Pushing the clocks on my trusty old DELL

ED E · 11-10-2012 12:40pm #1

1. Intro

ORIG0191.jpg?t=1349955307

Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Professional 64-bit SP1
CPU
	Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 @ 2.40GHz	34 &#176;C
	Kentsfield 65nm Technology
RAM
	4.00 GB DDR2
Motherboard
	Dell Inc. 0CT017 (Microprocessor)
Graphics
	DELL ST2210 (1920x1080@60Hz)
	DELL E196FP (1280x1024@60Hz)
	ATI Radeon HD 5700 Series (MSI)	42 &#176;C
Hard Drives (INTERNALS ONLY)
	699GB Seagate 
	75GB Seagate 
	233GB Seagate 
	75GB Western 
Optical Drives
	GBUXKV 2BGX67CP23 SCSI CdRom Device
	HL-DT-ST DVD+-RW GSA-H31N ATA Device
Audio
	Creative X-Fi Audio Processor (WDM)

Got this rig way back in....November 2009. It was a mates, it died and his dad decided to just replace it, so he offered it to me. At this time I only had a terrible laptop, so I like hells yes. Already had a 22" 1080p monitor for my laptop too, so I was sorted in that regard. Did a bit of testing, it was the 8800GTX gone. No surprise there, especially as they never cleaned it and ran it in a small unventilated spare bedroom. So I baked it, video here: http://youtu.be/SCxc0bxk_1U (135K views :0 ) and voila, back working. Back then it was also a E6700. Baked the 8800 again a while later, and then upgraded to the 5770 for €130. More recently (~year) I got the Q6600 for €60 shipped. Whoopa, powa! Still cool as f'ck too.

I'd have upped the RAM but its a hard limit of 4GB

Have also modded two fans onto the back to increase airflow as the stock ones only run full tilt when the CPU gets hot, which it never does. No way to over-ride bios control there.

Oh, I forgot, it came with vista too :pac: MSDNAA Win7 licences, yes plz.

Original D drive packed in recently, replaced. Other drives added too. NOTE: C: is SLOW AS F'CK. This will knock benches down a bit, but I'm not going to re-install right now.

2. Overclocking

CPU:
Locked bios, so software OCing, which sucks, but its all I got.
All temps *Centigrade. Tested with Prime95 Blend Tests.

Stock Clocks: 2.4Ghz at 266FSB
________Idle___Load
Core#0   32      52
Core#1   32      52
Core#2   26      48
Core#3   27      48

Max Clock: 2.916Ghz at 324FSB
________Idle___Load
Core#0   30      54
Core#1   30      54
Core#2   24      49
Core#3   25      48

Cool as and quiet, but the lack of voltage control means I cant go higher, otherwise I'd be up at 3.5Ghz plus(the norm for these, 6600s rock).

GPU: MSI R5770 PMD1G [1GB]
Stock:
850Mhz Core
1.2vCore
1200Mhz Memory(4800 Effective)

Thermals: (First reading is AB, second is HardwareMonitor/GPUZ/Furmark). Load provided by Furmark.

Idle:
44(41) 35%Fan
41(38) 50%Fan
38(34) 75%Fan
37(34)100%Fan
Load:
103(91) 35%Fan
96(86) 50%Fan
82(73) 75%Fan
78(69)100%Fan

Then I went to town on pushing the clocks.

Max stable mem clock: 1370Mhz (No Mem cooling :S )

vCore 1.200
Max Clock 980Mhz

vCore 1.300
Max Clock 985Mhz

No matter what, it wont go faster than that and pass furmark for 15mins.

At 100% fan, thats 96*C(87).

Finished clocks: Stable at 1.3v, 985 and 1310

3. Testing:

_______________STOCK first, OVERCLOCKED second____________

And nope, thos PCMARK scores are in the right order, LOWER SCORE FROM OC??

