OC`ing Q6600 -Need advice to get stable

[NightFlare]

Hi!
This is my first post here, but from what I gather there`s a lot of competance here

Hardware:
Gigabyte GA-X38-DS5
4x Crucial Ballistix 1GB, Ballistix 240-pin DIMM, DDR2 PC2-6400 (BL12864AA80A)
Intel Quad 6600 (G0 stepping)
Radeon HD 4870
Corsair H50 water cooler for the CPU
________________________________________________
BIOS settings:
Robust Graphics Booster - Turbo
CPU Clock Ratio - 9X
CPU Frequency - 3.60 (400x9)
CPU Host Clock Control - Enabled (of course )
CPU Host Frequenzy - 400
PCI Express Frequency - 100 Mhz
C.I.A.2 - Disabled
Performance Enhance - Standard
System Memory Multiplier (SPD) - 2.00A
Memory Frequenzy (SPD) - 800
DRAM Timing Selectable (SPD) - Manual
Ram Timings 5 - 5 - 5 - 18

CPU/PCIEX Clock Driving Control - 800mV
All volts normal except;
(G)MCH OverVoltage Control - +0.025
CPU Voltage Control - 1.49375V (Normal 1.23750V)
Loadline Calibration - Enabled
______________________________________________________

So basically, what I`ve done is upping a bit here and a bit there. It runs Windows fine, and I can also benchmark with 3d Mark 06 and Vantage without problems.

Then I read someone who did 3.6Ghz at 400x9 and voltage so and so. So I decided I wanted to try that.

Earlier when I`ve overclocked a bit, I used Prime 95 to test it. This time I haven`t. I know, that might be a stupid way to go, but I didn`t have the patience.

Now, when I run Prime 95 with the settings above the workers fail after a few minutes. I use Core Temp and it maxes to a temp around 72 Celsius, which I know is pretty warm, but I figured if it lies around that when doing Prime 95, it should be ok for some gaming.

What I would like is some tips to what I should do now, except setting it to standard and testing it with Prime 95 everytime I up it a bit.

Anyone got an idea? And please, be constructive.

Thanks!

 

[EarthDog]

Every chip is different. Just b/c chip A can get to clockspeed X with voltage Y, doesnt mean yours will.

What is your MCH voltage? I see .025+. If that is your MCH voltage, than I would imagine it needs a bump. Try .1 over stock.

 

[King107s]

Thats what annoys me about my gigabyte GA-X48-DS5 too, it only shows you how much youre adding and not what youre adding it to ie stock voltage....

 

[NightFlare]

Every chip is different. Just b/c chip A can get to clockspeed X with voltage Y, doesnt mean yours will.

What is your MCH voltage? I see .025+. If that is your MCH voltage, than I would imagine it needs a bump. Try .1 over stock.

Yeah, I know chips are different, but I was pretty optimistic

I`ll try MCH .1 over stock Get back to you.

 

[NightFlare]

Upped MCH to .1 and Core volt to 1.5.

Fatal error, rounding was 0.5, expected less than 0.4 after just about 2 minutes.
Max temp was at 74C

 

[EarthDog]

Which torture test are you using?

Small FFT? Large FFT? Or Blend?

 

[NightFlare]

I`m trying with Small FFT.

 

[EarthDog]

Thats CPU really...

Hmm, try more CPU volts, but you are getting to the top already... at least for my tastes and being on air cooling...temps are about as high as I would go as well. Leave the NB the same and try 1.55. If not, guess you are stuck around 3.4Ghz or so... Anything over that, even on a G0 is gravy soo......

 

[NightFlare]

With the temps I`m getting now I guess increasing the volt will just get it so warm that I won`t dare to use it like that daily anyway.

Maybe I should decrease it to 3.5? Do you have any idea where I should start the voltage there? And maybe reset the MCH to stock?

 

[inkfx]

Running daily, I highly doubt you will notice the difference between 3.4 and 3.6. Unless you can upgrade your cooling to get those temps down, keep it at 3.4.

I wish I never sold my old Q6600 but oh well. Ran that thing at 3.8 daily on watercooling.

 

[EarthDog]

Correct.

As far as the next step down, thats up to you. I wouldnt know about the voltages either, you have to test it. MCH at stock at 400+ FSB seems unrealistic to me, but I havent been on S775 is some time so I dont recall what I could use at that FSB.

Seeing how you have 4 sticks of ram, you may want to try .2 on the MCH voltage and see if that helps. I didnt notice that before. I think stock voltage is 1.25 on those things right? Try 1.45v.

 

[NightFlare]

Alright guys, thanks so far!

I`m trying at 3.4Ghz, 378x9 now. Trying to get it stable, furthest I got is 15 minutes small FFT so far.

I reset the MCH, would I need that now you think?

Ram is at 756mhz btw.

 

[gottcha]

Running daily, I highly doubt you will notice the difference between 3.4 and 3.6. Unless you can upgrade your cooling to get those temps down, keep it at 3.4.

I wish I never sold my old Q6600 but oh well. Ran that thing at 3.8 daily on watercooling.

+1

i"ll keep mine for awhile!

 

[iaacp]

Hey, does anyone have a link to a thread on this forum that was all about overclocking the Q6600? It was comprehensive and handy, and easy for beginners as well. Anyone know what I'm talking about? I thought it was a sticky when the Q6600's were new, as well..

 

[CompuTamer]

I don't have a link, but i know which thread you're thinking of.

I'd say try and keep the temps under about 75C though. You're getting pretty close to the top there. Can't help with much else though, as i never had a Q6600 (Was going to build a system around that, and then the i7 came out. The Q6600 build jumped out the window then.)

 

[NightFlare]

Alright

I`ll just continue messing around then. Good to hear so many of you like/miss the Q6600 I love it, best hardware buy I`ve ever did I think

 

[NightFlare]

Is it by any chance thishttp://www.overclockers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=515316 guide you were thinking of?

 

[NightFlare]

So, put it down to 3.4Ghz. Been testing a few times now go try to get it stable.

I got to about 2 hours and 40 minutes now, but it`s getting so hot so i decided to stop it.

http://yfrog.com/na43892333j

What do you guys think? Getting to hot right now?
I gotta work a bit on the cooling, i got an Antec Nine Hundred with 4 fans.
A big problem i think is that my appartment is to hot now, summertime

 

[EarthDog]

Keep it under 75C or so while testing (which is in that guide you linked, yup!).

 

[NightFlare]

Hehe true true, the guide says so, I forgot

Well, gotta work on that cooling then. Thanks