Harpertown Xeon BSEL Overclock (E5450)

[Inimigor]

Hello everyone, I'd like to know if anyone has any experience with BSEL mod that could help me with this.

I want to know what BSEL 0, 1 and 2 would do for the FSB, PCI-e and RAM timings on the harpertown chips. The motherboard has the G41 chipset, with DDR3 RAM (I have 1333mhz RAM there now.)




I Basically have never done any Overclocking through BSEL, and I tried putting the tape on points 1 and 2, like people have done in clovertown chips, but didn't post.

Then put only on 1, seems to have booted, but with no difference whatsoever, and only in 2 also didn't post.

Here's the scheme I followed, I found the Original post from XeonTux, but it hasn't been updated in a looooong time.




Anyone has experience with Harpertown Xeons BSEL OC?

I haven't touched the vmod points, too afraid to fry the chip.



And here's the system itself during a few testings after replacing the GPU.



Specs:

CPU: Intel Xeon E5450 @3GHz - LGA771-775 mod

MoBo: Optiplex 380, with a BIOS update for supporting the Xeon properly (Thanks to @harrynowl)

RAM: 6GB (4-2) both kingston 1333mhz, (I have a matching kit on the way, but I am running this 6GB kit with no issues so far)

GPU: Zotac GTX 960 4GB - More on that told in the spoiler below.

PSU: Optiplex 330 stock 280W, frankensteined to deliver ~350W. I'll replace it with a Silverstone SFX 450W, just waiting for it to arrive - More on that frankenstein PSU in the Spoiler.

HDD: 1TB Seagate Barracuda (Hory sheet this bad boy is fast for a mechanical drive)

Case & Fans: The case is from an Optiplex 330, the original PC from this project, I got from a scrap pile on a company I did services for back then. And a Noctua NF-B9 replacing the front fan.



I have been running the Xeon E5450 on a Dell Optiplex 380 motherboard for a few months now, that is my HTPC/portable LAN rig, and it has been rock solid this entire time.

The only BSODs I have ever gotten were due to the motherboard not working with ANY of the PCI wifi cards I had (TP-link, Encore, D-link, Lynksis and even one from Netgear) Wireless B, N and G cards tested. Tested a USB wireless adapter from TP-link and it worked flawlessly.


If you're intersted in the story behind deciding to put a 960 on the Optiplex here it is:

Spoiler

I had a 750ti Low Profile card, and it was all good and fun.

But a friend was trading a reference 7970 + those 6GB of RAM above for any AM3/AM3+ that supported  the Phenom II X6 1100T  + Any GPU that could run DOTA2 decently.

I had an Asus M4A79T-deluxe lying around...
The 750ti...
Crazy ideas "tic-tacing" in my head...
A 7970 lying around to be sold...
and a 960 in my rig!

I was trying to sell my own 7970 because I got the 960 brand new REALLY cheap and since it's a newer generation card, I chose to keep it instead of the 7970, that's why I was selling it.

Looked at the 960, looked at the HTPC, got a measuring tape and started taking notes and somehow realized -I can make it fit- and called the guy.

So I decided to accept the deal and go for the crossfire, got it working and the Optiplex 380 Motherboard I bought was already on it's way but I didn't get around to buy ram for it before. So, having the 6GB there made It all work out perfectly for both.

He got his PC working again and I got a new project in mind!

I had the PCI-e Extension from a backup station I had at my office back when I had a computer fixing shop. Tested it with a cheaper GPU and worked perfectly, then tested with the 960 and my 850W PSU, worked too.

Started cutting the expansion slots sideways from the back of the computer (It's removable, so it was quite easy to do the job) and did a little support bracket on the cover of the CPU heatsink so that it wouldn't go up and down risking damage any of the components, little cutting here, little cutting there and BOOM!

It didn't fit.

I had to cut part of the CPU heasink in order to fit the GPU cooler, the heatpipes were touching the CPU heatsink. and the side panel has a reinforcement accross the middle that would hit the GPU and it wouldn't close. I had to cut a small chunk of it out.
After that, perfect fit. The PCI-e extension was connected and looked like it was planned to be there hahaha.

