Teh_Haxxor

Sorry for posting here, I just signed up to Overclock.net and I wasn't exactly sure which category to put this in, so if its wrong, just spam it and ill move it wherever.

Im in need of some help; not please, if you don't mind, try and post help and not start a giant discussion about this brand or that brand or blah blah blah, just had this case in three other forum sites I tried. I hope that this site can finally help me. Im a new builder, I just spent $1,800 bucks on a new build which is as follows;
-Intel Quad Core 2.83ghz
-XFX 790i Ultra MB
-8gb DDR3 PC1333 (Mushkin)
-2 XFX GTX 260's running SLI
-Cooler Master Hyper N520 CPU cooler
-Dynamo 850w PS
-Sony Optic 24x drive
-500GB WD Caviar Black HDD
-A+ El Diablo Advanced case
-Im running (until December) Windows Vista Ultimate 64bit

Now, after the first MB was DOA I finally got a new one from Newegg, and all was well, or maybe it was. Now me being a first time builder, im not exactly sure the kind of speeds I should be running. Basically i've tried overclocking a bit, Nvidia control panel freezes ANYTIME I try and do anything besides adjust fan speeds, so I downloaded EVGA Precision, and its not the most friendly with my hardware for some reason. I don't feel as if my system is running as it should, no I will say I succesfully overclocked my cpu too 3.4ghz, but I was getting very distant BSOD's and games were freezing for me. My RAM voltages are set from 1.5 too 1.75, should I do this?

Generally I just need some advice from some of your experts on the subjects, and preferably those of you who have or have used some, or all, of my components. You know that feeling when you spend all that money, get your beautifully rig up and running, then just feel like its lagging? Thats what im feeling, and I don't think its right. I run Crysis, all max setting 16x AA at around 15-30 fps, I feel it should be a little higher, things are constantly going wrong with software, such as 3D Mark Vantage will no longer run...is that Vista's fault? I've gotten all the up to date drivers for everything.

And my graphics cards seem to being either giving out, or just giving in, because randomly ill get freezes and my screen will go black saying "Display Drivers have stop responding and have recovered". Anytime I try and really overclock my system I get a BSOD, or wont POST so I have too pull the jumper and reset the CMOS. I built this rig in hopes of a SMOOTH flowing masterpiece, but its turning far from it, I need some help, and I greatly thank any of you who even took the time to read all this. and even more so to those of you who can give me a hand.

Thanks,
Shane

Reflux

Hello, and welcome to Overclock.net

Please fill out full system specifications HERE before we can get around to helping you.

The actual CPU name would benefit, is it a Q6600, Q9550 etc

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Teh_Haxxor

Filled it out, but its a Q9550.

Albatross1991

Stable at 3.4GHz? Occational bluescreens along with your other issues
are signs of instability. How did you stress test at 3.4?

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willis888

Is it stable at stock settings?

What are you plugging into? A surge protector or a battery backup?

Do you have a second power supply that you could try hooking up to one GeForce GTS 260?