OT: Overclocking info req'd for gaming rig...

Hi... I know this is off topic, and I apologise, but you guys are just so well informed I
couldn't NOT ask in here.....and this pc will be used as my main gaming rig, so Sims
will be played on it, so its sort of relevant....

Anyway my question...

During the last couple of days I have just built myself a nice new Intel Core 2 Duo
E6600 based pc, and I have it working great, but I would like clarification of the
settings needed to overclock the pc.

I have already got the cpu to 2.7Ghz using 9x multiplier and 300 FSB (stock setting
is 9 x 272 = 2.4Ghz) and have tested it ok (using Sandra Lite, and CPU Stress
Tester) and the max temp for the cpu never goes above 50 degrees C.

Then I tried using 8 x multiplier with 350 FSB = 2.8Ghz and the pc also worked great
(tested again with Sandra and CPU Stress Tester) and temp never got above 51
degrees C.

However, CPU-Z and Sandra Lite and Speedfan all report the cpu speed as 3.1Ghz
using these settings from the bios?

Now I know that this is a very new M/B and therefore some programs may not be
reporting the speeds / settings correctly, so I just wanted to clarify what settings
other overclockers are using?

I've read many reports that this sort of set-up should easily get over 3Ghz speeds.
But what settings should I set in the bios, specifically for the cpu multiplier? the FSB?
the memory (so far I have NOT changed any memory settings) and the DRam spec?
and the core voltage? (so far I have not cahnged any voltages).

NB: It looks like this M/B uses a 2:3 ratio for the cpuram (eg: cpu clock = 300, so
DRam = 300 / 2 = 150 x 3 = 450) and this is the bit thats confusing me, I think my
Ram is rated at DDR2 800Mhz (400 x 2 ) so how come its running at faster than 400?

Any info and advice would be welcomed..... thanx

The complete PC spec is as follows:

Intel Core 2 Duo E6600 cpu (4Mb cache)
Arctic Cooling Pro 7 fan and heatsink (also used arctic silver thermal compound)
Abit AB9 Pro (WiFi) M/B
2 x Gb crucial Ballistix DDR2 ram ( 2 x 1Gb chips running in dual channel mode)
Nvidia 8800GTS graphics card (320Mb)
Arctic 600w (modular) PSU
Hitachi Deskstar 320Gb SATA H/D
LG SATA DVD/CD writer
LG 19" TFT (widescreen)
Sony 1.44Mb FDD


*Peter* - http://homepage.ntlworld.com/petergagg/

Sorry, should also have added that this pc is using Win XP Home.

Thanx

P Gagg wrote:

Hi... I know this is off topic, and I apologise, but you guys are just so well informed I
couldn't NOT ask in here.....and this pc will be used as my main gaming rig, so Sims
will be played on it, so its sort of relevant....

Anyway my question...

During the last couple of days I have just built myself a nice new Intel Core 2 Duo
E6600 based pc, and I have it working great, but I would like clarification of the
settings needed to overclock the pc.

I have already got the cpu to 2.7Ghz using 9x multiplier and 300 FSB (stock setting
is 9 x 272 = 2.4Ghz) and have tested it ok (using Sandra Lite, and CPU Stress
Tester) and the max temp for the cpu never goes above 50 degrees C.

Then I tried using 8 x multiplier with 350 FSB = 2.8Ghz and the pc also worked great
(tested again with Sandra and CPU Stress Tester) and temp never got above 51
degrees C.

However, CPU-Z and Sandra Lite and Speedfan all report the cpu speed as 3.1Ghz
using these settings from the bios?

Now I know that this is a very new M/B and therefore some programs may not be
reporting the speeds / settings correctly, so I just wanted to clarify what settings
other overclockers are using?

I've read many reports that this sort of set-up should easily get over 3Ghz speeds.
But what settings should I set in the bios, specifically for the cpu multiplier? the FSB?
the memory (so far I have NOT changed any memory settings) and the DRam spec?
and the core voltage? (so far I have not cahnged any voltages).

NB: It looks like this M/B uses a 2:3 ratio for the cpuram (eg: cpu clock = 300, so
DRam = 300 / 2 = 150 x 3 = 450) and this is the bit thats confusing me, I think my
Ram is rated at DDR2 800Mhz (400 x 2 ) so how come its running at faster than 400?

Any info and advice would be welcomed..... thanx

The complete PC spec is as follows:

Intel Core 2 Duo E6600 cpu (4Mb cache)
Arctic Cooling Pro 7 fan and heatsink (also used arctic silver thermal compound)
Abit AB9 Pro (WiFi) M/B
2 x Gb crucial Ballistix DDR2 ram ( 2 x 1Gb chips running in dual channel mode)
Nvidia 8800GTS graphics card (320Mb)
Arctic 600w (modular) PSU
Hitachi Deskstar 320Gb SATA H/D
LG SATA DVD/CD writer
LG 19" TFT (widescreen)
Sony 1.44Mb FDD


*Peter* - http://homepage.ntlworld.com/petergagg/

Ok, I have now sorted out the internal cables inside the case, (tidied them up) and added
one further case fan, and max temps now are 44 degrees C after sustained 100% cpu
load.

