Please Help with OCing a GA-G31M-ES2L mobo with an E5200 chip

[massivepepper]

Hello gurus,


I'm starting the process of overclocking my Wolfdale and am printing out the first dozen pages of the sticky guide as my instructions. This guide is not exactly current and I'm wondering if there is anything I should know concerning my specific OC project?

I'd like to get things up to at least 3.5 MHz and from what I've read this shouldn't be a problem.


I've changed the title of this thread to more accurately describe the problem I'm encountering with my overclock project. As it stands now I am somewhat befuddled by a series of threads I have read describing difficulty making these two components work together for an overclock. I've also seen benchmarks of people getting 4.0 GHz with this CPU/mobo setup, and I would be happy with just 3.6 GHz.

There appears to an issue of not being able to get a 1:1 FSB/DRAM ratio with this particular mother board, though there appears to be some way to fix this by either using DDR2 1066 RAM or introducing "mods" to the project.

Can anyone shed some light on this?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Shadow703793]

3.5Mhz? :lol:

1. List full specs

2. Yes, with a good cooler can OC to 3-3.8Ghz.

 

[massivepepper]

Yes, sorry about that.


Intel 5200 2.5 GHz
Gigabyte GA-G31M-ES2L
Corsair 2x 2GB DDR2 800
Radeon HD 3870 512 MB 256-bit
Sunbeam 120 mm CR-CCTF HSF
WD Caviar Black 640 HD
Antec BP430 PSU/ Antec 300 case



This system was built with overclocking in mind, with Skora's assistance

3.5Mhz? :lol:

You laugh at my megahertz....woops

 

[freezed1]

Hi, i don't understand this thread? are you asking people for their overclocking experience with the e5200, or you want help overclocking yours to 3.5ghz? let us know

 

[massivepepper]

Hi, i don't understand this thread?

Mostly I'm interested in learning how to overclock my own chip. From what I've gathered my mobo/CPU combo is well primed for overclocking and that the heat sink fan will support an overclock of at least 3.5 GHz.

I'm sorry for thinking out loud its just that I've been trying to get this project started for the past day and my mind is mush from trying to learn this whole process. I guess I'm looking for the FSB multliplier/ Vcore settings that I should apply so that I can start the stress testing.

Which variable do I start upping first? FSB mulitiplier? Vcore?

First things first, I'm trying to go through the guide and am making note of all the BIOS changes that need to be done.

I suppose I'm looking for some reassurance that this can be done.

 

[massivepepper]

I'm sorry, God, I sound so needy.

I'm just am really excited about the idea of being able to play Crysis and if I could only get this overclocking project at least initially completed. There seems to be a fair amount of tweaking that goes on after a while.

After reading through the guide and looking here
http://www.ocforums.com/showthread.php?t=606278

it seems I just make sure the PC1-E is set to auto (don't want to fry the GPU) and turn off the energy saving features of the BIOS initially. They seem to disrupt the true readings of vCore temps. Then I just increase the FSB by 10 MHz increments at a time.

I'm having an extreme case of answering my own own questions immediately after I ask them, so please bear with me as I flood this forum with chunks of text.

 

[Shadow703793]

Read: http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/forum2.php?config=tomshardwareus.inc&cat=29&post=245679&page=1&p=1&sondage=0&owntopic=3&trash=0&trash_post=0&print=0&numreponse=0&quote_only=0&new=0&nojs=0
Your settings (as in name/function) should be smiler.

 

[massivepepper]

Read: http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/forum2.php?config=tomshardwareus.inc&cat=29&post=245679&page=1&p=1&sondage=0&owntopic=3&trash=0&trash_post=0&print=0&numreponse=0&quote_only=0&new=0&nojs=0
Your settings (as in name/function) should be smiler.

Thank you, for this post, i believe this is exactly what I am looking for! I've finally entered BIOS and am having a hard time understanding what all these settings are for. Things are not as user-friendly as I first thought they would be, either that or my brain fatigue is making me miss what's right under my nose. If only there were a handy-dandy guide that discussed the workings of my own specific mother board's BIOS....oh wait!!

