I can't get a decent overclock on my Q6600..Help!

[newtekie1]

Specs to the left, it is in a P5N32-E SLI(680i). I just can't seem to get this thing to a decent overclock. I can get the FSB up to about 1300, but it is unstable even there, and it seems the P5N32 needs a very high NB vcore to even POST at that(1.5v) and I think the NB is overheating at that speed because the machine freezes shortly after POST, usually shortly after logging into Windows. Plus the northbridge heatsink is hot enough to burn my finger if I touch it for more than a second.

I don't know what to do. The vcore on my Q6600 is 1.5v, and temps are fine. That vcore should be more than enough and I don't think it is the problem. If I lower the NB vcore the machine won't even post.

I'd like to get the damn thing up to 3.0GHz, which would be a 1333FSB, but I can't even get it stable at 1300.

Is the P5N32-E just not cut out for overclocking Quads?

 

[tkpenalty]

As usual, Nvidia chipsets run very hot. Newtekie, its obvious to me that the stock cooling solution was not designed with the intention to handle any form of overclocking. I'd immediately grab a cooling solution such as a thermalright HR-05 IFX and bolt a fan on it. I've seen how hot Nforce chipsets run and its somewhat scary

Yeah...so the problem is just the cooling. Its more than capable, but the cooling isnt. (And this is a reason why I go with Gigabyte instead these days )

 

[newtekie1]

The cooling solution on the ASUS is actually very good, especially with the optional fan strapped on it. I know the chipset runs hot, my eVGA 680i board was the same way. I don't mind the temps as long as it is stable, but it isn't, and the voltage required to keep it stable is insane.

Perhaps I just got a bad board, or a bad processor. I think I'll try RMAing the board and see if a new one helps any, I think I have an older PCB revision anyway, It's what I get for buying used parts.

I guess it could also be that I'm not using RAM on ASUS's approved list, but I've never had a problem with that before...

Edit:After do some reading it seems a lot of people are having the same problem I am with this board. Or more specifically the 680i chipset in general, it just doesn't like to overclock quads. Which sucks since I use SLI and it is pretty much my only solution. Looks like I'll be buying a 780i board when they come out. Hopefully nVidia has got their act together.

 

[Davidelmo]

I'm going to say it's the motherboard.

I have also learned this lesson about 680i + quad core.

I'm getting rid of mine and buying a P35 board instead - probably the Abit IP35 pro.

If you're not going to use SLI, I just wouldn't bother with any 680i board to be honest

edit - oh, I see you DO use SLI.. i'm not sure what you can do in this case. Probably just wait for the new board and hope they are better.

 

[tkpenalty]

its probably a bad board, and you DO have a reason to RMA it, being that one of the advertised features, 1333FSB support is not functioning.

 

[Wile E]

The cooling solution on the ASUS is actually very good, especially with the optional fan strapped on it. I know the chipset runs hot, my eVGA 680i board was the same way. I don't mind the temps as long as it is stable, but it isn't, and the voltage required to keep it stable is insane.

Perhaps I just got a bad board, or a bad processor. I think I'll try RMAing the board and see if a new one helps any, I think I have an older PCB revision anyway, It's what I get for buying used parts.

I guess it could also be that I'm not using RAM on ASUS's approved list, but I've never had a problem with that before...

Edit:After do some reading it seems a lot of people are having the same problem I am with this board. Or more specifically the 680i chipset in general, it just doesn't like to overclock quads. Which sucks since I use SLI and it is pretty much my only solution. Looks like I'll be buying a 780i board when they come out. Hopefully nVidia has got their act together.

Revision A1 EVGA 680i SLI mobos are supposed to clock quads well.

 

[newtekie1]

I had an A1 before, it wouldn't do anything over 1300FSB either.

 

[Wile E]

Well, looking around on other forums, there are reports of fsb holes when OCing quads on 680i. Just weird random ranges that won't work, but even going above them will. If you absolutely can't set it manually to 333fsb or better, you could try the 1333fsb BSEL mod.

 

[panchoman]

680i's seem to have an awfully hard time clocking quads. i believe nvidia's working on a patch or something for it.

