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Overclocking setup (please review?)

K

Khaydarin

2[H]4U
Joined
Dec 13, 2005
Messages
2,534
I'm building a new PC and will definitely be overclocking it (will be using Vista-64, if that matters for this thread). Due to a recent deal, I already bought the mobo/cpu (but I will be getting the cpu cooler and RAM at the very beginning of November. Anyways, here are the parts I already have:

Motherboard: GIGABYTE GA-EP45-UD3P LGA 775 Intel P45
CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo E8500 (E0 stepping)

And here are the parts I have yet to get (as far as this issue of overclocking is concerned):
CPU Cooler: Sunbeam CR-CCTF 120mm "Core Contact Freezer"
RAM: G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1000 (PC2 8000)


I read some reviews about the cooler, and it looks fairly solid so I'm fairly confident about my choice there. I'll be combining it with Arctic Silver 5.

I'm not sure about the RAM though. With the mobo/cpu/cooler in mind, will the RAM I listed (DDR2-1000) be fast enough for my intentions, or would I be better off within something faster? Can you recommend something better, or will I do just fine with that set? I'd really like to stick with 4GB (2x2GB) as far as the amount of RAM I get, and my budget is about $150.
 
With the mobo/CPU/cooler in mind, will the RAM I listed (DDR2-1000) be fast enough for my intentions, or would I be better off within something faster?
Click to expand...


just crunching the numbers.

The CPU has a max 9.5 multiplier.
The board (with good NB cooling ) should do 400MHz FSB and likely higher but we will assume 400MHz and anything over is gravy.
The lowest memory multiplier is 2.0 which means the memory runs at 2 x the FSB, I believe the next higher multiplier is 2.4 but it might depend on the FSB strap used. Check your manual and redo the math with other available memory multipliers.

9.5 x 425 FSB = 4GHz CPU speed and memory at 950 (2.0 x 425) or 1020 MHz (minor memory OC and it will probably do it with stock performance timings)
9.5 x 400 FSB = 3.8 GHz CPU speed and memory at 800 (2.0 x 400) or 980MHz (2.4 x 400)- Note that memory is not even OCed.either setting.
9 x 400 = 3.6GHZ memory same.as above
you can do the rest for lower CPU multipliers.

From the above it seems clear to me that 1000MHz memory is more than sufficient and allows a lot of options. In my opinion, since the CPU is decided on as well as the CPU cooler, the area that is going to make or break your results is achieving a 400ish or better FSB and it is my experience with Gigabyte boards (actually all Intel chipset boards) that the MCH/Northbridge being cooled properly is the key to high stable FSB values.

That board has the new larger MCH heatsink but if it were me I would be looking at (I have not done one of those, its a fairly new board but I think you picked the best of the mid-range bunch from Gigabyte). pulling off that blue "bling" covering the MCH/Northbridge heatsink and if possible (and after I ran the board "out of the case" overnight to make sure all was well) and glue a 40 or 50mm med speed fan on it I feel this would be the best easy thing you could do to ensure a high overclock as well as stability and reliability. This would also have the benefit of cooling down the entire heat-pipe assembly and help keep the CPU voltage regulator mosFETS under the other part of the heat-pipe cool. The second thing I would be looking at is the mosFETS along the edge of the board that are not part of the heat-pipe assembly but have their own heatsink. Good case airflow or another small fan glued to them will finish off having the critical and most heat producing components other than the CPU taken care of.

Have fun. Nice board. Let us know how it goes.
 
Bill has good advice. The only thing I would suggest differently would be a downward airflow CPU cooler such as the ZeroTherm CF900 or Thermalright SI-128. This would eliminate the need to glue anything to your motherboard by providing all surrounding components some added airflow.

I bought a TRU120E, installed it and yeah it lowered my CPU temps, but my NB was cooking. Even with decent case airflow. So now I'm back with my SI-128 and everything is cool again. Just food for thought.

And I too would try to rip that blue Gigabyte "bling" off that NB cooler. If you can't pull it off I'd be grinding that off. LOL Nice way to trap heat, Gigabyte! :)
 
BillParrish said:
it is my experience with Gigabyte boards (actually all Intel chipset boards) that the MCH/Northbridge being cooled properly is the key to high stable FSB values.

That board has the new larger MCH heatsink but if it were me I would be looking at (I have not done one of those, its a fairly new board but I think you picked the best of the mid-range bunch from Gigabyte). pulling off that blue "bling" covering the MCH/Northbridge heatsink and if possible (and after I ran the board "out of the case" overnight to make sure all was well) and glue a 40 or 50mm med speed fan on it I feel this would be the best easy thing you could do to ensure a high overclock as well as stability and reliability. This would also have the benefit of cooling down the entire heat-pipe assembly and help keep the CPU voltage regulator mosFETS under the other part of the heat-pipe cool. The second thing I would be looking at is the mosFETS along the edge of the board that are not part of the heat-pipe assembly but have their own heatsink. Good case airflow or another small fan glued to them will finish off having the critical and most heat producing components other than the CPU taken care of.

