OC my Asus P5e3 DDR3 2x2GB + Q9450 2.66GHz

[Keesi]

Hi all,

I would like to OC this system to about 3.2ghz and some nice memory speeds and timings. But i keep running into a wall i got the pc info below and Bios below that.


PC information:
CPU Arch : 1 CPU - 4 Cores - 4 Threads
CPU PSN : Intel Core2 Quad CPU Q9450 @ 2.66GHz
CPU EXT : MMX, SSE (1, 2, 3, 3S, 4.1), EM64T, VT-x
CPUID : 6.7.7 / Extended : 6.17
CPU Cache : L1 : 4 x 32 / 4 x 32 KB - L2 : 2 x 6144 KB
Core : Yorkfield (45 nm) / Stepping : C1

Freq : 2879.87 MHz (359.98 * 8)
MB Brand : Asus
MB Model : P5E3 Deluxe
NB : Intel X38 rev 01
SB : Intel 82801IR (ICH9R) rev 02

RAM : 4096 MB DDR3 Dual Channel
RAM Speed : 720 MHz (1:2) @ 8-8-8-20
Slot 1 : 2048MB (10700)
Slot 1 Manufacturer : Kingston
Slot 2 : 2048MB (10700)
Slot 2 Manufacturer : Kingston


Bios settings:
Ai Overclock Tuner Manual
CPU Ratio Control Manual
CPU Ratio Setting 8
FSB Strap to North Bridge 266
FSB Frequency 360
PCIE Frequency 105
DRAM Frequency DDR-1441
DRAM Command Rate 1T
DRAM Timing Control Manual
DRAM Timings
CAS# Latency 8 DRAM Clocks
RAS# to CAS# Delay 8 DRAM Clocks
RAS# PRE Time 8 DRAM Clocks
RAS# ACT Time 20 DRAM Clocks
RAS# to RAS# Delay Auto
REF Cycle Time Auto
WRITE Recovery Time Auto
READ to PRE Time Auto
READ to WRITE Delay(S/D) Auto
WRITE to READ Delay(S) Auto
READ to READ Delay(S) Auto
READ to READ Delay(D) Auto
WRITE to WRITE Delay(S) Auto
WRITE to WRITE Delay(D) Auto
DRAM Static Read Control Disabled
DRAM Dynamic Write Control Disabled
Ai Clock Twister Strong
Ai Clock Skew for Channel A Auto
Ai Clock Skew for Channel B Auto
Ai Transaction Booster Enabled
Boost Level 2
Voltage Settings
CPU Voltage 1.29375
CPU PLL Voltage 1.50
FSB Termination Voltage 1.28
DRAM Voltage 1.60
NB Voltage 1.41
SB Voltage Auto
Clock Over-Charging Voltage Auto
Load-Line Calibration Disabled
CPU GTL Voltage Reference Auto
NB GTL Voltage Reference Auto
CPU Spread Spectrum Disabled
PCIE Spread Spectrum Disabled


thx for your time,

Keesi

 

[LinkedKube]

Increase your cpu voltage to 1.33 and increase you cpu frequency to 3.0 ghz and go from there

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk

 

[dividebyzero]

Did you set the CPU voltages for the overclock you already have, or did you rely on overclocking software?

If you set them manually and these are the lowest stable voltages then the CPU may not be too overclock friendly. Have you tried incrememtally lowering the voltages on the OC you already have?
What CPU cooling are you using and are you monitoring the CPU and northbridge temps?

For example in a comparable system...
My secondary system uses a Q9400 (fairly similar to yours barring the reduced L2 cache), and obviously the system is DDR2 (P45). The CPU is a good OC'er on low voltage, but by no means a "golden chip". Just a LOT of benchmarking involved.

The settings for the attached screenshot/OCCT stability test...
CPU Frequency 3336MHz ( Host freq./FSB 417) -same settings work for 3.4G/425FSB
CPU Vcore (BIOS) 1.25625v (actual 1.232v, Vdroop 1.210v at max load. VID 1.2375v)
CPU termination (vtt) 1.2400v
CPU PLL 1.54v
MCH (Northbridge) core: 1.220v
ICH I/O 1.550v
ICH Core 1.140v

If you haven't already I would disable EIST and C1E, set PCI-E frequency to 100MHz, and set your RAM at 1:1 divider at least until you have a stable OC that you're happy with. You can change the memory strap after this knowing that your initial CPU overclock voltage isn't being compromised by excessive northbridge voltage.