Help needed with OC - E8400/Maximus Extreme

[nights]

Hi all,

I need some help with OC of my CPU - E8400 (C0 stepping) on Asus Maximus Extreme with Corsair DDR3-1333 RAM (TWIN3X2048-1333C9 - 4 sticks each 1GB)

Standard settings are:

Clock Ratio: 9X
CPU Freq: 3.0Ghz
PCI E Frequency: 100Mhz
FSB: 333Mhz

DRAM Settings set on manual as specs
DRAM: DDR3-1333
Timings: 9-9-9-24
DRAM Voltage: 1.52V (in Bios - normal in OS 1.6V)

CPU VCore: 1.225 as VID
NB: 1,42V on AUTO

What I want to achieve is to OC to 3.6 Ghz on voltage not higher than 1,36V on CPU. While trying to do that I set the DRAM settings not changed on manual. Speedstep, E1 disabled. Spectrums disabled. FSB up to 400Mhz and trying to put higher the CPU voltage (so far i tried to put it up to 1,32V). Everything else on AUTO.

The results: Can't even go beyond the starting screen of XP - PC restart itself, stops with blank screen or gives BSOD (such as BAD_CONFIG_SYSTEM_INFO and some others).

Temps are not the issue - even on 1,32V CPU has around 40C - CPU is cooled through Asus Silent Knight II.

When trying to lover the DRAM Freq to 1280Mhz or 1267Mhz I can't even POST - DET DRAM upon startup. So I would prefer to leave the RAM on 1333Mhz.

Should I try to increase the CPU voltage more? Any suggestions will be welcomed. Thx

 

[RJR]

OK,

Do you have CPU-Z? Coretemp or Realtemp? Prime95,Intel Burn or OCCT?

Make sure and monitor your temps^. Your cooler is OK, but not one of the better
ones.

http://www.frostytech.com/articleview.cfm?articleid=2260&page=4

I could tell you to start at stock and work your way up, testing after each time you raise something, but that doesn't seem to work for people anymore.

So, we'll just go for 400 Mhz FSB, YES raise your vcore to the max (1.3625) you want to use. Take all your settings off AUTO (FSB,FSB strap,NBv,vtt,pll,Dramv,GTL) and set to there default settings. Set your Ram to stock settings in Bios (9-9-9-24 & what ever voltage the manufacturer says).

Try it while monitoring your temps (coretemp,realtemp), then stress test (intelburn/Prime95/OCCT) while still monitoring your temps.

Bump up voltages as needed for stability. You shouldn't need more than 1.4v NB, 1.2v vtt, 1.5v pll but every board/chip is different. If it doesn't work, start lowering your FSB until it's stabile, it's a trial and error thing.

 

[calinkula]

Are you sure your RAM speeds don't change when you up the FSB?

 

[Humps 99 c230k]

man i'm sure glad i have the e0 stepping e8400....i have it running at 3.6ghz at a vcore of only 1.15.....my vid is 1.25 according to coretemp.

 

[nights]

Calinkula: Yes, I'm sure cause I set it manually to DDR3-1334 - 2T and the timings 9-9-9-24.

RJR: Yes, I have all these programs - but if I cannot start windows when OC - have no use of them at all. As I see my cooler is in the middle of the stack - as I have no intention to go above 3.6 on air - it should be fine.

I will try raise the vcore to 1.3625 and see if I can run th XP - then try to test it - if not then I will have to try starting at stock and raising the FSB a bit every time as you said - but it's a bit slow procedure. I didnn't thought that i will have such a problem with OC this CPU

 

[japps2]

nights,

I have the same board and most setting have to be set manually...cannot trust auto. You shouldn't have to up your CPU voltage...just your nb and increase your fsb to 400MHz. I think this is the ONLY way you can overclock with a non-extreme CPU. The Maximus Extreme is a sensitive board though...NB and SB chips run hot...so before I watercooled I was having some problems with fsb stability at 400MHz. after searching around I found this was common for this board.

there are also forums better for overclocking with tutorials like overclockers.net.

