New Computer Overclock Help

[vect0r0]

I would like a bit of help trying to overclock my new system. I am a bit concerned about my cooling for the CPU as my stock cooling fan, under load, produces temps just around 60 while running Prime95 @ the stock 3.0GHZ level. However, I was able to overclock, on air, to 4.0GHZ simply by upping the FSB leaving the memory unlinked. This produced spikes in temperature well into the high 60s and a few low 70s while Prime95 was running. I immediately turned it off.

 

Please have a look at my specifications and screenshots. Any help would be greatly appreciated (especially on how to get my RAM OC'd and stable as I have no experience in this.)

 

All of these screenshots were taken while Prime95 was running (it ran for 15 minutes, then I restarted it again.)

[DerekT]

I will not help anyone who uses the stock cooler to overclock. There is the thermal drop delta as well as the high thermal output to consider and it is only a fool who overclocks such processors and such speeds with a stock cooler.

[vect0r0]

I just ordered "ZALMAN CNPS9700 LED 110mm 2 Ball CPU Cooler " from NewEgg yesterday. I should have it installed in a couple of days. Then, perhapse, I can get a little OC help.

[kuailan]

I just ordered "ZALMAN CNPS9700 LED 110mm 2 Ball CPU Cooler " from NewEgg yesterday. I should have it installed in a couple of days. Then, perhapse, I can get a little OC help.

 

hmmm....why dont you get the Thermalright 120 True black...or Coolermaster V8? They are extremely good coolers....or there is Xigmatek HDT1283 which has the best value?

[peakism]

easily attainable if your case is well ventelated and a coolish day, like 22-28 degree room temp. i'd put the mark around 400fsb 1.25v on the cpu, enable xmp profile for the memory i imagine it has it, or manually set timings to give 1600mhz as rated.

for a general guide of what is acceptable as well as in depth fine tuning of your cpu, NB, sb, fsb term volt, gtl volts... lay down a post at http://www.ocforums.com

[DerekT]

I should have it installed in a couple of days. Then, perhapse, I can get a little OC help.

 

You most certainly can. The Thermalright Ultra Xtreme 120 is the best for overclocking. I should have mentioned it previously. So if you can stop the order and get the Thermalright I would advise that. If not, you can still get a fair overclock with the Zalman.

[vect0r0]

Great advice. The order has been canceled. I opted for the Thermalright Ultra-120 eXtreme and a Antec TriCool fan (TRICOOL120MM BLUELED.)

[DerekT]

Good going. That CPU will allow you maximal overclocks. Post here when you are ready. Please post a screenshot of Core Temp.

 

Download CoreTemp

Here

[vect0r0]

Before the new heatsink, my temp reported (using Real Temp) use to be 49c! My new idle temp (again using Real Temp) is 27-28c! Below are two pictures: One is using Real Temp, and the other is using Core Temp. There is a noticible difference between the two. I typically only use Real Temp.

 

I will move my video card specs back down to stock before trying any settings you may have for me. Please keep in mind, it has been years since I tried to OC. I may need a litte help finding some (not all) of the settings in my Bios as things have changed through the years.

 

Thanks for any advice you can give me.

[DerekT]

Nice temps :)

 

You are running with 4 X 2048MB Sticks, correct?

 

Download Memtest86+ V2.01 from--->

Here

.

Download Prime95 for Quads from-->

Here

For your DRAM to run at 1600Mhz you must set your FSB to 400Mhz to achieve the 1:1 ratio that Intel demands as a minimum. Enter your BIOS. Load setup defaults, save setup defaults and set to these values:

 

Extreme Tweaker

CPU Level Up = Disabled
Memory Level Up = Disabled 

AI Overclock Tuner = Manual
CPU Multiplier = 9
FSB - Memory Clock Mode = Unlinked
FSB (QDR) = 1600 (400)
MEM (DDR) = 1600 (800)
LDT Frequency = 5X
PCIE BUS, Slot 1 & 2, Mhz = 100
PCIE BUS, Slot 3, Mhz = 100
SPP <--> Ref Clock, Mhz = 200

Memory Timing Section

tCL (CAS Latency) = 9
tRCD = 9
tRP = 9
tRAS = 24
Command Per Clock = 2T

Advanced Memory Settings

tRRD = Auto
tRC = Auto
tWR = Auto
tWTR = Auto
tFAW = Auto
tREF = Auto

Over Voltage = All Set to Auto

CPU Configuration

CPU Internal Thermal Control = Auto
Lmit CPUID MaxVal = Disabled
Execute Disable Bit = Enabled
Virtualization Technology = Enabled
Enhanced Intel Speedstep(tm) Tech = Disabled

CPU Core 2 = Enabled
CPU Core 3 = Enabled
CPU Core 4 = Enabled

[b]System Voltages[/b]

CPU Core = Auto
CPU FSB = Auto 
Memory = 1.8v
nForce SPP = Auto	
nForce MCP = 1.55	
HT nForce SPP <-> MCP = Auto

 

Run Memtest for two full passes. When assured of stable DRAM, enter Windows and run Prime95 for ~2 hours and post a screenshot of Real Temp after an hour of Priming. Then run CPU-z. Please post screenshots of the CPU-z CPU, Memory and SPD tabs.

