# Overclocking E6420



## OrbitzXT (Jun 9, 2007)

I just put together my new system today, using Gigabyte DS3-965P, E6420, 8800 GTS 640MB and 2GB A-Data RAM. With the Zalman 9700 HSF and Arctic Silver 5 both SpeedFan and CoreTemp show the idling temperature on Core #0 & #1 as 21C and 22C. With two instances of Prime 95 running Core 0 & 1 reach a maximum of 33C. I'd like to set my FSB to 400 so my FSB-RAM ratio is 1:1 and have my processor running at 3.2GHz. CPU-Z shows my voltage at a steady 1.312v. I remember reading a guide to overclocking on the DS3 with various processors, and it had a list of recommended voltages to use when setting FSB to 400, but the 6320 and 6420 weren't out at the time.

Also my friend was telling me it wouldn't be wise to overclock just yet since I only assembled this today, that a processor needs to be broken in and used for awhile before you should overclock. Is this true, and if so how long should I wait before attempting to OC?

Edit: Also I just noticed in CPU-Z that the multiplier went down to 6x...I remember reading about this but can't remember how to fix it. Is this something in the BIOS I have to fix? It goes up to 8x when I run a program or game.


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## hat (Jun 9, 2007)

The CPU should be given ~2 weeks to be broken in.
The FSB multi changing is Intel's technology to lower the clock speed of the processor while it is only doing simple desktop apps. When you go into an intense program such as a game or a benchmark, it goes full speed, similar to AMD's Cool n Quiet.


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## trt740 (Jun 9, 2007)

Who told you that you had to wait a 2 weeks ? Thats not true  where did you hear that? I'm not trying to be mean just factual. That board is almost indestructable and was built to overclock from minute one. The ds3 motherboard will do 470fsb without hardly any voltage increases. Add the next voltage setting to all the chip sets and disable all the enhancements on the board. There is really no need to wait 2 week  to break in a motherboard. You can overclock it right away . You might get slightly better temps (thermal paste set up 1 to 3 degrees )and stablity on your cpu and ram but not much after burn in (and I do mean not much). Here is a guide for you. P.S that board doesn't like the 2.5 memory setting it likes 2.0.
 also read this it will help you http://forums.techpowerup.com/showthread.php?t=22998
overclocking guide DS3 http://forumz.tomshardware.com/hardware/Core2Duo-Overclocking-Guide-v1-ftopict197995.html


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## OrbitzXT (Jun 9, 2007)

So I've been toying around in the BIOS for the last hour. I turned off all the things that guide said to and began playing with the FSB with everything set as it should. With the FSB at 350 and stock voltages it POSTs, boots into Windows fine, I ran PCMark05 and got a 1500 score increase over the score I had at stock. I tried setting the FSB to 400 and it wouldn't even post. I remember reading that some specific FSB's are weird and that you should try numbers around it. 399 and 401-405 POST fine, but every single time during the Windows XP loading screen I get a BSOD and it restarts.

I figured at this point I need to up my voltage, so I looked to the guide but its not very helpful for the DS3. The DS3 only shows +0.1, +0.2 etc. The guide says the actual voltage I should have...so I don't know how much voltage I should be adding, I didn't wanna get nuts so I figured I would ask here first. I raised the vCore to 1.375, and gave the FSB, MCH and my RAM a +0.1. At this point during the XP loading screen, I got a lot farther than with stock voltages, but after going across twice now it still BSOD'ed, so I figure I was getting close with the voltages I needed to be stable and boot into Windows.

Do BSOD's physically damage anything? I kept toying around with settings to see if I could boot successfully but failed about 10 times, which was 10 BSODs. I stopped because I wasn't sure if they're harmful or just a warning that the system is unstable in its current settings. Any help would be appreciated. I was really hoping to hit a nice even 400FSB.


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## OrbitzXT (Jun 9, 2007)

Just an update...