I have now also pushed the cpu to 3.1Ghz without any probs.

I am reluctant to push further now as i'm not sure how this may affect the memory and /
or whether I need to change any memory settings (DRAM), etc.

Am very happy with this cpu and pc set-up though, its awesomely fast.

8-)

Im not sure of the exact setting requires for that setup, but it
varies from component to component. Just because someone has got
3.0Ghz out of their doesnt mean you will, and you mayve find you
use different settings to get similar speeds. I have my E4300
rated at 1.8Ghz running at 3.0Ghz with the same HSF. Your CPU
seems to be getting quite hot, is the HSF attached correctly? I
found mine to be a pain in the ass to fit and secure properly...
Also does the rest of the PC have adequate cooling, an intake and
exhaust fan on the case will help a lot.

What stress test are you running? If it runs for several hours
without crashing or showing errors I'm not sure the temprature is
too much to worry about... But don't take my word for it.

*Peter* - http://homepage.ntlworld.com/petergagg/

pjgtech (AT) cix (DOT) co.uk (P Gagg) wrote:

I have now also pushed the cpu to 3.1Ghz without any probs.
My E6600 (also from OcUK last week) is an SL9ZL (FPO#L644G264), which

requires more voltage than earlier CPUs, sadly. At 3.15GHz it's solid as
the proverbial rock. At 3.2 I can get to Windows, but the PC reboots
within ten minutes of extreme testing. If I try any higher I never get
anywhere close to loading Windows, no matter what settings I mess with.

However despite not hitting the 3.4GHz common for earlier CPUs, this is a
*significant* step up from my x2 3800 @ 2.4GHz. I'm far more impressed
than I expected to be, especially in the flight sim LockOn, where I was
very CPU-limited and am now seeing 100%+ improvements in frame rates.

Andrew McP

Hi Andrew...

Got my E6600 to 3.24Ghz tonight, using 360FSB x 9 multiplier, with cpu:mem at 1:1 ratio
and passed all the testing I could throw at it (CPU Stress Tester, Sandra Lite, Prime95
and SandM) except for 3D Mark 06!

Everything else was stable as a rock and temps were not getting above 42 degrees C
(using Core Temp v0.95).

I've gone back to 3.15Ghz now (350 x 9) as that is rock solid in everything (including 3D
mark 06 - getting >10k points BTW)

I'd rather have the pc rock solid at 3.1 than flaky at 3.2 or higher, as its still miles better
than the stock 2.4Ghz.

8-)

I have now also pushed the cpu to 3.1Ghz without any probs.
My E6600 (also from OcUK last week) is an SL9ZL (FPO#L644G264),
which requires more voltage than earlier CPUs, sadly. At 3.15GHz
it's solid as the proverbial rock. At 3.2 I can get to Windows, but
the PC reboots within ten minutes of extreme testing. If I try any
higher I never get anywhere close to loading Windows, no matter
what settings I mess with.

However despite not hitting the 3.4GHz common for earlier CPUs,
this is a *significant* step up from my x2 3800 @ 2.4GHz. I'm far
more impressed than I expected to be, especially in the flight sim
LockOn, where I was very CPU-limited and am now seeing 100%+
improvements in frame rates.

*Peter* - http://homepage.ntlworld.com/petergagg/

pjgtech (AT) cix (DOT) co.uk (P Gagg) wrote:

I'd rather have the pc rock solid at 3.1 than flaky at 3.2 or higher,
as its still miles better than the stock 2.4Ghz.

Agreed, and the more from 3.1 to 3.4 isn't really going to be very
noticeable anyway. The move from 2.4 to 3.1 certainly is.

It sounds like you have an earlier CPU with lower voltage requirements.
My CPU peaks at 50C under load, and I haven't put it in a case yet, so
it has plenty of external cooling. I always have extra fans blowing onto
my motherboard anyway, so hopefully the cased version will be equally
stable.

Andrew McP

What M/B are you using there?

Got an Abit AB9 Pro Wifi here (not put the wifi daughter board in yet though, as I have a
wired network here in my study anyway).

I've just figured out the cost of the new pc, it works out at around £900 all in. Why do we
spend that much? Bearing in mind this is basically a glorified games machine I could have
just bought an Xbox 360 or Wii or Playstation3 for much, much less...!

Mind you, to buy a pc this well spec'd from a retail mob or on-line (or mail order) box
shifter would cost at least £1500 so the way I see it is that I've saved myself a few quid...

Not sure my other half sees it that way tho...

8-)

*Peter* - http://homepage.ntlworld.com/petergagg/

pjgtech (AT) cix (DOT) co.uk (P Gagg) wrote:

What M/B are you using there?

I went for a "safe" Gigabyte DS3 in the end, because there's plenty of
info around on the web about configuring it. But yesterday I did get an
error after 14 hours of Orthos blend testing at 3.15GHz. That's not a
particularly good sign, but I'm sure if I can be bothered (it's my
entertainment box, not my 'work' box) to do more tweaking I can
stabilise it properly.

Why do we spend that much?

Not enough children to spend our money for us. ;-)

Andrew McP