Please List Basic C2D / Dual Core Overclocking Tips

[Choto Cheeta]

Hello frnds,

As I am getting quite a few PMs now days asking for Overclocking tips... but the truth is i, my self is also one Noobe in the feiled...

So all of u have OverClocking EXP, please list all the Overclocking tips for Intel C2Ds

OK.. I would try to share what ever Little I have learnt,,,

For Overclocking,

1st is Hardware Setup...

For any Overclocking one thing is must, ur Hardware supporting Overclocking, mean u have a C2D but one Intel 946 / 965 based board, will mean no OC... as those boards doesnt allow OC...

Good Well Ventilated Cabbinet is needed as will generate a lot of heat for sure... so, large cabbi with few FANs so, for OCing high u will need to have cabi modifications

For some extreme OC u will need some extreme coolong for the procy.... Cooler Like ThermalRight Ultra eXtreme or like this one, Enzotech Ultra-X cpu cooler or even higher Watter coolers

Better RAM, those Value rams of 667 or 800 is good for Ligh or mid range OC but will need better RAMs for sure...

Last of all, the most important, The motherboard.... one ASUS P5B-MX motherboard with 946 chipset will not going to oc the procy better, where as P5B DLx with P965 or P5N-E SLi with Nvidia 650 chipset or XFX 650i or P35 Chipset based ones will overclock far more efficiantly than those 946 based or VIA based ones....

Software

Really dont have much idea about Linux softwares, so i would expect all running Windows will suggest few which u will need in Windows...

Lots of Software to monitor the Heat lavel !! As every one says Its easy to Overclock but easier than that to Burn the Procy

Anyway,

CUP-Z

PC WIZARD
Install and Run it in every startup and then minimize it, will show one info at corner of the screen... Like my bellow Screeny,

*img61.imageshack.us/img61/1083/usdvaluexj1.jpg

Core Temp Run it while Stability test under load for Temps monitoring

Pi Testing to test the stability of the OC...

orthos This is for a long time load test of the OC system !!!

ASUS PC Prob... Find in in ur ASUS Mobo CD

Process

It is one Time consuning for sure... !!! You have to try step by step...

1st know what is OverClocking....

*en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overclocking
*compreviews.about.com/od/cpus/l/aaOverclock.htm

in one dumb sentence, what we do is, we increase the FSB / BUS speed by little mean, which in place (FSB / 4 = BUS) increases the CUP Speed BUS x multiple = CPU Speed... and when u OC high u need to increase the processor vcore (my case Default 1.24) to some stable vcore by one step at a time !!! also at some point u may see ur RAM fails to keep up so, u need to increase their voltage too, chip value rams will not allow more than 2.1v at any point...

In my case, default E6600 FSB is 1066 MHz where as BUS speed is (1066/4) 266.5 MHz, so with multile 9 my E6600 runs at 266.5 x 9 = 2398.5 MHz So by trial and error Method I found one Stable at this, as my mobo allow FSB increase so, FSB 1575 / Vcore 1.5v / RAM voltage 2.178v....

So, the main idea is increasing the FSB / BUS without givng more vcore till the point where u need to put some vcore... as more vcore will mean more Heat !!!

Lets Start

So to start with in ASUS Boards Disable AI Tuning and CIA2 for Giga Byte ones...

BIOS Settings

Seting the PCI Expres (PCIe) @ 100MHz / PCI to 33 MHz
Disable the Q-Fan control to allow the Processor fan to runn at full speed all the time
Disable any thing which says CPUID MAX to 2
Disable C1E if running windows XP (well thats what all ASUS mobo manual says)

RAM Settings

Well make sure processor and RAM frequency is unlinked so, i would suggest keep the RAM frequency to default value...

Till the point u cant boot or dont get stable OS, u dont need to play with the RAM voltage of Timings, but b ready on higher Overclock u will need to push the RAM voltage up i got suggestion that Voltage is fine Till 2.1v !!! nothing up for our value rams...

Processor Settings

Some motherboards will allow increase of BUS speed (BUS x multiple) some will alow increase of FSB (FSB/4=BUS Speed)...

in any case, increase step by step, dont push a lot at a time rather step by step... till u find one stable max point...

Stability Testing

Well sure, u should be able to boot in to OS... and personal Suggestion make sure its a clean installation without any Startup object or AVS, as that delayes the time of start nessecary Temp monitoring sofwtares....

If u are unable to boot, means some vcore or RAM voltage !!!

Run CPU-Z to view ur speeds...

for me 1st thing is running PC Wizerd and minimize it to Start bar as that would give a lot of info at once... !!!

