E8400 Overclocking Help

[x101xtreme]

Hey guys, I'm new to the forums, and I'm also fairly new to overclocking. I've read the stickied guides, but I'm still having trouble stabilizing my overclock on my e8400 at 4.2 ghzwhen stress testing.

Here are my specs:

Motherboard: Gigabyte x38-DQ6
Processor: E8400
CPU Cooler: Thermalright Ultra 120 extreme, with arctic silver 5
RAM: Corsair XMS2 DDR2-1066 2GB (2x1GB) (timings: 5-5-5-15)
RAM Multiplier: 2

Motherboard Settings:

Multiplier: 9x
FSB: 467mhz
RAM Voltage: 2.13V
RAM Timings: 5-5-5-15
RAM Speed: 934mhz (2x467)

CPU Voltage: 1.4500
MCH (northbridge voltage): +0.150V
FSB Voltage: +0.10V

Temps: 42C idle, 57C load (under orthos according to coretemp)

For some reason, I can't get it to run orthos for more than 30min. I've tried upping the CPU voltage, to 1.46, but it doesn't help. I've also tried increasing the MCH and FSB voltage, but orthos still crashes.

When I lowered the clockspeed to 4ghz, and set the core voltage to 1.425V, orthos crashed after 7 hours of stress testing. (the temps never rose above 55C according to coretemp)

Another thing to note is that it was completely stable at 1.400V and 3.9ghz (9x434). I've managed to boot into windows without problems at 4.4ghz using the same voltages as I did for 4.2ghz. The computer only gives me errors when stress testing, it ran 3dmark06 without a problem at all the clockspeeds I've tried.

Also, I've heard of many users overclocking their e8400 to 4.2ghz with it stable in orthos or prime95. Considering my temps are well below 70C, is there something I'm doing wrong here? Should I increase the voltages, relax the RAM timings, or reseat the heatsink? Am I pushing my chip too hard? If anyone has a lot of overclocking experience, please help.

 

[angry hampster]

This is when you've gotta ask yourself if you're ever going to be crunching files for 7 hours without end :laugh: ...Honestly i'd say you're fine.

 

[myocardia]

Welcome to anandtech. You seem to be doing everything right, including buying the right parts. Anytime that happens, my first suspicion is always the power supply. What power supply are you using, and with what video card?

 

[x101xtreme]

Right now, I'm using the antec NeoHE 500 power supply. Maybe I need to upgrade that to achieve better stability. I'm also using an EVGA 8800gtx, superclocked.

One thing to note is that I couldn't stabilize the system at 4.2ghz for more than 5min(orthos) no matter how high I upped the voltages (for FSB, MCH, and volt core).

The highest I've gotten my CPU volt core is 1.46V. I think I should just settle for 4ghz at 1.425V and leave it at that. I was just checking to see if I forgot to tweak something.

Do you think this voltage (1.425-1.45) might damage the E8400? And is +0.10V on the FSB and +0.10V on the chipset within the limits of this motherboard?

Thanks.

 

[Zap]

Has anyone considered that his CPU may be reaching its limits?

 

[Tempered81]

whats the ram voltage?

you might find the best stable oc to be under 4.2-4.3

Most people run 4.0 to 4.2

also, is the 1.45 vcore in bios or cpuz load or cpuz idle?

 

[x101xtreme]

1.45V for the CPU core is at idle.

In terms of temperature, my CPU is well under 70C (57-60C under load). I think I'm going to try and stabilize it at 4ghz. Do these final settings look ok, or am I pushing the voltages too high?

Clockspeed: 4.0Ghz
CPU multiplier: 9x
FSB: 445mhz
RAM Voltage: 2.1V
RAM Multiplier: 2.4x (1068mhz DDR2)
Timings: 5-5-5-15

CPU voltage: 1.425V
MCH voltage: +0.10V
FSB Voltage: +0.10V

 

[Riverhound777]

That voltage seems unnecessary for that speed. Maybe you chip just doesn't like being OC that much. My chip is p95 stable for 8+ hours at 4050Mhz with 1.296v. The only other voltage increase I needed was to up the memory to 1.9v, the rest is stock. If it took 1.4v to be stable at that speed, I would go lower. Or maybe it is your PSU.

 

[M1A]

Are you talking 1.296v in Bios or software in windows (VDroop)?
I know mine goes from like 1.35v bios to 1.29v in windows, core temp or abit monitor.
Seems like all the programs show a different voltage so what can you believe?
What FSB mult are you using for the memory? mine is 5/6 or standard on a abit P35.

 

[x101xtreme]

Right now, my memory is set to 5/6 for DDR 1068mhz. (1066 is the stock speed) The latencies are 5-5-5-15.

Maybe you're right, I should lower my voltage. I'll try it out with 1.35V.

 

[Riverhound777]

Originally posted by: m1a
Are you talking 1.296v in Bios or software in windows (VDroop)?
I know mine goes from like 1.35v bios to 1.29v in windows, core temp or abit monitor.
Seems like all the programs show a different voltage so what can you believe?
What FSB mult are you using for the memory? mine is 5/6 or standard on a abit P35.

I think mine was 1.32v in bios, 1.296v in CPU-ID idle and Everest. Running 1:1 memory

 

[x101xtreme]

Hey, I just tried running memtest86, at stock speeds, and I'm getting errors. Could this be affecting my stability in orthos? Maybe the stability problem isn't with my processor.

 

[Anubis]

if you are getting memtest errors at stock speeds something is up with your ram and YES that will affect stability when OCing/stresstesting

 

[x101xtreme]

Ok. I think I've isolated the problem. Speifically, one stick of my memory always fails memtest86, while the other stick always passes. I've tried different slots, but the same stick keeps getting errors. I think I'm going to RMA through newegg and see if that fixes it.

 

[M1A]

Did you try only running one stick just for checking yet?
Let us know.

 

[x101xtreme]

I'm stress testing it now at 4ghz. Hopefully, it won't crash this time.

 

[Markfw]

For 467 FSB, you need more FSB term voltage. Aslo, is that ram 2.2 or better mfg spec'ed ram ? Maybe it needs more. usually a lot of the PC-8500 is 2.2-2.4 vdimm. (factory spec)

 

[x101xtreme]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16820145033

This is the link to the RAM I bought. It's spec'd at 2.1V. I'm currently running 1 stick (the one that passed memtest) to see if I get a better overclock.

In terms of cpu voltage, what's the recommended amount? I've set it to 4ghz at 1.4V, but I'm not sure if that is safe. As for the FSB voltage, how much should I increase it by if I want 467mhz FSB?

 

[Markfw]

So your ram should be OK running at spec volt. CPU I can;t answer for sure, but I have seen that 14. is OK with good colling. (looks live you have that). FSB term voltage +.2-+.4 (not sure, but at least +.2) That DQ6 can cool the NB fine, so you are good there (good motherboard choice)

 

[Jhatfie]

I obviously do not have a x38 mobo, so my chipset voltage selections will not match what you would run as my MSI is a P35, but I can say that my E8400 does 4.05Hgz 8+ hours Orthos stable at 1.33v with load temps at around 48-50c. But I need 1.425v to do 4.2Ghz stable and temps shoot up about 10c.