Q6600 OC Issues

So, although I have overclocked before on several occasions I suppose you could still call me a novice. I'm currently running an XFX 780i board w/ a Q6600 w/ G0 Stepping which should be pretty overclockable. I'm also using a Xigmatek HST1283 in an Antec 900 Case cooled by 4 120mm's and a 200mm fan (3 120's on intake, 120 + 200 exhaust). I had previously done a mild overclock w/ a 1500MHz bus and an 8x CPU multiplier w/ voltages on Auto but now I'm itching for more. Last night I lowered the FSB to 1440 but upped the multiplier to 9 and left the voltages on Auto which resulted in a CPU-Z reported core voltage of 1.400v which dropped to 1.368v under load. Problem is, I've been told that's too high and also, after I left Prime95 running for 10 hours with no errors I came back and checked temps (using HWMonitor) and they were at 91C which is WAY hotter than they should be. I can't figure out why temps would be that high given that my CPU cooler is widely considered one of the best. Help please!

EDIT: I got the name of the cooler wrong it's the HDT S1283. Tom's included it in an article here: http://www.tomshardware.com/review [...] 967-2.html

Hi,
I have a Q6600 OC'd to 3.4GHz. I'm a relative novice too but think I can help. I wouldn't leave voltages on auto as it usually overvolts, for instance I have a Vcore of 1.36875 in BIOS for a higher OC.

With regards to your temps: 1. They are impressive! 2. That temp will likely come down when you sort the volts.

CPU coolers are a law unto themselves as so many other factors affect their performance. I'm sure your temps will look a lot better when you button down the volts to minimum needed to be stable.
Good luck
AC

Hi,
I found with my Q6600 that there is a sort of 'voltage hill' that if you go above about 1.4v you fall down the other side into solar flare like temperatures.

It's a game of diminishing returns unless you have water, the more I try to push my CPU over 3.4GHz the more disproportionate the rise in temperature I see. For a 200MHz OC to 3.6 the temperatures idle in the high 50's and would boil the oceans on a Prime95 test if I let it, whereas at 3.4 they sit at about 40c maxing in the mid 60's on Prime. I'm sat atop my voltage hill at 3.4

There is a post somewhere about the exponential rise in temp per voltage increase but I have forgotten where it is but there might be something in Computronix's excellent guide but I don't have time to look at the mo.

Good luck though, it's bloody addictive this overclocking lark isn't it!
AC

Well I was using CoreTemp but I switched to HWMonitor since it also showed GPU and chipset temps, it's on CPUID's website if you wanna take a look. And that's interesting about the voltage hill, and makes sense. I'll reseat the cooler and start lowering the voltages and keeping my fingers crossed.

Getting there then you think? Good luck peddling up your voltage hill
AC