Beginner Overclocking A Q6600 Using EP45-UD3P

[FuzzyNips]

Hello,

I currently have the following system:

EP45-UD3P
Q6600 G0 with Xigmatek S1283 cooler
4GB (2 * 2GB) DDR2 800 (PC6400) rated at 4-4-4-15 @ 2.1V
4870X2

I am currently getting lower performance out of my 4870X2 than I should be and I've read that it's likely due to my processor bottle-necking it. Therefore, I would like to obtain a safe overclock anywhere north of 3.0ghz. Obviously the higher the better but I'm assuming 3.2 or 3.4ghz will be my limit if I don't want to impact the longevity of my CPU.

I need some help as to what BIOS settings I should have using my setup to obtain this level of overclock. I know my way around a computer/BIOS but I have never overclocked before and don't feel comfortable diving right in on my own.

Thank you in advance for your support!

[Chucko]

Re: Beginner Overclocking A Q6600 Using EP45-UD3P

See this thread for starters. The board described there is an EP45-DS3R but it's pretty similar to yours. I also have a Q6600 and a Xigmatek cooler and was able to get 3.2GHz stable at CPU Vcore of 1.35V without much effort. Your results will vary of course. Good luck!

[FuzzyNips]

Re: Beginner Overclocking A Q6600 Using EP45-UD3P

So here are the stable settings I achieved using a 24 hour Prime95 "Small FTTs" torture test and 250 tests through Intel Burn Test ("maximum"). I was able to go higher than this but I really had to start increasing the voltage and temperatures started rising fast so I think this is where I'm going to stop to keep the longevity of my CPU intact. I'm only overclocking to remove some of the bottleneck with my GPU (4870x2), do you think 3.40 accomplishes that?

Q6600 G0 (VID 1.2625)
Xigmatek HDT-S1283

3.40GHZ (378 * 9)

VCORE:
1.38125V (BIOS)
1.328V (IDLE)
1.280V (LOAD) INTEL BURN TEST
1.280V (LOAD) PRIME95

32-28-32-28 (IDLE)
59-58-59-58 (LOAD) INTEL BURN TEST
51-50-51-50 (LOAD) PRIME95
20 AMBIENT

4-4-4-15 2T 2.100V (1:1) 378MHZ (756)

1.500V PLL
1.200V VTT
1.260V MCH

My ram is rated to run at 400MHZ (800), am I losing performance by having it run 1:1 at only 378MHZ? None of the multipliers allow me to hit 800 exactly which means I would have to overclock my ram and possibly loosen the timings. Is it worth it (game performance) for me to do that or just leave things how they are now with the slight decrease in ram speed? On the other side of that question, would there be anything noticeable to be gained by me trying to tighten the timings since I'm underclocked?

Here is a link to the ram I have:

Newegg.com - OCZ Reaper HPC Edition 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Desktop Memory

Lastly, do my temperatures look good?


Thanks again for everyone's help on this board!

[Nickel020]

Re: Beginner Overclocking A Q6600 Using EP45-UD3P

CPU temps look very good as long you're actually using a good program to read them (see my sig).

Settings look fine, it's good that you've set PLL and Termination to manual values!

Higher RAM speeds than 1:1 don bring much performance, read this on why this is the case (I copied it from another thread I answered)

Now the bandwith of the RAM to NB is the same if the 2.0 system memory multiplier is used, i.e. DDR2 667 for a 333 (1333 quad-pumped) FSB CPU, DDR2 800 for a 400 FSB CPU. If you increase the RAM speed without increasing the FSB, data is transferred faster to the NB from RAM, but the NB can't pass it on any faster to the CPU than before though resulting in no performance benefit (there's a litte benefit actually, as latency is improved if RAM speed goes up, but it's small ~5% or so).
If you're not overclocking get DDR2 800 RAM, if you plan on overclocking in the future get 1066 DDR2 (runs at 533 MHz so you can increase your FSB to 533 (2133 quad pumped) without having to overrclock the RAM). The reason why faster DDR2 RAM exists is solely for overclocking purposes, as slower will limit the maximum overclock of your CPU.

I can't tell you by how much a higher overclock will improve your performance - there are very few articles on the internet that actually look at CPU scaling with video cards (I intend to change that in the near future though ). The best bet is to try it yourself by using a benchmark for a game you're playing! Your temps and VCore are pretty low at the moment so I would not worry at all about going a litlle higher, say to 3.6Ghz and see if there is a difference.

[FuzzyNips]

Re: Beginner Overclocking A Q6600 Using EP45-UD3P

Wow, maybe I'll try for 3.60 then if things are looking that good at 3.40. My temperature readings came from Core Temp which I see you recommend in your signature. Just to be sure my readings are correct, the G0 Q6600 has a TJmax of 100c, correct?

[Nickel020]

Re: Beginner Overclocking A Q6600 Using EP45-UD3P

I am not sure what the TjMax is for the Q6600, I think there was some discussion whether it is 95C or 100C.
Compare Core Temp and Real Temp and if they give the same value then 100 is probably correct.
95C would make your CPU 5C hotter, but 56C max at Prime 95 is pretty decent anyway and leaves some room.

[FuzzyNips]

Re: Beginner Overclocking A Q6600 Using EP45-UD3P

When I decrease the Tj. Max in Core Temp from 100 to 95, it lowers my temperature readings by 5. I think this is why I left it at 100 even though I had heard some saying it was 95 and others saying 100. I'd rather keep it at 100 and have my temperatures reading higher than they actually are just to be on the safe side.

Here's an interesting article straight from Intel showing a Tj. Max of 90 for the G0 Q6600. There's no way that's correct, otherwise I'm idling right near ambient which is impossible with an air cooler.

A user commented on the article saying the same thing:

"How can this be?

I have a Q6600 G0 running on at 3ghz (333*9) and with a TJMax 100 (CoreTemp Default) it idles at 24~28*C with an Arctic Freezer Pro. Which sounds about right.

Ambient Temperature is around 15*C.

If I set my TJMax to 90, it reckons my chip idles at 14~18*C...

Sub-ambient with an air cooler....That is impressive (and not possible!)"

IDF Taipei: Intel Releases DTS Specs For All Core 2 Processors

[Nickel020]

Re: Beginner Overclocking A Q6600 Using EP45-UD3P

Sorry, got confused, 95C of yourse makes the CPU cooler.

Intel said the TjMax90C and many people (including me) think that that's incorrect. Unfortunately Intel has not made any statement regarding this again.It does not necessarily have to be incorrect though since the temeperature sensor inside the chip is very inaccurate at measuring idle temps. So the too low temps yould just be due to pretty much all sensors being inaccurate..

Don't worry too much about this though, if your temp is this good with TjMax at 100 then everything is fine.