Q6600 B3/eVGA 680i

[rampantandroid]

I know, people say the 680i is terrible for OCing...I can't even do 2.7 GHz on my Q6600, B3 stepping with a Thermaltake V1 cooler.

I can hit 2.6 GHz on the default voltages, but if I go to 2.7, windows either just won't boot, or my BIOS will freeze, or go into safemode with a multiplier of 6x. I've tried upping the voltage (went as high as 1.26 in BIOS, the NV overclock util claims I am at 1.8v?!) and upped the FSB to 1.5V....but I still can't hit 2.7 GHz and even boot.

Am I doing something wrong? I'm trying this by setting the FSB & memory to unlinked, leaving my RAM, Corsair DHX 4 GB set (2 x 2GB, 5-5-5-15) DDR2-800 at its default settings, and then inching the FSB up, leaving the multiplier at 9x. Should I go around this by instead dropping my multiplied to 8x and upping the FSB to see if I can even hit 300MHz?

What voltages should I be going to? Am I better just getting a new mobo/CPU (Nehalem won't be cheap I'm guessing, and means new RAM as well...which will cost more than 500 USD, which I just DO NOT feel like)? I'm trying to OC, as my GTX280 seems to be held back by my CPU...but this just isn't going well for me. I'd just grab a new 45nm CPU, but this shitty 680i can't handle 45nm quads...should I just get a P45 or X48 and a Q9550?

 

[rampantandroid]

Further info:

I hunted online, and found some people having succes with the following:

Turning off all the thermal stuff for the CPU (I had done this already), turning off spread spectrum, and setting the voltages as follows:

CPU Core: 1.4V
CPU FSB 1.4V
SPP 1.45
MCP 1.5
HT SPP<->MCP 1.35

Doing this settings, and then going up to 2.7 GHz resulted in my system giving a single beep during post, but the system would display my CPU speed, then hang. It wouldn't even run the fast memory test, let alone display my drives. I had to power down and clear CMOS to get working again.

Do I just have a bad board?

 

[Dangman]

Do I just have a bad board?

Well, you already know that the 680i chipset in general doesn't OC quad-cores well. So yes you do have a bad board of sorts. Though lower the multi to 8 and see if that mobo can even do 300Mhz FSB. Max CPU voltage for the 65nm CPUs (including the Q6600) is 1.5V.

If you do end up getting a new mobo, go with a P45 mobo like the Asus P5Q Pro. Try overclocking with the Q6600 and if you still run into troubles, you may have run into CPU limitations and not mobo limitations.

 

[rampantandroid]

Sigh. Can't even boot with the FSB at 300...

Am I just better off getting a new CPU at the same time, as my Q6600 is a B3 and won't be a strong overclocker ANYWAY?

 

[Dangman]

Sigh. Can't even boot with the FSB at 300...

Am I just better off getting a new CPU at the same time, as my Q6600 is a B3 and won't be a strong overclocker ANYWAY?

Well there have been decent overclocking B3 Q6600 out there. Most B3 Q6600, from what I've seen, can hit 3Ghz easily. Anyway, like I said, get a new P45 mobo first, then try overclocking with the Q6600. If it can't reach past 2.6Ghz, then yes your Q6600 is not a strong overclocker. However if it does reach or pass 3Ghz, then you just saved yourself $320.

 

[rampantandroid]

Good point. I'll grab a P5Q Pro tonight, then see how things go.

Thanks for the help, I really appreciate it (and if I seem annoyed, I am - but at nVidia/eVGA, not you )

 

[qwakrz]

Check the stepping of the eVGA 680i board.

I used to have that exact setup and could hit 3.2GHz on a 400MHz FSB. I know that the AR stepping of the board will only overclock the FSB by 5-10MHz due to a design fault but the A1 stepping works fine.

Also, check your ram speed is not limiting your overclock. I believe you can lock the speed of it in the BIOS so you wont overclock it.

I now use the 680i and B3 chip in a 2nd system. My main setup is now an Asus P5K-Deluxe with a Q6700 at 3.6GHz, alot more stable than the old 680i

 

[BullseyeBob]

Yeah I'd try a new motherboard 1st if this was my case.

And B3's can overclock well sometimes. Mine does but gets hot so be prepared to manage temps. In my case I'm risking it but q6600's get cheaper everyday.

Right on qwakrz. Those P5K boards rock.

 

[aznmc16]

i had my b3 q6600 overclocked up to 3.0ghz on my xfx 680i sli a1 revision board stable. got it up as high as 3.6, but it got too hot.

i would suggest you leaving the cpu/ram unlinked and dont mess with the ram, leave it at default.

set the cpu at 3ghz, i think all you do is change the value from 1066 to whatever it takes to get to 3ghz, i think it'll be like 1250. then set the cpu voltage at 1.35v, and the fsb at 1.5v.

then turn off all the power saving options like C1E, i think there were 2-3 options i had to disable.