Rating 6600 isn't displaying the OC in Windows or CPUZ.
Rating 6600 isn't displaying the OC in Windows or CPUZ.
Hello, I understand there are many discussions around this subject, and I believe I've reviewed all of them (at least 10-15) without success.
In any case, this is the first time I've attempted to overclock a CPU. It's a Core2Quad Q6600 running on a GA-P35-DS3R with 8GB of DDR2 RAM.
My goal was to reach 3.0GHz (even though I could eventually do that). I set the multiplier to 9 and adjusted the bus speed to 333. I didn't change any other parameters.
After applying these changes, the BIOS displayed 3.0GHz, and I assumed I'd saved the settings, but upon restarting, the POST screen still showed 2.4GHz. I rechecked in BIOS to confirm the changes were applied, but the values remained unchanged (3.0GHz/9x333).
When I opened Windows CPUZ afterward, it also confirmed the stock speed of 2.4GHz.
I adjusted the voltage slightly, but it didn't help much. The system would keep booting at the default speed.
I'd like to note that the RAM modules differ. That could be the reason behind the issue. All of them are compatible with 667MHz, so perhaps the discrepancy in performance is due to variations.
I experimented with various settings, but no matter what I tried, the PC consistently ran at the original speed.
I didn't. I would have remembered the setting. I did set the powerplan to High Performance, but I can't locate the Speedstep option in the BIOS. Edit: I just discovered the CPU EIST Function, which is essentially Intel Speedstep on gigabyte mobos and it was already turned off. Is there possibly a physical switch on the mobo that prevents overclocking? A friend mentioned this, but I'm not sure if they're correct.
I've never come across information about a switch or OC lock on a motherboard, but you can check the Gigabytes website for details.
Remove the PCI Express off Auto setting, unless you wish to manually configure the memory. Avoid modifying the PCIE as it might cause damage; stick to the default speeds unless you're adjusting the RAM and testing the changes.
I hadn't mentioned this before since the images didn't work for me, but now that I see them, you should make those adjustments. These steps were necessary for my secondary system running a Q9550 @ 3.5ghz with 8gb 800mhz DDR2 @ 800mhz. I also recently updated a client's Q8400 @ 3.0ghz. However, those setups use MSI and ASUS boards.
Did you follow a tutorial or simply decide to change the base frequency?
I was checking various YouTube guides. They all suggest setting the multiplier to 9 and the CPU host frequency to 333 if I wanted to overclock it to 3.0. If I were confident, I’d even try a faster speed, but 3.0GHz appears to be a secure limit for the Q6600. As you can observe, the RAM slot #2 doesn’t offer a 333MHz choice, while the others do.
I’m sorry if my advice comes across as unprofessional, but this is my first attempt at overclocking a CPU, and I’m unsure whether memory speeds and voltages really matter. My goal was simply to increase the CPU speed slightly so my girlfriend could enjoy a few frames in her games. Although it’s an older CPU, we can’t afford something better, and she mostly plays 2-3 titles (mainly Overwatch and WoW).
In Overwatch, she currently runs at around 60fps (limited) until the enemy team appears, after which her FPS drops to 25-30... that’s quite frustrating. That’s why I’m curious if overclocking will bring any improvements. The GPU should handle the game smoothly at 60fps on medium settings (resolution 1280x1024). This clearly points to a CPU bottleneck.
What I’d recommend is resetting the CMOS and trying again.
Also, the motherboard we’re discussing was purchased to replace a GA-P31-S3G because it only had two RAM slots, and I wanted to upgrade her system to 8GB of DDR2 RAM. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find compatible RAM modules, so I bought what was available online. Before swapping the older motherboard, I attempted to overclock the CPU first (on the old board) and it worked (probably). In Windows System Properties, it showed 2.40GHz next to 3GHz. I don’t understand why both speeds appeared, but on that board, Windows 7 actually recognized an overclocked CPU.
Remove the PCI Express connection from the FSB, configure the RAM to 266.7 for standard module speeds, and attempt a CPU overclock.
Hello once more. Apologies for my delayed reply; I had to go to my girlfriend's place before I could do anything, which made it take me a few days to try what you suggested.
In the pictures I shared this time, you can see the "progress" I've made. I first updated the BIOS to the latest version and tested all settings. I adjusted the System Memory multiplier to 2.00 (the lowest available) and experimented with the CPU voltage (default is 1.32500, changed to 1.35000V without any success). After restarting the PC, the BIOS settings remain unchanged, but on the post screen and in CPUZ I still see the stock values. I'm puzzled because the BIOS shows 3.0, while the post screen displays 9x266.7 (2.4GHz). I even disabled the EIST function, but that didn't help either. I removed two of the "random" sticks and left only the two Kingston ones, but it still didn't work. I also tried using just one stick, but that didn't resolve the issue.
I have some screenshots of the current BIOS settings here.
Additionally, some people on YouTube and forums mentioned these numbers—should I adjust them in the BIOS as well?