Overclocking Q6600 and P5WDH Dlx HELP!!

[Diesel Down Under]

Hello Ladies and Gents, first time post but long time reader.

 

Anyhow i just installed a liquid cooling set-up into my rig (the NB is cooled aswell) and im having dramas getting a decent O/C (+3.3Ghz) with the system.

 

Intel 975 Asus P5WDH dlx 2801 Bios

 

Q6600

 

Corsair Dominator 4Gb PC2-8500 ( 2x2 )

 

Now ive tried just about everything ive read but above 360Mhz FSB x9 the board becomes very unstable. From what i can understand this is the INFAMOUS Intel NB wall - meaning that the processor and ram etc can O/C alot higher BUT the NB chipset is the cause of the instability because the increased FSB O/Cs the NB too high.

 

With this in mind to try and squeeze more performance ive tried running the ram at high freq by choosing higher dividers in the bios but if i choose anything but 1:1 EG 720 Mhz in this case it wont POST even with higher DDRV and even though the ram is rated to 1033Mhz.

 

So unless ive missed something painfully obvious ( Please GOD not on my first post plS!!!) im in abit of a fix!

 

Ive read forums where ppl claim an easy 3.6Ghz O/C with this board and processor.

 

I believe that a way around this is by manipulating the NB strap using tools such as Clockgen, cpu tweeker etc but as im running Win 7 ultimate 64 Bit these programs fail to load.

 

Is this due to Quad pumping the BUS with the Q6600 as i see that ppl running a E6600 dont seem to have the same problem? Anyhow any help would be much appreciated and yes ive tried almost every conceivable combination of V settings in the Bios and i've got the Bios set up as suggested with all the norm disabled etc

[Flibo]

What voltage settings are you trying to run it on? Have you played with the NB voltage?

[Bob16314]

3.6GHz is a common/easy OC for the Q6600, depending on the stepping..Yer probably gonna have to dump a bucket of Vcore on it, more than anything else (1.5+ Vcore)..Just be aware of the Tj Max for yer particular stepping.

 

http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/intel-dts-sp...news-29460.html

[road-runner]

Just depends on the stepping as mentioned and if you got lucky and got a decent cpu. I had 8 or 9 G0 Q6600s, still have 6 of them but 3 will do 3.6Ghz and above with no problems and the others do good to get 3.4Ghz max stable clock, 1 will only do 3.2Ghz. What revision is it a B3 or G0? What is the VID? Use core temp to check the VID..

[Diesel Down Under]

Just depends on the stepping as mentioned and if you got lucky and got a decent cpu. I had 8 or 9 G0 Q6600s, still have 6 of them but 3 will do 3.6Ghz and above with no problems and the others do good to get 3.4Ghz max stable clock, 1 will only do 3.2Ghz. What revision is it a B3 or G0? What is the VID? Use core temp to check the VID..

 

Hi i have tried all the way up to 1.6V on Vcore without success - it seems as though its more FSB related and from what ive read it might have more to do with the fact that the NB is being pushed too hard and NOT the CPU?

The revision is GO B stepping and my current VID is 1.2875 - the VID seems to be a non issue as long as i stay below 370 Mhz i can do whatever with the VID and its stable within reason adversely once i go over 370 Mhz i can also do whatever with the Vcore ( upto and including 1.6V ) and it fails to become stable or even POST for that matter????

Is there something im missing guys as ive read that this is a common problem with the x975 chipset?

Again any help would be greatly received - Thanks

[Diesel Down Under]

What voltage settings are you trying to run it on? Have you played with the NB voltage?

 

 

Thanks for the reply - yes ive tried ALL the voltages available by my BIOS and no joy - in actual fact ive tried maxing out all voltages in a fit of desperation but still no go? You know i thought water cooling quality ram and alot of V would get me at least to 3.6 - Hmm did as good with air and passive cooling!!!! NOT happy Jan!

[road-runner]

I have never messed with the 975 chipset the 965 I had trouble getting 400 with though with a Q6600, I know on P35 and 45 I would have to start adding a little voltage to the northbridge and FSB as I got above 400 x 9. It may very well be the motherboard...

[Diesel Down Under]

I have never messed with the 975 chipset the 965 I had trouble getting 400 with though with a Q6600, I know on P35 and 45 I would have to start adding a little voltage to the northbridge and FSB as I got above 400 x 9. It may very well be the motherboard...

 

Thanx yes im thinking its a NB issue with this P5WDH board. I spose what im hoping for is for someone who is an experienced O/C'er that could shed some light on this and let me know if im chasing my tail or not with this NB focus. I have read that the issue may be due to the NB strap/multi/latencies (basically by raising my FSB im overclocking my NB into "siht itself" territory. Im thinking if there was a parameter in the BIOS that allowed me to change the strap im pretty sure i would be able to get my FSB +400 pretty easily? Does this sound right to any O/C legends out there?

Edited November 16, 2009 by Diesel Down Under

[fmc_boss]

Although it has been done, you're asking a lot from the 975x pushing a quad that high.

 

Have a look to see what BIOS versions are available for your 'board, & also try jumping to a higher FSB setting, say 380-odd or more.

 

Once over a certain frequency, the NB latencies loosen up to allow a higher operating frequency. If you search around a little more, you may even be able to find a chart to show the actual values when the NB latencies change.

 

Good luck!

 

--edit--

 

Check this out here;

http://www.overclock.net/intel-motherboard...-p965-975x.html

 

Looks like the strap change is over 400MHz FSB - you may be able to get somewhere by lowering your multi from 9x.

Edited November 16, 2009 by fmc_boss

[Diesel Down Under]

Although it has been done, you're asking a lot from the 975x pushing a quad that high.

 

Have a look to see what BIOS versions are available for your 'board, & also try jumping to a higher FSB setting, say 380-odd or more.

 

Once over a certain frequency, the NB latencies loosen up to allow a higher operating frequency. If you search around a little more, you may even be able to find a chart to show the actual values when the NB latencies change.

 

Good luck!

 

--edit--

 

Check this out here;

http://www.overclock.net/intel-motherboard...-p965-975x.html

 

Looks like the strap change is over 400MHz FSB - you may be able to get somewhere by lowering your multi from 9x.

 

Thanks for the post but as i previously stated i cannot achieve a FSB in excess of 370Mhz, therefore running a >400 FSB to loosen latencies of the 975 isn't feasible and lowering my multi would throttle back the CPU i don't believe this would help my 975 at all, in actual fact it would do the opposite of my goal....... >3.6Ghz CPU??

[road-runner]

Try to find a cheap P35 or better yet P45 board...

[RJR]

Here if this doesn't help you, do what RR suggested and get a newer MB:

 

http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=111400