Gigabyte GA-EP45-EXTREME Living Review

[Alcibiades]

hey geo69 you have a core2 duo not a quad, those volts are too high for that frequency

Below is how i clocked my brothers e8500 on the EP45T-Extreme DDR3
FSB 500Mhz multi 8x @4000Mhz

CPU Vcore….………...........................: 1.3625v
CPU Termination…...... 1.200V*...........: 1.300v
CPU PLL………………….........1.500V*...........: 1.500v
CPU Reference 1...................................: 0.841
CPU Reference 2...................................: 0.863

CPU Termination aka vTT is the key to changing cpu refrences
you want your cpu refrence and cpu refrence 2 to be ~~ 0.630-0.666 and 0.645-0.666 percent of the vTT

your MCH ref should also be ~~ 0.550-0.666% of vTT

so my above cpu ref percentages are 0.647 and 0.664 respectively

more FSB is what your after right? increase MCH core to 1.40-1.42

make sure you increase the static tRead value a few notches or

better yet scale down your ram frequency temporarily till you get the cpu stable, then hit the ram

[supershanks]

Hi Alcibiades,
good call

Think everyone's
CPU Reference seems to vary mine are here
Tuning Bios - GTLREF & DRAM Sub Voltages I found that
at CPU Termination (VTT) 1.20v
CPU Reference (CPUGTLREF1) = 0.720v (60%)
CPUReference2(CPUGTLREF2) = 0.76v (63.33%)
MCHRef(MCHGTLREF)............= 0..70v (58%)

I've changed those very little, leaving those values to scale as i've upped vtt. Max I've used is 1.34v Vtt on 575FSB.

Eva has used slightly higher values Poinst5~7

0.635, 0.648 and 0.617 respectively

(=% of vtt)

[xtreme wannaB]

Hi! Supershanks,
I follow this forum very close and found my love for this MOBO here. hehe....juz got my hands on it recently.....this are my hardwares

Processor - E8600
Mobo - EP45 Extreme
Ram - 2 x 2GB 1066 Corsair
VGA - Sapphire ATI 4870x2
CPU Cooler - CM Hyper 212 (2x120 fan)
PSU - Gigabyte Odin Pro 800w
Hardisk - 2 x 320GB Seagate

Can I use the same settings to run my E8600 as your E8500 reviewed settings? Basically I need to have a safe OC settings, Cpu running at 4.0 and a ratio of 1/1 between ram n cpu. Thanks in advance.

[Alcibiades]

they certainly do vary but not by much for same cpu's
i should have specified those percentages are for vTT 1.30v
just giving some ballpark figures or guidelines geo69 should look at
i was having difficulty at first with these refrences
until i copied the above settings based off eva2000's settings for a e8500 on a EP45
and it worked like a charm first time
might not work for geo but should be a good starting reference

oh and as for my MCH Reference it's 56% of vTT

[supershanks]

Hi xtreme wannaB,
Welcome to the forum

Can I use the same settings to run my E8600 as your E8500 reviewed settings? Basically I need to have a safe OC settings, Cpu running at 4.0 and a ratio of 1/1 between ram n cpu. Thanks in advance.

Yes you might find that you can get away with a slightly lower vcore on the E8600 than the E8500, that's been my experience

[supershanks]

Originally Posted by Alcibiades

i should have specified those percentages are for vTT 1.30v

yes but my own & evas's point is that once set at the right % for your CPU you can leave them alone to scale with vtt. The reference steps are not always the exactly the same % but near enough.
If running a quad getting the right reference spots is even more important, though more fiddly , to do.

[Raybo58]

Hello All.

Great thread. I've read the entire thing (several times now) and a few questions come to mind.

I know my MB is different, but I haven't found any threads about it as informative as this one. I figure they're similar enough.

I've been working on my first semi-extreme OC for over a week now. After 5 days of my rig failing to post at anything but stock settings, my pacifest nature was being stretched to it's limits. But in the last few days I've managed to find a few of the sweet spots.

My main goal is to get it 100% stable. I'm starting to get work doing renderings in 3DS Max (which is about as much of a load as any typical user will ever put on their machine). My last setup blew a power supply an hour before a deadline with the biggest client I've had so far. Very disheartening. So stability is job one here.

I keep getting so close. Just as one aspect becomes stable, another will fail. In some cases it will pass Memtest86 and Prime95, only to fail on SuperPI. Other times it will pass all 3 and fail 5 minutes into a game of Halo 1.


The Details...

