checking 6600 CPU defaults

[OldRoy]

I am still at an early stage of building my new 6600/Pro 35/4Gb/XPpro 32 bit pc. This is my first complete build.

I just downloaded CPU-z which reports the core speed as 1441.4 Mhz although I have seen this jump up to >2k briefly, and a multiplier of X6. Bus speed is 240.2 Mhz nd rated FSB 961.1 Mhz. On advice I have set RAM voltages to 2.1. DRAM freq = 360.4 mhz, FSB/DRAM = 2:3.

Can someone tell me if these parameters are correct please? I understood that the multiplier should be X9

Please don't assume that I know much about these parameters. I'm not a dummy but I have never done this before.

The system just hung when I switched between modes in Guru, although it has generally been stable (today anyway). I am getting depressed by feeling out of my depth here. I just want a stable system, and don't really need to overclock at this stage.

On reboot I saw the multiplier briefly read X9. ???
Guru in BIOS reports multiplier of X9.

Thanks!
Roy

[matty-hodgson]

run some intensive programs while watching CPU-Z and it should read x9 and show the advertised speed..
it's to do with EIST (enhanced Intel Speedstep) trying to use as little power and produce as little heat as possible so it basically 'turns down' the power on the CPU to a lower amount to conserve energy and heat.

[OldRoy]

Just noticed that if I allow the boot-up memory test to continue, the thing cycles again through the initial hase (ie starts again with graphics card status and resumes memory test). This repeats endlessly. Memtest run for a while, 3 instances @ 900 Mb, so far reports no errors.
Do I have a memory problem?

[Adhesion]

i don't have a ip35 pro, but i have an e6600, @ idle core clock should be 1.6ghz and should be 2.4ghz at load. your rated FSB should be in the 1066 range (unless overclocked in which case it should be higher).

your FSB is to low it seems i don't know how that could have happened. try clearing CMOS and setting up again, it should default to 1066 FSB.

you could also go in to the guru menu in the bios and set 1066 fsb manually. i don't know which memory your using but maybe you should try a 1:1 ratio if the system becomes unstable as the memory may not do it at 2:3.

[OldRoy]

Thanks
pardon my ignorance but does resetting the cmos then require a full reinstallation of the o/s?

[Blitzen]

Thanks
pardon my ignorance but does resetting the cmos then require a full reinstallation of the o/s?

No fella.
You will have to reset other things in the bios like RAID set-ups/Overclocks/boot sequences.

Basically, your CPU is just fine....its just Speedstep (EIST) kicking in.
Dont worry about it, i use it aswell. When you PC requires the power, your Q6600 will speed up to its maximum (2.4ghz in this case).

Its just so your CPU isnt running at full blast when only doing things like surfing the net.


There is no need to for you to clear the CMOS anyway.
Set everything to AUto and you will back at stock.

There you are back at stock settings for the Q6600 and definitely no CMOS reset required.

[OldRoy]

What about the FSB? Does this look odd?
In summary, resetting the CMOS to defaults should be OK? I am not overclocking and (sadly) was unable to set up the RAID. Boot sequence is no problem. I am running Memtest overnight. I wonder where the instability is coming from?

[Adhesion]

your FSB is incorrect. what speed is your memory rated at?

ddr2 533 (4200) ratio 1:1
ddr2 667 (5300) ratio 3:4
ddr2 800 (6400) ratio 2:3

you should be running at the above ratios depending on your memory speed
you need to be on the 1066 FSB strap for your cpu.

i suggested clearing CMOS as it should do it for you, but you can also do it your self or as blitz said, set to auto and it should pick it up.

good luck plz post your resluts

[Richh]

What about the FSB? Does this look odd?

Sure does, not sure how you managed to end up with that. Not only are you not overclocking - you're actually underclocking it. Default FSB for an E6600 is 266MHz, not 240. Multiplier is either 9x (at full speed) or 6x when power management is dropping it down, so the expected core frequency would be either 2400MHz under load, or 1600MHz when cruising.

In summary, resetting the CMOS to defaults should be OK?

It certainly shouldn't cause you any problems, but I'm interested to hear why you think you need to do it. It shouldn't, on the face of things, be necessary. If push comes to shove, loading optimised defaults from the front page of the BIOS and setting pretty much everything in the OCGuru section to Auto will get you a clean configuration.

I... was unable to set up the RAID.

Why? What happened when you tried? There's a walkthrough over at the Abit USA Forums , so have a look at that and see if you can work out where you went wrong.

I wonder where the instability is coming from?

