Asus p5q-E w/ Q6600 CPU Overclock

[ccubed]

System notes:
Q6600 CPU (Was lapped by another user who got it up to 3.6 stable with better cooling than my options)
Xigmatek HDT S1283 cooler NOT lapped (with backplate from here)
Asus P5Q-E P45 Motherboard (Have NOT updated BIOS)
4gb (2x2) OCZ DDR2 800 RAM (OCZ2P8004GK)
Corsair 750w PSU
Cooler Master 690 Case
Western Digital 640gb HDD

I'm trying to get a stable 3.2 out of this rig (since I gave up on my dream of 3.4.) My temps seem to be getting too hot even though I can get it 24 hour Prime stable (but I don't like seeing max temp of 70 degrees C.) If anyone out there has this motherboard and give some tips on some of the settings that I might be missing out on using. There are several items from the terrific Overclocking sticky that I can't seem to find in the Bios (e.g. Vanderpool, CPU TM Function, Execute Disable Bit, PECI, Speedstep, PCI Clock Synch, FSB DRAM Divider.)

Current BIOS settings (that recently crashed for some reason not shown in the Prime log):
Multiplier: 8x
FSB: 400
PCIE: 100
FSB Strap to NB: Auto
DRAM: 400
DRAM Frequency: 801
RAM Timings: 5, 6, 6, 18
CPU Voltage: 1.28750
CPU PLL Volt: Auto
FSB Termination Volt: Auto
NB Voltage: 1.26
SB Voltage: 1.4 (that's the max it will allow, not sure if I should just put this back to auto or not)
DRAM volt: 2.1
NB GTL Ref: Auto
CPU Spectrum: Disabled
PCIE Spectrum: Auto
CPU Clock skew: auto
NB Clock Skew: auto

Before that one crashed, it had run for about 8 hours with no Prime errors but its max temperatures were reading in the high 60's (about 66-68) in a room that was probably about 85 degrees F. I'm keeping that room warm to try to simulate a worse (but not exactly worst) case scenario.

I'm wondering if I should re-apply Arctic Silver 5 and mount. I put some on both the CPU and the Xig, so I don't know if there's too much. I used the "credit card" method to spread it around since my first attempts at the recommended "thin silver line" didn't seem to work too well (some cores much hotter and temps overall were poor.)

Some of the settings I listed above I have no clue what they do and the Bios tooltips generally don't help much.

Any other Asus P5Q-E users have some experience or tips that might help?

Thank you for your time in advance.

 

[ccubed]

Still seem to be getting high 60's temps here. Any help?

 

[myocardia]

Originally posted by: ccubed
Any help?

Yeah, try running it @ 9x356. Also, you're most likely going to need more vCore than 1.2875v.

 

[n7]

Originally posted by: ccubed
Asus P5Q-E P45 Motherboard (Have NOT updated BIOS)

Do that.

It's not hard.

Get a USB stick, load teh newest bios, reboot, ALT + F2, & do it.



Here's a template to work from (based around what i've used for both my Q6700/QX6850 on my P5Q-D):

AI Overclock tuner: Manual
CPU Ratio Setting: 8 (or 9)
FSB Strap to North Bridge: 333 or AUTO (333 is easiest to maintain stability i've found)
FSB Frequency: 400+ (or 356+ if 9x multi)
PCI-E Frequency: 101
DRAM Frequency: 800 (later you should try for higher ratios)
DRAM CLK Skew on Channel A1: AUTO
DRAM CLK Skew on Channel A2: AUTO
DRAM CLK Skew on Channel B1: AUTO
DRAM CLK Skew on Channel B2: AUTO
DRAM Timing Control: Manual

1st Information:
CAS# Latency: 5
DRAM RAS# to CAS# Delay: 5 (if possible tighten later if staying 1:1)
DRAM RAS# Precharge: 5 (if possible tighten later if staying 1:1)
DRAM RAS# Activate to Precharge: 15
RAS# to RAS# Delay : AUTO
Row Refresh Cycle Time: 55 (make sure this stays here or higher till you've gotten everything figured out)
Write Recovery Time: AUTO
Read to Precharge Time: AUTO

2nd Information :
All AUTO

3rd Information :
All AUTO

DRAM Static Read Control: Disabled for OCing RAM otherwise AUTO
DRAM Read Training: Disabled for OCing RAM otherwise AUTO
MEM. OC Charger: Enabled for OCing RAM otherwise AUTO
AI Clock Twister: AUTO (later try for as strong as stably possible; usually try light then moderate is a safe bet)
AI Transaction Booster: AUTO (later set manually as lower as stably possible; this is a big performance factor for RAM)
Common Performance Level: will be AUTO till you set Transaction Booster to manual (then manually set as low as stably possible; this is a big performance factor for RAM)
All Pull-Ins: will be AUTO till you set Transaction Booster to manual (then you set the Performance Level as low as you can, & once you cannot go lower PL, enable this if possible)

CPU Voltage: 1.4 or lower is fine as long as your temps aren't too bad. You should try 1.3 - 1.35v for now i'd say
CPU GTL Voltage Reference (0/2): AUTO
CPU GTL Voltage Reference (1/3): AUTO
CPU PLL Voltage: 1.54 (do NOT leave AUTO, as that massively overvolts)
FSB Termination Voltage: 1.24 (do NOT leave AUTO, as that massively overvolts)
DRAM Voltage: 1.96 will be more than enough (vDIMM overvolts by ~ 0.08v, so for 2.1v you set 2.02v, etc.)
NB Voltage: 1.2 - 1.3 (you'll need more for higher RAM speeds/FSB speeds; i'd go with 1.26v then lower it if stable)
NB GTL Reference: AUTO
SBridge 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



My RAM suggestions are for more advanced tweaking; leave everything but the 1st set of RAM timings alone till you have figured out your CPU's max speed.

 

[Tempered81]

lap your xigmatek, duh.