Help with Core2 E4600

[ednigma42]

I picked up an open box e4600 for a great price to use as a second system. I'm using it in an ASROCK 775DualVSTA with an old nVidia ti4200 and 1G Mushkin DDR-3500. This was a great transition system when I first ugraded to a C2D e6400.

Here's the wierd part. I figured I'd try some basic OC'ing. Since this MB can do FSB 1066, I tried setting the FSB to 250Mhz with the DRAM on auto set to 156Mhz (1:1 ratio was not stable - would not boot XP). Running OCCT 2.0.0 always errors code4. Prime95 always returns a rounding error.

Reset to stock speed FSB 200 and DRAM 1:1. OCCT and Prime95 run fine. Set FSB to 210Mhz and DRAM 1:1 (DRAM is rated to 217Mhz stock) and OCCT errors with code4 and Prime95 returns rounding errors.

I've read that the e4600 should be able to hit FSB 1066. I've increased voltages slightly on both the CPU and Mem, but the wierd thing is that I can't seem to get even a 5% OC without OCCT and Prime95 errors.

Everything seems to be stable at Stock speeds, but Temps seem high. With a Zalman CNPS 7000 running at full speed, Idle temps are about 45C in CPUID HWmonitor and OCCT status panel. Running OCCT will eventually error with an overtemp error, but the heatsink is only slightly warm to the touch (this same HS was used at a reduced RPM for my other C2D e6400 with no problems). Realtemp 2.70 shows 35C at idle with Tjmax set to default 85, when set to 100C as I read somewhere, the temps are the same as OCCT and CPUID HWmon.

So is my CPU marginal? I don't think I can return it, but I might try. Is it my MB? I was able to get a slight OC with my e6400 to FSB 273, so I think it should be able to do anything <FSB250. It has the latest BIOS which supports the e4XXX series.

I was just trying to set up a second system with old spare parts, but these wierd errors at even the slightest OC are bugging me to no end.

Thanks

 

[mancunian]

Sounds like the board is limiting you.

Google 'E4600 BSEL mod', you'll have to dig through the results, but it's fairly easy to do and will bump your FSB up to 1066.

Doing this will stop the board being the limiting factor as it will be the CPU telling the board to do 1066 FSB instead of the other way around.

 

[GundamF91]

My old E4500 was able to hold 333 (333x10=3.3Ghz), and that's about 1333 FSB speed, so I think E4600 on average should be okay up to that. If nothing else, it should be able to break 266mhz to get 1066FSB.

What's the multiplier you're using? See if you can set it at a lower multiplier, and then higher FSB, such as 300x8=2.4Ghz. If you can, then that means the board's okay.

 

[o1die]

My e4300 works great with the "pin mod" using copper tape; running error free at 1066 on a compaq board. You might have to up the cpu voltage a little to get it stable.