Difficult for us to comment at this juncture bearing in mind you've not as yet given us a full rundown of your system configuration. What speed RAM do you have? This will in turn, as has already been said, determine the correct memory bus multiplier to use.

When you talk about instability, what exactly do you mean? Switching speed modes in the uGuru OS application is known to cause problems on an otherwise completely stable system, so if that's all that's "wrong", just avoid doing it.

[BUFF]

Switching speed modes in the uGuru OS application is known to cause problems on an otherwise completely stable system, so if that's all that's "wrong", just avoid doing it.

the factory presets are just generic settings that suit system configs. that people often don't have.
Far better to setup the user profiles with settings that suit your system config.

[OldRoy]

Ok folks
many thanks for the feedback. You have (as they say) made an old man very happy. Well, happier...
Right now I'm just recovering from having disconected the boot drive (live) whilst tiding cables. I know, I know.
Repaired from XP installation disk (never had any luck with this before but this time it seems fine).
Reset safe default settings during this process which is where I'm now running.
CPU-Z reports:
Core sp - 1632
Mult - 6 (9 under load)
Bus speed - 272 Mhz
Rated FSB - 1088.1 mhz
However memory
DRAM freq - 408 Mhz (???)
CAS latency - 5
R/C delay - 5R pre - 5
Cycle time - 18
CR - 2T
(I have no idea what most of these represent except that the frequency looks odd to me as the Corsair ram is rated at 800)

What I'd really like to do is get this all running at safe settings - a bit above minima wouldn't hurt though.
Could someone comment on the current values and tell me if there's anything that looks wrong. Then maybe walk me through the sequence of settings required to achieve this. Remember I'm not as sharp as I once was and this is new to me.

Your help is appreciated, and not just as a formality.
Roy

[BUFF]

It's rated at 800 but it's DDR (double data rate) so it really runs at 400.
However, as you will have noticed abits typically have a 2% out of the box overclock hence the 272fsb instead of 266 & the 408 instead of 400 for your RAM.

[OldRoy]

Re; RAID failure.
Well, whenever I tried to set the RAID configuration in the BIOS setup (CTRL I if I recall correctly) I got bluescreen crashes - a couple of times (whilst installing the os). I tried loading both versions of the RAID utility at different stages (F6 route) but was unable to find any way of achieving success. I tried to set up the RAID 1 mirroring in XP and despite setting the drives to Dynamic, and checking that the target drive was bigger than the partition of the source boot drive, the "add mirror" function was permanently greyed. As is most of my remaining hair now.
I have looked at the Intel utility which is listed somewhere - even downloaded the utility and printed out the info files associated with it. Reading them and some of the posts elsewhere on how to set up mirroring on an already configured system, simply left my head spinning. I'm not saying that I couldn't follow it if I was relaxed and a bit less rattled, but it looks pretty heavy duty to my old brain.
This is a bit of a pity. I bought these components with a precise configuration in mind and I'm a bit depressed to have reached the point where I feel I can't hit the target.
To make matters a bit worse I was hoping to use Acronis to make images of the boot disc/apps with tons of space for data and images o the remaining two drives. Unfortunately Acronis won't image dynamic drives - and you can't revert to basic!!! aaarrrgggghhhh.
This has been harder than I expected. I have spent an entire week on it, which seems incredible to me despite years of using IT in my working life.
Any suggestions appreciated!

[OldRoy]

OK Buff, thanks.
A couple of additional general questions.
I have tried a couple of modest tweaks in Guru under Windows. Someone suggested that in my current configuration I should up the RAM voltage to 2.1. I just increased it to 2.0v. In addition I increased the clockspeed to 2.8 (which seemed modest too). Immediate system hang. Is this indiucative of anything other than my own lack of understanding?

[BUFF]

there's a sticky on the abit USA forum about setting up RAID on ICH8R courtesy of Richh & ICH9R is similar.
Unfortunately the forums are down for a few hours for server maintenance.

As for your hang when tweaking uGuru do you know what CPU : DRAM ratio you have set?
& what is your exact RAM model/config?

[OldRoy]

FSB/DRAM = 2:3
Is this the ratio you refer to? I have not modified this.
The RAM is Corsair DDR2 TwinX2 pC6400C4 DHX (sorry, not certain which is the vendor's designation) 4X 1Gb in dual configuration.
In fact it has just hung again by opening Guru and looking at the settings. I adjusted nothing - looks buggy to me. I suspect that's what has happened each time even when I haven't altered anything. Do I recall seeing a mention of this on another thread?
I should add that I have not changed the BIOS on this board.