question about OC stability

M

mito

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Mar 27, 2006
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598
So I'm running my q6600 @ 3.4GHz stable while running games (Bioshock, MOH, etc.). Never froze or anything weird happened.

However, it'll fail after a few minutes running Prime.


May I say my rig is stable? :cool:
 
not at all...getting into windows andplying games doesnt stress yoyr cpu/ram vey much...prime 95 ver. 25.4 will show your sytem weaknesses fast. Your not stable!
 
^^ Yep not stable. If you can't get at least a couple hours out of it (I've heard anywhere between 3 and 24), then it's not stable. Bump up the voltage one more level (if you can).
 
RangerSVT said:
^^^^ post is exactly what situation you're in. Note it

http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1224126
Click to expand...

I have, and maybe you should actually READ my thread before posting this shit. The OPs Prime is failing, due probably to a lack of voltage, my computer is BSODing with an error that has 4 different causes, not one of which is voltage (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Machine_Check_Exception#Problem_types). Maybe you should do a little research before blindly posting and patronizing people.
 
peace guys. salam, shalom, paz!

Today is a great day!

11 minutes running Prime stable!!! I stopped the test, could've gone further.

cpu @ 3.4Ghz 1.4875v
fsb @ 425 Mhz
mem @ 950 Mhz

cpu @ 77C
cores 1 & 2: between 80C and 81C
cores 3 & 4: between 77C and 78C

:D
 
A little hot, and let it run a little longer (at least an hour), then try fiddling with the settings again. I'm assuming you're on the stock Intel heatsink; if you are, I strongly suggest either NOT overclocking any further, or getting yourself a nice after market heatsink/watercooling. Chilly's Q6600 would crash/BSOD whenever he hit around 82-83 degrees, so be warned (I never let mine get nearly that hot)!
 
djBon2112 said:
A little hot, and let it run a little longer (at least an hour), then try fiddling with the settings again. I'm assuming you're on the stock Intel heatsink; if you are, I strongly suggest either NOT overclocking any further, or getting yourself a nice after market heatsink/watercooling.
Click to expand...

zalman 9700 (signature).. This is only a stress test. I presume that during games it is unlikely to reach such temperatures.

Next stress will be 20 minutes.

What about mem timings? Right now it's at 5-5-5-15 and 2.1v
 
I set ram to 950Mhz in BIOS, however, everest is reporting 472.2 (x2 = 944.4 Mhz).

Why?
 
mito said:
zalman 9700 (signature).. This is only a stress test. I presume that during games it is unlikely to reach such temperatures.

Next stress will be 20 minutes.

What about mem timings? Right now it's at 5-5-5-15 and 2.1v
Click to expand...

Good assumption, just a warning if you start doing many-hour runs and you come back to a crashed computer :p

Without knowing what your ram can take, it's hard to say; those might be good timings, might not. Though for approaching 500 MHz they're pretty decent. Try experimenting with 2.2 volts (that's still within the DDR2 spec so you're not overvolting)/slightly tighter timings, see what you can get.

mito said:
I set ram to 950Mhz in BIOS, however, everest is reporting 472.2 (x2 = 944.4 Mhz).

Why?
Click to expand...

Now I've never heard that before, but I don't use Everest. I'd trust CPUz much more, but that's just me.
 
cpu-z says exactly the same: 472.2 (944.4 Mhz)...........

What's the temp limit again for a q6600 b3? If it runs 80C for an hour, is it too dangerous???
 
It's not dangerous, but it's seriously shortening the lifespan of your CPU. I believe the max spec is something like 90 degrees.

As to the bus issue, what motherboard do you have? And is it reporting the FSB correctly?
 
you sure don't read my sig... ;) :p

evga 680i (a1)

CPU Clock ............3400.0 MHz (original: 2400 MHz, overclock: 42%)
CPU Multiplier ........8.0x
CPU FSB...............425.0 MHz (original: 266 MHz, overclock: 60%)
Memory Bus...........472.2 MHz
DRAM:FSB Ratio....10:9

prime failed after 15 minutes... vista64 froze..... :(
 
3dmark2006 scored 17119 with mems @ 4-4-4-12 and 2.15v

therefore:

This is what I have to say.

Prime failed after 15 mins with the first two cores reaching 80C
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V

CLAIM:
Considering the fact that games won't reach such stress levels and temperatures, I hereby declare my system stable. :rolleyes: :D :p ;)
 
Your temps are high. Your system is NOT STABLE. Get a Thermalright Ultra 120 Extreme if you want to use 3.4-3.6 on air cooling.

I notice if a core hits near 75C, there is a 75% chance it will fail within the hour it stays at that temp. Asus probe is telling me my cpu is hitting 55C on average with my cores going as high as 67C.

To keep it there I have to run 1.42Vcore. In the bios for me that's a 1.4625 setting.

If prime is failing, but windows isn't crashing, I'd just up the voltage on the cpu 1 step at a time. If it's crashing or BSOD, I'd lean more towards the ram, trying upping the voltage first, and if you find it to high or hot, loosen the timings.

I'm running my quad 6600@3.6 prime stable for 14+ hours.