Then it was a question of powering it properly, I have some experience with PSU fixing and had a 500W Silverstone PSU also lying around, I sacrificed it for the modding gods and replaced A TON of components:

Capacitors
Mosfets
Varistors
Transistors (the transistors for the secondary on both PSU's were pretty hot, cherry picked new ones from a shop that had compatible transistors available, so the heatsink would hold it easier.)
Ferrite Coils
Entirely new bridge rectifier components
Replaced the transformer that isolates the PWM controller for optocouplers due to its smaller size in comparison to the Dell stock transformer for this part of the circutry.
Unfortunately I didn't have any PFC circutry circutry (nor the space for it hahaha)
And I put a 6-pin PCI-e cable. (removing one of the Molex, floppy power and sharing the 12V with a SATA power cable that is for the DVD drive, rarely used)

The card actually has an 8-pin, but I don't want to stress the PSU with any unobligatory load. I put a better fan so that it would be properly cooled, with very little space free for air to go through I put an NF-B9 and hoped for the best. Worked out quite well, powered the 960 under full load with not issues, just a bit too warm for my taste.

Actually 960 rarely stretches it's legs because it is mainly used for Netflix, Keep Talking And Nobody Explodes, Gang Beasts and Rocket League, every now and then I play some DiRT Rally and GTA V, and that's when I can see that PSU is getting quite hot.

Ordered a Silverstone ST45SF 450W power supply for peace of mind and being able to use the 8-pin to maybe achieve some overclocking on that GPU.

A VERY long story but I am quite amused to remember, and share it

 

[FirstArmada]

I wouldn't touch that PSU with a stick from a mile away

[Inimigor]

8 minutes ago, FirstArmada said:

I wouldn't touch that PSU with a stick from a mile away

Hahaha, I really don't recommend.


But seriously, I have worked for 4 years fixing TVs (not flatscreens, the tube ones, f**k those capacitors, so many shocks), Microwaves, Sound Systems and various CEs, I am pretty comfident in my habilities, but others shouldn't ever be hahaha. I practice the "Do as I say, not as I do" A LOT.

If I leave the PSU open to allow for more airflow, it won't get nearly as hot, but that kills the purpose of closing the computer case. I have stress tested it and had very little ripple with it, even while it's hot the ripple is still better than many 350W PSUs at the same load. It is more of a fun project instead of a solution, As I began the Frankensteining, I ordered the Silverstone PSU. Before that I used the computer Open with the 500W PSU outside the case powering the whole thing.

The Silverstone ST45SF is almost here, I think it will arrive by friday. Shipping takes forever in Brazil. Ordered it 17 days ago.
So if nothing catches on fire by the next few days, I should be safe after that.

[Jumper118]

@Cheddle has 

[Cheddle]

Looks like you have all the info you need :-) 

 

I've BCEL clocked some E5430's before. you only need to cover one pin with tape to go from 1333 -> 1600

 

I have attached a picture of what I THOUGHT was the correct pin to cover - but I derped out. you actually need to cover one pin higher up - I have drawn a big red arrow pointing to the pin above the tape that needs to be covered. i.e its not row G its just row H

 

However I don't think you will have a very good time ahead of you.

http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/products/optix/en/optiplex-380-tech-guide.pdf 

page 10 of that document lists the supported CPU's for your Optiplex 380 board and there isnt a single 1600FSB chip listed. 

 

going from 2.6ghz to 3.2ghz on my e5430's was perfectly stable.

 

going from 3.33ghz to 4.0ghz on my X5470 was however not stable at 1.2v - I was planning to do the volt mod (I even have the silver liquid solder in some syringes ready to go) however I sold my T7400 and as such the last of my LGA771/775 gear.

[Inimigor]

17 hours ago, Cheddle said:

...

Well, looking at the specs of the G41 chipset, apparently it only supports up to 1333Mhz fsb. Well, guess I'll just try to get as much as I can out of this processor with setFSB and see if it's stable.

Thanks for the help!

[Inimigor]

(Not quite sure if I should open a new topic for this, or if you could help me with this easily)

Are there any  high end, or at least overclockable BTX motherboards?

