C2 Q9300 overclock on GA-EP45-UD3R *noob*

[loganex]

This is my first time overclocking, so I'm looking for any pointers or feedback on my process and settings.

I ended up with my Q9300 set to 3.5 GHz (467 x 7.5) with Vcore at 1.35625 in BIOS and staying below 1.32 in CPU-Z. I have the power saving features turned on so it spends most of its time at 1.28 or so. Passed IntelBurnTest and about 13 hours of Prime95 large FFT. Hottest core under load is 66 C. Memory is at 1:1 so 934 mhz and 5-5-5-12 timings, perfectly stable in memtest.

Along the way I was able to set the FSB to 500 and it booted and ran superpi no problem, but gave errors on core 0 in Prime95 after only a second or two, even with Vcore at 1.4375. Lowered it to 480 and was able to get it much more stable with Vcore at 1.3875, but that voltage still felt a little too high and load temps were around 71 C, or 76 C during IntelBurnTest. Knocked it down a bit further to the specs above, and things seem to be humming along. I use the system mostly for gaming, and 3DMark06 went from 13000 to 17000, 3DMark Vantage went from 11000 to 14000.

So anyway, take a look at these settings and let me know if there's further tweaking I should do. I left a lot of things on auto because I didn't know what to mess with. Suggestions? Thanks for the help.

CPU 467 x 7.5 (settings in BIOS)
PLL: 1.5
Termination: 1.3
Reference: .76
VCore: 1.35625

MCH Core: 1.2
MCH/DRAM Ref: .9
MCH Reference: .76
ICH I/O: 1.5
ICH Core: 1.1

DRAM Voltage: 2.1
DRAM Term: .9
Channel A Ref: .9
Channel B Ref: .9

SYSTEM
Intel Q9300 @ 3.5 GHz
Xigmatek SD-HDT964 92mm rifle HSF (with AS 5)
Gigabyte GA-EP45-UD3R
Patriot Viper 4 GB (2 X 2GB) PC8500 @934
2 X WD Caviar Black 640GB (OS on one, Games on another)
GTX 260 core 216 55nm @ 576/1242/999
Corsair 650TX PSU
LG 20X DVD-R
7 X 120mm fans (4 intake, 3 exhaust)
80mm fan on back side of CPU
Windows Vista Business 64-bit
All in a Cooler Master CM 690

 

[loganex]

bump. settings look good?

 

[Xcobra]

Maybe do some small FFT testing? That will test your CPU OC. 1.32 looks awful high for that OC but then again YMMV. I got my 9550 at 3.5GHz with 1.2 CPUz voltage 1.25 in BIOS. Not sure about the other voltage settings.

 

[loganex]

Originally posted by: Xcobra
1.32 looks awful high for that OC but then again YMMV. I got my 9550 at 3.5GHz with 1.2 CPUz voltage 1.25 in BIOS. Not sure about the other voltage settings.

Yeah, I wondered that too, but could that be because of the Q9300's low multiplier? I had to go up to 467 FSB to get 3.5

 

[error8]

If you want that chip to clock higher, you really need to take the MCH voltage higher. 1.2 V is just not enough for a heavy oc on a quad core. The problem with this cpu is that it has a very small multiplier and you really need to add a lot of stress on your mobo and ram to take it higher. I don't think that by increasing your Vcore that much you'll increase your oc. Concentrate on the MCH and ram, since those are the limiting factor. The cpu should probably be stable at 3.5 ghz with a minor increase in voltage.

 

[BonzaiDuck]

Seems good to me.

My direct experience with quads is limited to the Q6600. The Q9300 is basically two Wolfdales side by side, and I think the recommended voltage range is the same between the Wolfdale and Yorkfield. If such is true, then your "set" voltage of 1.35+ is a hair less than the spec maximum, or 1.3625. Your CPU-Z reading - IMHO-- is more significant and comforting. I could be wrong, though, about the spec for the Yorkfield in comparison to the Wolfdale.

On my E8600 system, I'm running the RAM also 1:1, with a DDR speed of 850. That's about 84 Mhz lower than your system. But these particular 2x2GB modules are spec'd for 4,4,4,12 @ 900 Mhz, and I found that I could set them at 4,3,3,8 (tRC=12) at the rock-bottom voltage in the manufacturer spec range for rock-solid stability -- error-free. I think my Everest Ultimate RAM "read" bench-test score is about 11,150 MB/s.

I think the Intel thermal spec for the Penryn CPUs is 71~72C for the tCase sensor. With the 65nm Conroes and Kentsfields, there was a predictable, explainable difference between the tCase value and the tJunction core temperatures -- nominally about 10C, tCase being the lower temperature. That disparity may disappear for the Penryns -- I don't know. I only know that the two reported temperatures (tCase versus the cores) are nearly identical on my E8600.

If IntelBurnTest reports 76C, maybe you're pushing it a bit, but I wouldn't worry too much. You'll never stress the processor that much under normal operation.

I agree with error8 on his remarks.

 

[loganex]

Originally posted by: error8
The cpu should probably be stable at 3.5 ghz with a minor increase in voltage.

Actually, the CPU is stable now after a few days of testing/gaming, and I'd like to DEcrease the voltage a little to keep the temps down (as BonzaiDuck seems to be suggesting). Would increasing the MCH voltage allow me to lower the Vcore a little?

 

[error8]

Originally posted by: loganex
increasing the MCH voltage allow me to lower the Vcore a little?

It's not like that. You increase the MCH voltage to increase it's stability at higher FSB, which in return, improves your CPU overclock. It has nothing to do with the CPU vcore. The thing is that your cpu might be unstable because of the MCH and you might be fooled that you need to further increase the vcore, when the real culprit is the undervolted north bridge, which cannot sustain such a high FSB.

If I were you, I would reduce the cpu multiplier at its minimum ( probably 6X ) and concentrate strictly on the MCH and ram and see how high can I take these two. After you find out your maximum FSB and ram speed, then you can put your multi back and see if the cpu is stable. If it isn't, then it's clear that you need to increase the vcore. In my opinion, this chip should be stable at 3.5 ghz with less then 1.3 V. Of course the VTT voltage and ICH might play a big role in your overclock, so "play" with those too.

 

[loganex]

OK, thanks for your help. I read the C2D and C2Q OC guide posted on this forum, and if I remember right it doesn't get into much detail about what does what beyond Vcore, or which voltages will control which results. Like, I wouldn't have known to play with the VTT or ICh unless I had asked, and I still don't know what results I might get if I alter those voltages. Does anyone know of a good guide out there that might have a little more detail for the tweaking? Not sure where to go from here.