# Intel Core 2 Duo E4600 voltage question



## dark2099 (May 20, 2008)

So I picked up a cheap Intel setup to start playing with for now (upgrades after I move and have the $) but I got a Intel Core 2 Duo E4600 and a Gigabyte GA-945GCM-S2C mobo (cheapest mobo I could get with voltage control, no multi or speed step control though ).  In the BIOS it states the normal CPU Vcore as 1.325v but under full load CPU-Z would read about 1.28, which should I trust for when I up the voltage?

Edit: Core temp reads the Vcore as 1.325 and Speedfan reads the Vcore as 1.28


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## spearman914 (May 20, 2008)

NO!!! The 1.325V is the actual voltage. 1.28V is caused by vdroop. Vdroop is something that gives off the extra heat and juice that is not needed.


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## dark2099 (May 20, 2008)

Since I am experiencing vdroop is it safe to increase the voltage?


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## JrRacinFan (May 20, 2008)

Check to see if C1E is enabled before doing so. Also yes it would be safe.


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## spearman914 (May 20, 2008)

dark2099 said:


> Since I am experiencing vdroop is it safe to increase the voltage?



Yes, as long as heat is not a problem. The cores should not reach anything above 70C.

EDIT: And disable speedstep and all that useless crap. Those settings limit overclocking. I've also seen your coretemp and speedfan thing. Coretemp reads the information from the bios which is set to 1.325V and speedfan reads it from the motherboard + the vdroop.


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## dark2099 (May 20, 2008)

JrRacinFan said:


> Check to see if C1E is enabled before doing so. Also yes it would be safe.



In the Advance BIOS Features, should I disable CPU Enhanced Halt (C1E), CPU Thermal Monitor 2 (TM2), and the CPU EIST Function.  And what does the "Limit CPUID Max. to 3" mean (it is currently Disabled).


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## JrRacinFan (May 20, 2008)

Disable all of them you mentioned and have fun clockin'. 

EDIT: This should help with "Limit Max CPUID"....
http://www.techarp.com/showfreebog.aspx?lang=0&bogno=307


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## dark2099 (May 20, 2008)

One last question, in between raises of the FSB, I generally run Orthos for 20-30 mins to test for stability, blend test priority 9, should I run it longer or should that be decent enough to insure that it is safe to up the FSB?


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## JrRacinFan (May 20, 2008)

LOL TBH, I never run Orthos. 95% of the time if I am 3dmark06 stable I am 24/7 stable as well.


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## dark2099 (May 20, 2008)

Hehe, I just do it cause the guides suggest doing it.


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## dark2099 (May 20, 2008)

So I hate to do this, but past 250 FSB no increase in voltage will allow me to boot into windows (BSOD during load of Windows Vista 32).  Any suggestions, or might it be limited by the chipset (Intel 945)


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## JrRacinFan (May 20, 2008)

945 or 945GC? What ram timings and divider?

EDIT: I am pretty sure if you drop your ram divider and loosen your timings a tiny bit you can hit 333/1333 and 667 ram.


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## dark2099 (May 20, 2008)

945GC (Mobo is GA-945GCM-S2C) ram timings are 3(CL)-3(tRCD)-3(tRP)-9(tRAS)-12(tRC) with the FSB: DRAM at 1:1, 2.00 in the BIOS.


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## JrRacinFan (May 20, 2008)

Yeah, loosen those timings up a bit, try out 4-4-4-12.


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## dark2099 (May 20, 2008)

Will do, have to wait a tad, decided to upgrade to SP1 to see what kinda 3Dmark Vantage score I could get, with the CPU@3ghz and 1 3870 core 891 mem 1305 (mATX board so only 1 card, plus I think the other is dead) I got over 11k on 06 where as with my 5000+BE@3.2 and Crossfire I maxed out at 12381 on 06.


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## JrRacinFan (May 20, 2008)

Yeah, you should do some over 11k probly about 12.5k @ those settings you mentioned. What I am wondering why you didn't go with a P5K(-e) or a DS3P? Not nuff $$? ....


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## dark2099 (May 20, 2008)

For now not enough $ (moving within like 2 months) but I will be picking up a DFI x48 board once I do have the $.


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## JrRacinFan (May 20, 2008)

Either way though, you still picked up a decent board. I would love to see you get some nice clocks out of it.


