Advices on overclocking

[Cor7ez]

Hi all guys!

I hope you can give me some good advices to overclock a bit my PC. First of all I'm not in the mood to spend on expensive coolers...So if there's a "free" way to push up my performances, even if it means a little, please start with that way. Hope I explained myself .

However these are my specs:

 

Intel Core 2 Quad Q9450

P5E3 WS PRO

DDR3 8GB

ASUS HD 4870, 1GB

600GB Hard disk

Alim. ezcool 1050 W

Zalman CPU Cooler

 

thanks to all of you'll reply me.

[sack_patrol]

Hi all guys!

I hope you can give me some good advices to overclock a bit my PC. First of all I'm not in the mood to spend on expensive coolers...So if there's a "free" way to push up my performances, even if it means a little, please start with that way. Hope I explained myself .

However these are my specs:

 

Intel Core 2 Quad Q9450

P5E3 WS PRO

DDR3 8GB

ASUS HD 4870, 1GB

600GB Hard disk

Alim. ezcool 1050 W

Zalman CPU Cooler

 

thanks to all of you'll reply me.

Hello,

 

I don't think it's possible ot overclock your cpu with the stock cooler enough to actually see any real change or get any real speed boost. Stock coolers are pretty cheap so that they don't overprice the CPU too much, which means that they aren't any good except for keeping the CPU at a reasonable temperature on it's stock speeds. Basically, there isn't a 'free' way to overclock. xD So now that you know that, tell me what your Zalman model is so that I can see how much you might be able to overclock the CPU.

Edited July 23, 2010 by ballist1x

[Cor7ez]

Hi ballist1x,

The cooler in question is a Zalman CNPS9700 LED.

Thank you for the help!

[sack_patrol]

Hi ballist1x,

The cooler in question is a Zalman CNPS9700 LED.

Thank you for the help!

Well, that's not such a bad cooler. You might be able to get a decent overclock with this. I was thinking on getting it last year when I got my PC but decided on a different cooler.

 

First you'll need a few programs that will help you in the course of the overclock.

CPU-Z - gives info about the system

Core Temp - shows CPU temperature

OCCT - stress tester for the CPU, when you run this you'll find out if the overclock is stable or not

Prime95 - another stress tester

Intel Burn Test - another stress tester

They are all free so just google and download.

 

A good thing to do when making overclocking threads, is to add a screenshot of two CPU-Z windows open, one on the CPU tab and one on the Memory tab, and a Core Temp window. That way we can see exactly how your system is and help you more effectively.

 

Now to actually overclock the CPU, you'll need to go in the BIOS and find your FSB which is the Bus Speed in CPU-Z, and increase this little by little. After each increase you go back to the OS and test for stability with one of the stress testers for about 30minutes, and then you go back to increase the FSB a little more. In order to calculate the CPU speeds there is a little formula which can be useful when aiming for a certain speeds because you'll know exactly how much more of a certain value you'll need. This is how it goes: FSBxMultiplier=CPU Speeds in Mhz. So for example: 200x15.5=3100Mhz. This is for my CPU. FSB is 200, Multiplier is 15.5 and these two when multiplied give me the 3100Mhz which is my CPU speed which also equals 3.1Ghz.

 

When you start failing tests after an FSB increase, it means that you need to add a bit more voltage to the CPU. Always increase CPU voltage by one single value at a time. You don't want to add too much for nothing. So after the voltage bumb, go back to test and then act accordingly, if it passes - up the FSB, if not - more voltage. You should know though, that after a certain time simply adding voltage won't be enough to keep the CPU stable so other things will come into the equation but for now that should be enough. Plus after you reach this point someone else will help you cuz I'm not so good with Intel.

 

I just wanted to add that increasing the FSB will also affect your RAM and if I'm not mistaken your NB Frequency because there are different multipliers and they all use the FSB so if you up this, naturally other things will go up too. In order to equalize everything, find your NB Frequency multiplier and use the same formula to find out what value you need to set it to, so that it will remain to it's default setting while increasing the FSB. This way only the CPU will get overclocked.

