E6400 Overclocking N00b

bios
yes
depends how much of an oc you want
up to you (and what your temps look like)
check out the c2d temp guide
again depends on how your temps look

so i can OC w/o modifying voltages and not damage cpu?
im not shooting for anything more than 2.6ghz

So do it. Just hit Ctrl+F1 while in BIOS, disable everything not needed (read C2D OC Guide by wusy), set FSB to 325 MHz and enjoy 2.6 GHz. I'm pretty sure every E6400 can do it on default voltages. BTW don't install&use any fancy software from Gigabyte (especially EasyTune, it's crap).

It is OK to temporarily OC using the software, but you should then make them permanent in the BIOS.

It can damage your components, but this is rare.

2.6ghz wouldn't not d anything at all in terms of stability or voltage. These chips might go futher on this voltage (2.7) if your are lucky.

First, don't do any overclocking until you finish learning english. I wouldn't want you to misunderstand something you read and end up frying your computer.

Unless your doing some real simple overclock, use the bios.

Overclocking can damage a PC, but so can improperly using it at stock settings. If you put to much voltage through it, it can/will fry. If you allow the temps to get to high, it can/will fry. Overclocking is ok as long as you don't go crazy upping the voltage, and as long as you keep the heat down.

For monitoring, I would use the software provided. Speedfan seems to have a lot of issues with the Asus boards I've seen recently. The provided Asus software doesn't have issues.

I got my 6400 to 400fsb (3.2GHz) with stock voltages on a ds3 with ddr2 800. So you should have no problems getting it to 2.6 and there would be no problem getting it to 3GHz.

One thing i will say is that my northbridge, and from what ive read all ds3 NB's, gets REALLY hot [like, burn-your-fingers hot] so you might want to get a 40mm fan for it if youre looking to prolong its life.

oc from the bios.

Yes. If your worried about damaging then try overclocking without increasing the vcore (or other voltages), I got 3GHZ on my with 1.318 vcore (lower than stock). Be careful though, for example I found that if I leave my voltages on "auto" it will automatically increase the vcore when i increase the FSB.

Use CoreTemp or TAT, my E6400 runs a little hot 42C-52C. I hear below 60C is safe but I would try for below 50C just to be sure.

What is the stock voltage?

Also, what are ram dividers?

Stock voltage for C2D is 1.325V. Safe (Intel's meaning of safe) is 1.35V, absolute maximum is 1.55V (also according to Intel).
Common RAM:FSB ratios - 1:1, 5:4, 4:3, 3:2, 5:3, 2:1. So if you use FSB 266 - RAM can be clocked 266, 333, 355, 400, 444, 533 (x2, it's DDR). And opposite, if your RAM is clocked e.g. DDR2-800 - you can use FSB 400, 320, 300, 266, 240, 200.

I just switched to 320*8=2.56Ghz

Ram is with Gigabyte's Bios' memory multiplier 320*2.5=800 (DDR rate of ram)
It never shows the actual divider, which is 4 FSB: 5 DRAM.

What stress tests should I use to see if this is a stable OC?

I'm getting 40C at idle, 51C at load under Core Temp, stressed by SP2004.

Are these good temperatures?
Should I be using a different stressing program?

When I put workload at 100% on both cores with Intel TAT, I get around 57 or 58C. Thats too hot, right?

My cpu fan doesn't turn on maximum, because the motherboard sensor is only around 43C

It's NOT too hot. Disable SmartFan (or similar feature) in BIOS and please do us a favor - read this http://forumz.tomshardware.com/hardware/Core2Duo-Overclocking-Guide-v1-ftopict197995.html and this http://forumz.tomshardware.com/hardware/Core-Duo-Temperature-Guide-ftopict221745.html, even if it's difficult for you. If you cannot understand these two guides - they're written with very simple & precise language - find someone to help you translate. English is not my native language but I haven't any problems in understanding these guides.

Why the )*&#) do you think I can't speak English? Its my native language.

And according to the temperature guide, 55C is warm and 60C is hot, so don't be saying its ok.

Someone before suggested it, I'm sorry.

IT IS. As we talk about Tcase, NOT Tjunction, which is what TAT shows you.

Ohhh. I didn't read the last sentence of that paragraph. Thanks

How far do you think the memory can go? I am contemplating overclocking more, but may not depending on how far the memory is able to overclock and how far I can get on stock voltages.

EDIT: What about the power requirements? I have FSP 500W psu, with 18A on each 12V rail. Will overclocking my cpu some more cause system instability because of not enough power?

Now that I see what the E6400 is capable of, I'm willing to take it further than 2.6 GHz  

I thought that because of what you posted in your first post.



How it should read.



