Gigabyte X38/P35/P965 (DS* DQ* S3) Overclocking and General BIOS tweaking Guide

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: Gigabyte X38/P35/P965 (DS* DQ* S3) Overclocking and General BIOS tweaking Guide

Thanks :) Would you point me to that PDF, please?
Although (and it's probably the problem) I'm on stock CPU air cooler so I should first replace it with something good and then go for 3.2+ :)

The 4Ghz overclocking PDF is in the BIOS sticky here, at the end of post #1 >>

http://forums.tweaktown.com/f69/gigabyte-latest-bios-28441/

on a core 2 duo cpu?? and what BIOS version do i need to reach that high?? i've currently got the F12

Well on the 965P board I do believe most who run 500+ FSB are using extreme cooling, the BIOS itself doesn't have much to do with it.

[DieselCat18]

Re: Gigabyte X38/P35/P965 (DS* DQ* S3) Overclocking and General BIOS tweaking Guide

@Lsdmeasap

I just read through your guide ( Re: Gigabyte X38/P35/P965 (DS* DQ* S3) Overclocking and General BIOS tweaking Guide ) as I am about to be a first time OC'er.

I have been running a Gigabyte X48 DS-4 MB for about a year now. This is my 1st build using an Intel C2D E8500, all running at stock speeds for the entire time.
Several months ago I upgraded the CPU to a Q9550, which has been running very well, but really not much better than the E8500. I now would like to get a bit more performance out of it by giving it a medium over-clock and was wondering if this guide will apply to the X48 board I have ?
I called and spoke to Gigabyte Tech Support (Leo, very impressed with them) directly about over-clocking and he made 2 suggestions...
1) download the Gigabyte utility 'Easy Tune 6' ...and
2) come to this forum for advice about OC'ing from the BIOS.
I tried using the ET6 to very limited success, it enabled me to get a very, very mild OC running stable at 2945.48MHz w/ FSB at 346MHz...but anything over that and my system would crash. I also learned that by using a utility, the OC is only good for that session and all settings will revert back to default when the system is re-started or shut down.
After reading through your OC'ing guide, I see that there is quite a bit more to this to ensure any overclocking attempts are done right.
I am new to this forum and would appreciate any advice you can give to me about over-clocking my system correctly with the board and cpu I have.
If you need my system specs I will update all that info....

Thxxx......

*+

[stasio]

Re: Gigabyte X38/P35/P965 (DS* DQ* S3) Overclocking and General BIOS tweaking Guide

Hi DieselCat18,welcome to forum.
Before Lsdmeasap will answer you,please edit your type of memory in your post.
Btw,here you can also found a lot answers or here.

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: Gigabyte X38/P35/P965 (DS* DQ* S3) Overclocking and General BIOS tweaking Guide

Welcome aboard Dieselcat18, like stasio said please list your memory model. Feel free to make a new thread with your full specs and tell us what you want to try to get running and we can help.

I am surprised to see Leo offering advice about overclocking, generally they don't advise about it as they don't officially support it. Too many headaches with emails and support that way, but we can help for sure!

I advise not using Easytune, but overclocking with your BIOS. You can set Easytune to keep your settings on reboot, but I advise again to use your BIOS instead.

That Guide you mention, this thread, is a GREAT Resource. Have you read through it all and attempted things in your BIOS Yet? If you have started reading it and started trying from the BIOS when you make a new thread please also include the full settings you are trying that are failing for you and we will advise back

[DieselCat18]

Re: Gigabyte X38/P35/P965 (DS* DQ* S3) Overclocking and General BIOS tweaking Guide

Hi DieselCat18,welcome to forum.
Before Lsdmeasap will answer you,please edit your type of memory in your post.
Btw,here you can also found a lot answers or here.

Welcome aboard Dieselcat18, like stasio said please list your memory model. Feel free to make a new thread with your full specs and tell us what you want to try to get running and we can help.

I am surprised to see Leo offering advice about overclocking, generally they don't advise about it as they don't officially support it. Too many headaches with emails and support that way, but we can help for sure!

I advise not using Easytune, but overclocking with your BIOS. You can set Easytune to keep your settings on reboot, but I advise again to use your BIOS instead.

