Fine-tuning gaming rig.. eek

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kencheeto

2[H]4U
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Apr 17, 2008
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I've been trying to stabilize my gaming rig for the past week or so since finals got out; the build is:
Lian Li A05b w/top blowhole (intake w/Scythe S-FLEX SFF21D, 800rpm)
Rear intake (S-FLEX SFF21E, 1200rpm)
Front exhaust (S-FLEX SFF21D, 800rpm)
MSI P35 Neo2-FR mobo
Q6600 (G0) @1.3V w/Thermalright Ultima-90, Push-Pull Scythe Kama Flex 92mm
Crucial Ballistix Tracer 4x1gb DDR2 800, 2.2v
2x Seagate 250gb 7200.10 @RAID0
EVGA 9800gtx w/Thermalright HR-03 GT, Kama Flex 92mm

I realize the airflow is back-front but the case layout uses reverse ATX.
Ambient temps are 20-22C, in an air conditioned apartment.

Onto the issue at hand..
I've been trying to overclock my processor and 9800gtx like any other enthusiast, but my Q6600 has not been particularly cooperative. At 3.2ghz and 1.34V, CoreTemp reads 26 for the lowest core to 38 for hottest, and load gets up to 67 on the hottest core. This still isn't fully prime stable, as I blue screen after fifteen minutes or so. I doubt that this is an issue with 'messy' installation since my 9800gtx is reaching 840/2000/2500 with the HR-03 GT and is stable.. I did use the supplied white paste from Thermalright while I dig around for my AS5, but do you guys have any input on getting my Q6600 to run any faster?

Is the Ultima-90 just not able to handle a quadcore? Reviews seem to indicate that performance is just shy of the TRUE.

Also, I did lap both heatsinks (ultima-90 and HR-03 GT) and the finish on the GT is worse, though temps are awesome (35 idle, 55 load) at the considerable OC I've got.

tips, suggestions, tricks... please? Or should I simply accept that I got a dud? The Q6600 gets into Windows just fine running at 3.6 but the first core will consistently fail in the first minute. I'm a huge fan of how quiet my build is, do I need to sacrifice quiet for more speed?

In the meantime I'm going to try re-seating the heatsink and using AS5..
Thanks..
 
12C between cores of the Q6600 isn't normal.
Using a horizontal line for the paste? Seating the Ultima90 properly? Maybe your Q6600's heat spreader isn't level? 26C for a core temp is pretty damn amazing, though.

btw the Kama Flex fans really don't move enough air. The fastest one is rated at, what, 38 CFM or something similar?
 
Thanks for the reply; I did think the big T delta was unusual. My previous cooler was an Asus Triton 75, which also saw these considerable disparities.

Is there a simple way to check if the cpu heatspreader is level? Besides using a ruler, i mean.

Also, I'm guessing its safe to lap the heatspreader within reason?
 
26C on a core at 20C-22C ambient doesn't seem likely.
I assume that's your *room* temperature. The temp inside your case would be at least 4C higher than your ambient, thus making the ambient of your case at least 26C, making it impossible for your core to be 26C or lower. Getting the same core idle as your room temp is nearly impossible, even at 1.100v and the lowest clock possible.

As for lapping your heatspreader, I know it's possible, but I can't help you with it. No experience lapping a cpu.
:(
 
You're right, those are room temperatures. However, I've run it with window off and no real change in temperatures or stability. I do understand that 26C seems low, is this potentially caused by CoreTemp? On colder nights I've seen Core 3 drop to 19C, which seems ludicrous. Or maybe its the only core securely touching the HS? The other cores are evenly staggered between low and hi temps.
 
Stable OCing isn't just the CPU temps alone. Keep track of your northbridge temperatures as well as that may be skyrocketing on a stock cooler.

also...

Remove 2 of the 4x1gb modules and test the OC again. at 4x1gb you're stressing that mem controller and it may be the ram that's unstable.
 
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