 

[Grings]

the latest bios for nvidia reference design boards (most of them, alas not the asus ones) is supposed to really help with overclocking quads, there was an article over on bit-tech a while back:-

http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/2007/08/12/refreshing_the_nforce_680i_sli/7

plus, as wile e said theres lots of fsb holes with 680's (and 650's), these seem to cause problems with dual cores too, theres a semi relevant article below, and while its a different board and dual chip, i found memory performance drops at the same fsb's as they did on my 650 board, so it seems relevant to all 6 series nvidia boards

http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/mainboards/display/abit-in932x-max_9.html

 

[vega22]

i had black holes all over the shop with mine (nf650/c2d) some only 12mhz some as much as 60mhz.

caused me some head aches untill i found out what they were, try dropping your multi and going higher on the fsb.

 

[CrAsHnBuRnXp]

In some boards, the Q6600 is a bitch to overclock. Take my board (eVGA NF68 A1 680i) and the Striker Extreme for example. They can overclock a C2D like mad. However, if you plop a quad core in there, they cant OC them for shit. Your motherboard is probably doing the same as the aforementioned boards. Might want to try a different one. Look into a P35 or x38 chipset. Only go x38 if you arent doing SLi as it doesnt support SLi.

eVGA just release another BIOS update for me not to long ago. It was to help support overclocking with a quad core. I am now able to get to 3.2GHz which is a feat I wasnt able to get to before, however, my temps soar when running prime95 so I cant even tell if it will be stable enough unfortunately. Damn B3 chips! I cant wait for the Penryn CPU's in Jan.

 

[newtekie1]

I tried the latest BIOS on my eVGA A1 board before switching to the P5N32-E. I just can't get the CPU stable at anything over 1300FSB on any of my nVidia 600 series boards. Unfortunately I need SLI, so I can't switch to something else.

 

[CrAsHnBuRnXp]

You would think there would be more chipsets out there that can do SLi other than 680i.

 

[mrw1986]

I'm in the same boat...I haven't built my quad system yet but I want a board that will do SLI and OC...

 

[Aguiar]

yeah,B3 sucks...we should be able to get refund from intel or get a G0...there´s a huge diference bettwen.Lets all make noise at Intel door..."we want G0...we want G0"...maybe theyll trade it.
I can go till 3,10 but i think Mem´s are cutting me...i run it stable but can´t run PI 1.5Xs more than once , it will go " not convergent with SQR5".

 

[newtekie1]

Well my P5N32-E went south during a BIOS flash, so now I am waiting for ASUS to RMA the damn thing. I could put my eVGA board back in the machine, but I really don't want to do another format and re-install only to have to do it again when the new P5N32-E comes. Luckily I have a few spare machines laying around.

I'm in the same boat...I haven't built my quad system yet but I want a board that will do SLI and OC...

Yeah, it sucks. I would be perfectly happy with a stable 3GHz and I can't even get that.

yeah,B3 sucks...we should be able to get refund from intel or get a G0...there´s a huge diference bettwen.Lets all make noise at Intel door..."we want G0...we want G0"...maybe theyll trade it.
I can go till 3,10 but i think Mem´s are cutting me...i run it stable but can´t run PI 1.5Xs more than once , it will go " not convergent with SQR5".

The difference is only really in overclocking, which voids you warranty anyway...

 

[CrAsHnBuRnXp]

yeah,B3 sucks...we should be able to get refund from intel or get a G0...there´s a huge diference bettwen.Lets all make noise at Intel door..."we want G0...we want G0"...maybe theyll trade it.
I can go till 3,10 but i think Mem´s are cutting me...i run it stable but can´t run PI 1.5Xs more than once , it will go " not convergent with SQR5".

The only thing keeping me from sending a complaint to Intel is that Penryn will be here in two months. (which I intend on getting a Q9450)

 

[panchoman]

680I(evga a1, striker extreme,etc.) + A quad core= not a happy realationship.

 

[CrAsHnBuRnXp]

680I(evga a1, striker extreme,etc.) + A quad core= not a happy realationship.

I sure dont have one.