Hey Jeff. I had a question since you helped me last. Below is a cut and past from my other tread that you were helping me with titled "Asus Maximus Formula - Recommendations for CPU Cooler". I posted another question, but the thread has gotten a little old and I dont thing you saw it. Anyway below is my question. Nick since you are very knowledgable with OC's and FSX let me know your thoughts if you get a chance. Thanks guys.Hey Jeff. Long time since we last spoke. I have been really busy since you had been helping me with my OC'ing. I had it set up ok, but thought that I was still missing out of a bit of performance increase. I have re-read this thread many times and noticed that in one of your posts you mentioned enabling Load Line Calibration. That seemed to help alot with making steadier performance gains in FS. A few questions since I have been going along, since you have basically the same set up as me.1. I installed PC probe to monitor the NB temps. When I have the NB set to 1.47 - 1.49 V, it idles at around 50 degrees C. Seems a little high to me. What temps are your NB at typically? I ran a p95 test earlier today for 3 hours and then ran FS for about an hour and the NB temps dont seem to get higher than about 53 degrees. If I set the NB voltage to 1.45 V then it idles at around 46 degrees, but I seem to get some video card anomalies with black spikes on the screen, so I have to stay around 1.49 volts or so.2. Since doing the OC, I seem to get the best performance out of setting the vcore at 1.30 v and LLC enabled. Under load CPU-Z reads pretty steady at around 1.28 volts, wehere before enabling LLC the vcore would go down to around 1.24 volts. Is it ok to have the voltage constantly staying that high? Under load with small ffts in p95 the vcore temps never go above 49 degrees. Seems like anything under 50 degrees under load should be safe?3. Finally the last, but most important question. Since OC'ing I seem to have some sound issues with the speakers making some weird crackling noise and some bit of static poping sounds. This is usually only the case when advancing the throttles or making power adjustments. I have tried turning of the hardware acceleration but that hasn't helped. This cracking noise from the speakers is really the only problem I am having with the OC so far. Do you think that I need more voltage somewhere or perhaps I am overvolting somehting? I am running the sound card that came with the board. All was fine with the sound before the OC, so I doubt that the card is bad. Even if I undo the OC and go back to stock setting the sound problem clears up.I will list my setting below so you can check them.Extreme Tweaker Ai Overclock Tuner : Manual CPU Ratio Control : 9FSB Frequency : 400 FSB Strap to North Bridge : 400PCI-E Frequency: 100DRAM Frequency: DDR2- 1066DRAM Command Rate : 2TDRAM Timing Control: Manual CAS# Latency : 5RAS# to CAS# Delay : 5RAS# Precharge : 5RAS# ActivateTime : 15RAS# to RAS# Delay : AutoRow Refresh Cycle Time : AutoWrite Recovery Time : AutoRead to Precharge Time : AutoRead to Write Delay (S/D) : AutoWrite to Read Delay (S) : AutoWrite to Read Delay (D) : AutoRead to Read Delay (S) : AutoRead to Read Delay (D) : AutoWrite to Write Delay (S) : AutoWrite to Write Delay (D) : AutoDRAM Static Read Control: AutoAi Clock Twister : AutoTransaction Booster : AutoCPU Voltage : 1.30CPU PLL Voltage : 1.50North Bridge Voltage : 1.49DRAM Voltage : 2.1FSB Termination Voltage : 1.40South Bridge Voltage : AutoLoadline Calibration : EnabledCPU GTL Reference : AutoNorth Bridge GTL Reference : AutoDDR2 Channel A REF Voltage : AutoDDR2 Channel B REF Voltage : AutoDDR2 Controller REF Voltage : AutoSB 1.5V Voltage : AutoNB LED Selection : NB Volt SB LED Selection : SB Volt CPU LED Selection : CPU VOlt Voltiminder LED : AutoCPU Spread Spectrum : AutoPCIE Spread Spectrum : AutoThank God for the template for the settings posted in the Maximus forum in the link you posted. That would have taken a while to list. I think I read somewhere about changing a setting in the list above PCIE Spread Spectum for someone having sound issues, but I can find the post. Anyway, perhaps you have an idea about the sound problem?Also, you will notice that I haven't tried an changes to the Ai clock twister yet. Not really sure about that setting. I look forward to you thoughts on this. Thanks for all the help you have provided so far.Sean

Q 1: x38 and 48 NB termination temp is 80-90c. You are fine. I like to keep them below 65c and in the 50

Thanks for the reply Nick. I am running an E8400 and an Asus Maximus Formula. Still same answers for this? I was under the impression that you thought I was running a quad. However, since I just built this system in April, I am not ready to upgrade the mobo just yet, maybe after another year or so.I will hang up and listen. In the mean time while I await your reply, I will go in and disable CPU Spread Spectrum and PCIE Spread Spectrum and set those other things to auto.Thanks in advance.Sean

E8400 is fine at 1.40 VTT45nm Quads only have that limitHowever I would keep it under 1.45 and even try to run it on auto unless setting to 1.4 was the only way to get it stableVTT is one voltage that can kill a proc without temps ever showing a problem

Hi Sean,Sorry it took so long but I've been away for some time. I've had some real life stuff to deal with for the last month or so. It's actually a minor miracle that I even saw this post. It looks like Nick has you on the right track though. My CPU voltage is set to 1.40 24/7 and I don't have any problems with it. I'd leave the FSB Termination Voltage on AUTO though. I don't remember if you're using the onboard sound or the Soundblaster card like mine. If it's the latter, make sure it's set to game mode. On rare occasion, I've noticed some popping and crackling issues if I leave it in entertainment mode. Even then, it's very rare that I notice any issues. Re-booting has cleared it up though. I hope all is well with you.Best Regards,JeffNick,I didn't have a chance to thank you for your help in Sean's previous thread. Your explanation on my RAM issues helped alot. It appears that the "'confirmed' permanent linear degeneration" was between my ears. Everything is running great after a few tweaks here and there.Thanks again.Best Regards,Jeff

Hey Jeff good to see you. I figured you were busy with real world stuff. Thats kind of why I dropped out of site during the last post.Nick, I set everything to auto as you suggested and set the other two options to disabled as well.As far as the sound goes, I noticed that I am only having the issues when I am in really dense areas like KDFW or KMIA. If I go fly in less dense areas like FlyTamps St. Marteen there is no problem with the sound.This leads me to wonder if perhaps its not a problem with the sound card, but more like I am needing some more voltage somewhere? I am runnging the NB at 1.49 and the CPU at 1.3 with LLC enabled. Would a lack of Core voltage result in the sound problems when the scenery and AI is dense since it working harder, or would the NB?Jeff, I am using the on board sound card. My hearing isn't great from the years of RW flying without a headset, so I never bought am upgraded sound card. I probably would be able to hear any difference between the two.Thanks guys for the help.Regards,

Strange that sound would only be a problem with heavy scenery.. that is one I have never seen before, although, I have seen on a older P35 system where audio became garbled and strange switching views and then hitting the "Q" button twice cleared the problem.. why, I dont know and never figured that one out. I associated it with FSX because no other audio application on the system up through 5.1 DVD HD playback had any sound issues.Next time it happens, tap the Q button (sound OFF/ON) and see if it clears upNo, voltage in vcore and NB will not have any effect on sound