Ep45-ds3r+e6300 overclocking, need help

[matt3D]

Hi, I recently got a new motherboard, heatsink, case, power supply, and ram to overclock my E6300 cpu that was in a dell computer. The motherboard is a Gigabyte EP45-DS3R. I'm currently running at 2.8GHz and would would like to get up to 3.4GHz or more. I have a XIGMATEK HDT-S1283 and I used artic silver 5 for the thermal paste. My temps are 33C to 37C idle, and 50C to 59C under load. I think I should lap the heatsink because it looked a little uneven and I think the temps should be lower, right? What else can I change to get a higher FSB? My ram is by patriot, and it is the viper edition with the heat spreaders. it's 4GB (2x2GB) of DDR2 1066 and rated at 2.2V. Here are the settings for my mobo currently:

************************************* 
************************************* 
Gigabyte GA-EP45-DS3R (Rev. 1.0) - F11 
************************************* 
************************************* 
****************************** 
MB Intelligent Tweaker(M.I.T.)  
****************************** 
Robust Graphics Booster ..............: [Auto] 
CPU Clock Ratio ......................: [7X] 
CPU Frequency ........................: 2.80GHz( 400x7) 
********** Clock Chip Control ******** 
>>>>>  Standard Clock Control 
CPU Host Clock Control................: [Enabled] 
x CPU Host Frequency(Mhz).............: [400] 
PCI Express Frequency(Mhz)............: [100] 
C.I.A.2...............................: [Disabled] 
>>>>> Advanced Clock Control..........: [Press Enter]  
CPU Clock Drive.......................: [800mV] 
PCI Express Clock Drive...............: [700mV] 
CPU Clock Skew........................: [200ps] 
MCH Clock Skew........................: [100ps] 
******** DRAM Performance Control ******** 
Performance Enhance...................: [Standard] 
Extreme Memory Profile(X.M.P.)........: [Disabled] 
(G)MCH Frequency Latch................: [Auto] 
System Memory Multiplier (SPD)........: [2.66D] 
Memory Frequency(Mhz).....800.........: 1066 
DRAM Timing Selectable (SPD)..........: [Manual] 
>>>>> Standard Timing Control 
x CAS Latency Time................5...: [ 5] 
x tRCD ...........................7...: [ 5] 
x tRP.............................7...: [ 5] 
x tRAS...........................16...: [15] 
>>>>> Advanced Timing Control.........: [Press Enter]  
x tRRD............................4...: [auto] 
x tWTR............................4...: [auto] 
x tWR.............................8...: [auto] 
x tRFC...........................68...: [auto] 
x tRTP............................4...: [auto] 
x Command Rate (CMD) .............0...: [auto] 
>>>>> Channel A Timing Settings.......: [Press Enter]  
x Static tRead Value.............10...: Auto 
x tRD Phase0 Adjustment...........0...: Auto 
x tRD Phase1 Adjustment...........0...: Auto 
x tRD Phase2 Adjustment ..........0...: Auto 
x tRD Phase3 Adjustment...........0...: Auto 
x Trd2rd(Different Rank)..........8...: Auto 
x Twr2wr(Different Rank)..........8...: Auto 
x Twr2rd(Different Rank)..........7...: Auto 
x Trd2wr(Same/Diff Rank)..........9...: Auto 
x DIMM1 Clock Skew Control (ps).......: Auto 
x DIMM2 Clock Skew Control (ps).......: Auto 
x DDR Write Training..................: Auto 
>>>>> Channel A Driving Settings......: [Press Enter]  
x Driving Strength Profile............: Auto 
x Data Driving Pull-Up Level..........: Auto 
x Cmd Driving Pull-Up level...........: Auto 
x Ctrl Driving Pull-Up Level..........: Auto 
x Clk Driving Pull-Up Level...........: Auto 
x Data Driving Pull-Down Level........: Auto 
x Cmd Driving Pull-Down level.........: Auto 
x Ctrl Driving Pull-Down Level........: Auto 