Running ASUS Probe

Running Core Temp

they will give info of idle temp.... Make sure, u stay in side the temp limit (explained later on)

Now Copy the SUPER PI Process EXE on 2 places, run those together (Dont start calculation, just run those EXE)... now from Tank Manager, Go to Process, right click on each of the Superpi.exe and put one on each core...

*img114.imageshack.us/img114/7690/usdvaluewd1.jpg

Now Start calculaiton for 2m pi for both at once... !!!! keep eye on ur Temp limits (Explained Later)... If system passes the test fine, proceed to later on, if ur system restarts, means u will need to push some Vcore and come bacnk again to here, even then its restarts, then some RAM voltage may be (Dont cross that 2.1v) !!!

Now when u pass the test next level of Load test

Load Test

Run one Instance of orthos and Start testing ur Procy !!! run it for atleast 1 hour keep an eye on the Temps (Core Temp / PC Wizerd) all the time... if u are crossing the denger lavel Stop the test and rebott back to lower the vcore and BUS/FSB too !!!

if u pass the test means u have a stable overclock system !!!


Temparature settings

At Any point load temp should not cross 60c, see on idle condition temp may low at 42 ot 45 but onload will push the temp close to 60c...

your Dengar Level is 60c, allways stay bellow it....


Please note

No 2 Processo are the same, I mean I have one E6600 which need vcore of 1.5v to run at 3.6 GHz where as its possible that Mr. A's E6600 can reach 3.8 GHz with just 1.48 or Mr. B's E6600 cant go byond 3.4 ghx at 1.5v....

So no specific info on exact settings, u have to try and try to find best Overclock for ur self...

Remember Never let the Temps touch 60c, keep the RAMs at their Default Frequency, lavue ram cant take byond 2.1v voltage...


In the end I would say there are tons of better guides out there in OIverclokcing, Google will give better results, so those who already tried it, please post so tricks a tips for higher overlocks...

And last of all, Dont forget to post ur Results, with some Temp and load testing apps running at Backgroud... and with ur OC setings info and steps

For me, on stock it was 2.89 GHz, where as with ThermalRight ultra 120 extreme, FSB 1575 / vcore 1.5 / ram voltage 2.178 (667 MHz)

*img264.imageshack.us/img264/417/untitledyd1.jpg

*img143.imageshack.us/img143/5091/untitled1eg1.jpg

*img502.imageshack.us/img502/4076/untitledfv7.jpg




Thank you...

 

[john_the_ultimate]

Real good effort saurav. Keep it up.

 

[Choto Cheeta]

^^^

U have a E4300 with XFX 650i ultra doing stable 78% OC system man...

please post some Tips to go that high

where as I can only manage a 50% OC with my E6600

 

[john_the_ultimate]

Highest I was able to reach was 3.4GHz with 1.52v but temps were around 65c at loads so just back to 3.2GHz @ 1.45v
I am using Kingston Value Ram 667, overlclocked to 800MHz @ 2.0v. But the overclocking procedure is same as you have mention.
For who wants to OC, remember one thing, whatever voltage you select in the BIOS get undervolt (Vdroop) in windows (in most cases). So my particular mobo has a Vdroop of .03v, meaning if I set Vcore (cpu voltage) at 1.5v then the actual Vcore is 1.47v
But the opposite happens with RAM. This particular mobo overvolts the voltage for memory by .05v
One more thing, always try to keep the BIOS up-to-date.

 

[cynosure]

@choto_cheeta: Please correct some spelling mistakes that you made. Re-read it and you will know

e.g:

...lavue ram cant take byond...
No 2 Processo are the same...

Otherwise I dont have much to contribute.

And yeah, nice article. Maybe youll have one more sticky in your bag.

 

[janitha]

Thank you "Choto Cheeta", it will be very useful for us who have not tried it yet. Also correcting and tidying up the text will make it even more easy to use as "cynosure" said.

 

[Choto Cheeta]

yeah yeah !!! there are few typos for sure... !!! what can i do wrote that after getting up from study table at 2 AM so there are a lot of misstake..

thanx guys for pointing that out will upadte as per as ur suggetions

 

[a_k_s_h_a_y]

cool man thanks !!!
so how many years do u think will your E6600 work @ 3.3 Ghz ??

will it work as many years as stock E6600 with no OC ??? how about 4 yrs ??

 

[Choto Cheeta]

will it work as many years as stock E6600 with no OC ??? how about 4 yrs ??

Didnt get the question !!!!

cool man thanks !!!
so how many years do u think will your E6600 work @ 3.3 Ghz ??

