Q6600 OC ? How to make it more stable?

[Ste]

At some point I have to get around to installing 3Dmark06....

 

[PRVRT]

I have noticed that when the NB hits 50+ it becomes unstable at much lower OC's. I had problems getting 3.33 stable until I changed the fans around. Once I dropped the NB temp down to 45, 3.33 became stable no problem with lower voltage. The new cpu cooler and fan will help with the NB temps. After I install it and see what it does, I can then decide whether or not I should buy an after market cooler for it, or try to WC it since it is set up already for WC. When I tried 3.33 before, the most stable I got was at 1.42v, but since I dropped the NB temp, it is running very stable at 1.38. This may be the key I have been looking for. I will also try increasing the FSB voltage and see how that goes. I also think some of my problem is voltage droop. Most programs I use match the Bios readings, but are always under the bios settings by about .2v, except for the Dram voltage which is overvolting by about .2v. Right now running 1.38v, but the bios reads 1.36v. May have to try the pencil mod.

 

[Prophet]

gj prvrt, now i can just go through what you did to manually oc my maximus. Saved me a lot of work

So far i've just been using the cpu level up @ 3.0Ghz. I tried using the crazy setting @3.5ghz but it wasnt stable

 

[Ste]

gj prvrt, now i can just go through what you did to manually oc my maximus. Saved me a lot of work

So far i've just been using the cpu level up @ 3.0Ghz. I tried using the crazy setting @3.5ghz but it wasnt stable

Level up? I hope thats not some included software included with the motherboard. You don't want to use any type of software for overclocking.

Then Again, you could just mean your taking it slow?? Which I hope is what you mean.

 

[PRVRT]

gj prvrt, now i can just go through what you did to manually oc my maximus. Saved me a lot of work

So far i've just been using the cpu level up @ 3.0Ghz. I tried using the crazy setting @3.5ghz but it wasnt stable

Thanks, was not easy, still have a way to go. LevelUp works up to 3.0 as you have figured out. Crazy is very unstable. It also raises the voltage to far. You should be able to hit 3.0GHz just by changing the bios to 9x330 and everything else auto. After that is where is gets fun. Every chip is different. Mine varies quite a bit from what I have read online from many sources of info. It becomes like a quest or bad addiction once you start.

 

[PRVRT]

Just installed the Thermalright 120 Extreme with the Cool Jag fan and now have it running at 3.5GHz so far. Working on getting it stable atm. Running 1.46v on the core, temps on the core are 49,49,44,47, NB 42, SB 40. Idle is 28,27,30,29, @ 67F room temp. Tried 3.6 last night, but was up to 1.5v and still not stable. Going to have to play with that a bit I think to get it stable. Even at 1.5v on the core, temps were around 55.

 

[PRVRT]

Ok, I am confused now. I can run up to 3.35GHz Prime95/SMP stable 24/7 no problem. Temps are 51,51,46,50 full load, Vcore 1.3875, Ram timings 4-4-4-12, FSB 1.4v, NB 1.45v. I can run 3.4GHz to 3.7GHz @1.4875v and run games or 3dMark06 all day long and temps never hit above 57c, but I can not seem to get it Prime95 or SMP stable more than 12 hours at these higher MHz. At 1.5v is seems to crash sooner. So I think I have eliminated the Vcore as the problem but do not know where I should go next. I must be missing something. I have also noticed that my NB voltage seems to make no difference. On auto it will run 1.61v. On manual I can run it between 1.40 - 1.47 and everything is still fine. Seems the auto setting is why my NB was running to warm and causing me problems before. I have the ram @ 2.1v which is what is recommend for the Corsair DDR2-800 6400. I have read a ton of pages on different forums and still come up confused. I have also tried running @ 8 for the mutiplier with the same results. I must get it stable at the higher MHz. Any one have any ideas?