[Cor7ez]

That's the screenshot you ask for. (I can leave only the link if the images post is not permitted)

Very useful instructions you give me there! Now, before I start doing some tries... What's the max voltage I can can reach before my CPU explodes? To be more serious, if I fail a test with X FSB and Y Volt and then I fail the next one with X FSB and (Y+1) Volt I must go back because I've reached the highest possible performance regarding the cpu's OC. Is this correct?

Also, the failure of a test end with the freeze of the machine?Or what?

Thank you again.

[sack_patrol]

That's the screenshot you ask for. (I can leave only the link if the images post is not permitted)

Very useful instructions you give me there! Now, before I start doing some tries... What's the max voltage I can can reach before my CPU explodes? To be more serious, if I fail a test with X FSB and Y Volt and then I fail the next one with X FSB and (Y+1) Volt I must go back because I've reached the highest possible performance regarding the cpu's OC. Is this correct?

Also, the failure of a test end with the freeze of the machine?Or what?

Thank you again.

Images are permited so you can leave it and add as much as you want (within reasonable numbers of course).

 

The maximum temperature you should watch out for is 71C meaning that should stop overclocking and back just a tiny bit back so that you have a stable overclock that's within the non-damagind temperature, although I wouldn't suggest having an overclocked CPU that runs at 70C 24/7. As for the maximum voltage, you shouldn't go higher than 1.4V (currently you are at 1.1 V as seen in CPU-Z so theres is space for voltage increase).

So for example, if you've gone to like 1.2V and you have a stable overclocking, then you decide to increase the speed a bit more and you seem to need more voltage. You start to add voltages, and you reach 1.4V yet the speed you increased to at 1.2V hasn't become stable - this is a sign that voltage isn't what is needed. This is just a way to recognize when to stop thinking: "maybe it needs even more voltage".

 

If a stress test fails, you could either experience a machine freeze, a reboot, or a blue screen of death which is basically a blue screen that will suddenly appear with a bunch of numbers and letters. This means that something has failed. If any of those appear, just use the Reboot button on your computer. Also, these kinds of fails don't damage the hardware at all so don't worry if you start getting them often.

 

In the worst case scenario where you can't even enter the BIOS to reduce voltage or overclock, what you need to do is to Clear the CMOS which will reset everything back to it's default value and your PC will work again. To see how to clear CMOS, read your Motherboard's Manual.

[Cor7ez]

Ok, I've pushed FSB to 350 from the initial 333 with VCore at 1.20V from initial 1.10V and FSB Termination Voltage at default 1.10V. I stressed it with OCCT for 30 minutes and the max core temperature was 60C.

From 355 FSB to higher values I can't find a voltage configuration that brings me to windows7's loading. The max I tried was FSB 355, VCore 1.40V, FSB Termination Voltage 1.30V. Some thoughts?

[sack_patrol]

With the temperature going up to 60 with such a small overclock... I dunno what to say. You could try running 355FSB again with around 1.30V but this time change the DRAM frequency from 1333Mhz to 1600Mhz, though you'll then need to bump the DRAM voltage too because it'll naturally require more.

 

Another idea would be to use the Multiplier instead of the FSB in order to increase the CPU speed. Though I yours is probably locked and I don't know how to unlock it, if it's possible at all. I think it should since OCC did a review on this exact CPU and they got it to go to x8 from the default x6. You can read this here. It's supposed to be a good overclocker with low voltage requirements... in your case it's either the cooler or you simply weren't lucky enough to get a good overclocking chip.. or we're doing the overclocking wrong which is highly unlikely at this early stage.

Edited July 23, 2010 by ballist1x

[Drdeath]

Well, that's not such a bad cooler. You might be able to get a decent overclock with this. I was thinking on getting it last year when I got my PC but decided on a different cooler.

 

First you'll need a few programs that will help you in the course of the overclock.

CPU-Z - gives info about the system

Core Temp - shows CPU temperature

OCCT - stress tester for the CPU, when you run this you'll find out if the overclock is stable or not

Prime95 - another stress tester

Intel Burn Test - another stress tester

They are all free so just google and download.

 

A good thing to do when making overclocking threads, is to add a screenshot of two CPU-Z windows open, one on the CPU tab and one on the Memory tab, and a Core Temp window. That way we can see exactly how your system is and help you more effectively.