Its 3.6GHz now running with FSB 1600, and I dont intend to run more than the warrenty period... as u are safe as long as u stay under the Temp limit, and as long as u can aford the Electricity bills

 

[a_k_s_h_a_y]

i heard that if u over clock your CPU then its life get reduced !! coz of increase in Temp levels...that's all

so as long as its under safe limits..u mean to say no probs !! then great....!! i just wanted to know if i overclock in safe limits will it work for 3-4 yrs..that's all

Its 3.6GHz now running with FSB 1600

wow that's great !! and FSB form 1033 to 1600 ghz is amazing !
what about the RAM speed ?? how much is it now ??

hey put up a link to this thread in thread Basic Guide Purchase a New System thread !!
that will help ppl who might want this
*www.thinkdigit.com/forum/showthread.php?t=63874

 

[Choto Cheeta]

so as long as its under safe limits..u mean to say no probs !! then great....!! i just wanted to know if i overclock in safe limits will it work for 3-4 yrs..that's all

Well, to do Higher Clock speed u need to increase the FSB or the multiple, to allow the FSB increase u need to push more vcore, more vcore means more heat....

So, if u can fight the heat and keep the procy coool.... u can even do 7 GHz on a Pentium 4 with liquid nitrogen cooling

*news.softpedia.com/images//news2/Pentium-la-frecventa-de-7GHz-2.jpg

 

[Pathik]

Nice guide.. cd some1 pls also give us some info on ram latencies and timings??

 

[deathvirus_me]

I'd like to add a few of my own ...

If ur using cheap RAM , keep the FSB and Memory linked , i.e. run then at a sync , 1:1 .. In my case , with ddr2-667 RAM modules i already have my E6600 running at 3.02 GHz without oc'ing the RAM or increasing RAM voltage ..

I'm running my CPU on stock cooling , and the highest temps with just stressing the CPU was around 54c ... i find that good enough for stock cooling . The trick with running air cooling is to keep the CPU voltage as low as possible .. My E6600 is currently running at 3.02 GHz @ 1.256V ... setting voltage to Auto takes it to around 1.35V , so the lowered voltage does make a huge diff. with temps ..

Also , if possible try to avoid lowering the multiplier .. i've read that the performance will decrease if u lower the multiplier .. Also , if ur oc'ing , it'd be wise to disable features like "Vanderpool" or "Vistualization" etc. etc.

U have a E4300 with XFX 650i ultra doing stable 78% OC system man...

please post some Tips to go that high

where as I can only manage a 50% OC with my E6600

Isn't it obvious ?? Coz the E4300 runs at a much lower stock speed .. 1.8 GHz .. so if it reached 3.0 GHz , thats quite and OC .. while a E6600 reaching 3.0 GHz , the oc % is obviously less

 

[Choto Cheeta]

^^^

U got a good chip in stock, i was able to take it to 2.89 GHz with vcore 1.27 !!!!

thats it, to go farther i had to buy that cooler !!!

 

[deathvirus_me]

Yeah , the same reason i decided not to oc further .. now with Asus extendind support for my mobo to 45nm CPU's .. i can't wait to get one of those ...

 

[Choto Cheeta]

^^^

well same I can also expect with my P5N-E SLi, but i will wait for a High end Procy to see in next jan or so, what AMD brings i plan to buy a High end amd in next AMD big release

 

[topgear]

Nvidia 680i Sli mobo overclocking Guide ( Should also work with
other other chipsets with or without small modification) :

*www.nvidia.com/docs/CP/45121/nforce_680i_sli_overclocking.pdf

Guys, you are doing a lot of overclock, But didn't you guys ever benchmark
your rigs. If you guys have benchmarked your righs why don't you post
your benchmarh result also. Take a look at this:

*www.thinkdigit.com/forum/showthread.php?t=61571

 

[Choto Cheeta]

Guys, you are doing a lot of overclock, But didn't you guys ever benchmark
your rigs. If you guys have benchmarked your righs why don't you post
your benchmarh result also. Take a look at this:

dont know for others, but for me, simply one reason, I dont have those software and not getting time to Download them, man those are some big size softwares

anyway will try to download

 

[topgear]

dont know for others, but for me, simply one reason, I dont have those software and not getting time to Download them, man those are some big size softwares

anyway will try to download

Not all are big try Everest, Sissoftware Sandra, Passmark, Pcwizard 2007,
Fresh diagonise, Crystal Mark

 

[satyamy]

Well, to do Higher Clock speed u need to increase the FSB or the multiple, to allow the FSB increase u need to push more vcore, more vcore means more heat....

So, if u can fight the heat and keep the procy coool.... u can even do 7 GHz on a Pentium 4 with liquid nitrogen cooling

*news.softpedia.com/images//news2/Pentium-la-frecventa-de-7GHz-2.jpg

owesum