If you can do that, then consider it 99% stable (there's still a slight possibility it can fail then too (I had a failure at the 10 hour mark on 1 of the cores.)
 
Slade said:
To keep it there I have to run 1.42Vcore. In the bios for me that's a 1.4625 setting.
Click to expand...

Why such discrepancy? I have vcore = 1.5v in BIOS and it shows 1.45v in Everest and CPU-Z.................


Timings loosened to 5-5-5-15 and voltage raised to 2.2v.

Prime ran fine for 20 minutes. I stopped the threads. Temps were high though.

vcore = 1.5v
mem = 2.2v

prime2pl6.jpg
 
I believe that's vdroop, don't be concerned too much, just make sure what it reads in windows is consistent.

Temp is the killer here for the overclocks, at 80C prime can go at anytime, I'd upgrade that cooler if I were you.
 
Slade said:
I believe that's vdroop, don't be concerned too much, just make sure what it reads in windows is consistent.

Temp is the killer here for the overclocks, at 80C prime can go at anytime, I'd upgrade that cooler if I were you.
Click to expand...

I've seen Zalman 9700's fare much better under stress. And I believe mine was properly installed.
 
How was the base when you installed it, possibly lapping it could improve your temps... though unlikely it'll improve them enough to drop your temps to 'tolerable' levels.
 
FallenMystic said:
How was the base when you installed it, possibly lapping it could improve your temps... though unlikely it'll improve them enough to drop your temps to 'tolerable' levels.
Click to expand...

I believe the base if firmly placed on the mb. I first applied it with the zalman thermal grease that comes with the cooler. A few weeks later I reinstaleld the cooler with Arctic Silver 5. I cleaned both CPU and the cooler with alchohol 99% and q-tips.
 
mito said:
I believe the base if firmly placed on the mb. I first applied it with the zalman thermal grease that comes with the cooler. A few weeks later I reinstaleld the cooler with Arctic Silver 5. I cleaned both CPU and the cooler with alchohol 99% and q-tips.
Click to expand...

I was actually talking about the base of the heatsink, ocasionally there are milling lines left from the manufacturing of the sink which causes air bubbles to form between the sink and the chip, (leading to higher temps.)

Keep in mind it doesn't need to be a mirror finish but it should be flat/smooth. If you hunt around the forum a bit there are some guides linked for heatsink lapping, (if it needs it).
 
FallenMystic said:
I was actually talking about the base of the heatsink, ocasionally there are milling lines left from the manufacturing of the sink which causes air bubbles to form between the sink and the chip, (leading to higher temps.)

Keep in mind it doesn't need to be a mirror finish but it should be flat/smooth. If you hunt around the forum a bit there are some guides linked for heatsink lapping, (if it needs it).
Click to expand...

I've cleaned the base of the heatsink... What exactly are "millings"? small particles? Or surface irregularities?
 
if you can feel it with your fingernail, it's a deep imperfection. Milling marks are basically remnants of the tools used to machine the bottom.
 
Slade said:
if you can feel it with your fingernail, it's a deep imperfection. Milling marks are basically remnants of the tools used to machine the bottom.
Click to expand...

indeed, the q6600 heatspreader is full of those just by the look of it.
it's not a smooth surface.

but I thought any TIM would precisely address that issue... mainly the good ones, like zalman's thermal grease or even arctic silver 5...
 
lapping is done only over the CPU's heatspreaders, right?

9700nt.jpg


is that a lapped surface? I know, the CPU side sucks..................
 
mito said:
lapping is done only over the CPU's heatspreaders, right?

9700nt.jpg


is that a lapped surface? I know, the CPU side sucks..................
Click to expand...

yea thats a lapped surface, (to the n-th degree), it really doesn't need to be shiny; and some suggest that having it shiny like that is actually a drawback, (depending on which site you read/listen to.)

here is a guide found on how to lap the heatsink and the IHS, (though I would only recommend lapping the IHS if you are really comfortable with it... Linky as well as results for the lapping.
 
You generally shouldn't need to lap the surface of a 9700. They USUALLY come with very decent surfaces. The temps I've seen you post are terribly high though. I would increase airflow, lower your ambient temps some pertinently, or get a better cooler. If I see 70C+ on my oc I consider it too much. If you have a hot day you could get even higher temps and that would be bad. 80 isn't too bad but higher and it's going to start to throttle back on you. You also need AT LEAST 6 hours of stress to all cores before you call it stable. You might not notice anything at the moment but lock-ups, and boot issues could become a problem when doing certain tasks. I recommend 8 hours before you can say it's acceptable. What direction is the fan of your cooler facing? maybe you could get more out of it?
 
Well that looks optimal to me exhausting the air out the back. I'd guess your cooler simply isn't able to handle the voltage you are sending to it. And the Voltage IS needed because you can't go for more than a few minutes stressing it. You may have to back down some in order for it to be stable.
 
Try reseating it again with a new application of grease, I wouldn't goop it on, just a grain of rice along the 2 cores is enough.

If you are still reaching that high in temps during prime and being overclocked with good case air flow, then your cooler is not up to the task.
 
Agreed, always start with the easiest soloutions, check airflow, check seating of HS etc... then move onto the more complex/time consuming options.
 
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