Can't Overclock Anymore

[DarrellS]

I installed a new video card (EVGA GTS450) on my Gigabyte GA-P35-DS3P Q6600 machine and I can no longer overclock. The BIOS says that I am OCed to 3.2Ghz but when I run CPU-Z it says my CPU is running at 2.13Ghz, well below the stock speed of 2.44Ghz.

It doesn't matter what I change the multiplier or FSB to, it always resets to 2133Mhz in CPU-Z but when I go back into the BIOS it is still set the way that I set it. Either 9x333 or 8x401.

I tried encoding an H264 file and running prime95 to see if it would run faster under load but it stayed at 2133Mhz (8x266.7Mhz).

Would a video card affect my overclock and if so, what do I need to do to fix this?

What has me baffled is that BIOS says that it is overclocked but not only is it's not overclocked, it's handcuffed below stock speed.

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: Can't Overclock Anymore

Do you see a red warning box when you enter the BIOS MIT page?

You may just need to clear the CMOS, and then start over again with optimized defaults.

Also be sure you are using the latest BIOS in case there is any compatibility issues with that card and an older BIOS.

If you update please use Qflash, and disable "keep DMI data" before you flash.

[DarrellS]

Re: Can't Overclock Anymore

I've been trying for the last few hours to update the BIOS but I keep getting an error that the update ID doesn't match. First I tried @BIOS (before I saw your reply) and it kept telling me there was an update but when it went to install, it was the same version that I already have (F6).

[Chike]

Re: Can't Overclock Anymore

F6 is the latest what are you trying to update to?

[DarrellS]

Re: Can't Overclock Anymore

Yeah, I was looking at the GA-P35-DS3P page instead of the GA-EP35-DS3P. Looks like I'm screwed then. I'll take the battery out tomorrow and see if that helps but resetting to default or optimum settings puts me at 9x100 at 900Mhz. Either the CPU or the board is shot I'm afraid.

[DarrellS]

Re: Can't Overclock Anymore

I cleared CMOS which returned the CPU to stock speed and then OC'ed to 3Ghz (9x333) which it now runs fine at but trying to OC to 3.2 (8x401) causes a hiccup on reboot and kicks it back down to 2133Mhz. I've run this CPU at 3.6 before (not real stable) and have run it at 3.2 the last year and a half and now I can't get it to run at 3.2.

[Chike]

Re: Can't Overclock Anymore

Strange thing, after having my CPU OC to 3.85GHz with fairly low voltages it became unstable at some point and I had to increase vcore. Further more, to resume from hibernation now I have to let it "rest" for a minute before booting (e.g. enter BIOS or boot menu) and then reboot, or I get corrupted file and then need to repair the file system.

Could be just a matter of settings that need to be changed. Post full BIOS settings maybe we can be for a help.

[DarrellS]

Re: Can't Overclock Anymore

I changed the voltage from 1.379xxx to 1.38xxx and it booted correctly and CPU-Z shows it as 3.2Ghz so I guess it was the voltage. I kept switching from 2.0 to 2.5 on the System Memory Multiplier, not sure if that had any affect. It's at 2.0 right now.

Robust Graphics Booster_____________ [Auto]
CPU Clock Ratio (Note)______________ [8]
CPU Host Clock Control______________ [Enabled]
CPU Host Frequency (MHz)____________ [401]
PCI Express Frequency (Mhz)_________ [102]
C.I.A. 2____________________________ [Disabled]
System Memory Multiplier (SPD)______ [2.00]

DRAM Timing Selectable_______ SPD __ [Manual]
CAS Latency Time_____________ 5 ____ [5]
Dram RAS# to CAS# Delay______ 5 ____ [5]
Dram RAS# Precharge Delay_____5 ____ [5]
Precharge Delay (tRAS)________15 ___ [15]

ACT to ACT Delay (tRRD)_______4 ____ [4]
Rank Write to READ Delay______3 ____ [11]
Write to Precharge Delay______6 ____ [5]
Refresh to ACT Delay________42 _____ [42]
Read to Precharge Delay_______4 ____ [6]
Static Read Value___________________
Static tRead Phase Adjust___________ [Auto]

System Voltage Control______________ [Manual]
DDR2 OverVoltage Control____________ [+0.300V]
PCI-E OverVoltage Control___________ [+0.1V]
FSB OverVoltage Control_____________ [+0.1V]
(G)MCH OverVoltage Control__________ [+0.1V]
CPU Voltage Control_________________ [1.38]

[Chike]

Re: Can't Overclock Anymore

Even 1.38v seems a bit low considering it's a 45nm processor. Is LLC enabled?
Memory is 1066 s SMM 2.66 should be good with a little more MCH maybe.

[Psycho101]

Re: Can't Overclock Anymore

Q6600 is 65nm, and for 3.2GHz, ~1.4 is plenty in most cases with G0 stepping examples. It's only when trying to push a chip like that to > 3.5GHz that big voltages might be needed (~1.5-1.55V).

[DarrellS]

Re: Can't Overclock Anymore

The problem has popped back up again. I can't get the bus speed higher than 266.7. The Bios says it's 401 but CPU-Z says it's 266.7. I reset to optimized default and started over with all the settings. I changed the CPU Clock Ratio to 9 and the CPU Host Frequency to 333 but CPU-Z still reads the bus speed as 266.7. I can't get the clock speed over 2.44 Ghz (stock speed) because the bus speed won't go over 266.7. Bios says everything is good but it's not.

I don't know what to do. I can't keep taking the battery out of the MB to reset the BIOS and I can't update the BIOS because there are no more updates.

[DarrellS]

Re: Can't Overclock Anymore

I installed EasyTune5 and when I pushed the overclock button which was not lit up, I got an error message saying that either my motherboard did not support overclocking or that the dynamic power saver was enabled. I don't have dynamic power saver installed.

[DarrellS]

Re: Can't Overclock Anymore

Now I can't uninstall the stupid POS.

EDIT: Went into safe mode and uninstalled it.


I guess the board is shot for overclocking.

[profJim]

Re: Can't Overclock Anymore

What setting are you using for Performance Enhance? Turbo? Standard? Extreme? Set it to Standard.
Mch Core = +0.20 might help, as Chike suggested.
If clearing the CMOS doesn't help, re-flash your bios using Lsdme's procedure and use the correct F6 bios and try again.

Several months ago, my P35-DS3L suddenly refused to overclock when the bios reset itself to default settings. I re-flashed my bios using the same bios version that was previously installed and everything returned to normal.

Be sure to set Full Screen Logo Show to DISABLED, so that you can view your cpu and memory speeds while posting.

[DarrellS]

Re: Can't Overclock Anymore

Reflashed the BIOS and raised MCH to +.20 but no help. I always set Performance Enhance to Normal. I have a doctors appointment this morning. I'll take the battery out later today and see if that helps. There is no 2.66 setting for System Memory Multiplier. I set it to 2.5. I think either the board or the CPU has failed, keeping the bus speed at 266.7.