Q9300 3 GHz voltage

So I have a Q9300 at 3.00 Ghz with 400 fsb.


Currently my voltage is at "auto" in bios.

At 1.25 vcore, Prime 95 blend, Real Temp detects 80 c temperature.

That's hot I think so I put it to "auto vcore" at 3 Ghz and ran Prime 95 for a day. Still alive so stable I think.

During Prime 95 on auto vcore, CPU Z says my vcore is 1.064. My temps are mid 70s.

During games though, I get random freezes after a while like say an hour in.
.
Back on default vcore and fsb, 2.5 Ghz, everything is fine after an hour playing the same game.





What manual voltage should I set my Q9300 at 3 Ghz? Or where should I start?

+1 to the above, especially getting a new heat sink.

As you already have your desired 3Ghz overclock and just need to get the proper voltage, do the following:

-Use Coretemp to locate your CPU's VID.
-Set the VID as your vCore in the BIOS.
-Using prime95 or another program test for stability. If you are stable, lower the vCore one setting and try again. If unstable, raise the vCore one setting and try again.
-Once you locate the edge of stability, raise the vCore one setting and call it a day.

This will not solve your overheating problem, only better cooling will, but it will reduce your energy consumption, increase your stability, lower your temps and increase the longevity of the chip.

All right people I know how to overclock but I'm experiencing technical difficulties with my Q9300.

Therefore, I hate it.

The problem is the vcore I set in bios is not being applied even when on full load.

CPU-Z and BIOS both ALWAYs report the vcore is at 1.08 yet VID says the minimum vcore is 1.125 LIKE WTF.

I want my vcore to be 1.125 BUT IT ALWAYS STAYS AT GOD DAMN 1.08.

The problem is my CPU is not receiving the voltage it needs therefore during games, it freezes every 5 seconds.


Something's FREAKING wrong with it and I'm pissed off at my Q9300.

Alright, I have the latest CPU-Z, 1.51, and I found out that I have to raise my voltage 0.08 above the voltage I want during 100% load.

So example I want at least 1.25 during load, I set in bios 1.33.


Turns out I experiencing "vdroop"; some safety precaution built into most motherboards. It lowers your damn voltage below something to avoid voltage spikes.

Its a load of bull to me because games are not stable at 3.00 GHz unless I ACTUALLY have at least 1.25 vcore. THAT IS WHY I HATE MY Q9300.

Its a small 0.5 overclock AND I'M HAVING SO MUCH FREAKING TROUBLE WITH IT.

Vdroop is normal, you need better cooling to get the overclock you want. 2.5Ghz to 3.0Ghz, isn't as easy as you want it to be, especially with your cooling. Try 1.35, it's within the limits, you just happen to have a chip that runs hot and loves more voltage. I have an E8400 that needs 1.36 volts for just 3.6Ghz, and nearly 1.4V for 4.05Ghz, something that some people have done with <1.3V.( And I can't run it at 4Ghz in the summer because of temps) You may have an older stepping, like what my E8400 is, the first stepping, which tends to be "more" stubborn with overclocking and requires much more voltage/makes much more heat than the newer steppings.

Not to mention: There are other voltages other than the Vcore that you may need to change, look into them as well.

Overall I kinda just want to say: Deal with it. Sorry but......it is what it is.

Vdroop is technically your friend, because if you didn't have it you would probably be here complaining to us "My damn motherboard fried my Q9300, shouldn't they have some ^&*^&$* feature to stop that?!"

Alright, I recently ordered a OCZ Vendetta which I read gives very good performance for the price. $33 CAD


Also purchased another 120 mm fan from Ultra to suck in more cool air from the front of my Sonata II case.

Hopefully my 100% load temperature will decrease from 85 c to at around 65 c.

It'll come in the mail by tomorrow hopefully.