x Clk Driving Pull-Down Level.........: Auto 
>>>>> Channel B Timing Settings.......: [Press Enter]  
x Static tRead Value..............8...: Auto 
x tRD Phase0 Adjustment...........0...: Auto 
x tRD Phase1 Adjustment...........0...: Auto 
x tRD Phase2 Adjustment ..........0...: Auto 
x tRD Phase3 Adjustment...........0...: Auto 
x Trd2rd(Different Rank)..........8...: Auto 
x Twr2wr(Different Rank)..........8...: Auto 
x Twr2rd(Different Rank)..........7...: Auto 
x Trd2wr(Same/Diff Rank)..........9...: Auto 
x DIMM1 Clock Skew Control (ps).......: Auto 
x DIMM2 Clock Skew Control (ps).......: Auto 
x DDR Write Training..................: Auto 
>>>>> Channel B Driving Settings......: [Press Enter]  
x Driving Strength Profile............: Auto 
x Data Driving Pull-Up Level..........: Auto 
x Cmd Driving Pull-Up level...........: Auto 
x Ctrl Driving Pull-Up Level..........: Auto 
x Clk Driving Pull-Up Level...........: Auto 
x Data Driving Pull-Down Level........: Auto 
x Cmd Driving Pull-Down level.........: Auto 
x Ctrl Driving Pull-Down Level........: Auto 
x Clk Driving Pull-Down Level.........: Auto 
****** Motherboard Voltage Control ****** 
Voltage Types..........Normal...........Current 
----------------------------------------------- 
>>> CPU 
CPU Vcore..............1.32500V.......: [1.33125V] 
CPU Termination........1.200V.........: [1.200V] 
CPU PLL................1.500V.........: [1.500V] 
CPU Reference..........0.760V.........: [.875] 
>>> MCH/ICH 
MCH Core...............1.100V.........: [1.280V] 
MCH Reference..........0.760V.........: [0.760v] 
MCH/DRAM Reference.....0.900V.........: [0.910v] 
ICH I/O................1.500V.........: [1.450V] 
>>> DRAM 
DRAM Voltage...........1.800V.........: [2.200V] 
DRAM Termination.......0.900V.........: [Normal] 
Channel A Reference....0.900V.........: [Normal] 
Channel B Reference....0.900V.........: [Normal] 
******** Advanced BIOS Features ******** 
Hard Disk Boot Priority...............: [Press Enter] 
First Boot Device.....................: [Hard Disk] 
Second Boot Device....................: [CDROM] 
Third Boot Device.....................: [Disabled] 
Password Check........................: [Setup] 
HDD S.M.A.R.T. Capability.............: [Enabled] 
CPU Multi-Threading...................: [Enabled] 
Limit CPUID Max. to 3.................: [Disabled] 
No-Execute Memory Protect.............: [Enabled] 
CPU Enhanced Halt (C1E)...............: [Disabled] 
CPU Thermal Monitor 2(TM2) ...........: [Enabled] 
CPU EIST Function.....................: [Disabled] 
Virtualization Technology.............: [Enabled] 
Delay For HDD (Secs)..................: [ 0] 
Full Screen LOGO Show.................: [Disabled] 
Backup BIOS Image to HDD..............: [Disabled] 
Init Display First....................: [PEG]  

Thanks,
Matt

[Nickel020]

Re: Ep45-ds3r+e6300 overclocking, need help

The E6300 is one of the earliest Core 2 Duos and often doesn't overlock as high as newer or the older, more expensive models (like the E6600). If you read old forum posts you'll see that many max out between 400 and 430 FSB. I had one as well and it maxed out at around 430 FSB (i.e. 3GHz for the CPU).
3.4 GHz or more on this CPU is extremely rare, not because of the temperature or anything but because the CPU simply will not run a a higher FSB.

If you want to see if it can do more, increase VCore (up to 1.45V in CPU-Z in idle is no problem, I never heard of a CPU dying from that). Decrease the system memory multiplier to 2.0D and also see if increasing CPU termination and CPU PLL helps (I would go up to 1.35V and 1.6V respectively).

