Q6600 G0 won't post above 280 FSB!

[fasterpussycat]

as it stands right now it will post with the following settings.

i've tried alot of different combinations but this one is stable.

mult - 9
fsb - 280
fsb to northbridge strap - 333
dram - in the 500, 600 or 800 range. doesn't seem to matter.
vcore - auto.
dram voltage - 2.1

hardware

Q6600 processor G0 stepping stock fan.
Asus p5q PRO mobo BIOS 1406
2x2gb corsair extreme ram
evga 9800gtx
650w antec psu

if i set the fsb just 1 notch higher to 281 it won't post even if i lower the multiplier to 6 or lowerign the northbridge strap to 200.

if i set the vcore to anything other than auto with the above settings it won't post.

i know i have the stock fan but i thought i could at least get to 3.0 with it. i would think it would at least post. so either a bios setting is off or i got a crappy Q6600. any thoughts?

 

[Idontcare]

For debugging FSB holes as well as finding FSB limitations you definitely want to set your CPU multiplier to 6x (the lowest it can go) so you know your CPU clockspeed is not the problem as you increase the FSB.

Likewise with your ram. For now ignore the fact it can probably tun at DDR2-1066 speeds, set the ram to run 1:1 with the FSB (also called sync mode in some BIOSes). For FSB of 280MHz your ram should be running at DDR2-560 (2x280) and as such you should then be able to proceed with debugging your FSB knowing your ram is not the problem.

Now worry about FSB holes and instability in your NB. Don't stop checking FSB just because it dies at 280...that may be a hole...check 300, 333, etc. And don't be afraid to give your NB/MCH a 0.1V bump.

If you can't get your mobo stable at 300MHz FSB with CPU at 6x multi and ram at DDR2-600 speeds then your mobo is definitely the weakest link.

 

[Wuzup101]

Honestly, I think the first clock I tried on my q6600 was 8x400 (just because that's what I wanted to run, and I knew there was a high probability of success). I then found the lowest voltage that I could do it at. As I dontcare stated, it's probably a weak spot of the fsb... drop your multi down to 6, and test all the way up (you won't hit stock speed until 400fsb, so don't worry about damaging your processor).

 

[soccerballtux]

"anything other than auto"
whats the highest voltage you've set it to?

 

[fasterpussycat]

1.4 then i worked my way down to 1.23. it wouldn't post with the settings i mentioned in the first post until i made it Auto again..

 

[fasterpussycat]

thanks IDC. i'll try some of your tips. i have tried higher fsb settings than 280 even with the multiplier of 6 but the other settings might have been causing it not to post. it ssmes like this board is very picky. do holes usually exist in most fsb or is it just a random thing? what if the mobo is the weakest link? starting raising the NB volt?

 

[Idontcare]

Originally posted by: fasterpussycat
do holes usually exist in most fsb or is it just a random thing?

It tends to be more chipset related. For example the 680i chipset from Nvidia was notoriously bad (downright god awful) with FSB holes. P35/X38 not so much.

So it is not random by mobo (if your has it then so too will most other's with your same mobo) but it is kinda hit and miss by chipset. 680i had it but P35 did not.

Please understand I am by no means an expert on FSB holes, there are many more experts on this here in the forums and if someone posts something that seems to contradict my posts then assume they are right and I am wrong.

Originally posted by: fasterpussycat
what if the mobo is the weakest link? starting raising the NB volt?

Yes, and temps are a concern as well. Consider putting a few fans ghetto-style around your NB heatsink just for temporary to reduce prospects of overheating while you are trying to debug your FSB issue. If the problem goes away then look to invest in more robust NB cooling solution.

One other thing...you may very well have a bad mobo. By bad mobo I mean a single capacitor or VRM may have blown at some point and this is what is limiting you.

I have experience here, one of my DS3L boards (I own five) blew a VRM but I didn't know it. What I saw (the symptom) was a large Vdroop (~0.2V) on my Q6600 and the FSB wouldn't overclock worth a darn. Had to remove the mobo from the case, inspected the backside and found a lightly scorched area the size of a pea. Replaced the board and my Vdroop and FSB problem went away.

So...

 

[fasterpussycat]

i was just about ready to give up on the mobo last night and RMA it back when i tried one last thing. there is software included called AI Booster that lets you change the multi and fsb in windows. so i set the defaults in the BIOS and tweaked a couple things and went into AI Booster and noticed that vcore was flucuating as well as the multi. i did some research and set the CIE to disabled and had the fsb up to 300 and 2.7 ghz with vcore set to auto and stock fan ran a couple 3dmark 6 runs and called it a night.

 

[fasterpussycat]

turned the computer on today and it froze before the splash screen with 9x300 from last night that i set in windows. so i can raise increase the fsb in AI tuner but not in the BIOS. makes no sense.

 

[fasterpussycat]

i disabled express gate in the bios and now i'm up to 340x9 with all settings on auto except mult, fsb, fsb strap=333 and dram v=2.1. i'm sure it can go higher but i have the stock fan. it's a workaround but i have no desire to use express gate but i'm still curious why disabling express gate would have anything to do with it.

 

[Idontcare]

Originally posted by: fasterpussycat
i disabled express gate in the bios and now i'm up to 340x9 with all settings on auto except mult, fsb, fsb strap=333 and dram v=2.1. i'm sure it can go higher but i have the stock fan. it's a workaround but i have no desire to use express gate but i'm still curious why disabling express gate would have anything to do with it.

Intriguing. I have no idea what express gate is or does.

 

[myocardia]

Originally posted by: Idontcare
Intriguing. I have no idea what express gate is or does.

Express Gate is a crappy proprietary Asus operating system, based on Linux, that let's you get online without booting to Windows.

5 Secs Bootup to online
Taking only 5 seconds to go online from bootup, Express Gate is the one-stop gateway to instant fun! It´s a unique motherboard built-in OS. You can utilize the most popular Instant Messengers (IM) like MSN, Skype, Google talk, QQ, and Yahoo! Messenger to keep in touch with friends, or quickly check on the weather and e-mails just before leaving your house. What´s more, the user-friendly picture manager lets you view your pictures without entering Windows at anytime!

http://usa.asus.com/products.a...model=2257&modelmenu=1

 

[taltamir]

Originally posted by: fasterpussycat
i disabled express gate in the bios and now i'm up to 340x9 with all settings on auto except mult, fsb, fsb strap=333 and dram v=2.1. i'm sure it can go higher but i have the stock fan. it's a workaround but i have no desire to use express gate but i'm still curious why disabling express gate would have anything to do with it.

that sounds like your CPU voltage is also on auto... auto does NOT mean DEFAULT... auto overvolts the heck out of it, dangerously so, it will be rock solid... and then a week to a month later it fries on you.

 

[fasterpussycat]

Originally posted by: taltamir
that sounds like your CPU voltage is also on auto... auto does NOT mean DEFAULT... auto overvolts the heck out of it, dangerously so, it will be rock solid... and then a week to a month later it fries on you.

good point. i lowered the cpu voltage to 1.26. on auto cupid said it was 1.36.

 

[n7]

My P5Q-D is the best mobo i've ever owned when it comes to OCing.

That said, it still requires some knowledge of OCing...you can't just assume it's going to OC amazingly when doing things like setting vcore to auto. (never ever do this for OCing!)

And i've yet to find any FSB holes on my P5Q, not to mention i've never heard of anyone else getting any.

There will be situations where certain straps work better than others though...

I'd say read through this thread: http://forums.anandtech.com/me...ght_key=y&keyword1=p5q
I posted my setting a few times in that thread.

Or the one on XS on the P5Qs...