Need help overclocking 975XBX

[AliBenZappa]

Intel 975XBX, rev 305, flashed to bios 1334 twice. E6600 CPU. 2G OCZ 667 ram. evga 7950 videocard. Koolance watercooling on CPU and northbridge. If I set System Bus Frequency Overide to to 1333 it won't boot. If I up CPU VID and MCH, fsb voltage a little or a lot it will boot into bios but not Windows. At this point bios will report a Processor Speed of 4.60 Ghz. ??? This is with everything else at default.
If I go the Burn-in Mode Percentage route, above 15 percent I run into video problems. I assume pci-e speed is to high for the video card.
I would like to run the FSB at 1333, the CPU at 3 Ghz, memory at 1:1 667, and pci and pci-e at standard. It looks like the board should do this. Why can't I?

 

[AliBenZappa]

In a reply to my own post: I read in another forum that the 1333 bus overide is broken with the 1334 bios. Can anyone confirm this? If true, can anyone suggest a workaround?

 

[ElBurro]

Intel 975XBX, rev 305, flashed to bios 1334 twice. E6600 CPU. 2G OCZ 667 ram. evga 7950 videocard. Koolance watercooling on CPU and northbridge. If I set System Bus Frequency Overide to to 1333 it won't boot. If I up CPU VID and MCH, fsb voltage a little or a lot it will boot into bios but not Windows. At this point bios will report a Processor Speed of 4.60 Ghz. ??? This is with everything else at default.
If I go the Burn-in Mode Percentage route, above 15 percent I run into video problems. I assume pci-e speed is to high for the video card.
I would like to run the FSB at 1333, the CPU at 3 Ghz, memory at 1:1 667, and pci and pci-e at standard. It looks like the board should do this. Why can't I?

Start here (you can try for faster if you want later):

Go into AdvancedChipset menu

Set CPU for 1066 strap
Power Slope enabled
Set to Positive
Boost percetage to 30
Set CPU voltage to 1.450
Default for PCI and PCI-E
Bump up MCH and FSB voltage a little

Go to memory(IMPORTANT!)
Set manual-user defined
Set memory for 533 strap (this will make you 1:1)
Set 5-5-5-15 (you can tweak back later)
Set voltage to 2.2

Save. This will get you to 3.11GHz which is *way* faster then E6800

Blast Off.

 

[AliBenZappa]

THANKS ElBurro! I have your setup running now. Ran the stress test for 20 min. with no errors and a max temp of 50 C. Now I'll try cranking down the CPU voltage, and running the stress test longer.

 

[ElBurro]

That's what I'm talkin about!

 

[lmcid]

ElBurro:
I have a similar system as that posted by AliBenZappa. I've followed your recommendations and it is working like a charm. I already did the mod mentioned elsewhere and get the option to go up to 50%, etc... However, no matter what I do I can't get past 30 through the BIOS. Any suggestions? 3120 seems to be the limit???

Regards,
LMCid

 

[ElBurro]

ElBurro:
I have a similar system as that posted by AliBenZappa. I've followed your recommendations and it is working like a charm. I already did the mod mentioned elsewhere and get the option to go up to 50%, etc... However, no matter what I do I can't get past 30 through the BIOS. Any suggestions? 3120 seems to be the limit???

Regards,
LMCid

You can look around here (look all over) for tips:
http://www.vrforums.com/forumdisplay.php?f=8
http://www.vr-zone.com/

You can get the good stuff (CPU-Z, etc) here:
http://forums.extremeoverclocking.com/

If you are running 4:5 or 2:3 ratio CPU:RAM then go to 1:1 ratio and you can probably go higher (maybe).

If you are not 1:1 you can make sure your CPU strap is 1066 and the memory strap is 533 - the default memory is 667 so you need to make that adjustment down to 533 if you did not.

If you're running 1:1 CPU:RAM then that may be the limit of your CPU, but you have a system *right now* that literally is running *faster* than any production system you can buy anywhere, and you did it for a great price performance.

You are running faster than the brand new top-of-the-line Intel Woodcrest XEON 5160 cpu (3.0GHz) - check the benchmarking with SuperPi and you'll get the good news (go to benchmark on the menu - run it - then go to the website and check your results).

You're already going much faster than production E6800 Extreme systems and you are doing it on a BadAxe which is fast and stable.

It just happened so easy, you want MORE!!!

I can relate, man.

Good luck.

 

[lmcid]

Yes, I am happy with the performance.... I guess it's just a case of a newbie been bitten by the OC bug...

