign my OC failed? Watchdog OFF it will sometimes boot, other times it will give no video. Right now I'm sitting stable at 333fsb x12. Voltage sitting at lowest possible setting, 1.28.

I read somewhere that I should keep on High Precision Event Timer when in Windows 7, but other people say to turn it off. What do?

Anything else I should know about this board and CPU?

Edit: I also want to mention, HWmonitor and Speedfan don't give accurate readings for really anything. HWmonitor gives accurate readings for CPU, but thats the only sensor it gives me. No fans, no chipset temps, nothing else. Speedfan reads my CPU at -50C, and thats also the only sensor it gives me. Aida64 (the new Everest) reads all of my sensors, seemingly, but I'm not sure as the other temps it shows are accurate/the right ones. Any advice?

 

[Theocnoob]

Speedfan is old. You shouldn't use it.

IIRC Core 2 Quads didn't like FSB as high as 400. That might be your problem. Are the overclocks you've gotten prime 95 stable for several hours?

This would be better off in the Intel CPUs section. You'd get more answers. A better thread title like "Trying to overclock QX9650" would be helpful too.

 

[RJARRRPCGP]

Speedfan is old. You shouldn't use it.

IIRC Core 2 Quads didn't like FSB as high as 400. That might be your problem. Are the overclocks you've gotten prime 95 stable for several hours?

This would be better off in the Intel CPUs section. You'd get more answers. A better thread title like "Trying to overclock QX9650" would be helpful too.

400+ is required for a good OC on Yorkfield Quads. Thus, a P43 board would probably be a show stopper!

Reseat the heatsink! Core temps way too high! Even if it's the old Kentsfield variant!

Even with Linpack, shouldn't get higher than 80 C!

 

[Method320]

CPU and heatsink are both lapped very well, this was very recently put together. Like I said, it idles at about 40C and games only bring it to 75C maximum. Dead Space 3 on full settings doesn't bring it above 70C.

As I said, prime95 brings it to 90C fairly quickly (small FFTs)

This board (DX48BT2) doesn't seem to like to boot at or above 400 fsb. What should I do?

 

[RJARRRPCGP]

CPU and heatsink are both lapped very well, this was very recently put together. Like I said, it idles at about 40C and games only bring it to 75C maximum. Dead Space 3 on full settings doesn't bring it above 70C.

As I said, prime95 brings it to 90C fairly quickly (small FFTs)

This board (DX48BT2) doesn't seem to like to boot at or above 400 fsb. What should I do?

Sounds like the same chipset limitation that G31, G33 and P43 have.

X48 shouldn't have an issue! Get another heatsink! Looks like you borked your heatsink. Sorry.

 

[Method320]

Lol there isn't anything wrong with the heatsink

Edit: HOLY CRAP! You live in Vermont? I'm up in Burlington!

2nd edit: I know there isn't anything wrong with the heatsink, mainly because the stock, untouched heatsink that comes with the qx9650, my idle temps at 3.0GHZ sit around 50C. So if 4ghz on my new heatsink sits at 40C, I think my heatsink is doing pretty well.

Edit 3: The heatsink I have is Arctic Freezer Pro 7 revision 1, for anyone interested.

I have also noticed the temps vary between cores, something my AMD system never did. Idle, core 1 and 4 sit at 32C, core 2 and 3 sit at about 38-39C. Is this normal for Intel cpus?

 

[EarthDog]

400+ is required for a good OC on Yorkfield Quads. Thus, a P43 board would probably be a show stopper!

Reseat the heatsink! Core temps way too high! Even if it's the old Kentsfield variant!

Even with Linpack, shouldn't get higher than 80 C!

+1 for the top, -1 for the middle, lol! There are no 9650 kentsfield variants. There are different steppings but a kentsfield is a kentsfield as a yorky is a yorky.

 

[Method320]

So I turned off the voltage offset option in my bios (bios says it increases by 300mV), and set my voltage to 1.525, Aida64 reports my voltage at 1.477 (vdroop I assume?) and now prime 95 insta-fails on my 4th core, the other ones continue on though. Should I increase voltage more? I'd rather not go any higher.

