Q9450 Overclocking Issues

[Zambar]

Ok guys bear with me here, I am pretty new to overclocking...

I've had my Q9450 for about half a year now and I'm just now trying to OC it. I know pretty much the basics... Increasing CPU voltage and the FSB... Now I do intend to run this processor for a good bit of time so I don't want to increase my voltage too high... but I've read people are getting up to 3.4 with the Q9450... I I'm not able to get above 2.8 with my voltage up to 1.325.... up from 1.25.... If I pump it up any higher the computer fails on its initial startup *Not even windows load*. It then restarts and disables the OC. I am running my 9450 on an x48 MB... Anybody have any ideas that can help me? 2.8 Just isn't nearly cutting it...

 

[Zap]

Have you tried lowering your memory speed?
As you raise the FSB, the memory clock goes up as well.

 

[BTRY B 529th FA BN]

Originally posted by: Zambar
Ok guys bear with me here, I am pretty new to overclocking...

I've had my Q9450 for about half a year now and I'm just now trying to OC it. I know pretty much the basics... Increasing CPU voltage and the FSB... Now I do intend to run this processor for a good bit of time so I don't want to increase my voltage too high... but I've read people are getting up to 3.4 with the Q9450... I I'm not able to get above 2.8 with my voltage up to 1.325.... up from 1.25.... If I pump it up any higher the computer fails on its initial startup *Not even windows load*. It then restarts and disables the OC. I am running my 9450 on an x48 MB... Anybody have any ideas that can help me? 2.8 Just isn't nearly cutting it...

Your mother board and memory speed would be helpful info for starters. Cooling, ambient temps, etc

 

[Soulkeeper]

i've found that increasing the vcore on my Q9450 does nothing but increase heat
1.25v gets me to the max on my chip

i second the idea of your memory limiting you, you gotta play with the settings
isolate the cpu, by keeping the memory safely below it's rated speed/latency/voltages untill you find "the sweat spot"

 

[OCGuy]

Originally posted by: Soulkeeper
i've found that increasing the vcore on my Q9450 does nothing but increase heat
1.25v gets me to the max on my chip

i second the idea of your memory limiting you, you gotta play with the settings
isolate the cpu, by keeping the memory safely below it's rated speed/latency/voltages untill you find "the sweat spot"

This was not the case with mine. I hit 3.5-3.6, and was benching @ 3.7 (not stable).

Check your northbridge voltages and VTT/Termination as well. With quads, it is a little more tricky than just adding Vcore.

Also, as others have said, set your ram divider to keep it at or under stock while messing with the CPU frequency. This is to eliminate any variables.

 

[Zambar]

Ok well I check my BIOS for any settings having to do with RAM voltages and I'm coming up short... Heres all the options I have for voltage control: DDR2 Overvoltage control *I can't input a votlage here, theres an increasing list starting at +.5* PCI-E Overvoltage Control *Same as DDR2 list* FSB Overvoltage Control *Same* (G) MCH Voltage Control *Same* Loadline Calibration *Goes up by .025 instead of .5* And then I've got the final one which is CPU Voltage Control which I can select a voltage on. Heres a direct link to the motherboard I have http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16813128336 Anybody still up for helping me out?

 

[jamesbond007]

Ah nice I have an ASUS Rampage Formula, which is an X48-based board as well. What is your current northbridge voltage? When I get home, I can take a screenshot of my main voltages and link them to you - it should give you a baseline to work with. My motherboard tends to run things "hot" meaning that it over-volts stuff by default, so I didn't need any real tweaking to get things running smoothly.

I have my Q9450 at 3.2GHz (QX9770 equivalent), 1600MHz FSB, running rock solid from day one. I can tell you from memory that I'm running my 8GB of G.Skill DDR2 at 2.1V to run PC1066 (DDR 533MHz). My northbridge is at 1.35V, CPU is at 1.2V, I believe. Maybe 1.25, but not higher than that.

The thing you have to keep in mind is that the X48 chips run very warm. They're built to run up to 90C, but keep it below 75C if you want to keep your system for more than a couple years. As far as temps go, I currently run the Intel stock HSF and it keeps my CPU at ~38C idle, but it does hit up into the high 70s on loads. I've got the Xigmatek 1283 on order to replace the HSF and an Antec Spot Cool fan to aim at my northbridge since the Xigmatek doesn't blow any air around the MOSFETs and heatsinks around the northbridge area.

 

[Soulkeeper]

Originally posted by: Ocguy31

Originally posted by: Soulkeeper
i've found that increasing the vcore on my Q9450 does nothing but increase heat
1.25v gets me to the max on my chip

i second the idea of your memory limiting you, you gotta play with the settings
isolate the cpu, by keeping the memory safely below it's rated speed/latency/voltages untill you find "the sweat spot"

This was not the case with mine. I hit 3.5-3.6, and was benching @ 3.7 (not stable).