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## dark2099 (May 20, 2008)

Just changed the timings, upped the FSB to 255, should I increase the voltage some too? 

Edit: Didn't increase the voltage and it booted into Windows just fine. Thanks!


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## dark2099 (May 20, 2008)

Thought I would ask about another setting in my BIOS, CPU GTLREF Ratio Control, no idea what it means, settings for it are 0.67, 0.65, 0.63, 0.615, default is 0.67.

EDIT: Max I can boot into windows is 255 FSB, tried 260 w/ voltage increase and still got BSOD with memory dump, highest stable (through a simple 3Dmark06 run, nothing major testing wise) is 250FSB at stock voltage but failed Orthos fast with slight voltage increase.  On another note, my other 3870 works just fine, was another problem with the setup.


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## JrRacinFan (May 20, 2008)

Well dark, ive never heard of that setting. Check your northbridge volts now.


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## dark2099 (May 20, 2008)

Don't have a setting for northbridge volts, but do have a setting for FSB volt I believe, will check later.


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## dark2099 (May 20, 2008)

So I tried upping the FSB Voltage (doesn't list the actual volts) by what is listed in the BIOS as +0.1V, have the CPU Voltage up one notch, set the FSB to 260 and got it to almost boot fully into Windows, but only for a second before it restarted itself.


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## dark2099 (May 21, 2008)

So after much fiddling around, the max I can seemingly get of an OC is 3ghz-3.06ghz.  Here are some settings he recommended, feel free to suggest others.

CPU Host Clock Control enable/disable (allow for changing the FSB)

CPU Host Frequency(Mhz) 100-700 currently at 255 - up this with the below settings as far as you can get it go with posting

PCI Express Frequency left this on auto can change from 90-150 -lock this at 105
 leaving this at auto also seems to help with booting above 250 FSB
System Memory Multiplier currently set to 2.00 -leave it at that

DIMM OverVoltage Control set to normal for now (+0.1v/+0.2v/+0.3v/+0.4v) -do +.02

FSB OverVoltage Control auto/+0.1v/+0.2v/+0.3v currently at +0.2 had it at that to try and test 260 -try +0.3

FSB DeOverVoltage Control auto/-0.05v/-0.10v/-0.15v currently at auto - always leave on auto

CPU GTLREF Ratio Control 0.67/0.65/0.63/0.615 currently at 0.67 - set at 0.65 booting above 250 FSB works better with this at .67

CPU Voltage Control auto/0.5v-1.6v at .00625 increments currently at 1.33750 up from 1.325 -try your next notch up
 currently at 1.34
CL settings 3/4/5/6/auto Currently at 4 -5
RCD settings 2/3/4/5/6/auto Currently at 4 -5
RP settings 2/3/4/5/6/auto Currently at 4 -5
RAS settings 4-15/auto Currently at 12 -15

EDIT: Just did a quick test of 260 FSB, didn't fully boot into windows, hung after the scrolling bar, tried 257, loaded windows just fine. Doing a 3dmark06 run to check if it is semi stable.


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## dark2099 (May 22, 2008)

So I have a quick question, since getting this new motherboard (check specs to see which, also listed in first post) I have been using 2x2GB DDR2 667 Patriot sticks, but I just did a quick test to see if the computer would post with my Corsair XMS2 DDR2 800 ram and it posted only it only operates at 667 MHz.  So my question is should I run the Corsair memory or Patriot memory, the Corsair are only 1GB sticks (have 4, can only use 2 due to motherboard restrictions).  Thanks!


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## Black Panther (May 22, 2008)

You should be able to go higher - I get 3.2Ghz on my E4300 system in specs.
*
Do lock your pci-e frequency*, preferably to 100. Otherwise you'll be oc'in the fsb bus together with your fsb and possibly damage your graphics card.

Try setting the memory at 2.0V Don't go much higher though... if you want to go higher google your RAM brand and check what voltages it supports first!

Btw to get _3.2Ghz_ I have to put timings at 5-5-5-15 and put ram at 667Mhz so as to get 1:1 ratio with FSB. Otherwise there's no way I can go to 3.2Ghz!
The way my system is now is with RAM at 833Mhz ie at 4:5 FSB ratio. (My RAM is 800Mhz at stock) I keep my rig at 3.0Ghz for day to day running.