Don't mind changing the socket... I have a few decent CPUs here, I have a Phenom II X4 965. I Also have an i5-2300 on my NAS (been meaning to put a Xeon and ECC there, that would be an excuse to finally do it)


         I know there a gazillon better cases around, that would allow easier upgrade paths, but I'm loving this optiplex case, I have quite some history with it now, it fits pretty snuggly in my lan backpack, fills perfectly the space in the TV cabinet previously used for the cable box.
         Maybe sometime when I get crazier with this project I'll find a way to get standard ATX motherboards there (Mini-ITX seems like a "pretty easy" fit after some cutting and drilling.)

         Also it's kind of a unique project, most people that go to lan parties here bring huge, shiny and overall BA looking PCs, and I get there with a small dell, full of scratches and looking like I'll be "playing Excel" instead of GTA V.

        I painted it black at the beggining of the project and didn't clear coat it on purpose, that way it will look very abused and look very old in the end, when I consider it "done" I will clear coat it to keep the "scars of battle". That just adds to the "sleeper" look IMO.



Thanks for even caring to read this much text hahaha!

        PS1: I don't know if this is a proper term but my motherboard seems to be "microBTX" not "full BTX"
        PS2: @Cheddle, dat Tron gif <3
        PS3: @FirstArmada, the SFX PSU just arrived, , now you can be sure my house won't burn to the ground
        PS4: Sucks, #PCMasterRace (Still better than Xbone though)

[Cheddle]

Ive never seen a BTX motherboard in the flesh...

 

I reckon it would be an easier task to hack apart your case and move the I/O and PCIE back section of the case to suit ATX than it would be to find a decent BTX board... and that's not really an easy task.

[Inimigor]

On 12/05/2016 at 6:59 PM, Cheddle said:

Ive never seen a BTX motherboard in the flesh...

 

I reckon it would be an easier task to hack apart your case and move the I/O and PCIE back section of the case to suit ATX than it would be to find a decent BTX board... and that's not really an easy task.

I've seen quite a few hahaha. Amazing design IMO.

Much better thought than ATX, all components are closer to their respective controllers, the format allows easier cable routing for the motherboard and peripherals and also, something that I wished was possible since before even I knew of BTX; the GPU faces up, so if you have a card with sick looking shroud (Like the 6970 from XFX has) it would actually face up, and you'd be able to see it in all of its glory! (I know reversed ATX cases are a thing now, but back then it wasn't).

Unfortunately (to me at least) it was not adopted by many users and manufactures soon dropped it. Even though in theory the design would make it cheaper for manufacturers.

The best BTX board I could find was the Dell Optiplex 980 board, or an HP Compaq 6200 (Wich has propietary power connectors, not a big deal, but a pain in the ass), maybe there are some Lenovo/IBM server boards, but I didn't look them up too much.

Also found an AMD BTX board, the Optiplex 580 has AM3 socket. Maybe if I go for Zen, I'll get a 580 and drop my 1090T in it.

BTX to ATX conversion is quite hard, but should be doable, needs some differences in reinforcements and quite a lot of soldering for the I/O and would be very hard to route the cables with any mATX boards, Mini ITX would be easier, since it would be able to reuse the IO space, just requires a bigger PCI-e extension.

[Muhammad Osama]

On 5/12/2016 at 1:25 AM, Inimigor said:

Hello everyone, I'd like to know if anyone has any experience with BSEL mod that could help me with this.

I want to know what BSEL 0, 1 and 2 would do for the FSB, PCI-e and RAM timings on the harpertown chips. The motherboard has the G41 chipset, with DDR3 RAM (I have 1333mhz RAM there now.)




I Basically have never done any Overclocking through BSEL, and I tried putting the tape on points 1 and 2, like people have done in clovertown chips, but didn't post.

Then put only on 1, seems to have booted, but with no difference whatsoever, and only in 2 also didn't post.

Here's the scheme I followed, I found the Original post from XeonTux, but it hasn't been updated in a looooong time.




Anyone has experience with Harpertown Xeons BSEL OC?

