p5k-e overclocking confusion

[egale]

I have been reading so many threads about overclocking and the more I read the more confused I get. I am not looking to push the system to the max but with q6600, I should be able to get to 3Ghz without killing anything.

I have a P5K-E/Wifi, Q6600, Crucial Ballistix DDR2 800 (4-4-4-12). The only bios changes I made was to set the timings manually to 4-4-4-12. I let the motherboard set all voltages.

Last night, I upped the FSB to 333. Upon reboot, the system bluescreened then automatically tried to reboot. It would not boot up at all and I had to do a cold reboot to get back to the bios. I reset all the fields and rebooted but my lan adapter was gone. I finally had to reset the bios through the motherboard jumper to get everything back.

To save myself a ton of aggrevation. I would like to get a few simple tips to getting the system set up correctly.

If I leave the CPU multiplier alone and only deal with FSB:

1. Should I play with RAM timings or let the bios decide
2. Is there a starting point for VCORE and VDIMM
3. I want to get the FSB to 333 from 267 starting point. Is there an initial jump to try rather than all in one leap?

Any other tips are greatly appreciated as well.

 

[SerpentRoyal]

Reset CMOS. Reboot into BIOS. Set 1:1 memory divider with 2.1Vdimm. Bump Vcore to 1.4. Dial in 333MHz and boot into windows. If you can post, then lower Vcore by one notch and retest. The goal is to use the lowest Vcore that's stable for 2 hours Orthos.

 

[egale]

That sounds like something I can do, thanks!

Do I keep manual memory timings of 4-4-4-12 or do I keep that setting on auto as well?

 

[SerpentRoyal]

I'd relax the speed to 5-5-5-15-2T for now.

 

[The-Noid]

4-4-4-12 or 5-5-5-15 will not matter.

Remember to use 2.1v as your vdimm.

Also 2 hours should be a minimum. I would try for 4 hours or use OCCT as it taxes the cpu/mem a bit harder than good ol' orthos.

 

[n7]

Originally posted by: Yoxxy
4-4-4-12 or 5-5-5-15 will not matter.

Remember to use 2.1v as your vdimm.

Also 2 hours should be a minimum. I would try for 4 hours or use OCCT as it taxes the cpu/mem a bit harder than good ol' orthos.

Huh?

I've had OCCT pass just fine when Orthos fails.

Never the other way around...

 

[egale]

Ok. I have the vdimm at 2.1, vcore at 1.35 and FSB at 333. Machine boots up, no problems so far. Temps seem about 3 or 4 degrees higher. So far so good.

Now, CPU-Z reports the memory running at 5:6 not 1:1. I don't see a setting per se in the bios to set that. The only thing I saw was when I increased FSB, the ram speed went up from 800. I manually reduced it back to DDR-800. Is this how the memory divider is set?

 

[SerpentRoyal]

Originally posted by: n7

Originally posted by: Yoxxy
4-4-4-12 or 5-5-5-15 will not matter.

Remember to use 2.1v as your vdimm.

Also 2 hours should be a minimum. I would try for 4 hours or use OCCT as it taxes the cpu/mem a bit harder than good ol' orthos.

Huh?

I've had OCCT pass just fine when Orthos fails.

Never the other way around...

Orthos is very good but S&M 100% Heat mode can be difficult to pass.

 

[SerpentRoyal]

Originally posted by: egale
Ok. I have the vdimm at 2.1, vcore at 1.35 and FSB at 333. Machine boots up, no problems so far. Temps seem about 3 or 4 degrees higher. So far so good.

Now, CPU-Z reports the memory running at 5:6 not 1:1. I don't see a setting per se in the bios to set that. The only thing I saw was when I increased FSB, the ram speed went up from 800. I manually reduced it back to DDR-800. Is this how the memory divider is set?

Not familiar with your exact BIOS setting but CPUz should show FSB = Memory speed.

 

[myocardia]

IIRC, the Asus P35 BIOS just uses DDR speed, when adjusting the RAM speed in the BIOS. So, if you're wanting to run your RAM @ 1:1 with the FSB, just set it to 533.

 

[egale]

cpu-z shows frequency = 400 MHz, FSB DRAM 5:6

In my Bios, the memory is set to DDR-800, 4-4-4-12

 

[jmmtn4aj]

Originally posted by: Yoxxy
4-4-4-12 or 5-5-5-15 will not matter.

Remember to use 2.1v as your vdimm.

Also 2 hours should be a minimum. I would try for 4 hours or use OCCT as it taxes the cpu/mem a bit harder than good ol' orthos.

Isn't the recommended vdimm for Ballistix 2.2v?

 

[egale]

I think the 2.2v is the max for that.

If I set up the Q6600 to run @ 3.2GHz (400MHz x 8) instead of 3.0GHz (333GHz x 9), does that put my ram back to 1:1?

Are there any advantages/disadvantages of setting the CPU one way or the other? I would guess running the FSB @ 400 would tax the motherboard a bit more and lead to higher temps?