Q9550 + IP35Pro

G

glen

Limp Gawd
Joined
Nov 30, 2007
Messages
230
Is this a decent combo, could 3.5 ghz be a nice stable OC? I am running a E2160 at 3 ghz now, they only reason for the Q9550 over the older Q6600 would be less strain on my relatively old powersupply. I've never been happy with the E2160, when the AVG starts scanning the system really boggs down. Looking to order the Q9550 from new egg because I have a credit account with them are they shipping the best stepping versions? Also looking to ditch my old 2gB crucial memory DDR2 800 and going to2x2 GB, what would match well with the Q9550 @ 3.5 ghz for a budget price?

I was going to scrap the MB and start over because the system was so unstable, I downloaded SP3 and now she's running pretty good, so I highly recommend this update.
 
newegg is definitely shipping the newer steppings.

you could easily get at least 3.4ghz i'd say on that puppy. 8.5 x multi isnt terrible for OCing.

Don't even think about crossfiring your video cards though. P35 chipsets have a 16x/4x split for the PCI Express lanes, and the second card gets VERY bottlenecked.
 
I don't even know what a crossfired video card is so no worries there.
 
If you do this, please post back your results.

I also have an IP35Pro with an E2160, and I would like to know what you get out of a Q9550 if you try it.

microcenter (if there's one near you), currently has Q9550's for $169.99. Check [h]ot|deals.

I also run AVG, but I don't think the lag during a scan is due to load on the processor. I think the lag is due to load on the hard drive. I just set mine to scan during times I am sleeping.

Pardon me for going off-topic a bit now. Did you try to push your E2160 past 3 GHz? I tried with mine, and I'm fine at 9x333 for 3GHz, but my system gets unstable with FSB in the 340's, and absolutely will not boot with anything above 350-ish, even with reducing the multipler. I've been told this means my E2160 is fsb-walled. I'm just curious if you (having similar system) have had a similar result.
 
Yea mine won't go any higher than 3 ghz. The biggest issue with AVG is realtime scanning as you open each file or webpage.
 
glen said:
Yea mine won't go any higher than 3 ghz. The biggest issue with AVG is realtime scanning as you open each file or webpage.
Click to expand...

So....That's your whole reason for getting the Q9550? You might want to make sure it's not maxing out the through put of you HDD if your whole reason is to get better response wile scanning. While I am sure it will do a better job, you might still end up being limited by your HDD and see no change.
 
no the whole reason is the 2160 is sluggish . I do a lot of encoding/decoding audio files as well. Also I'm talking about the webshield not just scanning. I quit file checking MD5's their so slow.
 
my abit IP35pro ran my q6600 @ 3.5 for over a year, great mobo.
I just swapped it out so i could run cross fire. now it runs my e5200 up to 4.2 on water.

I dont think you'll have any issues getting a good overclock as long as you dont get bad luck with a poor clocking cpu.
 
I bet going ffrom 2180 w. 2GB to Q9550 w/ 4 gB will be quite a step up in perfomance.
 
Not always I've done a few upgrades where I was like "what a waste of money", but I think this will be a winner
 
Is the b17 bios the final one for the IP35 pro? It's the last one at Abit's site but I swear I recall a b18 and b19.
 
I think there were beta bios's beyond b17 floating around somewhere, but I don't remember for sure (rebels haven maybe?)
 
I read that B18 is best for the 45nm quads, not sure where to get it.
 
Thats the same setup I'm using +4gb Corsair CL4. Runs fine at 3.4 (8.5x400) out of the box with no volt increase (1.3 is lowest and what i'm running). I'm using an arctic cooling freezer 7 pro for cooling. I haven't tried for 3.5 but I'm pretty sure you could achieve it no problems. I am very happy with my upgrade and I was coming from a q6600, you will definitely see a difference going from the E2160.

** I did have to update my bios on the ip35-pro when I got it to support the q6600 that was in it prior to installing the q9550, but I can't remember which bios I used and I'm at work right now, I will try and remember to post the one I'm using when I get home.
 
Yeah, I really like my Q9450 & IP35 combo. Never had any issues with stability. Would be nice if it had a few more SATA connectors though.

I have a minor overclock of 2.8GHz, and it has a very neglible affect when encoding H.264 video. Boosting the OC to 3.0GHz doesn't really any affect either based on the parameters I am using.
 