MB: GA-EP45-DS3R
CPU: Intel E4500 Core 2 Duo 2.2ghz @ 3.2ghz
Mem: Patriot PC9600 2 x 1Gb @ 600MHz 5-5-5-14
GFX: Nvida GeForce 8500 GT
PSU: Antec NeoPower 650w
Coolit Systems Eliminator hybrid Peltier/Water CPU cooler
Thermaltake Extreme Spirit II Active heatpipe Northbridge cooler
Windows XP 64-bit

GIGABYTE GA-EP45_DS3R
MB Intelligent Tweaker(M.I.T.)
Robust Graphics Booster .............: Fast	Does this really do anything?
CPU Clock Ratio .....................: 8
CPU Frequency .......................: 3.30ghz
Clock Chip Control 
Standard Clock Control
CPU Host Clock Control...............: Enabled
CPU Host Frequency (Mhz) ............: 400Mhz
PCI Express Frequency (Mhz) .........: 100Mhz
C.I.A. 2.............................: Disabled
Advanced Clock Control [Press Enter]
CPU Clock Drive...............900....: 800mv	Took these values from SuperShanks on page 4 of this thread
PCI Express Clock Drive.......800....: 800mv	Don't know if they help or hurt
CPU Clock Skew (ps)...........0......: 100ps
MCH Clock Skew (ps)...........0......: 100ps
DRAM Performance Control
Performance Enhance..................: Extreme	Does this really do anything?
Extreme Memory Profile (X.M.P.)......: Disabled
(G)MCH Frequency Latch...............: 266mhz
System Memory Multiplier ............: 3.00a
Memory Frequency (Mhz) ..............: 1200Mhz
DRAM Timing Selectable ..............: Manual
Standard Timing Control
CAS Latency Time..............5......: 5
tRCD .........................7......: 5
tRP'..........................7......: 5
tRAS..........................20.....: 14	Packaging and EPP say this can be 13, but not stable for me.
Advanced Timing Control [Press Enter]
tRRD..........................4......: 4
tWTR..........................4......: 4
tWR...........................8......: 8
tRFC..........................4......: 4
tRTP..........................68.....: 38	Packaging and EPP say this should be 77, but this seems to work.
Command Rate (CMD) ...........0......: 2T

Channel A

Channel A Timings Settings [Press Enter] 
Static tRead Value............7......: 6
tRD Phase0 Adjustmen..........0......: Auto
tRD Phase1 Adjustment.........0......: Auto
tRD Phase2 Adjustment ........0......: Auto
tRD Phase3 Adjustment.........0......: Auto

Trd2rd(Different Rank)........6......: 6 
Twr2wr(Different Rank)........6......: 6
Twr2rd(Different Rank)........5......: 5 
Trd2wr(Same/Diff Rank)........8......: 8 

Dimm1 Clock Skew Control.............: Auto
Dimm2 Clock Skew Control.............: Auto
DDR3 Write Training .................: Auto
Channel A Driving Settings [Press Enter] 
Driving Strength Profile:............: OC-1200	Since I'm running at 1200, seems logical

Data Driving Pull-Up Level...........: Auto 
Cmd Driving Pull-Up Level............: Auto 
Ctrl Driving Pull-Up Level...........: Auto 
Clk Driving Pull-Up Level............: Auto 

Data Driving Pull-Down Level.........: Auto 
Cmd Driving Pull-Down Level..........: Auto
Ctrl Driving Pull-Down Level.........: Auto 
Clk Driving Pull-Down Level..........: Auto 

Channel B

Channel B Timings Settings [Press Enter] 
Static tRead Value............7......: 7
tRD Phase0 Adjustment.........0......: 1-Advance
tRD Phase1 Adjustment.........0......: Auto
tRD Phase2 Adjustment ........0......: Auto
tRD Phase3 Adjustment.........0......: Auto

Trd2rd(Different Rank)........6......: 6 
Twr2wr(Different Rank)........6......: 6
Twr2rd(Different Rank)........5......: 5 
Trd2wr(Same/Diff Rank)........8......: 8 

Dimm1 Clock Skew Control.............: Auto
Dimm2 Clock Skew Control.............: Auto
DDR3 Write Training .................: Auto

Channel B Driving Settings [Press Enter] 
Driving Strength Profile:............: OC-1200	Since I'm running at 1200, seems logical

Data Driving Pull-Up Level...........: Auto 
Cmd Driving Pull-Up Level............: Auto 
Ctrl Driving Pull-Up Level...........: Auto 
Clk Driving Pull-Up Level............: Auto 

