How might I optimize my Q9550 with my new EP45-UD3P?

[soarwitheagles]

Hi all!

I recently built a new system and I think it is running far below stock performance levels.

I am asking for help to optimize my system please.

Can someone here help me with the settings such as FSB, voltage, etc.?

Thanks!

Here is my new system:

Thermaltake M9 case
Q9550 Processor
Corsair XMS DDR2 800 8 GB
Thermaltake 600 W PSU
Windows Ultimate 64-bit
Gigabyte EP45-UD3P
Western Digital 640 GB 32 Cache
Sea Gate 1.5 TB SATA HD
Lian-Li Bezel Thermometer Gauge
ZeroTherm Zen FZ1205
Nvidia GeForce 8600GTS

I am a little concerned because I see settings in the Easy Tune 6 that seem way off:

FSB is showing 334MHz
BUS is showing 1336MHz
CPU is showing 2000 MHz
Multiplier is flucuating between 6 and 8.5

To be honest with you, I have no clue whatsoever is going on.

I have heard from some people that the Easy Tune 6 can be a bit weird at times.

Can someone help me to check/adjust the settings in the BIOS please?

Thanks,

Soar

PS Here is an example of the Easy Tune 6 screen shot. Perhaps that might help explain my situation?

I sure would appreciate some good educated advice because I know nothing whatsoever about this stuff.

[kick]

Re: How might I optimize my Q9550 with my new EP45-UD3P?

well check this out ... main heading is a bit off but theres a lot of discussion in there.

http://forums.tweaktown.com/f69/another-q9950-ud3p-overclock-31304/

your settings that you show are standard settings for your cpu( I dont like ET6 n dont use it ) but your cpu speed and multiplier variation is because you have CIE etc enabled.
The cpu will "throttle down" to whatever is the lowest speed required. If you put some load on the cpu it will spin up to 8.5 x 333 mhz.

[soarwitheagles]

Re: How might I optimize my Q9550 with my new EP45-UD3P?

well check this out ... main heading is a bit off but theres a lot of discussion in there.

http://forums.tweaktown.com/f69/another-q9950-ud3p-overclock-31304/

your settings that you show are standard settings for your cpu( I dont like ET6 n dont use it ) but your cpu speed and multiplier variation is because you have CIE etc enabled.
The cpu will "throttle down" to whatever is the lowest speed required. If you put some load on the cpu it will spin up to 8.5 x 333 mhz.

Kick,

Thank you for your reply. Well, it seems as if my system is already optimized then. I kind of shrink from OC'ing simply because I do not know much about it, my time is limited, and I cannot afford a new system if I fry my present system.

I thought my system was running at 2.0 GHz, but now after reading your post I understand that there is a special operation [I think other sites called it Intel's speedstep], that permits the CPU to operate at lower speeds when things are not demanding more.

Thanks Kick!

Oh, I do have one more question: I have heard mixed reviews regarding the Easy Tune 6. I have installed it and I was wondering if the quick boost really does work and that I really can obtain a CPU speed of 3.6 GHz and FSB speed of 1800 GHz when I bump it up to level 3.

Has anyone tried this successfully before and was your system still stable?

It's me,

Soar

[kick]

Re: How might I optimize my Q9550 with my new EP45-UD3P?

Hehe well that is overclocking.

Some find easytune very good and the push button instant overclocks.
Yeh that will clock up your your system and you can test it then to see if its stable.

[Conners]

Re: How might I optimize my Q9550 with my new EP45-UD3P?

Hi SWE, if you have a look at the post kick mentions and in particular posts 46 ans 47 I think you should be able to hit 3.8 GHz frirly easily using those settings. That is unless you want to take it slow and ease into it.

G/L

[Psycho101]

Re: How might I optimize my Q9550 with my new EP45-UD3P?

IMO, simply raise CPU voltage to 1.2750 and FSB to 400. That'll give 3.4GHs, and much more stable than with ET6.