It's right here!

First I need to go chill out, and go for a popsicle run on my bike. Then return, with popsicles in hand, to ravage this mobo guide.

P.S. What do you mean "smiler"? Another jab at my n00bishness? (Not that I won't suffer a little humiliation in order for some great gaming )

 

[freezed1]

Hi, i had an e5200 running @ 3.8ghz but itwas real hot but stable
here were my settings

multiplier @ 12.5
vcore @ 1.45v
fsb @ 1220 or 305*4
fsb voltage 1.4v
nb voltage 1.4v
memory was @ 1000mhz with 5-5-5-15 timings and 2.2v
i turned of all other stuff like virtulization

hopefull this helps, i dont have my e5200 any more or i could have helped you more. Gl

 

[Shadow703793]

P.S. What do you mean "smiler"?

Smiler as in function NOT settings value (ie. you will have a different number for FSB,multi).

Things are not as user-friendly

Much more user firendly now than back in the Tbird days.

 

[massivepepper]

Smiler as in function NOT settings value (ie. you will have a different number for FSB,multi).

I think what you are actually trying to say is that they're similar, no? They are alike, but different. Because the guide you sent me is for a different mother board series than the one I am trying to use.

Well, my searches have led me to believe that I may have some trouble with over-clocking this G31M-ES2L motherboard after all. It may be doable, but it isn't going to be easy.

Somewhere I read, that this board is decent at overclocking, but that it is somewhat limiting in that it can't give a 1:1 FSB/DRAM ratio...rather only 1:2.66 I believe I read. This introduces some difficulty to getting high CPU speeds at stable conditions. There is an issue of the DDR2 800 vs. DDR2 1066 and how the 1066 is a little more conducive to overcoming the ratio problem. I'm a little fuzzy on the details here, but I believe this is the gist of it.

Then there is the possibility of modding the CPU to fool the mobo into thinking it has different multipliers or something, using electrical tape and a special kind of ink applied to certain points.

Ughhh...I will post the exact citations to be more precise or just edit this post as I want to get to the bottom of this after all.

Someone has already posted on Tom's showing their frustration with overclocking with the kinds of components that I have and unfortunately it seems to have gone unsolved.
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/252646-29-overclock-e5200-g31m-es2l


Where do I go from here? I will search down those websites concerning the FSB/DRAM ratio and DDR2 800/1066 issues to clarify some more; then hopefully I can't make some progress. Anyone with any suggestions, please let me know about them.

 

[massivepepper]

It could be that all the reports I've read of the E5200 and GA-G31M-E2L overclocking successes utilize DDR2 1066 RAM as this person seems to do:

http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/253070-29-e5200-gigabyte-g31m-es2l-match-made-heaven

(I wonder what will be cheaper, buying a new mobo, or upgrading my RAM? Which could I resell? I'd rather not tinker with modding if I don't have to...)

 

[massivepepper]

Could someone comment on this statement from

http://www.goldfries.com/hardware-reviews/gigabyte-g31m-es2l-motherboard-review/

The board is good for overclocking BUT there’s a huge limitation on the FSB:RAM ratio setting as it does not allow 1:1 ratio. Flashing to the latest BIOS didn’t help either.

Gigabyte G31M-ES2L Motherboard Review

The lowest ratio I could get was 1:2.66, that’s like 3:4 so if the system runs at 1333 FSB (333mhz) then the RAM would already be at 888mhz DDR speed.

That affects the headroom quite a fair bit, you need at DDR2 1066 RAM just to run at 1600 FSB while motherboards with 1:1 ratio could do it with DDR2 800 RAM.

While the lack of 1:1 FSB:RAM ratio was limiting, the features are more than enough for overclocking purpose and only those who crave more detailed settings may be disappointed.

