overclocking xeon on a weak P31 chipset
overclocking xeon on a weak P31 chipset
Hi guys.
i want to know if there's any option i can do,to get max out of my cpu. i have an ''msi p31 neo'' board and xeon e5440 quad core cpu. two crucial ballistix ddr2 modules on 1066mhz and one pqi module on 800mhz. but all modules are working on 800mhz,board supports only 800mhz. board supports only up to 1333mhz fsb for cpu and this xeon is 1333mhz fsb cpu. cpu clock is 2830mhz default and i managed to get it to 2290mhz stable. this is very low overclock,it's unnoticeable. base cpu fsb at default is 333mhz in bios,now is 339mhz. any higher than that,the board wont boot. multiplier is set to 8.5 by default,and i have option 9 also. when i use multiplier 9,cpu clock automatically sets to 3000mhz,and the base fsb stays to 333. this should work perfectly,but just won't and im frustrated about it. when i set multiplier 9,save bios settings and restart pc,that thing just automatically defaults to 8.5 multiplier after restart.
so,i want to know if there's any option to fix this ''bug'' i think,or just leave it to 8.5 and get back to fsb to make more then 339mhz?
i have a lots of options in bios,5-6 voltages,i have tried some of them,but it wont work either,just black screens after reboot. i want to know if this is maybe bios fault? should i try to update the bios? but this is an old board and i doubt there's any new bioses...
any input appreciated,sorry for my english 1.3
Base clock overclocking will remain modest in comparison to multiplier overclocking. A few points to keep in mind: Xeon CPUs can't handle multiplier overclocks, which is why they reset, and a base clock overclock is actually quite reasonable. Avoid changing the voltage on a Xeon—it's very sensitive. If it doesn't align with its specified range, it may lock up and prevent the PC from booting. These aren't bugs but essential features these CPUs are designed for. If your system boots with a modest base clock, you're in good shape for overclocking. Make sure the temperature stays below 83 degrees Celsius. Any further adjustments to the multiplier or voltage could harm your CPU.
Windrunner :
but this is actually core 2 quad Q9550,it's the same cpu,but another name...im so sad
We all are, it's long known there are very few differences between the CPU's save for the memory controllers and microcode. Xeon's can be an excellent option for systems that are intended for 24/7 use under load, but there's a good reason they loose value very quick due to these factors,
They are expected to be used very heavily due to their intended audience
They have lowered clock speeds to reduce thermal and electrical degradation
They may have limited memory configuration and speed options
Newer ones only work on specific chip sets with specific controllers
No or extremely limited overclocking options
They tend to not have many power saving features due to their intended use
That being said there have been a few that were great options for alternative systems, such as yours being a direct rename with separate controllers but the same cores, the trade off is they don't stand up as well to the ever increasing demands of software.
Windrunner :
okay thank you. i need a better board, maybe an msi p35 or p45 to achieve higher FSB overclock. another option is to use a 9550/9650 cpu and try the multiplier and FSB overclock. unfortunately, it's hard to say if a new board will really help much. you might gain around 50mhz, but you could lose about $100.
Well okay,you suggest me to get another cpu. I cant get max out of my OCed HD5850 with this cpu frequency. 2.89Ghz is not enough for games such as Dota 2. So,if i get another quad with 1066Mhz FSB,i will have much more FSB space to overclock it,am i right? Is there any 12MB quad with 1066Mhz FSB,what do you suggest me? Maybe an Q6600/6800? I dont like it because of heating and noisy,it's older 65nm cpu. Thank you.
Regardless of the CPU chosen, the P31 chipset maintains a fixed FSB speed near 340FSB due to the absence of a strap and looser timing for higher speeds. It also prevents memory sizes above 4GB, limiting RAM usage to about 3.25GB even with a 64-bit operating system. The 65nm Quads offer an 8MB cache, while a Q6600 would only support 9x339 or a 3.05GHz clock speed. A Q6700 could run at around 3.39GHz but would consume roughly 140 watts, requiring a robust VRM for that power level. Both Xeons and Q-series quads have multiplier locks, meaning higher multipliers won't affect performance. The BIOS allows adjusting the multiplier to lower values or opt for a more expensive QX-series Extreme Edition. Quads generally have tighter FSB constraints compared to dual-channel chips, which can reach up to 500FSB, but I haven't encountered a 45nm quad operating below 400FSB on a P35 or P45 board—this would cap your e5440 at around 3.4GHz and draw about 110 watts.
The issue is that this CPU struggles with Dota 2 on stock speeds—it can't keep up with my HD5850 Black Edidion+OC. It limits the frame rate and can't maintain stable performance. In team fights it drops to 50, and I need a higher clock speed of around 3.5Ghz for better results.
I applied the Set Fsb tool and reached 3.1Ghz with a 1.3 voltage setting. It looks like anything higher isn't stable and demands excessive power. I'm unsure why the P31 BIOS limits overclocking to 2.89Ghz, but this software seems to be the answer. The clock generator for MSI P31 Neo is: ISC9LPRS514EGLF