P5Q-Pro & Q9550 problems

[TheMechanic]

Hey what's going on people. I'm completely new to overclocking I have a P5Q-Pro, latest BIOS, ect. My goal is 0C @ 3.4ghz. Attached to it is a Artic Cooling Freezer 7 Pro with Arctic Silver 5 thermal compound, powered by a modular Mushkin 550 watt PSU.

I have 8GB (4X2gb) G. Skill DDR2-1066 @ 5-5-5-15 / 2.1 Volts. My problem is the following:

I can't post with any OC settings. Ive tried getting my memory up to 1066 and can't even do that. I set my timings manually, along with DRAM voltage, and increased the NB voltage to 1.3, 1.4 and even 1.5 and still cant post with 1066. I can post with 800 though.'

Since i can't even post my memory, i can barely do nothing with my C1 stepping Q9550. I tried setting the FSB manually with auto voltage, doesn't post. I tried entering the standard settings and it still doesnt post. I tried raising NB, FSB Termination and have trid 1.25 volts, 1.3, and 1.3125 with no luck. What can be the problem?

Overclocking this rig is demoralizig me, i feel like im back to my first 8086 >_<

 

[corpsejockey]

you try 1 stick at a time? maybe start with 1 stick and run a few mem test loops on each one. you may have a bum stick. if each stick passes individually, try 2x2gb. then 3 and so on. i have never had too much luck oc'ing with 4 dimms.

 

[TheMechanic]

I tried with a single stick and still come up with no post. What's funny is that im now at 3.4ghz. I am able to POST if i turn the machine on a few times after it protectively shuts down. Below are my current BIOS settings.

Ai Overclock Tuner Manual
CPU Ratio Setting 08.5
FSB Frequency 400
PCIE Frequency 100
FSB Strap to North Bridge 400
DRAM Frequency DDR2 1066
DRAM Timing Control 5-5-5-15, rest on auto
CPU Voltage 1.26250
CPU GTL Reference Auto
CPU PLL Voltage Auto
FSB Termination 1.3
DRAM Voltage 2.10
NB Voltage 1.3
SB Voltage Auto

What voltage should I increase to prevent having to turn on the pc multiple times in order for it to boot? Thanks!

 

[corpsejockey]

Have you ran memtest or prime? Is your system prime stable at lower clocks?
Drop the cpu multi to take it out of the equation and run memtest (a few loops of test 5 and 8) or at least prime blend for a MINIMum of 20 min.
If that passes, drop the ram as low as you can and start prime testing the chip. work your way up to 3.4ghz in 5mhz fsb intervals.

Please forgive me if you have done this. If you have:
try 5-5-5-18 @ command rate 2t
change row refresh cycle time from auto to 55
bumb nbv to 1.4
cpu pll 1.55
may change fsb strap to 333
turn off c1e and speedstep

 

[corpsejockey]

If you're having stability issues at stock (prime stable, not just posting), I would suspect the psu.

 

[TheMechanic]

First, thanks for responding man, I really appreciate it. Overclocking is pretty tough at the moment. Below are my revised specs:

Ai Overclock Tuner Manual
FSB Frequency 400
PCIE Frequency 100
FSB Strap to MB 400mhz
DRAM Frequency DDR-800mhz
DRAM Timing 5-5-5-15-Auto-15-Auto-Auto

CPU Voltage 1.22500
CPU GTL Reference .063x
CPU PLL Voltage 1.56
FSB Termination Voltage 1.26
DRAM Voltage 2.1
NB Voltage 1.4
SB Voltage 1.2

Load Line Calibration Enabled
CPU Margin Enhancement Performance Mode
C1E Support Disabled
CPU TM Function Disabled

I ran Memtest86+ for one entire pass. Memory didn't come up with 1 error. I decided to bring down the DRAM Frequency from 1066 to 800 for a 1:1 CPU FSBRAM Freq ratio. I feel pretty comfortable there too, the performance gains are 2-3 points in benchmarks, so i'd rather trade it for stability.

My remaining problem must be the CPU. Here's the real problem, and where i'm kind of pushing it. This pc is actually built to be a Mac Pro. I have Leopard 10.5.6 running natively to edit and capture videos. I just installed WINE and ran Prime95 on it with stock settings. Worked like a charm. Ill try CPU-Z and CoreTemp to see if i can run them on WINE. It's still a ASUS board at heart. Im sure it will work

I thought that 3.4ghz was easily attainable with proper cooling and ballpark settings, but I guess not.

BTW, it runs pretty well on stock settings. I just can't seem to OC it to 3.0, 3.2, or 3.4 ghz running my memory at DDR2-800.

