Help Overclocking Q6600 with DDR3

[HateDread]

Hey all,

Got myself a Q6600 on a P35C-DS3R board, with 8gb of DDR3. Using the Cooler Master 212 Evo for the CPU, and the RAM is Ripjaws X 1333Mhz (4gb x 2 ).

I've read up on the overclocking guides, but still a bit confused. If I leave my voltages on auto, I can easily handle a 3.2Ghz clock, with 356Mhz FSB - maxes at 66 degrees C under Prime95. Any attempts to handle voltages manually, or the memory multipler, result in either failure to POST, or crashes in Prime95.

Timing is as per specs; 9-9-9-24 (when set manually). It's meant to do this at 1.65V, but with manual voltage control, it's hard to tell what's failing on me (and I can only do intervals of 0.1V, i.e. 1.5, 1.6, 1.7).

Any advice?

- HateDread.

EDIT: CPU VID is 1.2625 V as per Everest 64.

 

[videl]

Well I think that motherboard is kinda crappy...I took a look and for overclocking you might benefit from finding a better board somewhere...maybe on ebay...

I mean increments of .1 are bad....lol....you could kill your cpu just like that...
I recommend you try updating the bios to see if anything changes...or just find a better board...

 

[HateDread]

The 0.1 increments are for the RAM. The CPU does much finer increments than that! I just need help handling higher OCs.

 

[jsc]

My Q6600 also has a 1.2625 volt VID. It will run at 3.0 GHz on the stock voltage and needs a little over 1.3 volts to run at 3.3 GHz. And it needs 1.425 volts with a TRUE in an Antec case for 3.6 GHz.

My point here is that is is probably not your CPU holding you back.

Your memory settings are the problem. Native speed of DDR3-1333 RAM is 3.0 GHz with a Q6600. Anything more than a 333 MHZ FSB freq and you are running your RAM faster than it was tested for.

I have 6 Core2 G'byte motherboards, but I am unfamiliar with the P35C memory settings - particularly the available memory multipliers.

I think you have two approaches:
1. Do what you can to force your memory to run as fast as it can.
2. Slow the memory down to where your FSB freq is faster than your memory.

#1. To run faster than 3.0 GHz at a 1:1 FSB:RAM ratio (System Memory Multiplier = 4), you will need to make your memory run faster than DDR3-1333 speeds. You may be able to do this by increasing the RAM voltage a little and relaxing the timings. For initial testing, set the RAM voltage to 1.7 volts and manually set the timing to something like 10-10-10-27.

#2. Choose a lower Sys Mem Mult. Set it to 3.0 if it is available, or even 2.4. At a core speed of 3.3 GHz, CPU FSB is 367 MHz. With a 3.0 SMM, your RAM will be running at DDR3-1100 speeds - well within its capability.

If you can get this stable, you should be able to change the CPU voltage setting from Auto to Manual. For 3.3 GHz, you shouldn't need more than about 1.35 volts.

 

[HateDread]

My Q6600 also has a 1.2625 volt VID. It will run at 3.0 GHz on the stock voltage and needs a little over 1.3 volts to run at 3.3 GHz. And it needs 1.425 volts with a TRUE in an Antec case for 3.6 GHz.

My point here is that is is probably not your CPU holding you back.

Your memory settings are the problem. Native speed of DDR3-1333 RAM is 3.0 GHz with a Q6600. Anything more than a 333 MHZ FSB freq and you are running your RAM faster than it was tested for.

I have 6 Core2 G'byte motherboards, but I am unfamiliar with the P35C memory settings - particularly the available memory multipliers.

I think you have two approaches:
1. Do what you can to force your memory to run as fast as it can.
2. Slow the memory down to where your FSB freq is faster than your memory.

#1. To run faster than 3.0 GHz at a 1:1 FSB:RAM ratio (System Memory Multiplier = 4), you will need to make your memory run faster than DDR3-1333 speeds. You may be able to do this by increasing the RAM voltage a little and relaxing the timings. For initial testing, set the RAM voltage to 1.7 volts and manually set the timing to something like 10-10-10-27.