 

Now to actually overclock the CPU, you'll need to go in the BIOS and find your FSB which is the Bus Speed in CPU-Z, and increase this little by little. After each increase you go back to the OS and test for stability with one of the stress testers for about 30minutes, and then you go back to increase the FSB a little more. In order to calculate the CPU speeds there is a little formula which can be useful when aiming for a certain speeds because you'll know exactly how much more of a certain value you'll need. This is how it goes: FSBxMultiplier=CPU Speeds in Mhz. So for example: 200x15.5=3100Mhz. This is for my CPU. FSB is 200, Multiplier is 15.5 and these two when multiplied give me the 3100Mhz which is my CPU speed which also equals 3.1Ghz.

 

When you start failing tests after an FSB increase, it means that you need to add a bit more voltage to the CPU. Always increase CPU voltage by one single value at a time. You don't want to add too much for nothing. So after the voltage bumb, go back to test and then act accordingly, if it passes - up the FSB, if not - more voltage. You should know though, that after a certain time simply adding voltage won't be enough to keep the CPU stable so other things will come into the equation but for now that should be enough. Plus after you reach this point someone else will help you cuz I'm not so good with Intel.

 

I just wanted to add that increasing the FSB will also affect your RAM and if I'm not mistaken your NB Frequency because there are different multipliers and they all use the FSB so if you up this, naturally other things will go up too. In order to equalize everything, find your NB Frequency multiplier and use the same formula to find out what value you need to set it to, so that it will remain to it's default setting while increasing the FSB. This way only the CPU will get overclocked.

 

That cooler is terrible for quads ballist...

Edited July 25, 2010 by Drdeath

[Cor7ez]

These are the temperatures near the end of a 30min stress test with OCCT. Again setted with FSB to 350, VCore at 1.20V and PCIe BUS setted to 100MHz instead of auto.

 

 

I googled about Q9450 and I found some settings that I'll try right now.

 

I think it should since OCC did a review on this exact CPU and they got it to go to x8 from the default x6.

I've found that the x6 it's not the default setting but the idle setting, in fact when I run a stress test it automatically raise to x8.

 

Edit. Unbelievably the PC just booted with 400FSB and 1.3Vcore...I start a stress test right now.

Edited July 25, 2010 by Cor7ez

[sack_patrol]

These are the temperatures near the end of a 30min stress test with OCCT. Again setted with FSB to 350, VCore at 1.20V and PCIe BUS setted to 100MHz instead of auto.

 

 

I googled about Q9450 and I found some settings that I'll try right now.

 

 

I've found that the x6 it's not the default setting but the idle setting, in fact when I run a stress test it automatically raise to x8.

 

Edit. Unbelievably the PC just booted with 400FSB and 1.3Vcore...I start a stress test right now.

Nice.

 

You reminded me to tell you that when you have some time, go into your BIOS, and set all the values you can to their actual value instead of "Default" or "Auto". This is very good because not only is it more informative when you go in the BIOS to change something since you know what it's currently at, but it also locks everything in place without the possibility of anything changing without your knowledge. So just look around and everything that doesn't have an exact value, set it to one, but first find out what that value is. If you don't know what something means or what it should be set at, google the name and with some searching you should be able to find information regarding it. If not, just ask here and someone will surely help you out.

 

P.S. - I wouldn't suggest that you touch the PCIE bus any further because it could cause your HDDs to go corrupt and basically mess up your hardware. Some people say that it helps with stability when increased just a bit, others say that it doesn't do anything... I say: leave it at 100Mhz for good. No use messing up your computer for something as useless as that.

Edited July 25, 2010 by ballist1x

[Cor7ez]

I tested with success three different configuration.

 

3.6GHz 450FSB VCore 1.4V NB 1.49V FSB 1.34V Max temperature near the end of the 30 minutes stress test 70°C

 

3.4GHz 425FSB VCore 1.35V NB 1.45V FSB 1.3V Max temperature near the end of the 30 minutes stress test 63°C

 

3.2GHz 400FSB VCore 1.3V NB default FSB default Max temperature near the end of the 30 minutes stress test 60°C

 

My opinion is that the 425FSB conf. is the one to choose. Your advices?

Done this....Is this machine more OCable without a better cooling?There are some other tests that deserves to be done?