Please help me overclock my Q9550 setup

[Kaepora]

Hi,
I recently assembled the following computer:
Intel Q9550 (Currently running at stock 2.83GHz)
2x2GB Super Talent DDR3-1333MHz RAM (Amounting to a total of 4GB)
Intel MB DX38BT (With latest firmware update)
nVidia GTX 260

I'd like to overclock the CPU but have absolutely no idea what settings I should use and just how much I should overclock it since I'm COMPLETELY new to overclocking. Can anyone here please help?

Thanks!

 

[JuiceJones]

http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/mainboards/display/intel-dx38bt_7.html

In the "Processor Overrides" menu, set "Host Clock Frequency Override" to manual, and adjust the FSB. The Q9550 has an 8.5 multiplier, so your clockspeed will be whatever you set the FSB x 8.5.

If you're using the stock cooler, I doubt you'll be able to go very high, but just to test the waters, try FSB 376 for 3.2GHz. That should be safe with stock cooler and voltage.

Then you're going to have to go to "Memory Configurations" and pick a memory setting that keeps your RAM running as close to 1333 speeds as possible.

That should help you get the basic settings of your motherboard down. To get more advanced, tweaking voltages, monitoring temperatures, and adjusting memory timings, there are plenty of thorough guides I'm sure someone would be glad to point you to.

You have a very nice system there, good luck with your first overclocking attempts, you'll never not do it once you have it down!

 

[Guest]

look at all the guides on this site and MANY others

I'm sorry for being so quick/harsh but a simple word into a google... Overclocking... provides many results... if you want to be knowledgeable about computers do the research yourself instead of relying upon other people

however i can contribute that the q9550 is a great overclocker... i have mine at 3.85 ghz (will push farther once i get water) and one of the best heatsinks (that doesn't cost a small fortune) is the xigamatek s1283 on newegg also use mx-2 thermal paste as i get lower load temps (the temperature that matters) with it then i did with arctic silver

 

[Kaepora]

Thanks JuiceJones, I'll try a light overclocking and report my results!
Oh, and I should note that my CPU fansink is actually a Thermaltake V1.

 

[Kaepora]

http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/mainboards/display/intel-dx38bt_7.html

In the "Processor Overrides" menu, set "Host Clock Frequency Override" to manual, and adjust the FSB. The Q9550 has an 8.5 multiplier, so your clockspeed will be whatever you set the FSB x 8.5.

If you're using the stock cooler, I doubt you'll be able to go very high, but just to test the waters, try FSB 376 for 3.2GHz. That should be safe with stock cooler and voltage.

Then you're going to have to go to "Memory Configurations" and pick a memory setting that keeps your RAM running as close to 1333 speeds as possible.

That should help you get the basic settings of your motherboard down. To get more advanced, tweaking voltages, monitoring temperatures, and adjusting memory timings, there are plenty of thorough guides I'm sure someone would be glad to point you to.

You have a very nice system there, good luck with your first overclocking attempts, you'll never not do it once you have it down!

I've set the FSB to 377 and everything seems fine (CPU threshold is at idle no less than 63c!), but I had no idea what to do with the memory settings. The memory speed was already at 1333MHz so I left it at that, but I couldn't figure out how to manually adjust the memory. Where can I get info about that?

Thank you!