P4 2.8C overclocking

I

imzjustplayin

[H]ard|Gawd
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I've got an Abit IC7-G motherboard, a P4 2.8C that is currently running at 3.5GHZ, PC4000 cosair TwinX1024 memory, running in Sync with the system bus. I've desperately tried bringing the processor past 3.6GHZ or 257mhz FSB but it appears that there is a barrier in preventing me from overclocking any more. I've searched the forums here with little to no success despite the fact I'm sure this has been covered a lot. I'm using a Vocano 12 as the cooler for the CPU which IMO should provide sufficient cooling.

I read on another forum where the users had great success in getting speeds in excess of 3.8GHZ and one poster asked and they mentioned that the reason why it won't overclock higher than 3.6 is because of something about the processor not running at those higher speeds with out being cooler than 40*C? Can anyone confirm this? I have a link to the forum:
http://www.3dgameman.com/forums/showthread.php?t=23086&page=4
It just seems disappointing that I've yet to bypass the 257mhz FSB barrier, I mean I can load windows at 257 but it's not stable enough and so it's effectively a 250MHZ barrier. I also forgot to mention that I've tried overclocking with a divider, I know my power supply is sufficent as it's an Antec True 480, memory voltage is 2.8, and I'm not running PAT in the bios...Any ideas? BTW, increasing core voltage doesn't improve overclockability whatsoever so I'm running at stock voltages ATM.

My temps are by my standards pretty good, though the bios reports that my case temps are 27*C and 47*C idle for the CPU. Reason I think they're good is because I've heard numerous reports saying that the temps are inaccurate which I believe are true since my thermally controlled CPU fan is running at speeds ATM consistant with about 25*C..(Room temp ATM is around 60*F)

Reason for 255MHZ barrier for IC7-G/875P based motherboards!
http://www.madshrimps.be/?action=getarticle&number=1&artpage=315&articID=92

After finding out that it was my memory that was limiting me, I took some cheap PC3200 Kingston memory (value type), put on a divider and I posted at 284FSB which is 3.97GHZ!!!!!!!
Prior to finding this out I couldn't post past 262FSB)
 
2 quick things:
what are load temps (max temps) on teh cpu?
if they are above 50C then i highly recommend u get an aftermarket cooler. i think that the 2.8C has a northwood core but aftermarket cooling is a must if u overclock :p
next, have u tried running a memory divider? from my experience with friends' systems, corsair dont OC very well...maybe u shud run a mem divider or loosen up the timings and/or give it some more voltage
also, have u increased the voltage on teh processor? that will help for stability
not very detailed post, but just a quick 1 before i get back to finals studying
/begin emotime
i hate finals in high school with ap's :(
/end emotime
gl hf :D

ps
60C in ur room is about 140F just to let u know ;)
 
Here are some tips...

Try disabling GAT, I think the settings to do this are Auto-Normal-Auto-Disabled-Disabled.

If you haven't allready, raise the vdimm.
 
That very well might be the limit of the CPU depending on stepping, 12 vs. 30 capper, etc.
 
your luckier than me lol... my 2.8c on an IC7-G can only make it .to 3.2 Ghz...

EDIT: make that 3.3 at 1.7vcore
 
acascianelli said:
Here are some tips...

Try disabling GAT, I think the settings to do this are Auto-Normal-Auto-Disabled-Disabled.

If you haven't allready, raise the vdimm.
Click to expand...

Is that equivalent of intel's PAT technology? I believe I had disabled this before but it didn't provide any results, but I've disabled it anyways and I see that my memory score had decreased a bit. I'm wondering though if a higher overclock would negate all of this. Any idea where I can get an explanation of each feature in the "game accelerator" options menu for the chipset?

Update: Yup, like I said, it did nothing to increase my overclock so I'm still wondering what I should do... I'm still, ATM limited to 264FSB and that is POST only...
 
3.5Ghz very well might be the limit of the CPU. Northwoods didn't go too much higher than that.
 
Northwoods have a 3.6GHz limiter. If you can find a cheap Pressy 3.0E, there you go. Overclocks like a dream, but, requires intensive cooling to get past 3.7 (Water should do it).
 
Emission said:
Northwoods have a 3.6GHz limiter. If you can find a cheap Pressy 3.0E, there you go. Overclocks like a dream, but, requires intensive cooling to get past 3.7 (Water should do it).
Click to expand...
Did you read the forum? People were saying that they were getting all the way up to 4.0 overclocks...
 
imzjustplayin said:
Did you read the forum? People were saying that they were getting all the way up to 4.0 overclocks...
Click to expand...

