# i7 920 overclocking thread



## AC_Smoothie

Nice OC, try hitting 4ghz tho









Good luck!


----------



## {core2duo}werd

yeah, i know like i said there's obviously something i'm missing. we will figure it out though.


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## zlojack

Apparently guys have been having luck with the 19 Multi and 211 bclk.

Maybe try that?

Also, what bios revision on your board?


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## {core2duo}werd

whatever came wiht it lol i have had about an hour with it. i think i know my problem though. my memory is ddr3 1600 @ 1.9v but to keep it under 1.65 i can't go over ddr3 1033







time for new ram i guess.


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## benfica101

nice 3dmark06 score exactly like mine


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## whe3ls

Quote:


Originally Posted by *{core2duo}werd* 
whatever came wiht it lol i have had about an hour with it. i think i know my problem though. my memory is ddr3 1600 @ 1.9v but to keep it under 1.65 i can't go over ddr3 1033







time for new ram i guess.


ouch


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## iggster

Quote:


Originally Posted by *{core2duo}werd* 
whatever came wiht it lol i have had about an hour with it. i think i know my problem though. my memory is ddr3 1600 @ 1.9v but to keep it under 1.65 i can't go over ddr3 1033







time for new ram i guess.

that is most likely it... mine works perfectly up to 1333...anything higher and it wont even load windows..

btw pictures now or else!!!


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## BizzareRide

You should try 1066 RAM and OC from there.


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## ErBall

Are your temps that your showing with your water loop?

I am seriously worried about temps even with my TRUE.


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## Solertia

Awesome! Can't wait until I get my 920! This'll be very handy! *sub'd*


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## {core2duo}werd

Quote:


Originally Posted by *BizzareRide* 
You should try 1066 RAM and OC from there.

i have them at 1080 right now and that's the lowest divider i can get.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *ErBall* 
Are your temps that your showing with your water loop?

I am seriously worried about temps even with my TRUE.

yup, that's with this cpu block i ran occt for about an hour but i don't have time to do much more testing tonight, maybe more tomorow. this board has so many options i don't even know what they all do. I can't wait to get a 4870X2 though.

one really weird thing is that i can run any stress testing program for a long time, and any benchmark with no problems except for super pi... it crashes when i try to run it. i haven't even done any windows updates yet so i'm gona take it easy till i get all my programs installed and running.

edit i'll upload pics tomorrow.


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## {core2duo}werd

pictures


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## Mattb2e

If I remember correctly the non extreme i7's are limited by there wattage?


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## {core2duo}werd

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Mattb2e* 
If I remember correctly the non extreme i7's are limited by there wattage?

i thought you could turn that off though.


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## jrharvey

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Mattb2e* 
If I remember correctly the non extreme i7's are limited by there wattage?

There should be an option to turn this OFF on the P6T deluxe. Have you tried to find that setting. The OC on the 920 are restricted until you unlock it. BTW 3.5ghz, not bad for first try on a whole new system.


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## Mattb2e

I was not aware of that feature, sweet.


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## ErBall

hopefully by sometime tomorrow I can let you all know how I am coming along with my 920 overclock. Yet I will have almost an identical setup as the OP - the watercooling.


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## {core2duo}werd

well, a bios flash fixed my super pi problems, but i haven't tried overclocking any higher yet because i'm doing windows updates first.


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## Toonshorty

Well good luck, you guys just make me want my 920 even more!! Only saved Â£30 which isn't really going to get me an i7 setup anytime soon =s.


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## tibor28

Overspeed protection on the 920 is limiting further overclock








You have to find the following setting in bios "CPU VR current override" and set it to enabled.
Have fun pushing it!


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## Microsis

That is a sexy looking mobo my friend.

Although isn't that voltage slightly too high? I thought anything over 1.3625 was no no for 45nm?


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## {core2duo}werd

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Microsis* 
That is a sexy looking mobo my friend.

Although isn't that voltage slightly too high? I thought anything over 1.3625 was no no for 45nm?

it changed with nehalem intel said the new max is 1.55

edit: i like this turbo mode thing though 3.7 now.









Edit 2: 3.88 now... i'm getting there.


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## {core2duo}werd

i didn't see this option in the bios
http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/...4&postcount=93
so i called asus and asked them about it. they said that option wasn't supported yet, but they submitted a feature request for that option to improve the overclocking on the p6t-deluxe.


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## Korben

Is the new max voltage 1.55 now for a fact?


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## {core2duo}werd

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Korben* 
Is the new max voltage 1.55 now for a fact?

that's what the articles i have read so far have said, but i'm not too worried i haven't needed anything over ~ 1.34v anyways.


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## XFreeRollerX

How good is this motherboard in terms of cooling

I might get this P6T Deluxe only if the standard motherboard cooling is good enough to where I will not need a freaking LCS for the motherboard.

Can you comment on temperatures of the motherboard (include your ambient temp and what your setup is too) please


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## Korben

Quote:


Originally Posted by *{core2duo}werd* 
that's what the articles i have read so far have said, but i'm not too worried i haven't needed anything over ~ 1.34v anyways.

Oh ok true, I've seen a lot of good overclocks on 1.34v. I was just wondering cuz that would be pretty sweet to see higher stable overclocks.


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## bowman

So, it should be arriving some time this week..

1.55V, seriously? That's pretty good. Should enable over 4GHz on the stock cooler even..


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## {core2duo}werd

Quote:


Originally Posted by *XFreeRollerX* 
How good is this motherboard in terms of cooling

I might get this P6T Deluxe only if the standard motherboard cooling is good enough to where I will not need a freaking LCS for the motherboard.

Can you comment on temperatures of the motherboard (include your ambient temp and what your setup is too) please









my ambient is 21degrees celcious, and with the stock cooling in my antec 1200 case the northbridge idles at 32-35 degrees celcious, and it loads around 50 degrees. I put an 80mm fan blowing on the north bridge and now it only loads into the low 40's. like i said the current bios doesn't allow you to remove the over current protection, so i would try to find one that does if you aren't buying an extreme.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *bowman* 
So, it should be arriving some time this week..

1.55V, seriously? That's pretty good. Should enable over 4GHz on the stock cooler even..

i doubt it, my chip runs pretty hot. low 60's on load and that's with watercooling at 3.88 Ghz. Before they moved the memory controller onto the chip you were limited by voltage, but now it seems we will be limited my temps again, or maybe i just seated my waterblock wrong, who knows.


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## Toonshorty

And that proves it why spend Â£800 for an i7 965 that can get to 4.2GHz from 3.2GHz or spend Â£200 for an i7 920 that can get to 4.0GHz from 2.66GHz


----------



## XFreeRollerX

Quote:



Originally Posted by *{core2duo}werd*


my ambient is 21degrees celcious, and with the stock cooling in my antec 1200 case the northbridge idles at 32-35 degrees celcious, and it loads around 50 degrees. I put an 80mm fan blowing on the north bridge and now it only loads into the low 40's. like i said the current bios doesn't allow you to remove the over current protection, so i would try to find one that does if you aren't buying an extreme.


What I am more concerned about is when the RAM slots are full.. will you ever be getting more RAM?

I know there is a massive difference on my current chipset... With 2-4GB (two sticks) installed, my NB doesnt go more than 5*C over room ambient (35*C max with 30*C ambient) but when I put in 4 sticks (8GB) I start going over 50*C ON A LIQUID COOLED chipset! Air cooling would be past 60*C which is unacceptable.

Keep posted! I need to know before I buy as I don't have much money to spare









Thanks for input









+


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## {core2duo}werd

Quote:



Originally Posted by *XFreeRollerX*


What I am more concerned about is when the RAM slots are full.. will you ever be getting more RAM?

I know there is a massive difference on my current chipset... With 2-4GB (two sticks) installed, my NB doesnt go more than 5*C over room ambient (35*C max with 30*C ambient) but when I put in 4 sticks (8GB) I start going over 50*C ON A LIQUID COOLED chipset! Air cooling would be past 60*C which is unacceptable.

Keep posted! I need to know before I buy as I don't have much money to spare









Thanks for input









+










I might get a triple channel kit, but other than that i don't plan on getting more ram for awhile. the reason your chipset is getting hot might be because the ram controller is on the north bridge, so the CPU might get hotter when you add more ram on an i7 machine.


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## XFreeRollerX

Quote:



Originally Posted by *{core2duo}werd*


I might get a triple channel kit, but other than that i don't plan on getting more ram for awhile. the reason your chipset is getting hot might be because the ram controller is on the north bridge, so the CPU might get hotter when you add more ram on an i7 machine.


Ah

How are your temperatures on the current LCS you got going now?

you mind running realtemp and PRIME95 x64 and finding the highest load temp after a few minutes?


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## {core2duo}werd

Quote:


Originally Posted by *XFreeRollerX* 
Ah

How are your temperatures on the current LCS you got going now?

you mind running realtemp and PRIME95 x64 and finding the highest load temp after a few minutes?


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## Toonshorty

Are they the temps at 3.88GHz? If so thats not bad, although for air cooling overclocking to 3.8GHz and beyond may be a little harder.


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## {core2duo}werd

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Toonshorty* 
Are they the temps at 3.88GHz? If so thats not bad, although for air cooling overclocking to 3.8GHz and beyond may be a little harder.

yeah it is, i don't know why real temp says 3.6 but cpu-z reports 3.88


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## zlojack

Quote:

CPU configuration > CPU TM Function
Hey c2dwerd, did you try this?

That supposedly is the famous setting you need.


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## XFreeRollerX

ok thanks for posting that, I was curious if it was pointless to get a phase setup but looks like not the case


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## {core2duo}werd

Quote:


Originally Posted by *zlojack* 
Hey c2dwerd, did you try this?

That supposedly is the famous setting you need.

that's disabled, but that has been there since the late p4 days. i asked Asus when i called and they said that was not the option i was looking for anyways.


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## AJLarson

Can someone explain QPI on the i7 cores?


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## XFreeRollerX

try it


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## zlojack

Quote:


Originally Posted by *{core2duo}werd* 
that's disabled, but that has been there since the late p4 days. i asked Asus when i called and they said that was not the option i was looking for anyways.

Hrm...ok.

(I don't have the board, just asked someone who does.)

I guess I'll find out later this week.


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## bowman

Quote:


Originally Posted by *AJLarson* 
Can someone explain QPI on the i7 cores?









You mean the base clock which a lot of people illiterately call the 'QPI clock' or the QPI system bus?

Base clock (the 133MHz figure): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reference_clock

QPI link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intel_Q...h_Interconnect


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## CDMAN

Nice work man. I was thinking of going to water cooling, but I see that your temps are just about what I have at 4.1 so I may hold off if I done need to. I will take a reading tonight at 4.4 to see what my temps are.


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## XFreeRollerX

That picture is horrible dude post it in a better res. I cant read anything on CPUZ


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## Toonshorty

I can, but only just. I think thats 4.1GHz.


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## bowman

Quote:



Originally Posted by *XFreeRollerX*


That picture is horrible dude post it in a better res. I cant read anything on CPUZ


1.448V, 4142.7MHz, multiplier x31, refclock 133MHz, QPI link 3207.5MHz


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## gooddog

Careful on voltage.
The new max is NOT really 1.55. That is the absolute max voltage. See quote below.

It is around 1.375.

1.55 is the voltage after which you may not recover, even when you drop the voltage below 1.375 again.

From the PDF
http://download.intel.com/design/pro...hts/320834.pdf

Quote:



Table 2-6 specifies absolute maximum and minimum ratings, which lie outside the
functional limits of the processor. Only within specified operation limits can functionality
and long-term reliability be expected.
At conditions outside functional operation condition limits, but within absolute
maximum and minimum ratings, neither functionality nor long-term reliability can be
expected. If a device is returned to conditions within functional operation limits after
having been subjected to conditions outside these limits, but within the absolute
maximum and minimum ratings, the device may be functional, but with its lifetime
degraded depending on exposure to conditions exceeding the functional operation
condition limits.
At conditions exceeding absolute maximum and minimum ratings, neither functionality
nor long-term reliability can be expected. Moreover, if a device is subjected to these
conditions for any length of time then, when returned to conditions within the
functional operating condition limits, it will either not function or its reliability will be
severely degraded.
Although the processor contains protective circuitry to resist damage from Electro-
Static Discharge (ESD), precautions should always be taken to avoid high static
voltages or electric fields.


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## zlojack

So basically, this is the 1.45v limit that the Penryns had.

1.36 were "operation condition limits" and 1.45 was absolute maximum (though a lot of people went up to 1.4v+ for 24/7 and were fine)


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## CDMAN

Quote:



Originally Posted by *XFreeRollerX*


That picture is horrible dude post it in a better res. I cant read anything on CPUZ


I will take some better pics when I get off of work. Also If you stay at 1.45 volts for the core, and 1.65 for the Dimms you will be fine. Here is some info to help you out.

How to find max Bclock:
Bclock 133Mhz
CPU Multiplier 12x/14x
Uncore Multiplier 16x or higher
QPI Multiplier 18x
Memory Multiplier 8x or lower
Vcore 1.25v
VTT 1.45v
Vdimm 1.65v

push up the Bclock and increase VTT and QPI volts to get higher.
Max 100% safe VTT seems to be 1.65v

How to find max Mem clock:
Bclock 133Mhz 
CPU Multiplier 12x/14x
Uncore Multiplier 16x or higher
QPI Multiplier 18x
Highest Memory Multiplier
Vcore 1.25v
VTT 1.45v
Vdimm 1.65v

push up the Bclock and increase VTT and Vdimm to get higher.
more vdimm and vtt than 1.65v at your own risk
1.8vdimm should be 100% safe though

How to find max CPU Clocks on i7-940/i7-920:
max Bclock 
CPU Multiplier 15x
Uncore Multiplier 16x or higher
QPI Multiplier 18x
Memory Multiplier 8x or lower
Vcore 1.25v
VTT 1.45v
Vdimm 1.65v

increase CPU multipliers step by step, push up vcore to get higher clocks stable. if you cant get a multiplier stable, reduce Bclock until your stable.
Max bclock for high multis is slightly lower than for low multis.


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## {core2duo}werd

Quote:



Originally Posted by *gooddog*


Careful on voltage.
The new max is NOT really 1.55. That is the absolute max voltage. See quote below.

It is around 1.375.

1.55 is the voltage after which you may not recover, even when you drop the voltage below 1.375 again.

From the PDF
http://download.intel.com/design/pro...hts/320834.pdf


it says that 1.55 is the absolute max, and i wouldn't push it that high, but it doe NOT say that 1.375 is the maximum safest voltage.

edit maybe you are confused because it says the max vid is 1.375. that is the max stock voltage they will make a chip with, and there is always room above that for overclocking.


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## mr.derp

Im liking nehelem a lot, but Im willing to wait for AM3 to come around because I want to see if it competes at all before I buy anything. I think these overclocks are pretty sweet and it would be even sweeter if the max voltage is 1.55.


----------



## error10

Quote:



Originally Posted by *CDMAN*


Nice work man. I was thinking of going to water cooling, but I see that your temps are just about what I have at 4.1 so I may hold off if I done need to. I will take a reading tonight at 4.4 to see what my temps are.




You probably need to reseat your HSF. You shouldn't have hit PROCHOT# during your bench. (That means your CPU temp exceeded Tjmax.)


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## {core2duo}werd

Quote:



Originally Posted by *error10*


You probably need to reseat your HSF. You shouldn't have hit PROCHOT# during your bench. (That means your CPU temp exceeded Tjmax.)


yeah, WOAH those are idle temps. mine were load.


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## CDMAN

Yeah, I know. Once I get my mounting kit this afternoon, I will reseat the HSF.


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## gooddog

Quote:



Originally Posted by *{core2duo}werd*


it says that 1.55 is the absolute max, and i wouldn't push it that high, but it doe NOT say that 1.375 is the maximum safest voltage.

edit maybe you are confused because it says the max vid is 1.375. that is the max stock voltage they will make a chip with, and there is always room above that for overclocking.



That's the problem - open to interpretation.

I think the key phrase is:

Quote:



At conditions outside functional operation condition limits but within absolute maximum and minimum ratings, neither functionality nor long-term reliability can be expected.


I take 1.375 as the functional operation condition limits, and 1.55 as the max ratings.

So I read this as 1.375 as max safe.


----------



## error10

Quote:



Originally Posted by *CDMAN*


Yeah, I know. Once I get my mounting kit this afternoon, I will reseat the HSF.


Don't forget to re-bench, too. When your CPU runs that hot it automatically downclocks itself to as low as 12.5% of its speed. (Unless you disabled that feature in BIOS, on the advice of some OCer, but that seems like a good way to fry your chip.)


----------



## zlojack

Quote:



Originally Posted by *gooddog*


That's the problem - open to interpretation.

I think the key phrase is:

I take 1.375 as the functional operation condition limits, and 1.55 as the max ratings.

So I read this as 1.375 as max safe.


Where do you get 1.375 from?

The VID range?


----------



## gooddog

Quote:



Originally Posted by *zlojack*


Where do you get 1.375 from?

The VID range?


From the same pdf. Table 2.7. It is the VID range.

Again, I can be wrong, but I am sure that 1.55 is not the safe voltage.


----------



## CDMAN

Quote:



Originally Posted by *error10*


Don't forget to re-bench, too. When your CPU runs that hot it automatically downclocks itself to as low as 12.5% of its speed. (Unless you disabled that feature in BIOS, on the advice of some OCer, but that seems like a good way to fry your chip.)


Yeah, I left that option on in the bios, lol.


----------



## zlojack

Quote:



Originally Posted by *gooddog*


From the same pdf. Table 2.7. It is the VID range.

Again, I can be wrong, but I am sure that 1.55 is not the safe voltage.


Yeah, I saw that.

Well, that's what they said about the 45nm quads as well.

1.45 was the absolute maximum while 1.3625 was the "safe" voltage. Again, a lot of people went above that.

In this case, the top of the VID range is 1.375, but the "absolute maximum" is higher than in the past.

I guess we'll find out soon. 1.4-1.45v the sweet spot maybe?

I'll see what it takes to get to 4GHz and whether I fry my chip or not


----------



## {core2duo}werd

Quote:



Originally Posted by *gooddog*


From the same pdf. Table 2.7. It is the VID range.

Again, I can be wrong, but I am sure that 1.55 is not the safe voltage.


yeah, i'm thinking the max safe voltage is probably around 1.4625 just because the max voltage for wolfdales was 1.45 and the max safe was 1.3625. and this is all for 24/7 usage going above that for short periods of time will not kill your chip in most cases.


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## Livinstrong

http://www.overclock.net/intel-cpus/...ml#post4921912


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## Ecchi-BANZAII!!!

Just a question how many in this thread actually have a Ci7? cuz the sig rigs is swarming with Ci7's. I hope none here is having a fake rig right now.
If you have ordered one but not got it it's not an excuse to have it in the sig rig.


----------



## {core2duo}werd

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Ecchi-BANZAII!!!*


Just a question how many in this thread actually have a Ci7? cuz the sig rigs is swarming with Ci7's. I hope none here is having a fake rig right now.
If you have ordered one but not got it it's not an excuse to have it in the sig rig.


LOL first of all i do have my i7, but second if they ordered it, and it's on it's way they have every right to put it in their sif rig lol.


----------



## Derp

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Ecchi-BANZAII!!!*


Just a question how many in this thread actually have a Ci7? cuz the sig rigs is swarming with Ci7's. I hope none here is having a fake rig right now.
If you have ordered one but not got it it's not an excuse to have it in the sig rig.


 I disagree, if they just dropped $1500+ on a nice new i7 rig they have every right in the world to put that information in a petty little signature.


----------



## zlojack

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Ecchi-BANZAII!!!*


Just a question how many in this thread actually have a Ci7? cuz the sig rigs is swarming with Ci7's. I hope none here is having a fake rig right now.
If you have ordered one but not got it it's not an excuse to have it in the sig rig.


Dude, the money's out of my pocket and the hardware is on the way. (Hence the name of the rig).

I'll put the damn thing in my sig if I want


----------



## gooddog

Quote:


Originally Posted by *zlojack* 
Yeah, I saw that.

...

I'll see what it takes to get to 4GHz and whether I fry my chip or not










BTW, there seems to be something going on around 4GHz. With my 965 I easily get stable at 3.9 with okay voltages but I can pump voltage in big time and not have much success at stability above 4Ghz. Seems there are other settings that have to made at that point. Of course, I am a noob, so I might be missing something basic.


----------



## wufuhimself

i hope to see some good results from these chips (even though i'm an amd guy and will be buying deneb come january).

almost 4.2 on a quad core is really, really nice, great job man. just don't fry it :-X
you'll figure it out, just takes patience and time. i'm sure everybody will find the magic setting eventually.


----------



## zlojack

Well, I still have some time to go before I get my full setup done, so until then, I'll be operating at low speeds


----------



## nuclearjock

What's this??

An overclocking thread NOT started by Robilar???

I just took delivery on a 940/Rampage II Extreme combo, but now I have to wait for Swiftech to supply an i7 hold down bracket for my GTZ.....

I'll be watching and participating soon..

Subscribed.


----------



## Solertia

Quote:


Originally Posted by *nuclearjock* 
but now I have to wait for Swiftech to supply an i7 hold down bracket for my GTZ.....

I'll be watching and participating soon..


I hear ya, I'm waiting on the same thing









The bracket was supposed to be available at launch! :swearing:

I'm impatient! XD


----------



## {core2duo}werd

maybe i should change this to just an i7 overclocking thread instead of i7 920?


----------



## Solertia

Quote:


Originally Posted by *{core2duo}werd* 
maybe i should change this to just an i7 overclocking thread instead of i7 920?

Well is the overclocking process that much different amongst the 3? Because I kinda want to use this thread as reference once I get my 920 all set up :/


----------



## nuclearjock

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Solertia* 
The bracket was supposed to be available at launch! :swearing:

I talked to Michelle at Swiftech today and she was talking ~10 days...


----------



## gooddog

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Solertia*


Well is the overclocking process that much different amongst the 3? Because I kinda want to use this thread as reference once I get my 920 all set up :/


The 965 gives allows you at also change the multiple so there are different tradeoffs to consider.


----------



## Solertia

Quote:



Originally Posted by *nuclearjock*


I talked to Michelle at Swiftech today and she was talking ~10 days...


Aw, lame!







Oh well, patience is a virtue...


----------



## ErBall

yeah, i literally just installed my hardware, and will be rocking the stock cooler for at least the next 3 days.


----------



## Ecchi-BANZAII!!!

I sense anger over my post...
unlike everybody else I change the sig rig when I'm actually using the sig.


----------



## nuclearjock

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Solertia*


Aw, lame!







Oh well, patience is a virtue...


Yep, hurry up and wait.


----------



## iggster

Quote:



Originally Posted by *{core2duo}werd*


it says that 1.55 is the absolute max, and i wouldn't push it that high, but it doe NOT say that 1.375 is the maximum safest voltage.

edit maybe you are confused because it says the max vid is 1.375. that is the max stock voltage they will make a chip with, and there is always room above that for overclocking.


I thought 1.45 was the absolute max for hte yorkfields and I ran mine over 100 times at 1.65..

ive already ran the i7 at over 1.52 many times


----------



## {core2duo}werd

Quote:



Originally Posted by *iggster*


I thought 1.45 was the absolute max for hte yorkfields and I ran mine over 100 times at 1.65..

ive already ran the i7 at over 1.52 many times










yeah, i know. I'm not sure anyone really knows that 1.3625 was the max for wolfdales either... who knows.


----------



## CDMAN

I took the TRUE off and went to the stock cooler. Temps went down a good bit, I will go back to the TRUE when my mounting kit gets here. Here is a better pic done with the 4870 x2 at stock cpu speeds.


----------



## iggster

on the stock cooler when I ran intel burn test the temps shot to 80c and boy did I close it that fast lol with water max was 63c after 5 runs


----------



## CDMAN

Yeah, I would not dare to run the intel burn test with the stock cooler.


----------



## Oupavoc

Quote:



Originally Posted by *CDMAN*


I took the TRUE off and went to the stock cooler. Temps went down a good bit, I will go back to the TRUE when my mounting kit gets here. Here is a better pic done with the 4870 x2 at stock cpu speeds.




your vantage performance score cant be right? I get around that with my setup


----------



## iggster

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Oupavoc*


your vantage performance score cant be right? I get around that with my setup










why say that and not post your orb compare link? lets see


----------



## bowman

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Ecchi-BANZAII!!!*


I sense anger over my post...
unlike everybody else I change the sig rig when I'm actually using the sig.


Well, I've added the bits as a different system in my profile for convenience but I haven't selected it as the displaying system yet.. Don't see why I'd want to do that.


----------



## Ecchi-BANZAII!!!

Quote:


Originally Posted by *bowman* 
Well, I've added the bits as a different system in my profile for convenience but I haven't selected it as the displaying system yet.. Don't see why I'd want to do that.









hehe

ok anyone got higher FPS in games with the Ci7's?
Cuz 3..CPUMark is nice to see how good the CPU is, but some GAME comparison would be nice.
2.67GHz Ci7
vs
2.67GHz Core2


----------



## bowman

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Ecchi-BANZAII!!!* 







hehe

ok anyone got higher FPS in games with the Ci7's?
Cuz 3..CPUMark is nice to see how good the CPU is, but some GAME comparison would be nice.
2.67GHz Ci7
vs
2.67GHz Core2

Just about 0% difference, as expected. Reviews that test the games at resolutions people actually use show this, while some decide to pointlessly test the games at 640x480 and get multiple hundreds of FPS and big differences - as if it matters.

It's not for gaming.. Unless you're like me and your two year old card is actually bottlenecked by your CPU.


----------



## CDMAN

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Ecchi-BANZAII!!!* 







hehe

ok anyone got higher FPS in games with the Ci7's?
Cuz 3..CPUMark is nice to see how good the CPU is, but some GAME comparison would be nice.
2.67GHz Ci7
vs
2.67GHz Core2

I have posted a far cry 2 and crysis cpu benchmark here:

http://www.overclock.net/intel-cpus/...arks-case.html

I will adding more tests later on.


----------



## {core2duo}werd

i updated the OP with some overclocking articles.


----------



## TFL Replica

Quote:



Originally Posted by *bowman*


Just about 0% difference, as expected. Reviews that test the games at resolutions people actually use show this, while some decide to pointlessly test the games at 640x480 and get multiple hundreds of FPS and big differences - as if it matters.

It's not for gaming.. Unless you're like me and your two year old card is actually bottlenecked by your CPU.










QF(relative)T.


----------



## Ecchi-BANZAII!!!

Quote:



Originally Posted by *bowman*


Just about 0% difference, as expected. Reviews that test the games at resolutions people actually use show this, while some decide to pointlessly test the games at 640x480 and get multiple hundreds of FPS and big differences - as if it matters.

It's not for gaming.. Unless you're like me and your two year old card is actually bottlenecked by your CPU.










Hmm I don't think I can push my B3 so much so it won't bottleneck the cars anymore








And yeah I hope benchers start to realize it's not fun to bench in 640 for the CPU and AAx0 on 1920x1200+

Nice CDMAN, I'll look into it.


----------



## iggster

Quote:



Originally Posted by *bowman*


Just about 0% difference, as expected. Reviews that test the games at resolutions people actually use show this, while some decide to pointlessly test the games at 640x480 and get multiple hundreds of FPS and big differences - as if it matters.

It's not for gaming.. Unless you're like me and your two year old card is actually bottlenecked by your CPU.










I dunno about single gpu setups

but tri sli and other multiple gpu setups see good gains.

no way does a core2dou compare to i7 clock to clock, my core i7 whoops the behind in gaming also say from 3.9 (i7) to the qx9650 at 4.20


----------



## XFreeRollerX

jeesus make it stop!!! I have loans to pay off!








good results man


----------



## eflyguy

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Ecchi-BANZAII!!!* 
I sense anger over my post...
unlike everybody else I change the sig rig when I'm actually using the sig.

