Hi All,

I'm hoping someone can help me, I'm new to overclocking. I read the article below and thought why not give it a go.

http://www.tomshardware.com/2007/0 [...] dual_core/

I'm running an E2160 CPU with a Gigabyte GA-965G-DS4 motherboard.
My memory is Geil DDR2 PC6400 2 x 1gb 4-4-4-12 rated to run at 2.1V

I input the settings mentioned in the article and the PC doesn't like it. It powers up and shuts down twice then starts up OK, but with the default CPU settings.

These are my settings under Motherboard Intelligent Tweaker(M.B.I.T) in the BIOS

Robust graphics booster = Auto
CPU CLOCK RATIO = 9X
CPU HOST CLOCK CONTROL = ENABLED
CPU HOST FREQUENCY(Mhz) = 355
PCI-EXPRESS FREQUENCY(Mhz) = AUTO
C.I.A.2 = DISABLED
SYSTEM MEMORY MULTIPLIER (SPD) = AUTO
Memory Frequency(Mhz) 800 1420
HIGH SPEED DRAM DLL SETTINGS = OPTION 1
DRAM TIMING SELECTABLE SPD = MANUAL
CAS LATENCY TIME = 5
DRAM# TO CAS# DELAY = 5
DRAM# PRECHARGE = 5
PRECHARGE DELAY (tRAS) = 15
ACT TO ACT DELAY (tRRD) = AUTO
RANK WRITE TO READ DELAY = AUTO
WRITE TO PRECHARGE DELAY = AUTO
REFRESH TO ACT DELAY = 0
READ TO PRECHARGE DELAY = AUTO

*****SYSTEM VOLATGE NOT OPTIMIZED*****

SYSTEM VOLTAGE CONTROL = MANUAL
DDR2 OVERVOLTAGE CONTROL = +0.300V
PCI-E OVERVOLTAGE CONTROL = NORMAL
(G)MCH OVERVOLTAGE CONTROL = NORMAL
FSB OVERVOLTAGE CONTROL = NORMAL
CPU VOLTAGE CONTROL = 1.52500V


Any help would be appreciated

Thanks

Well, the article used a P35 mobo. Yours is 965G, which doesn't o/c as well as 965P. You need to know that no 2 overclocks have the exact same parts & settings. There are always slight differences.

The 1st immediate powerdown & powerup after you change advanced settings is normal. All GB boards do that. The subsequent ones are not normal - means your settings are out of whack, then you get default multiplier & fsb, & the rest intact. At least, you don't have to clear cmos.

There are a few things that must be changed to make it work.

Robust graphics booster = Auto
CPU CLOCK RATIO = 8X
CPU HOST CLOCK CONTROL = ENABLED
CPU HOST FREQUENCY(Mhz) = 400
PCI-EXPRESS FREQUENCY(Mhz) = 100
C.I.A.2 = DISABLED
SYSTEM MEMORY MULTIPLIER (SPD) = 2.0 (1:1 ratio)
Memory Frequency(Mhz) 800 800
HIGH SPEED DRAM DLL SETTINGS = OPTION 1
DRAM TIMING SELECTABLE SPD = MANUAL
CAS LATENCY TIME = 4
DRAM# TO CAS# DELAY = 4
DRAM# PRECHARGE = 4
PRECHARGE DELAY (tRAS) = 12
ACT TO ACT DELAY (tRRD) = AUTO
RANK WRITE TO READ DELAY = AUTO
WRITE TO PRECHARGE DELAY = AUTO
REFRESH TO ACT DELAY = 0
READ TO PRECHARGE DELAY = AUTO

*****SYSTEM VOLATGE NOT OPTIMIZED*****

SYSTEM VOLTAGE CONTROL = MANUAL
DDR2 OVERVOLTAGE CONTROL = +0.1v to +0.300V
PCI-E OVERVOLTAGE CONTROL = NORMAL
(G)MCH OVERVOLTAGE CONTROL = +0.1v to +0.3v
FSB OVERVOLTAGE CONTROL = +0.1v
CPU VOLTAGE CONTROL = 1.3125V to 1.4v

Whoa. What cpu cooler do you have? Stock can't take 1.5v. What's the room temp? What's the case cooling? 120mm in & out?

