Trouble overlocking an E7200 to 3.8

[centuriondk]

Hi everyone,

I apologize for having to bother you all with this but I've read a million and a half articles on overclocking and haven't been able to get my CPU as high as I'd like yet.

I have an E7200 on an Asus 5PQ Pro motherboard. Ram Mushkin Enhanced Blackline 4GB and graphics card is ATI 4870. I have put links to it all below if anyone wants to see the specs.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16835200026
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813131299
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820146785
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814129113

My CPU is currently up to 3.48 with a FSB of 410 and an mlt of 8.5. Whenever I try to up the mlt above 8.5 I get a rounding error in Prime95. My voltage is already at 1.36 (I was planning to work on decreasing it once I got the speed where i wanted it) so I don't think I need to up the voltage anymore. The ram is running at 5-5-5-18 492 mghz. (Improving the ram is on the to do list once I get the CPU speed up) any one with any thoughts on why I can't up the mlt above 8.5? I also can't up my FSB above 410 and now I just saw that even on 410 x 8.5 my second core is failing in prime.

Per CPUID here's my processor stats atm.


Processor 1 ID = 0
Number of cores 2 (max 2)
Number of threads 2 (max 2)
Name Intel Core 2 Duo E7200
Codename Wolfdale
Specification Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo CPU E7200 @ 2.53GHz
Package (platform ID) Socket 775 LGA (0x0)
CPUID 6.7.6
Extended CPUID 6.17
Core Stepping M0
Technology 45 nm
Core Speed 2460.1 MHz
Multiplier x FSB 6.0 x 410.0 MHz
Rated Bus speed 1640.1 MHz
Stock frequency 2533 MHz
Instructions sets MMX, SSE, SSE2, SSE3, SSSE3, SSE4.1, EM64T
L1 Data cache 2 x 32 KBytes, 8-way set associative, 64-byte line size
L1 Instruction cache 2 x 32 KBytes, 8-way set associative, 64-byte line size
L2 cache 3072 KBytes, 12-way set associative, 64-byte line size
FID/VID Control yes
FID range 6.0x - 9.5x
Max VID 1.213 V

TDP Limit 65 Watts

 

[jedimasterben]

Seems to me like you'll need to up the voltage a bit more to get stable.

You can't always overclock to where you want to (I was aiming for 4GHz on my Xeon, got to 3.8), the hardware just sometimes isn't up to it.

Have you tried relaxing your RAM timings? Have you upped the NB voltage?

 

[centuriondk]

I had the NB upper earlier, I don't recall the exact voltage but my bios was showing the text in yellow, which I assume means it was on the higher acceptable range. (I'm not sure if the bios colors are accurate?)

Isn't the maximum recommended voltage for a 45nm chip 1.36? I had it just above that earlier and was still having issues.

I haven't tried relaxing the ram timings yet, I thought 5-5-5-18 was already pretty loose? Should I try dropping it to 6-6-6-18?

 

[jsc]

With an FSB of 410 MHz and a memory clock of 492 MHz, you are overclocking your RAM. And that is probably limiting your CPU overclock.

Set everything back to stock.

Then take your core voltage off Auto and set your memory voltage to factory recommended values. Change the System Memory Multiplier (or whatever your BIOS calls it) from AUTO to 2.00, 2.00B, or 2.00D - whichever you need to set the Memory Frequency to twice the FSB. (Asus uses something called "straps".) Then when you increase the FSB, the memory clock will rise in in proportion with it. At an FSB of 266 MHz, your memory clock should be at 533 MHz. Your memory clock should stay at twice the FSB freq.

Download CPU-Z to check your FSB:RAM ratio. It should be a 1:1 ratio.

Once your FSB:RAM ratio is at 1:1, start increasing your FSB.

Intel's max recommended voltage is 1.3625 volts. Intel's absolute max is 1.45 volts. Keep your load temps under 70 C.

 

[nforce4max]

I have this cpu my self and its a tough one to get the most out of it. First I am using it on a xfx 780i with a zalman cnps 9500 led. My max stable clocks are 3.58ghz and 1.344v not accounting for vdrop. Stock mult, this cpu is very temp sensitive at 3.5ghx+ and have to keep it under 60c but thanks to cheaptel that isn't as straight forward unlike my e6400 which I regret selling. First I ended up taking off the IHS and replacing the crap they used for compound with AS5. That help till 3.6ghz then bumping the volts didn't do much to help due to thermal sensitivity. A new cnps 9500 should be more than enough but nope not even when paired with 4 other fans near it. Case Thermaltake xaser v.

Some good old music for the thread
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9inzaw1Hpk NIGHT TRAIN (original 1952 blues Hit)

 

[centuriondk]

So far temperature hasn't been an issue, the max temp during stress testing so far has been 59. I have set my Ram to a 1:1 ratio manually and increased the core voltage, (CPUID is reading it as 1.384) I also upped the north bridge and south bridge voltages by 1-2 notches. The system seems to be running stably (Played Starcraft 2 beta for a couple of hours with no issues in stability or heat) but one of the cores is still failing in prime after 45 minutes.

I'm currently at 420 bus speed x 8.5 mlt (higher mlt has been hard to maintain without errors in prime) is this just too much? The CPU should be able to handle it from what I've read and what my friend who has the same CPU has acheived on his board, but I can't imagine the voltage needs to go even higher....? From what I was reading a lot of people hitting the 3.6-3.8 area were doing it on a lot less voltage.

The most recent test of prime failed during the 10k sequence. Does failing during the shorter sequences mean it is more likely to be a ram issue?

Any other thoughts would be appreciated.

 

[nforce4max]

This is my guess, many of those who are posting these high clocks on low volts aren't stable in 3D and only just enough to post and load cpuz. Intel didn't bin these cpu as well as they have done others. =/ The second core that keeps failing may either need more voltage or to be kept at a lower temp either way you hit a wall as I have.

 

[fisshy]

My gut instinct is that this prosessor is strugling to reach the 1600MHZ FSb that you are asking from it. it being an E7XXX series it has a 1066 Mhz FSB stock.

My general rule is that a chip can usually have a One teir FSB jump

800 MHZ FSB ==> 1066 MHZ FSB
1066 MHZ FSB ==> 1333 MHZ FSB
1333 MHZ FSB ==> 1600 MHZ FSB
ETC

So my suggestion would be to set the FSB to 333MHZ and get the multiplier up to 10X Then to 11X etc Untill you reach your goal at stability

Cooling is also vital So Read through this (Intel Temperature) and pick 1 (They are basically identical performance wise)
http://www.frostytech.com/top5heatsinks.cfm

Good Luck!