E6400 Overclocking to 3.0GHz

[leetkyle]

Moderators, can you please close the other thread regarding this as a) this is a different topic and b) it was getting quite clogged. The thread can be found here. Thanks!

As most of you know, I've taken it upon myself to do my very first overclock. All my information on overclocking an E6400 can be seen below, and if I can actually find it or not in the BIOS! I'm running revision 1407:

Disabling AI Tuning
Can't find this anywhere in the BIOS.

Set PCI Express Frequency @ 100MHz
Located and am able to successfully change it to 100MHz.

Disabling Hiperpath 3
Located and am able to successfully disable it.

Disabling any "Spread Spectrum"
Can't find this anywhere in the BIOS.

Disabling Q-Fan
Assuming that it means the CPU Q-Fan, I can successfully disable it.

Disabling "Limit CPUID Max to 3
Located the "Limit CPUID Max" bit but there was nothing about 3.
Should I just disable it?

Disabling EIST
Can't find this anywhere in the BIOS.

Disabling Virtualization Technology
Located this but I cannot edit it. It is locked to "Enabled".

Disabling No-Execute Memory Protect
Can't find this anywhere in the BIOS.

Set Memory Multiplier to 2.0
Can't find this anwhere in the BIOS.

+0.1vMCH / MCH
Located MCH Voltage, but it is at "Auto" currently. I can only set it to specific timings.
Is this a problem?

+1.0 vDIMM
Located Memory Voltage (which I assume is vDIMM0, but it is at "Auto" currently. I can only set it to specific timings.
Is this a problem?

______________________________________​

I can successfully change the FSB etc. My steps for overclocking are the following:

1. Raise FSB to 270MHz and boot up to ensure it all runs fine.
2. Raise FSB in 5MHz increments until 300MHz is it.
3. Boot up, run SuperPI and write down the timings. Check temperatures.
4. Continue raising FSB in 5MHz increments until 325MHz is it.
5. Boot up, run SuperPI and write down the timings. Check temperatures.
6. Continue doing the above steps until 375MHz is it.
7. Run Prime 95 for 9+ hours at full load and see what temperatures are like.

I'm assuming that this is all okay? Do I raise the FSB in the increments by:

- Raising FSB 5MHz
- Save
- Raise a further 5MHz

.. or is there a different (and more recommended way).

I won't let my temperatures stray over 40 Degrees (C) at "Maximum Idle Temperature" and over 50 Degrees (C) at "Maximum Load Temperature"

Thanks to the following also for helping me, in no particular order:

- Jet
- Rambo

My system specifications are as follows :

Intel Core 2 Duo E6400
Asus P5W DH Deluxe
2GB Corsair XMS2 PC2-6400 (2x1GB Dual Channel) 5-5-5-12-T1
ATI Radeon X1900XT 512MB Slave Edition
Western Digital 74.3GB 10000RPM Raptor Drive

Thanks in advance,
Kyle.

 

[Geoff]

Seems like you know what your doing. I would raise the bus around 5-10Mhz to start off, then saving and rebooting into the BIOS, then do it some more. Once it becomes unstable, back it down a bit, then lower the memory speed, or raise the CPU voltage, and try again.

 

[Jet]

+0.1vMCH / MCH
Located MCH Voltage, but it is at "Auto" currently. I can only set it to specific timings.
Is this a problem?

+1.0 vDIMM
Located Memory Voltage (which I assume is vDIMM0, but it is at "Auto" currently. I can only set it to specific timings.
Is this a problem?

You should be able to find the stock voltage for the MCH, then just put the selection on for 0.1V than the stock. Same for the vDIMM voltages. You don't really want to keep them on auto, because the motherboard sets some really abnormally high voltages sometimes, so you don't want any voltages to be controlled by the motherboard.

 

[leetkyle]

As I stated earlier, I can only set it to restricted values.

Also, how long with the E6400 last at 3.0GHz? a few years?

 

[Rambo]

Use the manual - It's ALL there...

As I stated earlier, I can only set it to restricted values.

Also, how long with the E6400 last at 3.0GHz? a few years?

Leetkyle... Have you even looked in your Motherboard Manual? I have said it a few times in the other topic you made about this.

AI Tuning: Page 96, at the bottom.

Spread Spectrum: If you read the link I gave you carefully, it said any spread spectrum. Meaning, if there are any, disable them.

Limit CPUID Max to 3: Page 102, at the bottom.

EIST: Page 103, in the middle.

No-Execute Memory Protect: Page 103, at the top.

Do I have to keep on going through the manual to show you where to look? You have to do some stuff by yourself you know If you see something with a similar name, but it's not the exact same match, it most probably is the same thing. The "Disable No-Execute Memory Protect" option is a perfect example. I found that in 2 seconds in the PDF of your manual. They give it to you for a reason, so use it...

I know you are new to overclocking, but if you had looked in your manual, as I did say at least once, you would've found half of these already. You're not going to learn if your spoon fed all the time. Research into your board, get to know it, google it about people who are overclocking with it.

Also, disabling all these options are just optional. By no means do you have to disable EIST before you start OCing. Infact, if you left them on, it'd probably not affect anything. Especially if you're only going to 3.0 Ghz...