I'll start by saying that I've read countless threads about overclocking this relatively standard setup (cpu+heatsink+mb). So many people use the P5K-E, E8400 and CNPS9700LED heatsink to excellent results.
Now, I'll also state that I'm extremely happy with the CPU running stock (MASSIVE upgrade from my socket 939 4000+!), even happier with a 600MHz overclock needing all of 30 seconds worth of BIOS settings (following the C2D sticky'ed guide)
All I'm looking for is the possibility to get higher in a safe way, here's what I did in the BIOS:
Locked Multiplier to 9.0x
Locked FSB to 400MHz
Locked DDR to DDR2-801MHz, so 1:1 (at stock FSB ot 333, DDR2-800MHz appears, but at 400MHz, it's 801. Didn't think any of it)
Locked PCIE to 100MHz
Locked Memory Timings to 4-4-4-12
Disabled Vanderpool & C1E
Disabled all Spread Spectrum settings
That gave me a 3.6GHz fully stable running Prime95 for 8+ hours with no errors and temperatures stabilized at 46C
then I looked at CPU-Z & HWMonitor... Vcore was at 1.225V... I thought that was a bit high to my liking. I hadn't touched the VCore in the BIOS, so I'm guessing the MB auto-compensated somehow for more FSB and thought it necessary to overvolt it on it's own. I'm guessing the BIOS setting was over 1.3V considering that damned Vdroop.
I went back, forced a low 1.14 if I remember, and XP would bluescreen. I ramped it up all the way to 1.17 and XP booted but Prime95 would give an error in less than 2 minutes. Ramped it up some more with more Prime95 and found that 1.2V was the correct setting for a 8+ hour Prime95 stress test. This gave my a CPU-Z & HWMonitor VCore of 1.14. I don't understand the whole thing about Vdroop, I just know it's there, and it's for $$$ purposes using cheaper MB parts and that a lot of people try and kill the Vdroop with that pencil mod; I didn't go there at all.
1) Do my numbers seem alright up to now? 3.6GHz, 1.20V BIOS, 1.14V Windows, 43C after 8+ hours of Prime95
The next step, trying to get more, but I'm not even sure that will be possible because of my RAM, it's PC-6400, so "native" DDR2-800, obviously the 400MHz FSB is a joke for it, going higher is where I can get more points of failures and makes things a headache.
So, I went back in BIOS, tried 422MHz FSB, left it at 1:1 for RAM, loosened timing to 5-5-5-15 (seems like a timing a lot of people use for Oc'ing) and didn't touch the VCore. That didn't even post. Turned down the FSB to 415MHz, still no go. Went to 1.21VCore, still no go.
I'm guessing I'm trying to many different things at the same time, but I'm not sure which one I should take out of the picture. Should I relax timing to something much higher like 8-8-8-20 and focus on CPU, then turn down timings? Should I focus on FSB only going 1MHz increments at a time until it crashes, then raise VCore & even losen timing if that doesn't work?
I'm @ work right now, thought I would get confirmation/tips while I'm here and put those to good use when I'm back home. Not sure I wanna waste another full night of trying to OC a system another ~200MHz or so when it's rock solid at 600MHz running at lowest DDR timings.
Any suggestions greatly appreaciated, thank you!
Now, I'll also state that I'm extremely happy with the CPU running stock (MASSIVE upgrade from my socket 939 4000+!), even happier with a 600MHz overclock needing all of 30 seconds worth of BIOS settings (following the C2D sticky'ed guide)
All I'm looking for is the possibility to get higher in a safe way, here's what I did in the BIOS:
Locked Multiplier to 9.0x
Locked FSB to 400MHz
Locked DDR to DDR2-801MHz, so 1:1 (at stock FSB ot 333, DDR2-800MHz appears, but at 400MHz, it's 801. Didn't think any of it)
Locked PCIE to 100MHz
Locked Memory Timings to 4-4-4-12
Disabled Vanderpool & C1E
Disabled all Spread Spectrum settings
That gave me a 3.6GHz fully stable running Prime95 for 8+ hours with no errors and temperatures stabilized at 46C
then I looked at CPU-Z & HWMonitor... Vcore was at 1.225V... I thought that was a bit high to my liking. I hadn't touched the VCore in the BIOS, so I'm guessing the MB auto-compensated somehow for more FSB and thought it necessary to overvolt it on it's own. I'm guessing the BIOS setting was over 1.3V considering that damned Vdroop.
I went back, forced a low 1.14 if I remember, and XP would bluescreen. I ramped it up all the way to 1.17 and XP booted but Prime95 would give an error in less than 2 minutes. Ramped it up some more with more Prime95 and found that 1.2V was the correct setting for a 8+ hour Prime95 stress test. This gave my a CPU-Z & HWMonitor VCore of 1.14. I don't understand the whole thing about Vdroop, I just know it's there, and it's for $$$ purposes using cheaper MB parts and that a lot of people try and kill the Vdroop with that pencil mod; I didn't go there at all.
1) Do my numbers seem alright up to now? 3.6GHz, 1.20V BIOS, 1.14V Windows, 43C after 8+ hours of Prime95
The next step, trying to get more, but I'm not even sure that will be possible because of my RAM, it's PC-6400, so "native" DDR2-800, obviously the 400MHz FSB is a joke for it, going higher is where I can get more points of failures and makes things a headache.
So, I went back in BIOS, tried 422MHz FSB, left it at 1:1 for RAM, loosened timing to 5-5-5-15 (seems like a timing a lot of people use for Oc'ing) and didn't touch the VCore. That didn't even post. Turned down the FSB to 415MHz, still no go. Went to 1.21VCore, still no go.
I'm guessing I'm trying to many different things at the same time, but I'm not sure which one I should take out of the picture. Should I relax timing to something much higher like 8-8-8-20 and focus on CPU, then turn down timings? Should I focus on FSB only going 1MHz increments at a time until it crashes, then raise VCore & even losen timing if that doesn't work?
I'm @ work right now, thought I would get confirmation/tips while I'm here and put those to good use when I'm back home. Not sure I wanna waste another full night of trying to OC a system another ~200MHz or so when it's rock solid at 600MHz running at lowest DDR timings.
Any suggestions greatly appreaciated, thank you!