[solved] Q6600 limited to 1600 MHz all of a sudden

[LoRd_MuldeR]

Hi!

I recently discovered that my Q6600 seems to be limited to 1600 MHz although it should run at 2400 MHz.

According to CPU-Z v1.45, I get the following values:
* Core Speed: 1600.0 MHz
* Multiplier: x 6.0
* Bus Speed: 266.7 MHz
* Rated FSB: 1066.7 MHz

I'm pretty sure that it went up to "Multiplier: x 9.0" and "Core Speed 2400.0 MHz" before, when I put a bit load on the CPU.
But now I can watch a 1080 HD trailer with heavy framedrops (using ffdshow decoder) and still it remains at 1600 MHz :(

Any idea what could be the cause for that?
I also tried using that nasty "I-Cool" program and set it to "maximum" performance. But no difference in CPU-Z...


Although I did not change any BIOS settings on my GA-P35-DS3R board, I wonder if those are correct :confused:

MB Intelligent Tweaker (M.I.T.)
* CPU Clock Ratio: 6x
* CPU Host Clock Control: DISABLED
* PCI Express Frequency: AUTO
* C.I.A. 2: DISABLED
* System Memory Multiplier: AUTO

Advanced BIOS Features
* CPU Enhanced Halt: ENABLED
* CPU Thermal Monitor 2: ENABLED
* CPU EIST Function: ENABLED

PC Health Status:
* Smart Fan Control Method: AUTO
* Smart Fan Control Mode: AUTO

Especially "CPU Clock Ratio: 6x" makes me wonder, but I definitely didn't lower that value.
Nevertheless I don't want to raise it to 9x, until I'm 100% sure...


Any help would be appreciated. For more details see:
http://img222.imageshack.us/img222/4901/myspecsva0.png

That screenshot is a bit older and still shows 2400 MHz :rolleyes:


// EDIT

Sorry, I clicked the wrong sub-forum by mistake.
Thread should be moved from "Hardware players" to "PC Hard & Software" :o

[saint-francis]

Please try to disable the CPU features and manually set the multiplier to 9x. Are there any other CPU features listed in your BIOS than the ones you posted?

[LoRd_MuldeR]

Please try to disable the CPU features and manually set the multiplier to 9x.
So you say that "9x" is the default multiplier for an Q6600? That's what I thought too, but I wasn't 100% sure.
And I don't want to risk anything, because my "boxed" cooler definitely wasn't made for overclocking...

Are there any other CPU features listed in your BIOS than the ones you posted?
None that should be related to the Clock Speed, except I missed something...

[XhmikosR]

This is how the cpu works. When there is load it raises the multiplier to 9. If there is not enough load the multiplier stays to 6. This is for "economy" reasons.

EDIT: Sorry I now read your first post completely. Did you try to set to default the bios? Also have you considered to update (http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/Support/Motherboard/BIOS_Model.aspx?ProductID=2543) the bios? And yes the default maximum multiplier is 9 so 9x266=2.4GHz. Did you try to disable this feature?

[LoRd_MuldeR]

Thanks for your help!

I have now set the multiplier to "9x" in the BIOS Setup and the previous behavior seems to restored after reboot:
Clock will run at "x 6.0" (1600 MHz) by default and increase to "x 9.0" (2400 MHz) at high CPU load.

Wonder how this could happen, I definitely did not touch the multiplier setting in the BIOS! Anyway, it's fixed now :)

[saint-francis]

The settings that are responsible for this function are EIST and C1E. If you want it to always be at 9 x just disable them. Personally I love this feature.:p

[LoRd_MuldeR]

The settings that are responsible for this function are EIST and C1E. If you want it to always be at 9 x just disable them. Personally I love this feature.:p

No, I don't want to disable EIST. I love that feature too :)

But what I hate is always being limited to 1600 MHz, even if there is ultra heavy CPU load :p

Problem is fixed now and performance has increased noticeable, e.g. for HD playback :cool:

[nfm]

You should have no problem running your quad at 3.2Ghz with stock cooler and voltage.

[ACrowley]

You should have no problem running your quad at 3.2Ghz with stock cooler and voltage.

yep clocking down Vcore and Multi to 6 is EIST/C1E Feature in idle Mode. Its no Problem which needs to be solved

When youre running a app/game/movie the Q6600 runs @ full ( required)Vcore/Multi
I never had any Perfomance Problems with it

Really good Feature and nothing to disable imho..
Sadly most Board wont support overclocking + EIST/C1E/Speedstep together with overclocking (reducing Multi stilll works ,but vcore not)
My Asus Maximus Formula cant use it with overclock, but a Gigabyte ga x38 ds 4 can run all these Features together with overclock when loadline calibration is disabled

About overclocking a Q6600 :


My q6600 has a VID of 1.3000 ,BUT it runs rockstable at 3Ghz with "only" 1,23Volt:cool: So i can run it on my Scythe Mine Rev B Cooler @ 5V Fan Voltage (Noctua NFS 12 120mm)
So its all about finding the maximum Clock with lowest possible vcore

All q6600 with g0 Stepping should run @3Ghz with default Vcore (or lower)

[LoRd_MuldeR]

1. I know pretty good what EIST/C1E does. The problem was that the clock never want any higher than 1600 MHz, even at heavy load ;)
2. The problem was a wrong BIOS setting for "CPU Clock Ratio" and it's fixed now!
3. According to CPU-Z, my Q6600 is Revision "B3" (Stepping 7). From what I've read, those are pretty hard to cool...