Setting a big OC with ET6 will mean, just like when raising FSB manually @ auto voltages, you'll get an over volt on CPU Termination, PLL etc etc.

Download a copy of CPU-Z and check your CPU's stepping. It's on the main screen, and confusingly is labeled as "Revision" and not stepping. It's a letter followed by a number. Yours will either be C1 or E0. E0 stepping quads, just like E0 E8xxx series are the superior over clockers, with speeds of 4GHz more than possible on a decent motherboard.

[soarwitheagles]

Re: How might I optimize my Q9550 with my new EP45-UD3P?

IMO, simply raise CPU voltage to 1.2750 and FSB to 400. That'll give 3.4GHs, and much more stable than with ET6.

Setting a big OC with ET6 will mean, just like when raising FSB manually @ auto voltages, you'll get an over volt on CPU Termination, PLL etc etc.

Download a copy of CPU-Z and check your CPU's stepping. It's on the main screen, and confusingly is labeled as "Revision" and not stepping. It's a letter followed by a number. Yours will either be C1 or E0. E0 stepping quads, just like E0 E8xxx series are the superior over clockers, with speeds of 4GHz more than possible on a decent motherboard.

Psycho,

Thanks for the info! I do believe the Q9550 I have is an EO. I bought many of these weeks ago and the Intel box they came in said "EO".

I sold a bunch too and I think I would have been in big trouble if they were the C1's.

Hey, has anyone tried the ET6 with success?

Soar

[climber]

Re: How might I optimize my Q9550 with my new EP45-UD3P?

I have the same processor and a similar mobo, and was worried too to see the multiplier fluctuating. Anyhow I had NO luck with ET6 and in fact it almost fried my CPU. I am a noob and was able to bump it up to a stable 3.6ghz easily with bios settings found on this forum. Also, its very simple to have 2 or 3 different bioses and if doing normal stuff, load the stock settings, if gaming or video editing, load a fast one.
here are my 3.6ghz settings:

MB Intelligent Tweaker(M.I.T.)
Robust Graphics Booster ...............: fast
CPU Clock Ratio ..........................:8x
Fine CPU Clock Ratio.....................:.0.5
CPU Frequency ...........................:3.61GHz (425x8.5)


Clock Chip Control
Standard Clock Control
CPU Host Clock Control..................: [enabled]
CPU Host Frequency (Mhz) ............: 425
PCI Express Frequency (Mhz) .........:100
C.I.A.2 .................................:[Disabled]


Advanced Clock Control [Press Enter]
CPU Clock Drive...........................: <<< 800
PCI Express Clock Drive.................: <<< 900
CPU Clock Skew (ps)....................: <<<
MCH Clock Skew (ps)...................: <<<


DRAM Performance Control
Performance Enhance...................: [standard]
Extreme Memory Profile (X.M.P.).....: [disabled]
(G)MCH Frequency Latch...............: [Auto]
System Memory Multiplier ..............:2.40b
Memory Frequency (Mhz) ..............: 1066 1020
DRAM Timing Selectable ................: [manual]

Standard Timing Control
CAS Latency Time........................5 [5]
tRCD .........................................7 [5]
tRP'...........................................7 [5]
tRAS..........................................20 [12]



Advanced Timing Control
tRRD...........................................4 [auto]
tWTR..........................................4 [auto]
tWR............................................8 [5]
tRFC...........................................68 [57]
tRTP...........................................4 [auto]
Command Rate (CMD) ....................:0 [2]

Driving Strength Profiles
Driving Strength ............................1066

Channel A
Static tRead Value.........................:8 [auto]
tRD Phase0 Adjustment...................:0 [Auto]
tRD Phase1 Adjustment...................:0 [Auto]
tRD Phase2 Adjustment .................:0 [Auto]
tRD Phase3 Adjustment..................:0 [Auto]
Trd2rd(Different Rank)....................:8 [Auto]
Twr2wr(Different Rank)...................:8 [Auto]
Twr2rd(Different Rank)...................:7 [Auto]
Trd2wr(Same/Diff Rank)..................:9 [Auto]
Dimm1 Clock Skew Control...............:[Auto]
Dimm2 Clock Skew Control...............:[Auto]
DDR Write Training......................:[Auto]