The only way I have managed to go 1:1 is by setting the CPU strap at 1066 and taking the memory down to 533 like you suggested. I have two 1GB PC6400 memory on my system.

I have tried running the memory at 667 and the CPU strap at 1333 but have not been successful. This might be a stupid question, but here it goes anyway: Is it possible that my PC6400 memory supports 533 and 800 but not 666MHz? When I go to the SPD section in CPU-Z it only shows 200MHZ, 266MHZ and 400MHZ. None of them a multiple of 333...666......1333.

I am missing something here? Can I play with the latency settings or something else to try to go 1:1?

I already changed the cooler on my system to this:

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?Sku=A250-1149

... which is making the CPU run quite cool.

I am on my way to the other web sites you suggested for further tips.

Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

Regards,
LMCid

 

[ElBurro]

[...]
The only way I have managed to go 1:1 is by setting the CPU strap at 1066 and taking the memory down to 533 like you suggested. I have two 1GB PC6400 memory on my system.

I am missing something here?

[...]

Yes you are missing something, I think. But it is good you are using CPU-Z so you can check what is going on.

Don't let the strap numbers fool you. You are still going the same speed.

There are issues with using those larger straps (do some reading at some of the places I've shown you).

Using 1333 instead of 1066 just means you are starting out 333 instead of 266, that is all. It just means that no way will you get to 30%.

The FSB is tied to the CPU and you can't get around that.

You can boost your RAM speed by leaving your CPU at 1066 and raising the RAM strap.

You can see whether your RAM is holding you back. But going for 1:1 is the best performing setting.

Starting at 0% or using NEGATIVE and starting at -30% of the settings will give you some play room, but I think your CPU is maybe maxxed.

Good luck.

 

[lmcid]

[
You can boost your RAM speed by leaving your CPU at 1066 and raising the RAM strap.

You can see whether your RAM is holding you back. But going for 1:1 is the best performing setting.

Starting at 0% or using NEGATIVE and starting at -30% of the settings will give you some play room, but I think your CPU is maybe maxxed.

Good luck.[/quote]

Thank you again for helping a newbie. Just to make sure I got things right... When you say raising the RAM strap you mean going up to 667 or all the way to 800?

Regards,
LMCid

 

[ElBurro]

When you say raising the RAM strap you mean going up to 667 or all the way to 800?

You can probably go 800 *ONLY IF* your RAM is fast enough.

Going to 800 while your CPU is 1066 will be 2:3 ratio.

Make sure you're at 5-5-5-15 to start.

If you see your ram go to 400 or above (using CPU-Z) then you can be sure it is not RAM holding you back, but is your CPU. Let's face it, if the RAM goes above 360 then probably the same thing. At least running 1:1 it is not holding you back.

Your CPU is likely at the limit.

You probably will be able to reduce your 1:1 RAM latency timings to below 5-5-5-15, possibly to 4-4-4-12 or 4-3-3-12 but you will need to test thoroughly using Prime95 and such.

Good luck.

 

[lmcid]

OK, it seems RAM is not holding me back... The system is stable using the 1066 (overall) strap and 800 memory strap (5,5,15). CPUz is listing the memory frequency at 540 Mhz at 2:3.

However, no matter what I do I am still not able to increase the FSB above 346.7, the Bus speed above 1386.7, nor the CPU above 3120. I've seen much higher values posted elsewhere. I am doing something wrong here?

I've been to the other forums and have not found the answer. Did I hit the top limit of my system?... Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Regards,
LMCid

 

[ElBurro]

OK, it seems RAM is not holding me back... The system is stable using the 1066 (overall) strap and 800 memory strap (5,5,15). CPUz is listing the memory frequency at 540 Mhz at 2:3.

However, no matter what I do I am still not able to increase the FSB above 346.7, the Bus speed above 1386.7, nor the CPU above 3120. I've seen much higher values posted elsewhere. I am doing something wrong here?

I've been to the other forums and have not found the answer. Did I hit the top limit of my system?... Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Regards,
LMCid

BTW I just got your PM, but more folks are helped by public discussion.

You're getting sucked into other's results which may or may not be real.

If you take a look at ACTUAL O/C results from a LOT of systems you will see you are not doing poorly.

Dude, your CPU was designed to go 2.40GHz and you are PUSHING it almost another 800MHz!!! That's insane.

Intel doesn't have that much freaky silicon, no matter what we wish, OK?

Think about it.

Be well.

 

[2Cb]

Maybe a stupid question but here it goes:

I have a similar setup running 667 memory with 5 - 5 - 5 setup.

What is this 1:1 ratio @533 you are talking about?