Edit 1: Just verified. Found the reason its getting so hot. That offset that puts 300mV, puts my voltage at 1.547. It is seemingly stable at this, but thats the reason my cpu gets so hot. BIOS settings to get to this point:

cpu voltage: 1.28
Enhanced Power Slope: Enabled
CPU Voltage Offset: Enabled
Multiplier: 12
x Host Clock Frequency (MHz): 333

found this picture of my bios on Google image search: the settings in the picture are not mine. http://www.clockmehigh.com/TestingAtCorsair/bonetrail/BIOS_1554.jpg

So what settings should I try to get 4.0 stable and not so hot? Or is that not possible?

Edit 2: If I turn off both Power Slope and the extra 300mV, bump the voltage to 1.5, my cpu sits at 1.441 according to Aida64, unfortunately almost all cores fail instantly on prime95.

I'd rather not run too high of a voltage so if anyone knowledgeable about this chipset and cpu can chime in, I'd be very happy. Sorry for so many posts >.<

 

[glussier]

The Arctic Freezer Pro 7 is not a decent cooler when used to overclock an Intel qc9650 with vcore set above 1.4volt. So, this is your second temp problem.

The qx9650 requires anywhere from 1.38 to 1.4volt to be stable at 4ghz.

With the cooler you have, you should set your vcore @ the max vid voltage for these cpus, which is 1.3625, leave the base freq. @ 333 and use the multiplier to find the max freq. your cpu will be able to run stably at.

 

[Method320]

With the cooler you have, you should set your vcore @ the max vid voltage for these cpus, which is 1.3625, leave the base freq. @ 333 and use the multiplier to find the max freq. your cpu will be able to run stably at.

I've just looked around on other forums, and most are able to get 4.0 on air with the C1 stepping, at those voltages. Mine is the C0 stepping. Does that matter?

I can't run 4.0 stable at 1.5, and I'd rather not run at 1.5 at all, that seems too high. If prime95 is failing instantly at 1.5V, 333FSBx12, I dont think temperature is necessarily the problem here.

Remember, prime95 runs seemingly stable at 1.28V WITH power slope AND the extra 300mV enabled, putting me at 1.54V. If that is safe to run at with proper cooling, I'll do that. Otherwise I'd rather not.

 

[redduc900]

Yes it matters. Newer steppings like the SLAWN C1 normally require less Vcc at the same clock than their older brethren like the SLAN3 C0.

 

[Method320]

Well, I can't get it prime95 stable at even 3.66, 1.4V. So, this isn't a temperature problem. Core 4 keeps failing almost instantly. All 4 cores run just fine consistently at stock frequencies, so I don't think the cpu has failed...

 

[glussier]

Even the c0 should be able to overclock to 4ghz @ 1.42 or below.

You might think that your cpu is properly cooled, but it's not. The Xtreme cpus were very good overclocker, but required lots of volts. generated lots of heat and required very good cooling.

The cooler you have would be better used on a dual core. With the cooler you have, you should do as I said earlier and stick with a vcore below 1.3625. This should be good enough for a 3.6 to 3.8ghz overclock.


Oups, I was too late. What type of psu is installed on your computer? I'll see if I can get hold of your motherboard manual, as I never tried any overclocking with an Intel motherboard.

 

[RJARRRPCGP]

-1 for the middle, lol! There are no 9650 kentsfield variants..

I was trying to say that even for a 65 nm that 90 C was ridiculous. Oops lol.

 

[magellan]

I've just looked around on other forums, and most are able to get 4.0 on air with the C1 stepping, at those voltages. Mine is the C0 stepping. Does that matter?

I can't run 4.0 stable at 1.5, and I'd rather not run at 1.5 at all, that seems too high. If prime95 is failing instantly at 1.5V, 333FSBx12, I dont think temperature is necessarily the problem here.