Channel B
Static tRead Value.........................:8 [auto]
tRD Phase0 Adjustment...................:1 [Auto]
tRD Phase1 Adjustment...................:0 [Auto]
tRD Phase2 Adjustment .................:0 [Auto]
tRD Phase3 Adjustment..................:0 [Auto]
Trd2rd(Different Rank)....................:8 [Auto]
Twr2wr(Different Rank)...................:8 [Auto]
Twr2rd(Different Rank)...................:7 [Auto]
Trd2wr(Same/Diff Rank)..................:9 [Auto]
Dimm1 Clock Skew Control...............:[Auto]
Dimm2 Clock Skew Control...............:[Auto]
DDR Write Training......................:[Auto]

Motherboard Voltage Control
Load-Line Calibration..................: [Disabled]
CPU Vcore..............................:1.25000 [1.25]
CPU Termination........................:1.220V [1.220v]

CPU PLL................................:1.500V [1.5v]

CPU Reference..........................:0.760V [Auto]

MCH Core...............................:1.100V [1.24v]
MCH Reference..........................:0.7600V [.812v]
MCH/DRAM Ref...........................:0.900V [.910v]
ICH I/O................................:1.500V [1.5v]
ICH Core...............................:1.100V [1.1v]

DRAM
DRAM Voltage ..........................:1.800V [2.080V]
DRAM Termination.......................:0.900V [Auto]
Channel A Reference....................:0.900V [Auto]
Channel B Reference....................:0.900V [Auto]

Advanced Settings
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................: [Enabled]

Integrated Peripherals
Legacy USB Storage Detect ..............[Enabled]
.................................................. .........................

[soarwitheagles]

Re: How might I optimize my Q9550 with my new EP45-UD3P?

I have the same processor and a similar mobo, and was worried too to see the multiplier fluctuating. Anyhow I had NO luck with ET6 and in fact it almost fried my CPU. I am a noob and was able to bump it up to a stable 3.6ghz easily with bios settings found on this forum. Also, its very simple to have 2 or 3 different bioses and if doing normal stuff, load the stock settings, if gaming or video editing, load a fast one.
here are my 3.6ghz settings:

MB Intelligent Tweaker(M.I.T.)
Robust Graphics Booster ...............: fast
CPU Clock Ratio ..........................:8x
Fine CPU Clock Ratio.....................:.0.5
CPU Frequency ...........................:3.61GHz (425x8.5)


Clock Chip Control
Standard Clock Control
CPU Host Clock Control..................: [enabled]
CPU Host Frequency (Mhz) ............: 425
PCI Express Frequency (Mhz) .........:100
C.I.A.2 .................................:[Disabled]


Advanced Clock Control [Press Enter]
CPU Clock Drive...........................: <<< 800
PCI Express Clock Drive.................: <<< 900
CPU Clock Skew (ps)....................: <<<
MCH Clock Skew (ps)...................: <<<


DRAM Performance Control
Performance Enhance...................: [standard]
Extreme Memory Profile (X.M.P.).....: [disabled]
(G)MCH Frequency Latch...............: [Auto]
System Memory Multiplier ..............:2.40b
Memory Frequency (Mhz) ..............: 1066 1020
DRAM Timing Selectable ................: [manual]

Standard Timing Control
CAS Latency Time........................5 [5]
tRCD .........................................7 [5]
tRP'...........................................7 [5]
tRAS..........................................20 [12]



Advanced Timing Control
tRRD...........................................4 [auto]
tWTR..........................................4 [auto]
tWR............................................8 [5]
tRFC...........................................68 [57]
tRTP...........................................4 [auto]
Command Rate (CMD) ....................:0 [2]

