CPU stability/overclocking

Hai there Guru people, I have a small problem.

I'll start off by giving my hardware info:

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CPU: Q6600 with stock cooler
Mobo: MSI P6N SLI V2
GPU: XFX 8800 GT
PSU: Chieftec 650W

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I've just overlocked my Q6600 from 2.4 to 3.0 GHz. I've checked the temperatures running stresstests with CPU Stability Test 6.0 and Prime95.

The absolute maximum temperature I've reached was 65C/149F during a stress test, idle it's about 41C/105F, and during gaming it runs at about 55C/131F.

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First question: how are the temperatures? I'll buy an aftermarket cooler soon by the way.

I'm not sure whether my CPU runs stable now. I've been running ST6.0 and Prime95 both ( separately ) for a couple of hours, but ST6.0 crashes after 20 minutes sometimes. Prime95 doesn't give any problems. I've run the troubleshoot bit but it didn't get any errors then. So second question: Does it mean my CPU is unstable?

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I have 2x2GB of DDR2 OCZ - OCZ2V8002G RAM. When I try to overclock my memory the slightest bit, my PC won't boot.

The weird thing is, with some 2x1GB PC5400 memory I had, I could EASILY get it to 1000Mhz+

When it comes to overclocking memory, I'm an idiot.
I have some awesome cooling plates on my memory sticks so temperatures won't be a problem, just stability.

Third question: What to do?

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Thanks a lot in advance! I'll keep my eye on this thread.

YOur core temps seem fine to me, the idle is a little high, but the stress temps are what would cause any concern and they are just fine. As long as you have everything installed correctly you should be fine at 3.0 ghz with stock parts.... if you intend to go higher then that you will want to spend a little $$$ on an aftermarket cooler.

If Prime95 and your overall system runs fine then I'd say your system is stable.

Your memory could depend on a variety of factors....

Well, I hope there's someone with some overclocking experience around

When I play certain games ( still overclocked @ 3.0GHz ), like Bioshock or Need for Speed Underground ( terrible game but still ) my sound goes reeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaally weird after like 1 minute.

I have my PCI frequency locked at 100, I've tried bumping my voltages but nothing seems to help. In Guild Wars it all runs fine, so I think it had to do with multiple core programmes. Does it mean 3.0 is just not stable or is there something I could do about it?

it's rather unlikely that the CPU overclock will have anything to do with sound issues. does this still happen with stock speeds?

No problems at all with stock speeds.

Try 101.


If that doesn't work head over to many great forums around, just do abit of reading. Can't really say what the problem could be without detailed info on ram settings, fsb, all the goodies currently set in bios.

http://www.ocforums.com/forumdisplay.php?f=2

http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/

http://www.techpowerup.com/articles/overclocking

Running on 101 didn't do anything but I kinda found out why. My PC isn't as nearly as stable as I thought it to be. For some reason I was able to run Prime95 for 12h without any errors, now it gives errors on 2 cores after 2 minutes. I've posted on the ocforums: http://www.ocforums.com/showthread.php?p=6127267

Hope they can help me

For Intels it does, and he has an Intel. OCing an Intel is done through increasing the FSB/bclk, which increases the speeds your PCI/legacy devices receive data, which can lead to problems. My SB X-Gamer PCI does not work properly above certain HTT rates on any mobo, audio will only come out of the left channel, distorted.

Your temps are fine, do not buy an AM cooler unless you need to, it's a massive waste of money for a 10c drop. At 65c max, 55c gaming, you are at very safe temps. A good AM cooler like the TRUE and a fan like the Noctua NF-P12-1300 for it can set you back $100 and in the end you will get nothing for it in terms of performance. Only buy an AM cooler if you plan on going to 4GHz, and I doubt your mobo or RAM can handle that.

Run OCCT for your stability tests, it's what everyone uses.

http://www.ocbase.com/perestroika_en/index.php

There are many maximums you need to find before you can begin overclocking. Please read a more comprehensive guide on this subject, but I'll list a shorter version:

Lower all multi's and find the maximum FSB for your motherboard. Boot into windows and run OCCT for an hour. If you are stable, increase FSB by 3MHz and repeat. For example, the maximum HTT (FSB/bclk) for the Gigabyte mobo I am on now is 251MHz. Have you ever wondered why some motherboards are $300 - $500+ dollars and they don't seem to offer you anything more than a $100 one? Now you know why.

Lower all your multi's except for your RAM, and find out your maximum RAM clock. Remember to not exceed, or even go near, your maximum FSB.

Lower all your multi's except for your CPU, find your maximum CPU speed. If running at your maximum FSB and your CPU is still stable, you may want to buy a better mobo as your CPU overclock is being limited by your cheap mobo.

RAM can be overclocked quite high if you raise the timings by 1-2 clocks and even give it a bit more voltage. It really depends on the RAM though, and your motherboard. Some motherboards can't handle overclocked RAM.

You should really sign up for, and read, overclock.net. It is the best site for you as a beginner OCer. XS.org is for extreme overclocking/modding and for people with a lot more experience. You can read both or whatever, but the community on OCN is better suited for novice OCers, and there will be more novice related info for you.