Also here is a link to the BSEL mods I referred to:

http://www.overclock.net/intel-cpus/341123-intel-bsel-vid-mod-guide.html

 

[massivepepper]

Hi, i had an e5200 running @ 3.8ghz but itwas real hot but stable
here were my settings

multiplier @ 12.5
vcore @ 1.45v
fsb @ 1220 or 305*4
fsb voltage 1.4v
nb voltage 1.4v
memory was @ 1000mhz with 5-5-5-15 timings and 2.2v
i turned of all other stuff like virtulization

hopefull this helps, i dont have my e5200 any more or i could have helped you more. Gl

You don't remember the kind of RAM you used, do you? Or the FSB/DRAM ratio that you set for these settings? Perhaps I could introduce more fans to the case to accommodate for a hot CPU--the Antec 300 has slots for two large fans in the front and another on the side. I think they are all 120 mm or close to it. It also has an intake and exhaust fan centered around the CPU, which itself has an aftermarket HSF that despite its difficulty mounting, may help cool things better.

 

[freezed1]

Hi, i am using a DDR 2 800Mhz , it can OC to 1100 with proper timings and voltages. This specific memory module is G.skill micron d9, they dont make these any more (2 expensive to make) but there are some real nice 4gb modules under 50 bux. the Case i am using is a Haf 932 and the cpu cooling is custom H2O.

i set my fsb / ram as unlinked from my motherboard, your motherboard might not support this feature. my ram Ran at 1000Mhz while the Fsb ran @ 1200MHz, so technically the FSB:RAM was 6:5.

 

[Shadow703793]

I think what you are actually trying to say is that they're similar, no? They are alike, but different. Because the guide you sent me is for a different mother board series than the one I am trying to use.

What I'm saying is your functions for example FSB will always increase FSB on both boards, BUT your value (as in the number you enter) will be different.

@OP:

1. Set SPD to lowest value possible
2. Set Multiplier to 12.5
3. Set FSB to 240 (to get 3Ghz).
4. Set CPU voltage to 1.38-1.43v. (Depends on your CPU)

 

[massivepepper]

What I'm saying is your functions for example FSB will always increase FSB on both boards, BUT your value (as in the number you enter) will be different.

I'm having some difficulty understanding these directions. Could someone please look at these photos and suggest a protocol I can use to overclock this chip?


BIOS Homepage


Advanced BIOS features


MB Intelligent Tweaker Part 1 (with advanced features)


MB Intelligent Tweaker Part 2 (w/ advanced feat.)


PC Health Status


Power Management Setup

 

[Matthew Kane]

Go into M.B Intelligent Tweaker. Enable CPU Host Clock Control. CPU Host Frequency will be open for you to adjust, move arrows onto it and Hit Enter, default is 200, increase it by 10MHZ each time, like type in 210 and then quit out that and Save Changes and Exit. Check and see if you POST (most likely you will) and load into Windows stably. Stress Test for stability with programs like Prime 95, OCCT 3.1 and Intel Burn Test. If stable, go back into BIOS and increase same by another 10 and test for stability. (Run the stress testing programs for about 10 mins, as you've got a small overclock)

Keep doing this and if you hit a wall, BSODs and doesn't post, you got to either change RAM:CPU ratios (sync or async) and timings with that and + more voltages. But tell us when you have hit one those situations. Remember small increments only, don't take a large leap and put in big numbers or add lots of power. Theres also a overclock guide in the Overclock Sub section. Check that out if you need some more help or simply post here.

 

[massivepepper]

Thank you MK.

I will follow through with exactly what you said and post my results here.

Again, thank you.

 

[skora]

Hey MP,

Those screen shots help alot for stuff like this. I'll muddle through what I see that may help.

