Help me OC my new X38 mobo with a Q6600

[alexp999]

I have just done a trade with Moonpig for this Gigabyte GA-EX38-DS4, so I can have a 9600GT along side my GTX 260 both at PCI-E 2.0 x16. On my Asus P5Q Deluxe, I had the Q6600 to 3.6 GHz and JrRacinFan helped me tighten my RAM timings.

Here are my old settings:

Q6600 @ 3.6GHz, 400 x 9, 1.4625v, Load Line Calibration Enabled
DDR2 1000 Mhz, 5-5-5-15, 2.1v, All Precharge to Activate: 4, TRFC: 45, Performance Level: 7
Everything else was on Auto.

So I now want to achieve the same results or better if possible, but the options seem a bit different and I dont know what best to set the voltages on, as I went on the fact the P5Q's were good on auto voltages.

So any help much appreciated, its currently all sitting on stock.

 

[ZenZimZaliben]

The GA-EX38-DS4 has an average MAX Fsb of 450Mhz.

With a good Q6600, earlier SLACKR, you should be able to hit 400Mhz with little problem. What specifically about the BIOS are you stumbling on?

IF you havent done this yet, you should. The thermal paste used on the NB is horrible quality, and applied by apparently drunk monkeys. Although the NB cooler is good quality, I would suggest removing it and adding good Thermal paste.

 

[alexp999]

Just what to set the voltages on mainly, like I say, they were all on auto except for ram and cpu voltage.

And also whether or not the timings whihc worked on the last board will work on this. I dont know if they are chipset or RAm dependant.

 

[ZenZimZaliben]

Your timings of 5.5.5.15 will work. 2.1 - 2.2v.
Enable Load Line Calibration.
Disable all the C1e crud. Virtualization. SPeed Step stuff.

Be sure to update the bios with the latest, which I believe is the F5 bios. There is a beta out there as well.

 

[alexp999]

Load line calibration seems to be completely broken, it does nothing, so it fails in OCCT after less than a minute, cus the vcore drops 0.05v!

I think I need to contact Moonpig

 

[sneekypeet]

0.05V droop is typical of most boards. Some are way worse.

I think you need a few other voltage values as the GB wont auto increase the voltages. Take into account NB voltage, CPU VTT, and GTL Reference voltages all need to be set correctly to achiev that OC again.

 

[alexp999]

Nothing can get this thing stable only voltage adjustments I can make are MCH, FSB, CPU, RAM.

P5Q with everything on auto for voltages, could do 3.6 GHz, on 1.46v LLC

I have just failed after 5 min with everything underclocked except the CPU, on 1.5v LLC.

And vdroop shouldnt exist with LLC, I set 1.46v on my P5Q and thats where it stays.

 

[sneekypeet]

I agree with LLC the voltage should be more stable.

Sorta blows that the bios is so limited in voltage adjustments. Are you sure it isnt hidden in another section? I dont know just throwing out Ideas....going to google your bios now.

Just looked it does remind me of the Foxconn X38 bios I have. Took me more voltage than a P35 to do 4.0GHz on an E7200. Without VTT control or GTL control I wasnt able to OC the chip any further, where the P35 was good for 200MHz more stability on less volts.

 

[ZenZimZaliben]

Mutli 9x
FSB = 400

MCH 1.38V to 1.42V
NB 1.38V to 1.45V
CPU 1.4 to 1.425

No reference voltages on this board? PLL?

OH yeah there are hidden OC settings. CRTL + F1 at boot.

 

[alexp999]

Has this board been stripped of its OC ability then? Hence why I cant achieve the same as the P5Q.

I'm not going over 1.5v, thats ridiculous.

 

[ZenZimZaliben]

OH yeah there are hidden OC settings. CRTL + F1 at boot or Once in the BIOS on the main screen hit CTRL + F1.

 

[alexp999]

All that adds is GTLREF1 and GTLREF2

Where the first can be +3%, Norm, -3%, -6%

And the second can be Norm, -3%, -6%

I dont get it tho, why could the p5q do 3.6 GHz, on 1.46v with everything else on stock and this cant even do it on 1.5v!

