4.0 GHz stable but not

[grimm003]

I have finally reached 4 GHz with my E8400 (rest of hardware in sig) at 445x9. I have been stress testing every FSB increment of 3 MHz with both Linx and Prime95 Blend test and at the current settings, 445x9, I successfully ran Linx for 9.5 hours using all memory and 12+ hours on prime95 Blend test with no problems what-so-ever. The problem I am having now, though, is that Dawn of War II crashes about 10 seconds into a level. I can go through the menus fine, it's just when I start a mission. At my stable settings of 436x9 I can play for longer, 1h+, before it crashes and at stock settings, 333x9, I played for a couple hours with no crash. GPU clocks have remained the same and I tried with both catalyst 9.1 and 9.3 with the same results. So I thought of the game as a third stress test and I have tried bumping up cpu vcore, cpu PLL, NB vcore, and SB vcore all individually and none of them had any effect. The last thing I tried was to keep my "stable" settings of 445x9 but turn down the multiplier to 7 and it still crashed within 10 seconds but this time I got the BSOD compared to the freezing I usually get. I am not sure if this necessarily proves anything but it may provide insight to one of you. So, does anyone have any new suggestions or have ran into a similar situation?
My P5Q-Deluxe settings are as follow:
CPU Multi: 9
FSB: 445
PCI-E: 100
FSB Strap: Auto
DRAM Freq: 891
1st Timings: 5-5-5-12-3-55-6-4
DRAM Static Read Control: Disabled
DRAM Read Training: Disabled
MEM. OC Charger: Enabled
Ai Clock Twister: Auto
Ai Transaction Booster: Auto (LVL 14)
CPU Voltage: 1.3375
CPU GTL Voltage Reference (0/2): auto
CPU GTL Voltage Reference (1/3): Auto
CPU PLL Voltage: 1.52
FSB Termination Voltage: 1.24
DRAM Voltage: 2.1
NB Voltage: 1.16
NB GTL Reference: auto
SB Voltage: 1.1
PCIE SATA Voltage: 1.5
Load-Line Calibration: Enabled
CPU Spread Spectrum: Disabled
PCIE Spread Spectrum: Disabled
CPU Clock Skew: Auto
NB Clock Skew: Auto
CPU Margin Enhancement: Optimized

Thanks

EDIT: My cpu temps are around 31 idle and 38 load

 

[Aztroth]

try running 3dmark and see what it does... just curious...

 

[grimm003]

That was a good suggestion, I ran 3DMark06 and completed all tests successfully on default settings

 

[wingman99]

Try running the games with stock settings.

 

[crosshairs]

My Q9650 does pretty much the same thing at 4.2....I can run any number of stress tests, run multiple loops of 3D mark 06 and not a single problem...COD-4 will crash it intermittently with a hard lock. Left for Dead, COD-5 work fine..
if I run it at 4.0, no problem with anything, so that's what I ended up leaving it at......

 

[grimm003]

Yeah, my next step is to just push on to go faster and see if anything changes. I was just curious is there was anything I could do that I didn't know about

 

[Aztroth]

does DoW2 use dx10? I dont remember now... let me go check... if it does, download the trial for 3d mark Vantage and see if you can finish the DX10 tests...

 

[grimm003]

No, I don't believe it uses DX10. I did try to run Vantage before 06 but I got an error before it even began. It didn't crash or anything and I have not ran Vantage in awhile plus 06 finished fine so I didn't think the error was associated with my problem.

 

[turbohans]

WOW!! uhh you might have to help me out on how you are running stuff through linux,, im having problems with 180.x driver installs,, but anyway...

I can pull up XP on an old p4-830 at 4ghz but I had to run near the Intel max spec voltage. Says here your max is 1.3625V. What kind of cooling are you running though? might not need much special with a 45nm CPU but curious.

http://processorfinder.intel.com/details.aspx?sSpec=SLAPL

http://processorfinder.intel.com/details.aspx?sSpec=SLAPL

 

[Falkentyne]

It sounds like the PCIE lock isn't working correctly.

Try setting PCI express frequency to 105 mhz and PCI frequency to 34 mhz, and then try your overclock again. I bet you DOW 2 will work now.

 

[Aztroth]

WOW!! uhh you might have to help me out on how you are running stuff through linux,, im having problems with 180.x driver installs,, but anyway...

I can pull up XP on an old p4-830 at 4ghz but I had to run near the Intel max spec voltage. Says here your max is 1.3625V. What kind of cooling are you running though? might not need much special with a 45nm CPU but curious.

http://processorfinder.intel.com/details.aspx?sSpec=SLAPL

http://processorfinder.intel.com/details.aspx?sSpec=SLAPL

uhhh... where does it say he's running linux? Im confused... and what would that have to do with his overclock anyways?

and yeah, if its not the card doing it, then its the way the cpu is accessing the card (pci-e slot). though I would have tried 102 first. i've found even the slightest adjustment of the pcie frequency can cause instability.