You might consider this "nitpicking" but if you're going to risk your $$$/computer, I would advise you to make sure you know what your doing/talking about. I laughed a bit when you replied later in this thread,



Again, if you have trouble understanding english, either finish learning how to read, or read in your native language. (I'm not tring to be rude, just trying to help you out.) If I was just making fun of you, I wouldn't have bothered to post what I did. (or did you not read the last two paragraphs of my post?)

G.Skill is good one, but if it's marked 5-5-5-15 for DDR2-6400 - it might be somewhat limited. Anyway, you shouldn't have any problems until 8x400=3.2 GHz. Just be patient and careful, and use the exact procedure described by wusy in OC guide sticky. Don't expect you can do it on stock voltages. Don't think Vcore set in BIOS will remain under Windows idle, or TAT/Orthos load especially. It will be lower (Vdroop effect). On the CPU box Intel says 1.35V max, 1.45V is considered reasonable for long term reliability of CPU. Monitor voltages&temps, that's all.

PSU is OK, it should suffice.

Honestly, you don't get much benefit (in my humble opinion) from (over)clocking your memory past 667MHz.

You should overclock your memory separately from the CPU. For example: when finding out how far you want to push your proc, use the lowest memory ratio 1:1 (sometimes not listed as 1:1, mine is listed as "sync") and high latencies (6-6-6-16 or so), or when finding out how far you want to push your memory just set the cpu multiplier to x7 or x6. This helps you narrow down the problem when you get instabilities.

You can always change the memory ratio to something appropriate, so your memory shouldn't limit you until you want to go over FSB1600 (400x4) which would give you 3.2GHz on your proc and 800MHz on your memory with a 1:1 ratio.

Since your worried about damaging your proc, and your temps are relatively high those two factors will limit you more than your memory.

I think you've omitted that it's not overclocking at all, just UNDERclocking. 1st post says And cores' temps 57/58 during 100% TAT are quite good, not "relatively high".

And cores' temps 57/58 during 100% TAT are quite good, not "relatively high".


I'm not sure what part of my post you are referring to but I believe it is the first paragraph:



I was speaking generically, and you are correct if he did run his memory at 667MHz it would not be overclocking, which is why i wrote



notice the (), perhaps it wasn't clear.

About the temperature, I was merely stating that his temperatures would probably limit him more than his memory if he tries to go past 3.2GHz. If he is getting 60C at 2.6GHz I doubt he will be able to get above (or even to) 3.2GHz at a reasonable margin below 70C. Personally I wouldn't run my E6400 above 60C even if the C2D temperature guide says it is safe.

Secondly, we obviously have different definitions of "relatively high." By relatively high I mean "higher than average", not "OMFG my processor is so hot its going to spontaneously combust". I wouldn't call 60C at 2.6GHz "quite good" The C2D Temperature guide places this on the higher end of "normal".

The C2D Temperature guide says, that everything is normal up to 50/65/65, so ??/57/58 is second value down from highest normal. I don't expect to have 25% OCed FSB and temps not raising at all. There is also an aftermarket cooler taken into consideration. And C2D Temperature guide says also But I think there is a lot of misunderstandings in this thread, since we really don't know are these temps OCed or not...

It's ok, I'm right now at 400*7=2800mhz, and I won't go any further.

Thank you for all that helped.

I have just built a system with a Asus P5B & an E6400 C2D , and I have watercooling (Asetek)
I've only just started to OC it , and have reached 2.4GHz with no problems at all using a 300 FSB.

Just to mention the last post above - doesnt the E6400 have a 8x multiplier and not 7 ? Or have you lowered it for a reason?

cheers

Abyzz , UK

I lowered it so the ram could run 1:1 with the FSB.

I'm sorry to say that CPU multiplier has nothing to do with RAM speed or FSB:RAM divider. Only FSB has. So if you run CPU at 7x400 or 6x400 or 8x400 - RAM is at 400 with 1:1 divider set.

I know that, it's just that I didn't want to go as high as 3.2GHz, only 2.8GHz. I couldn't do a 1:1 with a x8 multiplier if I only wanted 2.8GHz.

Actually, unlike one of my previous posts, where I said I was done at 2.8GHz, I am now at 375*8=3.00GHz, at stock voltages. Ram is running 1:1 still, so ram is at 750.

I'm getting greedy, I might go to 400*8.

EDIT: Because of rising ambient temperatures (weather and not turning on A/C), I went back down to 400*7.

I am new to OC'ing. I've read and learned a lot from these forums. I still felt the need for some hand holding on my first try for an OC. I have a similar config and found BillParrish's Guide to Gigabyte P965 Overclocking to be a great help. From my reading I have decided to use coretemp for temperature monitoring.

PS -- this may be redundant info, but I'm trying to get my post count to 50 so I can ask questions :wink: