Next step on my clock?

[macca22au]

Fair comment.  I am at work at the moment so will post them tonight our time.

But off the top it is a

Intel Extreme Quad 6850 3 GHZ
nVidia 8800GTX
4 gigs Cougar 1066mhz RAM
Gigabyte SPxx Motherboard,
X-Fi Soundcard
4HDD; one for the OS and other programmes,
two in RAID0 with FSX only, another partitioned for imaging C and E(raid) drives - using Acronis.
Vista Home Premium 64 bit on C drive

and there will be a 3Ware four port RAID controller installed at the same time.

[macca22au]

Nick the processor is a Q not QX ...6850  3ghz

The motherboard is s Gigabyte SP965P-DS3

I note a previous comment you made about RAM - mine is 4x 1gig of Cougar 1066 DDR2 RAM.  It wouldn't be too expensive to change, but I will be going to DDR3 early next year.  If you think it wise I will do so.

Tje videocard is an XFI 8800GTX
 
The rest as below.  Let me know if there is anything else that you need.  I am also one of those people reluctant to give up my Matrox TH2Go although I know that it tests the system in a major way.

[NickN]

Download this tool

http://www.cpuid.com/download/cpuz_148.zip

Unzip, run CPUz and post the CPU, mainboard, memory and SPD tabs for me


do you mean a GA-965P-DS3?

http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/Products/Mot ... uctID=2314

thats a real old chipset

you wont be clocking very far on that board. It wont do 400MHz

[macca22au]

From CPU-Z

CPU is Intel Core 2 Extreme QX6850@3.000GHZ,
65nm, Socket 775LGA, core voltage 1.296
Clocks core speed 3000 MHZ (varies by .2),  x9, Bus spd 333.3, Rated FSB 1333.4mhz, cache L1 Data 4x32 Kbs, Inst 4x32, Level2 2x4096 Kb

The Mainboard is an S Series, Gigabyte 965-DS3, chipset Intel P965/G965 Rev C2, Southbridge is Intel 82801HB/HR(ICH&R), LPCID is IT8718.  The Bios is Award Software International, F12 dated 05/28/2007.  The graphic interface is PCI-E with a link width x16

Memory is DDR2, 4096 MBytes, DC Mode Symmetric.  Timings are DRAM frequency 416.7 mhz, FSB DRAM 4.5, CAS#latency 5.0 clocks, tRCD and IRP 5.o clocks, cycle time 18 clocks, command rate 27

SPD  Module size 1024mb, Max bandwith PC2-6400 (400mhz), Corsair, SPD extension EPP, week/year 23/06

Timings Table

Freq  Jedec #1 270 Jedec #2  400  EPP#1  400MHZ
Cas Lstency       4.0                5.0               4.0
RAS to CAS          4                   5                   4
RAS precharge      4                   5                   4
IRAS                  13                 18                 12
IRC                    15                 22                 22
Command Rate                                             2T
Voltage                1.8               1.8                 2.100

[NickN]

It says its a QX

[macca22au]

It is Q X definitely

I have only had the board since the middle of last year, so its bad news to find it so old.

I am happy to buy 2x2 gig 1066 if that will help.

Sorry to be the amateur but how do I get into the BIOS?

[macca22au]

I went in through the start up sequence ..  I can see no mention of a STRAP in any context.

[NickN]

[quote]I went in through the start up sequence ..

[macca22au]

Given the terrible state of the Australian dollar I think that I might have to defer my big upgrade of my system I had planned for a few monts ahead.

Therefore if I can replace my mobo with a new and more versatile version I will do so.  At import prices prior to the crash.


It will still mean DDR2 but frankly the predictions are the present 60cents may well slip to 50 against the greenback, which will put prices of top line components well out of range.

[macca22au]

Nick, as a result of this discussion, I am following your expressed views in a slightly arbitrary way.

I am going to install a 9650 on a new mobo, tech details still to come, with the RAID controller.

This means that I can get the parts at prices before the drop in the Aus dollar.  I can keep the DDR2 RAM, and my  8800 GTX, DVD drive etc.

It is a compromise, but one I thought made sense in the present climate.  Hopefully sometime next year, if and when, the situation settles I can look at an i7.  But all of my retirement funds are in government superannuation , and though the losses might appear to be small they are still significant.  Enough to make me realise that my FSX addiction does have boundaries.

I might have had some sense of danger but the fund managers certainly did not!   Greed comes disguised as a so-called performance bonus system, sigh!

[NickN]

If you are going to upgrade the motherboard, then do the memory and the CPU cooler as well which would put you in a much better position to clock

Motherboard

Best

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6813131284


Good

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6813131219



Memory

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6820145197

or

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6820146785


CPU Cooler


http://www.ocztechnology.com/products/c ... cpu_cooler




If you are going to change the motherboard then upgrading the memory would be the way to go at the same time so you can get the perf ot of the system. Memory is critical. To run 1066-1080 at 5-5-5 with 400-450MHz FSB as I outlined to Vic you need the right memory product

The QX6850 is a 65nm processor.. its max speed is going to be 3.6GHz. Because its a QX processor the multiplier is available. That is what you pay 1000 bucks for, the multiplier. You did not have to pay 1000 dollars if you did not intend to clock. The Q6700 is the EXACT SAME processor sold for 250 bucks

Unlike the QX68, the Q96 does NOT allow multiplier changes, therefore the STOCK multiplier is locked and you must use 9 for ALL calculations with a Q96 and, you use FSB to increase the CPU speed. The QX6 allows you to increase or decrease the multiplier and therefore you can run faster CPU speeds without changing the FSB which is why they cost 1000+ dollars. It allows pinpoint clocking adjustments where other procs do not.

[macca22au]

Serious thanks for all of this.  We are tracking down costs and availability in Australia.  I'll report back in 10 days when the job is done.  It won't be exactly the same as I have a personal irresolution about over-clocking to the level you recommend.  I am unskilled and though my tech is good he is not a gamer.

I, like so many others, am grateful that you go to all this trouble to advise and help on these issues.

[NickN]

a 400MHz FSB clock is nothing to the boards and memory I posted

Its a very simplistic clock to perform. The trick is when you start pushing the CPU into the FSX zone which is 3.6GHz and higher.

pushing 450 can get a bit tricky but its really not that hard. For a THtGo you need all the CPU, memory speed and video card you can get

any clock requires the user confirm they are running temps and voltages correct, does not matter if its mild, medium or screaming