Gigabyte GA X38 DQ6 Blog

[supershanks]

Yes see Matrix Raid
for more info on intel raid.

I assume it's your 2xWD Raptor 74Gb that you want to move??
Sadly you'll be changing raid controllers from jmicron to intel,so you will physically lose the raid.

There are ways round it. I use Acronis True Image to create a backup image of a HD partition. Using this create an image of the OS you want to move on your raid5. This can be restored onto the newly initialised Intel raid by using another os installation on your other drives or using the emergency acronis CD.

Personally i enjoy having a small OS on one of my non raid drives. This means if my raid goes belly up, i can boot to this os & using matrix raid manger restore & rebuild my raid, then use acronis to restore any backup images. (not that i've had need overmuch)

The biggest weakness of Acronis is in the creation of a bootable rescue CD. However Acronis support are good & will help you craete one, though doin't expect it to happen immediately. took a couple of days of emails & testing b4 i had a working CD. That's another benefit of the 2nd os. you can just create a target partition Make an image of your OS & restore it to the new partition, 5 minute job rather than hours installing os & all the rest of your games apps whatever.

luck

[RRM]

Thanks, it was just a thought to increase the performance. I've squeezed out another 4Mb/s by updating to the Jmicron latest drivers over the Gigabyte ones. Shame I expected more from the WD Raptors in a stripped raid array.

[supershanks]

will be better on the intel as i posted above.

luck

[Anemovatis]

Supershanks have you tried the F7 Bios ? Is it any good ?

[supershanks]

Tried an earlier 7 bta , but didn't clock better than my old F5G & F5H.

sorry

[lokeey]

Hey all, new to this forum.

supershanks, I just read thru your "how-to" guide....very nice! thanks! I new to the whole overclocking thing and been having some problems. I have the same board, similar setup, save the water cooling.

Here are my spec's:
CPU
Core 2 Q6600 G0
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-X38-DQ6 (BIOS - F7)
Memory: 2GB Crucial Ballistix Lanfest (4-4-4-12)
Graphics Card: Asus HD3870
Hard Drive(s): 2x74GB WD Raptor (RAID 0) & 200GB WD
Power Supply: Corsair HX620
Case: Thermaltake Armor Series
CPU cooling: Zalman 9700
GPU cooling: Zalman VF1000

I've been having issues getting past 2.8GHz. I can run a stable stress test (small ftt) but when I attempt to run a blend test, I get errors.

Here are my settings:

Advanced BIOS Features
HDD SMART Capability: Disabled
Limit CPUID Max to 3: Disabled
No-execute Memory Protect: Enabled
CPU Enhaned Halt (C1E): Disabled
CPU Thermal Monitor 2 (TM2): Enabled
CPU EIST Function: Disabled
Virtualisation Technoogy: Disabled

M.I.T.
Robust Graphics Booster: Auto
CPU Clock Ration 9x
CPU Frequency 3.0GHz (333x9)
CPU Host Clock Control: Enabled
PCI Express Frequency: 100
CIA2: Disabled
Performance Enhanced with: Standard
System Memory Multiplier (SPD) Manual
Memory Frequency - 667 & 800 (tried both settings)
DRAM Timing Selectable (SPD): Manual

Standard Timing Control
CAS Latency Time: 4
DRAM RAS# to CAS# Delay: 4
DRAM RAS# Precharge: 4
Precharge delay (tRAS): 12

Advanced Timing Control I left all these on AUTO
ACT to ACT Delay (tRRD): 3 Auto
Rank Write to READ Delay: 3 Auto
Write to Precharge Delay: 6 Auto
Refresh to ACT Delay: 42 0
Read to Precharge Delay: 3 Auto
Static tRead Value: 5 Auto
Static tRead Phase Adjust: 0 Auto
Command Rate (CMD): 2 Auto

Clock Driving & Skew Control - NO CHANGES
CPU/PCIEX Clock Driving Control: 800mV
CPU Clock Skew Control: Normal
(G)MCH Clock Skew Control: Normal

System Voltage Control: Manual
DDR2 OverVoltage Control: +0.20v
PCI-E OverVoltage Control: +0.05v
FSB OverVoltage Control: +0.10v
(G)MCH OverVoltage Control: +0.25v
MCH Reference Voltage Control: Normal
DDR Reference Voltage Control: Normal
DDR Termination Voltage Control: Normal
CPU Voltage Control: 1.2652
Normal CPU Vcore: 1.3xxx

I'll try some of the stuff you previously posted, but any other help you can offer would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

[supershanks]

Hi lokeey,
welcome to the forum

Not seen the
Crucial Ballistix Lanfest before looks a decent kit.

