Q9450 @ 3.7ghz

[Gillbot]

Originally posted by: n7
PCI-e @ 101 is an old trick that was used when some older boards didn't lock it properly @ 100.

It's so common (though usually totally unnecessary) that even i do that...it's just a habit for many i think.

On newer boards, there is no reason there should be any difference between 99 or 100 or 101...

As for the OP...FSB limitations

This is why low multis suck.

His chip obviously has a lot more in it...but it needs a higher multi to get there.

Yep, it could be 100% in my head because I usually make so many changes that it's hard to keep track.

Side note Big Lar, did you try the 400 strap on your Q? I got a P5QL-E sitting here that isn't treating me well. It's rather fickle with settings as opposed to my MSI.

 

[PClark99]

I am sitting at 3600 at 1.24V and I am very happy with that.

Tried to push it a little further but it doesn't seem to want to cooperate.

 

[Big Lar]

Originally posted by: Gillbot

Originally posted by: n7
PCI-e @ 101 is an old trick that was used when some older boards didn't lock it properly @ 100.

It's so common (though usually totally unnecessary) that even i do that...it's just a habit for many i think.

On newer boards, there is no reason there should be any difference between 99 or 100 or 101...

As for the OP...FSB limitations

This is why low multis suck.

His chip obviously has a lot more in it...but it needs a higher multi to get there.

Yep, it could be 100% in my head because I usually make so many changes that it's hard to keep track.

Side note Big Lar, did you try the 400 strap on your Q? I got a P5QL-E sitting here that isn't treating me well. It's rather fickle with settings as opposed to my MSI.

I've run the 400 strap, seems to have run allright, tho I am running the 333 strap, just as fast on my board.

Larry

 

[bryanW1995]

Originally posted by: BonzaiDuck

With Load Line Calibration disabled in BIOS, setting a CPU Voltage VID of 1.38750 resulted in a no-load voltage of about 1.34V and a full-load value of 1.28V. Enabling this feature and lowering the VID to 1.35000V produced a constant CPU supply voltage, regardless of load (or so it seemed), of 1.33V. Setting a lower VID resulted in a blue screen during Windows boot. Idle voltage was relatively unchanged at about 1.33-1.34V but the full-load voltage required increased by 50mV with no benefit. As you might guess, we recommend you leave this option disabled.

Why have you enabled LLC when the Anandtech article on over-clocking recommended disabling it?

I am also curious how you set the Gunning Transceiver Logic Reference Voltage. There is an article -- linked through Graysky's Guide (sticky) -- which deals with this in much more detail. The adjustments are, in turn, linked to your choice of CPU VTT voltage.

I can't speak with authority on the expectational limits of over-clocking your Q9450. In general, a Penryn quad-core will not OC to the same level as a a Penryn dual-core, just as a Conroe C2Q will not OC to the same level as a C2D.

But given the stock setting for the Q9450 of 2.67Ghz, I'm guessing that your expectations of a 3.6Ghz over-clock are a tad optimistic.

There is another article about two months earlier to the one you cite on over-clocking the QX9650, which deals with exponentially rising voltage requirements with increasing FSB.

I have an x3350 at 3.6 running seti 24/7. It's been there for 6 mos now, too.

 

[Gillbot]

Originally posted by: Big Lar

Originally posted by: Gillbot

Originally posted by: n7
PCI-e @ 101 is an old trick that was used when some older boards didn't lock it properly @ 100.

It's so common (though usually totally unnecessary) that even i do that...it's just a habit for many i think.

On newer boards, there is no reason there should be any difference between 99 or 100 or 101...

As for the OP...FSB limitations

This is why low multis suck.

His chip obviously has a lot more in it...but it needs a higher multi to get there.

Yep, it could be 100% in my head because I usually make so many changes that it's hard to keep track.

Side note Big Lar, did you try the 400 strap on your Q? I got a P5QL-E sitting here that isn't treating me well. It's rather fickle with settings as opposed to my MSI.

I've run the 400 strap, seems to have run allright, tho I am running the 333 strap, just as fast on my board.

Larry

No discernible or stability noticed between the two? I have a P5QL-E here and I tried the strap at Auto and 400fsb but the staility was hit or miss when I really pushed the board.

 

[Big Lar]

Not really, I think which bios used plays a big role on how they clock. For instance, anything between 803 and, and including 1201 sucks on this board, but 803/1306 and 1402 run great. Go figure.

The gain was so slight with 400 that it just did not matter.I try not to run much on Auto with this board as it seems to have a mind of its own.

Larry

 

[n7]

Err, the lower straps should be better, at least in theory, than the higher ones.

As in, 200 > 266 > 333 > 400.

Obviously you need to bench for yourself, & if you can get a better tRD level or RAM speed out of the higher straps, then sure, that would make sense.

But i wouldn't be aiming for the higher ones...

 

[Gillbot]

My MSI is the opposite, It seems to run better with the strap set of 400 as opposed to 266 or 333. Maybe I should try the lower straps on this asus more.

 

[Diogenes2]

I wonder how Dopekitten is doing with this?.. Been six days now ..

Seems like a lot of work to get from 3.6 to 3.7 ..

 

[n7]

Originally posted by: Gillbot
My MSI is the opposite, It seems to run better with the strap set of 400 as opposed to 266 or 333. Maybe I should try the lower straps on this asus more.

That doesn't surprise me.

What i was trying to say is that the lower straps use tighter timings on the NB, which theoretically results in better performance.

For initially increasing overclock, higher straps should indeed be easier to work with, as they are looser internal timings & should be easier on the board.

I'd try lowering later if possible to increase performance, though as always, worry about CPU speed over RAM & NB straps.