Is it safe to manually lower CPU voltage?

Hey guys, I have a Q6600 and want to stay at stock 2.4 GHz per core/1066 FSB(for now w/ out an after-market Fan/HS)...

Is it safe to lower the voltage to my CPU until the computer won't start and figure out the lowest voltage required for my system to run stable at stock speeds?

Lowering the voltage from the 'Auto' setting(1.3125 volts) to manual in the BIOS(running at 1.1000 volts according to BIOS right now CPUZ detects lower volts) has cooled it off by 30 degrees celsius while doing stress testing.



PS: I have DDR2-800 RAM that is manually timed to 4-4-3-8(the factory tested timing of this RAM) since the BIOS auto throws it to 5-5-5-12 timings at the stock speed b/c its default is only 1.8 vlts per DIMM, and it is designed to run off of 2.2 volts per DIMM slot, but I have it manually set to 2.0 and it does that factory timing without any errors after an hour of stress testing.

 

Most modern CPUs have built in protections for dozens of fault conditions. In the days of Pentium 1, running at a low voltage could leave sections of the die in an indeterminate state, resulting in possible damage. There is one caveat to remember when dialing down the voltage. You may reduce the operating temperature and increase temperature stability, but because the noise to signal ratio is increased, this can result in many more instability errors.
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If I run a stress test for an hour without problems does that mean I'm not going to take a hit with instablity errors at my current voltage?

The Vcore failed when I set manual voltage to 1.05000 volts. It ran stress tests without errors at 1.10000 volts. Currently, its set to 1.1125 volts and testing with Prime95 all 4 cores 100% used has been getting no errors.

 

30 degrees celsius? wow how hot was that thing? I had all 4 cores at 100 % for 72 hours and only got to 49 degrees? If it stays stable for 24 hours at that voltage you should be fine but I would test it and bump it up 1 or 2 notches just to make sure but thats just my opinion

 

Well, I set it back to default because my system hung up trying to come out of standby mode.

Funny, when I use the 'Auto' voltage the core speed goes from 1.6 GHz to stock 2.4 GHz every few seconds.

Is that the voltage or my BIOS having C1E enabled? It was off with custom voltage.

PS: With stock voltage and running Prime for 1 hour the celsius was up into the 80s under 100% full load. I have the stock fan...it sucks. Is Core Temp displaying my temp over by 15 degrees celsius? Its funny. When I boot and go into the BIOS it reads the temp usually by 10-15 degrees celsius cooler compared to Core Temp after booting the system.

 

i run the stock fan also. The bios usually has the right temp. I would remove the heatsink , scrape off the goop and apply new thermal paste and make sure heatsink is seated properly. I have the b3 stepping which is supposedly hotter then the go also do you have good airflow in the case? I had a cone on my side panel which I removed and put an 80mm fan on it blowing on the cpu I idle at 29c and 49c max.

 

I have the B3 stepping version myself. I have an Antec 900 case. There is an 80mm slot on the side panel over the CPU so I could do the same as you. Is it best to blow out of the case with the side fan or into the fan/heatsink? I used Artic Silver on the initial install and I don't believe that is the issue. My case has excellent air flow. I believe idle; right now with lowering my voltage, its at 26 celsius. Core Temp says around 40 but when I reboot it says 26.

 

i have the fan blowing in on cpu . What program are you using to monitor temps? What kind of motherboard are you running?

 

I'm using Core Temp 0.95 version to monitor the temp. At full load for an hour now the first core is hovering between 70-72 celsius. I'm hoping that its 15 celsius hotter than actual temp. Which would put it at around 55-57 degrees celsius under full load.

Still, a little warm, but nothing dangerous like this 70-72 reading is.


I'd prefer to be under 60 celsius for life-span purposes. Then again, when will all 4 cores actually be used other than stress testing?

I have a Gigabyte DS3L, P35 chipset.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128059

 

"I'd prefer to be under 60 celsius for life-span purposes. Then again, when will all 4 cores actually be used other than stress testing?"

Perhaps you would be better off leaving the voltage alone?
Improving cooling if you are worried about heat is a better way to go.

On the other hand, it sure sounds like good bragging rights - lowest CPU voltage at stock speeds.

 

Yeah, the only real reason I did lower the voltage was because Core Temp was displaying such a high reading when stress testing. The lowest voltage I got before v-core failed to initialize was a little under 1.10000 volts.

I did stress testing after lowering the voltage and according to Core Temp it went down either 20 or 30 degrees celsius. I'm pretty sure Core Temp must be calculating mine 15 too high.

 

ok well then core temp doesnt play well with gigabyte boards I guess. I loaded it and it said my cores were at 59c + but gigabytes monitor (and bios)
that came with board both show 42c under 50% load.follow the link below
http://www.gigabyte-usa.com/Support/Motherboard/Utility_Model.aspx?ProductID=2560
scroll down to easy tune and dl and install . It will monitor temps for you correctly

 

Yeah, I did have that installed before. I forgot about the temperature feature. DOH!

 

let me know what it reads now

 

EasyTune doesn't detect CPU fan speed, but the temperature idle is around 26-28 degrees C.

At the same time CoreTemp is reading 40 degrees celsius on average(43/37/36/42 per core)...

EasyTune reads the temp under full load to be from 49-51.

Man, what a relief!

 

since easy tune is made for the board in question I would tend to believe it more