To determine whether the cooler needs lapping, take a look at the thermal paste on the cooler and CPU after carefully unmounting it. An even spread means you don't need to lap. You can also use a razor blade to check whether the cooler and CPU are even or not, as the blades are usually very straight.

[Chike]

Re: Ep45-ds3r+e6300 overclocking, need help

The E6300 is one of the earliest Core 2 Duos and often doesn't overlock as high as newer or the older, more expensive models (like the E6600).

They may not overclock as high as newer models but given it's 1.86GHz starting point it is already 50% overclocked. This is a a great oveclocking I would think, is it not?
As for the temps. According to this article a 59c is in the warm area for this processor. The uneveness of temps is a little strange too because 65nm's DTS supposed to be more accurate. Maybe they need calibration, but of course it's safer to go with the higher anyway.

[matt3D]

Re: Ep45-ds3r+e6300 overclocking, need help

Okay, I've been overclocking for a while now and I got up to 3.16GHz. I didn't want to go any higher on the voltage. I noticed that prime95 failed after a few seconds too. So now I'm trying to figure out what I can run 24/7. Also, yesterday I took off the heatsink and I noticed that the thermal paste spread uneven. So I lapped the heatsink and applied the thermal paste the same but with one extra small line of thermal paste in the middle of the heatsink. Now my temps are better too.
When I had it had 3.16GHz these were the settings I used in the BIOS:

<code style="white-space: nowrap;"><code>CPU Frequency ........................: 3.136GHz( 448x7)
********** Clock Chip Control ********
>>>>> Standard Clock Control
CPU Host Clock Control................: [Enabled]
x CPU Host Frequency(Mhz).............: [448]
PCI Express Frequency(Mhz)............: [100]
C.I.A.2...............................: [Disabled]
>>>>> Advanced Clock Control..........: [Press Enter]
CPU Clock Drive.......................: [800mV]
PCI Express Clock Drive...............: [700mV]
CPU Clock Skew........................: [100ps]
MCH Clock Skew........................: [50ps]</code></code>
<code style="white-space: nowrap;"><code>>>> CPU
CPU Vcore..............1.32500V.......: [1.4125V]
CPU Termination........1.200V.........: [1.320V]
CPU PLL................1.500V.........: [1.590V]
CPU Reference..........0.760V.........: [.921]
>>> MCH/ICH
MCH Core...............1.100V.........: [1.34V]
MCH Reference..........0.760V.........: [0.876v]
MCH/DRAM Reference.....0.900V.........: [1.03v]
ICH I/O................1.500V.........: [1.50V]
>>> DRAM
DRAM Voltage...........1.800V.........: [2.200V]
DRAM Termination.......0.900V.........: [.91v]
Channel A Reference....0.900V.........: [.91v]
Channel B Reference....0.900V.........: [.91v]</code></code>
So to get a stable overclock, should I just keep decreaseing the FSB until it is completely stable? I'm running 3.003GHz right now with a lower CPU vcore, PLL, reference, MCH, and MCH/DRAM Reference with each a few volts lower and I'm not getting any errors in prime95 for 5 min but I can't run superpi 1m, it just crashed when I clicked ok.

Thanks,
Matt

[Nickel020]

Re: Ep45-ds3r+e6300 overclocking, need help

You're going through the same steps as I did two years ago with my E6300^^ After lapping my CPU and HSF I even got into watercooling but I still couldn't overclock any higher. It was fun trying though :)

For 24/7 use decrease FSB until it is stable, and maybe just a little more just to be on the safe side. If you don't mind the possibility of a crash* then run it at the maximum Prime stable frequency. A little less than maximum will reduce the likelihood of a crash greatly.

*even 24 hours of Prime don't guarantee a 100% stable operation; also, the maximum of a CPU may decrease after some time, a maximum setting that is 100% prime stable now may not be 100% stable anymore 6 months from now