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

[coa106]

Hello Lsdmeasap,
I am a new overclocker and have used your guide here to overclock my pc with great success. Thank You. I have GA-EP35-DS3R board and recently purchased a Intel Core 2 Quad Q8400 Yorkfield 2.66GHz cpu. I initially tried to overclock with some general overclocking info on other websites but was not able to run stable. I used your guide here and I am running stable at 3 Ghz with a FSB 375Mhz with idle cpu temps under 30c. I have heard folks overclocking this cpu faster and I might try later but for now I am very happy as is. System is stable running x-plane flightsim and everything else I can run at the same time. Love all the tools you recommend. Thank you again and I will be checking back for more tips.

John
coa106

[Lsdmeasap]

Thanks for your kind comments, post back anytime if you need further help with things

[orky87]

Hey guys I am trying to achieve 4ghz on my qx9650 in return I get BSOD.
PSU OCZ 780W
OCZ 8600. 2x2GB 1000Mhz 5.5.5.18 ( Multiplier @2.5 (+.30v = 2.1v Total)
X48 DQ6 (FSB 400Mhz +.10v) + (PCI-E 102Mhz +.10v)
QX9650 (C1) @ x10 @1.3625V
All other setting are set according to the Guide on page 1.
I tried raising RAM to 2.3v, & CPU to 1.37v with no luck.
Any ideas anyone? Should I push it further? Please let me know & thanks in advanced...

[Salty]

Is (G)MCH voltage +.15~+.2 for that 4GB Ram?

Please make a signature (in usercp) showing the components of your system.

Please get the appropriate Motherboard Bios Template, and fill out all settings with yours, exactly as they are in bios. If it says auto, enter auto. They are found here: Gigabyte BIOS Templates (To Give Us Your Settings) - TweakTown Forums

This will make it easier for others to help.

[orky87]

CPU = Intel QX9650 C1
Motherboard = Gigabyte, Revision GA-X48 DQ6,
BIOS Version = F8D
Ram = OCZ, Model PC2 8000, Part Dual Ch, OCZ Technology | Products | End of Life | OCZ DDR2 PC2-8000 4GB Platinum Edition Dual Channel *EOL


Robust Graphics Booster___________ [Auto]
CPU Clock Ratio ____________ [9]
Fine Clock Ratio ____________[0.0]
CPU Host Clock Control_ [Enabled]
CPU Host Frequency (MHz)__________ [400]
PCI Express Frequency (Mhz)_______ [101]
C.I.A. 2__________________________ [Disabled]
System Memory Multiplier (SPD)____ [2.50A]
DRAM Timing Selectable_______ SPD __ [Manual]

Performance Enhance = [Standard]

CAS Latency Time________________5
Dram RAS# to CAS# Delay_________5
Dram RAS# Precharge Delay_______5
Precharge Delay (tRAS)__________18

ACT to ACT Delay (tRRD)_________3 (Auto)
Rank Write to READ Delay________3 (Auto)
Write to Precharge Delay________6 (Auto)
Refresh to ACT Delay____________46(Auto)
Read to Precharge Delay_________3 (Auto)
Static tRead Value______________6 (Auto)
Static tRead Phase Adjust_______9 [Auto]
Command Rate (CMD)______________2(Auto)

CPU/PCIEX Clock Driving Control [800mV]
CPU Clock Skew Control [normal]
GMCH Clock Skew Control [Normal]

System Voltage Control____ [Manual]
DDR2 OverVoltage Control__ [+0.300V]
PCI-E OverVoltage Control_ [+0.1V]
FSB OverVoltage Control___ [+0.1V]
(G)MCH OverVoltage Control [+0.1V]
Loadline Calibration_______(Auto)
CPU Voltage Control_______ [1.30]

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] Enabled if you use Vmware/Virtual PC

Integrated Peripherals
Legacy USB Storage Detect___________________[Disabled] *Note* Must be enabled to flash from USB

[Salty]

4GB of ram may require up to +.2v for (G)MCH Overvoltage Control. Your +.1v may not be enough. I would try +.2v MCH.
Nothing else there looks unusual to me.

[orky87]

Thanks for your input Salty, yet I still can't boot into windows even at those settings you specified! Something needs more juice? I am thinking it's the RAM the CPU shouldn't limit me yet 10x400@1.3625 or should it?

[Salty]

I should ask if you have succesfully overclocked this chip to a speed other than standard and to what speed? Just checking if you are just jumping in at the deep end or have worked your way up. There is no guaranteed overclock, and checking google find some QX9650 overclocks limited to about 3.78, while others can overclock past 4. It varies.

When you reflashed bios, did you load optimised defaults and reboot into bios before changing any settings? If not save profile first (F11 in bios) and then load optimised defaults and without changing any settings reboot into bios. Continue from there. (Otherwise settings may not register correctly)

+.3 is correct for yr OCZ ram voltage, and 1.3625 is probably more than enough for yr chip AFAIK. I'd leave MCH at +.2 for 4GB ram though.

