C2D Overclocking Guide For Beginners P5K Add-On

[Supershanks]

One thing about asus the ez bios update is the best flash routine i've seen. In bios - (see tools) no need to boot from floppy. I think the windows update method is risky on any mobo.

Must agree though i prefer the old bios chip & socket., it's quicker to have a spare bios chip than having to rma the board.

luck

[zmonkey]

Originally Posted by Supershanks

One thing about asus the ez bios update is the best flash routine i've seen. In bios - (see tools) no need to boot from floppy. I think the windows update method is risky on any mobo.

Must agree though i prefer the old bios chip & socket., it's quicker to have a spare bios chip than having to rma the board.

luck

Hi all,

I just joined this forum, mainly to thank the OP heartily for all of the wonderful advice on how to OC my new Q6600 and P5K Deluxe WiFi, but also wanted to let others know that I, too, recently bricked a motherboard (a basic P5B) using the BIOS update in Windows. It is the first time I've ever had a problem using the Asus Update in Windows, but it's the last time I'll ever use it. Still, I was going to get rid of my P5B anyway, as I wanted a more robust mobo to do overclocking on.

Anyway, on to my thanks! Thank you SO much for your help, Clunk! With your advice, I've been able to get a stable system running at 3.7GHz on air (Antec 900 case, fans all on low) that idles at 31C. I might even be able to go a bit higher if I get some good OC'ing RAM at some point, but my most recent spending has put that on hold for a bit. So, thank you for giving me a system that far exceeded what I'd have been able to do with my existing knowledge!

-z

[Clunk]

Thanks, and I'm glad it was of use to you

[acrobat]

Originally Posted by zmonkey

my new Q6600

I've been able to get a stable system running at 3.7GHz on air (Antec 900 case, fans all on low) that idles at 31C.

holy moly

[mroz]

Originally Posted by acrobat

holy moly

Quite

Some stats would be nice. Vid, Vcore, Temps at load, how long it was stability tested...

I'm jealous, though not complaining about my 3.4 clock - now stable for six weeks running mostly 24/7 with full load for about half that time, in blocks of around 12 to 24 hours.

[zmonkey]

Originally Posted by mroz

Quite

Some stats would be nice. Vid, Vcore, Temps at load, how long it was stability tested...

I'm jealous, though not complaining about my 3.4 clock - now stable for six weeks running mostly 24/7 with full load for about half that time, in blocks of around 12 to 24 hours.

I guess I probably should have put "stable" in quotes, like I did just now. My system does not crash under any of the applications I run currently, the most intense of which is video conversion, which still isn't very taxing on the system, but I can fill in a few blanks based on what I've seen:

Vcore is 1.4375V, at the heaviest loads I've watched (I use a core monitor in my sidebar) which have only maxed out a couple of the cores for a few minutes, the temperature gets to right around 50C, but usually stays just under that. Vid, is that short for video? I don't have any video so far, but I can take pictures of different things. RAM is middle of the road G.Skill, 4GB of F2-6400CL4D, DDR2 800. I can get the timings to 4-4-4-10-2T (from the standard 4-4-4-12) and run it at 2.1V. With my current overclock, I think that makes it DDR2 820 (1:1 timings). I should mention that mine is a G0 Q6600, also, although I'm sure you all assumed that if you're keeping up with the latest chips (and in a forum like this, I'd bet most of you are!). There's nothing else special about my setup, and everything is taken strictly from Clunk's guide. I use AS5 and a Zalman 9500 HS/Fan combo for my CPU. I did download OCCT and it won't run for more than five seconds, so calling my system "stable" is a bit of a stretch. I should say that for what I typically do, which is not that taxing on my system, it doesn't crash, and doesn't run too hot. I imagine that if I wanted a truly stable system, I would probably have to drop it back to something more like what others are running, in the 3.4GHz range, or perhaps increase the Vcore even more, which I'm hesitant to do since I don't like getting my CPU too hot.

