Overclocked instability

[limabeanmage]

Motherboard: GA-P35-DS3L
CPU: Q6600 3.2Ghz
GPU: 8800GT 512MB
RAM: 4 GB DDR2 800




I successfully overclocked my processor about nine months ago with help from these boards (Thank you again), but I've now run into instability. Basically, every time I turn my computer on from being off for a while two things can happen:

1.) The computer boots up, shuts down, boots up, shuts down.... etc. until it finally boots up steadily without sending signals to the monitor or any other attached device.

2.) The computer boots up and doesn't send anything to the monitor, keyboard, mouse, or anything else attached to the computer.

To fix this I have to remove the CMOS battery and reset everything to default. Curiously though, once the computer does boot up, I can overclock it back to 3.2 Ghz, restart it, and everything works just fine.

So, my question is why is the overclock (as in the picture) suddenly unstable after so long, and only if the computer is off for several hours?

 

[sportsfanboy]

Have you fully tested temperatures and stability?

 

[limabeanmage]

Yes, temps for the CPU stay within the 30-45 C range. It passes the twelve hour stress test, though I suppose I could test it further than that if people recommend it.

 

[dalethepcman]

You are only running an overclock of 7%, you should not need to overvolt your FSB for this small of an increase, and your ram is running below stock speeds, so there is no logical reason to overvolt it. Does your system not boot if you set the voltages to default?

The symptoms yoy are describing I have seen numerous times from USB devices failing. Try disconnecting everything except your monitor and keyboard and booting, then connect one device at a time into the same slots you removed them from. Good luck and let us know your results!

 

[sashika]

try checking out your psu , i had the same sorta problem , but after some time even at stock speeds i had problems of not starting .

 

[limabeanmage]

Alright, I took down my voltage increases to the FSB, but I overclocked the RAM a little so I didn't change the voltage increase there. I'll post tomorrow after it's been off for a while to see if it has the same problems.

Though, how is my overclock only 7%? 2.4 Ghz to 3.2 Ghz should be a 30% difference. Unless I'm measuring the overclock difference in the wrong area.

 

[limabeanmage]

Okay, it seems that the motherboard overvolting was the problem. Once I took that off then everything could boot normally into the overclock. When I first overclocked I was under the impression that the FSB needed a boost to help keep up with the overclocked settings for the CPU and RAM.

Well, I suppose this is another lesson for overclocking. If the computer fails to boot, but doesn't have running instability, then there is probably a voltage issue of either too much or too little.

 

[limabeanmage]

Indeed, I appreciate the help of who posted here. Hopefully someone can learn from my experience as well. Hurray for communities!