Help me o/c my strange 30-cap 3.0 C

[laja]

Hi, I got a 30-cap ("EE-layout") 3.0C specifically for overclocking. The default voltage is the lowest 1.475 V, so I thought it would go to at least 3.7 Ghz on air (as others report with such processors). But no. The CPU is Prime95-stable at the default voltage at 3.5 Ghz, but wouldn't go higher no matter what I do. Even at 3.6 Ghz, it rarely loads Windows. I have replaced my RAM (now have Geil DDR500 running at 1:1 way below spec) and increased the voltage up to 1.550, but no go. Using Abit IC7 with the latest BIOS. AGP/PCI speeds are of course locked at spec.

I don't think that the CPU temp is the problem; if it's Prime-stable at 3.5 Ghz, it should at least load Windows at 3.6...

Any ideas? Thanks.

 

[Jimbob7]

run the ram ratio 5:4 and give it 1.625vcore in the bios 3.5stock vcore is pretty good going should be a 3.8g chip there.

 

[laja]

run the ram ratio 5:4 and give it 1.625vcore in the bios 3.5stock vcore is pretty good going should be a 3.8g chip there.

What would be the point in running the RAM at 5:4 when it is alredy running below spec, especially considering that the same thing occurred with other RAM?

Also, if it does 3.5 Ghz at stock, why should another 100 or 200 Mzh require so much more voltage?

I just tried setting the voltage to 1.6 V in the BIOS, then loading Windows, and raising the FSB to 250 with H.Oda's Windows-based on-the-fly overclocing tool. Wham, blue screen immediately. I'm starting to think that this chip is no good above 3.5 Ghz.

 

[hUMANbEATbOX]

ppl give up on chips so quickly!

if it does 3.5 at 1.475v, then you *should* be able to get more out of it. there are no guarantees when it comes to overclocking. my chip does 3.48 at 1.52v (that's at LOAD, bios reads 1.575) but to get prime stable at much above that, i have to crank the bios voltage up to 1.65, 1.6 actual under load.

 

[laja]

ppl give up on chips so quickly!

if it does 3.5 at 1.475v, then you *should* be able to get more out of it.

That's EXACTLY my problem. I'm not getting more out of it, whatever I do. I just tried relaxing the RAM timings and using an 5:4 divider (FSB/RAM) and raising the voltage to 1.625 V. Again, when I set the FSB to 250 Mhz, blue screen. There's not much else to do but try the CPU in a friend's computer...

 

[laja]

One more remark: I have an Enermax 430 W power supply, so that should be OK as well, even though the voltages shown by MBM are a bit lower (3.26 V instead of 3.3, and 11.8 instead of 12V.). But they say that IC7 boards all show these voltages...

 

[batboy]

What are all your BIOS settings? The main 3 things that you should do with an Abit mobo are, 1) update the BIOS, 2) "fix" the AGP/PCI to 66/33, and 3) disable the last two GAT settings. You got a good CPU it would seem, but you have a bottleneck somewhere in the system.

 

[laja]

What are all your BIOS settings? The main 3 things that you should do with an Abit mobo are, 1) update the BIOS, 2) "fix" the AGP/PCI to 66/33, and 3) disable the last two GAT settings. You got a good CPU it would seem, but you have a bottleneck somewhere in the system.

First two are done, and I've also tried the third.

 

[batboy]

Until you find the limits of your system, just use these GAT settings: auto, auto, auto, auto, disable, disable. Also use the SPD RAM timings with maybe 2.7v vdimm.

 

[Solari]

Are you sure your mobo can handle more FSB than 250? That could be one factor to consider, since all motherboards are different; some are crappy overclockers and some good.

 

[stan03]

Are you sure your mobo can handle more FSB than 250? That could be one factor to consider, since all motherboards are different; some are crappy overclockers and some good.

yes his motherboard can definitely handle 250+ fsb
look at batboys sig

 

[Turbo]

Hi laja (it's me Lars from..... well, all over). You're still active all over the place aren't you

Sounds like your 30-cap 3.0C behaves just like a "real" EE on air. I have just replaced my 3.2EE with a spankin' new 3.4EE and on air, they both behaved just like yours do. Stable @ default voltage up to a point, and then they just won't go any further, pretty much regardless of voltage, i.e. on air In my Mach II GT however, it's an alltogether different ballgame. That doesn't help you out though.

My best bet is, that cooling is the main culprit with your cpu, just as it is -and has been- with my 2 EE's. I'm not sure if watercooling it will help any, but if you're not going to use VaporPhase cooling, I'd see if I couldn't swap it for another newer made 12-cap cpu. I have seen quite a few hit around 3.8 Ghz on air.

 

[Solari]

yes his motherboard can definitely handle 250+ fsb
look at batboys sig

All IC7s aren't identical. Like I said; some overclock well, some don't. I've seen cases where one guy has a certain mobo running at nearly FSB300, while another with the same mobo is fighting to get it stable at FSB250. Sad but true.

 

[Zebbo]

Try to put vcore up to 1.6250 from BIOS and you should be fine.