I haven't touched the vmod points, too afraid to fry the chip.



And here's the system itself during a few testings after replacing the GPU.



Specs:

CPU: Intel Xeon E5450 @3GHz - LGA771-775 mod

MoBo: Optiplex 380, with a BIOS update for supporting the Xeon properly (Thanks to @harrynowl)

RAM: 6GB (4-2) both kingston 1333mhz, (I have a matching kit on the way, but I am running this 6GB kit with no issues so far)

GPU: Zotac GTX 960 4GB - More on that told in the spoiler below.

PSU: Optiplex 330 stock 280W, frankensteined to deliver ~350W. I'll replace it with a Silverstone SFX 450W, just waiting for it to arrive - More on that frankenstein PSU in the Spoiler.

HDD: 1TB Seagate Barracuda (Hory sheet this bad boy is fast for a mechanical drive)

Case & Fans: The case is from an Optiplex 330, the original PC from this project, I got from a scrap pile on a company I did services for back then. And a Noctua NF-B9 replacing the front fan.



I have been running the Xeon E5450 on a Dell Optiplex 380 motherboard for a few months now, that is my HTPC/portable LAN rig, and it has been rock solid this entire time.

The only BSODs I have ever gotten were due to the motherboard not working with ANY of the PCI wifi cards I had (TP-link, Encore, D-link, Lynksis and even one from Netgear) Wireless B, N and G cards tested. Tested a USB wireless adapter from TP-link and it worked flawlessly.


If you're intersted in the story behind deciding to put a 960 on the Optiplex here it is:

  Reveal hidden contents

I had a 750ti Low Profile card, and it was all good and fun.

But a friend was trading a reference 7970 + those 6GB of RAM above for any AM3/AM3+ that supported  the Phenom II X6 1100T  + Any GPU that could run DOTA2 decently.

I had an Asus M4A79T-deluxe lying around...
The 750ti...
Crazy ideas "tic-tacing" in my head...
A 7970 lying around to be sold...
and a 960 in my rig!

I was trying to sell my own 7970 because I got the 960 brand new REALLY cheap and since it's a newer generation card, I chose to keep it instead of the 7970, that's why I was selling it.

Looked at the 960, looked at the HTPC, got a measuring tape and started taking notes and somehow realized -I can make it fit- and called the guy.

So I decided to accept the deal and go for the crossfire, got it working and the Optiplex 380 Motherboard I bought was already on it's way but I didn't get around to buy ram for it before. So, having the 6GB there made It all work out perfectly for both.

He got his PC working again and I got a new project in mind!

I had the PCI-e Extension from a backup station I had at my office back when I had a computer fixing shop. Tested it with a cheaper GPU and worked perfectly, then tested with the 960 and my 850W PSU, worked too.

Started cutting the expansion slots sideways from the back of the computer (It's removable, so it was quite easy to do the job) and did a little support bracket on the cover of the CPU heatsink so that it wouldn't go up and down risking damage any of the components, little cutting here, little cutting there and BOOM!

It didn't fit.

I had to cut part of the CPU heasink in order to fit the GPU cooler, the heatpipes were touching the CPU heatsink. and the side panel has a reinforcement accross the middle that would hit the GPU and it wouldn't close. I had to cut a small chunk of it out.
After that, perfect fit. The PCI-e extension was connected and looked like it was planned to be there hahaha.

Then it was a question of powering it properly, I have some experience with PSU fixing and had a 500W Silverstone PSU also lying around, I sacrificed it for the modding gods and replaced A TON of components:

Capacitors
Mosfets
Varistors
Transistors (the transistors for the secondary on both PSU's were pretty hot, cherry picked new ones from a shop that had compatible transistors available, so the heatsink would hold it easier.)
Ferrite Coils
Entirely new bridge rectifier components
Replaced the transformer that isolates the PWM controller for optocouplers due to its smaller size in comparison to the Dell stock transformer for this part of the circutry.
Unfortunately I didn't have any PFC circutry circutry (nor the space for it hahaha)
And I put a 6-pin PCI-e cable. (removing one of the Molex, floppy power and sharing the 12V with a SATA power cable that is for the DVD drive, rarely used)

The card actually has an 8-pin, but I don't want to stress the PSU with any unobligatory load. I put a better fan so that it would be properly cooled, with very little space free for air to go through I put an NF-B9 and hoped for the best. Worked out quite well, powered the 960 under full load with not issues, just a bit too warm for my taste.