[saint-francis]

1.
3. According to CPU-Z, my Q6600 is Revision "B3" (Stepping 7). From what I've read, those are pretty hard to cool...

May not be so. I have had two G0's and one B3 and the B3 didn't produce much more heat per volt than my G0's. Really it's more about the VID than the stepping. The G0 are "supposed" to need less power. That's all. Personally My Q6600 runs steadily at a 50% overclock at 1.33 volts with C1E/EIST enabled and no vdroop modifications (in BIOS or hard mod). My first was a B3 and my second was a G0. The B3 beat the bag out of the first G0 on all fronts. It's worth it IMO to get a good heat sink though, even if you aren't planning on overclocking. But the step from 2.4 to 3.0 is so easy with the Q6600 that it's just too tempting not to do.

[ACrowley]

1. I know pretty good what EIST/C1E does. The problem was that the clock never want any higher than 1600 MHz, even at heavy load ;)
2. The problem was a wrong BIOS setting for "CPU Clock Ratio" and it's fixed now!
3. According to CPU-Z, my Q6600 is Revision "B3" (Stepping 7). From what I've read, those are pretty hard to cool...

Ok...Problem solved

Yes B3 Stepping is mostly little bit higher to clock. Also B3 Stepping 6600 runs at higher Temps
But 3Ghz should be no Problem at all with stock Vcore/Clock

Whats your VID ?

[LoRd_MuldeR]

Whats your VID ?

How can I find out? Can't see that info in CPU-Z :confused:

At least the "Core Voltage" moves somewhere in the range between 1.136 and 1.248 volts, according to CPU-Z ...

BTW: I'm not interested in overclocking, running stable at 1.6/2.4 GHz is fine for the time being :)

[nfm]

Use CoreTemp to get the VID value. B3 are warmer and harder to OC, but as ACrowley said 3Ghz should no problem, I thought you had a G0. I run my G0 at 3.8Ghz@1.44 load using TRUE120 cooler or custom watercooling. It can do 3D benching at 4.35Ghz and 1M SuperPI at 4.4Ghz http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showpost.php?p=2836497&postcount=23

[LoRd_MuldeR]

http://img412.imageshack.us/img412/6544/vidjg7.png

[saint-francis]

Yeah that's a pretty high VID. That will limit you if you wanted to overclock much more than about 3.3 or so with AIR. But honestly you could easily get to 3.0 with a low price heat sink or maybe even with the stock heat sink. It is really easy to get to 3.0. Just raise the FSB to 333 and that's all. Depending on your motherboard you may also be able to keep using EIST with the overclock. It will produce slightly more heat.

[chris57]

Good guide here for O/C Gigabyte mobo's:-
http://forums.tweaktown.com/f69/gigabyte-x38-p35-p965-ds-dq-s3-overclocking-general-bios-tweaking-guide-26112/

[Blue_MiSfit]

holy crapoley, that's one hot Q6600!!! I get nervous when my cores get above 75c, and that's pretty aggressive. I think thermal shutdown is 85c!

I would get some more cooling in there stat! It's also possible the thermal interface isn't very good!

~MiSfit

[LoRd_MuldeR]

I get nervous when my cores get above 75c, and that's pretty aggressive. I think thermal shutdown is 85c!

Nope, I already was above that temperature and it still was running stable :p

[Blue_MiSfit]

Still, that's damned hot! I'd be nervous, and get some more cooling - that's all I'm saying :)

~Misfit

[squid_80]

I agree, way too hot. My B1 stepping Q6600 doesn't run that hot and it's a PITA to keep cool.

EDIT: Hmm, I just downloaded and checked core temp's temperatures against those reported by speedfan (which I know to be accurate) and core temp reports all temperatures 15C hotter.

[LoRd_MuldeR]

Still, that's damned hot! I'd be nervous, and get some more cooling - that's all I'm saying :)

~Misfit

That's an original "boxed" cooler and the CPU is running at official default clock speed.
If that breaks the CPU, it's really not my fault...

BTW: I often do 12+ hours encoding sessions at 100% CPU load and no crash so far :p


@squid_80:
Thanks for the info. I will give Speedfan a try...

[LoRd_MuldeR]

Nope, CoreTemp and SpeedFan give exactly the same core temperatures here.
Nevertheless SpeedFan shows some addition sensors: "Temp1" and "Temp2", both at ~55°C

[squid_80]

Weird. Just me then ;)

http://216.75.63.164/andrew/temps.jpg

Speedfan reports the same temps as the bios system health info.

[LoRd_MuldeR]

AFAIK temperatures are reported by the CPU/Sensor as Delta from "Tj. Max".
So it's: Temperature = "Tj. Max" - Delta

Maybe CoreTemp is uisng a wrong "Tj. Max" on your system? Just an idea...

[squid_80]

From reading around, I think it's more likely core temp is using the correct tj max (100C) and speedfan + the bios are using the wrong tj max (85C). Makes me feel better about pulling the box apart last week to clean and reseat the heatsink (zalman 7000) - it was running 10C hotter before.

(Engineering samples are not always what they're cracked up to be.)

[LoRd_MuldeR]

Cleaning the heatsink definitely rocks :D

Before: http://img412.imageshack.us/img412/6544/vidjg7.png After: http://img515.imageshack.us/img515/1502/coretempti1.png