E2160 Overclocking Trouble

[bnevets27]

I'm having a hell of a time getting a good clock out of this chip. First off, my specs off the top of my head (I'm at work)

E2160 M0 Stepping with TR Ultra-120
Evga 680i Rev. A1
Pattriot 1GBx2 DDR2-6400 ( 4-4-4-12)
OCZ 520W Powerstream
PNY 8800GT


Turned off speed strapping and CE1 and all that.
Memory manually set at 5-5-5-15
Tried linked and unlinked, memory underclocked and at 800

QSD/FSB: 300 (1200)
Volts: Tried up to 1.525 (I think I have some vdroop issues though)
Memory volts up to 2
all other volts have been played with, within reason.

Temps are fine, I think I recall around 50C in coretemp

I can only get to 2.9 with somewhere around 1.4+ volts, don't think I could get much if any out of stock volts.

As soon as I try for 3ghz it won't post.


Any subjections???

I'm going try vdroop mod (Think this will help?)
Also going to try manually setting ram to 2T (forgot to try that)


Everything on the net says raise your FSB to 333 and your done, it?s easy. Not happening that way for me. I have done some mild overclocking on other comps before.

 

[Mondoman]

Did you actually try just setting the FSB to 333MHz, with stock CPU cooler, memory all auto-set (except perhaps to set the DIMM voltage to a higher spec voltage), all C1e enabled, enhanced speedstep enabled, etc.? The only settings you should need to change are unlink the memory speed and set it to DDR2-667. I'd especially try running the stock Intel (or other "downdraft" style) CPU cooler, because it looks like your MB design uses that outflowing air from the cooler to cool northbridge/pwm area heatsinks; the ultra 120 can't do that, and nVidia chipsets have a run-hot reputation.

 

[bnevets27]

I don't think I tried setting the FSB to 333 right off the bat. With nothing but that changed. Should I have not tried increments?

I have tried with memory all auto with volts up.

All the guides I have read, here and on evga have told me to disable C1e, enhanced speedstep.

One guide also says to link the memory and use sync.?

The northbridge comes with a fan in the box for "overclocking" but I have a better fan then comes with it. Also replaced the thermal paste on northbirdge/southbridge/pwm/mofset. Temps are fine from what I can see, I can?t even post at 333 so I don't even get a chance to get anything warm.

 

[lopri]

Try the following
CPU multi 8
FSB 1600 (which is 400)
Linked/Sync Mode (your memory will be at DDR2-800)
Manually set the top portion of memory timings as 5-5-5-15-2T
Leave the bottom half as Auto

vCore = 1.425V
vDIMM = 2.20V
vFSB = 1.4V first then 1.5V
vSPP = 1.45V
vMCP = 1.60V first then 1.65V
vSPP-MCP = 1.40V

Did you have any other CPU prior to this E2160? If so, you might want to do a CMOS clear also.

 

[BonzaiDuck]

It looks to me as though Lopri's solution will work, or you will have to settle for less.

There've been some lively discussions about these E21x0 CPUs.

I am absolutely convinced, knowing Intel, that:

a) They designed the CPU to be reliable at a notch above it's "stock" settings -- for a comfort level insuring them of few or no RMA returns;
b) They designed ALL of the 21x0 models to the identical specification and performance reliability;
c) They locked the multiplier in batches, deliberately "differentiating" a product into three separate models, all fabricated off the same assembly line. I would be mistaken if the L2 cache varies, but I don't think it does -- and it doesn't . . . . .


I have an E2140 and an E2180, both running on identical, cheap, mATX Gigabyte boards. They both over-clock to the same speed with an "auto" VCORE setting that puts the voltage exactly at 1.347V for both boards, both CPUs. That is, I can get the E2140 to 2.67 Ghz 8 x 333, and I can get the E2180 to 2.67 at 10 x 266.

If Lopri is correct, you should "get there," considering you have a much better motherboard and chipset. I'd like to hear how it turns out.

Pity, though, that you might have to set the vDimm to 2.2V -- which is really the top-end on a lot of this memory. With Crucials, it's a bit risky. don't know about your Patriots.

 

[bnevets27]

Ok, tried both subjections. Still no post with ether. I had the latest bios so decided to go back one, no change there.

I didn't have a cpu on this board before, flashed bios twice, many CMOS clears.

This is driving me nuts. Hell my old amd X2 over clocked easier.

I tried playing with the multi and FSB.

I think these were all at 8X multi

1300/325 - post
1325/331 - no post
1500/375 - no post
1600/400 - no post

I'm getting the feeling maybe my motherboard is a dud.

