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hi all, im having a problem overclocking my new E2140 i can only get the FSB to 330 and no futher ive tryed uping all voltages and tryed different ram speeds but with no look... i am new to overclocking and clock a pentium d from 3gig to 4.3gig buy just uping the fsb. seeing different results far beyond my effort seems to think im missing something??

my system:
E2140 standard hsf..upgrading to artic frezzer 7 pro soon
Gigabite p35 ds3r motherborad
2gig ocz platinum at 8oo megaherts
msi 8600gts overclocked

thanks for any help in advance!!

The 2140 only has an 8x multiplyer, you'd have been better off with a 2180.

330 x 8 = 2640 mhz

330 x 10 = 3300MHz

You can't really be sure that each E-2040, E-2060, E-2080 is as much overclockable as the other one of the same type. Actually it's luck, what you get.

E-2040 etc. processor chips aren't produced to become E-2040. The are produced to become any E-6xxx core duo processor with conroe core. If a core that leaves the production is a good one or not is kind of random. There is a margin.


This is how it probably works at intel:

After production those unpackaged cpu cores get tested and sorted in groups depending on the results of those test. There are those with good electrical values fully functional, those with not so good electrical values that are also fully functional ... and then there are those cores with good or not so good electrical values that have an error, like one broken cell in the cache.

The cores with the best electrical values that were also performing all tests without errors get labeled as Intels top speed models, except the market doesn't need so many top models, then they are just labeled as something cheaper and get a lower max multiplicator burnt in.
The cores that are functional, but have worse electrical test results get labeled as some slower E-6xxx and set lower max-multiplicator.

In addition to that we still have processors that fail the cache test. They can't be sold as E-6xxx core duos anymore. Besides the broken cache, the core can be electrically really good and support high speeds, but can also be bad, like I said before.

Instead of throwing all those cores into the trash bin, intel disables the broken cache bank and sells the processor as E-20x0 with 1MB cache and says it supports only FSB200 and a relatively low clock speed, which any of those cores supports with ease. Easy/efficient way for intel to supply the market with cheap low end CPUs. They don't have to run an extra production line.
And now the overclockers come, who are also happy about that and buy those CPUs. Depending on their luck they get processor with good or bad electrical values and high or low overclockability.

I've bought an E-2060 myself. The FSB is quite overclockable, but the clock speed of that processor is the limiting factor. FSB can run at 333+ without problems, no voltage adjustment needed, but the core starts to get instable and demands high voltage like 1.4V+, when it runs at 3Ghz already. So currently I run it with 2x2.7 Ghz to stay out of any trouble.

I'd say, I didn't have extreme luck with the core I bought, but I'm sure I didn't get the worst that's out there. If you buy a CPU for that price and it can be overclocked from 1.8Ghz to 2.7Ghz...3Ghz without getting hot, you can't really moan. Sure could have gotten a core that is capable to run at 3.3 Ghz by some luck, but I haven't.

edit:
But I agree to the other poster:
If I'd buy another one, I'd buy an E-2180 just to get the 10x multiplicator. Then it's still a matter of luck, if the CPU is electrically good enough to run stable at 3.3Ghz, no difference to the E-2140 and E-2160 core, but at least you have the 10x multiplicator in case it does and don't need to overclock the FSB beyond 330MHz.

thanks for the info i had the feeling that i was unlucky! im lanning to get rid of the cu ive got and buy an E2180 to be on the save side...thanks for a decent explantion

You'll need to lock the PCIe speed at 100, and try dropping the RAM divider so the RAM is still around it's default speed.

If you just up the FSB, the RAM overclocks too, that's why you need the divider.

It should have a similar BIOS to my P35 Gigabyte, so The FSB is called "Cpu Host Control", "PCI Express Freq" gets entered as 100, "System Memory Muliplier" is where you set the divider. You set that lower than Standard, then when you up the FSB, keep an eye on "Memory Frequency MHz". If you keep that at or just below 800MHz, you can see how far the CPU itself {and Chipset} will go.

i did all the above before i started to overclock so that isnt the problem....ive been informed that i was unlucky and received a poor overclockable chip...

bios setting....

cpu clock ratio x8
cpu frequency 329
pci express 100
cia2 disabled
system memory multiplier 2.40 (789)
performance enhance turbo
system voltage control auto
normal cpu core 1.32500v

cpu product code BX80557E2140SLA3J
pack date. 07/24/07

Thats all cool, but turn "Performance enhance" to Standard

changed it to standard with no look...got a e2180 now overclocked to 3555gig with 395fsb x9 multiplyer was not stable at 400 and was not stable above 350 x10 thanks for the help