Squeezing the last out of a Q9300

[Flibo]

Just lately I discovered that I'm capable of getting some hardware points at hwbot.org with my Q9300. So I've been overclocking a little and here are some of my results: http://www.hwbot.org/community/user/flibo?tab=submissions

 

Then, my rig (essential parts):

Intel Core 2 Q9300 (7,5x multiplier)

Some Kingston 800MHz DDR2 memory

Asus P5Q PRO

 

The problem is that I want more! At CPU-Z testing my computer always seems to freeze at 505MHz FSB. I do realise that's pretty high, but maybe I can adjust some value to push it further? I have all voltages on "auto" except for vCore (1,45V or 1,5V for benching), DRAM (2,14V) and NB (1,46V). I'm rather sure that vCore is not the key since I can reach the same stability and speeds whether it's 1,45V or 1,55V. DRAM... Well, my mate got me scared about it. I'm worried if it will break with too high voltages, although the voltage just might be enough. The NB value was just a value my friend gave me, I have no idea if it's a lot or little. Then there are FSB termination voltage and SB voltage, which I haven't had much time to look at, but I tried some values and at the first time it didn't even let me to Windows.

 

All that said, is there anything obviously wrong or anything? I'm really not sure if it's the motherboard which is limiting my overclock. Should I be stable with something like 490MHz FSB with sufficient voltages if 505MHz FSB is "the wall"? I'm asking that because I'm not stable at those speeds. Could it be my memory? Is pushing 800MHz to over 1000MHz a big overclock? Is my chip even capable of those speeds?

 

On an other forum I found a guy who runs 24/7 with 1,5V and 500 MHz FSB supposedly stable with the same motherboard and CPU. Is it just that he had a good board or a chip? Here's what he said:

I also run a Q9300 w/ a P5Q Pro

Q9300 3750mhz 500x7.5 @1.55 volts idle 20 load 45-50

nb 1.36v

fsb 1.54v

cpu pll auto

ocz ddr1201 2.2v 5-5-5-18

 

Should I try to copy his values or are they "bad"?

 

Also, is there a way to make programs not open when I start my Windows? It takes several minutes for the CPU load to stabilize when I start up my computer and that's nasty when I'm trying to benchmark.

 

Thanks beforehand.

[Sihastru]

1.55V is a lot for 45nm, I would stay at a maximum 1.45V (1.4-ish for 24/7, if you have good cooling). There's rumors around the interweb that if you FSB is higher or at 1.4V then the life of you chip will be decreased considerably, some reported killing their chips over night. The limitation is the MB, you need to tweak the NB voltage more. Disable EIST and C States for the CPU, set the lowest multiplier and find out what the limit of the motherboard is.

[Bizzlenitch]

1.55V is a lot for 45nm, I would stay at a maximum 1.45V (1.4-ish for 24/7, if you have good cooling). There's rumors around the interweb that if you FSB is higher or at 1.4V then the life of you chip will be decreased considerably, some reported killing their chips over night. The limitation is the MB, you need to tweak the NB voltage more. Disable EIST and C States for the CPU, set the lowest multiplier and find out what the limit of the motherboard is.

 

 

I'd be careful how much voltage you put through that 45nm chip, unless you don't care about possible degradation and a possible shortened life on your chip. Intel states that the max safe voltage for 45nm chips is 1.36V, so 1.55V is certainly pushing it. Were you using a Q6600 or similar 65nm chip you'd probably be all right, but I'd think twice about pushing that much voltage through your Q9300 unless its just briefly for benching. But, as always, to each his own.

[Flibo]

Oh, sorry! I forgot to mention that this is only for benching. I can try the multiplier tip, although my memory will be running quite fast nevertheless. I guess I'll loosen the timings a bit.

 

You said that I need to tweak my NB? That guy had way less NB voltage than me, so do you really think I need it?

[GabrielT]

You said that I need to tweak my NB? That guy had way less NB voltage than me, so do you really think I need it?

Everyone's overclocking will be different even with the same boards/cpu's. If you hit a wall try something different it can't hurt.

