Lets find out why my OC is unstable

[Ketxxx]

This will likely have most scratching their head. I cannot fathom it for shits nor giggles. I can run my system at 3.6GHz and most things seem fine apart from Firefox will randomly crash, as will some games, Bioshock is one. The last time the system crashed was during Bioshock, the BSOD pointed to the Realtek driver, but thats basically nonsence as the system has never BSOD before while playing DVDs or music. So I'm not thinking the driver is a issue at this point.

Whats been done/tested so far;

CPU has been tested for 6+hrs with OCCT - Passed
Memtest has been left to run for 3hrs - No errors
Various GTL, NB/SB, PLL, FSB voltages have been tried to no avail
Different clock twister and PL values have been tried - no success.
Tried different clock skew values with no success
Tried different FSB straps - 333 works best
Even tried different CPU Margin Enhancement settings - no success

My CPU can do up to 510FSB, but it seems like so far anything over 425 isn't stable (still testing) theres surely no way I need to drop FSB that much for the system to run stable...

Hopefully with the recent influx of XS refugees boosting ideas we can get to the bottom of this

 

[DaMulta]

What's your voltages ket?

try

cpuv 1.385
pll 1.45(no higher then 1.5)
vt 1.4

 

[Ketxxx]

I've gone way above those

Vcore: 1.45v
CPU PLL: 1.6v (1.5v is minimum )
FSB Termination: 1.6v
NB Voltage: 1.4v
SB Voltage: 1.3v

Even with those voltages, its still a no go.

 

[DaMulta]

king-pin told me on a 5ghz oc that over 1.5 pll is a bad idea.

So I don't go over it no more

FSB Termination should stay around 1.4 maybe 1.5

Try Vcore 1.5
Pll 1.45
VT 1.4

 

[Kursah]

What FSB are you at? I've ran a dual up to 500FSB/4.0-4.5Ghz using only 1.26v on NB and FSB and 1.56v PLL, for a 24/7 oc at that. Or are those that you posted just the max you've attemtped to find stability?

I have seen some odd issues arise from realtek onboard chips, most recently on my old DFI P35 Dark that I donated to a friends' build. That was more of a sound output issue, but the drivers even on a clean OS install would bug up and affect other programs...I sold him my x-fi and voila, problems fixed.

Next question...what OS are you on? I wonder if it's still software related in one form or another..

 

[JrRacinFan]

You sure it isnt your power supply starting to age?

 

[Ketxxx]

Voltages are the max I've tried. Up until recently when I whacked things up in the "to hell with it" frame of mind, the voltages I was using were;

Vcore: 1.45v
CPU PLL: 1.54\1.56\1.58v
FSB Termination: 1.4v
NB Voltage: 1.4v
SB Voltage: 1.2v

My PSU should be absolutely fine, its a Hi-Power 800w modular unit. Each 12v rail has 20A, making for 80A in total individually, combined its going to be around 65-70A. Unit runs nice an cool too, opened the unit up as well and it is a very nicely built unit.

Oh and FF just crashed again... this time with 425x6 settings OS is XP Pro SP2.

 

[Ketxxx]

Anyone else? *batsignal to XS refugees and TPUers*

 

[DrPepper]

Odd I had similar issues running my q6600 at 3.3ghz. I got this p5q and that solved the problem. Maybe the board isn't as good at voltages than the rest ?

 

[Homeless]

Try loosening your ram timings and see if that works. I remember I would get all sorts of random errors when my ram was going bad or when my ram couldn't handle it. It would also pass memtest so it was hard to discern

 

[Ketxxx]

Odd I had similar issues running my q6600 at 3.3ghz. I got this p5q and that solved the problem. Maybe the board isn't as good at voltages than the rest ?

I don't think its the board, all 3 P5Q Pros I had do the exact same thing

Try loosening your ram timings and see if that works. I remember I would get all sorts of random errors when my ram was going bad or when my ram couldn't handle it. It would also pass memtest so it was hard to discern

Memory timings are already pretty loose, currently running 5-5-5-15 @ PC8000 speeds 2.1v. Kit I'm using atm is rated for PC8500 speeds, so shouldn't be a issue there. I've also tried 2.2v on the memory and that didn't work either.

 

[3870x2]

It's not your CPU that limits the FSB, it would be the motherboard, the CPU will do as much FSB as it needs before it catches fire.

You really do have a headscratcher there, because if it wasn't you being the op, I would have suggested drivers, temps, etc...

