e8400 overclock help

[MikeyLSU]

OK, so I just got an e8400 and have 4GB ddr2 800 RAM.

Just bumped it up to 400 FSB to put it to 3.6.

With my RAM at only DDR2 800, what do I need to do to push it further to get the ram to run a little faster than 400 FSB x2?

I'd like to get 3.8-4.0 if possible. The jump from 3.0 to 3.6 made the temps go up maybe 2 degrees at load.

 

[Somniferum]

Unless you changed the RAM multiplier, it should already be overclocked. Since the e8400 runs at 9*333, DDR800 has to use a 5:6 divider to hit 800MHz (333/5:6 = ~400). So with the same divider, 400 FSB would give you (400/5:6 = 480) or DDR960.

Of course if you changed the RAM divider to 1:1, at 400 FSB it will run at stock DDR800.

I have the same setup as you and I've been trying to find the optimal RAM settings as well. I started a thread about it here but haven't received much advice so far, other than to use benchmarks (will be doing some benchmarking this weekend).

Will be interested to see how you do since we have the same basic setup. What revision is your e8400? (Mine is E0 -- CPU-Z will tell you if you don't know.)

One other thing -- make sure your CPU vcore is not set to Auto in BIOS. Apparently the Auto setting on this platform will raise vcore automatically as you raise the FSB, which is not good. Set it to the default voltage to start with and work from there.

 

[MikeyLSU]

lets see, CPU-Z says C0. What does that mean exactly?

I'm also running into the problem of core 0 and 1 have a 10 degree difference in temps. I have reset the HSF a couple of times with the exact results each time. From what I have read it seems like a flawed readout of some E8400 chips.

Like I said I had to up the voltage a bit to get 3.6 stable.

BTW, just pushed it to 3.75 and will test with prime95 to see if it is still stable. And the temps are still the same.

 

[BonzaiDuck]

Originally posted by: MikeyLSU
lets see, CPU-Z says C0. What does that mean exactly?

I'm also running into the problem of core 0 and 1 have a 10 degree difference in temps. I have reset the HSF a couple of times with the exact results each time. From what I have read it seems like a flawed readout of some E8400 chips.

Like I said I had to up the voltage a bit to get 3.6 stable.

BTW, just pushed it to 3.75 and will test with prime95 to see if it is still stable. And the temps are still the same.

What motherboard and chipset are you running?

On the matter of temperatures, You've read enough (from what I see) that you understand something about the core-sensors on these chips.

The C0 stepping is the earlier stepping of these cores, and may have a more limited over-clock potential. But all the Wolfdales are great over-clockers, just the same.

 

[MikeyLSU]

I'm just going off the lower temp, because I feel that is about what it should be. The lower one is very similar to my old e4300 chip so it would make sense.

I'm running a 965P-DS3 rev 3.3 with the latest BIOS update.

 

[Somniferum]

Originally posted by: MikeyLSU
I'm just going off the lower temp, because I feel that is about what it should be. The lower one is very similar to my old e4300 chip so it would make sense.

I'm running a 965P-DS3 rev 3.3 with the latest BIOS update.

Which program are you using to monitor temps? I've found several of them to be unreliable with this chip. I finally settled on Real Temp, which seems to match the readings my BIOS reports.

So far I've pushed mine to 3.8 and it was stable for the short time I kept it there, but load temps were exceeding 60 which I didn't like. I could probably hit 4.0+ with more voltage, but temps would start pushing the 72c limit. So far 3.7 seems optimal for this chip, especially since it's stable at that speed while undervolted to 1.2v and never hits 60 under full load. I'm still messing around with the RAM settings though.

 

[MikeyLSU]

Originally posted by: Somniferum

Originally posted by: MikeyLSU
I'm just going off the lower temp, because I feel that is about what it should be. The lower one is very similar to my old e4300 chip so it would make sense.

I'm running a 965P-DS3 rev 3.3 with the latest BIOS update.

Which program are you using to monitor temps? I've found several of them to be unreliable with this chip. I finally settled on Real Temp, which seems to match the readings my BIOS reports.

So far I've pushed mine to 3.8 and it was stable for the short time I kept it there, but load temps were exceeding 60 which I didn't like. I could probably hit 4.0+ with more voltage, but temps would start pushing the 72c limit. So far 3.7 seems optimal for this chip, especially since it's stable at that speed while undervolted to 1.2v and never hits 60 under full load. I'm still messing around with the RAM settings though.

I have used a few, including real temp, and they all are about the same.

 

[Tempered81]

Originally posted by: MikeyLSU
what do I need to do to push it further to get the ram to run a little faster than 400 FSB x2?
I'd like to get 3.8-4.0 if possible.

change vdimm (memory voltage) to within range of 1.90-2.0v

change vcore (cpu voltage) to within range of 1.29-1.36v

change fsb to 445

turn off c1e, e1st, speedstep, options.