Actually 960 rarely stretches it's legs because it is mainly used for Netflix, Keep Talking And Nobody Explodes, Gang Beasts and Rocket League, every now and then I play some DiRT Rally and GTA V, and that's when I can see that PSU is getting quite hot.

Ordered a Silverstone ST45SF 450W power supply for peace of mind and being able to use the 8-pin to maybe achieve some overclocking on that GPU.

A VERY long story but I am quite amused to remember, and share it

 

i have also a dual e5430 in my dell precision t7400 can i use this mod on my cpu.. and if yes then i have a question.. i just have to tape one pin of row "H" am i ri8?

[Inimigor]

4 hours ago, Muhammad Osama said:

i have also a dual e5430 in my dell precision t7400 can i use this mod on my cpu.. and if yes then i have a question.. i just have to tape one pin of row "H" am i ri8?

I don't know how the T7400 will take the mod, Dell motherboards are not really "happy" to overclock,

But if your mobo can take the 400mhz, then yes, it's basically taping the "1" on row H and celebrating, it's a base clock overclock, so maybe PCI-e and RAM won't like it so much, but it's worth a shot!

[Muhammad Osama]

4 hours ago, Inimigor said:

I don't know how the T7400 will take the mod, Dell motherboards are not really "happy" to overclock,

But if your mobo can take the 400mhz, then yes, it's basically taping the "1" on row H and celebrating, it's a base clock overclock, so maybe PCI-e and RAM won't like it so much, but it's worth a shot!

Thanks i will try and then inform u

[Serj.B]

On 5/12/2016 at 4:25 AM, Inimigor said:

Hello everyone, I'd like to know if anyone has any experience with BSEL mod that could help me with this.

I want to know what BSEL 0, 1 and 2 would do for the FSB, PCI-e and RAM timings on the harpertown chips. The motherboard has the G41 chipset, with DDR3 RAM (I have 1333mhz RAM there now.)




I Basically have never done any Overclocking through BSEL, and I tried putting the tape on points 1 and 2, like people have done in clovertown chips, but didn't post.

Then put only on 1, seems to have booted, but with no difference whatsoever, and only in 2 also didn't post.

Here's the scheme I followed, I found the Original post from XeonTux, but it hasn't been updated in a looooong time.




Anyone has experience with Harpertown Xeons BSEL OC?

I haven't touched the vmod points, too afraid to fry the chip.



And here's the system itself during a few testings after replacing the GPU.



Specs:

CPU: Intel Xeon E5450 @3GHz - LGA771-775 mod

MoBo: Optiplex 380, with a BIOS update for supporting the Xeon properly (Thanks to @harrynowl)

RAM: 6GB (4-2) both kingston 1333mhz, (I have a matching kit on the way, but I am running this 6GB kit with no issues so far)

GPU: Zotac GTX 960 4GB - More on that told in the spoiler below.

PSU: Optiplex 330 stock 280W, frankensteined to deliver ~350W. I'll replace it with a Silverstone SFX 450W, just waiting for it to arrive - More on that frankenstein PSU in the Spoiler.

HDD: 1TB Seagate Barracuda (Hory sheet this bad boy is fast for a mechanical drive)

Case & Fans: The case is from an Optiplex 330, the original PC from this project, I got from a scrap pile on a company I did services for back then. And a Noctua NF-B9 replacing the front fan.



I have been running the Xeon E5450 on a Dell Optiplex 380 motherboard for a few months now, that is my HTPC/portable LAN rig, and it has been rock solid this entire time.

The only BSODs I have ever gotten were due to the motherboard not working with ANY of the PCI wifi cards I had (TP-link, Encore, D-link, Lynksis and even one from Netgear) Wireless B, N and G cards tested. Tested a USB wireless adapter from TP-link and it worked flawlessly.