Anything else I can try?? I have an E6300 of a friends I could try but I don't see it being the chip...

And my memory spec is 2.2 so don't have to worry there.

I think I recall I can hit 2.8 , as long as the FSB is below somewhere around 325/320.

I'm not too upset with that overclock, it just doesn't make sense to me that soon as I bump the FSB past 325 it won't post.

Any help will be appreciated.
Thanks

 

[Mondoman]

Did you try my suggestion of 333MHz FSBv (not 331), and memory unlinked running at DDR2-667, otherwise auto, without disabling any of the C1e, speedstep, and so forth, and with default voltages for CPU, northbridge, RAM, etc?

Another issue could be your nVidia chipset; Intel chipsets are usually better for overclocking.

 

[Tempered81]

you should try 340 on the fsb with 1.55 on the vcore. bump the mem to 2.1 or 2.2, but run it at spec timings of 4 4 4 12, and use a divider to keep your rated mem speed right at 800mhz

increase the mch nB voltage by about .3 volts.

boot 'er up!

also you could increase cpu VTT voltage if you ahve this setting on the 680i

 

[BonzaiDuck]

You could check the over-clocking thread -- a few pages back, I think -- for these CPUs. People posted for the E2140, E2180 -- possibly the E2160.

Because I'm building these for family members, and I don't have a lot of time to "push" them, my only experiments attempted to get 3.2 Ghz with 10 x 320 on the E2180. I was pushing the VCORE above 1.4-something -- didn't record the results. It looked very promising with MEMTEST86+, probably ran for 8 hours or more without error, but it wouldn't load Windows.

The other part of it -- these Gigabyte mATX motherboards -- may be a limiting factor. The BIOS only allows for certain adjustments -- I can't change the VDIMM manually.

what I could do is try it on my Striker-Extreme "build-in-progress," currently fitted with an E6600. This was supposed to be a VISTA system, and I haven't installed the OS yet. I'm waiting to get my hands on a discarded case to mod -- coming to me after someone who doesn't like "change" gives me the go-ahead to replace her old P4-1.8A rambus system with this E2140/Gigabyte job. The cases are identical, and when I strip the P4 discard of components, I'll be putting wheels on it and installing the fans I want in it.

 

[bnevets27]

@mondoman
I did try your settings but it didn't post. I don't see why out of everything I tired they would work but I gave it a shot. The nvidia chipset is good, a lot of people are using it and getting good overclocks, many people say its better then the intels.

Just to prove a point:
http://www.evga.com/articles/390.asp

I'm not a fanboy for evga/nvidia/intel, this is the first evga and intel product I've owned, and so far it's not going too well.

@jaredpace
I'll give your setting a shot to night. thanks

Is this the thread you were referring to bonzai?
http://forums.anandtech.com/me...=2145398&enterthread=y

I was suggested to try the pin mod on the evga form, so I might give that a shot.

 

[bnevets27]

Well it turns out that it was just a my cpu. Can't go higher then around 2.6ghz. Not too bad. I was able to try my friend?s chip. The chip he has in an E6300. I was able to clock it up to 3.6ghz. The FSB was in the 500 range. Since it has a low multiplier how does that effect my memory? I had left all my setting to auto and it used the appropriate divider.

I can which chips with him, he doesn't OC. I don't see any reason I shouldn't switch with him. I'm not sure what having such high FSB will do for the rest of my system, mem, NB/SB....


BTW, anyone with a evga 680i board, try out the XFX bios. Some people are finding it OC's a bit better, and give some mem tighter timings. I did notice that POSTing took a lot less time and it detected and set my SLI memory correctly.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Only 2.6Ghz from an E2160? That must be some kind of new record... on the low end. I thought that all C2Ds would clock to at least 3Ghz, at least with a little voltage.

 

[BenRR]

I got 3.2ghz on my 2140 so this 2160 should at least get that much too unless you got a bad batch. I am running 1.325v stock q6600 heatsink (not the crap one that does not cover the complete core) Kingston value ram 6400, p5kc motherboard and a 500w coolermaster psu. Ran prime 95 for 48 hours never hit more then 55deg c on stock intel cooler.

 

[Spicedaddy]

my 2180 won't do 3GHz, even at 1.55V.

it needs 1.35V for 2.5Ghz, 1.40V for 2.6Ghz, and I'm currently testing 2.8GHz @ 1.50V... (voltage numbers are what's set in my DS3L BIOS, actual numbers are lower by ~0,05V)

1.50V runs kinda hot under full load, so I'll probably just run it at 2.5 or 2.6GHz.


This has to be the crappiest E2180 around! Makes me want to order another one!