Need help passing 4Ghz with a Q9650

[Ultrique]

Hi all...

I currently have the GA-EP45-DQ6 mainboard with a Intel Q9650 and i'm struggling to get a stable OC past 3.9Ghz, I'm pretty sure its either memory or voltage but i'm unable to hit the nail on the head so to speak. I can clock to 4Ghz by increasing FSB however the system is immediately unstable under load and reboots, also I have tried using a lower FSB and higher clock but that has the same result. Prime95 maxes the cores out at 60 degrees under full load at 3.9 Ghz.

Screenshots attached of mainboard/memory/current voltage and OC settings so if you have any ideas please let me know!

Note:
Ignore the 6x Multiplier in the CPU-Z_CPU.jg thats just the MB dropping the clock when the system is not under load.

Rig:
Cosmos S case
Gigabyte EP45-DQ6
Q9650
8GB ADATA 800Mhz ram
2 x Ati HD4870 X2 in crossfire
4 x WD 120GB 10k rpm Raptor in raid 0 for games
Jeantech JNP-700 - 700W *Storm* PSU

 

[allen337]

You makeing sure you hit ctrl + f1 when you enter bios to be able to adjust hidden voltages?

 

[BababooeyHTJ]

Edit: Apparently I can't read

 

[4x4n]

Looks like you need a little more vcore, the vdrop/vdroop is a little high with these, and maybe you can lower some of you other voltages. Your PLL and CPU Term voltages shouldn't need to be near that high. Here are my settings with a DS4P, just about the same board.

 

[Rock God]

For 4GHz on my quad, I am at 1.45. Prime95 stable.

 

[mlee49]

+1 on at least 1.4Vcore. Your gonna need more gas to go fast!

Also your Adata ram may not be clever overclockers. I suspect they may be holding you back.

 

[Rock God]

1.45V, try that.

 

[hoss331]

A Q9650 shouldnt need over 1.3vcore at only 4.0ghz. Mine only needs 1.20vc for 4ghz and 1.32vc for 4.35. Do you have LLC enabled?

 

[Ultrique]

To reply in order...

Yes I am using the Ctrl +F1 in the bios, I have tried 1.4VCore with no effect The other voltages are currently Auto but I will lower the CPU Term and PLL back to stock settings. Cant locate any ref to LLC in the bios oddly.

I have managed to get the Adata to run at 400Mhz on 2x Multiplier but I could lower to 200/266/333 with another multiplier but im not sure that will stabalise it TBH.

 

[BababooeyHTJ]

Loadline calibration is a setting for Asus boards to eliminate vdroop, Gigabyte boards have the same thing, but a different name. (Don't listen to me here)

@hoss Every chip does not perform the same. For my chip to be 100% linpack stable at 445x9 I need 1.344 vcc after vdroop, but I use loadline. Vdroop is high on these chips (at least on my board) much more than my old wolfdale, with vdroop you will need ALOT of VCC in bios for Linpack stability.

Your VTT (fsb term, cpu term) and PLL is way f'ing high. Never use auto for any voltage while overclocking for this reason, it's dangerous. Try for a 1.32 vtt and a 1.56 PLL and bump you Cpu GTLs up to about 65% (of your VTT, you might need to play with this later).

 

[_jM]

ok first off dont take your PLL over 1.6v dont take the vcore past 1.4(if u want it to last) and start off with your FSB Term volts @ 1.35v

Im running a Q9550 and they are pretty much the same

 

[BababooeyHTJ]

Also, disable speedstem, cpu spread spectrum and all of that stuff.

 

[hoss331]

Loadline calibration is a setting for Asus boards to eliminate vdroop, Gigabyte boards have the same thing, but a different name.

@hoss Every chip does not perform the same. For my chip to be 100% linpack stable at 445x9 I need 1.344 vcc after vdroop, but I use loadline. Vdroop is high on these chips (at least on my board) much more than my old wolfdale, with vdroop you will need ALOT of VCC in bios for Linpack stability.

Your VTT (fsb term, cpu term) and PLL is way f'ing high. Never use auto for any voltage while overclocking for this reason, it's dangerous. Try for a 1.32 vtt and a 1.56 PLL and bump you Cpu GTLs up to about 65% (of your VTT, you might need to play with this later).

I know every chip is different but essentially every q9650 ive seen has still been able to to do 4.0 with no more than 1.30v loaded in cpuz. This would include even the max vid chips but I guess yours would be the exception here.

LLC is still called loadline calibration on my GB ud3p. If that board acts like the UD3P the MCH reference is going to track the CPU term. voltage and not the MCH voltage. With CPU term. that high it would throw your MCH reference way off from where it should be. You need to lower PLL and CPU term. down alot. This is what I use for 482*9, you should probably be able to work with this.

1.50 PLL
1.28 CPU term.
.785 ET6 setting for CPU ref. or .835 in BIOS
1.30 MCH
.800 ET6 setting for MCH ref. or .850 in BIOS

 

[Rock God]

CPU PPL - 1.6V (mine is at 1.6v). No higher then 1.6 isn't needed but 1.62 MAX, even at a 4.2GHz quad.

FSB Termination voltage - Mine is at 1.42 (but 1.4v again is fine).

I leave SB voltages on auto.