 

[TheMechanic]

Tomorrow im going to start completely over. First off, I have to get the system to post with 1066 as the setting. Besides setting the 5-5-5-15-Auto-55-Auto-Auto timings, 2.1 DRAM Voltage, what else should I raise to get the system to post with default CPU settings? Higher FSB Termination, NB Voltage, or a bit of both?

 

[corpsejockey]

you could try changing the ram cpl and ai clock twister (if you have the option).
cpl (common performance level) is under ai transaction booster. Lower cpl usually means better performance and higher cpl is usually more stable.

 

[Badbonji]

Btw leave memory at 800Mhz for now, 4 sticks is very hard for 1066Mhz whilst 2 sticks is more likely. I could only get my G.Skill to 980Mhz without instability. Also needs a higher NB voltage due to having 4 sticks. Try 1.3V for CPU voltage that should help alot.

 

[rainless]

What bios are you running?

Make sure you have ket's modified bios. Latest is 2002m

 

[TheMechanic]

Updating to the modded 2002 BIOS from Juzzi @ Insanelymac. Thanks for the heads up Rainless, really apperciate it!

After updating the BIOS, im going to try to POST the 8gb G.Skill 1066 ram @ 800mhz, i prefer the stability. NB V. will be raised to 1.3 to compensate for the 4 sticks. Looking up transaction booster and ai clock twister.

Ill keep you guys posted, thanks again! BTW, how do i upload an avatar? I cant find it in the user CP?

 

[corpsejockey]

BTW, how do i upload an avatar? I cant find it in the user CP?

Think you have to have a minimum post count like the classified section.

 

[TheMechanic]

Ok im back. After a couple of hours of messing with voltages, ive come to this. I also updated to the latest BIOS. Now my pc posts.

Ai Overclock Tuner

Ai Overclock Tuner Manual
FSB Frequency 400
PCIE Frequency 100
FSB Strap to MB Auto
DRAM Frequency Auto
DRAM Timing Auto

CPU Voltage 1.25625
CPU PLL Voltage 1.56
FSB Termination Voltage 1.4
DRAM Voltage 2.1
NB Voltage 1.5

Load Line Calibration Enabled
CPU Margin Enhancement Performance Mode

The reason why I left the memory out of the equation for the time being is that i cant get it to work manually. I had to throw i the towel and let the MB set it up for me. It's temporary until i get the CPU at a decent voltage, along with the MB components. I'm going to grab a spare hard drive and install winxp to it so i can overclock this. Prime95 works great under WINE, but CoreTemp and CPU-Z don't work at all >_<

Any numbers that automatically jump out? Should I set the CPU voltages and Mobo voltages first, then tweak the ram?

 

[doz]

CPU Margin Enhancement... Get it off performance mode. NB Volts are WAYYYY too high. You shouldnt need more than about 1.3v or so to hit 3.8ghz That might be hurting you (P5Q's dont like TOO much voltage unless its NEEDED).

 

[PsycoPhreak]

First thing to do is, as mentioned already, change the CPU Margin Enhancement to Optimized (or compatible, either is fine) next step is to drop the NB volts, they don't need to be that high, actually set everything to auto for now except the below settings, those settings are for more aggressive OC's and not recommended to play around with if you are just starting out... and keep the C1 and other speed-step related garbage disabled. Load line calibration to Enabled, PCIE to 100, FSB strap to 400, DRAM FREQ to DDR2-800, DRAM timings to either auto or whatever the manufacturer recommends for your memory @ DDR2 800... (DRAM volts start at 1.8...read below)

Only setting to really be playing with is maybe the CPU Voltage to start. Up that to 1.3, see what it does for you...

Others have had problems with CPU's with the 8.5 multi (myself included), and many have found that by dropping the multi to 8, and then playing with the FSB, the CPU would OC a hell of a lot better.

Side note: You really don't need to be running your RAM at 2.1 Volts... Just because they claim to be rated at that voltage, doesn't mean you have to run them that high.

I have 4 sticks (8gb) of some HIGH quality ram, rated for 1066 and 2.1 volts, but if I run anything over 1.9v through them while I'm OC'ing the CPU, I either can't boot, or I get random restarts and other problems (this is on the same mobo, as well as a P5QC, same thing happens). They work fine at 2.1 under stock conditions @ 1066 though... will you ever get a stable OC with the mem running 1066? Nope, don't stress yourself over it, just won't happen with 4 sticks... food for thought...

So try starting your RAM at 1.8v DDR2-800 and work from there as far as the memory goes... less voltage is sometimes better than more...

BTW, welcome to the forums and the world of OC'ing... (I still have my old 8086 @ 4Mhz, upgraded with it's massive 2Mb MFM/RLL HD and dual 5 1/4 floppy drives... Those were the days...)