EP45-UD3P First Overclock Stability Problems

[Raider00657]

Hey guys,
 This is my first overclock and it was fine when running xp i ran Prime 95 for about 4 hours and thourght it would be ok and it never crashed in XP. Then i switched to windows 7 64bit 7100 build, which is fine but when playing games and watching movies etc it sometimes freezes then goes to a blue screen. I thourght it could be a driver issue so i have the latest drivers for my video card, sound and directX.

I was reading in the forums that i have to run prime 95 for at least 12 hours so i set it going and i got an error after 5 hours 25 mins. I have also run memtest+ passing 3 times with each module on its own and then together. So i don't think its memory. Then i was speaking to someone and they said i might have to up the southbridge voltage a little bit as it is related to the video card.

So could someone recommend some settings to use to fix my stabilility issue.

my spec is:
Mobo  -  Gigabyte EP45-UD3P
CPU - Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 3.0 Ghz (OC 4.0 Ghz)
Mem - OCZ Gold Series DDR2 1066 mhz 4GB
PSU – Coolermaster eXtreme power duo 650watt
GPU – Sapphire HD 4870 1GB
CPU Cooler – Arctic Cooling Freezer Xtreme – with thermaltake back plate kit
HDD - 250GB Seagate 7200.12 SATA 300
HDD 2 – 500GB Seagate 7200.12 SATA 300
DVD RW DL
Monitor - Samsung T240
Case Antec Three Hundred


Thanks Guys
Alex

[Raider00657]

My current bios settings are:

Robust Graphics Booster - Auto
CPU Clock Ratio - 9X
Fine CPU clock ratio +0.0
CPU frequency 3.99Ghz (444 x9)
CPU Host Clock Control - Enabled
CPU Host Frequency (Mhz) - 444
PCI Express Frequency (Mhz) - 100
C.I.A.2 - Disabled
Advanced Clock Control
      CPU Clock Drive - 800mV
      PCI Clock Drive - 900mV
      CPU Clock Skew  - 0ps
      PCI Clcok Skew - 0ps
Performance Enhance - Turbo
(G) Mch Frequency Latch - Auto
System Memory Multiplier SPD - 2.40B
                             
                                                Normal              Current
Memory Frequency (Mhz)          800                   1066

DRAM Timing Selectable SPD    Manual
CAS Latency Time                        5                         5
tRCD                                             6                         6
tRP                                                6                         6
tRAS                                             18                       18
Advanced Timing - All Auto in sub Menu
Load Line Calibration - Disabled

CPU VCore                             1.27500V                 1.25000V
CPU Termination                      1.200V                     Auto
CPU PLL                                   1.500V                     Auto
CPU Reference                        0.760V                     Auto
MCH Core                                1.100V                     Auto
MCH Reference                       0.760V                     Auto
MCH/DRAM Reference            0.900V                     Auto
ICH I/O                                   1.500V                     Auto
ICH Core                                 1.100V                     Auto
DRAM Voltage                         1.800V                    2.100V
DRAM Termination                   0.900V                     Auto
Channel A Reference              0.900V                     Auto
Channel B Reference               0.900V                    Auto

Thats its

Cheers
Alex

[Raider00657]

Hi guys

Any Ideas how to get stability becuase as it is my first overclock i don't know what i have to change

Cheers
Alex

[Badbonji]

Did you go from 32 bit to 64 bit OS's? As 64 bit tends to stress the cpu a bit more with more complex instructions, whilst speeding the system up can cause an overclock to become unstable. Looks like you might need to raise the cpu voltage a bit, so try that first. I think 1.3V will be plenty, and people generally recommend to stay under 1.3625V (load voltage). What does cpu-z say as the voltage when booted up? And what does it drop to when you load it?
When overclocking the cpu and ram no extra stress is on the southbridge, so I do not think it is that.

[Raider00657]

Hey thanks for the reply

Yeah i went from 32 bit to 64 bit when i changed to windows 7.
I was expereinceing blues screens every now and then, since then i have dropped it back to 3.6ghz but i would still like to try it a 4.0.
CPU-z does not show any voltage drop under load becaasue i have load line calibration switched on.
I'll have to find out what CPU-z shows when booted up it probably needs more cpu voltage.
Will i have to increase the voltage anywhere else other than CPU?

cheers
Alex