Very good advice y'all gave, I just finished installing the Q9550 and the recommended 4GB ram. The speed just kills the old 2160 @3.0 ghz. I am amazed. I have v17 bios so I don't have the C0 stepping feature the chip came with. I have a copy of the beta v18 but I don't trust my floppy and probably don't trust beta bios's.


Thanks for the advice, this setup will last me a long time, I may experiement with Windows 7 64 bit but I have a lot of specialized open source audio that has to work, so I don't know xP SP3 is pretty slick IMO.

Oh also I haven't even started overclocking, yet...
 
Nice. I've been tryin to work up the nerve to spend for a quad to replace my 2160, but I cheaped out. I was just upgrading to get VT, and I went with one of the new E6300's. It's not here yet, and I'm still wondering if I should have just saved longer to get the quad.

Post back your OC results. I'm curious what kind of FSB you can get with that quad.
 
I can't get over 3 ghz even with Bios 18b. Its from all the junk on my windows OS, what is a quick down and dirty stress test program I can dowload. Prime 95 is too involved for me.
 
I lost my old copy of prime95, now you have to join a group and run it thru the internet, looks like an hour to figure out. Is there a way to get the simple prime95?
 
Prime95 can be had free from all across the web, their site is here though, you just DL the version for your OS and when you run it just click that you do not wish to join GIMPS and only want to do stress testing. You might also want to check out IBT (Intel Burn Test).
 
That IBT was perfect thanks. I'm stable at 3 ghz with core temps around 59C during the test, I have one of those monster copper heatsinks (can't remember the name.)
 
i had the i-p35 pro and i loved it. i was able to get to 3.8ghz on my Q6600 easily. as long as you know what you're doing with overclocking, you can clock any processor. the board should be able to take the Q9550 to 4.0 if you know your stuff.
 
I tried a voltage recipe from someone who hit 3.8, and my windows loaded up but it hung up fillling all the auto startup stuff. I've been over clocking for years, I think the only way I would hit higher numbers is with a fresh OS install.
 
i am worried about your RAM though. i had crucial ballistix in the past. they were good...but they didnt last very long. maybe i had a bad batch or whatever, but all my other brands (mushkin, ocz, corsair, and currently using g.skill) are running fine through torture tests and heat.
 
this is the gskill someone here recommended. If I set my fsb to 400, where should I put the ram?
 
You were right I had my ram timings too high. At 3400ghz the cpu idles at 40C and during a INtelBurn Test it climbs to 67F. Sound OK?
 
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Once you start encoding with that q9550 you will never even think of using a dual again...
 
glen said:
You were right I had my ram timings too high. At 3400ghz the cpu idles at 40C and during a INtelBurn Test it climbs to 67F. Sound OK?
Click to expand...

I'll assume you typo'd 67C there. That's probably ok, but if it were me, I wouldn't push any further without better cooling.
 
glen said:
yea its 57 but I'm using 1.38Vcore
Click to expand...

What stepping Q9550 do you have? You should be able to hit 3.4ghz around 1.2V vcore if you have an E0 stepping. What's your MCH/northbridge and VTT/termination voltage set at?
 
here's the complete run down:

Vcore 1.38
ddr2 2.1
vtt1.3
mch 1.25
ich ich
ichio 1.5
ddr2rev 0
gtlref0/3= 63
gtlref1/3 = 63
 
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Took voltage down to 1.275V and dropped 10C on Intel burn, stability good.

You guys know your 45nm's. This is my first one.

Thanks
 
glen said:
here's the complete run down:

Vcore 1.38
ddr2 2.1
vtt 2.3
mch 1.25
ich ich
ichio 1.5
ddr2rev 0
gtlref0/3= 63
gtlref1/3 = 63
Click to expand...

Is that a typo on your vtt (=2.3)? Max safe vtt for 45nm chips I believe is 1.4V...did you mean vtt=1.3? I'm currently running my Q9550 at using a P45 board:

vcore=1.2V
vtt=1.2V
NB/MCH=1.35V
 
Have you tried dropping the vcore even more? Granted I am on a P45 but I get 3.8GHz at 1.181v, for 3.4GHz I think you should be able to go lower than 1.275v.
 
1.275V is as low as the board goes, I'm stable according to Intel Burn at 425fsb now, temps hit 65C, I have a big copper heatsink but can't remember the name of it. I'm stopping at 3.6 ghz.
 
I would be willing to bet (if the board is up to it) you could get at least 450fsb out of it. the Q9950 has a TjMax of 100C, so your load temps are still fine. I like to keep mine under 70, but you will not hurt anything so long as you keep it under 100C.
 
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