One approach is to loosen off ram timings so that the ram is unlikely be the cause of boot failure. Hard to guess what auto settings really are as settings may or may not match.
tRFC (Refresh to ACT Delay) looks pretty tight at 46, if auto is giving the correct setting.
You could try manually entering ram sub-timings as 4-4-9-56-4-7-auto-2t leaving 5-5-5-15 primary timings as is. Going even further, try the 2.40B or 2.00B strap. These things can be lifted and retested later. Get the cpu booting first. The B straps often more stable up to high fsb, where D starts being better (As in gives best apparent tRD or "Performance Level")

If you have not successfully done any other overclocks on it, you may want to try less speed to see what you can get to boot into windows, and then try to work up from there.

Your bios has the settings shown at the bottom of the X48 template?

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] Enabled if you use Vmware/Virtual PC

Integrated Peripherals
Legacy USB Storage Detect___________________[Disabled] *Note* Must be enabled to flash from USB

Maybe upgrade to the F8e bios?

Don't know if you've seen this: AnandTech: Overclocking Intel's New 45nm QX9650: The Rules Have Changed

When overclocking the MCH/Northbridge gets hot and needs extra cooling. Put a small fan on it (sideways?) or point a larger fan at it somehow, if u have not already.

[orky87]

I have a clear Idea on FSB coexisting with CPU but not with DDR2, Its like doing guess work while blindfolded. I think this is my main issue. or so I feel!

Bios was flashed to the latest, rebooted then loaded optimize defaults. Created profiles saved and then started tweaking.

1st) I started with Divider on 2.5A FSB:333 x10 @1.26v 30min OCCT testing = STABLE, then raise 333 x10.5 @1.28 = STABLE, then 333 x11 @1.356 = Stable, then x12 @1.50 and back into in rebooting cycles.
Then switched to FSB:400 x7, Divider 2.5A went in steps in similar manner as above bit by bit, got it to 3.6 Stable @1.36v, after that it was BSOD it's when I made my first post here.

Right now I managed to get it to FSB:425 Multiplier on x9.5 @1.45v (everything else is according to that tutorial), it booted but failed the OCCT stress test in the first 2 minutes.
I think this might be the best settings for me, or at least for now. Also Is it possible with my set up to achieve FSB:500 Multi on x6, for a 1:1 ratio! just something else I would like to try if it's worth it!

About that AnandTech article read it more that once & a bunch of other ones regarding my CPU & MOBO, good info there. Read one article where the reviewer got it to 4Ghz under 1.3v, don't know how true that is, because I am struggling to keep it up stable at 3.8 Ghz - 4.0 Ghz @1.50v. As for cooling the case is open with 120mm fan leaning over the ddr2 and the FSB warm to touch even at 1.5vcore.

Cheers.

[Salty]

Ouch. That sorta fits with the 3.78, but don't give up too easily.

Did you back off on the ram settings? I can see you are really hooked on the 2.5 multiplier. A straps are nominally for 266 bclk (baseclock) 1066fsb cpu's, B straps for 333/1333 cpu, C straps for 200/800 cpu, and D straps for 400/1600 cpu. Many have found B strap works well above 400/1600. There may be no difference in stability to 2.50A, but worth trying to see if there is. Also the reality is that apart from synthetic bandwidth scores very little real world advantage exists between say, 1066 and 800 ram. The difference is small in gaming and other benchmarks. I am just hoping the ram was backed off while overclocking the cpu, otherwise you may not have quite seen full cpu potential. Doesn't matter much either if it's 896 ram or 932 or whatever.... Don't be too worried about keeping it at 1000. Establish the max cpu speed first, then when that is stable, u can alter ram settings to best fit.

Cpu speed = bclk x cpu multiplier (9.5x, 10x, etc)
Ram speed = bclk X ram multiplier strap (2.50A, 2.40B, 2.66D, etc)

When it bluescreened, did you then try raising Static tRead Value (tRD) by one?

Yes, these low voltage overclocks mystify me a bit too. May well be a matter of finding the "golden chip" in the batch. All supposedly same cpu's seem to differ slightly.

500bclk, probably easier with C2D cpu on EP45-UD3P, but not totally impossible. I haven't gone for high fsb overclocking with my E8500 cpu - AnandTech: Intel X38 Tango - Is High FSB Overclocking Worth It? Some of the other posters here would know more about this.

You still have a few advanced options left. (IF DDR2 ram seems difficult this is more so.)
If you press Control F1 in main bios screen u get a couple extra settings in MIT section of bios.
CPU GTLREF1 Voltage Ratio
CPU GTLREF2 Voltage Ratio

Normally, 1 is AUTO and 2 is NORMAL. Some recommend NORMAL/NORMAL. I think you will only need some combination of +3%, Normal, -3% to stabilise an overclock whose 0 and 1 signals are getting hard to read. This affects vTT inasmuch as allows lower vTT setting.

Practical GTL Reference Tweaking Guide - Xtreme CPU

MADSHRIMPS - Intel 45nm Overclocking: How to reach a high OC

Adjusting A/GTL+ Levels for Increased FSB Signaling Margins and Overclocking - The Tech Repository Forums

GTLREF and FSB VTT Voltage Tweaking

There are the pci and mch skew settings too. May help stabilise an on the edge overclock, but for me last resort as they dampen benchmark performances.

Then there is Load-Line Calibration. If u use OCCT and look at the cpu voltage graphs, LLC enabled pulls the vid voltage up under load. There are varied opinions on its use. May be needed at high overclocks.

All as far as I know.