[vect0r0]

Ok great! I will get started on this today or tomorrow. One thought tho: The memory in BIOS states that it is running at 7-7-7-20 at 1.8v. Do I need to move it back to 9-9-9-24 1.8v in order to have a safe overclock of the memory?

 

And yes, 4 2meg sticks is what I am using.

 

Thanks!

[vect0r0]

Well, I decided to give it a shot now. When booting, I got to a windows error screen stating that the a Windows recovery tool was going to run. The tool was some sort of memory diagnostic tool. I reset the settings in BIOS back to normal and things loaded back up.

 

Some things to note:

 

I could not find CPU Level Up, Memory Level Up, or LDT Frequency in the BIOS.

 

The stock setting in the BIOS for MEM (DDR) = 1066 set at 1 Comand / Clock. I made sure to re-set all the timings to what you had suggested.

 

Everything else I changed to what you suggested and is running fine. The FSB is set back to AUTO at 1333 and the memory is at 1066 in order to allow Windows to load.

 

Suggestions?

[vect0r0]

The only things in the BIOS that I changed via your suggestions from the Defaults were:

 

FSB (from 1333 to 1600)

Unlinked

MEM (from 1066 to 1600)

 

Timings (from 7-7-7-20 to 9-9-9-24)

nForce MDP voltage (from 1.50 to 1.55)

 

A note about the temps: The MCP55 chip temp idle, reported in the BIOS, was around 52c. Is this high?

 

I reset the BIOS defaults again, and set ONLY the FSB to 1600mhz and it starts up fine @ 4050mhz.

 

I ran Prime95 for 20 minutes and got a max temp of 44c.

 

I hope this removes the processor overclock from the equation?

[DerekT]

Did you follow my directions? Did you run Memtest at the boot? What were the Memtest results? 52C is fine for the Northbridge. If you can run with 7-7-7-20 and be fine with Memtest, then you should be fine. NEVER enter Windows on an overclock without first testing the memory.

[vect0r0]

Yes, I ran Memtest for the full 8 GB while OC'd at 4050mhz @ 7-7-7-20 1.8v using 1066mhz for the ram. Any suggestions on how to get the ram to perform closer to 1600mhz?

 

Thank you in advance.

[DerekT]

Download CPU-z from

Here

.

Please post a screenshot of CPU-z CPU, Memory and SPD Tabs.

[vect0r0]

I have included CPU Idle as well as CPU under load with Prime95. Note that the SPD image says the modules are at 1.5v. I re-verified in the BIOS that infact it is set at 1.8v, not 1.5v. Not sure why there is a discrepency.

[DerekT]

Remove one stick of DRAM. Set to the values I posted. Memtest. Remove that stick and insert the second in its place. Memtest.

 

Results?

[vect0r0]

Nothing works with the Ram set at 1600mhz at the 9-9-9-24 setting, or any setting (with any of the 4 chips). The computer freezes with Memtest.

 

What DID work was the following:

 

FSB up to 1800, RAM @ 1033, Timings: (Manual) 7-7-7-20

FSB @ 1600, RAM @ 1400, Timings: (Auto*) 7-7-7-20

FSB @ 1800, RAM @ 1600, Timings: (Auto*) 9-11-11-30 (This would boot, but did not pass memtest)

 

Memtest passed the first two of the aforementioned scenarios. All at 1.8v.

 

*The BIOS auto-selected those latencies for the RAM based on the increase from 1033 to 1600 I presume. Question: Which is best? Higher ram clock (1400 vs 1033) with slower timings, or slower ram clock with faster timings? Also, is it acceptable to run the FSB higher than the Ram? Or is it best for both to be set the same?

 

Thanks again for your input.

[DerekT]

Which is best? Higher ram clock (1400 vs 1033) with slower timings, or slower ram clock with faster timings? Also, is it acceptable to run the FSB higher than the Ram? Or is it best for both to be set the same?

 

Intel CPUs benefit more from increased bandwidth than lowered latencies. Higher clock is a better route than slower clock due to the Intel on motherboard legacy memory controller. Keep in mind that the Intel setup can not run the CPU slower than a 1:1 relationship. I would rather run at 1400 vs 1033.

 

Now if you have both sticks not able to give you 1600Mhz with the settings I gave you, then you have an issue with that mainboard as it should be able to set to 1600Mhz FSB and link or unlink to 1600Mhz on the DRAM. The possibility of both sticks of DRAM being the issue is doubtful and the CPU is not the issue so, by isolation, you have the motherboard to look at.

 

It must be the population of all four DRAM slots. Please research this thread to get clear on what I mean. The issue is both Intel and AMD specific.

 

http://www.houseofhelp.com/v3/showthread.php?t=64360&highlight=Unpredictable+results+QUAD2X4096+Gigabyte+X38-DS5