Help Improving my OC please

[crazylegs]

Intro:

Hi guys, been a generation or so since i have done any OCing (last time was with a load of AMD s939 CPUs), had an e4500 and didnt bother to OC it... but now i have recently swapped over to an e8200 and feel it would be rude not to get the most out of it!


The Situation:

My system is as follows:

e8200 (stock = 8x333 @ 2.66) with Artic Cooling Freezer 7
Abit IP35
2x2gig Corsair DDR2 800mhz, 5-5-5-18 @ 1.8v
Corsair hx500w PSU
9600gt
Antec 900 - fans on medium.
Vista Ultimate x64


Am using Core Temp to monitor CPU temps, CPUZ, to check cpu and RAM timings and Prime95 x64 to stress test.

I have read the stickies and searched this forum aswell as others but i seem to have trouble getting past 380 FSB :S

Basically i can go straight upto 8x380 = 3040 on the CPU, and only require to notch the VCORE up one to 1.2450. This was 16hrs Prime95 stable running the RAM @ 1:1 so its slightly under-clocked (not above 64c max load CoreTemp is higher than Speedfan and my room is HOT right now)

Infact every single voltage except for VCORE has been manually set to the lowest possible:

vcore = 1.2450
ddr = 1.8v
cpu vtt = 1.2v
s. bridge = 1.5v
n. bridge = 1.25v
cpu gtlref = 63%

EIST is disabled and so is C1E.


The 'Fun' Part:

OK so it was all going nicely, got upto 380fsb with only 1 tiny bump up of VCORE and the system is nice and stable and still cool. Soo i tried for 400, this failed to post, tried 390 and i can post but not boot into windows, 385 enters windows but fails Prime95 really fast... soo i decided to try upping to VCORE 1st... this had no effect even right upto about 1.35 / 1.4v.

So, i thought it must be a MB issue and to keep CPU out of the equation i lowered to multi down to 7 - keeping voltage the same.

However, even if i raise both the south bridge and north bridge settings i still cant get stable for anything over 380FSB... have tried with the northbridge upto 1.37v (when its stable @ 1.25 for 380fsb) and still the same :S

Basically i seem to have hit a brick wall at 380fsb regardless of wether i raise all the voltages or not... i figure its one of two things, either i am missing something totally simple or this is the limit for my hardware (which would seem to be tough luck as the mb should be good for almost 450fsb i thought).

Anways - sorry for the long explnation - jsut wanted to fill in as much info as possible so the rest of you can spot what mistakes i am making!

Thanks in advance.

 

[error8]

Up the north bridge further to 1,4 - 1,45 V, you can go even higher if the north bridge is not overheating and if you like risks . I got mine up to 1,55 V on MSI P35 Neo2 with my E7200. Also up your ram voltage to 2 V, even though is underclocked, it might help.
Do you have the latest bios on your motherboard?

 

[crazylegs]

Well for an air cooled system think mine is pretty good - although i dont have a fan directly on the north bridge it definetely isnt gettign too hot atm. However, the thing that bugs me is tha tit can be 16+hrs Prime95 stable with 1.25v @ 380fsb... but it wont boot at 390 or so even if i go upto about 1.37v :S

I'll check my BIOS now - and have a go running north bridge @ 1.4-1.45v and see what happens.

 

[crazylegs]

Update:

BIOS is already v16 (v17 is one month older - but i have not upgraded to this yet)

Attempted to run @ 390x8 and i can get into windows but it fails Prime95 after a matter of seconds even with considerable voltage increases:

vcore = 1.4v
RAM = 2.0v
VTT = 1.35v
s. bridge = 1.55v
n. bridge = 1.41v
cpu gtlres = 65%

seeing as i am 16hrs Prime95 stable (and totally game/ application stable) @ 380x8 with:

vcore = 1.2450v
RAM = 1.8v
VTT = 1.2v
s. bridge = 1.5v
n. bridge = 1.25v
cpu gtlres = 63%

guess i am going to settle for this OC and not spend any more time trying to OC more than 380x8... seems a bit of a shame as i thought i could have got upto at least 400x8, but i must just have a 'bad' cpu or board :S

 

[BTRY B 529th FA BN]

Send it back for a replacement

 

[Duvie]

The ram is likely your holdback.....Are you bumping the volatge on that? cas 5 ddr2800 may a bit low for what you need thanks to the low multiplier of the E8200.....

I know yours is not a pro but I would assume at least 400fsb....

I have heard of cold start issues with this board....

 

[n7]

I see no mention of testing your RAM, as Duvie mentions.

I'd suggest running the CPU at stock with the 5:6 or 4:5 ratio, which would put your RAM @ DDR2-800 or DDR2-833.

Use Memtest86+ & HCI Memtest to stress the memory at DDR2-800, & then bump up the FSB a bit to see if there's some headroom over DDR2-800 speeds with that RAM.
http://www.memtest.org/
http://hcidesign.com/memtest/

Try 5-5-5-15 @ 1.8-2.0V, & make sure tRFC is set loose, as in 50-60.
I know you should have at least a value of 48 for tRFC; use that or higher if possible.

That Corsair you have might be crap DDR2 that barely reaches DDR2-800 speeds.
Or it might be very nice Powerchips that reaches DDR2-1000+, you'll have to see.

Note: For very quick initial RAM stability testing as you increase speed, use test 5 in Memtest86+.
Also, i suggest running a couple instances of HCI, with the amount set to stress just below the total you have available in Vista.
I prefer HCI for final testing, since it is much harder on the NB than Memtest86+, & will often fail where Memtest86+ passes.

 

[myocardia]

Originally posted by: n7
Try 5-5-5-15 @ 1.8-2.0V, & make sure tRFC is set loose, as in 50-60.
I know you should have at least a value of 48 for tRFC; use that or higher if possible.

tRFC should really be 54+, since he's using 2GB sticks.*

*Until he finds out how far his CPU will overclock.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Originally posted by: crazylegs
cpu gtlref = 63%

Is this the default setting or did you modify this? I would set that back to default, that could be affecting your overclock. I don't think that you need to modify gtlref for dual-cores to OC.

 

[SolMiester]

Hi guys, I have this board with G0 Q6600 but at this moment waiting the graphic card. If the OP is using DDR800, can he not lock the RAM at normal speed taking memory test out of the equation. If the FSB is only 380, he hasnt reach the memorys speed?, or am I not getting it?...Like the OP I am coming from a AMD system.

ta

 

[myocardia]

Originally posted by: SolMiester
If the OP is using DDR800, can he not lock the RAM at normal speed taking memory test out of the equation.

No, the slowest he can run his RAM is DDR2-760, with his FSB @ 380.

 

[crazylegs]

OK thanks for the replies all.

In response to a couple of the questions:

- Yes i have bumped the RAM voltage, when i run @ stock settings i.e. 333FSB, the RAM voltage is 1.8 and using a 5/6 divider it is running stable @ an effective 800.

- Also it runs 16+hrs Prime stable @ 1.8v with a FSB of 380 and 1:1 divider = 760.

- When i was trying Prime95 with FSB of 390, i had set RAM voltage to 2.0v, and running at 1:1 divider its still technically 'underclocked' running @ 780.

- cpu gtlref = 63% yes that is the default.


Am at work atm but will try testing RAM specifically when i get home tonight (in UK so bit of a time difference from some of you guys).

- Will specifically set the tRFC setting to the sggested value and test with Memtest.