 

[Ketxxx]

The mobo won't limit the FSB, it mostly is to do with the CPU. Tried and tested. My old E4400 could do 400FSB on a AW9D-Max, neither my TPower I45 or P5Q Pro can better that. Same with my E7200, it can do 510FSB on both the TPower and Pro, and thats about it. I'm honestly wondering if my HDD is to blame.. but that would be the oddest thing EVER and sods law thats about the only component I don't have a spare of right now.

Oh and so its covered, yes temps are good NB is nice an cool thanks to a 40mm fan I added, SB HS doesn't get very warm, and CPU temps are also under control.

 

[3870x2]

O, I wasn't talking about stability, just ability
How often exactly does it crash? you stated earlier that a few games, are there games or other programs that it never crashes on?

EDIT: just read: I think my HDD is to blame.

I would think so also. Do you have a spare HDD you can throw XP/bioshock on to test it out?

 

[Ketxxx]

Thats about the size of it yeah. FF randomly crashes, yet the system NEVER crashes with any multimedia task or any other desktop work, just FF. I have played games like Tropico and Tropico 2 for hours on end no problems, yet Bioshock crashes pretty randomly as well.

I have set everything to stock, running memory @ 1066 and can play Bioshock for hours, but as the CPU @ stock bottlenecks my card pretty badly, then stock isn't a option But at the same time it also pretty much rules out a HDD issue, which sort of leaves a BIOS setting that isn't quite right on the table its like one red herring after another.

 

[DrPepper]

Could indeed be the HDD.

 

[Ketxxx]

If it was the HDD tho, it doesn't explain why I can play Bioshock for hours @ stock, but apply OC settings and it all goes tits up, or am I missing something

 

[3870x2]

Could indeed be the HDD.

Then again he said at stock, it does just fine.

What I do when I get a usable computer, but some crashes, is Ill underclock from, say, 3.6 to 3.5, and it usually is stable. Then I know there is a problem with the OC stability, and I start work on the voltages. One thing ive noticed that, more than voltage, playing with the ram can help stability.

My ram wouldnt go good with a 4.2 overclock unless it was exactly 800MHZ or overclocked to 1216MHZ on a 3.6ghz overclock. Its all kinda wierd.

 

[Ketxxx]

That is weird I think my CPU is ok as its passed many hours of OCCT @ 3.6GHz. The HyperX I have deffinately isn't the best even for a 4GB kit, it doesnt much like a TRFC under 50 and I can just about push 1120MHz or so out of it, doesn't matter on the voltages its all it will do. I guess I could fire up spdtool and have a closer look at the pre-programmed data, maybe theres something holding them back / causing problems.

 

[JrRacinFan]

The only other item I can think of ATM Ket is your SB going haywire when overclocked. What bootstrap you running while OC'd?

 

[Ketxxx]

I use 333. All My other P5Q Pros have done the same thing, so I'm not sure how I could get 3 boards with the same problem unless its dang bad luck. Board I have atm is a rev. A3, so its the very latest hardware revision chipset on the board.

 

[JrRacinFan]

I use 333. All My other P5Q Pros have done the same thing, so I'm not sure how I could get 3 boards with the same problem unless its dang bad luck. Board I have atm is a rev. A3, so its the very latest hardware revision chipset on the board.

Yeah now see that is very VERY unlikely then. Even I am out of my hunches as to where you can even attempt to look.

Oh and it can't be hdd as you would get crashes and BSOD's even at stock.

 

[ChaoticAtmosphere]

Hopefully with the recent influx of XS refugees boosting ideas we can get to the bottom of this

XS refugees. I wonder. Did they come in on a BUS?? (Pun intended)

 

[Ketxxx]

Yeah now see that is very VERY unlikely then. Even I am out of my hunches as to where you can even attempt to look.

Oh and it can't be hdd as you would get crashes and BSOD's even at stock.

Gah.. this is insane... its almost like the CPU is fubar but that can't be it otherwise it would act up at stock most likely as well.. maybe I should roll the BIOS all the way back to 702 and start from there.

XS refugees. I wonder. Did they come in on a BUS?? (Pun intended)

I think they come in WW2 style, on foot, clutching what little belongings they still had as their home was blown to bits.

 

[4x4n]

I would bet that your issue is memory related, even though it looks to be fine. I've had issues like this before and it usually points to the memory. Do you have another set to try? You're right about the trfc, mines at 78 or something.

A couple of basic questions. Static read contol enabled/disabled? Execute bit enabled/disabled?

Also, the dram read training and mem oc charger. I don't really know what those do, I just leave them at default.

My P5Q-Pro is just a cruncher board so I havn't really messed with it much. You probably know more about it than I do.