Overclocking is going to hit a wall somewhere. Knowing what that wall will be for you is good to have figured out now. Possible walls are:

Voltage - The more voltage you pump in, the less life your chip will have. There's no reliable source to say what is fine long term voltages. Anything you hear will be an opinion and nothing more. 1.45v is the absolute max you should go as that's intels spec for suicide meltdown. My opinion is that your chip life will be very much effected at that voltage. Intel warranties the chip up through 1.3625v. If you don't want any diminished life of the chip (4+ years, but again, opinion) or void your warranty, then thats safe. I figured the chip wil be fine for a long life at 1.38v-1.4v and set that as my max and get as much speed out of the chip at that voltage. At 1.4v, I didn't get much more speed than 1.37, so I backed it down since the extra voltage, didn't really add extra speed. 100mhz isn't going to be very noticable.

Max Speed - There is the moving target of max OC possible, disregarding life of the chip. Higher temps with higher voltages and requires the most amount of tweaking.

Target Speed - Whatever your target OC is that is enough and more is just bragging rights, then set the target. If you can get there on stock voltages and temp are great, then consider going higher. I started with a target of 4.0 ghz, but my chip is stubborn. I could boot into windows at 4.0 with 1.44v, but as noted above, its an unacceptable long term voltage.

Temps: As you increase voltage, you're temps will go up. So you might set your fan on at a noise level and keep increasing the voltage till the temps get to a level thats a max comfort level for you.


First thing that jumps out at me, is the PCIe frequency. Set that to 100 also for now. The less variables to play with the better. Most things are better set to auto, but that's not one of them.

Robust Graphics Booster: Off for now.

Enable the fan and temp warnings. Layers of safety are good.

Just like the PCIe frequency, take the Ram off auto. Underclock it! Set it under the 800mhz at whatever FSB you're at. We'll worry about the optimal settings later.

Now to do the actual overclock, set the CPU Host clock control to On. If the OC fails, this will automatically reset the CMOS so you can boot back up without having to manually reset the CMOS. This doesn't always work, so be sure to research how to manually do this.

That should bring back the option to up the CPU Host Frequency. AKA FSB.

Now depending on what the limiting factor will be for you, you can jump higher than just 10 mhz at a time. That will take forever as that would be 9 prime95 runs to get to 3.6ghz. I'd start at 280, then 300, then 320. At 12.5, you'll probably fail the 320 setting as that would be 4.0 ghz. Once you fail to boot, back it off 10, then try again. If it boots, run p95. Record your temps, FSB, and multiplier. Once you figure out what the max FSB is at 12.5 well see if thats enough of an OC for you or continue the process.

 

[Matthew Kane]

Here you can also refer to this as well

http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/240001-29-howto-overclock-quads-duals-guide

 

[Shadow703793]

Try these settings:

C1E/EIST: Disable

Robust Graphics: Disable
CPU Clock: 12x
Fine clock: .5x
CPU Clock Control: Enable
PCIe: 100
CPU Host: 240
Performance Enhance: Standard
System Mem Multi: 2
DRM Timing: Auto
CPU Voltage: Unknown; what are your options there? Try around 1.3v

edit: Your BIOS look very smiler to the P35-DS3L so you can follow that guide.

 

[massivepepper]

Thank you Skora and Shadow# for your suggestions--I'm starting my overclock now.

I'm curious to know how much I should change my fan speeds, especially the fan for the HSF. Is this something I should be thinking about later when I go to fine tune the overclock?

Thanks.

 

[skora]

What is going to be the wall on your overclock? If noise has any factor at all, set the fan to the loudest you want it then start the process.

 

[massivepepper]

So far...

I've disabled robust graphics boost, set PCI-E at 100, system memory multiplier (SPD) to 2.66--the only options are auto, 2.66, 3.33, and 4.0+--, set the system voltage control to auto (the BIOS suggests I do that when I enable CPU host clock control.

I've tried setting the CPU host frequency (a.k.a. FSB) to 280 to begin with giving me a 3.5 GHz overclock--(280x12.5=3.5 GHz) and was able to boot windows and search around for the prime95 program before the computer reset on me.

So I brought the FSB down to 260 and wasn't able to load windows. After a second go at this level, I loaded windows, but it soon crashed and reset after a minute or so. All of this before I could even locate the stress testing program.