I'm with you. My sig rig is my primary system, my i7 build is in-progress and won't be up there until it's in-use.
..a


----------



## Ecchi-BANZAII!!!

Quote:


Originally Posted by *eflyguy* 
I'm with you. My sig rig is my primary system, my i7 build is in-progress and won't be up there until it's in-use.
..a

Good daug^^
Even having the in progress rig that is awesome


----------



## ErBall

Well, turns out im the unluckiest person I know. I got my motherboard lastnight, only to find out its DOA. I'm soo pissed I can't see strait.


----------



## Ecchi-BANZAII!!!

Quote:



Originally Posted by *ErBall*


Well, turns out im the unluckiest person I know. I got my motherboard lastnight, only to find out its DOA. I'm soo pissed I can't see strait.











I think I'll move on to Ci7, but I don't ave that money to do that considering, I need to pay rent and get car licens and a car.
So it's another 775 here.


----------



## Solertia

Quote:


Originally Posted by *{core2duo}werd* 
i updated the OP with some overclocking articles.

You did? o.o I don't see 'em.


----------



## bowman

Quote:


Originally Posted by *ErBall* 
Well, turns out im the unluckiest person I know. I got my motherboard lastnight, only to find out its DOA. I'm soo pissed I can't see strait.

I was about to ask if it was ASUS when I saw your quote, and now I can see it.. I had a gut feeling!

I ordered ASUS too, hope it'll be alright.. The choice was ASUS, Intel or MSI, and given how badly Intel boards overclock (even the so-called 'enthusiast' boards) and my horrid experiences with MSI it was kinda the only choice. Oh well, fingers crossed.


----------



## {core2duo}werd

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Solertia*


You did? o.o I don't see 'em.


lol yeah i did, i don't know where they went


----------



## Korben

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Ecchi-BANZAII!!!*










I think I'll move on to Ci7, but I don't ave that money to do that considering, I need to pay rent and get car licens and a car.
So it's another 775 here.










I was able to buy my i7 build and I have the same situation you do except getting a license. I recently a couple months ago bought a new car and same old rent. Save your money dude lol.


----------



## tibor28

Quote:



Originally Posted by *bowman*


I was about to ask if it was ASUS when I saw your quote, and now I can see it.. I had a gut feeling!

I ordered ASUS too, hope it'll be alright.. The choice was ASUS, Intel or MSI, and given how badly Intel boards overclock (even the so-called 'enthusiast' boards) and my horrid experiences with MSI it was kinda the only choice. Oh well, fingers crossed.










How badly intel boards overclock??








Intel boards overclock wayyy better than nvidia boards. Especially the P45 and X48 chipsets are great for overclocking.


----------



## Solertia

Quote:



Originally Posted by *tibor28*


How badly intel boards overclock??








Intel boards overclock wayyy better than nvidia boards. Especially the P45 and X48 chipsets are great for overclocking.


He means the Intel-made boards, not the Intel chipsets on the boards.

Example: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813121361


----------



## tibor28

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Solertia*


He means the Intel-made boards, not the Intel chipsets on the boards.

Example: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813121361


Oh is see, my bad. Sorry


----------



## HardwarzFan

Quote:


Originally Posted by *bowman* 
I was about to ask if it was ASUS when I saw your quote, and now I can see it.. I had a gut feeling!

I ordered ASUS too, hope it'll be alright.. The choice was ASUS, Intel or MSI, and given how badly Intel boards overclock (even the so-called 'enthusiast' boards) and my horrid experiences with MSI it was kinda the only choice. Oh well, fingers crossed.









Did you get the Palm version of it or the one without it? I'd love to hear from anybody who has used that Palm OC'er.


----------



## zlojack

Check some of Movieman's results at XS if you think the reference Intel boards don't OC.

His Smackover seems to be doing just fine!


----------



## {core2duo}werd

yeah, i think intel is finally trying to compete in the overclocking segment with these newest extreme boards.


----------



## OverclockTheStock

its only a matter of time before people start phase cooling these and hit 5ghz


----------



## {core2duo}werd

i have heard that they have a cold bug.


----------



## siric

Hey if I were to go with i7 920 and the rampage II extreme board, which memory would you suggest? I prefer it to be a 6gb trip-channel kit. I don't know the correct mhz / voltage etc.

btw does anyone have the rIIe board? any experiences with OC'ing on this board? I'm new to the game.


----------



## TFL Replica

So much for future proofing by going 775 DDR3. But that's too harsh a lesson.


----------



## {core2duo}werd

basically a good name brand (corsair, OCZ, G.Skill, Crusial, etc.) that runs with 1.65v or less at as high Mhz as you can afford.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *TFL Replica* 
So much for future proofing by going 775 DDR3. But that's too harsh a lesson.

yeah, i know i have 1.9v ddr3...


----------



## siric

Thanks, the volts were bothering me. I picked OCZ Gold X58

- 1600MHz DDR3
- CL 8-8-8-24 (CAS-TRCD-TRP-TRAS)
- Gold Z3 XTC Heatspreader**
- 1.65 Volts

Pretty sweet but pretty damn expensive too!

The rampage II can go up to 24gb memory THATS INSANE who the hell would want that.. definitely future proof. It's actually a good deal, better than the p6t deluxe as its possible to go tri-SLI, I believe this isn't possible with the p6t, and it comes with x-fi which, for me, makes up for the extra costs or else i'd have to spend money to get the additional creative x-fi card.

Now what I'm also wondering, will Deneb be better than these chips? Or will the i7 be top-of-the-line for a very long time?


----------



## {core2duo}werd

Could someone with a kit that runs at 1.65v or less give me a picture of your ram timing control page? i'm thinking if i loosen my timings to the same as one of those kits maybe i can get my ram to work at higher clock speeds.


----------



## zlojack

Quote:


Originally Posted by *OverclockTheStock* 
its only a matter of time before people start phase cooling these and hit 5ghz

You mean like this?
http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/...d.php?t=206571


----------



## TFL Replica

Quote:


Originally Posted by *siric* 
...it comes with x-fi which, for me, makes up for the extra costs or else i'd have to spend money to get the additional creative x-fi card.

Now what I'm also wondering, will Deneb be better than these chips? Or will the i7 be top-of-the-line for a very long time?

Correction: That is not a real X-FI card. It's just the ADI2000 with EXACTLY the same audio quality as onboard audio as tested with rightmark. You can either live with that or buy a proper sound card.

Deneb will not be better than i7 period.


----------



## wierdo124

Luckies


----------



## siric

Ok so say I'm running with Nehalem and the Rampage II Extreme board, and Westmere comes out next year (late 2009), which is 32nm but runs on the same socket (1366), could I upgrade to Westmere easily, using the same board? I just want to be ready for the future that's why I'm going with i7 rather than a quad core. I don't want to completely change all my hardware whenever something new comes out.

They're talking about this tick-tock strategy where I think we'll see huge performance increases with Westmere and better overclocking so I certainly want to be ready for that.


----------



## {core2duo}werd

i wouldn't count on it for sure, and if you are worried about it supporting future CPUs i wouldn't get an ASUS. I have had boards where other manufacturers just needed a bios update to support a new CPU but ASUS wants to sell more boards so they don't make that new bios, they make a new board that supports it.


----------



## TFL Replica

Quote:



Originally Posted by *{core2duo}werd*


i wouldn't count on it for sure, and if you are worried about it supporting future CPUs i wouldn't get an ASUS. I have had boards where other manufacturers just needed a bios update to support a new CPU but ASUS wants to sell more boards so they don't make that new bios, they make a new board that supports it.


My M2N32 AM2 board got phenom support way before the other manufacturers and it works (not that I personally bought a phenom but I know people who did and the board worked great).

Westmere is just a die shrink with minor tweaks. It's excruciatingly unlikely that a R2E wouldn't support such a simple transition.


----------



## {core2duo}werd

Quote:



Originally Posted by *TFL Replica*


My M2N32 AM2 board got phenom support way before the other manufacturers and it works (not that I personally bought a phenom but I know people who did and the board worked great).

Westmere is just a die shrink with minor tweaks. It's excruciatingly unlikely that a R2E wouldn't support such a simple transition.


my Striker Extreme didn't support 45nm Quad core CPUs.


----------



## TFL Replica

Quote:



Originally Posted by *{core2duo}werd*


my Striker Extreme didn't support 45nm Quad core CPUs.


Nvidia chipset = fail. LMAO: That's not Asus' fault. If you bought a 45nm QUAD without researching that then it's your fault, else only Intel can be blamed for not disclosing the info with nvidia.

http://www.google.com/search?q=680i+...ient=firefox-a


----------



## siric

I think I'll contact Asus about this, I mean what kind of crap is it to purchase nehalem + motherboard and then another huge sum of money for westmere + another motherboard while the chip is on the same socket. I want to be sure of this, I'll let you guys know.


----------



## TFL Replica

Go ahead and contact asus. I already know the answer is an affirmative. This is the X58 chipset on a high end board we're talking about here.


----------



## CDMAN

Quote:



Originally Posted by *{core2duo}werd*


Could someone with a kit that runs at 1.65v or less give me a picture of your ram timing control page? i'm thinking if i loosen my timings to the same as one of those kits maybe i can get my ram to work at higher clock speeds.


Well I am at work right now, so all I can give you is a pic of the cpu id ram timings. When I get home, I will take a pic of the settings in the bios.


----------



## {core2duo}werd

Quote:



Originally Posted by *TFL Replica*


Nvidia chipset = fail. LMAO: That's not Asus' fault. If you bought a 45nm QUAD without researching that then it's your fault, else only Intel can be blamed for not disclosing the info with nvidia.

http://www.google.com/search?q=680i+...ient=firefox-a


 I didn't buy a 45nm quad without researching... I Knew about this problem, and didn't buy a 45nm quad till i had a new board. I'm just saying i wouldn't count on it 100%.

telling me if i bought a 45 nm quad without researching is like telling this guy next year when the 32nm processors come out, that if he buys a 32nm CPU without researching it's his fault... it's not his fault he bought the board, it was top of the line, but not "future proof"...

Bottom line is that no one knows for sure what the 32nm move will bring, maybe higher QPI speeds? who knows, but you can never be sure that you will be able to keep the board you have now and upgrade to the newest CPU. AMD has been nice recently and if your board doesn't support HT 3 then you can run HT 2, but that doesn't mean intel will do it.

Quote:



Originally Posted by *CDMAN*


Well I am at work right now, so all I can give you is a pic of the cpu id ram timings. When I get home, I will take a pic of the settings in the bios.


thanks, i can set those timings easily but there is a ton more settings in my bios and if i just set those timings my system won't boot into windows, so i was hoping to get all of them.


----------



## {core2duo}werd

I started a p6t deluxe overclocking thread because i have found alot of information that pertains particularly to that board.
http://www.overclock.net/intel-mothe...ml#post4931996


----------



## CDMAN

Quote:


Originally Posted by *{core2duo}werd* 
I didn't buy a 45nm quad without researching... I Knew about this problem, and didn't buy a 45nm quad till i had a new board. I'm just saying i wouldn't count on it 100%.

telling me if i bought a 45 nm quad without researching is like telling this guy next year when the 32nm processors come out, that if he buys a 32nm CPU without researching it's his fault... it's not his fault he bought the board, it was top of the line, but not "future proof"...

Bottom line is that no one knows for sure what the 32nm move will bring, maybe higher QPI speeds? who knows, but you can never be sure that you will be able to keep the board you have now and upgrade to the newest CPU. AMD has been nice recently and if your board doesn't support HT 3 then you can run HT 2, but that doesn't mean intel will do it.

thanks, i can set those timings easily but there is a ton more settings in my bios and if i just set those timings my system won't boot into windows, so i was hoping to get all of them.

Thats what I thought, I will up post a pic of my ram settings from the bios later tonight for you.


----------



## CDMAN

Ok, here is a shot of my ram timings from my bios. If you need a pic of something else let me know.


----------



## Bhopx

So the ASUS mobo you have doesn't let you turn off the wattage cap? Do any of the mobos out right now let you do it?


----------



## {core2duo}werd

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Bhopx* 
So the ASUS mobo you have doesn't let you turn off the wattage cap? Do any of the mobos out right now let you do it?

an intel rep on XS said that the intel mobos let you turn it off.


----------



## Solertia

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Bhopx* 
So the ASUS mobo you have doesn't let you turn off the wattage cap? Do any of the mobos out right now let you do it?

Is the wattage cap part of the overspeed protection? If so, there's a way to turn that off in the BIOS.


----------



## Bhopx

nm.


----------



## {core2duo}werd

I talked to the people at asus and they said right now that feature is not available on the p6t-deluxe. I submitted a feature request, and it would be great if others would also.


----------



## Bhopx

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Solertia* 
Is the wattage cap part of the overspeed protection? If so, there's a way to turn that off in the BIOS.

I'm talking about the setting called "CPU VR current override." I believe not all i7 mobos have this setting for you to turn off the wattage cap.


----------



## Solertia

Quote:


Originally Posted by *{core2duo}werd* 
I talked to the people at asus and they said right now that feature is not available on the p6t-deluxe. I submitted a feature request, and it would be great if others would also.


Quote:


Originally Posted by *Bhopx* 
I'm talking about the setting called "CPU VR current override." I believe not all i7 mobos have this setting for you to turn off the wattage cap.

Ohh okay. Any idea if that setting is on the Rampage II Extreme?


----------



## {core2duo}werd

Quote:



Originally Posted by *CDMAN*


Ok, here is a shot of my ram timings from my bios. If you need a pic of something else let me know.


thanks man, unfortunately it didn't work.


----------



## Solertia

Hooray!


----------



## zlojack

Damn...Postal Strike in Canada and my stuff's shipped by Canada Post


----------



## Korben

Sorry for the poor quality was taken from my phone.


----------



## bowman

Oh, we're posting pictures? Wee!



ASUS P6T, 3x2GB Crucial DDR3 1066, 8800GTX, string holding card and behemoth cooler up against the flimsy alu mobo tray, shoddy cable management, dust bunnies (and yeah I forgot a cable, that happens.. a lot. it's plugged in now)


----------



## Korben

Nice work. I really don't want to be using the stock HSF, but I guess I will have to until I can buy the TRUE.


----------



## bowman

Yeah, the stock heatsink really is subpar. It probably would've been okay if it had a mounting clamp and spring metal screws instead of this silly plastic, but right now, there's practically no pressure on this thing..

My TRUE is back in its box until some shop here gets the 1366 clamp in stock.


----------



## Solertia

Yeah, as much as I wanna get starting with the rig now, I'm just gonna not bother with the stock heatsink and wait for next week when the bracket for my waterblock comes out. I like to start fresh


----------



## bowman

So do I but I'm not going to let a Nehalem rest in a cardboard box while I sit and slug it on a 90nm AMD.


----------



## HardwarzFan

Alright, its been a week since you guys were saying you needed better cooling. Did you finally get some and what are your current overclocks?


----------



## BlackHoleSun

Has anyone gotten to 4 GHz on a 920 stable here on the forum.

I saw the review at XBit and thats what put me over the edge. I'm ordering my 920 Ci7 shortly, but it won't go in until Christmas break for me.


----------



## amitashr

Just got an MSI Eclipse+i7-920...Now i cant Overclock because the voltages are set to auto and greyed out in the bios cell menu and i cant change them








HELP!!


----------



## TFL Replica

Quote:



Originally Posted by *amitashr*


Just got an MSI Eclipse+i7-920...Now i cant Overclock because the voltages are set to auto and greyed out in the bios cell menu and i cant change them








HELP!!


There's a bios option that unlocks the voltage protection so you can OC. Consult the manual.


----------



## eflyguy

Yeah, I'm happy to run stock under the Intel cooler (V8 coolermaster is back at store, it was a piece of junk!) and get all my toys installed for now. As soon as I get the parts for my CPU WC loop, I can start messing with OC again - by then, hopefully, there'll be a little more info around here on what works and what doesn't..
..a


----------



## HardwarzFan

Quote:



Originally Posted by *BlackHoleSun*


Has anyone gotten to 4 GHz on a 920 stable here on the forum.


Thats what I wanna know too


----------



## 003

Quote:



Originally Posted by *{core2duo}werd*


it changed with nehalem intel said the new max is 1.55


 No.... no, it didn't change. It has been 1.55v all along, most likely even higher. Are you aware that Nehalem uses the _exact_ same 45nm high-K manufacturing process as Penryn and Yorkfield?

Therefore, Nehalem, Yorkfield and Penryn all share the same maximum safe voltage limit, which is likely even upwards of 1.6v.

Furthermore, since maximum safe voltage and temperature share an inverse relationship, and since Nehalem runs significantly hotter than Penryn and Yorkfield, it can be concluded that the maximum safe voltage for Penryn and Yorkfield is even high than that of Nehalem.

Although, it has been quite amusing all this time watching everybody get their panties in a bunch whenever the idea of *gasp* running a 45nm CPU above 1.3625v is even mentioned in passing.









EDIT:
And you guys are aware that the reason Intel specified such a low max voltage for Yorkfield and Penryn was simply to make people shy away from overclocking and be suckered into buying the very expensive extreme edition CPUs.

EDIT2:
Proof to back up Core i7 using the same manufacturing process as Core 2 here.


----------



## 003

Oh, and {core2duo}werd, I just learned some useful information myself. There is no problem with setting your DRAM voltage above 1.65v, you just have to make sure that the difference between your DRAM voltage and your Uncore voltage (typically called "_QPI/DRAM Voltage_" in the BIOS) is no greater than 0.5v.

So you would want to set your Vqpi to 1.4v, and then your DRAM voltage will be good up to 1.9v (1.9 - 1.4 = 0.5).

EDIT:
Source, thanks to bowman and Cliff Burton on XS.


----------



## {core2duo}werd

Quote:



Originally Posted by *003*









No.... no, it didn't change. It has been 1.55v all along, most likely even higher. Are you aware that Nehalem uses the _exact_ same 45nm high-K manufacturing process as Penryn and Yorkfield?

Therefore, Nehalem, Yorkfield and Penryn all share the same maximum safe 24/7 voltage limit, which is likely even upwards of 1.6v.

Furthermore, since maximum safe voltage and temperature share an inverse relationship, and since Nehalem runs significantly hotter than Penryn and Yorkfield, it can be concluded that the maximum safe voltage for Penryn and Yorkfield is even high than that of Nehalem.

Although, it has been quite amusing all this time watching everybody get their panties in a bunch whenever the idea of *gasp* running a 45nm CPU above 1.3625v is even mentioned in passing.









EDIT:
And you guys are aware that the reason Intel specified such a low max voltage for Yorkfield and Penryn was simply to make people shy away from overclocking and be suckered into buying the very expensive extreme edition CPUs.


dude none of that makes any sense... first of all they said the max of yorkfield and penryn was 1.45v and nehalems max is 1.55v... second the 1.3625v max 24/7 was set by overclockers after seeing chips degrade and die. Who says nehalem is made with the same manufactoring process? and even so who says they didn't tweak SOMETHING to make it so the chip could take more voltage? i don't know all that much about making cpus, and i'm guessing you don't either, so when the people who do say that the max voltage is higher... i believe them because how else am i supposed to know without killing some cpus?

I agree that the 1.3625v thing is probably a little low, but i have personally seen a chip degrade after running it for 7 months at 1.425v.

saying that intel made the voltage limits to keep people away from overclocking is rediculus seeing that you can get plenty of 45nm chips to 4Ghz+ on air...

but seriously even if you don't agree with a statement (I wasn't trying to say 1.55 max for 24/7) doesn't mean you should mock it.

Quote:



Originally Posted by *003*


Oh, and {core2duo}werd, I just learned some useful information myself. There is no problem with setting your DRAM voltage above 1.65v, you just have to make sure that the difference between your DRAM voltage and your Uncore voltage (typically called "_QPI/DRAM Voltage_" in the BIOS) is no greater than 0.5v.

So you would want to set your Vqpi to 1.4v, and then your DRAM voltage will be good up to 1.9v (1.9 - 1.4 = 0.5).

EDIT:
Source, thanks to bowman and Cliff Burton on XS.


thanks for that, but i still don't know... we will see after a few months.


----------



## zlojack

003, I want to believe you because it would make overclocking even more fun.

But you're making statements without backing them up with links or proof.


----------



## 003

Quote:



Originally Posted by *{core2duo}werd*


but seriously even if you don't agree with a statement (I wasn't trying to say 1.55 max for 24/7) doesn't mean you should mock it.


Not mocking your statement personally, just the whole paranoia uproar about degradation and whatnot in general. 1.3625v was not agreed on by the NCOO (National Commission of Overclockers), it was dictated by intel as the max safe VID, and then fantastically overblown by the overclocking community.

Some of the very early 45nm chips had problems and did die or "degrade", but this is no longer the case. Current "degradation" (which is now all but nonexistent) is more likely caused by the use of crappier PWM and MOSFET caps on the cheaper motherboards, and cheaper power supplies that put out more ripple and dirtier power.

My Q9450 has been running now at 1.425v 24/7 with LLC enabled for the past 7 months, and I have used up to 1.6v on benching sessions. It has sat like a rock since day one. Not the slightest bit of degradation.

My post makes perfect sense once you realize that Nehalem does use the exact same high-K 45nm manufacturing process as Penryn and Yorkfield (as part of their Tick Tock release schedule). Max safe voltage remains more or less the same for a given manufacturing process.

And to clarify more, Nehalem runs hotter than Penryn and Yorkfield, and the maximum safe voltage decreases as temperature increases (the inverse relationship), and vice versa. So, since Penryn and Yorkfield run cooler than Nehalem, they can be run at a higher safe voltage.


----------



## 003

Quote:


Originally Posted by *zlojack* 
003, I want to believe you because it would make overclocking even more fun.

But you're making statements without backing them up with links or proof.

I included a source for the statement on memory voltage. As for Nehalem using the same manufacturing process, that is just in line with their Tick-Tock release time line.


----------



## gooddog

Quote:


Originally Posted by *003* 
I included a source for the statement on memory voltage. As for Nehalem using the same manufacturing process, that is just in line with their Tick-Tock release time line.

So now I am completely confused:

In this bit-tech.net guide they say:

http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/200...-core-i7-920/3

Quote:

While Asus and Intel (rightly) scare everyone (read: uneducated) into thinking that 1.65V on the DRAM voltage should be the absolute limit before you reach for the fire-blanket, all that's really needed it to obey this: keep the CPU uncore voltage within 0.5V difference of the DRAM voltage and there's no problem.
where uncore = qpi/dram voltage.

But in the one you sourced, they said the .5 refers to the CPU voltage itself needing to be within the .5

Quote:

Intel performance guru FranÃ§ois Piednoel was keen to stress that the CPU voltage must be kept within a 0.5V potential difference to memory.


----------



## 003

You raise a good point... I'll have to look into that.


----------



## zlojack

I'm pretty sure it's uncore and vram.

I was already aware of that 003.

My question was more about the whole max voltage thing.

I'm not scared to give the chip some juice if it needs it, but I was just curious if you had a source or if you are just quoting the evidence that's out there (BTW I do agree with you that there was a lot of FUD spread about the 45nm chips being delicate flowers)


----------



## Solertia

Are there any helpful guides on overclocking a Ci7 for a noob oc-er like me? All these guides I've been reading are like "how to clock it to 4Ghz zomg", and I really don't want to just jump right in like that haha, I wanna work my way up, y'know. What's the step-by-step?


----------



## zlojack

You might check this out to get started
http://www.linustechtips.com/how-to/...clocking-guide


----------



## HardwarzFan

Quote:


Originally Posted by *zlojack* 
You might check this out to get started
http://www.linustechtips.com/how-to/...clocking-guide

Thanks for the link, good video. Do you know if anyone has documented in an article a step by step guide of how to approach i7 OCing? Something similar to this video but something I can also print out and have beside me.


----------



## zlojack

You can try these to start:

http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/200...-core-i7-920/1

Basically, you need to work on raising the bclk which is your basic system multiplier.

You can experiment by lowering the CPU multiplier (which goes as high as 20 on the 920) and then raising the bclk as high as you can get it (from what I've seen it can go to around 190-200)

Then you can try bumping your CPU multi back up one by one.

Unfortunately, I don't have my rig up and running yet, so I can't give you a step by step of what I would do, just theories based on what I've read.


----------



## eflyguy

Oooh.. nice link, zlojack..
..a


----------



## Metroid

First attempt, the easiest platform to overclock so far. It has never been so easy.


----------



## Solertia

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Metroid* 
First attempt, the easiest platform to overclock so far. It has never been so easy.

Really?







Think you could give us some tips?


----------



## 003

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Metroid*


First attempt, the easiest platform to overclock so far. It has never been so easy.


Holy crap man that is incredible! I am so excited, I have that same motherboard and a retail 920 on the way, and I will have it on water cooling, as well as the NB. Seems 4GHz+ will be a cinch!

Not to mention I've got three 2GB sticks of DDR3 2000 memory!


----------



## Metroid

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Solertia*


Really?







Think you could give us some tips?


What are the problems that you are facing?

Quote:



Originally Posted by *003*


Holy crap man that is incredible! I am so excited, I have that same motherboard and a retail 920 on the way, and I will have it on water cooling, as well as the NB. Seems 4GHz+ will be a cinch!

Not to mention I've got three 2GB sticks of DDR3 2000 memory!










You will get a better overclocking than I did. The only thing I need to do is to sand down my True Copper then I will get better idle and load times.

Right now:

Idle: 56c
load: +100c


----------



## Solertia

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Metroid* 
What are the problems that you are facing?

Well, I have no idea what I'm doing when it comes to the Core i7 setup XD


----------



## Metroid

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Solertia* 
Well, I have no idea what I'm doing when it comes to the Core i7 setup XD

How much overclocking do you want to achieve?

The CPU temperature at idle and load times?


----------



## Solertia

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Metroid* 
How much overclocking do you want to achieve?

The CPU temperature at idle and load times?

Well, I'd like to at least reach 3.5Ghz, and obviously it's possible to reach 4Ghz with the 920s.

Currently my idle temps are between 30 and 36, and my 100% load temps are between 48 and 53. But my thermal compound is still undergoing it's burn-in time (200 hours, and I just mounted the block yesterday), so hopefully my temps will be lower once the burn-in time is done.


----------



## 003

Oh, and if anybody wants proof that Core i7 and Core 2 use the same manufacturing process, feast your eyes on this:
http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/...48#post3391148


----------



## Oupavoc

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Metroid* 
You will get a better overclocking than I did. The only thing I need to do is to sand down my True Copper then I will get better idle and load times.

Right now:

Idle: 56c
load: +100c


Are you sure about your temp, They seen a bit no really high especially with a TRUE HSF on that cpu. 100c in high that's the temp water boils there no way your cpu is at that temp. It wouldn't even run.


----------



## Metroid

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Solertia*


Well, I'd like to at least reach 3.5Ghz, and obviously it's possible to reach 4Ghz with the 920s.

Currently my idle temps are between 30 and 36, and my 100% load temps are between 48 and 53. But my thermal compound is still undergoing it's burn-in time (200 hours, and I just mounted the block yesterday), so hopefully my temps will be lower once the burn-in time is done.


An advice,

First: since you are using the same processor as me then will be no problems about my settings. The magic is simple leave all the setting auto in Bios.

Second: leave you memory frequency at auto as well which will give you 1600Mhz CL8, that is exactly what you need.

Third: Place 177 base clock and Vcore at 1.25, type it. The only changes that needs to be made are these 2 settings. no fancy tricks or alike. If the system does not boot then reset the Bios memory, up the CPU voltage to 1.30.

Now you are good to go, first try it, second tell me later the updates.


----------



## Solertia

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Metroid*


An advice,

First: since you are using the same processor as me then will be no problems about my settings. The magic is simple leave all the setting auto in Bios.

Second: leave you memory frequency at auto as well which will give you 1600Mhz CL8, that is exactly what you need.