Thx.

 

[2Cb]

Ok it seems its the FSBRAM ratio, right?

Mine is at 4:5.

How do you get it to 1:1 ?

 

[2Cb]

Intel BadAxe rev. 304 Bios 1351

 

[lmcid]

You're getting sucked into other's results which may or may not be real... Dude, your CPU was designed to go 2.40GHz and you are PUSHING it almost another 800MHz!!! That's insane.

Yes, I think I am being too greedy here... Getting 30% O/C and still complaining...

There is only one thing that I don't understand yet. Even though I did the motherboard mod which let's me go up to 50% (instead of 30%)... No matter what I do (according to CPUz at least) my FSB won't go above 30%? Right now I have the percentage boosted to 50%, the FSB strap to 1066 and the memory strap to 533 4-4-4-12 and CPUz reports the exact same results as when I was down at 30%?

2Cb... Go back this thread to the first ElBurro reply and you will see how to manually lower the memory strap on the bios as to run it 1:1 with the CPU... A basic guide that helped me with some of the concepts behind 1:1, etc... (can relate though, still feel I am asking the stupidest of questions everytime I post)... can be found here:

http://www.overclock.net/intel-cpus/1567-intel-overclocking-guide.html

regards to all,
LMCid

 

[lmcid]

CPUz is listing the memory frequency at 540 Mhz at 2:3.

That's DDR2-1080 and is the limit of DDR2-800 rated @4-4-4-12 2.1V

You NEED to back it down to 1:1 as ElBurro said so the RAM will be running 346.7Mhz (DDR2-694) and you can push further toward 400Mhz FSB.

Thanks wusy... as I said on my last post, that's exactly what I'd been trying to do. But according to CPU Z, even though I know I can push my memory (and probably my CPU) the FSB just won't beyond 346.7?

 

[2Cb]

Bump up MCH and FSB voltage a little

They are set to default, so how can I see what the default values actually are in order to bump them up a bit?

 

[2Cb]

Is there a way to run the memory at 667 on 1:1 instead of at 533 on 1:1

I'm getting 4:5 at 667 at 5-5-5 and 1:1 at 533 at 4-4-4.


What's better?
What would 667 at 4-4-4 exactly do?

Thx.

 

[ElBurro]

Is there a way to run the memory at 667 on 1:1 instead of at 533 on 1:1
[...]

Yes, but there are issues. If you have an E6600 and OC Debug enabled no way do you need to make that jump to 1333:667, just stay at 1066:533 and do your thing.

There is no benefit (that I'm aware of) to go 1333:667 if you have a large multiplier like E6600.

Go to www.vr-zone.com and look around and you'll see what I'm talking about. Go to the overclocking forums.

Good luck.

 

[Bosaka]

It is still broken even in 1351. It ran my Pentium D 930 at 333FSB at 4Ghz when I activated the override but now with my E6600 it shows up as 4.66Ghz in the bios but nothing changes. I would say its definately bugged. Hey is there any way to lockdown or decrease the overclock to the pci/pci-e bus using the % burn-in increase?

 

[clue69less]

Here LR used it and got up to only 384Mhz FSB with a low multiplier E6300.

It's interesting that they showed benches for an engineering sample and that it was slightly slower than the production CPUs tested. Also interesting that the OC cost them an additional 64 watts of power consumption and bumped load temps by 14C, even water cooled. Maybe this was beyond the load that the Corsair Nautilus can handle.

[...not very impressive, but at least it's cheaper than other 975X boards.

Well, I wish I could get an over-40% overclock out of my 4400+. Then again, I have not tried water cooling it.

 

[clue69less]

They did actually said that they also has retail ones with them and could overclock slightly higher. It's in the conclusion part.

Right, that's what I meant when I said that the E sample was slightly slower. I was actually making a dig at the AMD fanboys that were claiming the E samples sent out to reviewers were highly binned to get excellent reviews to generate hype when in fact (at least in this particular case) the opposite is true.

Futher digging reveals 'FSB wall' in two 975X based boards. I'll need to address that in my guide so people can go beyond 400Mhz FSB with those boards.

400+ is good. Very good.

Just when I thought the update to my RAM timing section will get complicated, it's now even more complicated.
Busy weekend...

No rest for the wicked.

 

[2Cb]

I have the burn in mode set at 32 now and memory at 533 1:1 5-5-5.
When i go to 33 or higher, the comp won't boot anymore.
Vcore is at 1,2.

What would be the next step to get over that 32?
Upping the vcore voltage (which means modifying the board) or are there any other options?

Thx, i'll check out the links.