overclocking x48t-dq6 q9550

[yukapuka]

If somebody can give me some instructions how to overclock with the M.B.I.T <acronym title="Basic Input Output Sytem">bios</acronym> as nobody so far has been able to explain to me how, bear in my mind i am also a beginner in this field so please explain thoroughly

Specs

Q9550
vista ultimate 64
8 gig PI <acronym title="Random Access Memory">ram</acronym>
gigabyte x48t-dq6

and i think thats all the info you may need

the <acronym title="Voltage Identification Digital">vid</acronym> is 1.2375

please help , thanks in advance

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: overclocking x48t-dq6 q9550

Well first of all, please read the stickies I posted in this forum they will help you teach yourself very much! >>>

Overclocking Guide

http://forums.tweaktown.com/f69/gigabyte-x38-p35-p965-ds-dq-s3-overclocking-general-bios-tweaking-guide-26112/

And Memory Guide

http://forums.tweaktown.com/f69/memory-timings-explained-w-suggested-timings-memset-vs-bios-27283/

It is best for you to read and learn, since you asked for instructions.

I can help you, but please see if you can get any further after reading that. That way you get to know your BIOS a little better.

If you still want some settings let me know what you want to run your CPU at and I will post you some starting ranges

[Classicman]

Re: overclocking x48t-dq6 q9550

Hello, i've done some serious search about overclocking the x48t. My specs are
GIGABYTE X48T-DQ6, INTEL Q9550, 2X2 OCZ DDR3 PC3-12800 Special Ops Urban Elit, ZOTAC gtx295, THERMALTAKE ARMOR & FANS (no problem with cooling for now), SEAGATE 750GB 32 MB CACHE

I've overclocked the system to a stable one of 3.5Ghz. The problem is that i can't achieve stability after 3.5ghz. I've been running with the current specifications for one week and encountered no problem. Above 3.5 Ghz, the cpu fails in prime95 within a minute. I'm assuming that the problem lies within mch and cpu clock skew values. I've no freaking idea how to stable them despite i've read this link which was amazing AnandTech: The Gigabyte GA-X48T-DQ6 - Redefining the High End?
In the ram values, 4.00B and 4.00D shows the same value. That might be a problem. Can anyone help me to stabilize it at 3.7? Thx. Here is the last stable bios settings at 3.5ghz. The BIOS is F5 (No beta, the one in the gigabyte website)


Robust Graphics Booster___________ [Auto]
CPU Clock Ratio ____________ [8]
Fine Clock Ratio ____________[0.5]
CPU Host Clock Control_ [Enabled]
CPU Host Frequency (MHz)__________ [412]
PCI Express Frequency (Mhz)_______ [100]
C.I.A. 2__________________________ [Disabled]
Performance Enhance________________[Standart]
System Memory Multiplier____(SPD)__[4.00D]
Memory Frequency (Mhz)_____________1648
DRAM Timing Selectable_______ SPD __ [Manual]



CAS Latency Time________________ 8
Dram RAS# to CAS# Delay_________ 8
Dram RAS# Precharge Delay_______8
Precharge Delay (tRAS)__________ 24

ACT to ACT Delay (tRRD)_________ [Auto]
Rank Write to READ Delay________ [Auto]
Write to Precharge Delay_________ [Auto]
Refresh to ACT Delay______________ 72
Read to Precharge Delay__________ [Auto]
Static tRead Value_______________[Auto]
Static tRead Phase Adjust________ [Auto]
Command Rate(CMD)_________________[2T]

CPU/PCIEX Clock Driving Control [800mV]
CPU Clock Skew Control [normal]
GMCH Clock Skew Control [Normal]

System Voltage Control____ [Manual]
DDR2 OverVoltage Control__ [+0.35V]
PCI-E OverVoltage Control_ [+0.10V]
FSB OverVoltage Control___ [+0.10V]
(G)MCH OverVoltage Control [Normal]
Loadline Calibration_______[Enable]
CPU Voltage Control_______ [1.40V]
</pre>

[Classicman]

Re: overclocking x48t-dq6 q9550

I think I've established a stability at 3.70Ghz. I adjusted the following bios setting compared to the previous one and haven't experienced a problem in prime95 yet (been 3 hours). I don't think i need to go further. I'm not sure that the CAS & other timings of ram are great; but they work stable. Any ideas to improve them?

Robust Graphics Booster___________ [Auto]
CPU Clock Ratio ____________ [8]
Fine Clock Ratio ____________[0.5]
CPU Host Clock Control_ [Enabled]
CPU Host Frequency (MHz)__________ [436]
PCI Express Frequency (Mhz)_______ [100]
C.I.A. 2__________________________ [Disabled]
Performance Enhance________________[Standart]
System Memory Multiplier____(SPD)__[4.00D]
Memory Frequency (Mhz)_____________1744
DRAM Timing Selectable_______ SPD __ [Manual]



CAS Latency Time________________ 8
Dram RAS# to CAS# Delay_________ 8
Dram RAS# Precharge Delay_______8
Precharge Delay (tRAS)__________ 21

ACT to ACT Delay (tRRD)_________ 4
Rank Write to READ Delay________ 8
Write to Precharge Delay_________ 12
Refresh to ACT Delay______________ 60
Read to Precharge Delay__________ 6
Static tRead Value_______________8
Static tRead Phase Adjust________ [Auto]
Command Rate(CMD)_________________[2T]

CPU/PCIEX Clock Driving Control [800mV]
CPU Clock Skew Control [normal]
GMCH Clock Skew Control [Normal]

System Voltage Control____ [Manual]
DDR2 OverVoltage Control__ [+0.45V]
PCI-E OverVoltage Control_ [+0.10V]
FSB OverVoltage Control___ [+0.35V]
(G)MCH OverVoltage Control [Normal]
Loadline Calibration_______[Enable]
CPU Voltage Control_______ [1.46250V]

[Nickel020]

Re: overclocking x48t-dq6 q9550

Nice overclock! You might be able to lower VCore though. Increasing (G) MCH a little might help there.
You should also decrease FSB overvoltage (aka VTT), I would not run more than +0.25V for 24/7 settings, at least that's what the people at anantech recommended. This setting can actually kill your CPU if left too high.