#2. Choose a lower Sys Mem Mult. Set it to 3.0 if it is available, or even 2.4. At a core speed of 3.3 GHz, CPU FSB is 367 MHz. With a 3.0 SMM, your RAM will be running at DDR3-1100 speeds - well within its capability.

If you can get this stable, you should be able to change the CPU voltage setting from Auto to Manual. For 3.3 GHz, you shouldn't need more than about 1.35 volts.

Cheers for this post! Just a few questions.

I'm running at 3.4Ghz now, i.e. 378 Mhz. My RAM is running a 2:1 (FSBRAM) with 9-9-9-9-24 (2T), but with 122 clocks as the refresh. I had it much lower than that (<100 ) before, using similar settings. Should I tighten it up?

Voltages are stock except for +1 to NB and +1 to FSB. CPU is 1.425V just to be safe.

Whenever I try to set the memory multiplier manually, it refuses to boot. I think I misunderstand how the multiplier works, especially in relation to the RAM's maximum clock. So should I go for 1:2 ratio, but that's FSB:RAM, not the multi? Ehhh, confusseled :/

I'm hoping to get up to 3.6... might have to upgrade my case airflow!

(Btw, what program do you trust for the Q6600 temps?)

Regards,
- HateDread.

EDIT: Nevermind, temp got into the 70s and then bluescreened with the above settings (Prime95 stress test). Not sure how to proceed. Currently testing 1.35000V for 3.2Ghz, with +0.1 to NB and FSB. (Sounds right?)

 

[rubix_1011]

Had my Q6600 at 3.6ghz (1.225 vid) but it required a vCore of 1.475v...anything lower and it wouldn't complete Intel Burn Test 10x+ cycles. I was also running a 790i board and had the ability to run my RAM unlinked to FSB which helped a lot.

For 3.4ghz (stable), you might need more than 1.3500v esp. with a higher vid.

 

[videl]

yes, sorry about my small misunderstanding HateDread...although .1 increments for ram are huge also...

And again, Rubix mentioned unlinking ram. I remember some 755 boards had that...as I remember mine did as well...and that made overclocking much easier.

I also recommend you use intel burn test to stress test the cpu.

 

[jsc]

G'byte motherboards will not let you unlink RAM the way that nVidia nForce 600/700 chipsets will.

HD, you have basically choosen Option #2. At a 2:1 ratio, your RAM is running half speed. Therefore, your RAM is probably not the problem.

3.4 GHz is a decent overclock for a Q6600. Not all will reach 3.6 GHz. At 3.6 GHz, everything including motherboard, case, and room temperture becomes critical. And your motherboard, because it is designed to use either DDR2 or DDR3 RAM, is already a compromise.

rubix, several years ago, someone (may have here, but I do not remember) surveyed Q6600 VID's. out of 20 or 30 replies, about 80% fell into the 1.25 - 1.27 volt range. If you have a chip with a VID substantially lower than 1.25 volts, you have, as I put it, won the CPU lottery.

 

[HateDread]

Alright, well I'm set on getting 3.4Ghz then. I just don't understand exactly what the memory multiplier is/means, and how this relates to my RAM's specs/capability.

EDIT: Running my RAM as you suggested, so it isn't the problem, yet I fail to get 3.4Ghz stable. What voltage would we need with our respective VIDs? Trying to minimise heat here, though.

 

[rubix_1011]

rubix, several years ago, someone (may have here, but I do not remember) surveyed Q6600 VID's. out of 20 or 30 replies, about 80% fell into the 1.25 - 1.27 volt range. If you have a chip with a VID substantially lower than 1.25 volts, you have, as I put it, won the CPU lottery.

Yeah, it did make it much easier to overclock and remain stable from those I've seen on the web, but I've seen a handful of others that were even lower. I was really happy to have a 1.225 vid, but I know not all G0's fell into that range. 3.4ghz is a substantial speed for these chips...1.0ghz overclock was unheard of on a quad until these chips hit the market.