[overclocking101]

so now people are saying 1.36v is the max on a 45nm chip?? it used to be 1.475v as spec'd by intel themselves. I've been running my E8400 at 1.45v since the day I got it no problems. what is your cpu-pll voltage set at m8? hat setting holds a lot of water for stabilty. also GTL REF voltages do as well even if you left the voltages on auto you can check what the bard sets them to in the "hardware monitoring" section or power section. cheeck all your voltages in there write them down and let us know what they are set to. SB and SB 1.1 voltage really do not need to be touched they can really kill hdds if moved to far so leave thouse right alone. also CPU and NB skew settings if your board has them

[Sihastru]

1.3625 is the max VID on quad cores, it says so on the box (0.8xxx - 1.3625). So the chip is guaranteed to run at that voltage without any problems. Dual cores are different, and have a different VID interval.

 

A watercooled quad core should work fine for a few years @ 1.45V, but on air, I would try to keep it at a maximum 1.4V with good air cooling. Because cheaper the 45nm quad core chips have a low multiplier, what you need to to is push the motherboard over it's limits and not the CPU.

 

My Q9550 is now at 3.84 GHz 1.3625 in BIOS (but it's actually ~1.32), with FSB @ 450MHz and RAM @ 900MHz. NB @ 1.4V, RAM @ 2V, PLL @ 1.5V (this setting has no effect for me), SB @ 1.1V (I don't get why people tweak SB voltages), FSB @ 1.3V (you need to keep this below 1.4V for a long and happy life). LLC disabled, all skews normal. P5Q-E.

 

My target is 4.2 GHz, I'm not there yet. The only reason I overclock is because my GTX295 scales very well with CPU clockspeed.

 

As a side comment, it took me a couple of days before I realized that RAM was holding me back. RAM is many times the culprit for failed overclocks. Check yours.

Edited December 15, 2009 by Sihastru

[Flibo]

Thanks for your help. I put pretty much all the values so high that my motherboard would probably start burning if I set them any higher. The best I could reach was 3800MHz for a CPU-Z validation, which is about 25MHz faster than what I first had I'm still not exactly sure what's causing the freezing at high FSBs, but I'm not willing to try any further because I don't want to damage anything.

 

... Or what do you think? My settings for 3,8GHz:

 

vCore: 1.59V

DRAM: 2.16V (I'm most afraid of this setting) (Memory timings : 7-15-14-25)

NB: 1.54V

FSB: 1.5V

PLL: 2.2V

 

I start freezing at about 508MHz FSB, is that an usual limit for a P5Q PRO?

Edited December 16, 2009 by Flibo

[wildboyz]

Just lately I discovered that I'm capable of getting some hardware points at hwbot.org with my Q9300. So I've been overclocking a little and here are some of my results: http://www.hwbot.org/community/user/flibo?tab=submissions

 

Then, my rig (essential parts):

Intel Core 2 Q9300 (7,5x multiplier)

Some Kingston 800MHz DDR2 memory

Asus P5Q PRO

 

The problem is that I want more! At CPU-Z testing my computer always seems to freeze at 505MHz FSB. I do realise that's pretty high, but maybe I can adjust some value to push it further? I have all voltages on "auto" except for vCore (1,45V or 1,5V for benching), DRAM (2,14V) and NB (1,46V). I'm rather sure that vCore is not the key since I can reach the same stability and speeds whether it's 1,45V or 1,55V. DRAM... Well, my mate got me scared about it. I'm worried if it will break with too high voltages, although the voltage just might be enough. The NB value was just a value my friend gave me, I have no idea if it's a lot or little. Then there are FSB termination voltage and SB voltage, which I haven't had much time to look at, but I tried some values and at the first time it didn't even let me to Windows.

 

All that said, is there anything obviously wrong or anything? I'm really not sure if it's the motherboard which is limiting my overclock. Should I be stable with something like 490MHz FSB with sufficient voltages if 505MHz FSB is "the wall"? I'm asking that because I'm not stable at those speeds. Could it be my memory? Is pushing 800MHz to over 1000MHz a big overclock? Is my chip even capable of those speeds?

 

On an other forum I found a guy who runs 24/7 with 1,5V and 500 MHz FSB supposedly stable with the same motherboard and CPU. Is it just that he had a good board or a chip? Here's what he said:

 

 

Should I try to copy his values or are they "bad"?

 

Also, is there a way to make programs not open when I start my Windows? It takes several minutes for the CPU load to stabilize when I start up my computer and that's nasty when I'm trying to benchmark.

 

Thanks beforehand.

 

One way for your programs not to start on windows start up is:

1. click on your start button

2. type in "msconfig" without the quotes and hit enter

3. click on the startups tab

4. unselect any programs you don't want at start up

5. restart your comp

6. capeesh!