 

[nights]

Thanks for answer japps2 - I hope you will be able to help me more cause I found out what is the reason I couldn't load even the OS while OC. It is because this sh...ty MOBO - next time I will consider twice before buying Asus Mobo again.

The issue is as follows: while OC I set the FSB to 400Mhz, DRAM Freq to DDR3-1334, set manually timings and 2T for RAM. But I always left the FSB to NB Freq on AUTO - normally without OC AUTO means 333MHz, but in this case while OC it was set automatically to 200MHz - no wonder it didn't worked. The next problem out of it - when I set the FSB to NB to 333MHz manually - I am not able to set the DRAM Freq to 1333MHz because there is no such option - I can only choose between 1280MHz (this speed is unacceptable for my Corsair RAM - DET DRAM upon Startup) and 1600Mhz - what is as well not an option.

In order to have both DRAM Freq and FSB to NB as wished so 1333Mhz and 333Mhz I have to put the FSB up to 416MHz what is a bit high for me - with Vcore 1,3 it is starting to OS but fails in OCCT after 2 minutes with temp on CPU within 52-56 degrees on full load.

So my question is how can I set in BIOS three things alltogether manually - DRAM 1333Mhz, FSB to NB 333Mhz and FSB 400MHz - it comes with ease on other motherboards but not on Maximus Extreme???

 

[japps2]

nights,

I'll check on some of the settings tonight when I get home (at work now). the board's not bad, just "tempermental". and you do have 2 full x16 PCe slots if you're going to crossfire. But overall...yes, it sucks for setting up. If left in "auto" almost everything was way off. First time I set it up my fsb at auto was coming in at 475MHz...which is why it was crashing within 2 minutes.

if I remember right, there are several ways to OC with that board. (it's been 6 months since I messed with it) I would set the vcore voltage, the nb voltage and dram voltage manually. Then set the fsb to 400...try leaving the ram timing to auto... also, make sure your bios is up to date. I think 1102 and older had issues with the fsb timing.

 

[japps2]

nights,

another good forum is ASUS' own for the Maximus Extreme...

http://vip.asus.com/forum/topic.aspx?board_id=1&model=Maximus%20Extreme&SLanguage=en-us

 

[japps2]

nights,

So I looked into my settings. The thing is I have an extreme chip that has a native 400MHz fsb. your CPU is native 333MHz fsb. When you are in the bios and change the fsb to 333...you can select 1333 ram as an option in the ram pulldown. But, when you select 400 as the fsb, 1333 is not an option. 1201, 1600 etc,.. is, but not 1333. So it has to be with the native frequecy of your cpu and the ratio. You are overtaxing your RAM, not you cpu in this case. So upping the voltage on your cpu is doing nothing to solve the problem.

basically, I you cannot overclock the cpu without overclocking the ram with a non-extreme chip. (because you cannot change the multiplier on the cpu). So the only way you can have a 400MHz fsb and a 3.6GHz cpu...is to have ram that can take 1600MHz. (400MHz fsb x 4 for ddr2/ddr3). When you are upping your fsb...it's you ram that is blowing out...try upping your ram voltage and see if you can get you ram to handle 1600MHz...otherwise, I think that you won't be able to overclock. Also, you are running 4x1gb ram modules...it's much harder to get 4 dimms to overclock than 2. you can pull 2 out and only run 2gb (use the blue ram-slots) and see if you can overclock to 1600MHz.

 

[RJR]

Nights, read these:

http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/249211-28-e8400-maximum-extreme-overclocked-4ghz-temps-change

http://techgage.com/article/intel_core_2_duo_e8400_30ghz_-_wolfdale_arrives/11


You don't need DDR3-1600 memory to OC your system, use the 400 strap.

 

[nights]

japps2: I would still prefer to use all 4 GB of my RAM - no sense for me to OC with less RAM on board. I'm quite sure my RAM won't accept the 1600MHz - I can't make it to run anything else that 1333.