Third: Place 177 base clock and Vcore at 1.25, type it. The only changes that needs to be made are these 2 settings. no fancy tricks or alike. If the system does not boot then reset the Bios memory, up the CPU voltage to 1.30.

Now you are good to go, first try it, second tell me later the updates.


Is it okay that I manually set my memory to 1600 and 8-8-8-24 (left the rest of the timing settings at Auto)? I had to because my mobo was setting it to 1333 with 9-9-9-24 timings.

Lemme know and then I'll try what you said. Thanks for the tip!


----------



## Metroid

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Oupavoc*


Are you sure about your temp, They seen a bit no really high especially with a TRUE HSF on that cpu. 100c in high that's the temp water boils there no way your cpu is at that temp. It wouldn't even run.


I7 is different, temperature up to 97c is fine, 7 cores usage 100% as long as you leave 1 core then is fine [the core which controls the system].


----------



## Oupavoc

So the i7 runs hot wow I taught they were supposed to be more efficient.


----------



## Metroid

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Solertia*


Is it okay that I manually set my memory to 1600 and 8-8-8-24 (left the rest of the timing settings at Auto)? I had to because my mobo was setting it to 1333 with 9-9-9-24 timings.

Lemme know and then I'll try what you said. Thanks for the tip!


Your memory has Xtreme memory Profile

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Corsair*

The TR3X6G1600C8D is a 6144MByte kit of DDR3 SDRAM DIMMs based upon Corsairâ€™s high performance Dominator family of memory which includes Intelâ€™s Extreme Memory Profiles (XMP 1.2). This enables a robust, profile based high performance DDR3 over-clocking solution for Intel X58 platforms targeted for enthusiasts, gamers and overclockers who want to extract maximum performance from their platforms. Built using Corsairâ€™s Dual-path Heat Xchange (DHX) technology, this part delivers outstanding performance in the latest generation of X58 DDR3-based motherboards. This memory has been verified to operate at 1600MHz at latencies of 8-8-8-24 at 1.65V VDIMM.


Instead of manual settings, set it to Xtreme memory profile once you are in the Bios or change it manually to 1600MHz no need to change the latency leave it as Auto.

Right: 4 things to change as follow:

First: Go into the Bios and change it to manual.

Second: Base clock to 177

Third: memory to 1600

Fourth: Vcore to 1.30

If you find any problem then come back here and tell me.


----------



## Xecuter2

I just got mine.. running 3.8 at 1.28v after load, can do 4 but no point since it needs near 1.36. Temps for me are 60c load but I may lap the chip later on and do 4.0 for fun. Honestly, these chips FLY, they are responsive as all hell and I am completely ASTONISHED! This is coming from 4.4ghz e84/5/6 and a q9550 at 3.8 which imo was quite amazing in itself. Here are some money shots. www.x2tech.net/i7.
Voltages are-
DRAM - 1.65
dram/uncore - 1.3
ram is rated for 1.9v 777 at 1600 - running at 1540 77714 1.65 :0


----------



## Metroid

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Oupavoc*


So the i7 runs hot wow I taught they were supposed to be more efficient.


Yes they are more efficient in the sense of switching the cores to keep the temperature at reasonable levels. The more cores the better concerning the temperature.

The problem is serious if you use all the 8 cores which is not recommended by me.

I will soon make a scientific research about it since I have a project to start off about how Windows manage the cores of a processor.


----------



## Korben

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Xecuter2*


I just got mine.. running 3.8 at 1.28v after load, can do 4 but no point since it needs near 1.36. Temps for me are 60c load but I may lap the chip later on and do 4.0 for fun. Honestly, these chips FLY, they are responsive as all hell and I am completely ASTONISHED! This is coming from 4.4ghz e84/5/6 and a q9550 at 3.8 which imo was quite amazing in itself. Here are some money shots. www.x2tech.net/i7.
Voltages are-
DRAM - 1.65
dram/uncore - 1.3
ram is rated for 1.9v 777 at 1600 - running at 1540 77714 1.65 :0


Wow that is an impressive overclock. I hope mine gets 3.8 at 1.28v. I would prefer the 4.0 though. It is such a nice rounded number. Congrats though and thanks for the pictures.


----------



## Solertia

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Metroid*


Right: 4 things to change as follow:

First: Go into the Bios and change it to manual.

Second: Base clock to 177

Third: memory to 1600

Fourth: Vcore to 1.30

If you find any problem then come back here and tell me.


When I set the base clock to 177, the only options for memory I have that are close to 1600 are 1419 and 1774. Which should I chose?


----------



## zlojack

Set bclk to 160 and you'll get 1600.


----------



## Duckydude

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Solertia*


When I set the base clock to 177, the only options for memory I have that are close to 1600 are 1419 and 1774. Which should I chose?


Do 1419 and maybe tighten up the timings a little, although memory speed really does hot noticeably affect performance.

btw, I ordered my 920 yesterday and what coolers work for it that are actually in stock







?


----------



## Metroid

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Solertia*


When I set the base clock to 177, the only options for memory I have that are close to 1600 are 1419 and 1774. Which should I chose?


Yes, choose 1419Mhz and nothing else, make the test if the system boots.


----------



## Xecuter2

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Duckydude*


Do 1419 and maybe tighten up the timings a little, although memory speed really does hot noticeably affect performance.

btw, I ordered my 920 yesterday and what coolers work for it that are actually in stock







?


The true has a backplate for the 1336 that is out


----------



## Solertia

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Metroid*


Yes, choose 1419Mhz and nothing else, make the test if the system boots.


Alright, system booted. Here's my CPU-Z readings.

So am I good to go? Should I run a stability test?


----------



## Duckydude

Actually, I checked (since I already sold my TRUE), They do have the 1366 TRUE in stock at CrazyPC.


----------



## eflyguy

The P6T seems to make it easy, doesn't it?
..a


----------



## Alwinp

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Solertia*


Alright, system booted. Here's my CPU-Z readings.

So am I good to go? Should I run a stability test?


yeah, I dont see anything wrong here

I'm not an intell overclocked myself, but comparing this with other cpu-z screens there dousn't seem to be anything outstanding.
Your ram timings are about 1400 mhz now, but i guess you lowered those.

I think your good to go.

Prime & orthos test for a couple of hours, or a full day if your patient enough for it. Just keep monitoring your temps.

No idea what max temp is for icore7, but i'm guessing having them below 70 won't harm it


----------



## ProjecT TimeZ

Cool. When my TRUE brackets come in, I am going to overclock this puppy.








I hope the Asus Rampage II Extreme is a good board to OC with.


----------



## Metroid

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Solertia*


Alright, system booted. Here's my CPU-Z readings.

So am I good to go? Should I run a stability test?


Yes, run the prime 95 for 7 minutes which is more than enough. If everything is fine then you are good to go. If you want to try something worth then go straight to 200 base clock and like i said change only the Vcore to 1.40 the other settings leave all auto, your memory will have an option to run at 1600Mhz do it.

Any update come back here and tell me.


----------



## ProjecT TimeZ

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Metroid*


Yes, run the prime 95 for 7 minutes which is more than enough. If everything is fine then you are good to go. If you want to try something worth then go straight to 200 base clock and like i said change only the Vcore to 1.40 the other settings leave all auto.

Any update come back here and tell me.


7 Minutes? No.

20 minutes is the testing point/almost there. Stress test for at LEAST 4 hours.


----------



## Metroid

Quote:


Originally Posted by *ProjecT TimeZ* 
7 Minutes? No.

20 minutes is the testing point/almost there. Stress test for at LEAST 4 hours.

This is not the final overclocking settings, just a quick run.


----------



## Duckydude

I wonder what the max safe temp is for the i7, I would guess it would be the same as the 45nm quads, 75 C?


----------



## Metroid

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Duckydude*


I wonder what the max safe temp is for the i7, I would guess it would be the same as the 45nm quads, 75 C?


Personal opinion:

Risk:90 to 100c
Lifetime Issues: 80 to 90c
Safe: below 80c


----------



## Monst3r

Not a big fan of i7..


----------



## swatsor

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Metroid*


Personal opinion:

Risk:90 to 100c
Lifetime Issues: 80 to 90c
Safe: below 80c


...temps shouldn't be higher than 67.5*C says the intel spec


----------



## TFL Replica

So how's the temp reporting, does the i7 have decent temperature sensors unlike the *cough* penryns (as Intel promised)?


----------



## nuclearjock

Quote:



Originally Posted by *swatsor*


...temps shouldn't be higher than 67.5*C says the intel spec


Please be so kind as to point us to that spec, (link)?


----------



## error10

Quote:



Originally Posted by *TFL Replica*


So how's the temp reporting, does the i7 have decent temperature sensors unlike the *cough* penryns (as Intel promised)?


Nope they're the same sensors with the same problems.


----------



## Solertia

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Monst3r*


Not a big fan of i7..


Then why bother reading/posting in this thread?









BTW Metroid thanks for the help, 3.7Ghz was stable! Will push further after work


----------



## Metroid

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Solertia*


Metroid thanks for the help, 3.7Ghz was stable! Will push further after work










I'm glad your goal was achieved. If you come across any problem or have any update please feel free to send me a Private Message.

Enjoy,


----------



## Marlaman

Metroid, Hyundai Makes your ram? Didn't know they did that/and/or supplied to crucial. Neat! learn something new everyday!

@Metroidjock&swatsor, i assume you know intel has yet to release a thermal spec for the i7 family as of yet. but here is a linky showing just that, if you're so interested








http://processorfinder.intel.com/det...px?sSpec=SLBCH

I wish student loans were gone so i could have fun toys like you big boys :-/


----------



## ProjecT TimeZ

LOL. Thats insane. Maybe mine will be made by Toyota!

It's probably not the same Hyundai..


----------



## Metroid

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Marlaman*


Metroid, Hyundai Makes your ram? Didn't know they did that/and/or supplied to crucial. Neat! learn something new everyday!

@Metroidjock&swatsor, i assume you know intel has yet to release a thermal spec for the i7 family as of yet. but here is a linky showing just that, if you're so interested








http://processorfinder.intel.com/det...px?sSpec=SLBCH

I wish student loans were gone so i could have fun toys like you big boys :-/


I had sent a note to crucial asking them a special memory for tighter timings. I prefer to put the latency down at maximum and then get the best speed of it. I'm not a fan of memory bandwidth since Nehalem gives enough already so no need to get mad about it. What I want is purely performance and only tighter timings give me it.

Quote:



Originally Posted by *ProjecT TimeZ*


LOL. Thats insane. Maybe mine will be made by Toyota!

It's probably not the same Hyundai..


It is definitely not the same, this company is located in India which uses the know how from Korea. So since they supply their products to Crucial I assume it is good enough.

http://www.hyundaielectronicsindia.c...yOverview.aspx


----------



## Solertia

Metroid, if I want to do a couple more base clock increments to edge closer to 200, what should they be (currently 177, so something in the 180s and then 190s) Also, what voltages should I use for them? I know 200 needs about 1.35.


----------



## Metroid

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Solertia*


Metroid, if I want to do a couple more base clock increments to edge closer to 200, what should they be (currently 177, so something in the 180s and then 190s) Also, what voltages should I use for them? I know 200 needs about 1.35.


Well theoretical works as 0.1 v incremented = 1.5 to 2.0 base clock. So if you have 177 at 1.30 V then 200 base clock would end up 1.40 at best, some chips are better and some worse, the average is like this with 21x turbo mode on.

I hope this helps,


----------



## eflyguy

New article..
http://www.extremetech.com/article2/...2335836,00.asp

I just wonder how much credibility I give to the author when they write (regarding the cpu cooler mounting): ".. but has the advantage of using standard Intel-style plug-in mounts, rather than requiring a special mounting plate under the motherboard. "
..a


----------



## TFL Replica

Quote:



Originally Posted by *eflyguy*


New article..
http://www.extremetech.com/article2/...2335836,00.asp

I just wonder how much credibility I give to the author when they write (regarding the cpu cooler mounting): ".. but has the advantage of using standard Intel-style plug-in mounts, rather than requiring a special mounting plate under the motherboard. "
..a


These days cases have an opening in the motherboard tray for easy access to any aftermarket cooling mounting systems such as backplates. But even if they didn't anyone calling Intel's push-pins an advantage needs to be spanked for 24 hours to test stability.


----------



## eflyguy

.. and more importantly, no backplate to stop the board from bending! 
Still, nice to see more and more articles popping up. I'm still trying to get my head around the memory speed, how to optimize for a particular bclk & multi..
..a


----------



## eflyguy

5.1GHz - SuperPI 32M run in 7m 20.016s - http://www.hexus.net/content/item.php?item=16297
5.51GHz - http://hothardware.com/News/ASUS-Ram...-i7-OC-Record/

here's the CPU-Z validation on that one: http://valid.x86-secret.com/show_oc.php?id=451336








..a


----------



## Metroid

I got another record concerning low voltage:

3.7 1.16V 4 threads, very much stable.

Prime 95 almost 6 hours.


----------



## eflyguy

Why only 4 workers?


----------



## {core2duo}werd

he either turned off 2 cores, or he turned off Hyper Threading. both could make it easier to overclock.


----------



## Solertia

I think I'm stuck at 3.81Ghz (182 base clock with 1.305 core voltage) with the current OC method I'm using (changing base clock, memory clock, and core voltage, and leaving everything else at auto). I tried 182 base clock with every tiny voltage bump between 1.305 and 1.350 but to no avail







It would boot into windows, but during OCCT stability test would either restart, BSOD, or stop the test due to temps getting too high. Any more tips, anyone? I know this thing can go further!


----------



## Xecuter2

What other voltage settings are you using? Or all on auto?


----------



## Xecuter2

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Metroid* 
I got another record concerning low voltage:

3.7 1.16V 4 threads, very much stable.

Prime 95 almost 6 hours.

I would attempt to reseat that cooler, though very nice voltage clock there. I am getting 65c max load after 5 hrs stable at 3.8 1.3v exactly. I might try lower but I am quite happy since I am stable. Also, whats the deal with only 4 threads as stated before? 8 threads with HT really heats it up









I'm a tard, sorry for the double post.


----------



## Solertia

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Xecuter2* 
What other voltage settings are you using? Or all on auto?

Everything is on auto except base clock, memory clock, and cpu voltage. This method has been very easy and has served me well up until this point, but I feel like if I tweaked some of the other settings I could get higher. But I dunno how really







I'm a noob overclocker


----------



## Metroid

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Xecuter2*


I would attempt to reseat that cooler, though very nice voltage clock there. I am getting 65c max load after 5 hrs stable at 3.8 1.3v exactly. I might try lower but I am quite happy since I am stable. Also, whats the deal with only 4 threads as stated before? 8 threads with HT really heats it up









I'm a tard, sorry for the double post.


There are 2 things that I learnt as my research progresses.

First: 8 cores need more voltage:
Second: 8 cores heat up more to a difference of 10c on load times.

Conclusion so far: If you disable the hyper-threading then you might get better temperatures at load times, on a side note some performance impact to some programs. It is up to you to choose whether or not you need it off.


----------



## eflyguy

~1.2GHZ OC and you're unhappy?









..a


----------



## Metroid

Now if you want to see an exceptional chip better the the one that I have then check this post out.

http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/...&postcount=557


----------



## Solertia

Quote:


Originally Posted by *eflyguy* 
~1.2GHZ OC and you're unhappy?








..a

XD Not unhappy, it's awesome! I just get excited knowing this thing can go further









Quote:


Originally Posted by *Metroid* 
Now if you want to see an exceptional chip better the the one that I have then check this post out.

http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/...&postcount=557



























































Holy crap! Only 1.2v for that?


----------



## 003

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Solertia*


Holy crap! Only 1.2v for that?


It's impressive, yes. But don't let voltage scare you away from a sweet OC. You're on water, so you're good to go I'd say to 1.45v.


----------



## Metroid

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Solertia*


XD Not unhappy, it's awesome! I just get excited knowing this thing can go further









Holy crap! Only 1.2v for that?


Yes totally insane, The best I could do was 1.27V 8 threads at 4.0Ghz.


----------



## Solertia

Woah, how'd you get it to 4.0 with only 1.27v?


----------



## Metroid

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Solertia* 
Woah, how'd you get it to 4.0 with only 1.27v?

It was not easy, had to clear the CMOS many times, my memory was holding me back at a certain point, loosen the timings gave me some insight.

Well you don't need to worry about it like 003 said you are using water cooling. you should try something xtreme like up the voltage to 1.40V base clock to 200 memory at 1600Mhz and nothing else. You will have a +50% overclock 4.2Ghz and nothing to worry about.

Try it then come back and report it to me how it went.

Enjoy,


----------



## Xecuter2

How do you manage 4.2 with a 20x multi? o.0 Is there a way to unlock 21x that I don't know, not that it really makes a difference.


----------



## Metroid

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Xecuter2*


How do you manage 4.2 with a 20x multi? o.0 Is there a way to unlock 21x that I don't know, not that it really makes a difference.


There are 2 ways. The common is 21x:200 which uses the turbo technology giveaway multiplier which adds 1 multiplier to the processor or 20x210 base clock which is also not hard to get.


----------



## eflyguy

Looks like Turbo Mode?
..a


----------



## HardwarzFan

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Solertia*


Woah, how'd you get it to 4.0 with only 1.27v?


Yeah... could you low-volt high-OC guys please post some detailed bios? I'd love to give that a shot.


----------



## gooddog

on some of the low voltage stuff I saw, people had disabled hyper threading, so make sure that you know whether or not you are comparing apples to apples.


----------



## HardwarzFan

Very good point. Could you guys shed some light on this and tell us if you disabled HT?


----------



## Metroid

Quote:



Originally Posted by *HardwarzFan*


Yeah... could you low-volt high-OC guys please post some detailed bios? I'd love to give that a shot.


No tricks here, most of my settings are auto. I'm changing only the vcore, memory timings. That is easy to know when you start doing your own tests. CPU varies in overclocking so you need to do your own tests to find out what you CPU is really capable.

3 things before you start your tests.

*First:* All I7 achieve a 50% overclocking.
*Second*: It is protected by default which means that you will not burn your CPU by any means.
*Third:* You need to know how to reset the Bios settings if your system does not start from an overclocking attempt which you can find it reading the motherboard manual.

Quote:



Originally Posted by *gooddog*


on some of the low voltage stuff I saw, people had disabled hyper threading, so make sure that you know whether or not you are comparing apples to apples.


I have read this thread and nobody is doing or pretending about what you are implying. Could you be more specific?

The screenshots contain and give enough information for the proposed discussed topic.

Quote:



Originally Posted by *HardwarzFan*


Very good point. Could you guys shed some light on this and tell us if you disabled HT?


You can see it. When you see on the CPU-Z screen 4 cores 4 logical cores then Hyper-threading is off.

Hyper-Threading off picture below:










Hyper-Threading on picture below:









I hope this helps,


----------



## gooddog

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Metroid* 
No tricks here, most of my settings are auto.

*First:* All I7 achieve a 50% overclocking.

I guess it depends on if you mean 24/7 stable or a quick Prime run and what type of cooling you are talking about.

As an example, I haven't seen anyone do a 965 at 4.8G on water.
Nor have I seen a lot of 24/7 965 on air above 4.1G


----------



## iggster

I have been playing with some settings and this is what I have so far.

Quote:



Originally Posted by *gooddog*


As an example, I haven't seen anyone do a 965 at 4.8G on water.


4.65 and that was before tweaking some things today... I dunno if it will help my benching overclocks but if it helps oh wow









before all I could manage was at 3.8 vcore at 1.325


----------



## Metroid

Quote:



Originally Posted by *gooddog*


I guess it depends on if you mean 24/7 stable or a quick Prime run and what type of cooling you are talking about.

As an example, I haven't seen anyone do a 965 at 4.8G on water.
Nor have I seen a lot of 24/7 965 on air above 4.1G


It is simple, people who buy an extreme processor like the I7 965 will do 2 things as follow.

First: They will not overclock it at all. They just want the best without doing anything.
Second: Xtreme overclockers who want to get the maximum clock regardless of the base clock.

I do not have the I7 965 but if I had on my hands then I would show you it can get 50% of overcloking, yes sure I'm not saying on air or water because there is no reason to buy such expensive chip and play water air game with it instead I would use some serious cooling like phase change.

As for me I always buy the cheapest and overclock it to the maximum stable like I did with my old E6600 at 2.4 to 3.6 and now with my I7 920 at 2.6 to 4.2.


----------



## HardwarzFan

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Metroid*


As for me I always buy the cheapest and overclock it to the maximum stable like I did with my old E6600 at 2.4 to 3.6 and now with my I7 920 at 2.6 to 4.2.


Just to be clear, your current i7 920 overclock of 4.2ghz on on air but with hyper threading *disabled*, right? Would you mind if I asked if you remember how high you stably got with hyper threading on? I'm trying to figure out what the general max air OC of an 920 with hyper threading on would be. I've been trying to figure this out for a while before I proceed (I'm totally new to OCing).


----------



## eflyguy

With what I've invested, I'm expecting a stable 4.0Ghz+ 24x7, only part missing is another 6GB RAM. If I don't get that OC, I'm going to be pretty disappointed..
..a


----------



## Metroid

Quote:


Originally Posted by *HardwarzFan* 
Just to be clear, your current i7 920 overclock of 4.2ghz on on air but with hyper threading *disabled*, right? Would you mind if I asked if you remember how high you stably got with hyper threading on? I'm trying to figure out what the general max air OC of an 920 with hyper threading on would be. I've been trying to figure this out for a while before I proceed (I'm totally new to OCing).

Hyper-Threading on is 3 to 5 Volts more.

An example is if I got it stable at 4.2 using 1.35 without hyper-Threading then with Hyper-Threading will be 1.38 to 1.40V. However if I had a better ram then I would have got a better overall voltage.

The ram and CPU are tied up by the internal memory controller which means if the ram gets corrupted by a minor margin of fluctuations then the CPU will freeze instantly.

I reckon my CPU deserves a better memory module than the one I have. I paid cheap for the ram and the voltage is the less to concern as it is less than 5V of difference.

Nonetheless I will wait for good DDR3 modules to come out until the end of the next year when I will be upgrading to Windows 7.

Enjoy your building,


----------



## bowman

My TRUE adapter is shipping. Thank god.

Just wanted to get that off my chest.


----------



## TFL Replica

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Metroid* 
Hyper-Threading on is *.3 to .5 Volts* more.

Fixed it. LMAO if it was 3 volts more.


----------



## eflyguy

Actually, that's 0.03-0.05V.. 3-5 hundredths..
..a


----------



## Metroid

Quote:


Originally Posted by *bowman* 
My TRUE adapter is shipping. Thank god.

Just wanted to get that off my chest.









Let me know how much you can get from









Quote:


Originally Posted by *TFL Replica* 
Fixed it. LMAO if it was 3 volts more.










Quote:


Originally Posted by *eflyguy* 
Actually, that's 0.03-0.05V.. 3-5 hundredths..
..a

You mad people, the given example was better explained


----------



## TFL Replica

Quote:



Originally Posted by *eflyguy*


Actually, that's 0.03-0.05V.. 3-5 hundredths..
..a


and so it is. I stopped reading after that point.


----------



## gooddog

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Metroid*


Hyper-Threading on is 3 to 5 Volts more.

An example is if I got it stable at 4.2 using 1.35 without hyper-Threading then with Hyper-Threading will be 1.38 to 1.40V. However if I had a better ram then I would have got a better overall voltage.

I paid cheap for the ram and the voltage is the less to concern as it is less than 5V of difference.


You can get a 920 4.2 stable on Air with hyper-threading on with cheap ram at 1.38-1.40 volts?! That has got to be a record.

what settings are you using?

Screen shots?


----------



## Subayai

Has anyone been able to hit 4.0 to 4.1-ish with HT on with a 920 air cooled?


----------



## Xecuter2

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Subayai* 
Has anyone been able to hit 4.0 to 4.1-ish with HT on with a 920 air cooled?

I tried with HT off for giggles... needless to say. with MORE voltage, temps were over 10c lower at load with it off o.0.


----------



## HardwarzFan

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Metroid*


An example is if I got it stable at 4.2 using 1.35 without hyper-Threading then with Hyper-Threading will be 1.38 to 1.40V. However if I had a better ram then I would have got a better overall voltage.

The ram and CPU are tied up by the internal memory controller which means if the ram gets corrupted by a minor margin of fluctuations then the CPU will freeze instantly.


My better ram do you mean tighter timings? Or is it ram speed you are referring to?


----------



## 003

A little birdy left a gift for me....









Unfortunately, I can't do jack with it until D-Tek releases a LGA 1366 mounting kit for the Fuzion V2


----------



## gooddog

Nice birdie!
have fun...even with the stock cooling!


----------



## 003

Quote:



Originally Posted by *gooddog*


Nice birdie!
have fun...even with the stock cooling!










I didn't even think about that! I can still use the stock cooler, I will get right on it! I was planning on letting it sit in the box till I got the mounting kit, lol...


----------



## iggster

Quote:


Originally Posted by *003* 







I didn't even think about that! I can still use the stock cooler, I will get right on it! I was planning on letting it sit in the box till I got the mounting kit, lol...

just leave the screws on the mobo for the water cooler mount loose and tightening the cpu block once in place will work.

for socket 775 to ghetto rig i7 socker









by the way congrats and sick setup!


----------



## Metroid

Quote:


Originally Posted by *gooddog* 
You can get a 920 4.2 stable on Air with hyper-threading on with cheap ram at 1.38-1.40 volts?! That has got to be a record.

what settings are you using?

Screen shots?

I will do it later right now I'm at 4.2 1.35V hyper-Threading off watching an important movie









Reserved:

Well I tried but it was not possible due to the high temperatures

That is the reason I keep it 4.2Ghz with 1.35V Hyper-Threading off.

First: Intel recommends it below 1.35
Second: Load times are 10 to 20c degrees less.

The first screenshot is at 4.2Ghz with 1.37,5 which finished 2 tests as Super PI 1M and 32M.










The second screenshot is the reason why I can't go ahead with this. I do respect 10%. An example is if the chips runs with a TJMax of 100c then the maximum I would let is 90c. This is far higher than my 10%, check the Realtemp program well. You will see it reached 100c and it was on the 3rd Prime 95 test 1024k which is a bit further than the beginning of the test.










The conclusion is simple and can see by anybody interested on the topic. If you need to use 8 threads with this speed at 4.2 using the best of the best aircolling solutions the Thermalright true copper 2 kilos then It would be better for you to go water cooling solutions as you will get a better voltage than me with 1.38V 8 threads hyper-threading on.

As for me I will stay with my 4.2Ghz at 1.35V 24/7 4 threads no problems. The reason is again very simple, it is cooler with 4 threads, less voltage, programs which I most use can not even use 4 threads let alone 8 threads.

I hope this helps,


----------



## error10

I wouldn't run it that hot; it seems you topped 100C already. A good general rule of thumb for a maximum 24x7 temperature is Tjmax - 20 (Tcontrol).


----------



## iggster

not only that but that version of real temp is off, I had it and updated to the 2.90 and my temps read about 6c higher. it was updated for i7. I would have idles of 34-36 c now its 40-41c...


----------



## error10

Quote:



Originally Posted by *iggster*


not only that but that version of real temp is off, I had it and updated to the 2.90 and my temps read about 6c higher. it was updated for i7. I would have idles of 34-36 c now its 40-41c...


Yep they had to update RealTemp. The Tjmax for the Core i7 is read directly off the chip, so no more having to guess about what it really is like we've all done with the Core2.


----------



## Metroid

Quote:



Originally Posted by *error10*


I wouldn't run it that hot; it seems you topped 100C already. A good general rule of thumb for a maximum 24x7 temperature is Tjmax - 20 (Tcontrol).


My rule of thumb is to respect only 10% of it.









Quote:



Originally Posted by *iggster*


not only that but that version of real temp is off, I had it and updated to the 2.90 and my temps read about 6c higher. it was updated for i7. I would have idles of 34-36 c now its 40-41c...


