750i FTW 3.2GHz< Q6600 Options

[Core92]

I can't seem to get my Processor anywhere past 3.2GHz with it being stable, What range of Voltages should I be looking at to get a stable 3.6GHz?

[Anthony44]

1.38-1.42

well, actually never tried until 3.6, coz ambient temps will get my cpu hot even with my zalman cnps9700, so i just stick my quad at 3.4 coz i just want air cool. .just got the idea from soulketcher. .

This post has been edited by Anthony44: May 27 2008, 11:49 PM

[Core92]

Id be quite happy with 3.4GHz, but I cant get that stable either.

[StAndrew]

Did you update the bios? The latest allows better overclocking on Kentsfield CPU's.

[Core92]

I havn't updated the bios, I will consider that.,

[F.E.A.R.]

Get SZ17, Vcore 1.45 and start lowering it from there. Soon I'll follow; still installing software on mine.

[Core92]

Im having some trouble flashing the bios see Here

[F.E.A.R.]

Just burn the iso from EVGA.com to a disc and boot from it; easy as cake

[Core92]

Something must have gone wrong while burning itm because I installed my floppy drive back in and did it that way and it was fine. So the flash went smoothly, rebooted fine. And went into bios. Realised my PCI-E frequency was 126 so I changed it back to 100. Then I realised that It had disabled 2 of my cores. Then when rebooting it froze everytime at the RAID setup. So I cleared the cmos and it was all fine and dandy again. Will try going higher then 3.2GHz soon.

[F.E.A.R.]

Yeah it disabled 1 core of mine as well; I just enabled it and clocked to 3.6G in 10 secs.

This post has been edited by F.E.A.R.: May 29 2008, 04:00 PM

[Core92]

Im running some stress tests at 3.4GHz now, If it lasts an hour Ill play games on it for the next day. Then, if its stable, Ill go for 3.5GHz or even 3.6GHz

[F.E.A.R.]

Try this (SZ17 BIOS):

Thermal Management = Disabled
Intel Speedstep = Disabled
Limit CPUID MaxVal = Disabled
C1E Function = Disabled
Execute Disable Bit = Enabled
Virtualization Technology = Disabled
All Spread Spectrums = Disabled

FSB = 1600 (equals 3.6GHz)
MP = x9

CPU CORE @ 1.45
CPU FSB @ Auto (1.30)
Memory @ 1.9 - 2.10 (set RAM factory settings)
nforce SPP @ Auto (1.40)
NF200 Volt Level @ Auto (1.2)
GTLREF Lane 0-3 @ Auto

[Core92]

Just tried those setting, no luck. I noticed the Vdroop on these are MASSIVE. I select 1.5V in bios, boot up and it shows as 1.46V idle, then running stress it goes down to 1.42V before crashing. If the voltage is alot lower then what Im entering would it be safe to go over 1.5V in bios to get it to not crash from Vdroop?

[StAndrew]

The 750FTW has a 6 phase power solution for its CPU (i think I mentioned it had 3 in another post) but it doesnt use digital capacitors and therefore wont perform as well as other boards.

Also note the following from Guru3d.com:

Also please notice the new GTLVREF Voltage setting

"I'll replicate NVIDIA's explanation here but GTLVREF is used to adjust the input sample trigger point on Intel CPUS. Adjustments to this value can compensate for voltage drops that occur for some loading and traces. For example, GTLVREF can be lowered to account for voltage drops when tuning a Kentsfield CPU instead of a Conroe CPU.

Kentsfield CPUs typically put more loading on key interface signals which results in the average interface voltage drop. GTLVREF is a fine tuning device that can enable higher frequency for some interfaces. A Kentsfield CPU needs two GTLVREF voltage settings; one is for the 4x signal (for FSB data transfer), and the other is for 2x/1x signal (for FSB addressing, control).

* GTLVREF0 -> FSB 4x data signal on core 0
* GTLVREF2 -> FSB 2x/1x address signal on core 0
* GTLVREF1 -> FSB 4x data on core 1
* GTLVREF3 -> FSB 2x/1x address signal on core 1"

This post has been edited by StAndrew: May 30 2008, 02:38 AM

[jaafaman]

The 750FTW has a 6 phase power solution for its CPU (i think I mentioned it had 3 in another post) but it doesnt use digital capacitors and therefore wont perform as well as other boards.

Also note the following from Guru3d.com:

Also please notice the new GTLVREF Voltage setting

"I'll replicate NVIDIA's explanation here but GTLVREF is used to adjust the input sample trigger point on Intel CPUS. Adjustments to this value can compensate for voltage drops that occur for some loading and traces. For example, GTLVREF can be lowered to account for voltage drops when tuning a Kentsfield CPU instead of a Conroe CPU.

Kentsfield CPUs typically put more loading on key interface signals which results in the average interface voltage drop. GTLVREF is a fine tuning device that can enable higher frequency for some interfaces. A Kentsfield CPU needs two GTLVREF voltage settings; one is for the 4x signal (for FSB data transfer), and the other is for 2x/1x signal (for FSB addressing, control).

* GTLVREF0 -> FSB 4x data signal on core 0
* GTLVREF2 -> FSB 2x/1x address signal on core 0
* GTLVREF1 -> FSB 4x data on core 1
* GTLVREF3 -> FSB 2x/1x address signal on core 1"

And the other two cores in a Kentsfield?

What, exactly, is a digital capacitor?

Finally, would you mind posting a link to this reference so we might glean a more complete context?...

[F.E.A.R.]

Weird man; maybe your chip doesn't like more than 3.4G? I was gaming on mine last night and it worked like a charm.

[Core92]

Hmm, Its definatly the massive Vdroop. But Im still unsure about how to control those GTLVref lanes to composate for the droop. I would need to pump around 1.54V into it to keep stable from Vdroop

[F.E.A.R.]

I can't help you on that either as I don't know. I'm glad I don't have the same problem. I'll check via CPU-Z how much voltage it uses but from memory it's fine.

[StAndrew]

And the other two cores in a Kentsfield?

What, exactly, is a digital capacitor?

Finally, would you mind posting a link to this reference so we might glean a more complete context?...

There are two seperate cores on your kentsfeild that make up two cores each (technically its a 2 core dual core CPU). I played around with disabling some of the cores in the bios and was able to pull a bit more clock speed with 3 cores (~3.62 vs ~3.55). Running it on 4 cores at 3.3 right now and thats good enough.

This post has been edited by StAndrew: May 30 2008, 02:38 PM

[jaafaman]

There are two seperate cores on your kentsfeild that make up two cores each (technically its a 2 core dual core CPU). I played around with disabling some of the cores in the bios and was able to pull a bit more clock speed with 3 cores (~3.62 vs ~3.55). Running it on 4 cores at 3.3 right now and thats good enough.

Ah - a terminology thing. OK.

But as far as the Kentsfield goes, it's probably more a question of whether or not you have the G0 revision. My G0 Q6600 can go well past the 4.0 mark if I get some better cooling for the MCP - luck of the draw kinda thing.

But leaving the GTLVRefs on Auto does throw extra mVs on one of them without touching the other three on this 780i. I was hoping to get more info from the article you quoted from - or at least a starting point for further research. Been a long while since I've had to deal with GTL voltages and references - so long it's almost like starting anew. Especially dealing with the Core 2 family...