Q9400 Overclock help?

[bluedl]

I'm new to overclocking, after 3 hours of hair pulling last night I was only able to overclock my q9400 from 2.66ghz to 2.96ghz. I have left my DRAM settings to auto. My CPU VCore is running at 1.384V which i think is quite high for the amount of OC; any lower I get the blue screen. Here are my computer specs:

 

MOBO: ASUS p5w-dh deluxe

CPU: Intel Core 2 Quad Q9400 2.66ghz

RAM: x3 G.SKILL F2-6400CL4D-2GBPK CAS Latency : 3-4-4-8 (PC4000) Speed : DDR 500 MHz (PC4000) Test Voltage : 2.6~2.8 V

Graphics Card: x2 ASUS HD 5770 crossfired OC to gpu clock 935mhz memory clock 1350mhz

Cooler: Zalman's CNPS9700

Case: Antec 902 w/ side fan

PSU: Vantec ION 520W

 

Could i possibly be my PSU being too weak for my current system? 520watts is cutting it thin. Or do you think it could be a RAM issue? Should i manually change my DRAM settings?

 

Sorry for being such a noob LOL

Edited October 5, 2010 by bluedl

[IVIYTH0S]

Man you're rocking my old motherboard, kickass!!

 

Anyway...

Yeah set the memory lower, that memory is 800mhz factory and at 1000mhz, at those timings...well that's quite impressive (write that down) but it is most assuredly stopping your progress.

lower the memory divider til the memory runs below 800mhz and loosen up those timing some (just to 5-5-5-15 for a nice set)

 

now after it boots, see if you can work down your vcore some and we'll continue (or if not we can just continue )

[bluedl]

Here is what I have done

Unfortunately, still no luck on taking the CPU frequency any higher; ends up in a blue screen or an error in overclock; occasionally i even get a windows missing file error. Is there anything else people need to see? I can take more pictures =p.

Edited October 5, 2010 by bluedl

[AIinc]

Hard to see, but it looks like you have your memory voltage set to auto?

I never trust the bios to set voltages! Set your memory voltage manually to 2.6v to 2.8v (if thats the factory specs)

 

You should be able to go quite a bit higher, but since IVIYTH0S has used this board, his advice would be best!

Good luck!

 

Oh ya, for overclocking these 2 programs, are very good to have!

CPUZ and HWMonitor

 

You can download them here: http://www.cpuid.com/softwares.html

Edited October 5, 2010 by AIinc

[bluedl]

Set your memory voltage manually to 2.6v to 2.8v (if thats the factory specs)

 

That sounds awfully high; I've heard people usually keep it in the 2.1/2.2V range?

Heres what my ram looks like on CPU-Z

[IVIYTH0S]

yeah check and see what kind of voltage those sticks would like to have (I'm thinking 2.1v)

I think what you're lacking now is possibly some (MCH) voltage and some FSB Termination voltage. But sadly I can't remember what good values for those two were

 

I do remember that board getting my old e6600 to 3.6ghz at one time. (limited by memory )

 

search around for people overclocking with it and check out their voltages for the motherboard

[AIinc]

MOBO: ASUS p5w-dh deluxe

CPU: Intel Core 2 Quad Q9400 2.66ghz

RAM: x3 G.SKILL F2-6400CL4D-2GBPK CAS Latency : 3-4-4-8 (PC4000) Speed : DDR 500 MHz (PC4000) Test Voltage : 2.6~2.8 V

This was in your first post, so thats what I went by!

 

That sounds awfully high; I've heard people usually keep it in the 2.1/2.2V range?

Heres what my ram looks like on CPU-Z

Like what was said, find what the memory is rated to handle (Voltage wise), and manually set it to that!

 

Also, to post a screen shot:

 

when you have something on your screen you want to post, when it's on your screen hit your keyboard key PrSc/print screen>then open MS paint, and click on edit and then in the pull down menu hit paste>X out of Paint, & it will then ask where you want to save it. Pick a folder (like Pictures), and click OK, then upload to a picture server, like My Album Bank- Photo Bucket-Image Shack.

Once uploaded it will give you linking codes to post in a Forum. Use the thumbnail linking code!

Edited October 5, 2010 by AIinc

[bluedl]

okay another update, heres something interesting. I managed to bring my FSB upto 390 and I could bring it into windows!

 

However, something strange happened, after 2 minutes my mouse (Microsoft sidewinder x5) would switch off!

 

At first, i thought it was my computer locking up so i brought it down 380, but it was doing the same thing; so i unplugged some of my other usb devices. i.e. WD 500gb HD, Iphone that was charging and replugged my mouse and it started working again!!

 

Strange . ay? As i stated before do u think its because my power supply is only 520 watts? I think it was sucking too much juice out lmao.

 

Also! Can somebody tell me if I have set the voltages too high? Where I'm from "red" means: fast, blood and STOP do not go past go; do not collect $200

[IVIYTH0S]

Voltages look ok, maybe lower the MCH a little. I dont remember ever runnin those that high, the rest look right though.

 

I'd assume your PSU can handle it, is that a good unit?

[bluedl]

Voltages look ok, maybe lower the MCH a little. I dont remember ever runnin those that high, the rest look right though.

 

I'd assume your PSU can handle it, is that a good unit?

 

its a vantec ion 520 watt. the vantec ion's had some fairly good reviews, but of course there is only so much it can take. I'm running two 5770's crossfired not to mention having 4 LED fans, three more LEDs and an additional antec tricool led fan coming in tomorrow. So you could call it a good unit, but, it might be the reason for my weak overclock.

 

For now I have left FSB at 485mhz, it has not blue screened or frozen on me yet, but of course i will need to run a stability test tomorrow to see the outcome. I tried lowering the MCH voltage, but my computer doesn't seem to like it (won't boot, or blue screen, or lock up).

[IVIYTH0S]

its a vantec ion 520 watt. the vantec ion's had some fairly good reviews, but of course there is only so much it can take. I'm running two 5770's crossfired not to mention having 4 LED fans, three more LEDs and an additional antec tricool led fan coming in tomorrow. So you could call it a good unit, but, it might be the reason for my weak overclock.

 

For now I have left FSB at 485mhz, it has not blue screened or frozen on me yet, but of course i will need to run a stability test tomorrow to see the outcome. I tried lowering the MCH voltage, but my computer doesn't seem to like it (won't boot, or blue screen, or lock up).

I guess keep it then :shrug: and maybe that's why I didn't stablize at 3.6ghz on my E6600, might not have been my memory