OC'ed Q6600 CPU-Z readings ok?

[dansleeth]

Morning, this may well be my last post of 2008!

I have just changed my FSB to 333 in the hope of pumping the CPU up to 3GHz. In POST it flicked up that is was running a 3.03GHz, which I am pleased with - I'd just like to make sure these screen shots from CPU-Z look ok at a glance?

The only think that I have noticed that has changed on the Memory tab is that the DRAM Frequency has dropped from ~396MHz and that the FSB:DRAM is now 1:1 rather than the previous 2:3 and the Cycle Time is now 13 rather than 15. These numbers don't mean a lot to me, are they ok how they are? Should I be looking to increase/decrease anything in order to make it stable or perform better?

Thanks

http://www.sleeth.org/pc/cpuz_cpu.bmphttp://www.sleeth.org/pc/cpuz_mem.bmp
http://www.sleeth.org/pc/cpuz_spd.bmp

[Chewie]

your underclocked. your only getting 2ghz per core. have you changed the fsb n the bios to get it to 333mhz? if so, suggest you go back and change the multiplier up to 7 (2.4ghz) , or even upto 9 to get your 3.0ghz o/c

stock on this qaud is 266 x 9 (2.4ghz)

edit...

grrr poxy rubber keyboard.sooner i get this eclipse II and new mouse connected.

2nd edit.have you got eist enabled, which would down grade the multiplier when offload to save on power consumption

[NeilX90]

Looks like a cpu-idle post of CPU-Z to me.

I suspect at 333x9, under full-load, it is properly over-clocked. Everything else looks good to me.

[dansleeth]

Yeah sorry nothing is going on in that snap.

Cheers for looking, Happy NY! (tomorrow...)

[Chewie]

Looks like a cpu-idle post of CPU-Z to me.

I suspect at 333x9, under full-load, it is properly over-clocked. Everything else looks good to me.

The reason i asked if he had EIST enabled, is the core speed is showing as 2003.9 and his multiplier is showing as x6.

how the heck can that be showing as ok if he has just o/c'd it. If it was reading normal, it should have it as 3005.9 and x9 for his multiplier.

[system7]

dansleeth, you're doing really well here. My Asus P5N-E defaults to EIST disabled as it goes, so this was my initial overclock. EIST is funny how it kicks in and out, but I just don't worry about it since everything seems to go full-tilt when gaming.
http://img408.imageshack.us/img408/5135/p5neoverclock2wu6.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Currently I push the memory a bit harder at 2.0V by playing with the FSB:DRAM ratio, because it does add a little performance. Like 5 or 10%.
http://img228.imageshack.us/img228/5103/ocp5neod7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img228.imageshack.us/img228/ocp5neod7.jpg/1/w777.png (http://g.imageshack.us/img228/ocp5neod7.jpg/1/)

Finally, check that the temps are good when gaming. So you run CPUID Hardware Monitor in the background for max and minimum temps while blatting some badguys in your game of choice.
http://img371.imageshack.us/img371/8817/p5ne3dmark06aj4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Because you have the otherwise simllar DDR2-1066 version of the splendid Geil Black Dragon memory complete with coolguy LEDs, you can probably run 5-5-5-15-24 at around 500 MHz and 2.0V memory voltage. Or 4-4-4-12-24 at 400 MHz. The last couple of timings affect stability rather than performance so I tend to set them "loose".

Isn't Xev lovely? The most beautiful woman in the two universes... :mrgreen:

[dansleeth]

Thanks guys, I'm slowly getting my head around this...

Chewie - you say that the multiplier should be knocked up to 9 for the core to show as 3GHz. All I have done is literally knocked up the FSB in BIOS to 333 and disabled the AI Overclocking function. Is the multiplier the 'CPU Frequency' in my BIOS? My basic math is obviously in full agreement with you... 9x333=~3000

I am a bit baffled by the CPU-z readings as that would technically mean I have underclocked the CPU? After running the X3 benchmark it ran about 10 fps quicker at this new speed. Could it be that the CPU is running at 3Ghz but only showing as 2? Or could that be that it is running quicker without the BIOS AI Overclocking thing running?