Which version were you using before?

The version 2.89.7 and 2.90 no differences at all concerning the readings.

An update: A picture.


----------



## Xecuter2

I crash when I run 200 bclock and I have tried all kinds of voltage combinations with no luck :/ 4.0ghz with HT off 1.3v(could go less but its more than stable) passes prime with ease at 191 bclock turbo on. Just wish I could do 4.2 like you since I only am at 60c load now


----------



## Metroid

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Xecuter2*


I crash when I run 200 bclock and I have tried all kinds of voltage combinations with no luck :/ 4.0ghz with HT off 1.3v(could go less but its more than stable) passes prime with ease at 191 bclock turbo on. Just wish I could do 4.2 like you since I only am at 60c load now










Motherboard Bios?

I'm using 0703. There are new versions but no need to update my Bios since all seems to work fine and fixes are minor.

191 is the best that you can get?


----------



## TFL Replica

Quote:



Originally Posted by *error10*


Yep they had to update RealTemp. The Tjmax for the Core i7 is read directly off the chip, so no more having to guess about what it really is like we've all done with the Core2.


That's the sort of news I like to hear.


----------



## {core2duo}werd

Quote:



Originally Posted by *error10*


I wouldn't run it that hot; it seems you topped 100C already. A good general rule of thumb for a maximum 24x7 temperature is Tjmax - 20 (Tcontrol).


he seems to think you can't burn up you're chip.

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Metroid*


*First:* All I7 achieve a 50% overclocking.
*Second*: *It is protected by default which means that you will not burn your CPU by any means*.
*Third:* You need to know how to reset the Bios settings if your system does not start from an overclocking attempt which you can find it reading the motherboard manual.


----------



## error10

Well, he's right in that you can't burn it *by default* because the thermal monitor and wattage limits are on by default. If you turn those off, then sure you can burn the chip.


----------



## Metroid

Quote:



Originally Posted by *{core2duo}werd*


he seems to think you can't burn up you're chip.


It can't be burned. It might end up with lifetime issues. The multipliers are dropped or the system halts all the operations and automatically turns off which seemly looks like a crash.

It should drop the voltage as well and not only the multipliers.


----------



## gooddog

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Metroid*


The conclusion is simple and can see by anybody interested on the topic. If you need to use 8 threads with this speed at 4.2 using the best of the best aircolling solutions the Thermalright true copper 2 kilos then It would be better for you to go water cooling solutions as you will get a better voltage than me with 1.38V 8 threads hyper-threading on.

I hope this helps,


Unfortunately, I don't draw many conclusions from running prime for 4 minutes. It doesn't always mean that with better cooling you can run stable just because you lower the temps.

I have had OC attempts fail after 15 minutes or 1 hour of Prime95 even though my temps were in the low 70s.

Thanks for running these tests and watch those temps!

Q: you are using the true copper? are you also using fans with it? 1 or 2?


----------



## Metroid

Quote:



Originally Posted by *gooddog*


Unfortunately, I don't draw many conclusions from running prime for 4 minutes. It doesn't always mean that with better cooling you can run stable just because you lower the temps.

I have had OC attempts fail after 15 minutes or 1 hour of Prime95 even though my temps were in the low 70s.

Thanks for running these tests and watch those temps!

Q: you are using the true copper? are you also using fans with it? 1 or 2?


It reached 100c and the system was still running afterwards which means pretty much stable. If the system was not stable then It would have instantly crashed.

Almost 99% of the cases mean that with a better cooling solution like water can overlap the heat that holds the CPU back from giving you all that it has to offer.

I'm using 2 Noctua fans 19 decibels 54 CFM and I did sand down my True Copper, placed washers and so on.


----------



## gooddog

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Metroid*


It reached 100c and the system was still running afterwards which means pretty much stable. If the system was not stable then It would have instantly crashed.


I respectfully disagree.

I don't believe you need to run prime for 24 hours, but more than 4 minutes makes sense.

Again, I have had OCs that fail after 15 minutes or 1 hour. I wouldn't call those stable.


----------



## Metroid

Quote:



Originally Posted by *gooddog*


I respectfully disagree.

I don't believe you need to run prime for 24 hours, but more than 4 minutes makes sense.

Again, I have had OCs that fail after 15 minutes or 1 hour. I wouldn't call those stable.


Well that test will not be possible because my air cooling can't hold 4.2Ghz 8 threads as you have seen when it reached 100c the multipliers were dropped which would have made the test invalid if I had continued it anyway.

So since I can not do that test with 8 threads I decided to do with only 4 threads as I can use less voltage and it runs cooler.

I'm still priming it, so far looks good.


----------



## Xecuter2

Those temps are so ridiculously hot compared to mine.. I can't do 4.2 because of my chip I believe, locks at load no matter what, but at 4.0 with HT off I load at 60c. Been priming it for a bit now. 3.8 with HT on is nearing 70c load with 5 hrs stable. For some reason I don't think your contact is great at all. I had to take my socket lock off to get my chip and TRUE to make proper contact.


----------



## gooddog

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Xecuter2*


Those temps are so ridiculously hot compared to mine..t.


I agree. I would seriously consider re-seating that True. I think 75-80 is more typical at 1.4 than these temps.


----------



## Metroid

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Xecuter2*


Those temps are so ridiculously hot compared to mine.. I can't do 4.2 because of my chip I believe, locks at load no matter what, but at 4.0 with HT off I load at 60c. Been priming it for a bit now. 3.8 with HT on is nearing 70c load with 5 hrs stable. For some reason I don't think your contact is great at all. I had to take my socket lock off to get my chip and TRUE to make proper contact.



Quote:



Originally Posted by *gooddog*


I agree. I would seriously consider re-seating that True. I think 75-80 is more typical at 1.4 than these temps.


Both of you: Do you mind on taking a screenshot of your temps running prime 95 for 20 minutes 4 Threads at 4.0Ghz using the latest version of Realtemp 2.90?

If you do then I can compare to mine at 4.0Ghz.

The True Copper requires a higher CFM than the regular True on higher Loads, if the difference is 5c then is fine. I'm using dual fans Noctua 1300 RPM 54 CFM.

I recommend this review to get a better understanding of how the True Copper works.

http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/...d.php?t=209230


----------



## gooddog

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Metroid* 
Both of you: Do you mind on taking a screenshot of your temps running prime 95 for 20 minutes 4 Threads at 4.0Ghz using the latest version of Realtemp 2.90?


here you go.
This one is with all 8 cores for about 40 minutes.
I have both realtemp 2.9 and 2.89.x - no difference

http://i373.photobucket.com/albums/o.../all8again.jpg

This one is with HT off, around 20 minutes.

http://i373.photobucket.com/albums/o...8/4threads.jpg

Lapped True.
One fan (push) at around 60 CFM.


----------



## error10

Quote:


Originally Posted by *gooddog* 
Lapped True.
One fan (push) at around 60 CFM.

Those temps are getting up there. Have you considered a better fan for the TRUE?


----------



## 003

Well, on the stock air cooler that comes with the 920, I have managed this:
http://valid.canardpc.com/show_oc.php?id=458028









The voltage is not displayed in the generated CPU-z image, but it should read 1.32v as it does on my PC, and 1.325v set in the BIOS. All other settings are at auto, except for vPLL which is at 1.9, though I'm not sure if it was necessary. This is not stable, I have not stress tested yet.

But keep in mind, this is on the STOCK COOLER.


----------



## Metroid

Quote:


Originally Posted by *gooddog* 
here you go.
This one is with all 8 cores for about 40 minutes.
I have both realtemp 2.9 and 2.89.x - no difference

http://i373.photobucket.com/albums/o.../all8again.jpg

This one is with HT off, around 20 minutes.

http://i373.photobucket.com/albums/o...8/4threads.jpg

Lapped True.
One fan (push) at around 60 CFM.

Like I thought not much different, look closely 8 threads ran for almost 20 minutes maximum 88c.










4Ghz 20 Minutes 8 threads =

Maximum: 88c
Average Maximum: 85c










3.7Ghz 8 threads 7 Hours Prime 95 =

Maximum: 73c
Average Maximum: 72
Load minimum and maximum average: 2 hours = 540 / 8 = 67.5

3.8Ghz should be a little higher.

4Ghz to 4.2Ghz means:

200Mhz x 8 cores = 1600Mhz which is converted into heat into heat.

So it looks like is a general problem for aircooling users, this chip is too hot. The only way to get 4.2 Ghz to work with 8 threads is with a good watercooling.

By the way 1 fan 1300RPM 54CFM for me is better than 2 fans as the latter was explained.

This was an interesting week,

Thank you all who participated and contributed to this thread. This is a very good thread explaining many things about this amazing processor.

Well I will keep at 3.717Mhz 1.168V 24/7 8 threads mainly because my goal was to keep 4 to 6 logical processors for the World Community Grid xtremesystems team.

I will only use 4.2Ghz if I need to bench for any reason or if a game does not run at 60 frames per second and the same needs a CPU boost or to play the best Playstation 2 emulator PCSX2 at amazing frame rates which is a CPU eater.

I spent all my money building this system which I do not regret at all however if I only knew the best aircooling solution would not stand for 4.2Ghz then I would have built a water cooling solution. Well there are things we can not go back in the past. It was done and was for good.

I will change to water cooling in the next few months and keep at 4.2 Ghz 8 threads. I still think it is possible to keep such speed with a good water cooling solution. There are good radiators out there in the market.

*The CPU-Z Validation: 3.7Ghz 8 threads 1.168*

Best OC Users,


----------



## gooddog

Quote:



Originally Posted by *error10*


Those temps are getting up there. Have you considered a better fan for the TRUE?


Thought of it, but I only get these temps when running prime. For the normal work that I do, I rarely get anywhere near this.


----------



## {core2duo}werd

i'm thinking i got a bad mobo







no matter what i do, or what multi i set i can't get over 185 bclk... i'm thinking about getting a new one and hoping the new one OCs better.


----------



## iggster

Quote:


Originally Posted by *{core2duo}werd* 
i'm thinking i got a bad mobo







no matter what i do, or what multi i set i can't get over 185 bclk... i'm thinking about getting a new one and hoping the new one OCs better.

could be cpu also, mines is stuck at about the same number also. have you searched for newer bios? I know the new f4* for my mobo is giving many people WAY higher overclocks, I am still on f3 though kind of scared of going f4 and not being able to overclock as high anymore and also waiting for more people to confirm it.


----------



## {core2duo}werd

see i would think if it was the cpu then i would be able to get a higher bclk at a lower multi.

i am on the latest bios for my board that i know of, i'll check again tomorrow. another reason i'm thinking about a new board is because i don't really like asus, because i have had too many problems with their boards. I seem to find myself buying asus after asus even though i don't like them. i keep saying I will never buy another again and again lol.


----------



## YeaBaby

Quote:



Originally Posted by *003*


A little birdy left a gift for me....









Unfortunately, I can't do jack with it until D-Tek releases a LGA 1366 mounting kit for the Fuzion V2










You just make sure you pump that 1.55 to 1.6 volt through it! LOL.


----------



## Xecuter2

Quote:


Originally Posted by *{core2duo}werd* 
see i would think if it was the cpu then i would be able to get a higher bclk at a lower multi.

i am on the latest bios for my board that i know of, i'll check again tomorrow. another reason i'm thinking about a new board is because i don't really like asus, because i have had too many problems with their boards. I seem to find myself buying asus after asus even though i don't like them. i keep saying I will never buy another again and again lol.

I am stuck at 191 block max :/


----------



## jerjon7

Quote:


Originally Posted by *iggster* 
could be cpu also, mines is stuck at about the same number also. have you searched for newer bios? I know the new f4* for my mobo is giving many people WAY higher overclocks, I am still on f3 though kind of scared of going f4 and not being able to overclock as high anymore and also waiting for more people to confirm it.


Quote:


Originally Posted by *{core2duo}werd* 
see i would think if it was the cpu then i would be able to get a higher bclk at a lower multi.

i am on the latest bios for my board that i know of, i'll check again tomorrow. another reason i'm thinking about a new board is because i don't really like asus, because i have had too many problems with their boards. I seem to find myself buying asus after asus even though i don't like them. i keep saying I will never buy another again and again lol.

i know you two probably already did this, but just in case you didn't make sure the turbo mode is disabled, otherwise when you are trying to move your base clock up when you prime the multi jumps up to 20, i think it does even when your booting, i was not able to get into windows at base clock 185 but as soon as i turned that off, i was able to get up to 210 baseclock running prime for 20 minutes at multi 14, now i am running 200 base at 19 multi had stable for 6 hours prime but it restarted now i am looking to tweak some more, that is 1.26 vcore in windows load fyi


----------



## BiNGE

Great success!


----------



## eflyguy

Does disabling turbo have any negative impact on the automatic power/heat control capabilities?

(my rad & tubing are still in freakin' memphis. Thanks, FedEx..)
..a


----------



## BiNGE

Quote:



Originally Posted by *eflyguy*


Does disabling turbo have any negative impact on the automatic power/heat control capabilities?

(my rad & tubing are still in freakin' memphis. Thanks, FedEx..)
..a


Wait what??? Automatic hozziwhat'sin?

Disabling turbo just disables turbo. Turbo simply allows you to attain a multiplier of x21. That's it. To keep that on you would have to adjust voltages etc etc to keep that stable. I hope that helps?


----------



## 003

Quote:



Originally Posted by *eflyguy*


Does disabling turbo have any negative impact on the automatic power/heat control capabilities?

(my rad & tubing are still in freakin' memphis. Thanks, FedEx..)
..a


Yes. If you disable turbo, at least on the P6T Deluxe, the CPU will no longer throttle voltage during low usage or idle situations, even if you leave C1E and SpeedStep enabled.


----------



## eflyguy

Quote:



Originally Posted by *003*


Yes. If you disable turbo, at least on the P6T Deluxe, the CPU will no longer throttle voltage during low usage or idle situations, even if you leave C1E and SpeedStep enabled.



Thanks. I know it is capable of dynamically directing power to the cores that need it, throttling back those that don't. Benching with all cores fully loaded is one thing, but having the ability for the CPU to manage power during normal use is also important..
..a


----------



## BiNGE

Quote:


Originally Posted by *eflyguy* 
Thanks. I know it is capable of dynamically directing power to the cores that need it, throttling back those that don't. Benching with all cores fully loaded is one thing, but having the ability for the CPU to manage power during normal use is also important..
..a

Yes there are extra C-state settings in all x58 mobos that can work if activated when you have turbo mode on.


----------



## SolShade

So in conclusion would you guys say that a 920 @ 4ghz on water should be always doable unless there is something weird going on with a component?


----------



## MikersSU

This thread has me very excited. I just got the 920 and P6T OC Palm. I'll be running 2x2gb XM3 from Corsair instead of going triple channel (just doesn't seem worth it atm). I also plunked down a few bucks for the new APogee GTZ socket 1366 hold down plate and I'm waiting for my new Mountain Mods case to come in.

I can't wait till everything comes together. This thread has taught me a great deal on overclocking the new processors. Core 2 spoiled many of us through ease of overclocking. Keep it up guys


----------



## BiNGE

Quote:



Originally Posted by *SolShade*


So in conclusion would you guys say that a 920 @ 4ghz on water should be always doable unless there is something weird going on with a component?


My guess is that if you're having a problem with your overclock is that it's the fault of low quality DIMMs. Main memory holds an even greater role in the OCing process than ever before. Hold on to your wallets, grab your 920, and get ready to RMA sticks until something works


----------



## jerjon7

Quote:



Originally Posted by *MikersSU*


This thread has me very excited. I just got the 920 and P6T OC Palm. I'll be running 2x2gb XM3 from Corsair instead of going triple channel (just doesn't seem worth it atm). I also plunked down a few bucks for the new APogee GTZ socket 1366 hold down plate and I'm waiting for my new Mountain Mods case to come in.

I can't wait till everything comes together. This thread has taught me a great deal on overclocking the new processors. Core 2 spoiled many of us through ease of overclocking. Keep it up guys










i beleive its more of just getting used to it, i think it was actually pretty easy to get my processor to 3.8 so far, and still trucking my goal is 4.0 ghz with HT enabled


----------



## jerjon7

Quote:



Originally Posted by *eflyguy*


Does disabling turbo have any negative impact on the automatic power/heat control capabilities?

(my rad & tubing are still in freakin' memphis. Thanks, FedEx..)
..a


haha, i read that message when i was tracking my packages, that the memphis hub was encountering problems, that really blows, and too your question

when i turned my turbo off, it does still in fact throttle down to the 12X multi when idle low cpu usage, but i have the gigabyte Ud5


----------



## dejanh

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Solertia*


Everything is on auto except base clock, memory clock, and cpu voltage. This method has been very easy and has served me well up until this point, but I feel like if I tweaked some of the other settings I could get higher. But I dunno how really







I'm a noob overclocker










I can't get my Core i7 940 past 3.8GHz stable on the R2E either...I made a few runs with it at 4.0GHz, but it seems to be a hit and miss. Sometimes Prime will crash, other times it will run fine for a while...

Not sure what is going on really...


----------



## gooddog

Quote:



Originally Posted by *dejanh*


I can't get my Core i7 940 past 3.8GHz stable on the R2E either...I made a few runs with it at 4.0GHz, but it seems to be a hit and miss. Sometimes Prime will crash, other times it will run fine for a while...

Not sure what is going on really...


Try lowering the QPI memory speed (or whatever it is called) rather than having it on auto. Put at lowest number.

Good luck!


----------



## SolShade

Quote:



Originally Posted by *dejanh*


I can't get my Core i7 940 past 3.8GHz stable on the R2E either...I made a few runs with it at 4.0GHz, but it seems to be a hit and miss. Sometimes Prime will crash, other times it will run fine for a while...

Not sure what is going on really...


What kind of Memory are you using?


----------



## BiNGE

Just hit a new stage of awesome with Hyper Threading turned off~


----------



## {core2duo}werd

ugh guys you are really making me want to figure out whats goin on with my system, and why i can't go above 185 bclk! but i don't have enough money to find out...


----------



## BiNGE

Don't have enough money??? I'm sorry man I don't understand.


----------



## {core2duo}werd

Quote:



Originally Posted by *BiNGE*


Don't have enough money??? I'm sorry man I don't understand.











yeah, i would have to start ordering new parts to see if that's my problem. new ram to see if that's my problem, new mobo to see if that's my problem, then if those two weren't the problem, a new cpu to see if i can get one that overclocks better...


----------



## dejanh

Quote:



Originally Posted by *gooddog*


Try lowering the QPI memory speed (or whatever it is called) rather than having it on auto. Put at lowest number.

Good luck!


Can't do. P6T and R2E do not have negative multipliers for QPI/DRAM when using Core i7 920/940. It's set at 18x by default always (can go higher though I think, but this is useless). Uncore is also 16x by default, and can only go higher which is again useless.

Quote:



What kind of Memory are you using?


The new Corsair Dominator 1600MHz triple-channel kit that runs at 1.65V.

I have already determined that the max BCLK I can get stable is 222MHz, and the max memory clock I can get stable is 1950MHz with 8-8-8-24 timings, but I also noticed that has no influence on my ability to overclock as those all vary depending on what other settings are (like voltages, multipliers, etc.).

Right now the best I managed to get is 19x210 for 3990MHz with around 1.368V, though I am running 19x208 with 1.344V for the sake of lower heat. Under Small FFTs I peak out at 85C, Large FFTs 80C.

I think it is the heat that is really doing me in. I have seen numerious examples now where better cooling on i7 equated to lower voltages (less leaking current) and better overclocks. Even I have managed to go from rock solid 3.4GHz with stock cooler to 3.99GHz with CoolerMaster V8. My setup is definitely not ideal for heat though as my case is in a corner of a room on the floor, and there is a heater near by.


----------



## SASAlbertino

Alrite boys, just got the asus p6t deluxe and the 920 with some ocz platinum ram dual channel 4gb rated at 1.80v, am i alrite to set this baby up now? is it a done deal with keeping your dimm voltage to within 0.5 of the Vqpi? i dont wanna set this son-of-a-gun up and crease up my cpu if this stuff is wrong, cheers lads.


----------



## SASAlbertino

BiNGE, where did u get that mayan desktop background from? its sweet.


----------



## Duckydude

I'm hoping I can just use the 2 x 2GB OCZ DDR1600 gold with 1.65v that I have. I'm going to try to losing up the timings first and if that doesn't work I'm going to bite the bullet and use a voltage that is within .5 of the QPI voltage. I already have everything here except the bolt through kit which should be here in a couple days







.


----------



## MCBrown.CA

Quote:



Originally Posted by *SASAlbertino*


BiNGE, where did u get that mayan desktop background from? its sweet.


he got it from interfacelift.com and the photo was taken in thailand actually IIRC

EDIT: cambodia actually


----------



## TFL Replica

Quote:



Originally Posted by *MCBrown.CA*


he got it from interfacelift.com and the photo was taken in thailand actually IIRC


Thanks. +rep


----------



## iggster

lol I noticed that my super pi times for anything over 4.58 got slower.... talked to some guys over at xs and they helped me get 4.6+ faster then 4.58.. To think I have been benching at 4.6+ for 3dmark I wonder how much it affects the scores hmmmm

btw 8 second super pi


----------



## BiNGE

Quote:


Originally Posted by *SASAlbertino* 
Alrite boys, just got the asus p6t deluxe and the 920 with some ocz platinum ram dual channel 4gb rated at 1.80v, am i alrite to set this baby up now? is it a done deal with keeping your dimm voltage to within 0.5 of the Vqpi? i dont wanna set this son-of-a-gun up and crease up my cpu if this stuff is wrong, cheers lads.

You'll be fine with that mindset. To see your ram's limits I would attempt to test at lower voltages and mess with the timings.







That's just what I would do. Feel free to keep it at 1.80v and the QPIv @ .5v away so 1.3v minimum.

Again... try it at loose timings. I have a Dual Channel set of GSkill HZs that will do 1600MHz @ 1.65v at 9-9-9-24. They're rated to do 1600MHz @ 1.85v 7-7-7-18


----------



## TFL Replica

Quote:


Originally Posted by *iggster* 
lol I noticed that my super pi times for anything over 4.58 got slower.... talked to some guys over at xs and they helped me get 4.6+ faster then 4.58.

Explain.


----------



## dejanh

Hi guys,

I managed to make some serious headway and observations about Core i7 overclocking and some of the problems a lot of us are having. Because it is a long post I will not repeat it here, but I will give you a link to it on XS.

I hope it helps!

Here it is... http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/...91#post3495491


----------



## Arkanor

I've only hit 3.0 but I've been on stock cooler with 1.02V. Going for lower heat before higher speed.


----------



## iggster

with more help from the guys at xs I have gotten some pretty sick stable clocks lately.







passes orthos for 2 hours (long as I tested it)


----------



## HardwarzFan

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Arkanor*


I've only hit 3.0 but I've been on stock cooler with 1.02V. Going for lower heat before higher speed.


Isn't that lower than stock voltage??? Why such low voltage... from everything I've seen heat isn't an issue with these things at stock.


----------



## Duckydude

Does anyone else think that Realtemp (along with any other temp monitor) can't accurately measure i7 temps? My EVGA onboard temp monitor says I'm getting 62 Load, while realtemp says 75. Plus I could feel the air coming from my TRUE and it defiantly wasn't that hot. Even more bogus, Realtemp says my idle is 40 C, no way in hell that is true







.


----------



## iggster

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Duckydude* 
Does anyone else think that Realtemp (along with any other temp monitor) can't accurately measure i7 temps? My EVGA onboard temp monitor says I'm getting 62 Load, while realtemp says 75. Plus I could feel the air coming from my TRUE and it defiantly wasn't that hot. Even more bogus, Realtemp says my idle is 40 C, no way in hell that is true







.

I feel the same way, temps are way way off IMO.


----------



## Duckydude

Quote:



Originally Posted by *iggster*


I feel the same way, temps are way way off IMO.


Yea true, at least I feel that the onboard sensor (on the EVGA board) seems to be accurate. I am currently stress testing at 3.8Ghz with 1.364v, I am in the boat with the other in which 4Ghz is horribly unstable for some reason.


----------



## BiNGE

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Duckydude*


Does anyone else think that Realtemp (along with any other temp monitor) can't accurately measure i7 temps? My EVGA onboard temp monitor says I'm getting 62 Load, while realtemp says 75. Plus I could feel the air coming from my TRUE and it defiantly wasn't that hot. Even more bogus, Realtemp says my idle is 40 C, no way in hell that is true







.


Realtemp will not display i7 temps yet but Coretemp will.

Core Temp home page


----------



## Duckydude

Quote:



Originally Posted by *BiNGE*


Realtemp will not display i7 temps yet but Coretemp will.

Core Temp home page


Coretemp is displaying the exact same temps as Realtemp... Plus it says that I have an ES chip lol.


----------



## iggster

same here


----------



## Duckydude

Ugh, I give up on my dual channel kit, just ordered a 3 x 2GB Gskill DDR1600 kit, I just dont feel safe running 1.8v with the dual channel kit to keep stable even with that .5v QPI rule or whatever.

Hopefully the EVGA CPU display is correct because I'm getting 64 C full load at 3.8Ghz with 1.38v, not too shabby.


----------



## Xecuter2

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Duckydude*


Ugh, I give up on my dual channel kit, just ordered a 3 x 2GB Gskill DDR1600 kit, I just dont feel safe running 1.8v with the dual channel kit to keep stable even with that .5v QPI rule or whatever.

Hopefully the EVGA CPU display is correct because I'm getting 64 C full load at 3.8Ghz with 1.38v, not too shabby.


What do you get with the newest real temp 2.90?


----------



## Duckydude

Quote:



Originally Posted by *xecuter2*


what do you get with the newest real temp 2.90?


77 79 77 77

I know that can't be right because it says I'm getting 40 C idle, Going by the EVGA temp sensor display in the mobo, I'm getting 26 idle, 64 load, which seems about right for the TRUE anyway.


----------



## 003

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Duckydude*


Ugh, I give up on my dual channel kit, just ordered a 3 x 2GB Gskill DDR1600 kit, I just dont feel safe running 1.8v with the dual channel kit to keep stable even with that .5v QPI rule or whatever.

Hopefully the EVGA CPU display is correct because I'm getting 64 C full load at 3.8Ghz with 1.38v, not too shabby.


Hey so did I! It just shipped this morning, I got the 3x2GB DDR3 1600 kit, the one with the low timings of I believe 8-8-8-21.

If I had the money though I really would have liked some of that 7-7-6-20 DDR3 1600 mushkin memory, but then again it needs 1.8v...


----------



## {core2duo}werd

i heard that real temp can actually tell what the TJmax is on a chip so there is no guessing anymore. that SHOULD mean that the temps are more accurate than core 2 temps.


----------



## Duckydude

Quote:



Originally Posted by *{core2duo}werd*


i heard that real temp can actually tell what the TJmax is on a chip so there is no guessing anymore. that SHOULD mean that the temps are more accurate than core 2 temps.


Not really, for me anyway, it says the TJmax is 100 C which can't be right since that would be the same as the C2D.


----------



## TFL Replica

Every core i7 CPU is supposed to be able to directly report its own TJMax. Whether or not a particular program supports this reading or not depends on the developers.


----------



## error10

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Duckydude*


Not really, for me anyway, it says the TJmax is 100 C which can't be right since that would be the same as the C2D.


You doubt Intel?


----------



## Duckydude

Quote:



Originally Posted by *error10*


You doubt Intel?


Haha, I just know that Realtemp is way off along with Coretemp


----------



## error10

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Duckydude*


Haha, I just know that Realtemp is way off along with Coretemp


They should both be correct on the Core i7, as long as you have the latest version. Tjmax is read directly off the chip.


----------



## Duckydude

Quote:



Originally Posted by *error10*


They should both be correct on the Core i7, as long as you have the latest version. Tjmax is read directly off the chip.


