C2D Overclocking Guide For Beginners P5K Add-On

[Skeet]

Thanks for the Voltages information.

I got all the programs he recommended and will use them as soon as im done.
I read the first btis of both his guides (not OC'ing yet so sticking to stock settings) and already have the Memory Voltages set to 2.2v.

I did set the timingings manually to 4-4-4-12 and left the stuff underneath it to auto as i was unsure what they should be set at for a Ballistix PC-6400 2x1GB memory sticks.
I tested the memory too for 13hours and it passed 32 tests with no errors at all.


Thanks

EDIT:Reporting on the temps:they dropped to 22c average last night the bios reported...im not sure if it was due to the artic silver settling in (i heard only a few degrees drop when it does) or due to me giving those thermalright ultra-120 extreme spring screws a little more tightning...

No problem and thanks for the thanks!

My temps are high...I know I had trouble applying the Asus Paste...so have ordered some AS5, cleaner and bought some Isopropyl Alcahol.

Going to pop that HSF out (Asus Arctic Square Pro), lap teh bottom, possible the Processor as well (will check for flatness) then apply some TIM sparingly and hope to GOD, that my temps drop!

Might try adding something to the spring lever arm thing, to get a bit of extra contact.

[markfw]

OK, I ready the whole thread, I have an ALMOST stable OC of my Q6600 @ 3.2 (400x8). But I haven;t figured out why I keep getting blue screens (sometimes 5 minutes, last time with new memory 12 hours). I had Corsair PC 6400 and it was fine for 3 days. Then blue screens, kept taking it down in OC, and no real difference 200 mhz down. Then changed to Crucial PC-8000. Good for 12 hours, I am thinking its fixed, then bam. Blue screen. I will put my setting below. I suspects that I need to bump the NB voltage a shade, but I don't know what stock is ! So I don't know what "bump a little" is. Any help is apprecialted.

Q6600 on ASUS P5K
various memory
Antec 900 case
Fortron 700 watt PSU
Ninja sythe cooler (runs 65c full load all cores)

vcore 1.42, 1.32 under load (lots of vdroop)
400 x 8
vdimm volts, 2.2 (required for crucial)
most other setting auto.
Memory to DDR800 (PC-6400 , right )

[Clunk]

any reason for using the 8x multi and not the 9x?

And what does "various memory" mean?

[markfw]

I used the 8x to raise the memory speed up. If I can get it stable, I will use the PC-8000 to get it even higher than 400. Various memory mean that first I used gskill PC-8000, it went bad (I rma'ed it, wouldn;t even boot) Then Corsair PC-6400, worked for 3 days then the blue screen started. That was @396x8. Then I put in the Crucial PC-8000 that was stable(in another rig) for 6 months@490. I want to go back to the corsair, as that is 2 gig (2x 1 gig sticks)

[Clunk]

I'm a bit confused about the RAM still.

Were you trying to run 4x1GB? and now have gone back to 2x1GB?

[markfw]

No, always 2 sticks. some are 2x512 and the corsair are 2x1 gig.

[Phonoflux]

Well, i'll give you nice chaps an update on my dismay. Clunk, i'll let you decide if this is needed in the Troubleshooting guide.

I've spent the last week trying to figure out what the **** was making my PC crash at only overclocked settings every 5 mins or so, and it was the SATA DVD Writer.

When plugged into the black sata ports on the motherboard and under load (gaming) it would make an odd little sound like it had just taken a CD in and was repositioning the laser. Turns out I was right, it was somehow power cycling. I pushed the button to let the tray sit out and within 30 seconds it would pop back in as if the computer had restarted. Pop it back out, and back in it goes pretty quick by itself. The computer would then crash.

Moved to the red sata ports i've had no issues. So **** me. In all my overclocking experience.. a bloody CD drive was the death of me. Madness. Stable again *touches wood*

[Clunk]

Well, i'll give you nice chaps an update on my dismay. Clunk, i'll let you decide if this is needed in the Troubleshooting guide.

