Please review my OC settings

[builder69]

Hi there,

I'm new to these forums. I saw some excellent advice here, so I thought I'd ask the experts to review my OC settings :-)

Main system specs: Q6600 (G0 stepping) in a DFI LANPARTY JR P45-T2RS motherboard w/ 4GB (2x2) DDR2 800 RAM (OCZ Reaper rated at 4-4-4-15, 2.1V). I have achieved stable 3.2GHz overclock in Windows XP Pro x64 (dual boot with Win Vista Ultimate x64). This is on air cooling (Scythe Mine Rev. B / arctic silver 5) and just stock case fans (Antec mini p180).

I'd like to confirm my BIOS settings and see if I can reduce some of the voltage values and/or tweak some of the memory timings. Once I have my current 3.2GHz OC stabilized with optimal settings, I would like to see if I could take my config to 3.4GHz (still on air) and what settings I should try for this.

Final question - is there a way to reduce the command rate for the memory from 2T to 1T? Should I even care about doing this?

I have filled in the template for my BIOS settings:

================

CPU Feature:
Thermal Management Control: Disabled
PPM (EIST) Mode: Disabled
Limit CPUID MaxVal: Disabled
C1E Function: Disabled
Execute Disable Bit: Disabled
Virtualization Technology: Disabled
Core Multi-Processing: Enabled

DRAM Timing:
CAS Latency Time (tCL) AUTO
RAS# to CAS# Delay (tRCD) AUTO
RAS# Precharge (tRP) AUTO
Precharge Delay (tRAS) AUTO

All Precharge to Act AUTO
REF to ACT Delay (tRFC) AUTO
Write to PRE Delay (tWR) AUTO
Rank Write to Read (tWTR) AUTO
ACT to ACT Delay (tRRD) AUTO
Read CAS# Precharge (tRTP) AUTO
Read CAS# Precharge (tRTP) AUTO
All PRE to Refresh AUTO

Voltage Setting:
CPU VID Special Add: +237.5mv
DRAM Voltage Control: 2.266

SB Core/CPU PLL Voltage: 1.55v
NB Core Voltage: 1.3825

CPU VTT Voltage: 1.385v

Clockgen Voltage Control: 3.45v
CPU GTL 0/2 REF Volt: 0.67X
CPU GTL 1/3 REF Volt: 0.67X
North Bridge GTL REF Volt: 0.58X

FSB Vref: AUTO

AC Shutdown Free: Enabled
O.C. Fail Retry Counter: 1
O.C. Fail CMOS Reload: Disabled
CPU Clock Ratio: 9x

Target CPU Clock: 3204MHz
CPU Clock: 356 MHz
DRAM Speed: AUTO
Target DRAM Speed: DDR2 1070

PCIE Clock: 100MHz

CPU Spread Spectrum: Disabled
PCIE Spread Spectrum: Disabled

===============

CPU-Z (v1.47) reports the following key values:

Core Voltage: 1.456V
Memory Timings:
DRAM Freq: 534.6 MHz
FSB DRAM: 2:3
5-5-5-18
2T

================

Your comments are most appreciated!!!

P.S. I have also added my system specs to my profile.

[Clunk]

Welcome to the forums

I haven't used the JR with a quad myself, so I will be taking an educated guess I'm afraid.

Forget 1T, it's not doable on this board.

DRAM Timing:
CAS Latency Time (tCL) 4
RAS# to CAS# Delay (tRCD) 4
RAS# Precharge (tRP) 4
Precharge Delay (tRAS) 15

All Precharge to Act AUTO
REF to ACT Delay (tRFC) AUTO
Write to PRE Delay (tWR) AUTO
Rank Write to Read (tWTR) AUTO
ACT to ACT Delay (tRRD) AUTO
Read CAS# Precharge (tRTP) AUTO
Read CAS# Precharge (tRTP) AUTO
All PRE to Refresh AUTO

Voltage Setting:
CPU VID Special Add: +237.5mv Looking at your cooling, you probably don't want to go much higher than this, unless your temps are very good, which is unlikely.
DRAM Voltage Control: 2.266 - this is much too high for your memory, set it to 2.1v

SB Core/CPU PLL Voltage: 1.55v
NB Core Voltage: 1.3825 You can adjust this either way as needed, but for the sake of your temps, try and keep under 1.45v - only increase if you really need to though.

CPU VTT Voltage: 1.385v Seems a little high for your overclock - try leaving everything else as it is and dropping this a notch at a time and then stress testing after each adjustment.

Clockgen Voltage Control: 3.45v leave this alone
CPU GTL 0/2 REF Volt: 0.67X
CPU GTL 1/3 REF Volt: 0.67X These three values *should* be ok at stock 0.67x, but as all board are different, you can adjust them slightly if needed, but at the moment, leave at stock.
North Bridge GTL REF Volt: 0.58X

FSB Vref: AUTO leave alone for now

AC Shutdown Free: Enabled
O.C. Fail Retry Counter: 1
O.C. Fail CMOS Reload: Disabled
CPU Clock Ratio: 9x

Target CPU Clock: 3204MHz
CPU Clock: 356 MHz
DRAM Speed: AUTO while getting your CPU higher, set this to 333/667 so your memory speed is lower and that will rule that out as being a limiting factor in your overclock.
Target DRAM Speed: DDR2

PCIE Clock: 100MHz leave this alone

[builder69]

Hi Clunk,

Thanks for the LIGHTNING FAST response (wow)! I really appreciate your feedback.

I have made your suggested changes. So far, so good - system seems stable at first glance -- I'll run some burn in tests to confirm.

Forgive my ignorance -- RE: DRAM settings -- is it better to have a lower DRAM freq and better CL-tRCD-tRP-tRAS timings or a higher freq and slower timings? (CPU-Z readings: before your suggested tweaks, I had a freq of 534.6 MHz (FSB : DRAM at 2:3) with 5-5-5-18 -- after the tweaks, I have 356.4 MHz (1:1) with 4-4-4-15).

On a related note, you said:

DRAM Speed: AUTO while getting your CPU higher, set this to 333/667 so your memory speed is lower and that will rule that out as being a limiting factor in your overclock.

So - just so I understand you correctly, you say leave the DRAM Speed setting at 333/667 as I try to find the upper limit of my CPU OC... what do I set the DRAM speed to when I reach that point?

Once again, thanks for your suggestions!

Cheers!

[Clunk]

You caught me just before I went to bed

Yes, if you start off with your memory at high speed, as you up the FSB, the memory speed also increases so you will hit a wall with your memory before you find out how high your CPU will go, that's why we recommend to use 1:1 (333/667) for CPU testing.

If you want to, you can find the max of the CPU and then try a different strap later.

To be perfectly honest, you probably will not notice a difference running your memory at the lower speed, but try it and see, once you get the CPU stable.

[builder69]

Thanks for the clarification and for your insight Clunk.

I will experiment a bit given the settings you have provided. You've given me a great starting point!

Cheers!