Well, there not accurate







, it makes sense the chip just came out, the programs just need to be devoloped more. It makes even more sense that the built in EVGA sensor would be more accurate, plus theres no way that I can have 40 C idle with a TRUE.


----------



## gooddog

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Duckydude*


Well, there not accurate







, it makes sense the chip just came out, the programs just need to be devoloped more. It makes even more sense that the built in EVGA sensor would be more accurate, plus theres no way that I can have 40 C idle with a TRUE.


What is your ambient?
1.364 voltage on the chip could easily be 40c idle depending on ambient.

Realtemp and coretemp both report the same temps as my Asus, so I doubt that they have problems - at least for the 965.


----------



## error10

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Duckydude* 
Well, there not accurate







, it makes sense the chip just came out, the programs just need to be devoloped more. It makes even more sense that the built in EVGA sensor would be more accurate, plus theres no way that I can have 40 C idle with a TRUE.

Sure there is. You're overclocking, right? It seems to me that it's your belief system that isn't accurate.


----------



## Duckydude

Quote:


Originally Posted by *gooddog* 
What is your ambient?
1.364 voltage on the chip could easily be 40c idle depending on ambient.

Realtemp and coretemp both report the same temps as my Asus, so I doubt that they have problems - at least for the 965.

My Ambient is around 19 C, believe me, no program is accurate yet with the i7's, remember in the Core days, when they first came out, no temp program could accurately measure them, thats why Coretemp came out







. The i7's use a complicated, somewhat flawed way of temp measurement and its obvious that no program has been developed to accurately measure them yet.


----------



## BiNGE

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Duckydude* 
Haha, I just know that Realtemp is way off along with Coretemp

That's pretty short sighted as Coretemp gives me the same temps as my LCD display from my Rampage II Extreme.


----------



## Duckydude

Quote:


Originally Posted by *BiNGE* 
That's pretty short sighted as Coretemp gives me the same temps as my LCD display from my Rampage II Extreme.

Coretemp is exactly the same as Realtemp for me.


----------



## error10

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Duckydude*


My Ambient is around 19 C, believe me, no program is accurate yet with the i7's, remember in the Core days, when they first came out, no temp program could accurately measure them, thats why Coretemp came out







. The i7's use a complicated, somewhat flawed way of temp measurement and its obvious that no program has been developed to accurately measure them yet.


And what is this complicated, somewhat flawed way of temp measurement? And why is it obvious that no program has been developed to accurately measure them yet?


----------



## Duckydude

Quote:



Originally Posted by *error10*


And what is this complicated, somewhat flawed way of temp measurement? And why is it obvious that no program has been developed to accurately measure them yet?


Well for one, none of the programs list that they fully support the i7 CPU, plus it is a new technology that has only been out for a month, of course it isn't going to be fully supported yet, it just needs more time. And everyone knows that the intel temp sensors have always been flaky, this one in particular.


----------



## error10

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Duckydude*


Well for one, none of the programs list that they fully support the i7 CPU, plus it is a new technology that has only been out for a month, of course it isn't going to be fully supported yet, it just needs more time. And everyone knows that the intel temp sensors have always been flaky, this one in particular.


In other words, you're just making this all up.


----------



## Duckydude

Quote:



Originally Posted by *error10*


In other words, you're just making this all up.


I'm providing rational reasons as to why it would not be accurate as there is no sure way to prove it of course. You on the other hand are making this up.


----------



## error10

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Duckydude*


I'm providing rational reasons as to why it would not be accurate as there is no sure way to prove it of course. You on the other hand are making this up.


Intel is quite clear in that Tjmax is read directly off the new IA32_TEMPERATURE_TARGET MSR 1A2h Bits [23:16] on the Core i7 chips. I presume you know how to read a MSR and can find a Core i7 chip. If you don't, then you probably shouldn't even be talking about this since you don't know enough to make an intelligent comment on the topic. In short, you STILL don't believe Intel, then nobody can help you.


----------



## Duckydude

Quote:



Originally Posted by *error10*


Intel is quite clear in that Tjmax is read directly off the new IA32_TEMPERATURE_TARGET MSR 1A2h Bits [23:16] on the Core i7 chips. I presume you know how to read a MSR and can find a Core i7 chip. If you don't, then you probably shouldn't even be talking about this since you don't know enough to make an intelligent comment on the topic. In short, you STILL don't believe Intel, then nobody can help you.


I believe Intel, but I don't believe that developers have completely worked out the kinks in their temp monitoring programs.


----------



## error10

You have a Core i7, it would take 10 seconds to confirm it. Anyway it's not like it's a difficult spec to implement. I'd be quite surprised if CoreTemp and RealTemp didn't already. Any noob can write the code for this.


----------



## Duckydude

Quote:



Originally Posted by *error10*


You have a Core i7, it would take 10 seconds to confirm it. Anyway it's not like it's a difficult spec to implement. I'd be quite surprised if CoreTemp and RealTemp didn't already. Any noob can write the code for this.











If it were so easy to implement then it wouldn't have resulted in the large amount of bugs with the i7 in earlier releases of Realtemp i7, and it still has issues. There hasn't really been enough time to fully test if the program actually works properly under every sort of situation as well.


----------



## error10

Judging by his thread over at XS, I think he's just forgotten to release it.







And the bugs he's been working on have to do with CPU load calculations, rather than temperature calculations.


----------



## SASAlbertino

yer my i7 temps are like 50c idle and 70c max, i know something is wrong as the room im in is always so cold, on my old dual q6600 i was getting 3.6ghz and maximum temp of 28c full load! i have either applied my thermal paste too thin (i think i have) or the temp reading are wrong. also to annoy me the bloody thermal pate has stuck the cpu and cooler together and its bloody hard to pull of, havent had the guts to put more force into it yet.


----------



## zlojack

Here's my first go at a mild OC.









RAM at it's rated spec


----------



## low strife

Are those high-70c temps I'm seeing?

What cooling setup do you have....


----------



## zlojack

This is on the stock cooler









Which is very promising for when I get my waterblock set up!

It's been pretty common to see high temps on the i7s, so I'm not worried.


----------



## swatsor

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Duckydude*


77 79 77 77

I know that can't be right because it says I'm getting 40 C idle, Going by the EVGA temp sensor display in the mobo, I'm getting 26 idle, 64 load, which seems about right for the TRUE anyway.


I say stick to whatever the BIOS says, or whatever Manufacturer-made program you're using says (like Gigabyte's EasyTune 6 for me). It shows 70*C full load and realtemp shows 90*C


----------



## zlojack

I'll have to install the Gigabyte software. I wanted to just get the bare bones up and running for now, but I hear the Gigabyte package isn't too bad.


----------



## SASAlbertino

yer my bios says 30 and my HW monitor says 55, bit of a difference.


----------



## zlojack

8 Hours done small FFTs. All the settings at Auto except vcore at 1.2v in bios (1.12v under load)


----------



## gooddog

Quote:


Originally Posted by *swatsor* 
I say stick to whatever the BIOS says, or whatever Manufacturer-made program you're using says (like Gigabyte's EasyTune 6 for me). It shows 70*C full load and realtemp shows 90*C

I disagree.

Realtemp, Coretemp and the Asus s/w all report the sames temps for me.

So if you are getting different readings between Realtemp and your manufacturer-made program, I would trust Realtemp more.


----------



## Lazman1

is the max voltage for these 45nms the voltage in bios or in windows?


----------



## Duckydude

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Lazman1* 
is the max voltage for these 45nms the voltage in bios or in windows?

CPU-Z (Windows), I have mine at 1.31 idle, 1.36 load.


----------



## Lazman1

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Duckydude* 
CPU-Z (Windows), I have mine at 1.31 idle, 1.36 load.

ok thank you for the quick reply


----------



## zlojack

Never mind


----------



## ProjecT TimeZ

Got my 920 to 3.9 GHz stable...proud of myself, and the chip .









Gotta work on 4 GHz now though haha

These are damn good overclocking chips though. 
Btw CPU-Z validation is in my sig


----------



## BiNGE

Get it to 4.2 man!! I know you can do it!!!


----------



## ProjecT TimeZ

Quote:


Originally Posted by *BiNGE* 
Get it to 4.2 man!! I know you can do it!!!

Getting to 4 is a hassle, I don't even post. Maybe I'll just boot up with 3.9 and tweak it using Asus Tweak It.


----------



## gooddog

Quote:


Originally Posted by *ProjecT TimeZ* 
Getting to 4 is a hassle, I don't even post. Maybe I'll just boot up with 3.9 and tweak it using Asus Tweak It.

going from 3.9 to 4.0 seems to require a lot of extra voltage than going from 3.8 to 3.9. It isn't a minor tweak at that point.

Also, try raising your IOH voltage.


----------



## HardwarzFan

Alright, since this thread has lost momentum how about those of you with good stable OC's post in your final settings. That way we have one last round of good OC's now that you are all settled in. Sound good?


----------



## zlojack

I'm having a hell of a time.

I'm considering trying a different board.


----------



## Duckydude

Quote:


Originally Posted by *zlojack* 
I'm having a hell of a time.

I'm considering trying a different board.

What problems are you having with it? I know all X58 boards have various issues, like most X58 boards do not have the ability to wake from S3 mode when the CPU is heavily overclocked.


----------



## ProjecT TimeZ

Quote:


Originally Posted by *zlojack* 
I'm having a hell of a time.

I'm considering trying a different board.

May I suggest the Asus Rampage II Extreme?


----------



## zlojack

Well, I'll say first of all that I need to be more patient









But I've been keeping the CPU at reasonable temps and reasonable volts (ie. stock volts).

I've kept the CPU speed down and tried to raise bclk. It's weird because it will prime for 12 hours fine but then it craps out running BOINC. I know it's not the RAM because the RAM is running way looser than spec.

Right now I've got everything running stock. I'm going to slap my TRUE on this thing tomorrow and see what happens.

I might grab the EVGA board and give it a whirl as well.

I'd take that suggestion for the Rampage 2 Extreme, but it's too bloody expensive here for very little perceivable gain.


----------



## Duckydude

Quote:



Originally Posted by *zlojack*


Well, I'll say first of all that I need to be more patient









But I've been keeping the CPU at reasonable temps and reasonable volts (ie. stock volts).

I've kept the CPU speed down and tried to raise bclk. It's weird because it will prime for 12 hours fine but then it craps out running BOINC. I know it's not the RAM because the RAM is running way looser than spec.

Right now I've got everything running stock. I'm going to slap my TRUE on this thing tomorrow and see what happens.

I might grab the EVGA board and give it a whirl as well.


Now that you mention it, I keep getting BSODs when running SiSoft Sandra no matter what BIOS settings I have, even on completely stock. I think its just a BIOS issue or something because I only have that issue with that program...


----------



## zlojack

Yeah...I think the bios definitely needs more work.

How's your EVGA doing, anyway? Are you happy with it? I haven't seen much feedback yet on that board.


----------



## dcshoejake

Quote:



Originally Posted by *XFreeRollerX*


What I am more concerned about is when the RAM slots are full.. will you ever be getting more RAM?

I know there is a massive difference on my current chipset... With 2-4GB (two sticks) installed, my NB doesnt go more than 5*C over room ambient (35*C max with 30*C ambient) but when I put in 4 sticks (8GB) I start going over 50*C ON A LIQUID COOLED chipset! Air cooling would be past 60*C which is unacceptable.

Keep posted! I need to know before I buy as I don't have much money to spare









Thanks for input









+










Except you cant monitor the thermals of the 780i chipsets, theirs no sensor for it.. *JaKe*


----------



## Duckydude

Quote:



Originally Posted by *zlojack*


Yeah...I think the bios definitely needs more work.

How's your EVGA doing, anyway? Are you happy with it? I haven't seen much feedback yet on that board.


I am happy with it so far, it does have the S3 issue, which most X58 boards have, although I don't think your board has it. There is a wall that is preventing me from getting to 4Ghz, but it is rock solid stable at 3.8Ghz and I'm getting pretty good temps (for i7, around 70C). The board has lots of features and BIOS updates are frequent, I think once all of the BIOS issues are worked out on all the X58 boards then we will know which one is best.


----------



## zlojack

That's true.

I don't worry about the S3 issue since I crunch 24/7 and my rig is never off.


----------



## Duckydude

Quote:



Originally Posted by *zlojack*


That's true.

I don't worry about the S3 issue since I crunch 24/7 and my rig is never off.


Yea, thats true, I don't really worry about it either, I'm actually trying BOINC right now to see if it BSOD's, what site did you crunch for? How far have you OCed your 920?


----------



## nuclearjock

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Duckydude*


Now that you mention it, I keep getting BSODs when running SiSoft Sandra no matter what BIOS settings I have, even on completely stock. I think its just a BIOS issue or something because I only have that issue with that program...



Is it an older version of Sandra??

I had the same issue with Everest as well as Sandra. sent for an update for my RIIE board from everest, and it ran fine afterwards.

I didn't bother installing a newer version of Sandra, but I'm aware of people reporting i7 results from Sandra.

I think your problem might just be an older version issue.


----------



## Duckydude

Quote:



Originally Posted by *nuclearjock*


Is it an older version of Sandra??

I had the same issue with Everest as well as Sandra. sent for an update for my RIIE board from everest, and it ran fine afterwards.

I didn't bother installing a newer version of Sandra, but I'm aware of people reporting i7 results from Sandra.

I think your problem might just be an older version issue.


I think your right actually, I did use a version that is around 1 year old, so thats probably the issue







.


----------



## codymackay

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Duckydude*


I am happy with it so far, it does have the S3 issue, which most X58 boards have, although I don't think your board has it. There is a wall that is preventing me from getting to 4Ghz, but it is rock solid stable at 3.8Ghz and I'm getting pretty good temps (for i7, around 70C). The board has lots of features and BIOS updates are frequent, I think once all of the BIOS issues are worked out on all the X58 boards then we will know which one is best.


I got the same problem, i got a wall with my 920 that is preventing me from running a stress test for more than 2 hours. I'm trying different ways but havent found a really good one yet to finally get this 4ghz stable enough to run a stress for 12 hours. For the 4ghz i got Vcore of 1.43, pretty high I'd say, I'm even thinking of pushing it higher, and my QPI is at 1.56, not sure if i should push it higher think i should lower that and push Vcore up.

EDIT: also i get around 60 celcius on load which i thinks not bad on a true.


----------



## Duckydude

Quote:



Originally Posted by *codymackay*


I got the same problem, i got a wall with my 920 that is preventing me from running a stress test for more than 2 hours. I'm trying different ways but havent found a really good one yet to finally get this 4ghz stable enough to run a stress for 12 hours. For the 4ghz i got Vcore of 1.43, pretty high I'd say, I'm even thinking of pushing it higher, and my QPI is at 1.56, not sure if i should push it higher think i should lower that and push Vcore up.

EDIT: also i get around 60 celcius on load which i thinks not bad on a true.


Yea, I think there are quite a few people that cannot get 4Ghz stable, although at 3.8Ghz it certainly is amazingly fast.

I tried a new version of SiSoft Sandra and it worked perfectly, so at least I know that my system is 100% stable now, BOINC also worked perfectly as well.


----------



## codymackay

Think it would be bad if I pushed that Vcore any higher?


----------



## Duckydude

Quote:



Originally Posted by *codymackay*


Think it would be bad if I pushed that Vcore any higher?


I would try some other settings first, I'd try:

CPU VTT - +300mV
CPU PLL - Auto
DIMM Voltage - 1.65V
DIMM DQ Vref - +0mV
QPI PLL VCore - 1.400V
IOH VCore - 1.400V
IOH/ICH I/O Voltage 1.650
VICH VCore - 1.250V
PWM Frequency - 1067 KHz (If you have this setting, makes the power "cleaner")

Btw, the QPI voltage that you had is probably much more than necessary.


----------



## gooddog

you shouldn't have your QPI voltage more than 1.35.
according to intel.


----------



## codymackay

Ahh i gonna restore my setting I just figured out why I found my computer this morning looking like it had restarted! I saw in update history my computer restarted due to an update, and i think that meant that my p95 that I had running ran for a few hours without failing. sweet. Though i am going to bring down the QPI voltage, I don't know what the other voltages are for, eg. IOH, ICH, VICH, VTT etc. Gonna start stress testinga again after SP1 isntalls.


----------



## Duckydude

Your safe up to 1.4, above what Intel would normally like, but it is considered safe by most users. 1.56 is way too high though, I keep mine at 1.375 personally though.

EDIT: What program are you using to monitor temps?


----------



## codymackay

am using hwmonitor and and thing that came with gigabyte. Both read same temps


----------



## zlojack

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Duckydude*


Yea, thats true, I don't really worry about it either, I'm actually trying BOINC right now to see if it BSOD's, what site did you crunch for? How far have you OCed your 920?


I was able to OC it to 3.2GHz (3.36 Turbo) on the stock volts, but it was getting pretty hot.

I crunch for HardwareCanucks.com


----------



## Duckydude

Quote:



Originally Posted by *zlojack*


I was able to OC it to 3.2GHz (3.36 Turbo) on the stock volts, but it was getting pretty hot.

I crunch for HardwareCanucks.com


Its getting hot on stock volts with water?


----------



## zlojack

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Duckydude*


Its getting hot on stock volts with water?


Not on water yet









I'm waiting for my EK mounting hardware to get here.


----------



## Duckydude

Quote:


Originally Posted by *zlojack* 
Not on water yet









I'm waiting for my EK mounting hardware to get here.









Ah, that makes sense, its odd that you are getting BSODs though.


----------



## zlojack

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Duckydude* 
Ah, that makes sense, its odd that you are getting BSODs though.

That's what's bugging me.
Usually I can isolate what's going on and I'm still a bit stumped. I've also been too busy lately to give it the proper time and concentration it needs.


----------



## codymackay

Hey I thought I'd just like to share this. While I was still trying to figure out how to get a stablr 4ghz to pass prime past an hour, i heard a huge CRACK in my case. I turned it off, and opened it up. The fan that I've got can't be mounted with the clips onto the TRUE, so i had to use rubber bands. The crack was that one of them had snapped, and now only the bottom one was holding. Now due to this, the fan is at a 45 degree angle to the TRUE. I'm finding I'm getting better temps with lower RPM on my fan (which is adjustable) with this 45 degree angle. Just thought I'd share that.


----------



## TFL Replica

That's very interesting codymackay. How much of a difference did you get?


----------



## error10

Quote:



Originally Posted by *codymackay*


Hey I thought I'd just like to share this. While I was still trying to figure out how to get a stablr 4ghz to pass prime past an hour, i heard a huge CRACK in my case. I turned it off, and opened it up. The fan that I've got can't be mounted with the clips onto the TRUE, so i had to use rubber bands. The crack was that one of them had snapped, and now only the bottom one was holding. Now due to this, the fan is at a 45 degree angle to the TRUE. I'm finding I'm getting better temps with lower RPM on my fan (which is adjustable) with this 45 degree angle. Just thought I'd share that.










Pics or it didn't happen.


----------



## codymackay

Well. I put the RPM down to about 1200, which is about half, full is 2500, and i still got about 2 celcius lower. At full tho, i got about 4 degrees lower (this is on load). I even was able to get below 30 degrees on idle. No idea why, but hey, its great isnt it.

At 4ghz, 1.43 Vcore, i had about 59-60 celcius on load, 34 idle. With this weird 45 degree thing, i am getting (at full RPM) 55-56, and at 1200 rpm, about 58. with both rpm i am getting about 29 idle, but full rpm about 27. Seems great!


----------



## codymackay

Quote:



Originally Posted by *error10*









Pics or it didn't happen.


Ok sure if u don't believe me, ill take some pictures. I'm not sure how to upload them tho can someone tell me?


----------



## error10

Quote:



Originally Posted by *codymackay*


Ok sure if u don't believe me, ill take some pictures. I'm not sure how to upload them tho can someone tell me?


Not that I don't believe you, I just have got to see this for myself.









Hit the Manage Attachments button and attach some nice pictures to your post.


----------



## codymackay

ok ill have to give it to u later tho, stress testing atm, will take the pics tonight (for me, i am in australia)


----------



## cky2k6

I don't know if anybody else here has noticed this issue, as I doubt too many others have two 4870x2 in cf, but my prime stable oc with one video card is totally not even 3d stable with my cards in crossfire. It passed prime for 4 hours at 3.8ghz, but as soon as I launch 3dmark 06 or vantage, it artifacts like hell. At stock clocks, there is no issue, so its definitely some problem with the chip and running my video cards at a high oc. Whats weird though is its perfectly stable at 3.8ghz with one card in 3dmark.


----------



## Duckydude

Quote:


Originally Posted by *cky2k6* 
I don't know if anybody else here has noticed this issue, as I doubt too many others have two 4870x2 in cf, but my prime stable oc with one video card is totally not even 3d stable with my cards in crossfire. It passed prime for 4 hours at 3.8ghz, but as soon as I launch 3dmark 06 or vantage, it artifacts like hell. At stock clocks, there is no issue, so its definitely some problem with the chip and running my video cards at a high oc. Whats weird though is its perfectly stable at 3.8ghz with one card in 3dmark.

Probably need to up the chipset voltage.


----------



## OfficerMac

I've got my 920 up to 3.7Ghz so far which is 100% stable. Prime 95 ran for 8 and a half hours overnight with no problems. Temps are decent on idle but they do get a little hot on load. But it sure is better than my old 6400+ X2.

On a side note, can anyone tell me the best way to overclock my GXT260 and test it for stability. Didn't want to start another thread for a question I could get answered elsewhere on the forum.


----------



## iggster

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Duckydude* 
What problems are you having with it? I know all X58 boards have various issues, like most X58 boards do not have the ability to wake from S3 mode when the CPU is heavily overclocked.

Mines at 4.2 works fine... but I still have the tri channel problem lol


----------



## cky2k6

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Duckydude* 
Probably need to up the chipset voltage.

Nope, just some weird oc glitch. After putting it back to stock and going back up to my 3.8ghz oc with the same settings, it worked fine.


----------



## TFL Replica

This post has been nullified.


----------



## HardwarzFan

I agree, Ntune sucks. It makes my Vista 64 crash for some reason...


----------



## Unearthly

Ok, finally got my i7 up and running today and have been busy testing overclocks.









Under 4 Ghz has been pretty easy, I haven't done thorough testing yet, but 3.8Ghz seemed stable.

Right now I am testing 191 BCLK, 4 Ghz with only changed voltages of 1.35 vcore and 1.30 QPI.

I tried to get 200 BCLK but even with turbo turned off it would just BSOD as soon as I started Prime95. Any suggestions on what to do to make that stable? How much vcore is safe on air?


----------



## bowman

Try something slightly above 200. 200 seems to be a problem number for some reason. I blame voodoo magic.


----------



## MrMan

loads of about 44-48. im guessing that temp 1 or 2 on speedfan is still the NB?


----------



## drenole

I've been trying to find something stable this afternoon, and really I'm just not doing my due diligence and going slow.

I tried to jump straight to 3.7 with 185MhzX20.0 at Vcore =1.28.

When I checked stability, it definitely crashed about 4 minutes in. The craziest thing happened, I put back the default settings, booted it up and came on here looking for some ideas on how to stabilize at 3.7 (I'd be happy to stay there or maybe 3.8), and when I went to reboot to try something else, it froze on powering down, so I had to manually power down. When it came back up, my POST tab screen dispayed my RAID 1 drive as "Initialized" instead of "Normal" or whatever it normally says, and it wouldn't boot Vista!!!

I had to go into my intel configuration utility and delete my raid drives, then put them back into a raid config. Needless to say I lost the data on the drives (not much).

Has anyone else seen this problem? The whole point of having the RAID 1 setup is to have fault tolerance on data for the person I'm building it for. If there is a chance this happens again in the future, I'm probably not going to OC it.

Also, does anyone have the same setup I've got with tried and true OC settings that I can just plug and play, then just stress test and hand this rig off? Mainly the 920, with the P6T Deluxe with DDR3 1333 Ram?

Would adding 3 more sticks of ram affect the stability of the machine if I added them after I found some stable settings with just the 3 sticks I have now?

Thanks for the help.


----------



## Unearthly

Quote:


Originally Posted by *bowman* 
Try something slightly above 200. 200 seems to be a problem number for some reason. I blame voodoo magic.

I haven't been able to POST over 200 BCLK with my memory at 8x, I may try it later at 6x.

Either way, my last test failed between 30-60 minutes, so I'm going back to 180 BCLK/3.78 Ghz and plan to get that Prime stable before moving on. Currently testing with 1.28 vcore and 1.25 QPI voltage.


----------



## drenole

I just hit 3.7, just started a torture test on prime 95 run on 4 cores, 8 threads. I'm confident it's going to make it all night...

Load is right around 61 C, Idle around 34 C. See attached...

Base Clock = 185
Multiplier = 20
Vcore = 1.32 (setting is auto, mobo chose this value)

Everything else left on Auto, definitely a very EASY overclock.

Does my 1.32V core voltage seem high to anyone??? Should I be worried about longevity if I leave it as this setting for it's lifetime????


----------



## Unearthly

Well I managed to get 4Ghz working with 1.35 vcore and 1.35 QPI voltage. Still a relatively quick test, but I'm optimistic I could get this 8-12 hour Prime stable if it isn't now.

I think I'll stay here, going from 180 to 191 BCLK was already extremely voltage demanding, I fear how much it would take to get 200 to not insta-BSOD, let alone Prime stable.


----------



## OfficerMac

Quote:



Originally Posted by *drenole*


Does my 1.32V core voltage seem high to anyone???


That is a little higher than what I am running @ 3.7. My Vcore is @ 1.28 and runs perfect. Try setting it at 1.28V and see if it can stand a prime 95 test for 8 or so hours.

I am having a problem when running Prime95 now after about 7-8 hours of testing. I don't get BSOD's or errors showing that my OC is not stable but Prime95 itself has an error and sits with the "would you like to close the program or look for a solution online" dialog box. What could be going wrong?


----------



## drenole

Quote:



Originally Posted by *OfficerMac*


That is a little higher than what I am running @ 3.7. My Vcore is @ 1.28 and runs perfect. Try setting it at 1.28V and see if it can stand a prime 95 test for 8 or so hours.

I am having a problem when running Prime95 now after about 7-8 hours of testing. I don't get BSOD's or errors showing that my OC is not stable but Prime95 itself has an error and sits with the "would you like to close the program or look for a solution online" dialog box. What could be going wrong?


What are your other settings that you tweaked?

I'm definitely very unstable at 1.28 when I only set the BCLK, the multiplier and the Vcore. Did you tweak anything else?

Thanks for the help.

Our setups are almost identical to the point that I imagine if I used your settings, I could probably make this guy stable if yours is.

I don't know what could be making your prime 95 fail, have you tried the hard way of using Orthos and setting affinity to see if that works?


----------



## OfficerMac

Quote:



Originally Posted by *drenole*


What are your other settings that you tweaked?

I'm definitely very unstable at 1.28 when I only set the BCLK, the multiplier and the Vcore. Did you tweak anything else?

Thanks for the help.

Our setups are almost identical to the point that I imagine if I used your settings, I could probably make this guy stable if yours is.

I don't know what could be making your prime 95 fail, have you tried the hard way of using Orthos and setting affinity to see if that works?


Everything is on auto except for BCLK, Voltage, and DRAM Voltage. Speedstep or whatever is off also. BCLK is set to 185, Vcore is set to 1.28, and RAM voltage is set to 1.64.


----------



## eflyguy

I feel so "dirty" that all I did it set 160 BCLK and let the BIOS take care of the rest - like I "bought" my way to OC.









Rocks, though..








..a


----------



## TFL Replica

Hey if you have the cash nobody can hold that against you. Consider yourself among the lucky.


----------



## gooddog

Quote:



Originally Posted by *eflyguy*


I feel so "dirty" that all I did it set 160 BCLK and let the BIOS take care of the rest - like I "bought" my way to OC.









Rocks, though..








