Monitor + Vista don't work after overclock!

[hellic]

Specs:
Intel E8400
Asus Rampage Formula
CORSAIR XMS2 DHX 4GB DDR2 800
Visiontek Radeon 4870
Western Digital 640 GB
Samsung 22x DVD Drive
Cooler Master RC 690 Case
Corsair 750W PSU
Xigmatek 1283 CPU Cooler
5x Scythe SFF21F 120mm fans, 1x CM690 120mm default fan

I can overclock the E8400 to 3.6 GHz on stock voltage without a problem.

The problem is when I try to set the voltage above the stock voltage (that is, more than about 1.2v). When I do this, the monitor says it can't detect any input signals and remains black. The computer turns on, but doesn't load into Vista. I suspect it shows a screen that says the "overclock failed", which is what I get when try to overclock past 410 MHz. I tried using two LCD monitors and tried both VGA and DVI inputs.

So what's wrong? The mobo, the CPU, or the GPU?

Also, if I try to overclock past 400 MHz (3.6 GHz), I get a error message from Windows Boot Manager while booting up: winload.exe can't be found.

 

[Proximon]

What are your core temps at 3.6 GHz in RealTemp?

"The computer turns on, but doesn't load into Vista." What does this mean exactly? Are you getting the BIOS boot info before it goes black?

 

[hellic]

At 3.6 GHz, CPU temp at idle is around 30C while at load the temp jumps to around 45C. Mobo temp goes from 35-40C idle to 50C load.

I'm sorry I didn't explain clearly. When my vcore is 1.2 and the FSB is clocked past 400 MHz, I either get stuck with a BIOS screen with the Intel logo in the lower right corner (I usually get one with the ASUS Rampage Formula logo) that says the same things as my normal BIOS screen (press "Del" to setup BIOS, etc.) or my BIOS loads correctly and the comp tries to boot into Vista, but a "winload.exe" not found error message comes from Windows Boot Manager. What I mean by the Intel BIOS is that the comp is stuck at the screen: nothing I press has any effect and waiting doesn't help either.

All this happened a few days ago and I ended up sticking to a 3.6 GHz OC and started to set my Crossfire instead, so I'm not exactly sure what specific settings are needed to cause these errors, but I'll try OCing again later today (it's rather late) and report back.

 

[Proximon]

Hmm.

This is my P5Q-E and E8400 under full load @3.6:

Seems like our temps are quite similar. Does CPU-Z report your voltage as this high under load? Try prime95.

 

[hellic]

CPU-Z's vcore is actually less than ASUS PCProbe's vcore (1.23 vs 1.26).

Have you tried OCing past 3.6?

 

[Proximon]

I had it up pretty high actually, and I should have taken a screenshot. I had it "running" at 4.8 well enough to last in XP for a few minutes. My problem was the RAM, which does not like anything over 400. (it's OCZ 1066)

I really only want 3.6 though.

That was on auto voltage however, and I don't think I saved any info.

Well, I'm stumped. I would guess it's not actually the voltage that is the problem, but some other setting that your BIOS links to voltage... because you pull more than that under load with no problems.