Have fun. Nice board. Let us know how it goes.
Click to expand...

Glue....? How do you glue a fan on? Might it not melt, perhaps during an IntelBurn Test?

Is it better to have it ON the heatsink and blowing on or out? Or perhaps its better to blow across the northbridge?
 
Glue....? How do you glue a fan on? Might it not melt, perhaps during an IntelBurn Test?
Click to expand...

Silicone RTV adhesive.

A large blob/drop in each fan hole. 1/2 of the "blob" in the hole, 1/2 out of the hole. Gently lay the fan on the heatsink. Gently press very very lightly just to make sure the "blobs" contacts the fins. The idea is to actually leave a small gap to ensure fan blades do not hit the fins. Leave it alone for an hour. Instant (well almost) silicon rubber fan mounting. Look Ma, no screws !!! . No. It will not melt. I have seen it done with hot melt glue as well but have never tried it as my tube of RTV is still going strong. Any good hardware store will have it and I see no reason one could not use the "blue" RTV silicone gasket sealer/maker sold at auto parts stores as well.
 
I'll take that as a "fan is better glued on and blowing at the heatsink".

down is better but anyway you can get it on there and blowing air onto the heatsink is very efffective.

Since you mentioned it, I actully use both ways myself. Down directly onto the MCH/Northbridge and for the mosfets sideways glued to the motherboard pulling air sideways through the mosfet part of the heatpipe. The two mosfet fans are superglued together. Works great with the kind of plastic the fan shrouds are made of, Both superglue and silicone adhesive seem to like it and bond like mad. What I like about the silicone is that if the fan fails you just grab it and twist and it comes right off. Any extra silicone peels right off the fins or board with no mess and you are ready to glue a replacement fan on in seconds. (I only get about a year out of these small fans even with oiling the bearings).

computer003.jpg
 
Thanks for all the info! As I overclock, I'll be watching the NB temps to see how well the blue cooler actually works. I'll stick with the RAM I listed (the DDR2-1000 set) and will definitely be posting my OC results. :)
 
Silicone RTV is the same stuff used as gasket sealer on engines. Will it melt? Hell no. LOL
 
pulling off that blue "bling" covering the MCH/Northbridge heatsink and if possible (and after I ran the board "out of the case" overnight to make sure all was well) and glue a 40 or 50mm med speed fan on it I feel this would be the best easy thing you could do to ensure a high overclock as well as stability and reliability
Click to expand...

I wonder if that would void the warranty, removing that blue thing? You made me take notice of it for the first time. I thought it was actually part of their new heatsink design but now I see its just a show piece. At 1.4 Mch and 533 FSB, and I also tried this at 560 FSB, the blue cover felt slightly warm and as my finger slid down to the sides of the heatsink that also was not hot, but warm.

I will investigate removing it myself now and adding a fan. What's lousy, and I can't really confirm this till I open the case, is that the OCZ Vendetta 2 CPU cooler hangs over the edge. That doesn't leave much room for fans or manipulation. I am sure a 40mm fan would fit though. I have that corsair memory cooler with 3 40's blowing down. Since the NB is almost touching Dimm one, it must get some of that airflow I would guess.

To remove that blue thing though may be more problematic. It may require the removal of the Vendetta 2 to do it, as its secured quite well to the heatsink.
 
Khaydarin said:
I
I'm not sure about the RAM though. With the mobo/cpu/cooler in mind, will the RAM I listed (DDR2-1000) be fast enough for my intentions, or would I be better off within something faster? Can you recommend something better, or will I do just fine with that set? I'd really like to stick with 4GB (2x2GB) as far as the amount of RAM I get, and my budget is about $150.
Click to expand...

For that price, that set should be more than enough as it's DDR2 1000 and you probably won't notice much difference between 800mhz and 1000mhz for the ram. It should overclock fine at those settings.

In terms of cooling, go for the Xigmatek. It's cheap and a very decent cooler.
 
jzodda said:
I wonder if that would void the warranty, removing that blue thing? You made me take notice of it for the first time. I thought it was actually part of their new heatsink design but now I see its just a show piece. At 1.4 Mch and 533 FSB, and I also tried this at 560 FSB, the blue cover felt slightly warm and as my finger slid down to the sides of the heatsink that also was not hot, but warm.

I will investigate removing it myself now and adding a fan. What's lousy, and I can't really confirm this till I open the case, is that the OCZ Vendetta 2 CPU cooler hangs over the edge. That doesn't leave much room for fans or manipulation. I am sure a 40mm fan would fit though. I have that corsair memory cooler with 3 40's blowing down. Since the NB is almost touching Dimm one, it must get some of that airflow I would guess.

To remove that blue thing though may be more problematic. It may require the removal of the Vendetta 2 to do it, as its secured quite well to the heatsink.
Click to expand...

Hmmm....seems like the stock cooler on our that motherboard is working out quite well already.
 
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