Overclocking Q9550 C1 - Problems occured

[Horace Pinker]

@all,

I just registered to this forums and I hope to find some assistance here. I am relatively new into Quad-core processors and into overclocking in general and I didn't do anything on my own, but I can't proceed for any reason. First of all, my setup :

Asus P5Q-Pro Motherboard
Q9550 processor C1 VID 1,2375
4GB OCZ CL4 Reaper
Corsair PSU HX520
CPU cooler Noctua U12P
Case Coolermaster CM690 with 3 included 120mm fans
Graphics card ATI HD 2600 XT
Vista64

The BIOS modifications I've made so far :

CPU-ratio 8.5
FSB 400 MHZ
DDR2-800 (1:1)
CPU-Voltage 1,2125
CPU GTL Ref. [Auto]
CPU PLL Volt. 1,52
FSB Termination Voltage [Auto]
DRAM-Voltage 2,10
NB Voltage 1,28
SB Voltage [Auto]
Load Line Calibration [Disabled]
CPU Spread Spectrum [Disabled]
PCIE Spread Spectrum [Disabled]
C1E [Disabled]

With these settings, my computer is stable running Prime95 small and large tests for a couple of hours each without any errors or warnings. Temps after 4 hours of Prime are about 51°,51°,49°,49°.

A friend of mine told me that FSB Term. at Auto gives too much voltage. BIOS (I don't know which revision actually) tells me that standard for FSB Termination Voltage is 1,10, but whatever I do, I just am allowed to start at 1,20. If I try i.e. NB Voltage 1,28 together with FSB Term 1,2, my computer starts normally and I can work, but it won't restart and when switched off, it won't start. The only thing I can do then is to switch off the PSU and to enter all things in BIOS again. If I go to FSB Term 1,22, it's the same thing. I am wondering why I can't go below 1,20 in the first and of course why I can't restart my computer with some settings. Auto fits perfectly, but I am concerned it might give too much voltage. I don't want to keep the processor and the board for more then 3 years I guess, but I don't want to throw it away in 10 months.

For the usage, I am into multi-threaded video encoding which gives always 100% load to all cores.

Can you guys please assist me with some ideas, some opinions and some tips about my BIOS mods, what to do better, what to try ?

Thanks in advance for a thousand times.

Andy.

 

[redduc900]

Download HWMonitor to read your current FSB Term. Voltage (VTT)...

HWMonitor 1.11
http://www.cpuid.com/hwmonitor.php

The voltage will probably show up as HT Link, under the "Voltages" section. You might also be able to read it using PC Probe II...

PC Probe II Version 1.04.51
http://support.asus.com/download/download.aspx?SLanguage=en-us&model=P5Q PRO

Default VTT for a 45nm quad is 1.20v, so w/ a setting of Auto in the BIOS you should be seeing that in HWMonitor + or - about .01 or .02v

 

[jason4207]

1.1v is the default VTT on my 45nm quad.

Try 1.1v. My CPU hates anything higher than that, but it's a different stepping.

 

[Horace Pinker]

1.1v is the default VTT on my 45nm quad.

Try 1.1v. My CPU hates anything higher than that, but it's a different stepping.

Yes, but that's exactly is my problem. BIOS tells me that if a 45nm CPU is detected it's 1,10, but it won't let me choose 1,10. Whatever I enter, it switches to 1,20 immediately and even with - I can't get below 1,20.

 

[redduc900]

I should have been more specific I guess. The default VTT for a 4 series chipset like the G43, G45, or the P45 (like the P5Q Pro) is 1.20v, and for a 3 series chipset like the G33, G35, or the P35 (like the P5k Prem.) it's 1.10v

 

[Horace Pinker]

I should have been more specific I guess. The default VTT for a 4 series chipset like the G43, G45, or the P45 (like the P5Q Pro) is 1.20v, and for a 3 series chipset like the G33, G35, or the P35 (like the P5k Prem.) it's 1.10v

Ok Guys, you really bring some light into my tunnel unfortunately my PC does not restart when I try to enter 1.20 or 1.22 for FSB Termination Voltage. The only thing I can do then is to switch off the Power button of the PSU and to re-enter everything in BIOS. If I have it on Auto it works. I don't know why, but Hardware-Monitor just shows me CPUCore, +12V, AVCC, +3.3V, VIN1 and VIN3. But the VIN values are very high. How can I find out what they mean?

Another question I would like to ask you. If I have CPU-Voltage on Auto when being at FSB400*8.5 3.4 Ghz, there is 1,28volts on Idle and 1,24volts under Load. Personally I think this is too much. I've now entered 1.2375 and it shows me 1.2080 Idle and 1.16xx something under Load. Should I try to undervolt even more or is this dangerous ?

 

[jason4207]

I should have been more specific I guess. The default VTT for a 4 series chipset like the G43, G45, or the P45 (like the P5Q Pro) is 1.20v, and for a 3 series chipset like the G33, G35, or the P35 (like the P5k Prem.) it's 1.10v

Interesting...thanks for the info.

Why is it higher on the newer chipset?