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## dark2099 (May 22, 2008)

If you check my sig/sys specs, I thnk I'm right at the 3.2ghz mark, have the FSB at 266, multi is at 12x, ram I want to know which would be better to run, the 2x2gb patriot (1.8v is stock according to patriot) or 2x1GB corsair(1.9v is what corsair tested them, 5-5-5-18 were the timings), have the cpu volts at 1.4, dimm at +0.2v, FSB at +0.3v, just tried locking the PCI-E frequency at 100 and booting using the above specs and it wouldn't post with them (if it matters I tried that with both the corsair and patriot memory), automatically resets the FSB to stock.


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## Black Panther (May 22, 2008)

dark2099 said:


> So after much fiddling around, the max I can seemingly get of an OC is 3ghz-3.06ghz.



Lol apologies I just read your previous post without checking your signature and your system specs...
(Btw I do find it a tad hard to read signature, maybe it's just my eyes or it's a bit too smallish? )



dark2099 said:


> booting using the above specs and it wouldn't post with them (if it matters I tried that with both the corsair and patriot memory), automatically resets the FSB to stock.



What is the settings which are actually working for you and the cpu clock you can achieve booting to windows?


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## dark2099 (May 22, 2008)

Here are a couple of screenies of CPU-Z.  CPU voltage is at 1.4v (haven't tried lower at these settings), DIMM Voltage should be at 2.0v (stock is 1.8v on Patriot's site, have it set to +0.2v in BIOS), and FSB voltage is stock +0.3v (BIOS doesn't read actual voltage that it is at just give options for overvolting).  PCI-E Freq is on auto, changing it prevents any booting with overclocking.  I've tried booting with 267-270 with voltage increases, all of them cause the BIOS to reset itself.


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## Black Panther (May 22, 2008)

Unless you lock pci-e to 100 and pci clock to 33.33 you won't be able to find what's creating the wall in your overclock...


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## dark2099 (May 22, 2008)

I think it might be the board/chipset to a point  I can't decide if I want to hold out a bit and get a DFI X48 board or pick up a GA-P35-DS3L (slightly hesitant on the gigabyte board to because it has a tendency to "blow up").


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## dark2099 (May 25, 2008)

So I picked up a ASUS P5K ,on BIOS 0902, motherboard today and figured I would post some stuff in here about the settings in the BIOS since things have changed. I have disabled the C1E support and the CPU TM Function, on the old board there wasn't a listing for speedstep, now there is, should I disable this, and how about the Execute Disable Bit, should that be enabled or disabled.  Moving on to the more specific OC settings.

CPU Ratio Setting = Auto currently I enter this manually

FSB Strap to North Bridge = Auto currently 200MHZ/266/333/400MHz are the options

FSB Frequency = 266 currently to test if it would boot at the same settings I had on the Gigabyte board, 200-800 are the values got it up to 270

PCI-E Frequency = 100 currently not on auto will leave at this.

DRAM Frequency = speed of ram at current OC, put down to 400 when I set the 266 FSB, in bios now due to OC is read as 533 running at 541 w/ 270 FSB

DRAM Command Rate = Auto Currently 1N and 2N are other options

DRAM Timing Control = Manual right now
  CL - 5
  RCD - 5
  RP - 5
  RAS - 15
  RAS# to RAS# delay - Auto
  REF Cycle Time - Auto
  Write Recovery Time - Auto
  Write to Read Delay - Auto
  Read to PRE Time - Auto

DRAM Static Read Control = Auto currently Enable/Disabled options

Transaction Booster = Auto currently Enabled/Disabled options

CPU Voltage  - 1.4v to match before 1.1-1.7v options @ 0.0125  1.45 to get stable through some 3Dmark runs

CPU PLL Voltage - Auto 1.5-1.8v @ 0.10v

FSB Termination Voltage - Auto 1.2v-1.5v@0.1v

DRAM Voltage - 2.0 1.5-2.25 @ 0.05v (says standard is 1.5v but patriot's site says 1.8v is standard)  Either at 2.05 or 2.10 in hopes of increasing stability

NB Voltage - 1.4v 1.25-1.7@0.15v I think this is at 1.55 for stability

Clock Over-Charging Voltage - Auto 0.7-1.0@0.1 (standard is 0.8)

Load Line Calibration - Auto enabled/disabled

CPU GTL Voltage Reference - Auto 0.63x/0.61x/0.59x/0.57x

NB GTL Voltage Reference - Auto 0.67x/0.61x

CPU Spread Spectrum - Disabled auto is only other option

PCIE Spread Spectrum - Disabled auto is only other option

Ram is running at 2T according to CPU-Z


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## dark2099 (May 25, 2008)

Also now that I can run 4 sticks of ram, would It be beneficial to me to use my Corsair XMS sticks.