 

[wolf2009]

i have this board. it doesn't show what the final value of voltages is for MCH, FSB. it just shows how much you are putting over the normal.

if anybody figures out how to display the final value tell me pls

 

[alexp999]

So do those added ctrl+f1 options help or is this board not upto it. I'm stumped as to the LLC problem cus all other EX38-DS4's on the net work fine in that respect.

 

[wolf2009]

All that adds is GTLREF1 and GTLREF2

Where the first can be +3%, Norm, -3%, -6%

And the second can be Norm, -3%, -6%

I dont get it tho, why could the p5q do 3.6 GHz, on 1.46v with everything else on stock and this cant even do it on 1.5v!

what do those options do ? and what are gtlref ?

did you get that by ctrl+f1 ?

 

[alexp999]

what do those options do ? and what are gtlref ?

did you get that by ctrl+f1 ?

I just hammered ctrl+f1 during post, then hit del just before it initialised the drives.

Then when you go into the overclocking menu, it has added those two extra options. f*ck knows what they do tho, lol.

 

[ZenZimZaliben]

Here are some screen bios shots at 400FSB. Maybe they will help you.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3008/2531758764_fd6bbe7d93.jpg?v=0
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3105/2531759770_ef78434866.jpg?v=0
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3110/2531760824_8934e0d1e0.jpg?v=0

 

[alexp999]

Here are some screen bios shots at 400FSB. Maybe they will help you.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3008/2531758764_fd6bbe7d93.jpg?v=0
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3105/2531759770_ef78434866.jpg?v=0
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3110/2531760824_8934e0d1e0.jpg?v=0

What CPU was that with?

 

[Bundy]

I think you need to address the less than adequate NB cooling before OC. If you don't want to re do the thermal paste as suggested by ZenZimZaliben, put a 40mm fan on the heat sink.

I also suggest you probably should work out your chipset voltages the ol' fashioned way by just creeping your OC up slowly, adding only the volts you need. My reason for this are related to the first point, these chipsets get hot and it seems very easy to give them too much volts.

 

[ZenZimZaliben]

Q6700 i believe.

 

[alexp999]

Ive got a lot of fans in my case, and OCCT is failing way too quick for it to be a heat issue.

Its within seconds of starting, you see the voltage plumit.

I know this Q6600 doesnt have the lowest voltage to get to 3.6 GHz, but with everything set how ZenZimZaliben has it, and then 1.5v on my Q6600, it still fails in seconds.

Whereas my P5Q could do all stock, with 1.46v LLC and be 100% stable.

 

[sneekypeet]

Whereas my P5Q could do all stock, with 1.46v LLC and be 100% stable.

I think you are failing to grasp the big picture here. On AUTO with an ASUS mobo the voltages arent static, the actually increase by what the mobo thinks it needs to run. If you dotn monitor what these voltages are in real time you will have no idea what they are. So essentially on auto there is no "Stock".

IF you still have the old board boot it back up to your stable "AUTO" OC and really look at what the voltages read, I bet you will realize what I mean.

 

[alexp999]

I think you are failing to grasp the big picture here. On AUTO with an ASUS mobo the voltages arent static, the actually increase by what the mobo thinks it needs to run. If you dotn monitor what these voltages are in real time you will have no idea what they are. So essentially on auto there is no "Stock".

IF you still have the old board boot it back up to your stable "AUTO" OC and really look at what the voltages read, I bet you will realize what I mean.

I know that, but it doesnt tell you what it is automatically taking the voltages too.

I didnt expect it to be this complicated ot get 400*9 out of a mobo that says it does 1600FSB on the box, on a chip I know can do 400*9 without any fancy tweaking.

ZenZimZaliben was able to get 400 FSB with everything on stock, yet even with all the voltages bumped it fails instantly, and I believe itc cus of the bad vdroop and broken load line calibration.

 

[allen337]

lol that gigabyte wont do but 500fsb on my q9650, enter bios then hit ctrl+ f1 turn off all the intel bullshit and go into MIT motherboard intellegent tweaker,set all your mem voltages timings and load line calabration, put your pci-e to 101, up your mch voltage til it gets stable. ALLEN

 

[alexp999]

Trying MCH and FSB voltages 3 bumps above normal.

CPU voltage on 1.5v.

If this fails, I give up

Oh, I tried a boot on auto voltages, and it set my Vcore on 1.572v!
So I promptly changed that, lol.