Why can't I OC? E6400, Gigabyte GA-965P-DQ6

[doghausdev]

I have the following setup that I would like to OC:

• E6400
  Gigabyte GA-965P-DQ6 with F3E Bios
  ZALMAN CNPS7700-CU 120mm 2 Ball
  CORSAIR XMS2 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Unbuffered Dual Channel Kit System Memory Model TWIN2X2048-6400C4 - Retail

I have seen many reports of people running at 3.2 ghz, but when I increase the FSB past 280 or so, I can't post. The CPU is running at around 26C (80F).

I have increased CPU voltage to 1.35, since that's what most people are using.

What am I doing wrong? Thanks for any help.

Sean

 

[Furen]

What's your DRAM voltage? You running a memory divider? Your ram may be what's holding you back...

 

[doghausdev]

Thanks for your reply.

I don't know what a memory divider is. I do have the RAM in Dual Channel (Interleave) mode, according to the BIOS. I believe it's running at 800 Mhz.

How should I set up the RAM?

 

[StrangerGuy]

Set the memory to FSB ratio to 1:1, and up the memory voltage by 0.4V to 2.2V.

In case you don't know yet, press ctrl + F1 to unlock the memory timings in the BIOS. One little fact is that the DQ6 automatically loosen the memory timings as you increase the memory clock. All this is assuming that the DQ6 BIOS behaves the same way as the DS3.

 

[gobucks]

yeah, if you are running the default memory divider (3xfsb) then at 285FSB, you'd have DDR2-855, which might be too much for the RAM, especially if you're only running 1.8V to your memory. go with the 2x divider and bump up the voltage a bit (2.0-2.1V should be plenty)

 

[Madellga]

I hope my experience can help you.

I'm able to run an E6400 at 3.2GHz (8x400) @ 1.37V, the OCZ runs at 800@1.95V with 4-4-4-15 (as per specs). I can leave the system running for 16 hours with 2 x Prime95 or Orthos, no issues.

I've never had an issue during boot with this memory. I did learn that I have to keep Vdim equal or lower than 1.95V - anything above it will cause Prime95 to fail. The ram can take 2.1~2.2 as per specs, but it doesn't seen to like it.
As I would like to run FSB a bit higher, I tried running the memory at 850 (FSB 425) 5-5-5-15, but it fails also after a couple of minutes. Reducing CPU multi helps it, but that's not the ideal (CPU is king).

System info
http://img91.imageshack.us/img91/8299/dq6pluse640032ghzvdim195bli0.jpg

The memory I'm using is this one, 2GB OCZ DDR2 PC2-6400 Platinum Revision 2
http://www.ocztechnology.com/products/m.../ocz_ddr2_pc2_6400_platinum_revision_2

My bios settings on MIT screen:
CPU Rate 8x
CPU Host ENABLED
CPU HOST FREQ 400
PCI-E 100
CIA2 DISABLED
DRAM TIMING MANUAL
CAS 4
RAS TO CAS 4
RAS PRE 4
TRAS 15
ACT ACT DEL AUTO
RANK WRITE AUTO
WRITE TO PREC AUTO
REFRESH TO ACT 0
READ to PRE AUTO
MEMORY PERF NORMAL
DIMM OVERV +0.15V
PCI-E OVERV NORMAL
GMCh OVERV NORMAL
FSB OVERV NORMAL
CPU OVERV 1.375V

 

[dasmokedog]

Originally posted by: gobucks
yeah, if you are running the default memory divider (3xfsb) then at 285FSB, you'd have DDR2-855, which might be too much for the RAM, especially if you're only running 1.8V to your memory. go with the 2x divider and bump up the voltage a bit (2.0-2.1V should be plenty)

The Corsair 6400C4 will run at a max of 1113 @ 5.5.5.15 OR 1083 @ 4.4.4.12

 

[doghausdev]

Thanks for your replies. There are a number of references to the memory divider (something x FSB) - but I don't see an option like that in the BIOS. I do have the expanded MIT menu by pressing Ctrl-F1.

What is this option called, or where do I set it? I suspect memory settings are my problem.

 

[vhx]

Memory Multiplier, set it to 2.0. Also for some reason the Gigabyte BIOS's default my 1.9V memory to 2.1V. If you do +.1 VDIMM it reads at 1.9V which is more stable.

 

[doghausdev]

Thanks for your messages. I am pretty confident I have the settings right now, but it's still not working.

The symptom is that I hit Control-F1, enter the settings, save it, and the computer reboots. After a quick second, (but before the bios boot screen appears), it beeps, then reboots again. Then, the system comes up with default settings.

Is there anything else that might be interfering with it?

I have a 7900GT PCI-E card, if that makes any difference.