The thing is most every reviewer uses an open framewire case with some fans blowing on it & most every home user uses a closed cases. They can o/c higher than us. Unless you have the same or better cooling.

If the settings fail, try x7 multiplier.

Thanks for that I'll give it a try. I have the Antec P180 case which has 3 x 120mm fans. My cpu cooler is the Gigabyte 3D rocket II cooler.

Not sure what the room tempature is...don't have anything to measure it with. When I run coretemp I get a reading of 24 degrees celsius at idle. I'll let you know what it runs at when I make change the settings as above.

Hi tried the above settings with the 7x and 8x multiplier and both made the PC unbootable. Had to clear CMOS to get it running.

Anymore suggestions?

Thanks

That's not a bad cpu cooler. You can give vcore more voltage up to 1.5v.

Like I said, 965G isn't a good overclocker. You should've gone with 965P for overclocking. You can try different FSBs. 400 may be the strap/wall/hole that won't be o/c-able regardless of other settings. Try:

333x9
333x8
333x7

I guess your o/c-able zones are:

200-380
410-430

The key is to keep the ram near or at stock settings. Any ratio is fine as long as ram is near specs.

I tried 333x9
with the DDR voltage at 2.1v
and cpu core voltage at 1.525V


Good news is....the PC now boots up
Bad news is.....it now displays "DISK BOOT FAILURE, INSERT SYSTEM DISK AND PRESS ENTER".

Does your hdd have os?

Set boot order in bios to boot from cd, floppy & hdd. Remove any disks from cd/dvd/floppy.

Yes HDD has XP installed on it.

When I change the settings back to default i.e. 200x9 it boots up fine.

Change the settings to 333x9 and up the voltage for ram and cpu and the PC doesn't boot up. It displays the disk boot failure error.

I just don't get it. I'll try and change the boot order and see it that helps.

Thanks

The problem is 965G-DS4. I told you. Your board won't o/c well. If you want to o/c, get a real o/c board like P965 or P35.

I am having the same problem with my GA-p35-DS3L and e2160. I have most of the settings on auto. 9x and 333 FSB. All I seem to be able to get is 266 on the FSB giving me 2.4ghz. It's a nice overclock but I would really like to get the 3.0 that everyone is talking about.

I think these are the settings I am running right now.

Robust graphics booster = Auto
CPU CLOCK RATIO = 9X
CPU HOST CLOCK CONTROL = ENABLED
CPU HOST FREQUENCY(Mhz) = 266
PCI-EXPRESS FREQUENCY(Mhz) = AUTO
C.I.A.2 = DISABLED
SYSTEM MEMORY MULTIPLIER (SPD) = AUTO
Memory Frequency(Mhz) 800 1066
HIGH SPEED DRAM DLL SETTINGS = OPTION 1
DRAM TIMING SELECTABLE SPD = AUTO



SYSTEM VOLTAGE CONTROL = AUTO
DDR2 OVERVOLTAGE CONTROL = AUTO
PCI-E OVERVOLTAGE CONTROL = AUTO
(G)MCH OVERVOLTAGE CONTROL = AUTO
FSB OVERVOLTAGE CONTROL = AUTO
CPU VOLTAGE CONTROL = AUTO

I have changed a lot of settings with the FSB and I tried to up the voltage to 1.5 on the CPU. I still get the start, stop routine and on the third try it switches to the default setting.

My memory is mushkin 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) found on this page: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6820146118

Any ideas on how to get past this 2.4 ghz wall? Do I need better memory?

Marwillis,

Try making these changes.

CPU HOST FREQUENCY(Mhz) = 333
PCI-EXPRESS FREQUENCY(Mhz) = 100
SYSTEM MEMORY MULTIPLIER (SPD) = 2.0
Memory Frequency(Mhz) 800 667

The PCI-E change is very important because you risk wrecking your vid card if you leave it on auto.

also, you might wanna check whether your e2160 has M0 steppting or L2, like mine....which don't oc as well as the M0

Thanks those settings worked like a charm. I'm going to torture test it tonight.

CPU-Z says that I have the L2. I have my fingers crossed.

Mine has the L2 stepping and I was able to get 3.0Ghz relatively easily. 3.2 and the system won't post no matter my settings though. heh.

9 Hours of testing and no problems.

Thanks again!