..a


you should be careful about depending on "auto" too much. When I tried that, it set the qpi voltage at 1.375 (max recommended is 1.35) and set the vcore up way higher than needed.

Check the voltages and then see if you can back them down manually.

Good luck.


----------



## cky2k6

yeah, my board is ******ed with qpi voltage... it just cranks it up to like 1.4v+ when its perfectly stable with 1.3v, and thats as low as I've bothered to lower it to, it might be fine at 1.25v... also some youtube ncix review made me chuckle and cringe, when they said limit vcore to 1.25v and qpi to 1.45v, i was like, I think you have those mixed up buddy...

Anyways, onto my issue, I seem to be having a strange issue with clocking the chip. at 190 bclock its stable at 4ghz with turbo locked, and a vcore of 1.325. But, when I raise the bclock to 200, it clocks the chip down to 4ghz, and it takes 1.425v to make it even a few minutes prime stable, which makes no damn sense... Its stable at 4ghz at 1.325v with 190 block, but unstable at 4ghz with 200 block and a much higher vcore... Is it that infamous 200 hole that people speak of?


----------



## bowman

FINALLY!










Now it's time to finally find out if this chip is a good or bad one..


----------



## codymackay

I don't understand how people are getting 4ghz at such low voltages. For mine to be stable m Vcore has to be atleast 1.4+ and QPi 1.4+.


----------



## Extreme Newbie

[/IMG]

I left most settings on "auto" and only adjusted CPU voltage, BLK and QPI. Seems to be stable so far but I am new to Intel chips so I will take my time and fine tune some more.


----------



## TFL Replica

Looks like you've forgotten to disable CPU power saving.


----------



## eva2000

Installed my 920 the other day on DFI UT X58-T3EH8. Testing the waters with 2x1GB Corsair DDR3-2133C9DF Samsung HCF0 based memory rated for DDR3-2133Mhz 9-9-9-24 at 2.0v.





*System specs*
Intel Core i7 920 3836A756
Thermalright Ultra 120 Extreme + LGA1366 Bolt Thru kit
DFI LP UT X58-T3EH8 R.A51
128MB Gainward FX5200 PCI
2x1GB Corsair TW3X2G2133C9DF Dominator 9-9-9-24 at 2.0v rated (Samsung ICs)
750GB Samsung HD753LJ
Pioneer DVD-RW
1KW Corsair HX1000 psu
WinXP Pro SP3 nLite fully updated
Prime95 with TRUE120 air - room temp 29-30C










Vcore = 1.25v
VDIMM = 1.830v
CPU VTT = 1.480v


----------



## bowman

Quote:



Originally Posted by *TFL Replica*


Looks like you've forgotten to disable CPU power saving.


Disable SpeedStep.. You disable Turbo Mode too.

I like my extra multiplier step, if I can keep it on and maintain stability I will.


----------



## Extreme Newbie

Quote:


Originally Posted by *bowman* 
Disable SpeedStep.. You disable Turbo Mode too.

I like my extra multiplier step, if I can keep it on and maintain stability I will.

Turbo Mode is enabled ,so I can get the extra multi, but I took the screen shot after I stopped Prime. I will disable speedstep and CPU power saving and try again.


----------



## HardwarzFan

Has anybody else here OCed a 920 using DDR3 1333 RAM? And if so, how did it go? I'm asking because I happen to have 1333 and I notice that almost all of you have 1600 instead.


----------



## Xecuter2

With speedstep on, you can go to the vista power options and set the minimum processor speed to 100%. That will make it run fully all the time and will allow for turbo multiplier (not sure about other boards but with my board you are forced to have speedstep on in order to have turbo on.). 1333 ram will be ok, using the loer memory divider, at 4 ghz, the ram will run roughly 1200mhz.


----------



## iggster

Quote:



Originally Posted by *codymackay*


I don't understand how people are getting 4ghz at such low voltages. For mine to be stable m Vcore has to be atleast 1.4+ and QPi 1.4+.


1. not all chips will overclock the same...
2. dont believe everything you read.. (since I have had setups that would pass a stress test one day but where on such the edge of stability the next day they wont pass it or would only pass it randomly)

It took me opening 4 i7 965s to find one that would boot at under 1.360 vcore over 4 ghz and it turned out this one can do it at 4.3...


----------



## TFL Replica

Quote:



Originally Posted by *iggster*


It took me opening 4 i7 965s to find one that would boot at under 1.360 vcore over 4 ghz and it turned out this one can do it at 4.3...


















Did you actually buy them at the same time?


----------



## Unearthly

So my 191x21 seems to be short lived. It worked on Vista 32, but after installing Vista 64 I'm BSODing within minutes of starting Prime 95. So now I'm back to testing 180x21 and making sure that is stable before moving on.


----------



## Extreme Newbie

[/IMG]

I managed to reach 4.0 MHz but after 40 minutes of Prime 95 my temps reached 80. I think I will stick with 3.8 to be safe.


----------



## riflepwnage

i was having the same problem when i was ocing my friends new rig when ever i tried to go past 3.8ghz range i would get BSOD in first min of prime95 using 1.4vcore

http://service.futuremark.com/compare?3dm06=9400724

got a decent 3dmark 06 score with 4870X2 and 920 I7 oced to 3.8ghz though


----------



## N0rmal

Weird that I get different temp reading from different software. I don't know who to trust.......


----------



## bowman

Well, firstly, head over to xtremesystems and grab the latest release candidate (RC5) for RealTemp 2.90 as the author has made many strides for Nehalem compatibility. The latest version is much more Nehalem compatible and reliable than any of the other ones.

Grab the latest RealTemp and trust that.

http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/...postcount=2938


----------



## Unearthly

180x21 was stable at 1.28 vcore and 1.25 QPI.

Right now I'm testing 185x21 with 1.3 vcore and 1.3 QPI. I'm not yet sure where the large spike in voltage required is, I'll probably increase the BCLK little by little until 191 or BSOD and then try backing off the voltage.


----------



## SolShade

Quote:


Originally Posted by *iggster* 
1. not all chips will overclock the same...
2. dont believe everything you read.. (since I have had setups that would pass a stress test one day but where on such the edge of stability the next day they wont pass it or would only pass it randomly)

It took me opening 4 i7 965s to find one that would boot at under 1.360 vcore over 4 ghz and it turned out this one can do it at 4.3...


There was a post quite some time ago over at xtreme systems by one of the big guys over there was either hipro, kingpin or fugger i think. I am trying to find it right now. But it explained what the numbers on the CPUs PCB meant and which ones typically overclock better. It has to do with the position the CPU was on the big disc they come off of. The ones closer to the middle were the better clockers i think

Edit: Found it








http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/...17&postcount=8
Pic from further up in thread

Quote:


----------



## N0rmal

Quote:



Originally Posted by *bowman*


Well, firstly, head over to xtremesystems and grab the latest release candidate (RC5) for RealTemp 2.90 as the author has made many strides for Nehalem compatibility. The latest version is much more Nehalem compatible and reliable than any of the other ones.

Grab the latest RealTemp and trust that.

http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/...postcount=2938


Donwloaded latest version and the temp readings are the same as CoreTemp. I think I'll stick with RealTemp. Thanks for the info!


----------



## Extreme Newbie

[/IMG]

Core Temp and Real Temp both give me the same readings.


----------



## chrcoe

I got mine to run pretty stable .. been running various games on it for several hours with no issues @ 4 GHz

This screenshot is with it idle after about 25 minutes from when I stopped gaming.

all I gotta say is, I love watercooling









BTW this is BlackSilver v2.0 from my sig, I will be posting a project thread at some point detailing the build, was pretty fun after I settled down some from all the ****** mistakes I made









-Chris

EDIT: I have RealTemp 2.70, couldn't find a newer version, then again i just DLed the first one that popped up on Google bc I just finished getting everything how I wanted it and realized I didn't have it yet.


----------



## eflyguy

Quote:


Originally Posted by *SolShade* 
.. it explained what the numbers on the CPUs PCB meant and which ones typically overclock better. It has to do with the position the CPU was on the big disc they come off of. The ones closer to the middle were the better clockers i think

Ah crap. Mine is 767.. super!
..a


----------



## HardwarzFan

Heres my very first i7 920 OC on my P6T (using OCZ DDR3 1333). *So what do you think? Am I doing anything wrong??? Do my voltages make sense? I was more or less blind guessing.

CPU Ratio: 17
BCLK: 195 
DRAM: 1563mhz
UCLK (UnCore): 3322mhz
QPI: 7038 MTs

CPU Voltage: 1.2375v
PLL Voltage: 1.9c
QPI (unCore) Voltage: 1.4v
DRAM Voltage: 1.62v

*


----------



## Extreme Newbie

Your QPI voltage seems high. Lower you DRAM so that its below the 1333 that its rated for so that it wont mess with you CPU overclocking. You can go back an adjust the RAM later.
The key is to go slow, test for stability, add a bit, test again, add more, test again, etc.
There is a lot of information here (from more knowledgeable people than I ) so read as much as you can and have fun.


----------



## HardwarzFan

Thanks for the help, heres my new settings... they have me at 3.4ghz (tested stable on Prime for a few minutes just now).

CPU Ratio: 17
BCLK: 200
DRAM: 1203mhz
UCLK (UnCore): 3008mhz
QPI: 7218 MTs

CPU Voltage: 1.2375v
PLL Voltage: 1.9c
QPI (unCore) Voltage: 1.3625v
DRAM Voltage: 1.62v

I tried the 18x CPU Multi Ratio but it would blue screen out of Prime95, so I had to go back. I suppose I'm stuck here until I think of a way to crank something up without crashing.


----------



## Extreme Newbie

Have you tried leaving most settings on "Auto" and only adjusting the BLCK, CPU Voltage, QPI Voltage and DRAM.
I have been stable with the following settings:
CPU Ratio- "Auto"
BLCK-185
CPU Voltage- 1.2
QPI Voltage- 1.25
DRAM- Set to whatever number is closest to 1333 without going over.


----------



## MrMan

i never really got any feedback on my settings and such. 
http://www.overclock.net/intel-cpus/...thread-41.html

i would like to try to hit 4G safely but it is really weird trying to OC with this ram. anything yall see i could tweak on to get a little closer to 4? in bios everything is pretty much auto and bclk is at 170 multi is at 20.


----------



## ProjecT TimeZ

Quote:



Originally Posted by *HardwarzFan*


Thanks for the help, heres my new settings... they have me at 3.4ghz (tested stable on Prime for a few minutes just now).

CPU Ratio: 17
BCLK: 200 
DRAM: 1203mhz
UCLK (UnCore): 3008mhz
QPI: 7218 MTs

CPU Voltage: 1.2375v
PLL Voltage: 1.9c
QPI (unCore) Voltage: 1.3625v
DRAM Voltage: 1.62v

I tried the 18x CPU Multi Ratio but it would blue screen out of Prime95, so I had to go back. I suppose I'm stuck here until I think of a way to crank something up without crashing.


Why is your multi at 17?

Put it at 20.


----------



## JesseS420

Quote:


Originally Posted by *{core2duo}werd* 
yeah, i know like i said there's obviously something i'm missing. we will figure it out though.

there is a 130w shut off on this cpu. so if your cpu is running over 130w of power consumption it shuts down. some mobo manufacturers allow you to disable this. i know one of the asus boards will let you.


----------



## dejanh

None of the Asus boards will let you disable the TDP limit. *This feature is missing from Asus boards*.


----------



## TFL Replica

Quote:


Originally Posted by *dejanh* 
None of the Asus boards will let you disable the TDP limit. *This feature is missing from Asus boards*.

Sure about that? Not even the RIIE?


----------



## HardwarzFan

Quote:



Originally Posted by *HardwarzFan*


Thanks for the help, heres my new settings... they have me at 3.4ghz (tested stable on Prime for a few minutes just now).

CPU Ratio: 17
BCLK: 200 
DRAM: 1203mhz
UCLK (UnCore): 3008mhz
QPI: 7218 MTs

CPU Voltage: 1.2375v
PLL Voltage: 1.9c
QPI (unCore) Voltage: 1.3625v
DRAM Voltage: 1.62v

I tried the 18x CPU Multi Ratio but it would blue screen out of Prime95, so I had to go back. I suppose I'm stuck here until I think of a way to crank something up without crashing.



Quote:



Originally Posted by *ProjecT TimeZ*


Why is your multi at 17?

Put it at 20.


If it goes any higher, even 18, it fails Prime95 within seconds.


----------



## MasterFire

Lower the BCLK, up the multi.


----------



## SolShade

Quote:



Originally Posted by *HardwarzFan*


Thanks for the help, heres my new settings... they have me at 3.4ghz (tested stable on Prime for a few minutes just now).

CPU Ratio: 17
BCLK: 200 
DRAM: 1203mhz
UCLK (UnCore): 3008mhz
QPI: 7218 MTs

CPU Voltage: 1.2375v
PLL Voltage: 1.9c
QPI (unCore) Voltage: 1.3625v
DRAM Voltage: 1.62v

I tried the 18x CPU Multi Ratio but it would blue screen out of Prime95, so I had to go back. I suppose I'm stuck here until I think of a way to crank something up without crashing.


Should bump up your CPU voltage up some


----------



## MikersSU

Try lowering your QPI and upping the vcore slightly.

Oh, and a note on the Asus boards not letting you bypass the TDP - they're planning on releasing another BIOS update in Jan. The newest one right now only works on RAM compatibility mostly - it's 1003.

I hope patience pays off.


----------



## HardwarzFan

What about voltage... is 1.25v enough juice for my CPU Voltage? Or will I need to go above the "reccomended" 1.25 max?

Also

Upping VCore thats the same thing as UCLK right? These boards all have diff name for stuff...


----------



## MikersSU

I usually just set it to 1.35 and work my way down once I think it's stable, then run Prime to test it out.

1.35 is the max...but according to another source from xtremesystems, someone posted that the max is 1.55 but I think that's old info from the 65nm transistor cpu's.


----------



## HardwarzFan

Oh...... so 1.35v is the new CPU Voltage max people have found. Good to know, I'll edge my way up to it and see if it starts liking higher multi's. I'll also take the other posters' advise about upping the Vcore (same thing as UCLK?).


----------



## {core2duo}werd

proof for the 1.35 max??? i don't think so.


----------



## MikersSU

Yes. The size of the transistors are the same as the Penryns. I know of many people running 1.4vcore and 1.4VTT or QPI/DRAM on their machines but I'm not sure if that'll be a long lived setup. Most of these guys are on xtremesystems mind you and they absolutely love synthetic benches.

It's hard sometimes to find info on how to overclock new processors for safe 24/7 usage.

@Core2duo Werd: I'll grab a screenie for you in a bit.


----------



## MikersSU

Quote:


Originally Posted by *{core2duo}werd* 
proof for the 1.35 max??? i don't think so.

It would seem that I was mistaken. Here are the two screenies I promised. Looks like one was for the VID max and the other was the max voltage tolerance.

Looks like 1.55 IS the max vcore that can be tolerated although I'd try to stay well below 1.4 as these processors run pretty hot to begin with. I've never had a processor hit 60C in a 19C room before and this one did - it's the only thing in the loop at the moment too.


----------



## {core2duo}werd

Quote:


Originally Posted by *MikersSU* 
It would seem that I was mistaken. Here are the two screenies I promised. Looks like one was for the VID max and the other was the max voltage tolerance.

Looks like 1.55 IS the max vcore that can be tolerated although I'd try to stay well below 1.4 as these processors run pretty hot to begin with. I've never had a processor hit 60C in a 19C room before and this one did - it's the only thing in the loop at the moment too.

yeah, vid max is that max stock voltage you could get from intel. i would say 1.55 would be too high for 24/7, but the max vid doesn't mean the max 24/7. it is just still unknown what the max 24/7 voltage is, and past that i really think it varies between chips.


----------



## error10

Quote:


Originally Posted by *{core2duo}werd* 
proof for the 1.35 max??? i don't think so.

Does nobody read their datasheets anymore?









Intel says the max "functional" voltage is whatever they set the VID to. Between that point and the "absolute maximum" voltage (below), "neither functionality nor long-term reliability can be expected. If a device is returned to conditions within functional operation limits after having been subjected to conditions outside these limits, but within the absolute maximum and minimum ratings, the device may be functional, but with its lifetime degraded depending on exposure to conditions exceeding the functional operation condition limits."

Of course we all knew that. What will surprise you is the "absolute maximum" of 1.55V.


----------



## eflyguy

Quote:



Originally Posted by *dejanh*


None of the Asus boards will let you disable the TDP limit. *This feature is missing from Asus boards*.


Do you actually own an Asus X58 board?

It's under Advanced, CPU configuration, "CPU TM Function" - they even discuss the effect using an Asus board here:
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/...e-i7,2063.html
..a


----------



## Unearthly

Ok, so I found the settings that I'll be sticking with. 181x21 for 3.8 Ghz, 1.275 vcore and 1.275 QPI. 11 hours prime stable.

Vantage Score (PPU disabled):
http://service.futuremark.com/compare?3dmv=640659

Now to do some fun stuff with it!


----------



## Extreme Newbie

21x185 at 1.2vcore, 1.25 QPI tested stable after 9 hrs of Prime.


----------



## HardwarzFan

I just got 3.6ghz off a CPU Voltage of 1.25v, heres the details.

CPU Ratio: 18x
BCLK: 200
DRAM: 1203
UCLK: 3008
QPI: 7218

CPU Voltage: 1.25v
PLL Voltage: 1.9v
QPI Voltage: 1.3625v
DRAM Voltage: 1.62v

Its stable with a few passes of Prime and games fine. Any suggestions for where I should go from here? Maybe just keep cranking the CPU Voltage up while trying to hit 20x200? Or are there other settings that seem off ?

Can I count on hitting 20x200 (4ghz) on after-market air or would that be pushing my luck???


----------



## Xecuter2

CPU TM is thermal control which keeps the cpu from drying due to heat/voltage and will cut voltage to do that. Asus p6t AND rampage extreme 2 do NOT allow for the removal of the overspeed protect, and many people are pissed off at Asus for that. hardwarz - 200 x 20 is very hard for the system because all of the clocks re 2x each other which ads stress. I am trying out 211 x 19 and am pretty stable so far, I am using 1.3250 qpi voltage, and the same cpu voltage as 191 x 21 and so far so good. It might need slightly more qpi though for full stability (been priming for a few hrs now). You will find that near and at 200 x 20, you will need a massive bump in qpi and vtt voltages to be even close to stable. You can do 4 ghz on after market air easily. I do 4ghz with HT off 24/7 max load is 67c, but you could do it with ht on as well more than likely, with more voltage and more heat.


----------



## gooddog

Quote:



Originally Posted by *HardwarzFan*


I just got 3.6ghz off a CPU Voltage of 1.25v, 
QPI Voltage: 1.3625v
?


QPI voltage max according to Intel is 1.35. I would go with that and play with other voltages.


----------



## gooddog

Quote:


Originally Posted by *error10* 
Does nobody read their datasheets anymore?










Not only are people not reading the datasheets, they aren't even reading this thread!

http://www.overclock.net/4921582-post49.html


----------



## {core2duo}werd

Quote:



Originally Posted by *gooddog*


Not only are people not reading the datasheets, they aren't even reading this thread!

http://www.overclock.net/4921582-post49.html











that's your opinion...


----------



## error10

Quote:



Originally Posted by *{core2duo}werd*


that's your opinion...


The 1.375V that he quoted is indeed an opinion, but it's at least pretty well founded.

I have some further reading to do on electromigration before I offer my own opinion. Until then I'll just say to stay below Intel's absolute maximum of 1.55V.


----------



## HardwarzFan

Quote:


Originally Posted by *HardwarzFan* 
I just got 3.6ghz off a CPU Voltage of 1.25v, heres the details.

CPU Ratio: 18x
BCLK: 200
DRAM: 1203
UCLK: 3008
QPI: 7218

CPU Voltage: 1.25v
PLL Voltage: 1.9v
QPI Voltage: 1.3625v
DRAM Voltage: 1.62v

Its stable with a few passes of Prime and games fine. Any suggestions for where I should go from here? Maybe just keep cranking the CPU Voltage up while trying to hit 20x200? Or are there other settings that seem off ?

Can I count on hitting 20x200 (4ghz) on after-market air or would that be pushing my luck???


Quote:


Originally Posted by *gooddog* 
QPI voltage max according to Intel is 1.35. I would go with that and play with other voltages.

Are you sure? I was told it is 1.45v max... QPI voltage is the same thing as UnCore voltage on other mobos right.


----------



## HardwarzFan

Alright, since theres a lot of confusion would those who have a strong opinion please list the max voltages for QPI, DRAM, CPU, and PLL? I think it would be helpful to see what different people believe. Maybe we can find a consensis.


----------



## error10

Quote:


Originally Posted by *HardwarzFan* 
Are you sure? I was told it is 1.45v max... QPI voltage is the same thing as UnCore voltage on other mobos right.

Uncore is the QPI, memory controller and L3 cache.

Is there a utility yet that shows the uncore VID?


----------



## HardwarzFan

Uncore VID? Whats that... excuse my ignorance.


----------



## error10

Quote:


Originally Posted by *HardwarzFan* 
Uncore VID? Whats that... excuse my ignorance.

Intel chips have had a Core VID for quite a while, the voltage that the CPU requests from the voltage regulator for the core. With the Core i7 there is now an Uncore VID as well, the voltage that the CPU requests from the voltage regulator for the uncore. It's the same concept. The VID range for the uncore shown in the datasheet is 1.045V-1.220V.


----------



## HardwarzFan

Guys, I'm running QPI Voltage: 1.3625v. I lowered it to 3.5v on the advise that 1.3625 might be too high, but it crashed when I tried it at the lower voltage. Was this just a coincidence or is the QPI voltage actually important for getting a stable OC?


----------



## gooddog

Quote:


Originally Posted by *HardwarzFan* 
I think it would be helpful to see what different people believe. Maybe we can find a consensis.


I don't think it is about a consensus, I go with what Intel says.

Read Error10's post about what is in the data sheet. QPI voltage has a max of 1.35.

Now, we have a discussion about whether or not Intel is right, or they are being too conservative...or...or...or...

but for now, I will go with that until some longer term testing proves it to be incorrect or until electromigration or some other gremlins start creeping in.

On the memory voltage, their is some "evidence" from a post by an Intel guy on another forum that you should be within .5v of the qpi voltage. So 1.35 qpi max + .5v = 1.85v max memory voltage...which is close enough to the max voltage listed in the chart by Error10.


----------



## gooddog

Quote:


Originally Posted by *{core2duo}werd* 
that's your opinion...

Of course it is my opinion. This is an internet forum after all and I don't work for Intel so I can't state facts. I just go with what is in the Intel data sheets. 1.55 in my opinion is an absolute max as is 1.35 vqpi beyond which according to intel:

Quote:

neither functionality nor long-term reliability can be expected. Moreover, if a device is subjected to these conditions for any length of time then, when returned to conditions within the functional operating condition limits, it will either not function or its reliability will be severely degraded.
People go above these absolute levels all the time - whether it is for suicide runs, or they think Intel is too conservative, or they don't care, or someone told them it would be okay.


----------



## eflyguy

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Xecuter2*


CPU TM is thermal control which keeps the cpu from drying due to heat/voltage and will cut voltage to do that. Asus p6t AND rampage extreme 2 do NOT allow for the removal of the overspeed protect, and many people are pissed off at Asus for that.


Could you please refer me to the section in the datasheet that discusses "overspeed protection"?

The i7 has the ability to reduce power consumption in 2 phases, first by reducing the multiplier and core voltage (as in previous generation CPU's) and then, if required, by also modulating the internal core clocks. This feature, labeled by Intel as Adaptive Thermal Monitor, is triggered when the *temperature* (as reported by DTS) exceeds TCC activation.

This state is reported via assertion of the CPU PROCHOT# signal, a dedicated pin on the CPU, which can also be used to drive the ATM feature - intended to be used to force a lower power state if some external means detects an over-current situation (according to the spec sheet). I can only assume that holding this signal high disabled ATM, but I can't find reference to that.

In any case, regardless of the actual signal used, Intel states that ATM is configurable and the Asus X58 boards have the "CPU TM Function" option in the BIOS, which is able to override (disable) this behavior.

Perhaps it is the non-extreme CPU's themselves, and not ASUS boards, that do not allow for ATM to be disabled?
..a


----------



## {core2duo}werd

Quote:


Originally Posted by *gooddog* 
Of course it is my opinion. This is an internet forum after all and I don't work for Intel so I can't state facts. I just go with what is in the Intel data sheets. 1.55 in my opinion is an absolute max as is 1.35 vqpi beyond which according to intel:

I just want to make sure that people know that what i say is my opinion, and what you say is your opinion. The way you said it, to me it sounded like you were stating it as a fact.

Fact: the maximum *VID* for the 920 is 1.375v. The VID is the voltage that the CPU tells the board it needs to run at stock.

your opinion: you shouldn't go over 1.375v (right?)

my opinion: You shouldn't let that scare you. every chip is different, and you may never know what the real maximum 24/7 for your chip is. It doesn't really matter to me because i haven't needed any more than 1.34v so far.

Also if you are going for a benchmarking run it's OK to go above the maximum 24/7 voltage for a little while. This was my biggest problem with the previous 45nm chips was people would see chips being benched at 1.6v and say "that chip is dead." *NOT TRUE* as with all overclocking you do it at your own risk, but it doesn't mean that it's dead for sure.


----------



## gooddog

Quote:


Originally Posted by *{core2duo}werd* 
I just want to make sure that people know that what i say is my opinion, and what you say is your opinion. The way you said it, to me it sounded like you were stating it as a fact.
...
Also if you are going for a benchmarking run it's OK to go above the maximum 24/7 voltage for a little while.


That is exactly the problem I have with all of this. Someone reading your statement could think it is a fact in the way you wrote it. Worse, it is open to interpretation. When you say "a little while" you may be thinking 5 minutes for a suicide run and someone else may be thinking 5 hours.

Your statement is your opinion and it is not a fact. The only fact we have from intel which states:

Quote:

Moreover, if a device is subjected to these conditions for any length of time then, when returned to conditions within the functional operating condition limits, it will either not function or its reliability will be severely degraded.
I haven't seen any other facts out there that states that reliability is NOT affected by going over the max.


----------



## {core2duo}werd

Quote:


Originally Posted by *gooddog* 
I haven't seen any other facts out there that states that reliability is NOT affected by going over the max.

Just my personal experience, and the experience of others on this forum. i ran my E8400 at 1.6v for about an hour to get to 4.7Ghz. i put it back to 1.37v for 4 Ghz and everything was fine. it varies from chip to chip, and if your chip overclocks well under that "maximum 24/7" it generally means that your chip was near the center of the wafer, and she silicon can take more voltage than normal.

but again you are right it is my opinion.


----------



## StormX2

I have a question aobu tthe 920 actually.

I will be building one of these hoepuflly with the Foxconn bloodRage board.

what Kidn of clocks can be expected without raising voltage at all.

and can I get any OC with lower voltage and stable?

My reasoning is that the 920 will be so much faster than my Operon 165 that I could easily fine tune the Stock settings with a lower wattage or find max stable with stock or lower.


----------



## Xecuter2

Quote:



Originally Posted by *eflyguy*


Could you please refer me to the section in the datasheet that discusses "overspeed protection"?

The i7 has the ability to reduce power consumption in 2 phases, first by reducing the multiplier and core voltage (as in previous generation CPU's) and then, if required, by also modulating the internal core clocks. This feature, labeled by Intel as Adaptive Thermal Monitor, is triggered when the *temperature* (as reported by DTS) exceeds TCC activation.

This state is reported via assertion of the CPU PROCHOT# signal, a dedicated pin on the CPU, which can also be used to drive the ATM feature - intended to be used to force a lower power state if some external means detects an over-current situation (according to the spec sheet). I can only assume that holding this signal high disabled ATM, but I can't find reference to that.