It sounds as if it's your memory yjay's causing the prime failure.
You need to up your Memory voltage.
the defaultt is the jdec std of 1.80v so in overvolt terms , your memory voltage is at 1.80+

DDR2 OverVoltage Control: +0.20v

= 2v The operating voltage for your ram is shownin the 1st page of the review i linked

Operating Voltage: 2.2V

As you see your 0.2v under operating voltage so up

DDR2 OverVoltage Control: +0.40v

& re run prime at 800 , hopefully you should be about right. If oit runs ok, try increasing

Performance Enhanced with: Standard

from standard, Test again. This tightens timings & gives better performance, So if you can get the Extreme & still run stable your well sorted.

let us kno whow you go on.

luck

[lokeey]

w00t!

Thanks, shanks! I'll let you know how everything goes tonight when I get home.

Thanks again!

[Marcus]

hi guys, I'm new too !!!

I just got my water cooling kit Switech Apex Ultra (cpu block with double rad) and I was trying to push my Q6600 G0 to 3.6G !!!!!

GB-X38-DQ6 (bios F7)
Q6600 G0 Water
Kingston HyperX 9600 (1200Mhz)
WD Raptor 150G
ATI 3870
Lian-Li pc-a70b

I tryed the same setting as you on page 2 but I was getting blue screens of death :-)...
so I decided to keep the same setting (for 3.6 Ghz) and increase the vcore....

I finally got it working in prime95 with 1.525v in bios (shows 1.568 in cpuz under load) !!!!! is too much?
and the problem is temp...i'm getting all cores between 66-68C !!! It is a bit high !!
....idle is around 45C.... is there a probleme with my water cooling kit...should I use arctic silver 5 instead of the ceramic one?

I'm wondering why do I have to increase the vcore so much to make it work. Yours was running fine at arount 1.425v !!! our system are pretty equivalent.

anyway if someone can help me getting the temp and the vcore low I will appreciate

tx
marcus

.....this is your settings....

MB Intelligent Tweaker (MIT)
Robust Graphics Booster: TURBO
CPU Clock Ratio: 9x
CPU Host Clock Control: Enabled
CPU Host Frequency(Mhz) : 400
PCI Express Frequency (Mhz) :105
C.I.A.2: Disabled
Performance Enhance : Turbo
System Memory Multiplier auto
Memory Frequency(Mhz): 1200
DRAM Timing Selectable : Manual
Standard Timing ControlCAS Latency Time: : Auto  =5
DRAM RAS# to CAS# : Auto =7 
DRAM RAS# Precharge : Auto = 7 
Precharge Delay(tRAS) : 12
Advanced Timing Control
ACT to ACT Delay(tRRD) : Auto
Rank Write to READ Delay : Auto
Write To Precharge Delay : Auto
Refresh to ACT Delay : 35
Read To Precharge Delay  Auto: 
tRD : Auto
tRD Phase Adjustment : Auto
Command to #CS Timing: :2
Clock Driving and Skew Control
CPU/PCIEX Clock Driving Control : 1000
CPU Clock Skew Control : Normal 
(G)MCH Clock Skew Control : Normal
System Voltage Control 
DDR2 OverVoltage Control :+.55
PCI-E OverVoltage Control :  0.2
FSB OverVoltage Control : 0.2
(G)MCH OverVoltage Control : 0.175
MCH Reference Voltage Control : Normal
DDR Reference Voltage Control : Normal
DDR Termination Voltage Control : Normal
CPU GTLREF1 Voltage* : Normal
CPU GTLREF2 Voltage* : Normal
CPU Voltage Control :1.5125
Normal CPU Vcore : 1.2625

Advanced Bios Features
CPU Multi-Threading: Enabled
Limit CPUID Max to 3: Disabled
No-Execute Memory Protect: Disabled
CPU Enhanced Halt(CIE): Disabled
CPU Thermal Monitor 2 : Enabled
CPU EIST Function: Disabled
Virtuaalization Technology: Disabled

[supershanks]

Hi Marcus Welcome to the forum

Couple of things i'd try :-
I Think perhaps it may be memory that's at issue here rather than CPU.
With that a mount of vcore CPU should be stable.
1) Try lowering memory speed use 2.66 strap = 1067Mhz Ram Speed
Try:-

Standard Timing ControlCAS Latency Time: : Auto  =5
DRAM RAS# to CAS# : = 5
DRAM RAS# Precharge : = 5
Precharge Delay(tRAS) : = 10
Advanced Timing Control
ACT to ACT Delay(tRRD) : 4
Rank Write to READ Delay : 4
Write To Precharge Delay : 8
Refresh to ACT Delay : 30
Read To Precharge Delay  4 
tRD : Try 7 
tRD Phase Adjustment : Auto
Command to #CS Timing: :2

You might be able to lower DDR2 overvoltage a notch. maybe 0.5v
I'd put vcore back to 1.425 or maybe a notch or 2 higher, this depends on yoour CPU , my Q6600 Go is happy on pretty low vcore, yours may need slightly higher.

2) Try flashing back to DQ6 BTA F5G & F5H These have been the best bios for quads, for most people.

Other things to try:-

Performance Enhance : Turbo

Try easing back to Standard
If TRD is left on Auto, changes in this Performance setting change TRD.

let us know how you get on

luck