With vCore set at 1.4 in the BIOS, MCH and FSB +0.3 the system is stable with a FSB of 390, I'm satisfied with 390, so now I'm in the process of lowering voltages so see the lowest stable one. If you guys had to guess, what vCore is stable for a 6420 running at 3120MHz. Like I said its set at 1.4 in BIOS, but both CPU-Z and SpeedFan show it fluctuating between 1.344v and 1.36v. It only fluctuates between these two numbers.

So I'm a little confused, is the vCore 1.4 or are these two programs more accurate than what its set to.


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## DOM (Jun 9, 2007)

Well I had 1.35v in bios but in speedfan it comes out as 1.3v and thats what I used at 3.2GHz 400x8 

And I think all or most mobos are like that so try 1.35v


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## Tatty_One (Jun 9, 2007)

trt740 said:


> Who told you that you had to wait a 2 weeks ? Thats not true  where did you hear that? I'm not trying to be mean just factual. That board is almost indestructable and was built to overclock from minute one. The ds3 motherboard will do 470fsb without hardly any voltage increases. Add the next voltage setting to all the chip sets and disable all the enhancements on the board. There is really no need to wait 2 week  to break in a motherboard. You can overclock it right away . You might get slightly better temps (thermal paste set up 1 to 3 degrees )and stablity on your cpu and ram but not much after burn in (and I do mean not much). Here is a guide for you. P.S that board doesn't like the 2.5 memory setting it likes 2.0.
> also read this it will help you http://forums.techpowerup.com/showthread.php?t=22998
> overclocking guide DS3 http://forumz.tomshardware.com/hardware/Core2Duo-Overclocking-Guide-v1-ftopict197995.html



I think he is talking about the CPU not board and it is recommended that you let the CPU "Bed in" for around 2 weeks before overclocking, a bit like "running in" the old cars, thing is Trt you and I are to impatient to do sensible things like that but some say that with doing that, when you come to overclock that you will get more out of the chip....it's kind of like going 0 - 150mph the first time you drive a brand new car!


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## trt740 (Jun 9, 2007)

Well my boards was about 4 hours old and did 3.76ghz with a ds3. Also if you look in the Ds3 health monitoring section it will tell you your true voltage. Then just add the number .01 v .02 v etc to get the number and compare it to whats in the guide. It tells you in some guides 1.50v is about the tops safe cpu voltage. The nvidia overclocking guide posted by nivida, states it's 1.58v. I wouldn't, however, go above 1.55v for everyday use. Also I add .01v to my pci, .02c mch, and .01v to sbsetting. I think the default is 1.525v on the MCH.

This is a different chip set but still is good to look at. http://www.nvidia.com/docs/CP/45121/nforce_680i_sli_overclocking.pdf


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## rampage (Jun 9, 2007)

i know with my asus striker extreme mobo and E6600 (true F steppeing) i could reach my max oc of 3.5 ghz straight away but after about 3 months i decided to have a play with the voltages and ive been able to reduce my voltages by a large amount (so i cant rember exact settings) aprox 1.5 v > 1.35 v for another example when i torrent i can run my rig at 1 volt 2.3 ghz,  and there is no way it would do that fresh out of the box.  so things do take time to burn in.


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## Alcpone (Jun 9, 2007)

I get what I have in my specs, but that is with rev 1.0 mobo!

390FSB seems a little slow, I tell you what I will send you my e6300 and you can send me your e6420, I would love that extra multi


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## Agility (Jun 9, 2007)

This might sound out of post but is the E6400/E6420 part of the intel prices dropping in July 22? Cause i only see the E6500 and above...


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## Alcpone (Jun 9, 2007)

Agility said:


> This might sound out of post but is the E6400/E6420 part of the intel prices dropping in July 22? Cause i only see the E6500 and above...



I would of thought so or people will stop buying them and just get 6*50 or above!


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## OrbitzXT (Jun 9, 2007)

Hm no where in my BIOS does it say my voltages. In the PC Health thing it has a list of voltages on the left, set numbers I think from the PSU 3.3V 5V 12V and it just says OK next to them all.

