C2D Overclocking Guide for Beginners

[GravitySmacked]

Thanks for your reply!

I ended up dropping the FSB to 325 x 8 so the CPU ran at 2.6ghz - i ran Orthos overnight and all was stable.

Then i tried upping the FSB again to 325 and somehow managed to stop the PC from posting, even unplugging the power supply didn't work so i had to clear the CMOS using the jumper and removing the battery.

The problem I've got now it that the BIOS is reporting that I'm running at 2.66Ghz (it had actually started doing this before the BIOS stopped posting thus me messing around with different FSB's trying to get it reporting correctly) no matter if the FSB is 300 / 325 / 350 or 375? It's quite bizarre. CPU-Z reports it differently, telling me either the correct speed or thereabouts.

If i drop the FSB back to 266 (standard) both CPU-Z and BIOS report the correct speeds. I've tried reflashing the BIOS but stil no change. I haven't got 'speedstep' or similar enabled so I'm a bit stuck - any ideas?

[Clunk]

Usually, when it does the no post thing, it is your ram freaking out.

As for the speed being reported wrong, thats a new one on me, and you might benefit from the long cmos clear that is mentioned in the troubleshooting guide.

[GravitySmacked]

Cheers Clunk.

I've taken the battery out and cleared the CMOS using the jumpers again and it's reporting correctly now [wipes brow]. I've upped the FSB to 350 x 8 multiplier to give me a speed of 2.8GHz and the RAM running at 700MHz which isn't as high as I had it before (Default speed is 667MHz so fingers crossed). I've put some faster RAM on my shopping list as it seems to be holding things back somewhat but I'll have top make do for the time being as I'm skint.

I've upped the CPU and RAM voltage a notch above default and it boots into Windows fine.. I will run Orhtos tonight to see if it's stable.

It's quite good fun tinkering like this

[Clunk]

Tinker away, and let us know how you get on.

[GravitySmacked]

I was experiencing some software errors when running it at 2.8GHz, the odd program would crash. What would I need to change to try and sort this, would it be RAM timings, upping voltages etc?

In the end I lowered it to 2.68GHz and ran Orthos successfully overnight.

[Clunk]

Can you list all your ram settings and all the settings from the jumperfree page in the bios (fsb etc).

[GravitySmacked]

Yup sure can,

Here's some piccies of all the settings

http://www.guru4u.co.uk/images/BIOS1.JPG

http://www.guru4u.co.uk/images/BIOS2.JPG

http://www.guru4u.co.uk/images/BIOS3.JPG

[Clunk]

Disable the Vanderpool technology.

You need to set the PCI clock synchronisation to 33.3 <----this is probably the cause of your problems.

[GravitySmacked]

OK will do, cheers for that!

[Clunk]

Let us know how you get on

[Clunk]

OOps, sorry about the pics folks, will have them sorted today

[Clunk]

Pics are now fixed, sorry for the delay

[GravitySmacked]

I've tried running at 3.0GHz again (currently stable @ 2.8) but the Windows version of Memtest kept locking Windows up at around 80% complete. I upped the voltage a notch from default (1.95v) (the timings were already relaxed) but no joy.

Having read about my RAM it seems that it should O/C to around 800 (default 667) I know it's not guaranteed but I feel that I'm doing something wrong to bomb out so early. Any ideas Clunk?

[[Grevane]]

I've tried running at 3.0GHz again (currently stable @ 2.8) but the Windows version of Memtest kept locking Windows up at around 80% complete. I upped the voltage a notch from default (1.95v) (the timings were already relaxed) but no joy.

Having read about my RAM it seems that it should O/C to around 800 (default 667) I know it's not guaranteed but I feel that I'm doing something wrong to bomb out so early. Any ideas Clunk?

Hmmm, that RAM will take more voltage than that surely...

Off the OCZ link for "your" RAM...

"2.2V EVP - OCZ's unique Extended Voltage Protection feature allows PC2-5400 modules to handle voltages up to 2.2V ±5% and still be covered by our Lifetime Warranty."

So you should be able to go atleast up to 2.3v and still remain under warranty... How much that RAM will do "outside" of warranty... who knows... over to Clunk... *cough cough*

[P.S. I use OCZ RAM and it was never stable until I went over 2v.]

[Clunk]

I've tried running at 3.0GHz again (currently stable @ 2.8) but the Windows version of Memtest kept locking Windows up at around 80% complete. I upped the voltage a notch from default (1.95v) (the timings were already relaxed) but no joy.

Having read about my RAM it seems that it should O/C to around 800 (default 667) I know it's not guaranteed but I feel that I'm doing something wrong to bomb out so early. Any ideas Clunk?

Could you put your system specs in your "my system" bit in your profile, it just saves me going back through the pages to see what is what

If the windows memtest is locking up, then you almost certainly have ram problems. It may just be not enough voltage, or you could have a dead or dying stick.

Did you email OCZ and ask them? They often give a guarantee that their ram will be ok up to a certain voltage (evp i think they call it), which is usually above what they are rated at, but it depends on the chips used.

[Clunk]

Disable the Vanderpool technology.

You need to set the PCI clock synchronisation to 33.3 <----this is probably the cause of your problems.

And did you do these?