Data Driving Pull-Down Level.........: Auto 
Cmd Driving Pull-Down Level..........: Auto 
Ctrl Driving Pull-Down Level.........: Auto 
Clk Driving Pull-Down Level..........: Auto 

{U]Motherboard Voltage Control{/U]
Voltage Type........ Normal 
CPU
CPU Vcore...................1.325v...: 1.525v
CPU Termination.............1.200V...: 1.36v
CPU PLL.....................1.500V...: 1.50v
CPU Reference...............0.76V....: 0.801v
MCH/ICH
MCH Core....................1.100V...: 1.460v
MCH Reference...............0.76V....: 0.761v
MCH/DRAM Ref................0.900V...: 1.020v
ICH I/O.....................1.500V...: 1.590v
DRAM
DRAM Voltage................1.800V...: 2.300v       Patriot recomended setting
DRAM Termination............0.900V...: 1.000v
Channel A Reference.........0.900V...: 1.000v
Channel B Reference.........0.900V...: 1.000v
[b]{U]Advanced Settings[b]{U]
Limit CPUID Max. to 3................: Disabled
No-Execute Memory Protect............: Enabled
CPU Enhanced Halt (C1E)..............: Disabled
CPU Thermal Monitor(TM) .............: Disabled
CPU EIST Function....................: Disabled

The Basics...

Pretty steep vdroop from 1.525v in BIOS to 1.44v in windows under load.

Supershanks has pointed out that EasyTune6 falsely reports most voltages.
It didn't even make it into the ballpark with most of mine.
One has to wonder how these numbers are produced?
But the real question is: if you enter the *proper* numbers, will they be employed?
I know CPU core and DRAM voltage settings work because I can see the effects on the sensors.
But if none of the others work, it's more of a toy than a tool, eh?

SPDs...

Strange. Packaging and all other tools report EPP tRAS as 13, yet Everest reports 12.
In any case, 14 is the lowest stable I've been able to achieve.

Gotta love the low temps.

These are idle of course. But hey, it was about 85F in the room when I took these. 30F below ambient!

Here under load..


And then benchies..


At the moment, Ram seems to be stable, but I get errors after 15 minutes or so using the small FFT test in Prime95 and SuperPI fails in short order.

The Questions:

1. If I get failures in Prime95, they always happen on Core 1. Core 2 just keeps plugging away. I figure this has 4 possible causes. Perhaps Core 1 gets the new jobs first and when it fails the aggregate temps fall quickly, allowing Core 2 a bigger comfort zone. OR, maybe there's an air bubble in the thermal paste making Core 1 weaker. Or, Maybe just a low bined CPU. Or, it's a config issue. Are there ways to balance the load?

2. What do the items in the Advanced Clock Control section do? What circumstances can/should they be used?

3. Every time I look at the Static tRead Value the sugested level is different. I've seen it as low as 4 and as high as 11. On one occasion I saw Channel A at 6, Channel B at 7 and the Channel B tRD Phase0 Adjustment at 1-Advance. So I entered these values and memory appears to be running stable, although I haven't run Memtest86 for more than 6 hours yet. Should A and B tRead values be the same, or is it ok to run them like this?

4. Anyone know what the Driving Strength Profile does?

5 Anyone know what Performance Enhance does?

6. Does the HPET (The High Precision Event Timer) have any relevence here if you're not running vista?

7. Any suggestions as to what I can do to stablize my current setup?

SuperShanks...

8. I noticed you have DDR3 Write Training enabled. Do you know what it does?

9. I noticed that you have No-Execute Memory Protect disabled. Is that a personal choice or does disabling it improve OC-ability?

10. I noticed that you have CPU Thermal Monitor enabled. Most OC articles I've read reccomend that you disable it. What are the pros and cons?

I've been upgrading slowly, as I can afford it. The last thing I want, to consider it finished, is a new E8600 CPU.

I Won't be able to afford it until long after Christmas, so I hopefully this is good practice until that day comes.

[supershanks]

Hi Raybo58,
Welcome to the forum
Yes the bios is pretty similar on both boards, so nbo worries.

Robust Graphics Booster .............: Fast Does this really do anything?

I've always run it on turbo, which is supposed to help gfx performance a bit. Never had had any issues.

CPU Clock Drive...............900....: 800mv Took these values from SuperShanks on page 4 of this thread
PCI Express Clock Drive.......800....: 800mv Don't know if they help or hurt

CPU = 800mv is default. I've never needed to exceed this, most times I run at 700mv, higher does help higher FSB >500.
PCI Express - have never changed from default.