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## dark2099 (May 25, 2008)

CPU Ratio Setting = 11.0x

FSB Strap to North Bridge = Auto currently 200MHZ/266/333/400MHz are the options

FSB Frequency = 310

PCI-E Frequency = 100 currently not on auto will leave at this.

DRAM Frequency = 621

DRAM Command Rate = Auto Currently 1N and 2N are other options

DRAM Timing Control = Manual right now  (timings for all settings are 5-5-5-15-3-44-5-3-3)
CL - 5
RCD - 5
RP - 5
RAS - 15
RAS# to RAS# delay - Auto
REF Cycle Time - Auto
Write Recovery Time - Auto
Write to Read Delay - Auto
Read to PRE Time - Auto

DRAM Static Read Control = Auto currently Enable/Disabled options

Transaction Booster = Auto currently Enabled/Disabled options

CPU Voltage - 1.5v

CPU PLL Voltage - Auto 1.5-1.8v @ 0.10v

FSB Termination Voltage - Auto 1.2v-1.5v@0.1v

DRAM Voltage - 2.1v

NB Voltage - 1.7

Clock Over-Charging Voltage - Auto 0.7-1.0@0.1 (standard is 0.8)

Load Line Calibration - Auto enabled/disabled

CPU GTL Voltage Reference - Auto 0.63x/0.61x/0.59x/0.57x

NB GTL Voltage Reference - Auto 0.67x/0.61x

CPU Spread Spectrum - Disabled auto is only other option

PCIE Spread Spectrum - Disabled auto is only other option


Using those settings, SuperPi likes to crash and just got a BSOD while running 3Dmark06.  Suggestions on changes to help stablise?


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## dark2099 (May 25, 2008)

Now I am getting pissed.  Since I was having some errors at the above settings, I dropped down to the max settings I had on the gigabyte board and orthos still finds errors.  Included are a couple shot of CPU-Z, cpu voltage is at 1.4125v, memory is at 2.0v (using the 4X1GB Corsair XMS now), NB voltage is at 1.55V.  Pretty much everything else is the same as the above post.


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## vagxtr (Dec 22, 2008)

Black Panther said:


> You should be able to go higher - I get 3.2Ghz on my E4300 system in specs.



Unfortunately every system is story for itself, and old 130nm i945p chipsets really aren't some great ocers when you put c2d chips on it. They were developed for budget preshott-presler chips ... well not so budget but to modest in performance and too pricy for it's offerings.



Black Panther said:


> Try setting the memory at 2.0V Don't go much higher though... if you want to go higher google your RAM brand and check what voltages it supports first!



Even value ram usually can sustain  2.2V memory voltage on 24/7 torture.

Only if manufacturer put some "fixed chips" that cant go further than 1.9V @CL5 like Kingston use to do with its ValueRAM sticks these days, you'll only get instability in system where @1.80V-1.90V was previously rock stable. On the other hand 2.1V for the same memory @CL4 works with full stability and enhaces performance. Or, on the other hand, if you had Gigabyte board that improperly regulate memory (and vcpu) voltages that results in too much fluctuations when you raise memory voltage above 2.05V. And this is in fact reason why memory dies and not voltage itself.

Recommended mobos for these "extreme" memory setings would be DFI, ABiT, MSi. unfortunately MSi usually lock Vcpu on highest recomemnded for cpu by manufacturer and really lacks cpu voltage pump, something like Gigabyte in the days of P4 and athlon xp when they use to raise voltages in percentages 5%-10%-15%.


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## BrooksyX (Dec 22, 2008)

why bump this thread?:shadedshu


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## vagxtr (Dec 22, 2008)

BrooksyX said:


> why bump this thread?:shadedshu



i was intersted in old e2x00 e4x00 series default voltages and didnt mean to bump just to contribute


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## BrooksyX (Dec 22, 2008)

vagxtr said:


> i was intersted in old e2x00 e4x00 series default voltages and didnt mean to bump just to contribute



ha okay but thread is over 6 months old...


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