 

[grimm003]

Okay, it's worth a shot. I will try 101-105 for PCI-E frequency, I can see that having an effect, but I'm not sure about adjusting the PCI frequency. I've never had to deal with it so if I am missing something, let me know. Actually, I just checked and I cannot adjust the PCI frequency.

Turbohans, if you need some help with Linux, send me a pm. As you can see, I have not gone above the recommended max cpu vcore of 1.3625, yet. I am using the Swiftech GTZ water block to cool my E8400.

 

[grimm003]

I tried 101,102,103 and it only seemed to get worse by the time I got to 103. That time it froze before the screen came back from initially being dark and I don't want to push it further and damage something. It could be software related, I am going to test out a different game now and see what happens.

 

[Hipcrostino]

recommended max voltage settings don't mean anything to us. That is simly the maximum voltage that a cpu is allowed to exit the factory at in order to run its default speed.

Fiddle with the FSB for a bit, up or down a few mhz (stressing every 3mhz sounds like agony!). sometimes you will just find a spot that isn't so happy.

 

[turbohans]

uhhh... where does it say he's running linux? Im confused... and what would that have to do with his overclock anyways?

and yeah, if its not the card doing it, then its the way the cpu is accessing the card (pci-e slot). though I would have tried 102 first. i've found even the slightest adjustment of the pcie frequency can cause instability.

LOL sorry I confused Linx with linux.

I do have the same MOBO and it lets me run my 9800gt at 104mhz. not shure but it may be you card, that is absolutly the farthest i can push it. (not noticing much of a difference either)

I also know you guys dont care about max voltage,, I was just pointing out that he hasn't reached it yet and with proper cooling should be able to bump it up and run ok. that FSB is getting a little high for that board for what I've seen other guys do. I agree with Hipcrostino though; you may just have to test out small changes unitll you find the sweat spot.

I have finally reached 4 GHz with my E8400 (rest of hardware in sig) at 445x9. I have been stress testing every FSB increment of 3 MHz with both Linx and Prime95 Blend test and at the current settings, 445x9, I successfully ran Linx for 9.5 hours using all memory and 12+ hours on prime95 Blend test with no problems what-so-ever.

 

[grimm003]

Neverwinter Nights 2 crashed on me last night but it was after about an hour of playing. I guess my next step is just increasing my fsb, which is what I eventually wanted to do anyway.

On a side note, stress testing every 3 MHz is very much a chore. Aztroth, you have the same motherboard as me, have you found that around the 430-450 fsb range that the fsb termination voltage needed increasing every 3 MHz? Because that's what mine has needed, along with some cpu vcore every 5 or 6 MHz.

 

[Falkentyne]

Try decreasing the PCI-E frequency to 95 mhz.
Does that make a difference?

I don't remember what controls the PCI-E lanes, but I think it's the southbridge? There may be an option for increasing the southbridge or PCIE voltage on some motherboards....

Most boards should be able to do 105 mhz with no problem. If yours is crashing just at 100 mhz (almost sure its something related to chipset or PCI-E now) then that has to be stabilized. Just not sure what options are available.....

 

[grimm003]

I am pretty sure you are correct in that the southbridge controls PCI/PCI-E.

I tried increasing my sb voltage from 1.1 to 1.2 but it had no effect on my gameplay issue. I did not try increasing both my sb vcore and PCI-E frequency. I'll try 95 MHz for PCI-E frequency here shortly, keep the suggestions coming, though.

 

[Sunburn74]

sounds like a temp problem. you stressed your cpu and it was fine but your gpu is probably overheating and thats what's causing the crash. prime stresses cpu. DOW2 stresses both cpu and gpu for even more heat. run gpu z whilst gaming and see what kind of temps you start hitting. you may be shocked...

 

[deathman20]

You could have a few issues.

It might be a power problem. Try running Prime95-LinX and 3DMark 06 or Vantage at the same time... yes at the same time in a loop if possible for about 1 hour. If it crashes well there is an issue.

It was suggested by arg a member on the boards, forgot who sorry, but it works very well. That will be putting the most strain on the whole system at the same time. So if you want to make sure its game stable that is one heck of a test to push everything at once.

Another one is to run Crysis Warhead Benchmark, loop 3 times for first 3 maps at the settings you use it at, or higher to make sure your pushing it. That will at least determine if the GPU is at fault, if the CPU is stable.