That Guide you mention, this thread, is a GREAT Resource. Have you read through it all and attempted things in your BIOS Yet? If you have started reading it and started trying from the BIOS when you make a new thread please also include the full settings you are trying that are failing for you and we will advise back

Thank you both for your fast replys....I will follow your advice and start a new thread later on after I return from work tonight.
Sorry I forgot to mention what memory I was running....(4x2G) G.Skill DDR2 1066 PC-2 8500 (5-5-5-15 @ 2.1v)...I will also list my system specs and settings when I start the new thread.
I did read through a good portion of your OC'ing guide and did try making a few adjustments in the BIOS,but with no success. So I will need to go back through again and make a list of the items needed for testing before trying again.
Yes, I was a little surprised that tech support spoke with me about OC'ing...BUT they did warn me that they don't support or encourage it and that over-clocking can result in system failure plus damaged components. I must say though that Gigabytes Tech support is totally awesome and they will listen and help you with anything they can...they are top notch !

Thxxx to both you guys...will speak with you again soon....

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: Gigabyte X38/P35/P965 (DS* DQ* S3) Overclocking and General BIOS tweaking Guide

I'd suggest you set your ram up at 800Mhz for now since you have 8GB, it will be much easier for you and not cause you so many issues with your overclock

Gigabyte rocks man!! Ya that surprised me as well to hear, they just can't handle all the support questions they would get otherwise ya know.

But ya they do sponsor world overclock championships and other overclock events, they just can't offer support of suggestions about it all through normal public channels like that is all.

[DieselCat18]

Re: Gigabyte X38/P35/P965 (DS* DQ* S3) Overclocking and General BIOS tweaking Guide

I'd suggest you set your ram up at 800Mhz for now since you have 8GB, it will be much easier for you and not cause you so many issues with your overclock

Gigabyte rocks man!! Ya that surprised me as well to hear, they just can't handle all the support questions they would get otherwise ya know.

But ya they do sponsor world overclock championships and other overclock events, they just can't offer support of suggestions about it all through normal public channels like that is all.

I'll change the ram speed back down to 800mhz tonight and make sure to start a new thread on this so I can post my system info and results of any changes I make.
Thxxx for the tip on the memory.....makes sense.

~+

MSG sent from my iPhone

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: Gigabyte X38/P35/P965 (DS* DQ* S3) Overclocking and General BIOS tweaking Guide

Anytime man!

I will check your thread now, I think I may have already been helping you in it though and just missed your post here until now.

[DieselCat18]

Re: Gigabyte X38/P35/P965 (DS* DQ* S3) Overclocking and General BIOS tweaking Guide

Anytime man!

I will check your thread now, I think I may have already been helping you in it though and just missed your post here until now.

Thanks for touching base here...I see you did catch up with me in the other thread I posted...I'm moving slowly, but moving forward with your help....

*+

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: Gigabyte X38/P35/P965 (DS* DQ* S3) Overclocking and General BIOS tweaking Guide

Yeap, sorry for missing your post here for a few days. I sometimes miss these due to being sticky threads and often I overlook them while trying to get all the other new posts replied to in the time I have to be in each night.

Hope we can make some progress for you in your other post.

[Salty]

Re: Gigabyte X38/P35/P965 (DS* DQ* S3) Overclocking and General BIOS tweaking Guide

In my X48-DQ6 bios, if I press Control-F1 in main screen, two extra values show up in the tweaker, between (G)MCH Overvoltage Control and Loadline Calibration.

CPU GTLREF1 Voltage Ratio [Auto]
CPU GTLREF2 Voltage Ratio [Normal]

They don't seem to have rated a mention yet, but what are they useful for?