Edit: I just checked again and with these voltages it says vCore, but again only says OK, not a number. Maybe my power supply is weak or something, I need the vCore at 1.4125 in the BIOS to be stable 400x8 in XP. Thats what I have set in the BIOS but CPU-Z and SpeedFan show 1.408 when idling and fluctuates back and forth between 1.408 and 1.392, and when under fullload it drops down to 1.376 which seems normal I guess for my clock speed 3.2GHz? Are these voltages safe to use for everyday use? The temperatures with these voltages are fine, still in the 20'sC, low 30's tops. I'm just concerned a little about the lifespan of the chip at this voltage.


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## Alcpone (Jun 9, 2007)

OrbitzXT said:


> Hm no where in my BIOS does it say my voltages. In the PC Health thing it has a list of voltages on the left, set numbers I think from the PSU 3.3V 5V 12V and it just says OK next to them all.
> 
> Edit: I just checked again and with these voltages it says vCore, but again only says OK, not a number. Maybe my power supply is weak or something, I need the vCore at 1.4125 in the BIOS to be stable 400x8 in XP. Thats what I have set in the BIOS but CPU-Z and SpeedFan show 1.408 when idling and fluctuates back and forth between 1.408 and 1.392, and when under fullload it drops down to 1.376 which seems normal I guess for my clock speed 3.2GHz? Are these voltages safe to use for everyday use? The temperatures with these voltages are fine, still in the 20'sC, low 30's tops. I'm just concerned a little about the lifespan of the chip at this voltage.



You have got the most upto date bios haven't you?

Also when you go into bios press ctrl + f1 then go into mip and you will have extra options 

Whatever you set the voltage to you will get a phenomena called vdroop! So dont worry too much about that!

Lifespan I wouldnt worry too much either, aslong as your tempos are below the intel spec of 61*c for the cores you will be ok, but cooler the better, you will have sold it and upgraded long before it dies!


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## trt740 (Jun 11, 2007)

Alcpone said:


> I get what I have in my specs, but that is with rev 1.0 mobo!
> 
> 390FSB seems a little slow, I tell you what I will send you my e6300 and you can send me your e6420, I would love that extra multi



When I talked to Gigabyte during my ram / fan trouble they said the revision 1.0 and 3.3  only have  a few difference. The sound card is one and 1.0 has a 3 phase power unit and the 3.3 has a 6 phase power unit, upgraded for better overclocking of the quad core, but other than that they are physically identical bios and all.


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## youngm (Jun 16, 2007)

Hi all, newbie OC'er here 

I just bought a GA-965P-DS3P mobo, E6420 and OCZ PC6400 2Gig Kit.  Only running stock HSF at the moment until I can afford a Thermalright Ultra 120 Extreme.

I put the system together and couldn't wait to OC, so I followed a few guides, upgraded my BIOS, set my VCore to 1.4v in the BIOS and made the necessary adjustments to reach ~3.0GHz (370FSB) on stock HSF.  The system ran perfectly normal at this speed on stock cooling (Prime95), however, SpeedFan showed my VCore was much higher than 1.4v... closer to 1.8v actually!!!

The temp whilst running Prime95 was hovering around 56DegC on both cores.  Still in the safe zone I suppose?

Anyone got any ideas why the discrepency in the VCore readings?


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## Tatty_One (Jun 16, 2007)

youngm said:


> Hi all, newbie OC'er here
> 
> I just bought a GA-965P-DS3P mobo, E6420 and OCZ PC6400 2Gig Kit.  Only running stock HSF at the moment until I can afford a Thermalright Ultra 120 Extreme.
> 
> ...



Hi and welcome, I find speedfan can be a bit erratic at times, try core temps I have found it to be very good, rest assured there is not 1.8V going through your CPU, at load and on air your temps would be causing a thermal shutdown, thats if it had not fried first!  You can download coretemps here:

http://www.thecoolest.zerobrains.com/CoreTemp/

And if you want to be really keen you can also use Intels Thermal Anylasis tool (TaT), you can use them both as a comparison against each other and they show similar temps, you can get Tat from this site here:

http://www.techpowerup.com/downloads/392/Intel_Thermal_Analysis_Tool.html


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## youngm (Jun 16, 2007)

Cool!  Thanks for that


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