That is atypical. Typical northwood OC's weren't much higher than 3.5Ghz. Chances are your northwood is more typical than atypical ;). They are also using the M0 stepping which is EE variety. Also, your RAM might not handle too much over DDR500 speed. Since you're already at 257mhz, maybe your RAM is holding you back.
 
kirbyrj said:
That is atypical. Typical northwood OC's weren't much higher than 3.5Ghz. Chances are your northwood is more typical than atypical ;). They are also using the M0 stepping which is EE variety. Also, your RAM might not handle too much over DDR500 speed. Since you're already at 257mhz, maybe your RAM is holding you back.
Click to expand...
yep
either find some new ram or go research dividers :p
 
omz said:
yep
either find some new ram or go research dividers :p
Click to expand...
Way to read the fscking post... "I also forgot to mention that I've tried overclocking with a divider, ..."

To respond to the poster before, I have an M0 Revision and with Stepping 5.. I heard there was a significance to the stepping but I've yet to find definitive proof that this is so..
 
Emission said:
Northwoods have a 3.6GHz limiter. If you can find a cheap Pressy 3.0E, there you go. Overclocks like a dream, but, requires intensive cooling to get past 3.7 (Water should do it).
Click to expand...


My 3.0c can do 267x15. = 4005Mhz. On Air.
Every 800mhz northwood I have ever owned had done over 3600. My 3.4c did 3800.. My 2.8c did 3650, and my best one the 3.0c does over 4ghz.

There are no limiters on the northwoods.

Actually most people are limited by the FSB on the motherboards. Abit IC7 series start having problems over 260mhz FSB.
 
I suppose your right. Although a friend couldnt get his northwood on the same mobo I had past 3.6GHz, and yet my pressy flies past 3.75. I honestly dont know.
 
Spazilton said:
Actually most people are limited by the FSB on the motherboards. Abit IC7 series start having problems over 260mhz FSB.
Click to expand...

My 2.4C was running stable with the previous ownwer at 291FSB on a P4C800, my IC7 craps out at ANYTHING above 285FSB.
 
Emission said:
Northwoods have a 3.6GHz limiter. If you can find a cheap Pressy 3.0E, there you go. Overclocks like a dream, but, requires intensive cooling to get past 3.7 (Water should do it).
Click to expand...

You are joking right?

My 2 best Northwoods
3.0c that did 4.005 on XP-120 Air. 1.55v
2.8c that did 3.9 on air.

The few that I had that were non 30 cappers all topped out at around 3.5

The 30 cappers were the best overclockers.

Also the ABIT IC7 series had problems at 260+ FSB. Not to mention the Vdimm issues. I was damn lucky to have a MAX3 that could do 270.

I also remeber that article, dividers are bad news on the 865/875 chipsets.
 
No I wasn't joking. As stated, you'd need an EE variety stepping to make it past 3.6 . I've known many people with non-M0 steppings who had the same exact problems.
 
My old 3.0c does 3.8 stock volt and air. It is on a max3. It only did 3.4 on the G. My wife has it now and it has been 3.8 24/7 for a good 3 years.
 
Don't forget that the Northwood cores have a lower ipc count than the prescott, one of the reasons why they stay cooler and clock higher than your typical prescott.
 
You do not need an EE or M0 to get mas 3.6ghz. I've known many people who have gotten D1 P4C's above 3.6ghz. There is no limiter for Northwood CPU's. It is difficult to get a Northwood to those speeds but it can and has been done.
 
Emission said:
Northwoods have a 3.6GHz limiter. If you can find a cheap Pressy 3.0E, there you go. Overclocks like a dream, but, requires intensive cooling to get past 3.7 (Water should do it).
Click to expand...

Not so true. I have a 3.0C Northy running at 4.1Ghz aircooled. :eek:
 
Emission said:
No I wasn't joking. As stated, you'd need an EE variety stepping to make it past 3.6 . I've known many people with non-M0 steppings who had the same exact problems.
Click to expand...

Nope, Actually the EE Northwoods clock like crap. Both of mine that got over 3.8 were D1s
 
So basically, its really just which ones are the best from the factory, not being specific to steppings at all :rolleyes: , geez.
 
I have the 3.0E GHz with the best of the E0 steppings. I've taken it all the way to 4.2GHz on air but my memory sucks and air cooling has its limits. Running at 4.05GHz with 1.5volts. Temps are 45C on Idle.

The thing is with these high overclocks is that you run out of room at some point with memory speeds. Because I only have DDR333 I had to run a lower memory ratio than normal. My score was around 34s with SuperPi 1M, after patching SuperPi it was more like 30s.

There are pictures and stuff about it someplace in this thread chatting with TGM.
http://www.3dgameman.com/forums/showthread.php?t=41704&page=7

I've got to say it was a good upgrade over that of my older 2.0A @ 2.4GHz. :p
 
Seeing all these high clocks kinda makes me sad.. However, nobody has said what kind of memory they're using and whether or not they're at 1:1.
 
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