How to oveclock Q6600 stepping B3 on Asus Striker Extreme?

[matija2912]

Hi,
I have the folloving setup:
-Asus Striker Extreme 680i SLI(Rev A2) BIOS 1401(latest)
-Intel Q6600 2.4GHz stepping B3(i think that the stepping is important for
subject)
-XFX GeForce 8800 Ultra
-2 x 1GB PC-6400 DDR2 800Mhz Patriot
-Thermaltake Big Typhoon Air Cooler
-Enermax Liberty EL620AWT 620W power supply
The problem is following.Everybody talks abaut overclocking Q6600
especially stepping G0(it overclock much better tham my B3) so I tried to
overclock my and I failed in every step.
Asus promotes Striker Extreme as overclocking/gamers MBO but I on it cant
change any parameter(especially voltages) in BIOS because everything I do
causes my computer to hang out.And I have to open my case to reset BIOS to
default values to go my computer working(and lose warranty) .CPU parameter
recall feature that mobo is supposed to have in my case doesnt work if I
change voltages and instead of automaticcly reseting BIOS values to default
I have to do it via jumper on motherboard.My latest unsuccesful attempt of
overclocking was:
(changein voltages)
CPU Vcore=1.3(default) to 1.4
The other voltages were set to auto
Bus Speed from 266MHz to 278Mhz
Core speed from 9x266Mhz=2400MHz to 9x278Mhz=2.5Ghz
Rated FSB from 4x266=1111MHz to 4x278=1111Mhz
FSB Memory Ratio 1:1
Previous BIOS flashed -1303 because some people have problems with lates offical 1401
And after I applied these settings I get only long beep from motherboard and must turn off my computer to reset BIOS values to default .I tried various combinations of parameters for overclocking but nothing doesnt seem to work.So I am asking people who know
much more abaut hardware than I do what went wrong.Am I having faulty
CPU,or MBO or I am just simply doing something wrong.
Thanks for answers!

 

[Billb2]

Originally posted by: matija2912
-2 x 1GB PC-6400 DDR2 800Mhz Patriot
...what went wrong.

The answer you seek would be VERY long and VERY technical. You would be best served by reading some overclocking guides and reading some posts by others that have successfully overclocked computers with your particular motherboard and/or memory.

I'm sure many will chime in with suggestions that will (if you don't have a firm grasp on overclocking) lead you to just plugging numbers into your BIOS and hoping that they work.
Reasearch is where your answer lies.

That being said, let me start off the suggestions:
A common problem is that on many motherboards the default memory voltage is very conservative (to low). Check the specs for your exact memory and manually set that in the BIOS.

Rated FSB from 4x266=1111MHz to 4x278=1111Mhz
FSB Memory Ratio 1:1

266 x 4 (1:1) runs memory at 1064mhz
278 x 4 (1:1) runs memory at 1112mhz
Your memory may not be able to do that at the voltages and latencies you are using.

 

[BonzaiDuck]

First, Billb2 as posi-freakin-lutely abso-tively correct. When I started, I was working with the E6600 processor, but I watched for forum posts and customer-reviews to see what they said. The customer reviews told me inconclusively that buyers of the Striker didn't know what they were doing with it. Forum posts showed examples of over-clock settings, and reviews did the same, explaining the step-by-step process of OC'ing the board.

I moved to the Q6600 B3 in July '07. You can get it to 3.2 Ghz; a review article showed how to get to 3.4 Ghz with the B3 if you pushed the VCORE to 1.46+V, but . . . . Idonwannadothat . . . myself.

This question has popped up in two or three different posts since my exchange with members "coolamasta" and "Idontcare" over the last few weeks!! So . . . . Use the *&%^#$ search engine, Noob!! Just kidding, but there's plenty -- even here at Anandtech -- about this board and the B3 Q6600. You should also include literature searches on all 680i motherboards for additional insights.

So, here, Earthling. My own observations, trials and tribulations:

The Adventures of Buckaroo-Bonzai Across the Striker Extreme Dimension

 

[Idontcare]

@ matija2912 - be aware that BonzaiDuck is the master of Striker Extreme here on the AT forum. Seriously, this dude has spent more time massaging his Striker and learning about every aspect of the BIOS settings than even the ASUS folks in my opinion.

If BonzaiDuck can't help you then you can safely conclude your god has forsaken you, but I doubt you'll find yourself going unhelped

(I used Striker extreme for >1year with B3 QX6700, board died and now I use the P5E WS Pro)

 

[BonzaiDuck]

AFTERTHOUGHT:

I had a lengthy discussion about these BIOS revisions in the linked thread I posted.

BIOS 1305 -- probably only good for G0 steppings rated for 1,333 FSB and Penryn processors rated for 1,333 FSB.

BIOS 1303 -- I used it for four months, but was puzzled that they pulled it from the ASUS Striker Extreme "BIOS download" link after it had been displayed there for 2 weeks. IdontCare found it at ASUS, but it's not apparently accessible from the BIOS download link.