Northbridge - Mine is 1.45v (anywhere between 1.4 to 1.45 is fine).

CPU voltage - 1.45v max I'd say (I needed 1.45v to hit 4GHz stable in Prime).

Your QX9650 should easily require less then 1.45v to hit 4GHz Prime stable. Definitely under 1.42v I'm guessing.

 

[ZenZimZaliben]

Ok, I think I read this post pretty well, and no one has asked. What are you using for cooling? What are your temps at for all 4 cores.

Also please fill out your system specs in the USERCP. Welcome to TPU!

 

[Rock God]

Ok, I think I read this post pretty well, and no one has asked. What are you using for cooling? What are your temps at for all 4 cores.

Also please fill out your system specs in the USERCP. Welcome to TPU!

You have the CPU above me... what voltage are you using? I'm 1.45v.

 

[ZenZimZaliben]

YEs I do, which Is why I am posting here. I also have a Gigbyte Mobo.

But Im not helping you until I know your Temps and what youre using to cool the cpu.

 

[Ultrique]

Loadline calibration is a setting for Asus boards to eliminate vdroop, Gigabyte boards have the same thing, but a different name.

Your VTT (fsb term, cpu term) and PLL is way f'ing high. Never use auto for any voltage while overclocking for this reason, it's dangerous. Try for a 1.32 vtt and a 1.56 PLL and bump you Cpu GTLs up to about 65% (of your VTT, you might need to play with this later).

Still unsure where that vdroop adjustment is as GA have a habbit of updating/changing various bios options with each firmware update, I'll take a closer look at this in the week.
Voltages backed to Stock with exception of those mentioned which I am slowly tweaking... so far cant get stable stable over 3.9ghz with a drop on the vcore of 0.032v under load.

I'm going to up the FSB and test the CPU/Memory seperately (or as much as possible) under load in Prime95 as I am pretty sure it's the memory and not the CPU/MB

 

[Rock God]

I don't need the help... Lol.

 

[ZenZimZaliben]

Well I guess I said that wrong, sorry My point is there is no point in me giving you settings if your running stock cooling. Notice I am on watercooling.

 

[BababooeyHTJ]

I know every chip is different but essentially every q9650 ive seen has still been able to to do 4.0 with no more than 1.30v loaded in cpuz. This would include even the max vid chips but I guess yours would be the exception here.

LLC is still called loadline calibration on my GB ud3p. If that board acts like the UD3P the MCH reference is going to track the CPU term. voltage and not the MCH voltage. With CPU term. that high it would throw your MCH reference way off from where it should be. You need to lower PLL and CPU term. down alot. This is what I use for 482*9, you should probably be able to work with this.

1.50 PLL
1.28 CPU term.
.785 ET6 setting for CPU ref. or .835 in BIOS
1.30 MCH
.800 ET6 setting for MCH ref. or .850 in BIOS

There is a HUGE thread at XS about the Q9650 and most chips require about what mind does for 100% linpack stability, some more. I can do lower for 100% Prime small fft stability.

On most boards setting your setting your PLL to 1.50 will cause it to overvolt, that is why I reccomended 1.56.

I try to keep my VTT close to VCC, I hear that it should acctually follow VCC, ie should be higher, but I uasually keep it lower than my vcc under load. As long as it's close you should be fine.

Your safe CPU ref is between 0.80 and 1.00 and 65% of your vtt should be a good place to start, you may need to tweek this last.

A 1.30 MCH should be fine for 8gb (460fsb might need more) 1:1 but you may need to go higher when tighten up timings or more mhz. 4 occupied DIMMs and an overclocked quad is tough on the northbridge. I needed to play with my NBgtl (northbridge refrence) for stability. Im stable with a .635 (based off VTT) NBgtl but a .630 NBgtl fails linpack and a .625 results in no post. You may need to tweek this setting.

Edit, Yes it should be called loadline calibration. I was wrong I guess it's just Biostar that calls it something different.

 

[ZenZimZaliben]

I know every chip is different but essentially every q9650 ive seen has still been able to to do 4.0 with no more than 1.30v loaded in cpuz. This would include even the max vid chips but I guess yours would be the exception here.

I have no idea where you heard that, but I do not agree with that at all. The majority of Q9650's I have worked on, and read reviews on, need about 1.36 - 1.38 volts to hit 4.0Ghz, and 1.42 volts to hit 4.2GHz. ALso they require excellent cooling to run at those levels. If you really tighten your GTLs and CPU VTT and Skew rates you can get the voltages down a little more.

 

[Ultrique]

Wow in the time it took me to type a post theres more added
Current cooling is an akasa cooler which is maintaining the cores under 60 degrees C however I have a complete set of blocks for CPU/both GPU's and a double rad etc turning up in the next couple of days, those HD4870 X2's kick out some serious heat!

I'll stick my specs in the profile asap

 

[ZenZimZaliben]

Well you are already pushing what I would consider the safe zone. Anything over 65c is to much,...yes I know, I know...they are rated to take more. However once the cpu starts getting in the high 60's they start losing a lot of stability and lifespan. When overclocked. If you left it at stock 3ghz it could probably hit 85c with out doing any damage.

 

[Rock God]

I'm on water too. What voltage do you have on your CPU? 1.45v ATLEAST.