Q9550 + 790i FTW

[someoldguy01]

Hey everyone! I just built a system, and I don't really know much about overclocking. I want to overclock my Q9550 to around 3.4GHz or more, but I would like to know if anyone has the same setup, or a similar one. If they do, I'd like to know all your specs and how much you overclocked your CPU, so I can run mine similarly. Thank you!

[Verran]

A lot of people ask questions like this. They think that if they can find someone with the same system as them, then they can just copy their settings and skip all the hard parts of overclocking.

 

Unfortunately, that's really not how it works. Even if someone has the exact same parts as you, you could end up with very different overclocks. Not all chips are made the same. For example, I can barely get my Q6600 stable at 3.2Ghz, yet other people with Q6600s (same stepping, even!) can get to 3.8 without even upping the voltage! Also, my E7400 clocks really high, but other people have a lot of trouble with theirs. There's no one set of settings that works for all chips, even if they're the same model.

 

Given that, I'd recommend spending some time reading some of the OC guides around here and trying yours the old-fashioned way.

[hardnrg]

PLL: 1.55-1.6v

VTT: 1.2 - 1.36v

NB: 1.4-1.5v

RAM: 1.7-1.9v

 

These voltages will help for higher FSBs and running 8GB of RAM... Try and keep it Linked/Sync if you can, make use of the 8.5x multiplier... you could probably overclock the RAM at bit, possibly having to loosen the RAM (e.g. from 7-7-7-18 to 8-8-8-22) at the Linked/Sync ratio of 2:1... say if you could run it at 800MHz/DDR1600 giving you an FSB of 400MHz/QDR1600... x8.5 = 3.4 GHz

 

 

 

My advice is to take it easy, don't push the board too hard, and try not to use excessive voltages... the 790i isn't as problematic as the 680i/780i, but it's still a fragile board, and *will* have stability issues permanently if you really force it

 

Work your way up to 3.4 GHz slowly, in small steps... and if you feel like it, carry on upwards, but just don't force the overclock with excessive voltages (above the ranges listed above) else you will probably kill the board

[someoldguy01]

Hey everyone! I just built a system, and I don't really know much about overclocking. I want to overclock my Q9550 to around 3.4GHz or more, but I would like to know if anyone has the same setup, or a similar one. If they do, I'd like to know all your specs and how much you overclocked your CPU, so I can run mine similarly. Thank you!

 

Ooooh thank you so much. Well then I'll do some research!

[ccokeman]

PLL: 1.55-1.6v

VTT: 1.2 - 1.36v

NB: 1.4-1.5v

RAM: 1.7-1.9v

 

These voltages will help for higher FSBs and running 8GB of RAM... Try and keep it Linked/Sync if you can, make use of the 8.5x multiplier... you could probably overclock the RAM at bit, possibly having to loosen the RAM (e.g. from 7-7-7-18 to 8-8-8-22) at the Linked/Sync ratio of 2:1... say if you could run it at 800MHz/DDR1600 giving you an FSB of 400MHz/QDR1600... x8.5 = 3.4 GHz

 

 

 

My advice is to take it easy, don't push the board too hard, and try not to use excessive voltages... the 790i isn't as problematic as the 680i/780i, but it's still a fragile board, and *will* have stability issues permanently if you really force it

 

Work your way up to 3.4 GHz slowly, in small steps... and if you feel like it, carry on upwards, but just don't force the overclock with excessive voltages (above the ranges listed above) else you will probably kill the board

 

I'm with NRG on this one I have both the Striker II Extreme and the EVGA 790i FTW boards and they can offer great performance if setup correctly. Linked and Synced will yield the best performance hands down so If you can that would be the way I would suggest you OC. Start slow and test your CPU for maximum speed then work your way to the memory. Go slow and document what works and what does not so you can have a database of to make the best choices for the next level.

[gangtercali]

Hey everyone! I just built a system, and I don't really know much about overclocking. I want to overclock my Q9550 to around 3.4GHz or more, but I would like to know if anyone has the same setup, or a similar one. If they do, I'd like to know all your specs and how much you overclocked your CPU, so I can run mine similarly. Thank you!

 

BIOS Version: SZ16

**System **

CPU Freq, MHz: 2.83 GHZ 3.2

FSB Reference Clock, MHz: 1333.3 1600

CPU Multiplier: [8X]

PCle x16-1 & 16-2, MHz: [100]

PCle x16-3, MHz: [100]

SPPc->MCP Ref Clock, MHz: [200]

nForce SPP --> nForce MCP: [5X]

nForce SPP c-- nForce MCP: [5X]

**Spread Spectrum**

CPU Spread Spectrum: [Disabled]

HT Spread Spectrum: [Disabled]

PCle Spread Spectrurn(SPP): [Disabled]

PCle Spread Spectrurn(MCP): [Disabled]

SATA Spread Spectrum: [Disabled]

**FSB & Memorv Config**

FSB - Memory Clock Mode: [Link]

FSB - Memory Ratio: Sync Mode

FSB (QDR), MHz: [1600]

Actual FSB (QDR), MHz: 1333.3 1600

x MEM (DDR), MHz: 1066 1600

Actual MEM (DDR), MHz: 1066.7 1600

P1: [enabled]

P2: [enabled]

**Memory Timing Setting**

Memory Timing Setting: [Expert]

tCL (CAS Latency): 8

tRCD: 8

tRP: 8

tRAS: 27

Command Per Clock: [2T]

** Advanced Memory Settings **

tRRD: [Auto]

tRC: [Auto]

tWR: [Auto]

tWTR: [Auto]

tFAW: [Auto]

tREF: [Auto] 7.8uS

**System Voltages**

CPU Core: [1.2875] [1.3-1.34]

CPU FSB: [1.25]

Memory: [1.90]

nForce SPP: [1.47]

nForce MCP: [1.55]

GTLVREF Lane 0: [Auto]

GTLVREF Lane 1: [Auto]

GTLVREF Lane 2: [Auto]

GTLVREF Lane 3: [Auto]

**CPU Configuration**

Limit CPUlD Maxval: Disabled

Intel Speedstep: Disabled

xPPM Mode: [Native]

CPU Thermal Control: [Disabled]

C1E Enhanced Halt State: [Disabled]

Execute Disable Bit: [Disabled]

Virtualization Technology: [Disabled]

CPU Core 0: [Enabled]

CPU Core 1: [Enabled]

CPU Core 2: [Enabled]

CPU Core 3: [Enabled]

 

What the case + heatsink you use ? This one for DDR 1066 . You can go more with higher memory by Memory Timing Setting

Edited June 30, 2009 by gangtercali