 

[StrangerGuy]

Originally posted by: doghausdev
Thanks for your messages. I am pretty confident I have the settings right now, but it's still not working.

The symptom is that I hit Control-F1, enter the settings, save it, and the computer reboots. After a quick second, (but before the bios boot screen appears), it beeps, then reboots again. Then, the system comes up with default settings.

Is there anything else that might be interfering with it?

I have a 7900GT PCI-E card, if that makes any difference.

If the mobo detects that the system is too unstable it will automatically reboot with default settings.

BTW did you set PCI-E to Async mode? (Cannot remember what the setting is called exactly.)

 

[Gary Key]

Have you tried the F3G bios, it cleared up most of the DDR2-800 issues. I am not seeing an issue on my side now with getting the board up to 450 with the E6300.

 

[larciel]

What's your MCH volt and are you using default NB heatsink?

 

[fyleow]

..

 

[Madellga]

Originally posted by: fyleow

Originally posted by: Madellga
I hope my experience can help you.

I'm able to run an E6400 at 3.2GHz (8x400) @ 1.37V, the OCZ runs at 800@1.95V with 4-4-4-15 (as per specs). I can leave the system running for 16 hours with 2 x Prime95 or Orthos, no issues.

I've never had an issue during boot with this memory. I did learn that I have to keep Vdim equal or lower than 1.95V - anything above it will cause Prime95 to fail. The ram can take 2.1~2.2 as per specs, but it doesn't seen to like it.
As I would like to run FSB a bit higher, I tried running the memory at 850 (FSB 425) 5-5-5-15, but it fails also after a couple of minutes. Reducing CPU multi helps it, but that's not the ideal (CPU is king).

System info
http://img91.imageshack.us/img91/8299/dq6pluse640032ghzvdim195bli0.jpg

The memory I'm using is this one, 2GB OCZ DDR2 PC2-6400 Platinum Revision 2
http://www.ocztechnology.com/products/m.../ocz_ddr2_pc2_6400_platinum_revision_2

My bios settings on MIT screen:
CPU Rate 8x
CPU Host ENABLED
CPU HOST FREQ 400
PCI-E 100
CIA2 DISABLED
DRAM TIMING MANUAL
CAS 4
RAS TO CAS 4
RAS PRE 4
TRAS 15
ACT ACT DEL AUTO
RANK WRITE AUTO
WRITE TO PREC AUTO
REFRESH TO ACT 0
READ to PRE AUTO
MEMORY PERF NORMAL
DIMM OVERV +0.15V
PCI-E OVERV NORMAL
GMCh OVERV NORMAL
FSB OVERV NORMAL
CPU OVERV 1.375V

Holy crap, thanks for the Vdimm suggestion. I have the same ram and I couldn't go past 350 FSB or so, but I've been prime stable on 400 FSB for about an hour so far. Thanks so much.

No problem

Pretty amazing hein? I thought my sticks were deffective. But I recalled a rule from material dimensioning, when sometimes more is not better :Q

This is what I like in the Forums. Sometimes you find things that you would never think about. I like giving something back also whenever possible !!

BTW, I can't go much above FSB 400. It's rock stable at the moment, but anything higher would only work if CPU multi goes down - therefore not worth.
What about you?

PS: Use the current BIOS on the Gigabye website. It's really an improvement.

 

[fyleow]

..

 

[larciel]

I don't see menu to change Ram TRAS and etc settings.. I'm using latest F4 BIOS, how did you get that menu to pop up?

anyways, My e6300 is at 420mhz fsb now (with RETAIL HSF), AMAZING!

now at 440mhz , goodness, how high can this go?

*at 500mhz now. I'm using XMS2 pc5400

*failed prime at 500mhz, running at 490mhz now

 

[Pabster]

Press CTRL+F1 before you go anywhere in the BIOS. It'll unlock the RAM timings.

 

[doghausdev]

FINALLY! It's working - I'm at 400x8=3.2ghz. I am not sure how I fixed it, but I changed two things:

1) Upgraded to latest F4 from Gigabyte website.
2) Found out my 7900GT was in the orange slot instead of the Blue slot - moved it over.

Thanks to everyone for your help.

Sean

 

[Madellga]

I tried once 450x6 at 6-6-6 and same Vdim. It did boot and could run Prime95 for 40 minutes.
http://img140.imageshack.us/img140/282/dq6pluse640027ghzfsb450yg9.jpg

Once I tried a 7x or 8x, it wouldn't boot anymore.

It seems that you cannot have a higher multiplier and high FSB at the same time. This is why people with the E6300 can reach high FSB - on the other hand you need fast DDR2 sticks, which are über expensive.

I think the E6400 has the sweet spot at the moment. At 3.2GHz we got 90% of the o/c potential at a minimum cost, with low volts meaning low risk for the CPU.

I'm very happy with this result.