I'm buying a new sytem with a Q9450 and was wondering if it was possible to do an overclock to 3.2ghz (fsb of 400mhz). It would be on stock hsf.

Mobo - EVGA 132-CK-NF78-A1 ATX Intel Motherboard

RAM - G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory

I still have not purchased any of the parts so if there is another board or memory type that will help me (without being much more expensive) I'd consider getting them instead.

Hmm, stock HS? Worth a try, go for it. Run Prime95 small FFTs until the temps get too hot. By hot I mean core temps of 65C.

I was using it with 400 FSB and stock cooler.
Yesterday I decided to install Asus probe. It would not load, saying that my noth bridge and temp (everything is on auto on BIOS) were too high.
Decided to go back to stock FSBfor now

i'm on a q9450 at 3.2ghz but i don't have stock cooler. plus i have a gigbyte x48 board that has good heatinks on north/south bridge and a bunch of fans so i have no problems with heat as of right now. dunno about stock hsf though

I wouldn't take a quad that high on a stock hsf O_o

oh . I'm at 3.5Ghz on air with 790i

It would prolly work fine, but for $30US you might as well get a decent cooler...even an AC7 Pro would be better than stock. You don't have to spend $60US to get a decent cooler, so why stick with stock?

xigmatek hdts1283 for $37 at newegg. I'm at 3.3ghz running mid 30c on all cores with one. no voltage increase either.

You can probably overclock about 1GHz maybe.

You could, but the motherboard probably can't do it.

...based on the CPU cooling? I do wonder why he's buying an EVGA mobo given the other choices, but that's not what this thread is about.

I was responding to PCgamer12, where he said 1GHz OC is doable, but that might push that Nvidia motherboard a bit too much. Can that motherboard do 460MHz? Perhaps, but it'll probably be too hard to get it stable.

Forgive me, that should have been obvious. I've got a nasty cold, its obviously affecting my mind.

i think by lapping the AC Freezer 7 Pro will get you extra 5-10C drop in temp.so the price/performance ratio is further increase for that cooler. most cooler you lapp it will get about 5C the max. maybe AC Freezer 7 Pro is very poor at "stock"?lol

10c ? That's some serious lap'n.

yeah 10C. even the least get 8C.

Ok so I've changed my mobo to an ASUS P5Q Pro (decided I didn't need SLI). With the saved money I'm going to get an ARCTIC COOLING Freezer 7 Pro with some Arctic Silver paste. Is that enough for a 3.2 ghz OC?

Come, skip 2-3 meals at McDonald's and get a Xigmatek S-1283, that way there won't be any question about whether or not you have enough cooling. It's good advice, consider it.

Totally agreed with halcyon. Fast for a few days and grab the Xiggy. After all, there's no such thing as too cold when it comes to OCing.

i want a xiggy now...sigh, tired of my zalman 9700. the led is only so cool for so long

Looks like the xiggy is it! Thanks for the help.