Giagabyte GA-965P-DS4/DS3

[Stevethegreat]

Hi, 4 days ago I bought a new mobo, the Gigabyte DS4, which is about the same as DS3 on overclocking ablilities or a bit better as some people reported. Well before that, I had an MSI p965-Neo-F board which it supposedly sucks for overclocking. Indeed the best I could clock the MSI's FSB was 333MHz (or 3GHz for my C2D E6600), and it scored about 2550-2610 points on 3DMark 2006 CPU test. When I found out that the DSx series blows most boards out of proportion when we speak about overclock, I immediately sold my MSI and bought my new Gigabyte. All fine and good until now.

The problems start from the point I started experimenting with DS4's FSB values. Well 3 days now the most I do is trying to stabilize my overclocked core putting different Voltages and FSB values. The best I managed, after 3 days of hard experimentation was that the 350MHz FSB value on stock voltage is the highest stable value I can get from this mobo. The worst part of it, is that although having that extra 150MHz compared to my older mobo, the CPU performed the same or even worse at times, my reported scores on 3DMark was 2520-2600.

Just for your reference, my other parts are:
C2D E6600 CPU
2GB OCZ Gold XTC 6400 RAM working at 2.1V
Copper Cooler (I don't remember the brand), I gave the boot to the Intel stock cooler
900W PSU (if that plays any role)

Since I know that many people have the Gigabyte DS3 board, I would like to know how they managed their values with the Conroe Processors (4MB L2 cache).

My real complaint is about how on earth one of the worst overclocking p965 mobos and one of the best perform about the same, even if one of the two has greater values.

Thanks.

 

[Duvie]

I ran mine mostly by dropping the multi to 9x466 = 3.26ghz....However I tried 8x and 9x muilti and they worked to the same overall speed....In hindsight the Ds3 was not as great as the S3, because now that E6600 can oc to 3.4ghz at same vcore and 100% ortho stable....NOt sure why...the Ds3 is supposed to have better capacitors....

Give me the rest of all your settings in the bios where you set cpu speed and voltages...also make sure you disable a bunch of settings in the advanced sub menu n the bios relating to Tm2, cpu id max 3, execute memory, etc...

also give us cpu temps with program called "core temp" It is likely 10c higher then waht easytune 5 is reporting....

 

[Duvie]

Also what bios? Make sure you are running at least F6 or better...F7 preferrably an deven try a chance with F8i...


Fromt he beginning and F6 I have always been able to do 475+ on the fsb with this boar....

I have seem to hear about more issues with the OCZ sticks and this board...F8i bios may help...

Also...............

Hit Ctrl-F1 when in the bios and go into cpu subsection and manually set the ram timings...do not trust auto...Also 2.1v seems low. This board seems to undervolt a bit on the ram voltages so you should be using 2.2-2.3v....

 

[Stevethegreat]

Thanks for the Reply Duvie. The first thing I did was to update to the latest bios. I also tried the 8x multiplier but the results was even worse, the best stable value I could get was 8x 380MHz (about the same as 9x 333). Also my CPU temps go over the top even if I increase vcore by a minimum value, that's why I left it on stock values, strange since I reapplied thermal paste when I changed motherboards and this is sth I did thousands 'o times. Fortunately I had no issues with my OCZ memories, and I also tried 2.2-2.3v for my dimms but still I had no better luck (thanks BTW for the Ctrl-F1 tip, I was always wondering why the bios didn't let me to change memory timings)

 

[Duvie]

Possible dud chip? Can you try this chip on another board?

Hav eyou increased the fsb +.2 and the mch +.2???

 

[The-Noid]

Can you get us the datecode on the cpu if you take off the heatsink (or look at the box). To get over 400 or so FSB I needed to do +.1v on the mch. I never changed the vFSB, but that doesn't mean others wouldn't need to. Try changing the vMCH first, and then if that doesn't work add to the vFSB as well.

 

[Duvie]

On teh DS3 I needed +.1v to get up past 400fsb and another to get past 460ish range...It helped...

Think about northbrdige cooling past 400...fan blowing on it around then and placing a fan on it after 450-455 range...

 

[Stevethegreat]

OK, my current specs:
vcore -> 1.4785v
vdimm -> 2.2v
fsb -> +0.3
mch -> +0.2


Mult -> 9x
FSB -> 375 MHz
Idle Temp -> 64C (150F), Core Temp data

I've barely managed to write this, my system is unstable as hell. If I do anything CPU intensive right now, my PC gonna reboot, in fact I'm desperate.

 

[The-Noid]

64C is way to ht. You have the heatsink mounted incorrectly. You should be seeing closer to high 30's-low 40's for that vCore. I would try remounting.

 

[Stevethegreat]

Thanks for the advice, although it's far from the first time I've ever mounted a heatsink, but -oh well- mistakes happen when you're impatient to check your new hardware. In fact that was what I was to do next. I hope it'll work

 

[The-Noid]

Ok I hope you will let us know if everything goes better.

 

[Stevethegreat]

There was indeed a problem with my heatsink, one of the four legs plastic part is skew, prolly cause of me when I rushed to deattach it from my old board, I somehow put the heatsink a bit better, but I think that I can't put it in the optimal way (any advice on how to repair the skew "leg" would be appreciated). My current specs are the following:

vcore -> 1.525v
vdimm -> 2.2v
vfsb -> +0.2
vmch -> +0.2


Mult -> 9x
FSB -> 400 MHz
Idle Temp -> 55C

I think that the temps are still over the top, I haven't done any stability test yet, nor there is any point to it with such temps.

 

[myocardia]

Steve, you can't run an E6600 @ 3.6 Ghz without a really good heatsink. If you're wanting to run it that fast, you're gonna have to spend $50 or so on a good one. Also, don't run @ 400 FSB, run @ 401 FSB, that will put your memory strap into the next higher range, which is much easier for the RAM to do.

 

[Duvie]

Also dont run any vcore higher then 1.5v unless you have a top notch air cooler....

Drop it down to 1.475-1.45v range and see the best you can do...

 

[Duvie]

Originally posted by: Yoxxy
64C is way to ht. You have the heatsink mounted incorrectly. You should be seeing closer to high 30's-low 40's for that vCore. I would try remounting.

Kinda of why I asked for that....That would have been a no-brainer had I seen it...

PPL need to make sure they put those kinda bits of information in when they are trying to tech issues similar to this...

 

[Stevethegreat]

Yeah, that's about how much I spent on my heatsink. I thought that the next range started at 400MHz not 401Mhz, whatever. Thanks for the advice

 

[Stevethegreat]

I am sorry, the last time I o/ced was the 300MHz Celeron era. I'm a programmer but I don't have much time to be involved with hardware. I only did now just for the heck of it.

 

[Roguestar]

Hey think of it as experience, right? Next time you try it'll be a whole lot easier, and besides you're getting extra performance for free right now .

 

[Stevethegreat]

OK my specs are right now:

vcore: 1.5V
vdimm: 2.2V
vfsb: +0.3
vmch: +0.3

Mult: 9x
FSB: 389MHz (3.5GHz)
under burden Temp: 47C (Quite well I think, a lot better than before, that's for sure)

I haven't done any stability tests yet and I doubt these will be the final clocks, but I run 3DMark tests just fine and the system seems stable 'till now. I know I'm quite aggresive with my clocks but that's due to my relative inexperience and due to the fact that this is me (in other words I may damage anything but I will -at least- enjoy it, I'm not planning on making such expenses for computer parts again, for the following decade, anyway)

 

[Duvie]

That vfsb is too aggressive...especially for only a 389fsb...i would put that back down to .1v

Also vmch set that to +.2v