E6300 on X48

[Cheex]

I am currently trying to squeeze all I can out of this aging CPU before I upgrade.

I know the board isn't my limiting factor. Here are my current settings and voltages.


CPU: 1.425V (1.4V idle in CPU-Z)
NB: 1.35V (0.1V above stock 1.25V)
RAM: 2.00V

I've booted into Windows as high as 486x7 - 3.402GHz - but it wasn't stable.
Went back down to 460x7 - 3.22GHz - and started working my way back up.
There it did 1 hour of OCCT stable. 1 hour of OCCT should show up any immediate instabilities.
However, at 465x7 - 3.255GHz - it fails OCCT and Orthos. Could it be an FSB hole? I really don't think its a wall.

I need some advice on what to do next. Any other info you need to help me out, just ask.
I will be flashing to the Rampage Formula BIOS soon but I need to find the maximum stable overclock as is. That way I can compare results with Rampage for my review.

Thanks in advance!!

:sun:

 

[Cheex]

My CPU too old for anyone to help me out???

 

[Tempered81]

ddr2 800 @ 972mhz is stretching it. try 2.2 vdimm and looser timings? You could try 1 stick of pc 8500 if you have it, then determine the exact vcore on the cpu you would need for 3.5g+. This would eliminate your 2x2gb pc6400 from being a factor.

the cpu always needs more volts. what was the danger zone for 65nm? 1.55v?

edit: btw, > 2.1vdimm is dangerous

 

[myocardia]

Cheex, your G.Skill PQ may possibly be holding you back, though not necessarily. There's only one way to find out if it is, though. Leave all of your settings and voltages the same, then lower your FSB down to 375, and use the 2.4x RAM multiplier, which will put your RAM back @ 900DDR2. Now, slowly start raising your FSB about 5-10 Mhz @ a time, then boot to Windows and do your stability testing. When it start to fail, you know it's the RAM, and that's as far as that RAM will go, without raising vDimm or loosening your timings.

Now, don't give that RAM more than 2.1v, and I wouldn't recommend doing that, unless you have a fan strapped to it. Also, when/if you start raising your RAM timings, start with tRAS (the one that's @ 15 now). This RAM will go a long way @ 5-5-5, with the tRD @ at least 18.

 

[WaitingForNehalem]

Originally posted by: Cheex
My CPU too old for anyone to help me out???

How is your CPU too old?

 

[Cheex]

Thanks for the replies guys. Well, here's the deal.

The ICs on this RAM I have are the same as the G.SKILL 1000 kit. They are rated to run at 800 with 1.8 - 1.9 volts. The 1000 kit is rated to run at 1000 with 2.0 - 2.1 volts.
When I had my 780i motherboard, I did run these memory sticks at 1000 at 5-5-5-15 with 2.0 volts. There wasn't any instability. However, 2.1V will still be fine for them.

As added insurance, I do have active cooling on them. The OCZ XTC Memory Cooler is what I have on them. 2 x 60mm fans.

I could give my CPU more voltage but I think I was more concerned about the North Bridge. What are the theoretical and practical maximum voltage I should give to it.

Are there any other suggestions??

 

[myocardia]

You should test your RAM first, Cheex. If it's able to go considerably higher than it's running now, you'll know that you need either more Norhbridge voltage, or most likely more CPU VTT, along with more vCore. You're almost definitely going to need more vCore, I would think.

 

[MyLeftNut]

FYI, my e6400 needed about 1.45v on northbridge and a little higher on vcore for 3.4-3.5ghz. I think it was something like 1.45 vcore for 3.4-3.5 but anything past 3.5 needed 1.5v+. Don't worry about the volts on a 65nm, they'll take 1.55v for long term no prob.

 

[Cheex]

Thanks myocardia. I'll try adding some more voltage on CPU VTT and vCore.


@ MyLeftNut (or is it yours )...anyway....
Is that 1.45V in the BIOS or is that at idle or under load??
Just want to be sure.

 

[n7]

Drop RAM to 1:1.

Do NOT assume you'll achieve the same results for CPU/RAM on this mobo as your previous; they are not remotely similar.

You may need to up FSB/PLL voltage.

And some CPUs do crap out at certain FSBs, regardess of voltage, etc.

I know my old E6300 was one that at least on my P5B-D would refuse to go over 495-499, whereas my E6400 would do well over that. (This was with multis lowered of course)

 

[Cheex]

Interesting. I need to play around with it some more. I'm CONFIDENT I can get at least 3.4GHz out of this CPU.

:roll:

 

[MyLeftNut]

vcore of 1.45v in bios, or even a bit more depending on your chip. If I were you, I'd bump it up to 1.5v and see where it can take you. I've been running my e6400 for 2 years now at about 1.55v and it's still good. Dual prime and linpack stable. Even on the northbridge, I've ran it at 1.55 with my p5b deluxe.

 

[Cheex]

I did put it to 1.5V first.

I'm trying again at 486x7 - 3.402GHz - to see if I can get it stable there. I failed OCCT Auto Mix test in just a few minutes. I haven't tried Orthos yet but....
I'm running the Folding@home GPU client AND the SETI@home CPU client. The SETI has had my CPU at 100% usage for the last 2 hours. I don't know if that is a valid test but it serves to show my everyday tasks might be okay. At the same time, I might try Orthos now and it also crashes in a few minutes but...I'll know in a few minutes (when I try it)...

CPU: 1.5V
RAM: 2.00V
NB: 1.55V
VTT: 1.8V

Tell me what you think.

 

[MyLeftNut]

VTT seems a bit high, I'm only using 1.45 - 1.50. You should be able to hit 3.4 easily. I don't think I've seen any of the e6x00's not hit 3.4, especially with the volts you're putting through. You sure the memory isn't the one failing?

 

[Cheex]

I really should probably isolate and test the memory but for now, I ran SETI for about 2.5 hours, no problem. I just started Orthos and it has gone 30 minutes now with any errors.
Although maybe its not much but I still have the F@H GPU client running all this time to increase overall system load and temps :roll:

BTW: Orthos is doing the Blend (CPU & RAM) test.

 

[Cheex]

Orthos has now crashed after 42 minutes and 7 seconds.

:roll:

 

[MyLeftNut]

I usually run 2 prime95's each with affinity to each core and manually input the amount of memory to use for the stress test, which 4gb ram on vista x64 I allocated 1775mb for each core and it just does the test with a blend by itself. Usually if it's the ram, it just provides some sort of error or rounding error, but cpu usually resets or blue screens on me if it's the vcore.