Help stabilizing q6600/p5q

[infected_]

Hi ppl. Heres the deal. My oc sometimes passes ibt/linx and sometimes it dont, without changing the settings in bios.... Ive been trying to stabilize it for weeks now, with no success. it doesnt crashes in games, even cpu more demanding ones... ive tried several settings in bios when it doenst passes the stress test...
My specs are:
q6600 g0 vid 1.3250
asus p5q (bios 1406)
2x2GB teamgroup xtreem dark pc2-8500

This is what ive came up so far:

Same settings Always
400*9,
ddr's 1066 5-5-5-15 2.2v
vcore 1.50625
cpu pll 1.58
sbv 1.10
pci sata 1.50

Settings that changed:

Can anyone understand this ?? because i dont... i tried even with higher (1 notch - 1.51xxv) vcore.. but the same thing.. sometimes it passes and other times it don't with the same settings and without changing anything in bios..

after some search i raised the cpu pll to 1.64 and run ibt ant it passed, rebooted run ibt and it passed so i thought finally was stable, but a few days ago i run ibt again and it didn't passed. same settings but cpu pll at 1.64:

but sometimes it passes and sometimes it doesn't, the same thing...

decided to play with the x8 multi, since i already have 425*8 stable (for sure!). ended up with this settings stable (for sure!):

CPU Ratio = 8
FSB Frequency = 447
PCI-E Frequency = 100
FSB Strap to North Bridge = 333
DRAM Frequency = 1074
DRAM Timing Control = Manual - 5-5-5-15
DRAM Static Read Control = Disabled
DRAM Read Training = Disabled
Memory OC Charger = Enabled
AI Clock Twister = Moderate
AI Transaction Booster = Manual - Performance 10
CPU Voltage = 1.50625
CPU GTL Voltage Reference = 0.65x
CPU PLL Voltage = 1.64
FSB Termination Voltage = 1.46
DRAM voltage = 2.2
Northbridge Voltage = 1.44
Southbridge voltage = 1.20
PCI-E SATA voltage = 1.50
Load Line Calibration = Enabled
CPU Spread Spectrum = Disabled
PCI-E Spread Spectrum = Disabled
CPU Clock Skew = Normal
NB Clock Skew = Normal
CPU Margin Enhancement = Compatible Mode
C1E = Disabled
Max Cupid Value Limit = Disabled
Intel Virtualization Mode = Disabled
CPUTM Function = Disabled
Execute Disable Bit = Disabled

but 450x8 is really becoming impossible to stabilize...

do you guys have any idea, hint or tip to help me?

thanks.

 

[alexp999]

Wow, 1.5v is high for a Q6600. Bit too high IMO for 24/7 . You could be irreversibly damaging your PSU.
What pack date is your q6600? It might be that its just topping out at 3.4Ghz.

 

[infected_]

i know it a bit high, but in idle is at 1.488v and most of the day the pc is just downloading stuff, i only play about 1h a night, that's all. and until 1.55v im safe, and i have it well cooled down. i just cant get it stable at 3.6ghz. the best result i got is 447*8...

im getting out of ideas im what to tweak in the settings...

Thanks.

 

[alexp999]

What is the pack date if it is 2008+ then a lot of them just wont go past 3.2-3.4ghz, no matter what.

If it is stable enough for benching I wouldnt worry too much, cus it certainly isnt worth runniong above 1.45v for daily use.

To give you an idea, my q6600 is stable at 3.2ghz on only 1.35v.

 

[infected_]

i dont know the pack date. i did the stupid mistake of trowing the box to the garbage

im only 3mhz from being stable at 450x8... im just out of ideas on what to tweak in the settings.. :shadedshu

thanks

 

[alexp999]

i dont know the pack date. i did the stupid mistake of trowing the box to the garbage

im only 3mhz from being stable at 450x8... im just out of ideas on what to tweak in the settings.. :shadedshu

thanks

whats 3Mhz if your stable?

 

[infected_]

i think ppl that overclock their hardware is always looking for the fastest and stable oc that they can get.. thats my case.. and my goal. thats to reach 3.6ghz. once ive accomplished that im happy.. right now im only at 3.57ghz. you also have a p45 and a q6600 what was your best oc on the cpu?

 

[alexp999]

i think ppl that overclock their hardware is always looking for the fastest and stable oc that they can get.. thats my case.. and my goal. thats to reach 3.6ghz. once ive accomplished that im happy.. right now im only at 3.57ghz. you also have a p45 and a q6600 what was your best oc on the cpu?

Havent tried. Havent had the time to spend hours tweaking and finding best clock. I'm happy with 3.2ghz. It does everything I need it to.

I have one of the first q6600 g0's and apparently they are the ones which have the potential to reach 4ghz.

Might give it a go one day and I'll let you know. Maybe in a month or so's time and I get the accelero cooler for my GTX 260. I'll be finding thats max clock so I can try the same with my CPU.

 

[ZenZimZaliben]

I ran my Q6600 24/7 at 4.05Ghz. With 1.45 Volts I believe. Right now its in my HTPC running at 3.2Ghz with 1.35volts.

