How to OC an Intel DX48BT2 mobo ?

[Doggie]

Hi all,
I wanted to overclock my Q9650 from 3.0GHz to at least 3.5 GHz with normal stock cooler. I've been looking around the net but every reference I can find is with 3rd party motherboards like Gigabyte, Asus etc. Is there anyway that I can pull more juice from this mobo? Secondly this would be my 2nd overclock, the first and the only one which I did was with my Pentium 2 200 MMX (Yes I'm that old, so please be gentle ) therefor please don't mind if I act like a stupid idiot and ask questions again and again.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thankx

 

[cray86]

Does the BIOS have any overclocking features in it? Does it allow you to change the Front Side Bus or the Voltage on the CPU?

 

[Doggie]

My Bios has a screen for CPU overrirdes which has these settings:

CPU Voltage Override <Default>
CPU voltage Offset <Disabled>
Enhanced Power Slope <Disabled>
Front Side Bus Voltage Override <Default>
MCH/ICH Voltage Override <Default>

Processor Multiplier Override <Automatic>
Host Clock Frequency Override <Automatic>


Reference Voltage Override

 

[Doggie]

nobody ???

 

[cray86]

Well for a basic overclock you will need to increase the Front Side Bus in small amounts, followed by stress testing in Windows. To stress test you need -

Prime95
CoreTemp

Watch your temps as you max out the processor at the new test speed. If the system reboots or becomes unstable, you need to raise the VCore to maintain stability at that specific FSB. As you raise the VCore, temperatures increase. It's a balancing act.

There are plenty of tutorials on TechPowerUp and the Internet in general to show you the ropes.

 

[Doggie]

Thanks Cray86 I'll do as you suggested. I know there are many guides available, but mostly these guides don't refer to the the specific options available on my mobo. I'll try your tips and get back with results.

 

[Doggie]

Hi again,
I've uploaded my bios processor override section pics. I've been reading throughout a lot of forums, and generally the terms vary alot from motherboard to motherboard. (My mobo is the least talked about )?!? Can anyone look at these and tell me how to achieve an o/c of above 3.5GHz ?

Thankx

 

[newtekie1]

I would guess you need to change the Host Clock Frequency Override. You might also have to change the CPU Voltage Override.

What options do you have for those?

 

[sneekypeet]

start simply at first. Go to the host frequency and set it to manual. This should unlock the ability to move the FSB ( currently the 333 number). Once that is done, with everything else left alone try to move the 333 up in incriments of 5-10. test after boot for stability. Rinse and repeat. When it stops being stable we can go from there.

The limiting factor will be your 1333MHz ram ability to clock, as I dont see a setting to lower the ram speed (divider). As it sits the ram will have to OC as well as the Q9650.

I'm sure you have read this somewhere, but on the average, Intel branded motherboards dont overclock very well.

 

[newtekie1]

I believe you can change the memory frequency on the memory page with the timings. Though I think the options are quite limitted on this board, it should at least let you set the memory to 1066 and give you room to raise the FSB.

 

[sneekypeet]

I believe you can change the memory frequency on the memory page with the timings. Though I think the options are quite limitted on this board, it should at least let you set the memory to 1066 and give you room to raise the FSB.

it very well may be able to be set lower after it is unlocked, I assumed it was only reading current speed (not a setting per say), but without looking hands on its hard to say what his bios will allow

 

[newtekie1]

http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/mainboards/display/intel-dx48bt2_7.html

I found that, it might give a good idea of what you need to do to overclock using this board.

 

[Doggie]

Thanks sneekypeet and newtekie1. I've taken your advice and just changed the Host frequency to manual and changed from 333 to 343. I've also looked into the memory override page and found options to change the settings. I'm posting some more pics which will show you the mem page options also the resultant page which shows the change in overall system. Please comment.

 

[hat]

Damn, looks like I'm too late here, but I can offer this piece of advice... don't overvolt it. The stock cooler is barely sufficient for the processor as it is. Overclocking alone will raise temps (not by a siginificant amount), but overvolting will take it too far on the dinky stock cooler. If you got a better cooler, overvolting would be fine, but anything past 1.4v is taboo for 45nm processors... they degrade quickly past this voltage. Personally I woludn't go past 1.35v if I could help it, 1.375v at the most. As for temperatures, personally I feel anything under 65C is fine, over 70C and I just won't accept it.

Some great programs I can reccomend to you...
realtemp
CPU-Z
OCCT: use the Linpack test... it's the holy grail of stability tests, and it's so hardcore that for some users here, every other stability test, like Orthos or Prime95 will pass, but this test will not, so they distrust it when it fails... this is the test I use.

 

[Doggie]

thankx hat for your suggestion. I didn't change the volt settings and as sneekypeet said I went little by little increasing in increments of 10 and went uptill 393 where it booted fine I went to my login page and then it BSODed. So I started decrementing by 5 and now I stand at 373 which makes it 3357 MHz. So what should I do now?

 

[Doggie]

Okay it blue screened again, so I went 5 more down to 368 = 3312 MHZ. I think the instability is due to insufficient voltage and not due to heat ? But I don't know this stuff. What do you all say?