Check your northbridge voltages and VTT/Termination as well. With quads, it is a little more tricky than just adding Vcore.

Also, as others have said, set your ram divider to keep it at or under stock while messing with the CPU frequency. This is to eliminate any variables.

yeah i've tryed everything, i'm limited by heat and motherboard
i max out at 3.3GHz just the way it is for me and i'm happy with that
i've got an early 9450 tho

 

[Gillbot]

Read the overclocking sticky.

 

[OCGuy]

Originally posted by: Soulkeeper

Originally posted by: Ocguy31

Originally posted by: Soulkeeper
i've found that increasing the vcore on my Q9450 does nothing but increase heat
1.25v gets me to the max on my chip

i second the idea of your memory limiting you, you gotta play with the settings
isolate the cpu, by keeping the memory safely below it's rated speed/latency/voltages untill you find "the sweat spot"

This was not the case with mine. I hit 3.5-3.6, and was benching @ 3.7 (not stable).

Check your northbridge voltages and VTT/Termination as well. With quads, it is a little more tricky than just adding Vcore.

Also, as others have said, set your ram divider to keep it at or under stock while messing with the CPU frequency. This is to eliminate any variables.

yeah i've tryed everything, i'm limited by heat and motherboard
i max out at 3.3GHz just the way it is for me and i'm happy with that
i've got an early 9450 tho

You are limited by heat and according to your sig you had it at 3.2 @ 1.16v 60C? What kind of cooler?

 

[Flipped Gazelle]

Originally posted by: Gillbot
Read the overclocking sticky.

Do you mean this one, which is posted near the top of the forum so it is easily accessible, and has lots of good information and examples? Is that the one you mean?

 

[Gillbot]

Originally posted by: Flipped Gazelle

Originally posted by: Gillbot
Read the overclocking sticky.

Do you mean this one, which is posted near the top of the forum so it is easily accessible, and has lots of good information and examples? Is that the one you mean?

I guess not since there are 987958439875 of these threads daily. :disgust: :roll:

 

[Soulkeeper]

Originally posted by: Ocguy31

Originally posted by: Soulkeeper

Originally posted by: Ocguy31

Originally posted by: Soulkeeper
i've found that increasing the vcore on my Q9450 does nothing but increase heat
1.25v gets me to the max on my chip

i second the idea of your memory limiting you, you gotta play with the settings
isolate the cpu, by keeping the memory safely below it's rated speed/latency/voltages untill you find "the sweat spot"

This was not the case with mine. I hit 3.5-3.6, and was benching @ 3.7 (not stable).

Check your northbridge voltages and VTT/Termination as well. With quads, it is a little more tricky than just adding Vcore.

Also, as others have said, set your ram divider to keep it at or under stock while messing with the CPU frequency. This is to eliminate any variables.

yeah i've tryed everything, i'm limited by heat and motherboard
i max out at 3.3GHz just the way it is for me and i'm happy with that
i've got an early 9450 tho

You are limited by heat and according to your sig you had it at 3.2 @ 1.16v 60C? What kind of cooler?

that was last summer, i can get away with 3.3GHz @ 1.2v in the winter temps at around 55C

the chip just maxes out at these levels i have the thermalright ultra 120 extreme with the most powerfull 35mm thick 120mm fan on the market (running full blast, i'm used to it since the prescott )

I don't run air conditioning in my house and I just didn't get as lucky as the other people, it happens.

 

[Soulkeeper]

didn't mean to hiijack this guy's thread here ...

 

[Zambar]

Originally posted by: Gillbot

Originally posted by: Flipped Gazelle

Originally posted by: Gillbot
Read the overclocking sticky.

Do you mean this one, which is posted near the top of the forum so it is easily accessible, and has lots of good information and examples? Is that the one you mean?

I guess not since there are 987958439875 of these threads daily. :disgust: :roll:

You know guys... referring me to another page which and making smart comments about it doesnt help my issue at all... I can't seem to find any option in my BIOS to alter the voltage or clock on my memory, which is scaling up with my processor... I pointed out the options that I had and you referred me to a page which doesn't help at all... *Which I had already read... Which is why I made a post in the first place...*

EDIT: Don't worry about it guys... i'll go someplace else for my help.

 

[GuitarDaddy]

You will have to find memory ratio setting in bios before you will get any further. Read your mobo manual, or go download it in PDF from the mfg's website.

And download CPU-Z, it shows CPU speed Ram speed and timings that will enable us to help you and you can upload screenshots if necessary