In any case, regardless of the actual signal used, Intel states that ATM is configurable and the Asus X58 boards have the "CPU TM Function" option in the BIOS, which is able to override (disable) this behavior.

Perhaps it is the non-extreme CPU's themselves, and not ASUS boards, that do not allow for ATM to be disabled?
..a


Overspeed protection is a motherboard cap, not a cpu cap. What you posted is exactly what I stated before though, the "cpu TM" is just a thermal limit safety mechanism. All over x58 boards clearly have an option to enable or disable overspeed protection. The only way people are seeing issues with the p6t or the RE2 is when they run at 200 x 21 with a vcore of over 1.36. Once they start prime, the multi drops to 20 or 20.5 which is when the overspeed protection tdp gets hit and activated. It's a minor annoyance unless you are going to go for extreme clocks.


----------



## Xecuter2

Quote:



Originally Posted by *StormX2*


I have a question aobu tthe 920 actually.

I will be building one of these hoepuflly with the Foxconn bloodRage board.

what Kidn of clocks can be expected without raising voltage at all.

and can I get any OC with lower voltage and stable?

My reasoning is that the 920 will be so much faster than my Operon 165 that I could easily fine tune the Stock settings with a lower wattage or find max stable with stock or lower.


At say 1.2v or 1.25, which is still extremely low, you will get somewhere between 3.6 and 3.8. If you want to stay lower than that, at 3.4 you would probably only need in the 1.1x range to be stable, though each chip is different.


----------



## StormX2

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Xecuter2*


At say 1.2v or 1.25, which is still extremely low, you will get somewhere between 3.6 and 3.8. If you want to stay lower than that, at 3.4 you would probably only need in the 1.1x range to be stable, though each chip is different.


Yah I would expect each chip to handle a ltitle dif of course.

but that does give me some good insight as to what can be possible.

At first my main concerne will be Low wattage stability with optimal perforance and wil be focusing on pushing the memory


----------



## MrMan

Quote:



Originally Posted by *{core2duo}werd*


that's your opinion...


no he's right. ppl on here read what has to do with them. i have posted twice in this thread and noone has given me any feedback.


----------



## {core2duo}werd

Quote:



Originally Posted by *MrMan*


no he's right. ppl on here read what has to do with them. i have posted twice in this thread and noone has given me any feedback.


i'm talking about his view on voltage, not the fact that people don't read the thread. that is true, but you shouldn't expect people to read the whole thread when it gets this long. if anybody wants me to link to informative posts in the Original post, let me know, but when it comes to questions, it's probably best to create a new thread.


----------



## gooddog

Quote:



Originally Posted by *{core2duo}werd*


it varies from chip to chip,


I think that is a very important point.

Intel has specs for the "minimum" chip. Some chips are golden and can do a lot more with better stability and no degradation.

People should know at least what Intel recommends and then make their own decisions about whether or not to exceed that.


----------



## {core2duo}werd

Quote:


Originally Posted by *gooddog* 
I think that is a very important point.

Intel has specs for the "minimum" chip. Some chips are golden and can do a lot more with better stability and no degradation.

People should know at least what Intel recommends and then make their own decisions about whether or not to exceed that.

exactly


----------



## VulcanDragon

Man, I must have the worst chip and/or motherboard available, or I am doing something wrong. I absolutely cannot get to the speeds you guys are getting at the low voltages you're using (at all, really). My only stable run so far has been 180 x 20 = 3.6...pretty weak when you read everywhere that it's a cakewalk to get these to 3.8.

Here's what I've set, and only what I've set on my 180x20 run. Someone please tell me if I'm not setting something that I need to to make this work correctly:
SpeedStep: I tried both ways, on and off; didn't seem to make a difference. I let Prime run for 3 hours with it off and close to 1 hour with it on.
Turbo: Off, obviously to get the 20 multi.
BCLK: 180, obviously
DIMM speed: Set to the lowest speed under my RAM's rated speed (1333)...CPU-Z is reporting it at 543 MHz, so that's DDR3-1086 I suppose.
CPU voltage: 1.275
PLL voltage: 1.9 (based on recommendations I've seen, not because I have a clue what this is)
QPI voltage: 1.275
DRAM voltage: 1.64 (I question whether I need this, the RAM is rated at DDR3-1333 at 1.5v)
ACPI 2 enabled based on a recommendation I think I saw here.
I've already tried BCLK 185 at these voltages and got a BSOD...argh. I'm about to start inching up the BCLK one at a time to see what my ceiling is at 1.275v. But I'm just discouraged that I see people killing 3.8+ GHz speeds at apparently less voltage than what I'm currently sending in! Am I overlooking something in my settings?


----------



## dynoman101

I got my i7 920 build about a week ago, and now that the holiday season is passing I finding more time for my rig. I was somewhat able to overclock the 775 processors, but when it comes to i7, I am not that comfortable. I still have the intel stock heatsink and want to know what overclock I can get with the stock voltage so I dont get higher temps. Also what settings would I have to change to get there? I am reading a lot threads talking about people raising their qpi and qpi voltages, and others overclocking their memory. When it comes to i7 what ratio do you want to keep? Sorry if these questions sound noobish but it cost me a lot to get this rig and dont want to screw things up


----------



## error10

Quote:



Originally Posted by *VulcanDragon*


I've already tried BCLK 185 at these voltages and got a BSOD...argh. I'm about to start inching up the BCLK one at a time to see what my ceiling is at 1.275v. But I'm just discouraged that I see people killing 3.8+ GHz speeds at apparently less voltage than what I'm currently sending in! Am I overlooking something in my settings?


Give the core a bit more voltage. 1.275 is still kind of conservative.


----------



## eflyguy

1.275 is pretty low, don't be afraid to nudge it up as high as 1.35, just watch the temps. I'm certain you can boot and get it stable just by increasing vcore..
..a


----------



## bulmung

Quote:



Originally Posted by *VulcanDragon*


Man, I must have the worst chip and/or motherboard available, or I am doing something wrong. I absolutely cannot get to the speeds you guys are getting at the low voltages you're using (at all, really). My only stable run so far has been 180 x 20 = 3.6...pretty weak when you read everywhere that it's a cakewalk to get these to 3.8.

Here's what I've set, and only what I've set on my 180x20 run. Someone please tell me if I'm not setting something that I need to to make this work correctly:
SpeedStep: I tried both ways, on and off; didn't seem to make a difference. I let Prime run for 3 hours with it off and close to 1 hour with it on.
Turbo: Off, obviously to get the 20 multi.
BCLK: 180, obviously
DIMM speed: Set to the lowest speed under my RAM's rated speed (1333)...CPU-Z is reporting it at 543 MHz, so that's DDR3-1086 I suppose.
CPU voltage: 1.275
PLL voltage: 1.9 (based on recommendations I've seen, not because I have a clue what this is)
QPI voltage: 1.275
DRAM voltage: 1.64 (I question whether I need this, the RAM is rated at DDR3-1333 at 1.5v)
ACPI 2 enabled based on a recommendation I think I saw here.
I've already tried BCLK 185 at these voltages and got a BSOD...argh. I'm about to start inching up the BCLK one at a time to see what my ceiling is at 1.275v. But I'm just discouraged that I see people killing 3.8+ GHz speeds at apparently less voltage than what I'm currently sending in! Am I overlooking something in my settings?


I need 1.3-1.32 not sure atm to get 3.8ghz stable. My problem is I am afraid to go above 1.3625 to get 4ghz stable.


----------



## gooddog

Quote:



Originally Posted by *VulcanDragon*


[*]QPI voltage: 1.275
[


go with 1.35 at qpi voltage.


----------



## HardwarzFan

Got a question for the guru's... I'm running 4ghz at 19x212 with CPU Voltage of 1.375v, is this a dangerous amount of voltage for the CPU? In the bios when I raised it the font turned red. is 1.375v CPU really that high?


----------



## bulmung

so the max vid intel recommends is 1.365 or something really close to that, but is that before or after vdroop? because at 1.35v in the bios my vdroop drops it down to 1.31. Would setting my vcore to say about 1.39 in the bios be safe because after vdroop it would be about 1.35?


----------



## HardwarzFan

Is the vid the same thing as CPU voltage or is vcore the same thing as CPU voltage... I'm confused now. Are you saying that the max CPU voltage is only 1.365???


----------



## {core2duo}werd

Quote:


Originally Posted by *HardwarzFan* 
Is the vid the same thing as CPU voltage or is vcore the same thing as CPU voltage... I'm confused now. Are you saying that the max CPU voltage is only 1.365???

the max vid is 1.375v, a processors vid is the amount of voltage it tells the motherboard it needs to run at stock. just because that's the max vid doesn't mean it's the max voltage. imo you should be fine with that voltage.

vulcan: i have the same problem, i'm thinking it's our p6ts... i'm thinking about ordering a blood rage.


----------



## VulcanDragon

Okay, I'll try upping the voltages tomorrow and try again. I didn't think it needed to go much higher since I've seen a lot of posts claiming 3.8GHz on as little as 1.20v, but maybe they're just lucky.


----------



## gooddog

Quote:


Originally Posted by *HardwarzFan* 
Got a question for the guru's... I'm running 4ghz at 19x212 with CPU Voltage of 1.375v, is this a dangerous amount of voltage for the CPU? In the bios when I raised it the font turned red. is 1.375v CPU really that high?

In my opinion, it is not that high at all. If I remember right the VID range goes up to 1.375 (meaning that for it is possible that for some chips they would need that much voltage to run at stock speeds).

It also depends on how you are using your computer. 24/7 heavy folding or gaming and more casual usage.

The bios just goes with what was programmed in based on intel specs, not on any actual real-time evaluation of your system.

One area to experiment with is to up your VQPI voltage (to 1.35) and try lowering your cpu voltage.


----------



## HardwarzFan

I'm using it for graphic design and casual gaming mostly. Deninately not 24/7 run times.

Any rater its good to hear that my CPU Voltage of 1.375 is in the safe zone. How much higher could I go though... do you know where the limit is for a _safe_ CPU voltage? I once heard somebody say that 1.45v was the limit, but that sounds high to me.


----------



## beyondPC

Here is first stable OC.


----------



## gooddog

Quote:



Originally Posted by *HardwarzFan*


I'm using it for graphic design and casual gaming mostly. Deninately not 24/7 run times.

Any rater its good to hear that my CPU Voltage of 1.375 is in the safe zone. How much higher could I go though... do you know where the limit is for a _safe_ CPU voltage? I once heard somebody say that 1.45v was the limit, but that sounds high to me.


On you max safe voltage, you are now firmly in the realm of "opinion" and YMMV (your mileage may vary) based on the chip you have.

My opinion"is that there is diminishing marginal return in trying to bump it up more. Sure you can get and extra 100-200Mhz but at a big increase in voltage. Most importantly, will you actually see any of that 100-200Mhz increase in your day-to-day? I severely doubt it.

For me it is fun to experiment and see if you can get more, or do some non-stable superpi runs hoping that they system doesn't crash, but then I go back to normal usage at 4G with lower voltages for the day-to-day stuff.


----------



## HardwarzFan

Well just now I had to up my CPU Voltage to 1.385v and the QPI Voltage to 1.38v to keep my 4.025ghz overclock happy. Seems like kind of a lot to me... whtcha think? Maybe I need to toy around with other settings???


----------



## beyondPC

Quote:



Originally Posted by *HardwarzFan*


Well just now I had to up my CPU Voltage to 1.385v and the QPI Voltage to 1.38v to keep my 4.025ghz overclock happy. Seems like kind of a lot to me... whtcha think? Maybe I need to toy around with other settings???


What are your idle / load temps?


----------



## HardwarzFan

Roughly 40/67. Is that pretty good?


----------



## gooddog

Quote:


Originally Posted by *HardwarzFan* 
Roughly 40/67. Is that pretty good?

1. I would keep VQPI at 1.35 or below.
2. Stange. Your load temps are great, your idle seems high. What is your ambient temp. Are you running with Hyper threading (HT) on or off?


----------



## beyondPC

Quote:


Originally Posted by *HardwarzFan* 
Roughly 40/67. Is that pretty good?

Those are great temps.


----------



## beyondPC

Quote:



Originally Posted by *HardwarzFan*


I'm using it for graphic design and casual gaming mostly. Deninately not 24/7 run times.

Any rater its good to hear that my CPU Voltage of 1.375 is in the safe zone. How much higher could I go though... do you know where the limit is for a _safe_ CPU voltage? I once heard somebody say that 1.45v was the limit, but that sounds high to me.


Did you run OCCT or Prime 95 to get your min / max temps?


----------



## Xecuter2

WOW, those are my exact temps in warm ambient, 40/67 after 9 hrs. Using 2.90 real temp and prime, HT off 4 ghz.


----------



## eflyguy

I was going to post my opinion on voltages, but someone already posted it for me!









Quote:



Originally Posted by *gooddog*


On you max safe voltage, you are now firmly in the realm of "opinion" and YMMV (your mileage may vary) based on the chip you have.


.. so my voltage is higher than recommended, but lower than some think is dangerous, so I'm only mildly scared. To be honest, for day-long use I back it off to stock.

As I get time, I am working on dropping the voltage to find the highest clock settings that can run inside of Intel recommended voltage limits. I am also taking memory speed and qpi bandwidth into account, however, and still struggling to get my head around all these multipliers and voltages..
..a


----------



## VulcanDragon

Quote:



Originally Posted by *beyondPC*




Here is first stable OC.


See, this is exactly the kind of thing that's giving me heartburn. 3.8 stable on 1.200v? Cripes, it's just not fair!







Granted you have HT off where I'm leaving it on, but still...

Anyway...upping the CPU and QPI voltages to from 1.275 to 1.35 as suggested did finally get me a preliminary stable run, 1hr 15min of Prime at 3.8GHz. Oddly 20x190 BSOD'ed, but on a whim I tried 19x200 and got the stable run. I suppose it was SpeedStep, since that was still on for the 20x190 test. But maybe 19x20 is better anyway? High BCLK = higher RAM speed, yes? Maybe I should try an 18x211...

Temps are way too high though. Two of the cores hit 90 and the other two hit 87...can't have that. So I suppose I'll call 3.8GHz my target speed and start inching down the voltages to see what the minimum is that can sustain that speed.

Before anyone asks about reseating my TRUE, I'm considering it because I know it was a piss-poor job. Trouble is that I'm not sure I can do a better job. The back opening of my case is too narrow for the MB tray to slide in with the TRUE already mounted, so I have to mount it inside the case. And there's not much room inside the case for my big clumsy hands to expand the mounting bracket and get those spring-screws tightened without the TRUE twisting and slipping a little (or a lot...) I was cussing up a storm when I installed the thing...


----------



## MasterFire

I just decided to take a look at how much a set would cost me... I wonder if the price will be my future with these parts :|


----------



## HardwarzFan

Quote:



Originally Posted by *gooddog*


1. I would keep VQPI at 1.35 or below.
2. Stange. Your load temps are great, your idle seems high. What is your ambient temp. Are you running with Hyper threading (HT) on or off?



Quote:



Originally Posted by *beyondPC*


Did you run OCCT or Prime 95 to get your min / max temps?



Quote:



Originally Posted by *Xecuter2*


WOW, those are my exact temps in warm ambient, 40/67 after 9 hrs. Using 2.90 real temp and prime, HT off 4 ghz.



Those temps are from RealTemp. I've had to change my OC settings since then though (can't seem to quite get this thing 100% stable) so I will run a temp test again soon and post it back.

EDIT- I just thought of something, when I tested with Prime I think I chose to use only 4 threads (to lessen the chence of hitting a blue screen) might this have caused lower temps?

EDIT- Alright I ran my newest OC on the RealTemp/Prime94 test again with all 8 cores and the thing not only heated up like crazy pretty fast, hitting as high as 77. And then I blue screened. Which I guess means two things, I must not have tested the CPU correctly before those old lower temps and my OC is still not stable :S


----------



## gooddog

Quote:


Originally Posted by *VulcanDragon* 
See, this is exactly the kind of thing that's giving me heartburn. 3.8 stable on 1.200v? Cripes, it's just not fair!







Granted you have HT off where I'm leaving it on, but still...


Turning off HT makes a BIG difference in temps and voltages required. Worth a try just so you have a comparison.


----------



## VulcanDragon

Quote:



Originally Posted by *gooddog*


Turning off HT makes a BIG difference in temps and voltages required. Worth a try just so you have a comparison.


Yep, I plan to do that after I find a stable scenario with HT on. I would like to keep HT on, but I have to ask myself what is it really going to gain me? A few extra seconds when encoding an HD movie? I play games a lot more often than that I edit my home movies, and HT actually hurts performance in gaming. So if disabling HT gets me better temps or even a better overclock, then I'm going to have a hard time convincing myself to leave it on.

I found a potentially stable (i.e. Prime ran for an hour) 3.8 with vcore = 1.31875, but I haven't had any luck lowering QPI. Only lowered max temps a little, one of the cores still hit 87.

Q: Is it normal for different cores to exhibit different temps? I.e., my cores #0 and #1 are generally higher than cores #2 and #3, anywhere from as low as one degree to as high as eight degrees apart. Or is maybe just a side effect of my crappy heatsink seating, maybe the AS5 is better spread over the latter two cores?


----------



## bowman

HT also increases performance. There's a reason it gets hot with it on.. But if you're not running anything that uses the 8 threads I guess you can skip it.

Personally I like to use the new shiny things so I'm keeping both HT and Turbo Mode. At least until I try for 4GHz. Can't be bothered now, it gets too hot at 1.4V and getting it stable below that takes more effort than I can muster now.









Where do you get the idea that HT hurts gaming performance? Maybe on the old P4s..


----------



## MikersSU

Yeah, I leave HT and all prefetch features on. They add to the temperature but turning them off the sake of stability doesn't count for much.


----------



## HardwarzFan

Hey guys, whats the safe range for max temp on RealTemp? I got a reading of 78 max a minute ago at 4.025GHZ. Is that considered safe to use?


----------



## VulcanDragon

Quote:



Originally Posted by *bowman*


Where do you get the idea that HT hurts gaming performance? Maybe on the old P4s..


There was some article posted in the News section last month where an analysis was done. IIRC, HT on yielded a mild drop in gaming performance in (I believe) all their tests. We're only talking about a few frames per second here, nothing to go crazy about, but it was there. And this was with an i7, not a P4.


----------



## HardwarzFan

My temps @ 3.8ghz now. The 4.025ghz OC wasn't very stable so I'm gonna see if I can get rock solid at 3.8ghz before inching back up.


----------



## The_Manual

Threw up a couple of settings on Christmas day as I was bored, perfectly stable. When I head back off to University i'l grab one of the LN2 units and take the chip over 5GHz, hopefully.

Settings:

Clock Speed: 4000MHz (4.2GHz Turbo)
BCLK: 200MHz
Multiplier: x20 (x21 Turbo - Enabled)
CPU Voltage: 1.36250v
QPI/DRAM Voltage: 1.325v
HT Technology: Enabled

Limited by temperatures currently, managed to get the 920 to boot at 4.4GHz, but temperatures approaching 100C.


----------



## HardwarzFan

What are your temps at 4ghz there (min/max) and what kind of cooling are you using?


----------



## Extreme Newbie

I re-installed my TRUE and decided to try the ZM-STG1 paste instead of the thermalright stuff that came with it. It looks like the STG1 paste makes a big difference.
I have been testing 3.9GHz for over 2 hours now and temps are maxing at 68.
Hopefully I can hit the 4GHz mark without hitting 80 degrees.








[/IMG]


----------



## HardwarzFan

What were your temps before??? I'm getting in the upper 70's at 3.8ghz... does that sound hotter than it should be for a Noctua air cooler unit?


----------



## Extreme Newbie

Quote:



Originally Posted by *HardwarzFan*


What were your temps before??? I'm getting in the upper 70's at 3.8ghz... does that sound hotter than it should be for a Noctua air cooler unit?


Before I reseated my cooler the temps would be in the high 60's at 3.8. Now my temps are high 60's but at 3.9.
I am now testing at 4GHz now (21 x 191).


----------



## HardwarzFan

You are using a push/pull fan configuration on your cooler though, mine is just the one fan. Perhaps that would make yours a bit cooler reguardless. Also I may be using higher voltages than you, what are your voltages? Maybe I can lower mine to be closer to yours...


----------



## Extreme Newbie

For 3.9 I was using 1.2v for both the CPU and QPI. 
For 3.8 try leaving *everything* on auto except for BLCK (185), CPU Voltage at 1.2 and QPI voltage 1.2. Set your DRAM to whatever is less than 1333. 
If that doesn't work then up yourCPU voltage a bit and try again.
I think I may be one of the lucky ones that got a good chip. My 1.2 voltage seems low for 3.9 but I am not complaining.


----------



## Extreme Newbie

1.2v didn't work for 4.0 GHz so I am testing at 1.23v. So far it seems stable and temps are keeping in the low 70's. Will let it run overnight and see what happens.








[/IMG]


----------



## dynoman101

What are some overclocks that people have gotten on stock cooler. I still have my stock cooler and what to see what I can achieve with it.


----------



## gooddog

Quote:



Originally Posted by *VulcanDragon*


Q: Is it normal for different cores to exhibit different temps? I.e., my cores #0 and #1 are generally higher than cores #2 and #3, anywhere from as low as one degree to as high as eight degrees apart. Or is maybe just a side effect of my crappy heatsink seating, maybe the AS5 is better spread over the latter two cores?


Yep. That is normal. I have one core that is 5-7 degrees cooler. I reseated, different AS5 methods, etc...no difference. from reading around seems to be normal.


----------



## Unearthly

Quote:



Originally Posted by *gooddog*


Yep. That is normal. I have one core that is 5-7 degrees cooler. I reseated, different AS5 methods, etc...no difference. from reading around seems to be normal.


Same with me too. Core 1-2 are ~5C hotter than 3-4.


----------



## Derp

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Extreme Newbie*


1.2v didn't work for 4.0 GHz so I am testing at 1.23v. So far it seems stable and temps are keeping in the low 70's. Will let it run overnight and see what happens.


4GHz i7 920 at 1.23Vcore is very impressive! i see you are hitting 70+C even with a push-pull TRUE







, did intel ever release the actual temperature limit or is it still mysteriously missing from their spec page? i7 = HOT!

EDIT: Yup thermal specification still blanked out...


----------



## bowman

Keep in mind that the CPU is designed to have 2 QPI links yet only one is functional on the desktop processors we have.










It might cause that difference..

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Auld*


4GHz i7 920 at 1.23Vcore is very impressive! i see you are hitting 70+C even with a push-pull TRUE







, did intel ever release the actual temperature limit or is it still mysteriously missing from their spec page? i7 = HOT!

EDIT: Yup thermal specification still blanked out...


According to the Real Temp author Tj Max is still 100C.


----------



## HardwarzFan

I gotta wonder low long a chip would live that was folding at 100c. Not long I'd guess.


----------



## bowman

Quote:



Originally Posted by *HardwarzFan*


I gotta wonder low long a chip would live that was folding at 100c. Not long I'd guess.


Well, at 100C it throttles, lowers multiplier automatically. That's what I hear anyway, not inclined to try..







But under it and you should be fine. It's what I'm going by anyways.


----------



## HardwarzFan

By the way, I've been testing with RealTemp a lot and have found that having it run 8 threads vs having it run less than the full 8 effects the max temp greatly. Point being people who want to see the true max temp should be running RealTemp on all 8 threads, less than that will give you a lower than true max.

I'm running at 3.8ghz using 1.325v CPU Voltage and getting a max temp of 75c testing on all 8 threads (thats 99.9% load).

So what I'd love to see is those of you with stable, cool overclocks post up your RealTemp max/min, your OC settings, and your voltages. Then we can start comparing numbers and possible see how the different voltages effect things temp and stability wise.


----------



## error10

Eh? RealTemp is not a stress tester. It doesn't "run" on 4 or 8 threads.


----------



## beyondPC

Quote:



Originally Posted by *VulcanDragon*


See, this is exactly the kind of thing that's giving me heartburn. 3.8 stable on 1.200v? Cripes, it's just not fair!







Granted you have HT off where I'm leaving it on, but still...

Anyway...upping the CPU and QPI voltages to from 1.275 to 1.35 as suggested did finally get me a preliminary stable run, 1hr 15min of Prime at 3.8GHz. Oddly 20x190 BSOD'ed, but on a whim I tried 19x200 and got the stable run. I suppose it was SpeedStep, since that was still on for the 20x190 test. But maybe 19x20 is better anyway? High BCLK = higher RAM speed, yes? Maybe I should try an 18x211...

Temps are way too high though. Two of the cores hit 90 and the other two hit 87...can't have that. So I suppose I'll call 3.8GHz my target speed and start inching down the voltages to see what the minimum is that can sustain that speed.

Before anyone asks about reseating my TRUE, I'm considering it because I know it was a piss-poor job. Trouble is that I'm not sure I can do a better job. The back opening of my case is too narrow for the MB tray to slide in with the TRUE already mounted, so I have to mount it inside the case. And there's not much room inside the case for my big clumsy hands to expand the mounting bracket and get those spring-screws tightened without the TRUE twisting and slipping a little (or a lot...) I was cussing up a storm when I installed the thing...


On the TRUE topic, when you re-seat it, try to get someone to help you hold it in place. It is much easier on you and will help keep a proper position. What thermal paste are you using?


----------



## cky2k6

My cpu is confusing the hell out of me... For some reason, it just plain out refuses to run at 4ghz. Its stable at 3.95ghz 208x19, with a vcore of 1.275v, but if i try going to 210x19, it will bsod after running prime 95 after a few minutes, and I have tried my vcore up to 1.375v, which doesn't add much stability, but rather just makes the temps skyrocket. 200x20 is just as unstable. With turbo on at 190x21, the cpu is stable as well, but it throttles the multi down to 20.8, so my asus board throttles the multi even below 1.35 vcore. I think this is some sort of a bios issue, as this is a bit too extreme of a wall...


----------



## HardwarzFan

Quote:


Originally Posted by *error10* 
Eh? RealTemp is not a stress tester. It doesn't "run" on 4 or 8 threads.

2.90 has a "Sensor Test" option that lets you open up Prime95 along side it and do a heat up stress test with as many threads as you like. Upgrade to the 2.90 version to check it out. Theres even a download Prime95 button if you don't have Prime yet.


----------



## VulcanDragon

Quote:


Originally Posted by *beyondpc* 
on the true topic, when you re-seat it, try to get someone to help you hold it in place. It is much easier on you and will help keep a proper position. What thermal paste are you using?

Arctic Silver 5.


----------



## error10

Quote:



Originally Posted by *HardwarzFan*


2.90 has a "Sensor Test" option that lets you open up Prime95 along side it and do a heat up stress test with as many threads as you like. Upgrade to the 2.90 version to check it out. Theres even a download Prime95 button if you don't have Prime yet.


Oh, so you're running Prime95 as a stress test. You should be clear on this sort of thing, so people don't get confused.


----------



## HardwarzFan

Yep, I run it right along side so I can see it in real time. I've cut wattage a bit and am now down to 75c max @ 3.8ghz. Hows that sound, higher than average? I'm gonna keep trying to cut temps though regardless.


----------



## VulcanDragon

Quote:



Originally Posted by *bowman*


HT also increases performance. There's a reason it gets hot with it on.. But if you're not running anything that uses the 8 threads I guess you can skip it.
<snip>
Where do you get the idea that HT hurts gaming performance? Maybe on the old P4s..



Quote:



Originally Posted by *VulcanDragon*


There was some article posted in the News section last month where an analysis was done.


I did a quick search and found the article I was mentioned:

http://www.overclock.net/hardware-ne...ml#post4810793

HT clearly is a boon in the benchmarks that are multithread capable, but the games they tested showed a slight decrease.

