Gigabyte X38/P35/P965 (DS* DQ* S3) Overclocking and General BIOS tweaking Guide

[Lsdmeasap]

I'd suggest you set your ram up at 800Mhz for now since you have 8GB, it will be much easier for you and not cause you so many issues with your overclock

Gigabyte rocks man!! Ya that surprised me as well to hear, they just can't handle all the support questions they would get otherwise ya know.

But ya they do sponsor world overclock championships and other overclock events, they just can't offer support of suggestions about it all through normal public channels like that is all.

[DieselCat18]

Originally Posted by Lsdmeasap

I'd suggest you set your ram up at 800Mhz for now since you have 8GB, it will be much easier for you and not cause you so many issues with your overclock

Gigabyte rocks man!! Ya that surprised me as well to hear, they just can't handle all the support questions they would get otherwise ya know.

But ya they do sponsor world overclock championships and other overclock events, they just can't offer support of suggestions about it all through normal public channels like that is all.

I'll change the ram speed back down to 800mhz tonight and make sure to start a new thread on this so I can post my system info and results of any changes I make.
Thxxx for the tip on the memory.....makes sense.

~+

MSG sent from my iPhone

[Lsdmeasap]

Anytime man!

I will check your thread now, I think I may have already been helping you in it though and just missed your post here until now.

[DieselCat18]

Originally Posted by Lsdmeasap

Anytime man!

I will check your thread now, I think I may have already been helping you in it though and just missed your post here until now.

Thanks for touching base here...I see you did catch up with me in the other thread I posted...I'm moving slowly, but moving forward with your help....

*+

[Lsdmeasap]

Yeap, sorry for missing your post here for a few days. I sometimes miss these due to being sticky threads and often I overlook them while trying to get all the other new posts replied to in the time I have to be in each night.

Hope we can make some progress for you in your other post.

[Salty]

In my X48-DQ6 bios, if I press Control-F1 in main screen, two extra values show up in the tweaker, between (G)MCH Overvoltage Control and Loadline Calibration.

CPU GTLREF1 Voltage Ratio [Auto]
CPU GTLREF2 Voltage Ratio [Normal]

They don't seem to have rated a mention yet, but what are they useful for?

CPU = Intel E8500 45nm Dual core
Motherboard = GA-X48-DQ6 Revision C1
BIOS Version = BIOS: Award F7 07/17/2008
Ram = 2x2gig Corsair Dominator 8500C5DF-G
Robust Graphics Booster___________ [Auto]
CPU Clock Ratio ____________ [9]
Fine CPU Clock Ratio [+0.5]
Cpu frequency 3.8 GHz 400x9.5
CPU Host Clock Control_ [Enabled]
CPU Host Frequency (MHz)__________ [400]
PCI Express Frequency (Mhz)_______ [100]
C.I.A. 2____________________[Disabled]

Performance Enhance = [Standard]
System Memory Multiplier (SPD)____ [2.66D]
Memory frequency 800 1066
DRAM Timing Selectable_______ SPD __ [Manual]

CAS Latency Time (tCL)________________ 5
Dram RAS# to CAS# Delay (tRCD)_________5
Dram RAS# Precharge Delay (tRP) _______5
Precharge Delay (tRAS)_______________ 15

ACT to ACT Delay (tRRD)_______________ 3
Rank Write to READ Delay (tWTR)_______ 4 (+8 memset)
Write to Precharge Delay (tWR)_______ 6 (+8 memset)
Refresh to ACT Delay (tRFC)__________ 55
Read to Precharge Delay (tRTP)________ 3 (+2 memset)
Static tRead Value (tRD)______________ 6
Static tRead Phase Adjust________ AUTO
Command rate (CMD) _______ 2T

Cpu/pciex clock driving control ____800mV
Cpu clock skew control _____ NORMAL
Gmch clock skew control _____ [150ps]