I've spent the last week trying to figure out what the **** was making my PC crash at only overclocked settings every 5 mins or so, and it was the SATA DVD Writer.

When plugged into the black sata ports on the motherboard and under load (gaming) it would make an odd little sound like it had just taken a CD in and was repositioning the laser. Turns out I was right, it was somehow power cycling. I pushed the button to let the tray sit out and within 30 seconds it would pop back in as if the computer had restarted. Pop it back out, and back in it goes pretty quick by itself. The computer would then crash.

Moved to the red sata ports i've had no issues. So **** me. In all my overclocking experience.. a bloody CD drive was the death of me. Madness. Stable again *touches wood*

That is a strange one, and it is the first time Ive heard of it. What make and model of drive is it?

Also, the black slots are the jmicron controller, and unless you actually use the IDE slot, esata, or have run out of red sata slots, it is always best to disable the jmicron controller in the BIOS as they are well known for causing problems.

If anyone else has similar problems, I will add it to the troubleshooting bit.

[robucf4]

Great guide, I have read it and followed it but I have a couple of questions just to make sure all is correct.

I did what many would consider a mild OC, me e6600 is OC to 3.0 and I have the ram at 800Mhz (5:6). I have the P5k Vanilla board.

Questions:
1. After I got Orthos stable for a few hours, I went in and tried to tweak the VCore, no matter what I did Orthos would fail. When I have it set to AUTO, Asus probe showed 1.38, so thats where I started and Orthos failed, I upped it, same thing, etc. I am only stable when VCore is set to AUTO. Also the 1.38 seems high for such a mild OC? Did I overlook something or does that seem ok?

2. Ram Divider, I have read that you want 1:1 but from reading your guide it seems like you want it as fast as the RAM can safely run. For me since I am conservative, I have a 5:6 divider, FSB is 333 and RAM is running at 800Mhz, I assume this is the optimal case?

3. Going back to #1, I cannot get stable over 333 FSB, I read some chips are just bad based on their batch numbers? I tried 355 (ram 1:1 while testing) even at 1.45 VCore Orthos fails. I did not want to go higher than that so now I am back to 333.

Let me know.

Edit: I know RAM is somethings the culprit, but I do have it set to the specs 4-4-4-12 @ 2.1V. While trying to get above 333, I did try it relaxed on the AUTO settings, which I think were 5-5-5-15 @ AUTO voltage.

I am happy with the OC, plenty enough for my needs, but just curios why i cannot go higher, and a tad concered about the AUTO VCore voltage being 1.38.

[Clunk]

Please post all your bios settings, or some pics of your bios, and your full system specs

[robucf4]

Please post all your bios settings, or some pics of your bios, and your full system specs

Bios:
AI Overclocking - MANUAL
CPU RATIO CONTROL – AUTO
FSB Frequency – 333
PCI-E Frequency – 100
DRAM Frequency – 800
DRAM Timing Control – 4-4-4-12
TWR = AUTO
TRFC = AUTO
TWTR = AUTO
TRRD = AUTO
TRTP = AUTO
DRAM Static Read Control = AUTO
Transaction Booster = DISABLED
Clock Over-Charging Mode = AUTO
CPU Spread Spectrum = DISABLED
PCIE Spread Spectrum = DISABLED
CPU VOLTAGE = AUTO
CPU Voltage Reference = AUTO
CPU Voltage Damper = ENABLED (Does not work on Vanilla board)
DRAM Voltage = 2.1V
FSB Termination Voltage = AUTO
North Bridge Voltage =AUTO
North Bridge Voltage Reference = AUTO
South Bridge Voltage = AUTO
CPU Ratio Control – AUTO
C1E Support – Disable
Max CPUID Limit – Disable
Vanderpool Technology – Disable
CPU TM Function – Disable
Execute Disable Bit – disable
Intel ® SpeedStep (TM) Tech – Disable

PC:
E6600 | ASUS P5K | Freezer 7 Pro | EVGA 8800 GTS 320M | 2GB Corsair C4 | WD Raptor 150GB | Antec 900 case | OCZ 700W | Lite-On 20X

I followed you guide pretty much word for word, so all the settings you mentioned I have doubled checked and have set.

