Frustrating Q6600 OC Problem < please help

[foxdie_01]

I've been running my Q6600 at 3.2ghz for several months, prime tested for 24 hours etc. set at 8 x 400mhz with memory strapped to 1:1 (x2). Voltages were left on auto as my mobo suffers from terrible vdroop, and hoped it might compensate on the fly. Its gigabyte P35 mobo, 8gb Kingston DDR2 1066, artic freezer 7.

Turn it on today and it booted at 8 x 266. which was weird, so i went straight into bios to check the settings and all my settings were there as above. So i thought it must be a fluke, so i rebooted again. and again it booted up at 8 x 266. So i defaulted it all. Boots up at 9 x 266 which is the correct defualt clocks for my cpu. So then i went back into bios to put my proven OC specs in. 8 x 400 etc etc. rebooted again boots back up at 8 x266. It wont even except any increase/or decrease in CPU clock

It appears either my mobo, or cpu is no longer responding to bios changes to the CPU clock. i can change the multiplier, but the changes to the Clock do not take effect - it stays like its locked to 266.

Your help with this overly frustrating problem is much apprecieated. Is my Mobo, or processor at fault?

 

[r_manic]

This just started happening recently? You may want to check all options, including Speedstep, if your BIOS is updated, etc.

It's also possible your CPU is correcting itself to prevent damages. What are your temps?

 

[foxdie_01]

I did default all the settings to make to factory. THen re-disabled everything CIA, Speedstep etc. When it was running 3.2ghz using artic freezer 7 the maxium heat recorded doing the hot stress test on prime was:
core1: 61'c
core2: 62'c
core3: 64'c
core4: 62'c

So nothing adnormal there. The auto voltage control kept the core at about 1.38- drooping down to 1.35v while a little higher than required its not enough to drastically reduce the life of the CPU

I had recently upgraded to 8gb 1066mhz memory, from 4gb 800mhz. Purely because i had the hardware to hand. But it has been stable on that setup for the last 2 months.

Im confused. Im happy to replace the CPU of mobo, but cant afford to do both so need know for deffinate which one is faulty.

 

[jsc]

You rmotherboard is detecting some kind of problem. That's why it drops the FSB back to stock when you try to boot.

"Voltages were left on auto as my mobo suffers from terrible vdroop, and hoped it might compensate on the fly."

That's not what the AUTO setting is for. The AUTO setting programs the voltage regulator on the motherboard to provide a VCORE that matches the CPU VID.

It looks like you sort of lost the CPU lottery and received a CPU with a higher than average VID. A lower VID is better. It gives you more room between the VID and the Intel recommeded maximum of 1.50 volts.

Two suggestions: First put your original memory back. Then change the AUTO setting to 1.40 volts and see what happens. I don't know how well a GA-EP35 handles 4 memory sticks. I am home on vacation away from my desktops so I cannot try 4 sticks and see what happens.

My GA-EP35-DS3P reports about .025 volts of droop at high OC settings (Q6600 OC'd to 3.6 GHZ with TRUE in an Antec 900 case.

3.2 GHz. is a very good place to stop if you are using an ACF7P. (I have one of those too.)

 

[r_manic]

jsc, do you think OP could also try a CMOS reset? Maybe all he has to do is wipe the slate clean.

 

[foxdie_01]

I dubious as i thought bios settings were flashed to eeprom these days not reliant on battery which i thought was now only used to save real time date stamp.

But...

Its appears to have been fixed with a CMOS reset. Back to 3.2ghz

Thanks guys.