RJR: when setting the FSB to NB strap to 400Mhz there is still no option for RAM Freq 1333 - only 1600Mhz as usual. Thanks for the links - I will try to set the FSB to 416Mhz - so the CPU to 3,76 Ghz and upping the NB voltage as in the thread to 1,55v - maybe then I will have some stability on this OC.

 

[japps2]

Nights,

I feel your pain on using all 4gb of ram with the cost of ddr3, but when you put in the 3rd and 4th dimm it stresses out the motherboard. This is common to all motherboards not just the Maximus Extreme. Not only that, but in most cases using the same timing when you go from 2 dimms to 4 dimms you have to change from 1t to 2t. It seems to be a hit or miss if you can overclock the ram to 1600MHz and use all 4 dimms. On the ASUSTek support forum there seems to be people who can't run all 4 dimms and others who can. I'm running (2) 1gb ddr3-1800 and (2) 2gb ddr3-1600 chips for a total of 6gb. I've got it all stable at 7-7-7-20 2t @ 1600MHz. But I feel lucky after reading some of the posts.

 

[RJR]

Nights,
I see that you want to keep your ram running at 1333 mhz, but to do this you have to have a specific FSB speed. It's fine to run your ram a little slower, the 1333 is just the guaranteed max your ram will run at. If the ram will not run slower than that, something is wrong.

The problem is we can't see all your bios settings, so we are just poking and hoping on this end.

To give you an example these are my settings:
E8400 (E0) vcore:1.280v @ 4.140 Ghz.
FSB: 460
NB: 1.4v
Pll: 1.5v
vtt: 1.2v
Dram: 2.1v
PCIe: 100
Fsb-NB strap: 333 (also had it at 400, 333 just a little tighter timings)
Ram at 920 Mhz (1066 Ram) tightened timings (5-4-4-10) 8 Gb's Ram
Gtl Ref's: .59, .63
Ram skew: A: 150 B:0 (both enabled)

You have a newer (better) board than I do so you will have even more adjustments.

The only way I can tell you for sure would be the long way. Clear the CMOS so you are starting fresh, set all voltages manually to there defaults and set the FSB up to 350-360 and test. Keep raising your FSB (5-10 at a time) until it fails and then adjust (one thing at a time) until you now what needed to be upped and continue. Long slow process, but thats the only way you will know what your system wants and needs.

Good luck.

 

[Guest]

Im not sure how relevant this will be to any of you guys but here it goes

I currently have my E8400/ROG/Mushkin Silverline 1300 2x2gb setup the following

FSB 458mhz * 9
STRAP 400mhz
Vcore 1.3562v
Timings 7-8-9-24
MEMv 1.55v
NB 1.6v
PCIE 118mhz
RAM set +- 1832mhz
PLL 1.5v

I would highly suggest moving your BIOS over to 1302, and use the 8 pin 12v rail on the MB, the amount of power you need to use is crucial and using the full 24v rail will ensure stability

Pretty much everything set to auto, except twister which is on strong

It took a lot of small increments to get that for but its totally worth it
Its pretty anal but only go up by 3/5mhz as its the safest way to max out your current setup
I would suggest investing at least a closed loop for your CPU, and a case that can handle some high airflow

Pay attention to you voltminder leds and PCprobe does help when doing stress tests
With the above setup I had a ful 48 hour run 2 cores 4 threads Prime 95 balanced test with only a max temp reading of 53'c and a vantage CPu score of more 25000+ without a sweat

That being said I have not done much more to it as Im very wary of popping the SB as it only has passive cooling and the radiator is right next to it sending all the heat straight back to the NB and the mosfets

NB temps get as high as 43 on idle and move to about 52 underload just because of the SB, if anything invest in 2 spot cool fans for the SB & NB, though this is going to really turn the case into a bit of a jungle

I was lucky enough to have both the H50 on my CPU and the CM Aquagate just for the NB in a CM 690 II Adv

Hope some of this was helpful