Remember, prime95 runs seemingly stable at 1.28V WITH power slope AND the extra 300mV enabled, putting me at 1.54V. If that is safe to run at with proper cooling, I'll do that. Otherwise I'd rather not.

I'd say 1.5V Vcore is way too much for 4 Ghz. I used to run my q9550 @ 1.425 Ghz (500 * 8.5) and ~1.4625V.

Like other people have said your heatsink is probably inadequate.

A carefully tuned Vtt and reference voltages (MCH and CPU) can reduce the CPU Vcore requirements for high FSB's. I'd actually shoot for the highest FSB first (at the
lowest CPU and RAM multipliers) then look into maxing out the CPU.

 

[Method320]

What type of psu is installed on your computer? I'll see if I can get hold of your motherboard manual, as I never tried any overclocking with an Intel motherboard.

PSU is a Ultra X3 850 watt modular power supply. Exact model number is ULT-HE0850X

Like other people have said your heatsink is probably inadequate.

Except, as I have mentioned, it's not even stable at 3.66 with 1.4V, that doesn't make any sense to me. It's stable at higher voltages, its just too hot for them. Even on this stepping, I should be able to get 4.0GHz on air, right? I would think so :S

Edit: I am completely stock now. Idle temps sit at:

Core 1: 20C
Core 2: 30C
Core 3: 30C
Core 4: 30C

There is a ~9 degree difference between core 1 and the rest of the cores. >.> With an overclock, the temps were:

Core 1: 39C
Core 2: 44C
Core 3: 44C
Core 4: 39C

A ~5 degree difference between the outer cores and 2 & 3. This seems really strange. Is that normal?

 

[glussier]

The vcore you are giving us, is it the vcore as set in the bios or the vcore Under load. There is probably no "load line calibration" option in the bios and there might be a lot of vdroop.

Could you run coretemp and show us the vcore when the processor is idle in Windows and Under load? I suspect that you might be setting 1.5 to get your cpu running stably, but there might be a lot of vdrop when you boot your system and a lot more vdroop when your cpu is Under load.

If I were you, I wouldn't worry about the idle temp, these are meaningless anyway.

 

[Method320]

The vcore you are giving us, is it the vcore as set in the bios or the vcore Under load. There is probably no "load line calibration" option in the bios and there might be a lot of vdroop.

Could you run coretemp and show us the vcore when the processor is idle in Windows and Under load? I suspect that you might be setting 1.5 to get your cpu running stably, but there might be a lot of vdrop when you boot your system and a lot more vdroop when your cpu is Under load.

Friend of mine (that gave me the heatsink, and is more knowledgeable than I with Intel overclocking) went through my settings and got my system running Prime95 stable and temps manageable (under 75C) at 3.83Ghz with 1.45V

In regards to load line calibration, the bios has an option for "Enhanced Power Slope" and it says that when enabled, gives more current to the CPU, which apparently is the load line calibration setting? Either way, these are the full settings from my bios page:

CPU Voltage Override: 1.5V
CPU Voltage Offset: Disabled
Enhanced Power Slope: Enabled
Front Side Bus Voltage Override: 1.200
MCH/ICH Voltage Override: 1.250

Processor Multiplier Override: 11
Half-Ratio Multiplier: Enabled (so now it's 11.5)
x Host Clock Frequency (MHz): 333

The next page, Reference Voltage Override, REF0 was set to 61, and REF1 was set to (I believe) 67.

Here is an image of my bios pages (NOT my own pictures) http://www.clockmehigh.com/TestingAtCorsair/bonetrail/BIOS_1554.jpg Bottom left is CPU overriding, top right is the reference voltage override page.

These bios settings gave me prime95 stable 3.83 GHz with load temps not going above 75C. I am happy with this.

 

[glussier]

You are right, enhanced power slope is the same as load line calibration.

Glad that you were able to get a successfull overclock.

With the QX9650 @ 3.83ghz, for sure, you gts 450 is giving everything it can give.

 

[Method320]

It definitely is lol. I play tribes ascend, left 4 dead 2, and dead space 3, they all play max just fine (1600*900)

Thanks for all the help everyone!