**************STOCK CLOCKS**********
GPU:

==============================================================
TimeDemo Play Started , (Total Frames: 2000, Recorded Time: 111.86s)
!TimeDemo Run 0 Finished.
Play Time: 43.38s, Average FPS: 46.11
Min FPS: 28.98 at frame 1952, Max FPS: 62.59 at frame 1015
Average Tri/Sec: -45081512, Tri/Frame: -977799
Recorded/Played Tris ratio: -0.94
!TimeDemo Run 1 Finished.
Play Time: 41.73s, Average FPS: 47.93
Min FPS: 28.98 at frame 1952, Max FPS: 68.93 at frame 112
Average Tri/Sec: -46142424, Tri/Frame: -962769
Recorded/Played Tris ratio: -0.95
!TimeDemo Run 2 Finished.
Play Time: 41.63s, Average FPS: 48.05
Min FPS: 28.98 at frame 1952, Max FPS: 68.93 at frame 112
Average Tri/Sec: -46238156, Tri/Frame: -962362
Recorded/Played Tris ratio: -0.95
!TimeDemo Run 3 Finished.
Play Time: 41.76s, Average FPS: 47.89
Min FPS: 28.98 at frame 1952, Max FPS: 68.93 at frame 112
Average Tri/Sec: -46085604, Tri/Frame: -962348
Recorded/Played Tris ratio: -0.95
TimeDemo Play Ended, (4 Runs Performed)
==============================================================

CPU1:
==============================================================
TimeDemo Play Started , (Total Frames: 2000, Recorded Time: 111.86s)
!TimeDemo Run 0 Finished.
Play Time: 43.38s, Average FPS: 46.11
Min FPS: 28.98 at frame 1952, Max FPS: 62.59 at frame 1015
Average Tri/Sec: -45081512, Tri/Frame: -977799
Recorded/Played Tris ratio: -0.94
!TimeDemo Run 1 Finished.
Play Time: 41.73s, Average FPS: 47.93
Min FPS: 28.98 at frame 1952, Max FPS: 68.93 at frame 112
Average Tri/Sec: -46142424, Tri/Frame: -962769
Recorded/Played Tris ratio: -0.95
!TimeDemo Run 2 Finished.
Play Time: 41.63s, Average FPS: 48.05
Min FPS: 28.98 at frame 1952, Max FPS: 68.93 at frame 112
Average Tri/Sec: -46238156, Tri/Frame: -962362
Recorded/Played Tris ratio: -0.95
!TimeDemo Run 3 Finished.
Play Time: 41.76s, Average FPS: 47.89
Min FPS: 28.98 at frame 1952, Max FPS: 68.93 at frame 112
Average Tri/Sec: -46085604, Tri/Frame: -962348
Recorded/Played Tris ratio: -0.95
TimeDemo Play Ended, (4 Runs Performed)
==============================================================

CPU2:

==============================================================
TimeDemo Play Started , (Total Frames: 1500, Recorded Time: 127.52s)
!TimeDemo Run 0 Finished.
Play Time: 64.57s, Average FPS: 23.23
Min FPS: 5.90 at frame 467, Max FPS: 42.76 at frame 114
Average Tri/Sec: -13626306, Tri/Frame: -586590
Recorded/Played Tris ratio: 1.42
!TimeDemo Run 1 Finished.
Play Time: 67.26s, Average FPS: 22.30
Min FPS: 5.90 at frame 467, Max FPS: 42.76 at frame 114
Average Tri/Sec: -13249987, Tri/Frame: -594172
Recorded/Played Tris ratio: 1.41
!TimeDemo Run 2 Finished.
Play Time: 59.93s, Average FPS: 25.03
Min FPS: 5.90 at frame 467, Max FPS: 42.76 at frame 114
Average Tri/Sec: -14904653, Tri/Frame: -595519
Recorded/Played Tris ratio: 1.40
!TimeDemo Run 3 Finished.
Play Time: 64.79s, Average FPS: 23.15
Min FPS: 5.90 at frame 467, Max FPS: 42.76 at frame 114
Average Tri/Sec: -13750127, Tri/Frame: -593949
Recorded/Played Tris ratio: 1.41
TimeDemo Play Ended, (4 Runs Performed)
==============================================================