Performance Enhance..................: Extreme Does this really do anything?

Oh Yes If tRD is left on Auto Then the tRD used will vary according to this setting. Default setting is Turbo = Middle Performance, Extreme Will go with a tighter tRD which is great for speed bbut naff for stability. Standard will use a higher , more stable tRD. I normally leave it on default of Turbo and manually set tRD

tRAS..........................20.....: 14 Packaging and EPP say this can be 13, but not stable for me.

Might be doable at 13 if other settings , like trfc for example is higher.

tRTP..........................68.....: 38 Packaging and EPP say this should be 77, but this seems to work.

Has the highest range of any ram timing. Some ram chips need high values >70, whilst others run lower. At around 1200 my micron chips need around 50 , so your 38 is pretty tight.

Driving Strength Profile:............: OC-1200 Since I'm running at 1200, seems logical

Yep , but 1333 might give a little more stability , may be worth a try ?

DRAM Voltage................1.800V...: 2.300v Patriot recomended setting

Nice one

Easytune

But if none of the others work, it's more of a toy than a tool, eh?

- That's probably being generous. I don't use it to change voltages In fairness there's only Abit, with their Guru, that I've ever found have a food windows voltage monitor/tweaker

Pretty steep vdroop from 1.525v in BIOS to 1.44v in windows under load.

Strictly speaking Vdroop is the difference between the actual Vcore at idle & the Actual vcore on load. That means using a multimeter. but using the software yours is 1.488v idle to your 1.44v, around 0.044v which is about par for the course average is probably around 0.035~0.040v.

1) Do you have CPU Reference on your bios ? if so try tweaking it a notch up or down of it's current position, It may give a little morte stability. or you may find that the failing core switches.

2) see above CPU Clock Drive

3)

Every time I look at the Static tRead Value the sugested level is different. I've seen it as low as 4 and as high as 11. On one occasion I saw Channel A at 6, Channel B at 7 and the Channel B tRD Phase0 Adjustment at 1-Advance. So I entered these values and memory appears to be running stable, although I haven't run Memtest86 for more than 6 hours yet. Should A and B tRead values be the same, or is it ok to run them like this?

Does work with different values in differenct channels as you noted always with channel A as 1 lower, than channel B
when running like this channel B running as :-

tRD Phase0 Adjustment.........0......: 1-Advance
tRD Phase1 Adjustment.........0......: Auto
tRD Phase2 Adjustment ........0......: 1-Advance
tRD Phase3 Adjustment.........0......: 1-Advance

seems to work best, don't ask why
In 90% of the time I run both channels the same tRD & adjustments on Auto.

4. Anyone know what the Driving Strength Profile does?

Same as it does on DFI boards I just set it to around the speed I'mm running , supposedly it has a set of skew or voltage settings that optimise for the speed your running.

7. Any suggestions as to what I can do to stablize my current setup?

See your using the A strap which is in line with your CPU Std FSB. I'd try running B or D straps, You might find them more stable. 2.40B or 2.66D, last is a particular favourite.

8. I noticed you have DDR3 Write Training enabled. Do you know what it does?

Seems to run best with it enabled on both DDR3 & DDR2 veresions of the board. Edit:Enabled - enhance memory compatibility from GA-EP45-UD3P Manual, which launched with this feature available in bios.

9. I noticed that you have No-Execute Memory Protect disabled. Is that a personal choice or does disabling it improve OC-ability?

Personal choice really , may speed things up as it doesn't need to be monitored if disabled.

10. I noticed that you have CPU Thermal Monitor enabled. Most OC articles I've read reccomend that you disable it. What are the pros and cons?

Personal preference really. I've read that it helps accuracy of tem reporting. With wolfdale sensors , being a little quircky , I've stuck with that. Have read that it helps.


E8600 will be a good investment, although an E8400 or E8500 will still give you great performance & change in your pocket

[Alcibiades]

Originally Posted by supershanks

E8600 will be a good investment, although an E8400 or E8500 will still give you great performance & change in your pocket

That's the first thing that came to my mind ss
That e4500 is holding back your systems potential Raybo58.
You have an exellent mobo, exellent ram and a not so exellent cpu
holding back fsb, memory bandwidth, increasing system volts and temps.

a very good investment

[supershanks]

a very good investment

Yep , what better xmas pressy, unless it comnes early