[Skeet]

Just had the urge to fiddle again.

Have been seeing idle temps around 33 Degrees with my 2.667Ghz setup, so have now gone to 3Ghz and experiencing around 35 Degrees Idle.

Memory is running at 1:1 375 (750)

Just this minute done it, so..running TAT at 80% currently running 52 Degrees on each core after around 7 mins.

Thought I would have a go as I have noticed that some people seem to get, not greatly higher temperatures with larger overclocks..3Ghz seems fairly modest and have yet to run ORTHOS.

V-CORE was set at 1.4 in ASUS Probe and has dropped to 1.35 while under current loading.

Burnt my first ever DVD today, and CPU usage only seemed to be around 50%...is DVD rendering/burning a strenuous thing for a CPU to do?

Not groundbreaking developments, but...any comments?

[Clunk]

Bios:
AI Overclocking - MANUAL
CPU RATIO CONTROL – AUTO
FSB Frequency – 333
PCI-E Frequency – 100
DRAM Frequency – 800
DRAM Timing Control – 4-4-4-12
TWR = AUTO
TRFC = AUTO
TWTR = AUTO
TRRD = AUTO
TRTP = AUTO
DRAM Static Read Control = AUTO
Transaction Booster = DISABLED
Clock Over-Charging Mode = AUTO
CPU Spread Spectrum = DISABLED
PCIE Spread Spectrum = DISABLED
CPU VOLTAGE = AUTO
CPU Voltage Reference = AUTO
CPU Voltage Damper = ENABLED (Does not work on Vanilla board)
DRAM Voltage = 2.1V
FSB Termination Voltage = AUTO
North Bridge Voltage =AUTO
North Bridge Voltage Reference = AUTO
South Bridge Voltage = AUTO
CPU Ratio Control – AUTO
C1E Support – Disable
Max CPUID Limit – Disable
Vanderpool Technology – Disable
CPU TM Function – Disable
Execute Disable Bit – disable
Intel ® SpeedStep (TM) Tech – Disable

PC:
E6600 | ASUS P5K | Freezer 7 Pro | EVGA 8800 GTS 320M | 2GB Corsair C4 | WD Raptor 150GB | Antec 900 case | OCZ 700W | Lite-On 20X

I followed you guide pretty much word for word, so all the settings you mentioned I have doubled checked and have set.

You havent mentioned what model/speed the RAM is, but the thing that stands out from your settings, and it is something that is mentioned a few times in the guide, and that is to keep your RAM at 1:1.

You have the RAM set at 800Mhz, and if you are following the guide, it should be set to 667 if the FSB is 333.

[Skeet]

Orthos has been running for just over 3 hours now, temps are around 50-52 Degrees.

Will run it till around midnight, which will be 8 hours.

Looking at CPUZ...where it says "revision"...B2"?

Is that the , well...serial number type thing of my chip?

Ie..I know some people say they have a such and such chip, and its great/pants?

[Pyr0]

The batch code/serial can be found on the CPU Integrated Heat Sink or on the label of the retail boxes FPO#:

[Clunk]

Just had the urge to fiddle again.

Have been seeing idle temps around 33 Degrees with my 2.667Ghz setup, so have now gone to 3Ghz and experiencing around 35 Degrees Idle.

Memory is running at 1:1 375 (750)

Just this minute done it, so..running TAT at 80% currently running 52 Degrees on each core after around 7 mins.

Thought I would have a go as I have noticed that some people seem to get, not greatly higher temperatures with larger overclocks..3Ghz seems fairly modest and have yet to run ORTHOS.

V-CORE was set at 1.4 in ASUS Probe and has dropped to 1.35 while under current loading.

Burnt my first ever DVD today, and CPU usage only seemed to be around 50%...is DVD rendering/burning a strenuous thing for a CPU to do?

Not groundbreaking developments, but...any comments?

Looks fine to me.

Dunno about the rendering thing, what program is it?