[Classicman]

Re: overclocking x48t-dq6 q9550

i've played with mch up to +0.25 but every time i did, it locked the system during windows. Another test i do is to play crysis beginning from the part "paradise". With mch +values, the system gets locked. I should edit the Graphic booster to auto also. About the fsb voltage, i think i may decrease it to +0.30, because fsb is necessary to reach 3.7Ghz. I may leave it as it is also. Don't know.

[Comers]

Re: overclocking x48t-dq6 q9550

@ Classicman

CPU Voltage Control_______ [1.46250V]

Intel Q9550 VID Voltage range: 0.85V – 1.3625V !!!
You CPU wont last long.

[Classicman]

Re: overclocking x48t-dq6 q9550

that is what intel says, but even in my default stock bios setting, the normal voltage was (1.25). I have never seen 0.85 before in my cpu? I think what matters here is the core temperature and i got it covered. Under full load of more than two hours, it didn't exceed 46 degree. Thanks to my chassis and AC on.

[Nickel020]

Re: overclocking x48t-dq6 q9550

You're using a abd program that gives you a wrong reading of the CPU temp, 46C is only possible with very very good watercooling at that speed or if your room is freezeing. Try Coretemp or Realtemp 3.0.

If the cooling is good (i.e. less than 65C at load) then that CPU Vcore is high but it is still OK. I would try to decrease it nonetheless.
The real problem though is the Termination voltage (aka VTT) that one is a real CPU killer.
Read this:

http://www.anandtech.com/weblog/showpost.aspx?i=428&cp=1

Standard VTT is 1.1V btw., so Anandtech recommends 1.4V as the absolute maximum and you're running 1.45V!

[Classicman]

Re: overclocking x48t-dq6 q9550

Ok people. I think i got it. I reduced the voltage to 1.40V as recommended and set the cpu clock to 50. First i tried 100, but it locked out now in 50 it is stable. I think after 1.40v, the stability depends on the clock. I'm not sure whether i should set the clock driving control to 900mv. The thing is that in prime95, it only uses 70-75 percent of my memory. is it normal?

[Nickel020]

Re: overclocking x48t-dq6 q9550

You have to remember that hardware never overclocks the same even though the models used are the same. Every part behaves slightly different, so your board may only be able to overclock the quad with a high VTT while other X48T don't.

you can try to update the BIOs and see if that helps, but note down or photograph your settings because the profiles are lost after updating the BIOS. Also be sure to also load optimized defaults before updating the BIOS.

And 54C is not exactly hot, my maximum overclocks often end up at around 70C and that is with high-end watercooling.

[Classicman]

Re: overclocking x48t-dq6 q9550

70C, that's hot man. I will post my last stable settings in two hours. Just to make sure everything is guaranteed with no errors and well in range.

[Classicman]

Re: overclocking x48t-dq6 q9550

I've done some test and trials and here is the conclusion: MemTest86 v2.11 passed (more than 2:30 hours and then i manually closed it), prime95 passed (manually stopped it after 3 hours). System was cool around 54 degree as mentioned before. Whatever i did to decrease the FSB and VVT, i failed. So here is the latest stable bios of mine. There are only three or four changes compared to my second one:

Robust Graphics Booster___________ [Turbo]
CPU Clock Ratio ____________ [8]
Fine Clock Ratio ____________[0.5]
CPU Host Clock Control_ [Enabled]
CPU Host Frequency (MHz)__________ [436]
PCI Express Frequency (Mhz)_______ [100]
C.I.A. 2__________________________ [Disabled]
Performance Enhance________________[Standart]
System Memory Multiplier____(SPD)__[4.00D]
Memory Frequency (Mhz)_____________1744
DRAM Timing Selectable_______ SPD __ [Manual]

CAS Latency Time________________ 8
Dram RAS# to CAS# Delay_________ 8
Dram RAS# Precharge Delay_______8
Precharge Delay (tRAS)__________ 21

ACT to ACT Delay (tRRD)_________ 4
Rank Write to READ Delay________ 8
Write to Precharge Delay_________ 12
Refresh to ACT Delay______________ 60
Read to Precharge Delay__________ 6
Static tRead Value_______________8
Static tRead Phase Adjust________ [Auto]
Command Rate(CMD)_________________[2T]

CPU/PCIEX Clock Driving Control [800mV]
CPU Clock Skew Control [50fps]
GMCH Clock Skew Control [Normal]

System Voltage Control____ [Manual]
DDR3 OverVoltage Control__ [+0.45V]
PCI-E OverVoltage Control_ [+0.10V]
FSB OverVoltage Control___ [+0.35V]
(G)MCH OverVoltage Control [Normal]
Loadline Calibration_______[Enable]
CPU Voltage Control_______ [1.40000V]

[Nickel020]

Re: overclocking x48t-dq6 q9550

You can leave it at that I guess, but don't say you haven't been warned if your CPU decides to die

[Classicman]

Re: overclocking x48t-dq6 q9550

I know man i know:). Thanks for the help though. Anyway i'll be back in two days, because my other 2x2 ram modules come and i'll have to revise the ram timings. I mean, is it possible to use the same settings of 2x2 for 4x2?