R3600 will never be able to overclock in any situation.
R3600 will never be able to overclock in any situation.
Some folks claim they've encountered this problem before, yet I've explored all the solutions I could find on Bing and Google so far. I'm part of the group who still uses a core 2 quad desktop, which has been my top choice to date. It was assembled in 2009 with a Gigabyte MOBO and Q6600 processor. It has held up well against my Asus ROG (the model is fuzzy) i7 laptop from around 2011, even outperforming it in certain games.
However, I'm looking for better performance and decided to overclock it. I stumbled upon this issue while setting it up, but didn't pay much attention until now. I struggle to get my Q6600 to run at higher speeds. The overclock utility on the motherboard is the MB Intelligent Tweaker. Whenever I push the FSB beyond the stock level, the system restarts and reverts to normal speeds. This isn't related to cooling—it's likely a coolermaster air cooler maintaining temperatures around 40°C during heavy use. It could be the cause.
There are rare cases where the BIOS actually detects the clock speed at 3.2 GHz under Windows, but neither CPU-Z nor BIOS updates show any changes. I haven't found a specific F10 BIOS for this board, but it does exist.
Any advice would be appreciated.
Thanks.
There are methods to make your chip operate at an overclocked pace continuously, no matter how it's used. Likely, you're increasing the multiplier and hoping to maintain that speed under any circumstances. In reality, the chip will only exceed the set multiplier when specific situations arise (games, stress tests, etc.).
There is no boost frequency or Turbo available; the default speed, which is a factor of 9, represents the maximum speed. A power-saving option called Speedstep exists, functioning similarly to de-Turbo with a multiplier of 6. FSB overclocking is comparable to BCLK overclocking, and since memory speed depends on FSB, it might be restricting performance. If you have at least DDR2-667, ensure the memory multiplier is set to 2.0 before attempting an overclock.
If your motherboard accommodates 333/1333 FSB CPUs (possibly requiring a BIOS upgrade), then achieving a 3GHz overclock is very close to possible. Two distinct Q6600 models exist: the older B3 stepping SL9UM tends to run hotter and demands higher voltage than the newer G0 SLACR chip. The SLACR typically operates at 3GHz with standard voltage. Increasing the voltage slightly can push a Q6700 to around 3.33GHz in the same manner. All these chips use G0 stepping technology.
There are methods to make your chip run at an overclocked speed continuously, no matter how it's used. Likely you're adjusting the multiplier to a higher value and hoping for consistent performance. In reality, the chip will only overclock up to the level you set when needed (like during games or stress tests). That wasn't my intention, but I understand what you meant. I should have mentioned this in the post, as it was one of my initial concerns. Using Prime95 with an OC didn't affect the speed—it stayed at the original setting throughout. Thanks!
william p: If your motherboard supports 333/1333 FSB CPUs (may require a BIOS update), then a 3GHz OC is just a matter of tape. There were two different Q6600 models— the older B3 stepping SL9UM runs hotter and needs more voltage than the newer G0 SLACR chip. The SLACR typically operates at 3GHz with stock voltage. If you can increase the voltage for a few dollars, a Q6700 will reach 3.33GHz in the same way. All of them are G0 stepping. Yeah, the BSEL mod might be what I consider next. I believe I have the newer SLACR chip because of when I bought it, but I'm not sure. I'll search for a Q6700 on Ebay, though I might go for an Xeon if I get a new chip.
BFG-9000 :
These units lack boost frequency or Turbo, with the default speed being the top setting (multiplied by 9). A power-saving option called Speedstep exists, functioning similarly to de-Turbo and offering a multiplier of 6. FSB overclocking is comparable to BCLK overclocking, as memory speed depends on FSB, which could restrict performance. Ensure your memory multiplier is set to 2.0 if you have at least DDR2-667. Usually I keep it at 2, but adjusting it might be worth considering. It seems possible that PCI-E lanes could impose a limit, though I'm not entirely sure...
No, unless you're using an ATI chipset, PCIe clocks can stay at 100-103MHz on both Intel and nVidia boards without being a problem. Both ATI and nVidia boards were poor overclockers, particularly with quad configurations. With an Intel chipset, adjusting the vCore to around 1.55v and MCH up to 0.2v is straightforward, then boosting the FSB as much as possible—typically between 367 and 400. This would draw about 200w through the chip, necessitating substantial and efficient cooling. That's why most users settled for speeds around 3.3-3.4GHz and 1.4625v for regular use; higher frequencies would have needed advanced cooling solutions, and the Q9650 was introduced the following year using only about 125w at 3.6GHz. Even today, on eBay, the Q9650 remains around $45, whereas the Q6600 has consistently been under $10 to ship for years.
The 3GHz Q6600 doesn't match the performance of a Q9650. The Q6700 at 3.3GHz should be comparable. Several chipsets lack support for Xeon swaps.