If you're intersted in the story behind deciding to put a 960 on the Optiplex here it is:

  Reveal hidden contents

I had a 750ti Low Profile card, and it was all good and fun.

But a friend was trading a reference 7970 + those 6GB of RAM above for any AM3/AM3+ that supported  the Phenom II X6 1100T  + Any GPU that could run DOTA2 decently.

I had an Asus M4A79T-deluxe lying around...
The 750ti...
Crazy ideas "tic-tacing" in my head...
A 7970 lying around to be sold...
and a 960 in my rig!

I was trying to sell my own 7970 because I got the 960 brand new REALLY cheap and since it's a newer generation card, I chose to keep it instead of the 7970, that's why I was selling it.

Looked at the 960, looked at the HTPC, got a measuring tape and started taking notes and somehow realized -I can make it fit- and called the guy.

So I decided to accept the deal and go for the crossfire, got it working and the Optiplex 380 Motherboard I bought was already on it's way but I didn't get around to buy ram for it before. So, having the 6GB there made It all work out perfectly for both.

He got his PC working again and I got a new project in mind!

I had the PCI-e Extension from a backup station I had at my office back when I had a computer fixing shop. Tested it with a cheaper GPU and worked perfectly, then tested with the 960 and my 850W PSU, worked too.

Started cutting the expansion slots sideways from the back of the computer (It's removable, so it was quite easy to do the job) and did a little support bracket on the cover of the CPU heatsink so that it wouldn't go up and down risking damage any of the components, little cutting here, little cutting there and BOOM!

It didn't fit.

I had to cut part of the CPU heasink in order to fit the GPU cooler, the heatpipes were touching the CPU heatsink. and the side panel has a reinforcement accross the middle that would hit the GPU and it wouldn't close. I had to cut a small chunk of it out.
After that, perfect fit. The PCI-e extension was connected and looked like it was planned to be there hahaha.

Then it was a question of powering it properly, I have some experience with PSU fixing and had a 500W Silverstone PSU also lying around, I sacrificed it for the modding gods and replaced A TON of components:

Capacitors
Mosfets
Varistors
Transistors (the transistors for the secondary on both PSU's were pretty hot, cherry picked new ones from a shop that had compatible transistors available, so the heatsink would hold it easier.)
Ferrite Coils
Entirely new bridge rectifier components
Replaced the transformer that isolates the PWM controller for optocouplers due to its smaller size in comparison to the Dell stock transformer for this part of the circutry.
Unfortunately I didn't have any PFC circutry circutry (nor the space for it hahaha)
And I put a 6-pin PCI-e cable. (removing one of the Molex, floppy power and sharing the 12V with a SATA power cable that is for the DVD drive, rarely used)

The card actually has an 8-pin, but I don't want to stress the PSU with any unobligatory load. I put a better fan so that it would be properly cooled, with very little space free for air to go through I put an NF-B9 and hoped for the best. Worked out quite well, powered the 960 under full load with not issues, just a bit too warm for my taste.

Actually 960 rarely stretches it's legs because it is mainly used for Netflix, Keep Talking And Nobody Explodes, Gang Beasts and Rocket League, every now and then I play some DiRT Rally and GTA V, and that's when I can see that PSU is getting quite hot.

Ordered a Silverstone ST45SF 450W power supply for peace of mind and being able to use the 8-pin to maybe achieve some overclocking on that GPU.

A VERY long story but I am quite amused to remember, and share it

 

Hello! Please draw which contacts to close and which to insulate ,which would turn out to be 1.3750 volts . I can't figure it out

[Serj.B]

In general, it is clear, you do not know where you copied it

[Inimigor]

On 4/2/2021 at 10:25 AM, Serj.B said:

Hello! Please draw which contacts to close and which to insulate ,which would turn out to be 1.3750 volts . I can't figure it out

I just did the tiny square of electrical tape on 1 for BSEL mod.

But checking on the VID what you'd need to do is bridge VID 5 to the ground on its left, and the VID02 to the ground below it and VID1, wich apparently is not feasible, to get 1.3750. You'd either have to go back to 1.3625 or all the way up to 1.3875.