System 7 - "you can probably run 5-5-5-15-24 at around 500 MHz and 2.0V memory voltage. Or 4-4-4-12-24 at 400 MHz. The last couple of timings affect stability rather than performance so I tend to set them "loose"." :shock: You've just driven past my comprehension zone

I am still trying to grasp the concept of computer timings... basically my computer has an external clock of... 333 now?? And for each of those clock cycles, the processor is doing 9? I am a little baffled with all this, so I will probably try and read up on it so I kow what exactly I'm changing. :shock:

[system7]

Enabling C1E halt state power saving in my bios recreates the reduced X6 multiplier on the CPU at idle.

http://img530.imageshack.us/img530/3859/c1ehaltstateck3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img530.imageshack.us/img530/c1ehaltstateck3.jpg/1/w390.png (http://g.imageshack.us/img530/c1ehaltstateck3.jpg/1/)

It speeds up when running a benchmark as expected. Thinking about it, EIST is a voltage and clock reducing power saver used mainly in laptops and enabled in Windows power options as well as the bios. This is the one overclockers tend to turn off for stability.

Memory timings are a bit of guesswork really. SPD of 5-5-5-15 at 1.8V 400MHz can usually be tightened to 4-4-4-12 at 2.0V. This is because timings are really based on memory delays, and the faster you run memory, the more individual clocks correspond to a given delay. CAS, for instance, is often around 12.5 nS and a clock at 400 MHz is 2.5 nS. So that's 5 clocks. Up the voltage and CAS is then around 10 nS, so that's 4 clocks. At 500 MHz a clock is 2.0 nS. Oh, that's enough for now. You'll get the hang of it. :P

[Jonny2Bad]

Its all good fun, keep a little note of what you have changed and what works and what doesnt, remember google is your friend anything u dont understand as well as posting here google can help. Use pc probe to check your stock settings make a note of them and change as you see fit, removing from auto is a big help also and setting manually, remeber most q6600's dont need a voltage change till about 3.2ghz. The timings are a bit more tricky check your different options and what settings it gives you keep them relaxed to start with then once your cpu is stable have a play with the ram 1 thing at a time ;)

[PMM]

Indeed your motherboard is allowing the C1E halt state and dropping to the lowest Multiplier when the system is idling i.e. 6x

If you load a heavy on the CPU application like a benchtest that will jump up back to its Normal 9x so nothing to worry about.

As for the ram timing 1:1 in many situations is preferred esp. on dual channel boards as ram latencies are lower and this can prove more beneficial over high bandwidth associated with asynchronous timings but it does depend what you use the PC for.

If you want to see the performance differences put into Numbers I highly recommend using "Sisoft Sandra" this will give scores for your CPU / Memory and a host of other features the free (Less featured version) can be downloaded here... http://www.sisoftware.co.uk/index.html? ... angx=en&a= (http://www.sisoftware.co.uk/index.html?dir=&location=downandbuy&langx=en&a=)

If your out to find what your PC is capable of it is best to test the 3 most major components in controlled conditions

i.e. For Chipset.. Force the CPU to 6x and relax the memory timing to something really slow then wind up the Bus speed to find the limit (But then when that is found push beyond by 27mhz) to see if its not a result of the NorthBridge Strap on some boards it will go stable again.

i.e. For Memory..((Tricker) Force the CPU to 6x and set the default FSB speed and the default timings then push the FSB forward until it keels (This should happen before the Chipset speed above) If not you can tighten up the timings and there are many but for instance if you have Cas 5 memory try it at Cas 4 instead as an simple example) ((TBH Memory timings is the hardest area to advise on).

i.e. For CPU.. Relax the memory settings and set CPU to its Highest Multiplier & and a lowered FSB speed so it still boots up around its default speed, then slowly increase the FSB speed (It is propably wise at this stage to use a Program like CPU Burn-In or something like SuperPI as a stress test) those programs will throw up an error if something is a miss. once that limit is found step up the voltage (Small step at a time) e.g. 0.025v so say your CPU is running 1.25v take that to 1.275v then retest and run burn-in stress tests if stable push the FSB a little more (But slowly) **Also keep an eye on CPU temps** I don't recommend (certainly on Air) going above 1.4v for an Intel CPU for somebody not used to overclocking.

Most Desktop CPU's can get 25-35% extra speed as long as you have good cooling on air quite easy but much more can be obtained when water cooling or using other exotic cooling methods.

And always remember ((Insert key)) on modern PC's is your friend when the PC locks up ((Acts as a soft reset)) when the CPU is pushed to high it leaves all the other Bios settings intect and defaults the CPU and FSB speed only....just keep pressing it when you press the reset switch or switch off and on the power.

Saves alot of hassle in going for the Cmos reset switch on simple lockups.

[Rappsy]

Go into bios and set it up so it doesnt reduce multiplier when you're not at full load