************************OVERCLOCKED*****************

GPU:

==============================================================
TimeDemo Play Started , (Total Frames: 2000, Recorded Time: 111.86s)
!TimeDemo Run 0 Finished.
Play Time: 45.29s, Average FPS: 44.16
Min FPS: 30.16 at frame 1964, Max FPS: 61.61 at frame 997
Average Tri/Sec: -43184480, Tri/Frame: -977940
Recorded/Played Tris ratio: -0.94
!TimeDemo Run 1 Finished.
Play Time: 41.91s, Average FPS: 47.72
Min FPS: 30.16 at frame 1964, Max FPS: 66.93 at frame 69
Average Tri/Sec: -45978256, Tri/Frame: -963514
Recorded/Played Tris ratio: -0.95
!TimeDemo Run 2 Finished.
Play Time: 41.84s, Average FPS: 47.80
Min FPS: 29.80 at frame 1955, Max FPS: 66.93 at frame 69
Average Tri/Sec: -46007520, Tri/Frame: -962504
Recorded/Played Tris ratio: -0.95
!TimeDemo Run 3 Finished.
Play Time: 41.76s, Average FPS: 47.89
Min FPS: 29.80 at frame 1955, Max FPS: 66.93 at frame 69
Average Tri/Sec: -46150156, Tri/Frame: -963576
Recorded/Played Tris ratio: -0.95
TimeDemo Play Ended, (4 Runs Performed)
==============================================================

CPU1:
==============================================================
TimeDemo Play Started , (Total Frames: 1500, Recorded Time: 44.62s)
!TimeDemo Run 0 Finished.
Play Time: 33.13s, Average FPS: 45.28
Min FPS: 18.85 at frame 198, Max FPS: 67.24 at frame 178
Average Tri/Sec: 49555528, Tri/Frame: 1094452
Recorded/Played Tris ratio: 0.66
!TimeDemo Run 1 Finished.
Play Time: 29.72s, Average FPS: 50.48
Min FPS: 18.85 at frame 198, Max FPS: 67.45 at frame 194
Average Tri/Sec: 55326564, Tri/Frame: 1096110
Recorded/Played Tris ratio: 0.66
!TimeDemo Run 2 Finished.
Play Time: 29.84s, Average FPS: 50.27
Min FPS: 18.85 at frame 198, Max FPS: 67.45 at frame 194
Average Tri/Sec: 55082144, Tri/Frame: 1095679
Recorded/Played Tris ratio: 0.66
!TimeDemo Run 3 Finished.
Play Time: 29.83s, Average FPS: 50.28
Min FPS: 18.85 at frame 198, Max FPS: 67.60 at frame 193
Average Tri/Sec: 55206560, Tri/Frame: 1097900
Recorded/Played Tris ratio: 0.66
TimeDemo Play Ended, (4 Runs Performed)
==============================================================

CPU2:
==============================================================
TimeDemo Play Started , (Total Frames: 1500, Recorded Time: 127.52s)
!TimeDemo Run 0 Finished.
Play Time: 66.99s, Average FPS: 22.39
Min FPS: 7.20 at frame 475, Max FPS: 35.66 at frame 100
Average Tri/Sec: -13100934, Tri/Frame: -585113
Recorded/Played Tris ratio: 1.43
!TimeDemo Run 1 Finished.
Play Time: 64.03s, Average FPS: 23.43
Min FPS: 7.20 at frame 475, Max FPS: 38.35 at frame 1105
Average Tri/Sec: -13956656, Tri/Frame: -595726
Recorded/Played Tris ratio: 1.40
!TimeDemo Run 2 Finished.
Play Time: 63.75s, Average FPS: 23.53
Min FPS: 6.29 at frame 471, Max FPS: 38.35 at frame 1105
Average Tri/Sec: -13979988, Tri/Frame: -594113
Recorded/Played Tris ratio: 1.41
!TimeDemo Run 3 Finished.
Play Time: 62.50s, Average FPS: 24.00
Min FPS: 6.29 at frame 471, Max FPS: 38.35 at frame 1105
Average Tri/Sec: -14258492, Tri/Frame: -594150
Recorded/Played Tris ratio: 1.41
TimeDemo Play Ended, (4 Runs Performed)
==============================================================

