Über-mega-ultra HLDS server

[aXoTi.]

Ok, I have quite some experience with SRCDS servers, but what I need now is a configuration for a box that will only be used for 2 HLDS servers. There will be not a single other thing hosted up there, so I really need them to be Über good. The machine is:

Intel Core2Quad Quadcore Q6600, 4 Core's with each
2,4 Ghz, 2x 4MB Cache
3x 2048 MB DDR2 Ram, PC667, Kingston
100mb/s download/upload

So, there are a few questions:
1. Which kernel should I use? I tried the optimization of fragaholics, but I get drops down to 500 on HLDS. The server was without SourceTV and idlers were running.

2. Are there any other settings beside +sys_ticrate and -pingboost that I should use? What values should I use? And is there a way to lock the sys_ticrate so that client can't change it? I mean, the CPU usage probably goes up with higher ticrate?

3. What should the rate settings be like?

Any other suggestions would be appreciated.

[BehaartesEtwas]

you know, if there would be an über-good configuration that would work on all machines, I would write it into my howto :-)
first: a Q6600 is not the optimal CPU. hlds (as srcds) only use one core, but the cores of the Q6600 are a little too slow.

maybe you can try the ck kernel patches. they are available for the 2.6.32 kernel again (after a long break since 2.6.22) and look very promising. try using it in conjunction with the other optimizations described in my howto (esp. realtime priority).

[BloodAngel]

Don't know how much difference it would make, but running 3 sets of dimm's wont let them be addressed in dual channel.