BIOS 1301 -- I regressed from my use of 1303 followed by the unlucky attempt with 1305 to this version. All is well in the 8th Dimension.

Warning about BIOS flashing:
Do NOT use the Windows ASUS Update utility.
DO reset all of your parameters to stock values or "Clear CMOS" BEFORE flashing.
DO USE either the floppy-disk flash utility program or (best) the "EZ FLASH" option WITHIN the Striker BIOS to flash from floppy.

IF you have a BIOS-flash disaster, and nothing you do will allow the machine to post again, go here:

BIOSMan

PLCC chip, custom-flashed, approximately $27

I recommend you buy the black plastic extractor tool from them -- it's about $10, and useful for your "PC Toolbox" anticipating future needs.

 

[BonzaiDuck]

You're too, too generous, IdontCare . . . . :laugh:

 

[Rubycon]

B3's are crazy hot compared to G0's. If you want to o/c that Q6600, the G0 stepping is the best. Many B3's get much hotter at 3GHz than the G0's do at 3.6! Getting a B3 stable at 3.6 is most likely going to need water cooling and even then it's quite hard on the VRM's.

 

[Idontcare]

Originally posted by: Rubycon
B3's are crazy hot compared to G0's. If you want to o/c that Q6600, the G0 stepping is the best. Many B3's get much hotter at 3GHz than the G0's do at 3.6! Getting a B3 stable at 3.6 is most likely going to need water cooling and even then it's quite hard on the VRM's.

It takes vaporphase for me to run my B3 QX6700 stable at 3.9GHz at -35C (and still takes 1.5V Vcore after Vdroop to be stable)...would be impressive to see someone running a B3 Q6600 at 3.6GHz on air and have it be prime95 smallFFT stable.

 

[Rubycon]

Originally posted by: Idontcare

It takes vaporphase for me to run my B3 QX6700 stable at 3.9GHz at -35C (and still takes 1.5V Vcore after Vdroop to be stable)...would be impressive to see someone running a B3 Q6600 at 3.6GHz on air and have it be prime95 smallFFT stable.

I was able to do it but only with the box sideways (the heat input saturated the Tuniq's heatpipes!) and with copious amounts of sub 10°C air going into that heatsink. Coretemp readings averaged 92°C on all four cores with Prime95 running stable for 36 hours. Turn the box upright and it would go >100°C and the system would shut off.

This G0 Q6600 OTOH, runs 400x9 default voltage idles in the mid 20's, full load upper 40's (TRUE 120) with similar ambients and has no problem with the usual stress tests. I can get it to reboot (no error in prime on any core though!) by unplugging the fan and letting it run small FFT's for about 35 minutes. Core temp shows highest core hitting 77°C before rebooting. A VCORE boost would probably make it stable without a fan but the fan is going slow anyways. (50CFM Noctua 120P)

 

[Idontcare]

Originally posted by: Rubycon

Originally posted by: Idontcare

It takes vaporphase for me to run my B3 QX6700 stable at 3.9GHz at -35C (and still takes 1.5V Vcore after Vdroop to be stable)...would be impressive to see someone running a B3 Q6600 at 3.6GHz on air and have it be prime95 smallFFT stable.

I was able to do it but only with the box sideways (the heat input saturated the Tuniq's heatpipes!) and with copious amounts of sub 10°C air going into that heatsink. Coretemp readings averaged 92°C on all four cores with Prime95 running stable for 36 hours. Turn the box upright and it would go >100°C and the system would shut off.

This G0 Q6600 OTOH, runs 400x9 default voltage idles in the mid 20's, full load upper 40's (TRUE 120) with similar ambients and has no problem with the usual stress tests. I can get it to reboot (no error in prime on any core though!) by unplugging the fan and letting it run small FFT's for about 35 minutes. Core temp shows highest core hitting 77°C before rebooting. A VCORE boost would probably make it stable without a fan but the fan is going slow anyways. (50CFM Noctua 120P)

You were very likely throttling at those temps with either TM2 or TM1 without even knowing it. (mostly because it can't be shutoff unless you were intentionally using the right software)

I found this article enlightening: Performance and Power Management Technologies in Intel Processors. Part 4: Intel Core 2 Processors

 

[Rubycon]

Originally posted by: Idontcare

You were very likely throttling at those temps with either TM2 or TM1 without even knowing it. (mostly because it can't be shutoff unless you were intentionally using the right software)

I found this article enlightening: Performance and Power Management Technologies in Intel Processors. Part 4: Intel Core 2 Processors

Yes the C1 light would flicker at full load with Prime95 at the upper temps on the brink of shutdown. I dropped back to 3400 and it was much better but still over 70 on highest load. :Q B3 = where B equals Blast in Blast Furnace. :laugh: I see Yorkies are cooler yet.