4. Conclusion

Hmmm, not really adding up. PC mark result totally weird, and Crysis seems to perform a little worse? Is my DDR2 limiting things, PCI bottlenecking?

Any other ideas?

Will be adding more to this, but at least I've done things properly now, rather than the ad hoc stuff I've done before.

ED E · 11-10-2012 12:42pm

Sooo, still confused.

More testing done:

Then I tested the CPU on its own.

Please, can anyone shed some light on WTF is going on here?

Monotype · 12-10-2012 2:47pm

Just a thought, but maybe your memory is getting bumped down to a much lower speed as you overclock the FSB...?

ED E · 13-10-2012 6:26pm

Monotype wrote: »

Just a thought, but maybe your memory is getting bumped down to a much lower speed as you overclock the FSB...?

Hmm, CPU-Z doesnt populate the Memory tab so I cant tell what its current clocks are. I guess that does make sense though, that the BIOS is dropping the timings to keep the memory stable at the new clocks?

Monotype · 13-10-2012 7:49pm

When you overclock the FSB, it also overclocks the RAM. Normally there's a divider or multiplier to set the RAM at a lower speed to compensate and when it's set to auto, it will lower itself. Sometimes it can overcompensate and underclock the RAM by a lot more than it needs. It could also be the timings going way out as you say.

ED E · 13-10-2012 8:45pm

Type	DDR2
Size	1024 MBytes
Manufacturer	Samsung
Max Bandwidth	PC2-5300 (333 MHz)
Part Number	M3 78T2953EZ3-CE6
Serial Number	_________
Week/year	13 / 07
SPD Ext.	EPP
	JEDEC #3
		Frequency	333.3 MHz
		CAS# Latency	5.0
		RAS# To CAS#	5
		RAS# Precharge	5
		tRAS	15
		tRC	20
		Voltage	1.800 V
	JEDEC #2
		Frequency	266.7 MHz
		CAS# Latency	4.0
		RAS# To CAS#	4
		RAS# Precharge	4
		tRAS	12
		tRC	16
		Voltage	1.800 V
	JEDEC #1
		Frequency	200.0 MHz
		CAS# Latency	3.0
		RAS# To CAS#	3
		RAS# Precharge	3
		tRAS	9
		tRC	12
		Voltage	1.800 V

If its drops em to 1 that'd really F up performance. Now to work out how to verify if this is it...

Monotype · 13-10-2012 8:56pm

Lower timings = better, so it's not going to go lower.

ED E · 13-10-2012 9:46pm

When it comes to memory I have **** for brains ^^

bambam · 13-01-2013 5:45pm

hey,

just wondering why you say you are stuck at 4GB RAM? Is it a Dimension 9200? if so it'll go to 8GB (4 x Corsair 2048-6400C5C 4GB 800MHz C5 DDR2).

Also, what software did you use to OC?

cheers, Bam

Joeface · 15-01-2013 10:43am

also if your semi Brave , since you have a locked bios

pin mod it .

,
https://forums.geforce.com/default/topic/385435/cooling-and-case-modding/intel-q6600-mod-simple-enough-for-idiots/1

but do some more research(google) before doing anything .

http://www.overclockers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=690057

Pushing the clocks on my trusty old DELL

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