 

[jason4207]

Ok Guys, you really bring some light into my tunnel unfortunately my PC does not restart when I try to enter 1.20 or 1.22 for FSB Termination Voltage. The only thing I can do then is to switch off the Power button of the PSU and to re-enter everything in BIOS. If I have it on Auto it works. I don't know why, but Hardware-Monitor just shows me CPUCore, +12V, AVCC, +3.3V, VIN1 and VIN3. But the VIN values are very high. How can I find out what they mean?

Another question I would like to ask you. If I have CPU-Voltage on Auto when being at FSB400*8.5 3.4 Ghz, there is 1,28volts on Idle and 1,24volts under Load. Personally I think this is too much. I've now entered 1.2375 and it shows me 1.2080 Idle and 1.16xx something under Load. Should I try to undervolt even more or is this dangerous ?

You can undervolt all you want. No danger there except instability. You won't damage anything by not giving it enough juice.

You may want to experiment w/ LLC (Load-Line Calibration) as well. It will keep your vcore from dropping under load. It helps some, but hurts others, so try both ways. You'll have to use a higher vcore setting in the BIOS to compensate w/ LLC disabled, though.

 

[Horace Pinker]

You can undervolt all you want. No danger there except instability. You won't damage anything by not giving it enough juice.

You may want to experiment w/ LLC (Load-Line Calibration) as well. It will keep your vcore from dropping under load. It helps some, but hurts others, so try both ways. You'll have to use a higher vcore setting in the BIOS to compensate w/ LLC disabled, though.

@jason4207

so I take for myself that undervolting produces less damage then overvolting ?

@redduc900

Thanks for the information as well. But I still got my problem and I really don't get it solved. If I put FSB Termination Voltage to 1,20 or 1,22 then, my computer starts normally after leaving BIOS and I can let run Prime95 for hours without any failures. If I then just would like to restart the PC or if I shut it down and switch it on the next time, it won't start. I've noticed that th shutdown takes a bit longer then and the screen is black. My monitor tells me no signal and nothing goes. Even pressing the on/off switch for a couple of seconds doesn't help. I then need to switch my PSU off in the back of the PC. Then BIOS is resetted and I need to enter everything again. If I leave FSB Term on Auto, everything is fine. Do you have any idea what it could be ? Is any component maybe broken ?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Choppah4]

Ok Guys, you really bring some light into my tunnel unfortunately my PC does not restart when I try to enter 1.20 or 1.22 for FSB Termination Voltage. The only thing I can do then is to switch off the Power button of the PSU and to re-enter everything in BIOS. If I have it on Auto it works. I don't know why, but Hardware-Monitor just shows me CPUCore, +12V, AVCC, +3.3V, VIN1 and VIN3. But the VIN values are very high. How can I find out what they mean?

I'd like to know that answer too, cause my VIN1 is 1.70V and my VIN3 is 1.18V with everything on Auto. It would be nice to have a program or BIOS that would show you what the voltage is actually at when it is set on Auto and how much it changes as you undervolt or overclock.

 

[redduc900]

Have you checked to see if PC Probe II shows the current VTT?

 

[Horace Pinker]

Have you checked to see if PC Probe II shows the current VTT?

I did install the above mentioned PC Probe II in the mentioned version. It gave me a lot of data but I don't think that I've seen VTT in it, but I won't put my hand in the fire for that. I can't access my PC right now, but I will double check tonight.

 

[jason4207]

@Jason4207

so I take for myself that undervolting produces less damage then overvolting ?

Undervolting causes less 'damage' than running stock. Just using the CPU causes damage to some extent, but it so insignificant you'd never notice it...the same way running water through the pipes in your house slowly wears away the metal pipes themselves.

If you go too low on the voltage you'll get instability, but instability doesn't cause CPU damage. The more voltage you use the more 'damage' you cause, but you shouldn't worry at all until you get over 1.365v.

Although you won't cause any damage to the CPU, if your CPU is unstable for any reason then you do risk OS corruption. This can always be repaired w/ a reformat/re-install, but nobody wants to do that.

 

[Horace Pinker]

Undervolting causes less 'damage' than running stock. Just using the CPU causes damage to some extent, but it so insignificant you'd never notice it...the same way running water through the pipes in your house slowly wears away the metal pipes themselves.

If you go too low on the voltage you'll get instability, but instability doesn't cause CPU damage. The more voltage you use the more 'damage' you cause, but you shouldn't worry at all until you get over 1.365v.

Although you won't cause any damage to the CPU, if your CPU is unstable for any reason then you do risk OS corruption. This can always be repaired w/ a reformat/re-install, but nobody wants to do that.

Thanks for your help Jason. I just tried a bit and finally I got one step further. With FSB Termination Voltage 1,28 my PC finally keeps on restarting.

As for the CPU, I've undervolted my VID 1,2375 to 1,2250 actually at 3,4 GHZ. 10 Minutes ago I was running Intel Burn Test with Maximum Stress and 10 runs. It passed without any errors or warnings. Looks promising. This tool really kicks my noctua cooler. While Prime95 never brings one of the cores above 51° celsius, IBT brought them to 58/59° celsius in the peak, but I think I'm still far away from any concerns. I will now give him some hours of Prime with Large FFT's and if this is successful, I might start working as usual with the machine.