Q6600 Stuck at 2.66 Ghz ...what am i doing wrong?!

Hi

I've just started overclocking my computer...its my first time...i've read the guides on this forum for C2D and Quads...I've been following the guides step by step...but can't get further than 2.66Ghz
First, here's my specs:

XFX 780i Mobo - (Phoenix Award BIOS)
Q6600 @ 2.66ghz
Corsair Dominator 2 x 1Gb PC8500 1066Mhz
Enermax Galaxy 850W

I've disabled: Speedstep, C1E halt, all spread spectrums, Thermal control and everything that im sure needs to be disabled from what the guides say....

PCI-e are set to 100Mhz

I've set the RAM timings to 5-5-5-15 and set the Voltage to 2.0V
(I can't seem to set it to 2.1V without the computer freezing on startup - (freezes before windows logo appears))
I've put DRAM frequency to 1066Mhz
I've set it as unlinked

I've set the FSB voltage at 1.4V -- AND-- I've set CPU voltage at 1.3V

The multiplier is at x9 AND FSB is at 1196

I can't increase the FSB any more without a freeze....


I'm thinking that the CPU voltage might be lacking..but i've already increased it from stock settings up to 1.3V ...most guides say that i'd only really require upping the voltage once I'm at 3.0Ghz ???!


PS Would it be a good idea to "Load Defaults" in the BIOS and start again from scratch??


Any help would be much appreciated thanks!!

Thanks very much...will change the settings in the morning and Prime95 it!

What clock speed are you trying to get to? You should be able to hit 3000mhz simply by increasing the fsb to 1333.

I did and am at 3000mhz on the EVGA 780i with no problems. I think if you go any higher than that then you will need to increase the cpu voltage.

I would reset back to default and start over...

IMHO rubbing peanut butter on your body really helps the OC

and btw you arent in any way bottlenecking your gts. Not at all.

::shakes his head sadly.:: Think! VID = starting Voltage! If its a new chip, its 1.3000 or higher. you cant just place 1.3000 in the BIOS and OC at all. Its prolly lower than your VID, LOL!

Then you have an xfx 780i Mobo! HUGEST VDrop and VDroop in all boards I have personally tested by a Loooooooong shot.

So his poor voltage will have to be high!

Do the pencil mod on the board! It alleviates 50% or more of that damn VDrop/vdroop combo.

--Lupi

Hi

I haven't heard much about this VID before...not sure what its all about but:
VID in Coretemp is 1.300V

1.5v is the safe voltage to get you upto 3.6ghz.dont worry you wont blow anything.the computer will shut itself down if its 2 high.so just be calm and overclock away!

i run a 1.325VID Q6600 at 3.4ghz with 1.525V.its on 24/7 so if that will reassure you.and im on air cooling and you are on water so you will get ewven lower temperature.so its SAFE!!!dont listen to others which telling you to set at lower voltage like 1.3v its just not good when you try to find a stable overclock.

Cheerz..will bear this in mind when i start again tomorrow! I guess im stressing too much about small things lol

Im not sure, but here's another forum thread regarding the mobo's ...I think they are pretty much identical:

http://www.ocforums.com/showthread.php?t=546969

XFX,EVGA and BFG gets reference board build from Nvidia.so technically is the same.only difference is the inconsistant quality control in building there board will differ in overclocking the CPU/mobo.and that goes for everything made like CPU/GPU/Ram everything.