Please help, overclock settings for this hardware

Rx7oneluv

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Nov 21, 2006
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Hardware:
2 x G.SKILL 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model F2-6400CL5D-2GBNQ =4GB total http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231098

ZALMAN CNPS9500 AT 2 Ball CPU Cooling Fan/Heatsink http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835118003

Intel Core 2 Duo E6750 Conroe 2.66GHz LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor Model BX80557E6750 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115029

ASUS P5Q Pro Turbo LGA 775 Intel P45 ATX Intel Motherboard http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131377

2 x SAPPHIRE 100259L Radeon HD 4870 512MB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card in Crossfire


Goal is to get maximum OC with this hardware. From what I've been reading 3.6Ghz is within reason. Now my question is what settings should I adjust to get maximum and boarderline safe overclocking. My knowledge on overclocking is Intermediate at best. I've had my PC set at 3.0 Ghz for a while now, but I want to see if I can push some more out of it.

This is what I know:
450 FSB with a 1.424 voltage will get me 3.6Ghz per Tomshardware testing.

Now my question is what other settings should I adjust in my bios. Memory overclocking is where my knowledge is very limited, like timing, voltage, and speeds. Also do I need to change any bridge speeds? What should I adjusting in addition to the FSB and Voltage for the CPU?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

I plan on running Prime95 to test once I have everything adjusted that I need to.



 

No. All you really know is that someone reached 3.6 GHz at those settings with his parts.

YMMV.

You may do better; you may do worse. You will not know until you try.

This should be your first stop.
HOWTO: Overclock C2Q (Quads) and C2D (Duals) - Guide v1.6.1
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/240001-29-howto-overclock-quads-duals-guide

Next stop should be a guide for your particular motherboard. Google is your friend.

Go through the guides. 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.

Download CPU-Z to check your FSB:RAM ratio. It should be a 1:1 ratio.
Do not worry about overclocking memory. Overclocking memory on a Core2 system yields little if any improvement in performance.

For a serious overclock, you will need better than stock cooling. Here are three under $50 heatsinks that are pretty popular:
COOLER MASTER Hyper 212 Plus
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103065
Sunbeam
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835207004
Xigmatec Dark Knight
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835233029

They all require a somewhat different approach to applying thermal compound.
Suggestions for applying thermal compound:
http://benchmarkreviews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=170&Itemid=1&limit=1&limitstart=5