[TensioN]

Originally Posted by Supershanks

uninstall asus probe

what do i use to monitor voltage then?? speedfan is limited and everest home is inacurate...??

[Supershanks]

Everest works for me so does MBM

[TensioN]

mbm5 it doesn't list my p5k-d in supported mobo's

[Supershanks]

mbm5 it doesn't list my p5k-d in supported mobo's

It works with my p5k dlxe so odds on it works with your, up to you wether you try it
What i get from it is shown here
2 white ros on right hand side vcore is shown top row extreme right.

[mroz]

Originally Posted by zmonkey

I guess I probably should have put "stable" in quotes, like I did just now. My system does not crash under any of the applications I run currently, the most intense of which is video conversion, which still isn't very taxing on the system, but I can fill in a few blanks based on what I've seen:

Vcore is 1.4375V, at the heaviest loads I've watched (I use a core monitor in my sidebar) which have only maxed out a couple of the cores for a few minutes, the temperature gets to right around 50C, but usually stays just under that. Vid, is that short for video?

VID - Voltage IDentification: A code supplied by the processor that determines the reference output voltage to be delivered to the processor. IOW your cpu's nominal Vcore, aiui. It /might/ give some indication of overclock abilty. Coretemp will display the value.

I don't have any video so far, but I can take pictures of different things. RAM is middle of the road G.Skill, 4GB of F2-6400CL4D, DDR2 800. I can get the timings to 4-4-4-10-2T (from the standard 4-4-4-12) and run it at 2.1V. With my current overclock, I think that makes it DDR2 820 (1:1 timings). I should mention that mine is a G0 Q6600, also, although I'm sure you all assumed that if you're keeping up with the latest chips (and in a forum like this, I'd bet most of you are!). There's nothing else special about my setup, and everything is taken strictly from Clunk's guide. I use AS5 and a Zalman 9500 HS/Fan combo for my CPU. I did download OCCT and it won't run for more than five seconds, so calling my system "stable" is a bit of a stretch.

Ouch. I'd not be happy running like that but each to their own.

I should say that for what I typically do, which is not that taxing on my system, it doesn't crash, and doesn't run too hot. I imagine that if I wanted a truly stable system, I would probably have to drop it back to something more like what others are running, in the 3.4GHz range, or perhaps increase the Vcore even more, which I'm hesitant to do since I don't like getting my CPU too hot.

If you're not taxing your system, why overclock? I'm puzzled now. If one OCs for a performance gain, you'd get the same result just by pushing it harder but without any hassle or risks whatsoever.

[Clunk]

Originally Posted by mroz

If you're not taxing your system, why overclock? I'm puzzled now. If one OCs for a performance gain, you'd get the same result just by pushing it harder but without any hassle or risks whatsoever.

We dont need the overclocking police in an overclocking thread

I personally do it for a bit of a hobby, if people need the extra speed, then thats an added bonus, but I think with these C2D and Quad chips, it is criminal not to overclock them...but that is just my humble opinion

[zmonkey]

Originally Posted by mroz

If you're not taxing your system, why overclock? I'm puzzled now. If one OCs for a performance gain, you'd get the same result just by pushing it harder but without any hassle or risks whatsoever.

Well, I've noticed performance gains with every speed increase I've tried that managed to boot and run stably. However, I do see your point. I will most certainly drop down the speed if it begins locking up on anything I do regularly. Eventually I'm going to end up replacing my RAM, and then I'll OC my system to a level that is rock solid and stable regardless of what I throw at it.

-z

[Supershanks]

you'd get the same result just by pushing it harder

does not compute , pushing it harder how??
Out the window
or
Oh you mean overclocking it??

[TensioN]

gah this MBM5 is giving me a head ache... none of the sensors work correctly...

EDit: supershanks what sensor number was your vcore reading in voltage??

[Supershanks]

Voltages - Tab
1st one.

Temps - Tab
Sensor9 = Core 0
Sensor 10 = Core 1
Sensor 11 = Core 2
Sensor 12 = Core 3