CPU = Intel E8500 45nm Dual core
Motherboard = GA-X48-DQ6 Revision C1
BIOS Version = BIOS: Award F7 07/17/2008
Ram = 2x2gig Corsair Dominator 8500C5DF-G
Robust Graphics Booster___________ [Auto]
CPU Clock Ratio ____________ [9]
Fine CPU Clock Ratio [+0.5]
Cpu frequency 3.8 GHz 400x9.5
CPU Host Clock Control_ [Enabled]
CPU Host Frequency (MHz)__________ [400]
PCI Express Frequency (Mhz)_______ [100]
C.I.A. 2____________________[Disabled]

Performance Enhance = [Standard]
System Memory Multiplier (SPD)____ [2.66D]
Memory frequency 800 1066
DRAM Timing Selectable_______ SPD __ [Manual]

CAS Latency Time (tCL)________________ 5
Dram RAS# to CAS# Delay (tRCD)_________5
Dram RAS# Precharge Delay (tRP) _______5
Precharge Delay (tRAS)_______________ 15

ACT to ACT Delay (tRRD)_______________ 3
Rank Write to READ Delay (tWTR)_______ 4 (+8 memset)
Write to Precharge Delay (tWR)_______ 6 (+8 memset)
Refresh to ACT Delay (tRFC)__________ 55
Read to Precharge Delay (tRTP)________ 3 (+2 memset)
Static tRead Value (tRD)______________ 6
Static tRead Phase Adjust________ AUTO
Command rate (CMD) _______ 2T

Cpu/pciex clock driving control ____800mV
Cpu clock skew control _____ NORMAL
Gmch clock skew control _____ [150ps]

System Voltage Control____ [Manual]
DDR2 OverVoltage Control__ [+0.3] = 2.1V
PCI-E OverVoltage Control_ [+0.1V]
FSB OverVoltage Control___ [+0.1V]
(G)MCH OverVoltage Control [+0.2V]
CPU GTLREF1 Voltage Ratio [Auto]
CPU GTLREF2 Voltage Ratio [Normal]
Loadline calibration ____[Auto]
CPU Voltage Control_______ [1.300]
Cpu normal vcore 1.2500V

Limit CPUID Max. to 3.....................: [Disabled]
No-Execute Memory Protect............: [Enabled]
CPU Enhanced Halt (C1E)................: [Disabled]
C2/C2E State Support....................: [Disabled]
x C4/C4E State Support..................: [Disabled]
CPU Thermal Monitor 2(TM2) ...........: [Enabled]
CPU EIST Function.........................: [Disabled]
Virtualization Technology................: [Disabled]

Integrated Peripherals
Legacy USB Storage Detect___________________[Disabled]

Since I last played with these I fitted a Thermalright Extreme 120 cpu cooler. The downside of this was a reduction of airflow around the NB, which apparently normally gets outflow from the stock cpu cooler, but not from a tower cooler like the 120. CPU temps were fine, but system temp would rise alarmingly with FarCry2. My solution was a 120mm fan on the case cover pointing flow at the NB area. So far keeping it around 40C rather than 68C.

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: Gigabyte X38/P35/P965 (DS* DQ* S3) Overclocking and General BIOS tweaking Guide

GTL Ref is very tough to mess with, I linked some guides/info about them here >>

http://forums.tweaktown.com/f69/ga-x48-dq6-qx9770-stable-problems-random-lock-ups-bsods-i-think-i-need-help-33841/index2.html#post315497

It is useful to stabilize high overclocks

[Salty]

Re: Gigabyte X38/P35/P965 (DS* DQ* S3) Overclocking and General BIOS tweaking Guide

Phwoooowaaaahr! A little bit of light reading! So when on the edge of a rig's overclocking ability, altering those GTLREF settings may (or may not) help, but not before.
The table is for DFI P35. I assume values would not be the same for other mobos.

Do I need to go back and read those articles again?

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: Gigabyte X38/P35/P965 (DS* DQ* S3) Overclocking and General BIOS tweaking Guide

Yes those voltages do not apply to X48, just the general info and reading applies to all boards. You just need to grab the X48 chipset documents and your CPU's documents and read it on the voltages and you should have a good starting point.

Ya, that is a LOT of info, but a good read for anyone who wants to know MORE

[AlexT7]

Re: Gigabyte X38/P35/P965 (DS* DQ* S3) Overclocking and General BIOS tweaking Guide

Hi folks, I have weird vDDR behavior on P35-DS3L mobo. BIOS vDDR setting and reading are too much off. Discrepancy is above to 200mV:

vDDR in BIOS
Settings       Readings (idle)
Normal          1.84 V
+0.1            1.84 V (same as normal)
+0.2            1.904 V
+0.3            1.968 V
+0.4            2.02 � 2.06 V
+0.5            2.08 � 2.12 V