The thing that stands out to me is your memory strap. The Q6600 is native 266, so I would try to OC on that strap vs. 333. This will underclock your ram, but you should be able to push the FSB higher. Also should need less voltage on that strap.

So use the lower 266 strap and a 9x multi and a 400FSB

CPU Voltage = 1.45
CPU GTL Voltage Reference = 0.65x
CPU PLL Voltage = 1.55
FSB Termination Voltage = 1.46
DRAM voltage = 2.1
Northbridge Voltage = 1.40
Southbridge voltage = auto
PCI-E SATA voltage = auto

 

[infected_]

ok. thanks. gonna see if someone shows up with a hint or tip to give to me.. im really out of ideas.. and i have my brain tired of doing this..

 

[infected_]

I ran my Q6600 24/7 at 4.05Ghz. With 1.45 Volts I believe. Right now its in my HTPC running at 3.2Ghz with 1.35volts.

The thing that stands out to me is your memory strap. The Q6600 is native 266, so I would try to OC on that strap vs. 333. This will underclock your ram, but you should be able to push the FSB higher. Also should need less voltage on that strap.

but 266 strap uses even tighter timings then 333.. or thats waht ive been told.

ps: regarding fsb strap: "There are pre-programmed NB timings for each FSB speed: 200, 266, 333, 400. 200 is the tightest w/ best performance, and 400 is the loosest w/ more delay (less performance)"

 

[alexp999]

From my bit of OCing experience, I actually found the system MORE stable with the strap on auto.

 

[ZenZimZaliben]

The FSB on a Q6600 is 1066Mhz (266x4). The FSB on the newer 45nm Q9xxx is 1333 (333x4).

The q6600 was ment to run on the 266 strap...it will be the most stable on this strap. You will need to manually adjust your ram timings. Since you are going to push the FSB the RAm speed will increase so if left on Auto the timings will be to tight. Manually set to 5.5.5.15.

CPU Clock Ratio 9x
Target CPU Clock 3600MHz
CPU Clock 400FSB
DRAM Speed 266MHz/667MHz
Target DRAM Speed DDR2-1000MHz

 

[infected_]

ok gonna give a shot with that. i'll be back!

thanks.

 

[Tatty_Two]

I would put my GTL ref voltage on auto, increase my CPU Pll by 2 notches and decrease my Vcore by 2 notches...... PCI-E --> Sata on Auto and SB up one notch to 1.3v. Thats obviously just a guess and based on my board which isnt dis-similar.

 

[mrhuggles]

strap just effects the memory timings on the p35's hmm, ive heard that p45's top out around 450mhz what do your northbridge temps look like?

 

[alexp999]

strap just effects the memory timings on the p35's hmm, ive heard that p45's top out around 450mhz what do your northbridge temps look like?

P45's can easily break 500 and beyond. The strap on the P45 just affects internal chipset timings

I have also read that P45's usually OC well with most things on auto. The options are only useful if you know exactly what to do and are squeezing the last few MHz out of them.

 

[Tatty_Two]

strap just effects the memory timings on the p35's hmm, ive heard that p45's top out around 450mhz what do your northbridge temps look like?

Naaaaa, my board will do 505mhz with a quad..... 550 with a duellie....but good point, i run @ 500mhz on 1.4v on the NB..... perhaps it's overheating?

 

[ZenZimZaliben]

the P45 usually clocks much higher on the FSB then P35 when dealing with Quad Cores.

 

[alexp999]

the P45 usually clocks much higher on the FSB then P35 when dealing with Quad Cores.

Thats cus it was designed for quads as opposed to BIOS updates.

 

[Nitro-Max]

Its the chip vid 1.3250 thats typical for todays Q6600's my vids 1.2750 can run 3.6ghz 24/7 on just 1.360v.

Looks like you are just bordering stable they can often be unstable when cold if you boot up a few times it should take but i doubt it will be 100% stable that chip isnt going to run 3.6ghz 24/7 if you do manage to stabalize it it will be with high voltages and your gonna need water cooling on everything NB SB ETC.

tbh with the voltage youre putting in i really hope you do have a good water cooling setup and keep an eye on the northbridge and southbridge temps also they might be getting too hot .

I saw a nice Q6600 in the forsale section with a nice low vid if you have the money? if youre on air cooling my advice is set the vcore to 1.4v (about best max for air) and see what GHZ you can get stable at for 24/7 and leave it cos your either gonna fry the chip or the board the higher you try to push the chip the more voltage the fsb is gonna need and in turn that puts more heat on the cpu also.

 

[infected_]

still no go at 450*8....

 

[alexp999]

still no go at 450*8....

Try 450 * 6. That will tell you whether your CPU limited or not.

If it boots fine then you've reached your limit on the CPU
If it doesnt, then you've reached your limit on the mobo/ram

Then you'll know which settings could further be tweaked.

 

[infected_]

gonna try that and see how it works. ill be back with results.

thanks alexp999

 

[infected_]

at 450*6 it passes ibt...