Driving Strength Profiles
Driving Strength ............................1066

Channel A
Static tRead Value.........................:8 [auto]
tRD Phase0 Adjustment...................:0 [Auto]
tRD Phase1 Adjustment...................:0 [Auto]
tRD Phase2 Adjustment .................:0 [Auto]
tRD Phase3 Adjustment..................:0 [Auto]
Trd2rd(Different Rank)....................:8 [Auto]
Twr2wr(Different Rank)...................:8 [Auto]
Twr2rd(Different Rank)...................:7 [Auto]
Trd2wr(Same/Diff Rank)..................:9 [Auto]
Dimm1 Clock Skew Control...............:[Auto]
Dimm2 Clock Skew Control...............:[Auto]
DDR Write Training......................:[Auto]

Channel B
Static tRead Value.........................:8 [auto]
tRD Phase0 Adjustment...................:1 [Auto]
tRD Phase1 Adjustment...................:0 [Auto]
tRD Phase2 Adjustment .................:0 [Auto]
tRD Phase3 Adjustment..................:0 [Auto]
Trd2rd(Different Rank)....................:8 [Auto]
Twr2wr(Different Rank)...................:8 [Auto]
Twr2rd(Different Rank)...................:7 [Auto]
Trd2wr(Same/Diff Rank)..................:9 [Auto]
Dimm1 Clock Skew Control...............:[Auto]
Dimm2 Clock Skew Control...............:[Auto]
DDR Write Training......................:[Auto]

Motherboard Voltage Control
Load-Line Calibration..................: [Disabled]
CPU Vcore..............................:1.25000 [1.25]
CPU Termination........................:1.220V [1.220v]

CPU PLL................................:1.500V [1.5v]

CPU Reference..........................:0.760V [Auto]

MCH Core...............................:1.100V [1.24v]
MCH Reference..........................:0.7600V [.812v]
MCH/DRAM Ref...........................:0.900V [.910v]
ICH I/O................................:1.500V [1.5v]
ICH Core...............................:1.100V [1.1v]

DRAM
DRAM Voltage ..........................:1.800V [2.080V]
DRAM Termination.......................:0.900V [Auto]
Channel A Reference....................:0.900V [Auto]
Channel B Reference....................:0.900V [Auto]

Advanced Settings
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................: [Enabled]

Integrated Peripherals
Legacy USB Storage Detect ..............[Enabled]
.................................................. .........................

Climber,

Thanks for your post. Would I need to change the settings for my RAM since I am using Corsair XMS DDR2 800 8 GB?

Soar

[Psycho101]

Re: How might I optimize my Q9550 with my new EP45-UD3P?

With your RAM, anything above 400 FSB, and you'll be overclocking the RAM. There's no way around it as the lowest multiplier is 1:1.

Worrying about your multiplier changing from stock to 6x is unnecessary. That's SpeedStep clocking down your CPU, and it happens when your processor is idle. Loading the CPU above a certain amount will see the multi increase back to its maximum. There is no performance loss, and it can help save power and reduce idle temperatures.

[climber]

Re: How might I optimize my Q9550 with my new EP45-UD3P?

Sorry I wasn't clear in my post: Psycho is exactly right about the fluctuating multiplier and speedstep. I too was worried something was wrong, but it's normal. He, along with ProfJim and Kick are among the really knowledgeable guys who help people out with things around here.

[soarwitheagles]

Re: How might I optimize my Q9550 with my new EP45-UD3P?

Sorry I wasn't clear in my post: Psycho is exactly right about the fluctuating multiplier and speedstep. I too was worried something was wrong, but it's normal. He, along with ProfJim and Kick are among the really knowledgeable guys who help people out with things around here.

Thanks again Climber!

I appreciate you and the help everyone here gives us newbies!

Soar