System Voltage Control____ [Manual]
DDR2 OverVoltage Control__ [+0.3] = 2.1V
PCI-E OverVoltage Control_ [+0.1V]
FSB OverVoltage Control___ [+0.1V]
(G)MCH OverVoltage Control [+0.2V]
CPU GTLREF1 Voltage Ratio [Auto]
CPU GTLREF2 Voltage Ratio [Normal]
Loadline calibration ____[Auto]
CPU Voltage Control_______ [1.300]
Cpu normal vcore 1.2500V

Limit CPUID Max. to 3.....................: [Disabled]
No-Execute Memory Protect............: [Enabled]
CPU Enhanced Halt (C1E)................: [Disabled]
C2/C2E State Support....................: [Disabled]
x C4/C4E State Support..................: [Disabled]
CPU Thermal Monitor 2(TM2) ...........: [Enabled]
CPU EIST Function.........................: [Disabled]
Virtualization Technology................: [Disabled]

Integrated Peripherals
Legacy USB Storage Detect___________________[Disabled]

Since I last played with these I fitted a Thermalright Extreme 120 cpu cooler. The downside of this was a reduction of airflow around the NB, which apparently normally gets outflow from the stock cpu cooler, but not from a tower cooler like the 120. CPU temps were fine, but system temp would rise alarmingly with FarCry2. My solution was a 120mm fan on the case cover pointing flow at the NB area. So far keeping it around 40C rather than 68C.

[Lsdmeasap]

GTL Ref is very tough to mess with, I linked some guides/info about them here >>

Ga-x48-DQ6, QX9770, Stable problems, random lock ups, Bsod's, I think I need help?

It is useful to stabilize high overclocks

[Salty]

Phwoooowaaaahr! A little bit of light reading! So when on the edge of a rig's overclocking ability, altering those GTLREF settings may (or may not) help, but not before.
The table is for DFI P35. I assume values would not be the same for other mobos.

Do I need to go back and read those articles again?

[Lsdmeasap]

Yes those voltages do not apply to X48, just the general info and reading applies to all boards. You just need to grab the X48 chipset documents and your CPU's documents and read it on the voltages and you should have a good starting point.

Ya, that is a LOT of info, but a good read for anyone who wants to know MORE

[AlexT7]

Hi folks, I have weird vDDR behavior on P35-DS3L mobo. BIOS vDDR setting and reading are too much off. Discrepancy is above to 200mV:

vDDR in BIOS
Settings       Readings (idle)
Normal          1.84 V
+0.1            1.84 V (same as normal)
+0.2            1.904 V
+0.3            1.968 V
+0.4            2.02 – 2.06 V
+0.5            2.08 – 2.12 V

It doesn't look like a vCORE drooping range of 30-60mV which is common for this board and designed for a reason. The vCORE readings normally consistently track the settings. In my case the vDDR readings don't follow the settings whatsoever as shown in the table. And the difference is in a order of magnitude higher.

My 800 DDR2 requires 2.1V in EPP mode. Normal vDDR voltage on the board is 1.8V. "+0.4V" vDDR setting gives barely 2.05V readings when idling (supposed to be 2.2V as set) and 1.96V under load.

The RAM worked perfectly @ 819MHz, 4-4-4-12 for ~2 years with vDDR setting “+0.4V”. After upgrading CPU I am trying to run RAM at 1:1 ratio, 920 MHz, 5-4-4-15 stably so far. MemTest shows no errors up to DDR 960MHz. But CPU OC test produces errors at DDR 930MHz disappearing after applying vDDR +0.5V. [I doubt that Memtest is capable to exercise RAM "at-speed"... So, I am not surprised]
Well, yes, I shifted vDDR settings to"+0.5V". BIOS readings show vDDR 2.08-2.11V in idle.

My questions are:
1) Do you observe similar vDDR setting/readings discrepancy? How do you deal with it?
2) What voltage settings would you apply under such circumstances? Did you follow your BIOS readings?

Thanks