I'm about to run some simple tests myself. I think I finally have a stable 3.8GHz configuration, but I'm curious to see if disabling HT would lower voltages and temps enough to give me more headroom to go above 3.8. If so, then it becomes a question of whether 3.8 with HT > over 3.8 w/o HT. If not, then I'll leave HT on and enjoy the extra performance when I can take advantage of it.


----------



## HardwarzFan

Quote:


Originally Posted by *VulcanDragon* 
I think I finally have a stable 3.8GHz configuration

Could you please post detailed settings and voltages? I'm at a slightly unstable 3.8ghz right now and would like to be able to compare. Thx


----------



## VulcanDragon

Quote:



Originally Posted by *VulcanDragon*


I'm about to run some simple tests myself. I think I finally have a stable 3.8GHz configuration, but I'm curious to see if disabling HT would lower voltages and temps enough to give me more headroom to go above 3.8. If so, then it becomes a question of whether 3.8 with HT > over 3.8 w/o HT. If not, then I'll leave HT on and enjoy the extra performance when I can take advantage of it.


I didn't lower my voltages to see what lower temps I could get, but I'm not seeing a tremendous benefit from my simple and easy benches from HT. All I have onhand are SuperPi and 3DMark Vantage. SuperPi seems unaffected by HT. 3DMark Vantage dropped my CPU score by 7.5% with HT off, but the overall drop was only 0.8%. Interesting numbers, I'd be curious to see what other folks with better benchmarking capabilities have seen, if anyone else has run this kind of test.

Quote:



Originally Posted by *HardwarzFan*


Could you please post detailed settings and voltages? I'm at a slightly unstable 3.8ghz right now and would like to be able to compare. Thx


Okay, but please keep in mind that I said I _think _this is stable. I've only run Prime for two hours with this setup. I'll be doing a longer run on Monday, let it run while I go off to work.

These are what I have changed, everything else has been left on Auto (except for stuff like turning off unwanted RAID controllers, Asus ExpressGate, etc.) Implying of course that HT is on in this configuration, since that is the default.

CPU Ratio = 19
BCLK = 200
DRAM frequency = DDR3-1203
CPU voltage (vcore) = 1.3375
CPU PLL = 1.90
QPI/DRAM voltage = 1.35
DRAM Bus voltage (vdimm) = 1.64
ACPI 2.0 = Enabled

Temps are still a little hot, unfortunately. I hit 88c. This is after reseating the TRUE, and my temps are actually better than before. But my old config was not as stable as I thought, so I had to up the voltage which of course upped the temps. So I'm back where I was temperature-wise before I reseated! Oh well...I don't think I can set this TRUE any better unless I take a drimel to the case and cut a slot to slide the MB tray out. Seating the thing inside the case is just darn near impossible to do well.


----------



## HardwarzFan

Interesting, heres my 3.8ghz

CPU Ratio: 19x
BCLK: 200
DRAM: 1203mhz (note to non P6T users: the P6T does frequency rather than multi's)
UCLK: 3208mhz
QPI: 7218MTs
-----------------
CPU Voltage: 1.32v
PLL: 1.84v
QPI Voltage: 1.3375v
DRAM Voltage: 1.6v

You see, mine is *very* close to yours (we have the exact same mobo and are both running DDR3 1333 RAM) so I think that we could learn a lot of eachother's experiences.

Mine is running a bit cooler than yours for some reason, most likely due to the slightly lower voltages (its about a 77 max using a Prime95/RealTemp heat test, which is a 10 minute heat up test on all 8 threads). Also, I notice your DRAM is 1203mhz like mine... so are you also running something close to UCLK: 3208mhz QPI: 7218MTs like me as well? Because that was a total guess in the dark on my part, all I really know is that running a really high UCLK tends to harm stability.


----------



## HardwarzFan

And heres a pic of that 3.8ghz overclock. I just ran it 4 hours Prime95 stable with an absolute max temp of 77 and an average max of 75.


----------



## VulcanDragon

Quote:



Originally Posted by *HardwarzFan*


Mine is running a bit cooler than yours for some reason, most likely due to the slightly lower voltages (its about a 77 max using a Prime95/RealTemp heat test, which is a 10 minute heat up test on all 8 threads). Also, I notice your DRAM is 1203mhz like mine... so are you also running something close to UCLK: 3208mhz QPI: 7218MTs like me as well? Because that was a total guess in the dark on my part, all I really know is that running a really high UCLK tends to harm stability.


Yep, I was getting nice temps that stayed in the 70's when I was setting vcore to 1.32, give or take. Too bad it wasn't stable. And of course, I can't rule out the less-than-perfect heatsink seating.

Come to think of it, I think I had Spread Spectrum disabled for those intitial hour-long test runs; but it is re-enabled now after I had to do a "reset to defaults" because of a failed OC. Maybe I should disable that again and see if I can get a good run with the lower voltages.

As for UCLK and QPI frequencies, I still have them on Auto. I didn't trust that Auto was smart enough to auto-select a speed slower than the rated speed; and I think I was right, because it was totally unstable until I set DRAM speed manually. Maybe I need to think about setting frequencies for UCLK and QPI manually too for the same reason...maybe it's auto-setting too fast, and is requiring more voltage to remain stable? The question would be whether this is auto-set based on the DRAM frequency or auto-set based on the BCLK, I suppose.


----------



## The_Rocker

*I have a different stress tester for you guys.*

Its the Intel Linpack burn test and 5 loops of this is supposed to like running PRIME95 for 10 hours.

I run 40 loops of it which I would call very stable. It also takes far far far far less time than P95.


----------



## VulcanDragon

I saw some posts a while back that seemed wary of the Intel burn test, that it might be _too _stressful or something...I can't recall exactly, but it was enough to keep me from seeking it out since I already had Prime. Probably being paranoid.


----------



## gooddog

Quote:



Originally Posted by *VulcanDragon*


I saw some posts a while back that seemed wary of the Intel burn test, that it might be _too _stressful or something...I can't recall exactly, but it was enough to keep me from seeking it out since I already had Prime. Probably being paranoid.


yes, I have seen those statements too - 40 runs is way too much IMHO. 5 maybe.

what I don't get though with all those warnings is that I get much lower temps with running the IBT than I do running Prime95. 5-10 difference.


----------



## error10

10 runs has always been sufficient for me to discover an unstable OC. 5 was not. More than 10 is just overkill.

And yes it heats your CPU up. It's supposed to!


----------



## Unearthly

Hyper-threading can be a real boon when you have the right program. Compiling an extremely large project with Visual Studio 2005 (~6mb of source), I get a 33% increase in speed with HT on compared to HT off.


----------



## Fresh2death

can anyone help me overclock my i7 920?


----------



## VulcanDragon

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Fresh2death*


can anyone help me overclock my i7 920?


Well, this is the 56th page of a thread devoted to overclocking i7 920s...call me crazy, but I would suspect that you'll learn a lot just by reading the thread from start to finish.







And no, I'm not kidding...I read the whole thread from the start last week before I started overclocking and posting.


----------



## Fresh2death

Quote:



Originally Posted by *VulcanDragon*


Well, this is the 56th page of a thread devoted to overclocking i7 920s...call me crazy, but I would suspect that you'll learn a lot just by reading the thread from start to finish.







And no, I'm not kidding...I read the whole thread from the start last week before I started overclocking and posting.


Alright, well I will do what you did thanks for the advice...


----------



## HardwarzFan

Flesh, I'll be writing a thread on my OCing experiences in the next couple days (from the prospective of a 1st time OCer). I have a different board than you though, but it shouldn't matter a ton.

In the mean time take a look at this: http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/...ht=nehalem+101 Its a OCing guide that I found early on when I was trying to learn.


----------



## beyondPC

Quote:


Originally Posted by *VulcanDragon* 
Yep, I was getting nice temps that stayed in the 70's when I was setting vcore to 1.32, give or take. Too bad it wasn't stable. And of course, I can't rule out the less-than-perfect heatsink seating.

Come to think of it, I think I had Spread Spectrum disabled for those intitial hour-long test runs; but it is re-enabled now after I had to do a "reset to defaults" because of a failed OC. Maybe I should disable that again and see if I can get a good run with the lower voltages.

As for UCLK and QPI frequencies, I still have them on Auto. I didn't trust that Auto was smart enough to auto-select a speed slower than the rated speed; and I think I was right, because it was totally unstable until I set DRAM speed manually. Maybe I need to think about setting frequencies for UCLK and QPI manually too for the same reason...maybe it's auto-setting too fast, and is requiring more voltage to remain stable? The question would be whether this is auto-set based on the DRAM frequency or auto-set based on the BCLK, I suppose.

My 3.82 OC is currently at max 71 after prime95. I added a pair of Antec Tri Cools running at 2000 rpm. My temps went down by around 11 degrees. I was considering getting Kaze 3000 but they are way too loud. Are you running push/pull?


----------



## VulcanDragon

Quote:


Originally Posted by *beyondPC* 
My 3.82 OC is currently at max 71 after prime95. I added a pair of Antec Tri Cools running at 2000 rpm. My temps went down by around 11 degrees. I was considering getting Kaze 3000 but they are way too loud. Are you running push/pull?

No, just push with a Kaze 2000.


----------



## Fresh2death

Quote:



Originally Posted by *HardwarzFan*


Flesh, I'll be writing a thread on my OCing experiences in the next couple days (from the prospective of a 1st time OCer). I have a different board than you though, but it shouldn't matter a ton.

In the mean time take a look at this: http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/...ht=nehalem+101 Its a OCing guide that I found early on when I was trying to learn.


alright will take a look at it thanks alot for the link man..


----------



## HardwarzFan

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Fresh2death* 
alright will take a look at it thanks alot for the link man..









My pleasure, hope it helps. And keep an eye out for my full report in a couple days.


----------



## N0rmal

Finally stable.

Originally OC'd 3.8ghz 20x190, passed Prime95 12 hrs, OCCT 2 hrs., IntelBurn 30 passes, would randomly BSOD while doing video encodes.

Now I'm OC'd 3.8ghz 19x200, passed all tests and 3 days of video encodes w/out a hiccup. Temps look pretty good too.


----------



## HardwarzFan

What are your voltages and detailed settings?


----------



## Fresh2death

Quote:


Originally Posted by *HardwarzFan* 
My pleasure, hope it helps. And keep an eye out for my full report in a couple days.

Sure will my friend this seems like the best thread to learn how to overclock so far


----------



## Fresh2death

Quote:


Originally Posted by *N0rmal* 
Finally stable.

Originally OC'd 3.8ghz 20x190, passed Prime95 12 hrs, OCCT 2 hrs., IntelBurn 30 passes, would randomly BSOD while doing video encodes.

Now I'm OC'd 3.8ghz 19x200, passed all tests and 3 days of video encodes w/out a hiccup. Temps look pretty good too.










19x200 huh I found out how to get that set up in my bios but I didn't try it cuz everyone was saying should be using like 21x180 or something but I dunno how to unlock the core clock multiplier


----------



## killerhz

Someone help...I am lost in the BIOS here. Right now I have everything on stock and am using the stock heatsink. I want to boost the perfoprmance a bit but not sure where to start.


----------



## beyondPC

Quote:



Originally Posted by *killerhz*


Someone help...I am lost in the BIOS here. Right now I have everything on stock and am using the stock heatsink. I want to boost the perfoprmance a bit but not sure where to start.


Its going to be hard to get an OC with the stock heatsink since the i7 runs hot even with stock clock speeds and an it won't end up pretty if you don't have some basic concepts of overclocking an i7. Get a good heatsink (Noctua or TRUE), that would be a good start. This article might help you go the right direction:

http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/200...-core-i7-920/1


----------



## killerhz

Quote:



Originally Posted by *beyondPC*


Its going to be hard to get an OC with the stock heatsink since the i7 runs hot even with stock clock speeds and an it won't end up pretty if you don't have some basic concepts of overclocking an i7. Get a good heatsink (Noctua or TRUE), that would be a good start. This article might help you go the right direction:

http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/200...-core-i7-920/1


+1 I have a copper true, just waiting for the bolt through kit to show up next week. I just want to know what to adjust and to what.


----------



## beyondPC

I'm planning on re-seating the TRUE and applying arctic silver 5 to lower the temps a bit more.


----------



## dynoman101

1.19 for 3.8ghz is awesome. I need around 1.25 for 3.8


----------



## gooddog

Quote:



Originally Posted by *dynoman101*


1.19 for 3.8ghz is awesome. I need around 1.25 for 3.8


Remember that is with HT off.


----------



## HardwarzFan

Agreed, that doesn't hardly seem possible. Thats barely above stock voltage... must be a B batch chip.


----------



## VulcanDragon

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Fresh2death*


19x200 huh I found out how to get that set up in my bios but I didn't try it cuz everyone was saying should be using like 21x180 or something but I dunno how to unlock the core clock multiplier


You can't unlock the CPU multiplier on a 920, the highest you can set it is to 20. The 21 multiplier comes from having Turbo Mode enabled, in which case the CPU automatically bumps you up by one multiplier. But you cannoy set 21 manually.

Now what multi to actually use is dependent on your specific hardware. There are multiple ways to get to a specific clock speed...my 3.8GHz is 19x200, but I believe most people are doing 20x180. But for me, 19x200 was easier to get stable. So don't go thinking you "need" to have a 21 multiplier, or any specific multiplier. As long as the multiplier x BCLK come out to the number you want and is stable, you're on target.

Quote:



Originally Posted by *killerhz*


+1 I have a copper true, just waiting for the bolt through kit to show up next week. I just want to know what to adjust and to what.


What you'll be adjusting the most is the BCLK and your voltages. There have been several posts in the last couple of days with fairly complete example setups...start with one of those, or maybe something a little lower if you want to increase your initial chances (e.g. maybe start at 3.3 or 3.4 GHz, don't try to jump straight to 3.8); and then incrementally work your way up.


----------



## beyondPC

Quote:



Originally Posted by *HardwarzFan*


Agreed, that doesn't hardly seem possible. Thats barely above stock voltage... must be a B batch chip.


I was figuring that. I was surprised myself when I lowered the vcore.


----------



## beyondPC

Quote:


Originally Posted by *gooddog* 
Remember that is with HT off.

I'm going to post a 6 hour prime95 with HT on soon. I will probably have to lower it from 3.82 to 3.780-3.801


----------



## Enigma8750

I am an AMD guy but we guys have to increase our NB voltages to get the big numbers. The New i7 works alot like an AMD Phenom chip so maybe thats something you guys can try to get it up to 4GHz.


----------



## eflyguy

I spent some time working on mine this evening. 4.0 was so easy (remember, I have the 965) that I didn't feel it was worth shouting about. Trying to get 1GHz OC, and beyond, has been a bit puzzling. I've spent a lot of time on "that other forum" where there is a great deal of additional information about ratios, but as much research as I've done, I can't find anything definitive when it comes to voltages. I guess that's just how it goes with a new chip.

I actually have what appears to be a stable 4.2 combination. Numbers are something like 27x157







for something a little different.







I see no need to push my RAM beyond 1600 - and it will do that on nice stock volts, and BCLK in the 160 range works nicely for that.

I'm most confused about the different voltage requirements and Uncore speed. I can get 4.3GHz on the core if I drop the Uncore speed. Problem is, I am trying to find optimal performance for the system overall, not just a trophy-winning CPU clock. I can up the voltage (labelled QPI/DRAM core in the P6T bios) but as you'd expect, beyond a certain speed it's not stable.

Due to the cost of this CPU (







) I am keeping my voltages pretty close to specs, VCore is 1.37, and Uncore voltage around 1.275V. I'm sure more voltage would help..

I'll try some Sandra tests to see if I can find a relationship between overall performance and Uncore speed, at least, the point at which a low speed impacts performance. Problem is, what is "overall performance"?








..a


----------



## dynoman101

currently I have my 920 at 3.4ghz with a 1.1625 vcore and everything else in auto. I am using stock cooler so I am not trying to push it that much.


----------



## beyondPC

Quote:



Originally Posted by *gooddog*


Remember that is with HT off.












I lowered the bclk a bit and was able to get it stable with HT on.


----------



## gooddog

Quote:


Originally Posted by *beyondPC* 









I lowered the bclk a bit and was able to get it stable with HT on.

that's some great voltage's there!

My comment about HT was just to remind people to make sure there are apple to apple comparisons. Some people get concerned that their chip can't hit what someone else has hit, but they didn't notice that HT was off, or that the other guy was on water, or..or...or...

great results!


----------



## DavidNJ

Two posts of under 1.25 at 3.8. The Bloomfield is a hot processor...temperature wise. The low voltages make it manageable for air.

Have you tried higher speeds and failed or just stopped because of temps? My calcs show those speeds and voltages around 165-185 watts: Yorkfield/Kentfield range. However, at 4.0GHz 1.4v seems common, with some at 1.5v.Thats more of a 240-275watt range and probably rather extreme for air, which could be 55-70Â°C above ambient. Temperatures approaching 90C.


----------



## N0rmal

Quote:



Originally Posted by *HardwarzFan*


What are your voltages and detailed settings?


VCore 1.26, QPI 1.35V, RAM 1.66V memory is oc'd slightly @1603 mhz 8-8-8-24, VDroop Calibration - enabled, HT on, Speedstep is disabled. Everything else is auto. Temps don't even hit 60c at full load, Heatsink is TRUE push pull config with stock 120MM led fan that came with my case(Zalman GT1000) and a Yate Loon SH12 40dba, 88cfm.

Hope this helps....


----------



## beyondPC

Quote:



Originally Posted by *gooddog*


that's some great voltage's there!

My comment about HT was just to remind people to make sure there are apple to apple comparisons. Some people get concerned that their chip can't hit what someone else has hit, but they didn't notice that HT was off, or that the other guy was on water, or..or...or...

great results!


Thanks and I agree. I'm going to put HT on that in my sig rig to ease some concerns.


----------



## HardwarzFan

Alright... how is it possible that people are even hitting 3.8ghz on 1.184v CPU Voltage? Could it somehow be the relation of his other voltage and settings to that 1.185v??? It must be something crazy like that.

Which brings me to request the rest of your settings and voltages beyondPC, I'd love to give your low watt, low voltage approach a fling.


----------



## beyondPC

Quote:



Originally Posted by *HardwarzFan*


Alright... how is it possible that people are even hitting 3.8ghz on 1.184v CPU Voltage? Could it somehow be the relation of his other voltage and settings to that 1.185v??? It must be something crazy like that.

Which brings me to request the rest of your settings and voltages beyondPC, I'd love to give your low watt, low voltage approach a fling.


Alright. I'll post up some shots of bios for you soon.


----------



## HardwarzFan

Very cool, thanks.


----------



## VulcanDragon

So I ran Intel Burn Test 10 iterations and came up stable. So I guess I'll stop saying I "think" I'm stable and just assert that I'm "officially" stable at 3.8 GHz.

Interesting test...RealTemp said I was only running around 50-52% load, yet it was clearly stressing the system...max temps were about two degrees higher than Prime generated.


----------



## beyondPC

Quote:


Originally Posted by *HardwarzFan* 
Very cool, thanks.

QPI Link Speed: 6.51
Uncore Frequency: 2896 Mhz
QPI/VTT Voltage: 1.220 V
DRAM: 1.500 V @ 8-8-8-20
CPU PLL: 1.840 V

Quote:


Originally Posted by *VulcanDragon* 
So I ran Intel Burn Test 10 iterations and came up stable. So I guess I'll stop saying I "think" I'm stable and just assert that I'm "officially" stable at 3.8 GHz.

Interesting test...RealTemp said I was only running around 50-52% load, yet it was clearly stressing the system...max temps were about two degrees higher than Prime generated.

Congrats on official stable 3.8!


----------



## Trigunflame

Quote:



Originally Posted by *VulcanDragon*


So I ran Intel Burn Test 10 iterations and came up stable. So I guess I'll stop saying I "think" I'm stable and just assert that I'm "officially" stable at 3.8 GHz.

Interesting test...RealTemp said I was only running around 50-52% load, yet it was clearly stressing the system...max temps were about two degrees higher than Prime generated.


According to the people that developed it, they said linpack is not full utlizing all of the cores; some suggested running it & prime95 together until it's fixed.

Anyway, I've been playing with this processor for about 2 days now since I reseated my TRUE (prob gonna do it again since I still think it should be a bit lower) but anyway, I don't know if I just happened to get a bad sample or what but it seems like this thing needs a lot of voltage just to hold 3.8.

Settings ATM are:

Ratio: 19x
BCLK: 200
CPU: 1.31250v
QPI: 1.33750v
CPU PLL: 1.9v
DRAM: 1.64v
Memory Speed: 1600 @ 8-8-8-24-1T
Everything else: Auto

Was requiring even More Voltage when I used a ratio of 20 and a lower BCLK, so I'm sticking with this atm.. I want to get 4ghz but I'm starting to think its not going to be possible without going over intel recommendations.

Any suggestions?


----------



## VulcanDragon

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Trigunflame*


I don't know if I just happened to get a bad sample or what but it seems like this thing needs a lot of voltage just to hold 3.8.


What you're seeing is pretty much the same thing I ran into. Either there is a pretty wide disparity in the chips themselves, or maybe it's the Asus P6T board. Regardless, it does seem that quite a few of us are needing 1.3x volts to get a stable 3.8 GHz while others are able to crank it out with 1.2x volts.


----------



## error10

Quote:


Originally Posted by *VulcanDragon* 
So I ran Intel Burn Test 10 iterations and came up stable. So I guess I'll stop saying I "think" I'm stable and just assert that I'm "officially" stable at 3.8 GHz.

Interesting test...RealTemp said I was only running around 50-52% load, yet it was clearly stressing the system...max temps were about two degrees higher than Prime generated.

Sounds like it wasn't using all 8 threads for some reason, but only 4. Hopefully AgentGOD will fix that.


----------



## HardwarzFan

Quote:



Originally Posted by *VulcanDragon*


What you're seeing is pretty much the same thing I ran into. Either there is a pretty wide disparity in the chips themselves, or maybe it's the Asus P6T board. Regardless, it does seem that quite a few of us are needing 1.3x volts to get a stable 3.8 GHz while others are able to crank it out with 1.2x volts.


Yeah, I'm at 1.325v CPU as well under 3.8ghz. I have to believe that people using lower voltages are able to do so due to the exact settings and other voltages they use. Everything is connected to everything else. *If we can simply find somebody running a P6T who gets low voltage overclocks* we can start testing their settings out for ourselves and see once and for all if this is a matter of the chip's abilities, or the settings.


----------



## Trigunflame

Any of you guys that can confirm it's ok to go slighly over the 1.65 mem voltage? say 1.66-1.67? Assuming like others have said you keep it and the qpi within 0.5v of each other.

Just seems my memory isn't wanting to run 8-8-8-24 @ 1600 below it's rated voltage (1.65), I have it at 1.64 atm but i'll blue screen eventually if I run it hard long enough. If not i'll just try and loosen the timings; i've already done a few mem benchmarks at 9-9-9-24 and the difference wasn't that much.


----------



## DavidNJ

Quote: 
   Originally Posted by *Fresh2death*   can anyone help me overclock my i7 920?  
   
 Intel Core i7 Overclocking Tutorial (NCIX Tech Tips #19)


----------



## HardwarzFan

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Trigunflame*


Any of you guys that can confirm it's ok to go slighly over the 1.65 mem voltage? say 1.66-1.67? Assuming like others have said you keep it and the qpi within 0.5v of each other.

Just seems my memory isn't wanting to run 8-8-8-24 @ 1600 below it's rated voltage (1.65), I have it at 1.64 atm but i'll blue screen eventually if I run it hard long enough. If not i'll just try and loosen the timings; i've already done a few mem benchmarks at 9-9-9-24 and the difference wasn't that much.


I think above 1.65v is one of those 'at your own peril' things you'll see a lot in OCing. Above which point you are playing Russian roulette with your rig. I wouldn't... there must be other ways to stabilize without upping RAM.


----------



## Acroma

i can keep mine stable at 3.8 with 1.45v.


----------



## DavidNJ

1.45 should be stable at 3.8, I think all 4.0 overclocks are 1.45 or less. You may try 1.4 or even a bit less. That would significantly reduce your heat load on your air cooling.


----------



## eflyguy

I'm reluctant to go up to 1.4 even..
..a


----------



## VulcanDragon

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Trigunflame* 
Any of you guys that can confirm it's ok to go slighly over the 1.65 mem voltage? say 1.66-1.67? Assuming like others have said you keep it and the qpi within 0.5v of each other.

Just seems my memory isn't wanting to run 8-8-8-24 @ 1600 below it's rated voltage (1.65), I have it at 1.64 atm but i'll blue screen eventually if I run it hard long enough. If not i'll just try and loosen the timings; i've already done a few mem benchmarks at 9-9-9-24 and the difference wasn't that much.

HardOCP's early videos set vdimm to 1.66 and claimed it was "rock solid", IIRC. Granted that was before the chip was even generally available, so that's not based on any long-term use (if a chip that has been out for a few weeks can be said to have any "long term use" scenarios).

I would think that 1.66 is fine, but I also don't know that it's worth the bother or mild risk of finding out. Pre-release tests (from some article in the News forum) showed that RAM speed played only a minor role in overall performance of an i7 system. That's why I went with DDR-1333 instead of crazy expensive DDR3-1600 (and it's actually only running at DDR3-12xx speed, actually!)


----------



## eflyguy

http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/200...-core-i7-920/3

Quote:

QPI/DRAM Voltage - 1.35V: This is poorly worded by Asus - it should read uncore or QPI/memory controller voltage so not to confuse it with the actual memory voltage. Increasing this is also necessary as it helps overclock the base frequency as the uncore area overclocks increase in relation to the CPU core overclocks. This voltage is tied to actual DRAM voltage - the two are directly connected on the motherboard. You'll need to increase this to keep the CPU safe.

While Asus and Intel (rightly) scare everyone (read: uneducated) into thinking that 1.65V on the DRAM voltage should be the absolute limit before you reach for the fire-blanket, all that's really needed it to obey this: keep the CPU uncore voltage within 0.5V difference of the DRAM voltage and there's no problem. Over this potential difference and you'll greatly increase the chance of CPU death, but it certainly won't happen instantly in a big ball of fail fire if you make a mistake.
This has been referenced elsewhere, but not confirmed by anyone that I can find..
..a


----------



## Trigunflame

Ya that's the same article I was going by; it seems reliable but I'm not sure. I can definately confirm that the 2 voltages are linked somehow as when I was doing initial stability testing and started hitting memory issues; it started helping the stability by upping the QPI even before I messed with my DRAM volt.

Another article on some voltage and how to OC here: http://www.evga.com/forums/tm.asp?m=642527 But needless to say, the stuff this guy recommends scares me.

But.. I really dont even want to be running my QPI at 1.35 like I am atm, so since I changed my timings to 9-9-9-24 (rig is currently running prime, it's at 5 hrs stable as I type this) I'm going to steadily start dropping it while leaving the dram voltage at 1.64 and see if I can get it in the 1.32-1.33 range; also dropped my pll to 1.84 (read some other guy talking about staying below 1.85 as 1.9 can easily burn the chip up after a while).


----------



## Dangles

I have my 920 clocked at 4ghz with 1.408v i believe I will check tonight when I get home to post results


----------



## Fresh2death

Finally got a stable overclock of 3.8MHz at Vcore 1.26250 with 13 hours worth stress testing with Prime95 with large FFT's.


----------



## Dangles

That's awesome! I turned off turbo mode on mine so it could be more stable. Mine is rocksolid


----------



## Fresh2death

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Dangles*


That's awesome! I turned off turbo mode on mine so it could be more stable. Mine is rocksolid


Nice dude I got mine on extreme.. seems rock solid on mine to me.


----------



## HardwarzFan

What are your other voltages?


----------



## Fresh2death

I left all the other voltages on AUTO just changed the Vcore a bit til it wasn't giving me blue screen's anymore.


----------



## HardwarzFan

Careful there... I've heard that leaving some voltages on auto can result in higher voltages than need be. Are your temps good?


----------



## Fresh2death

Hmm really.. I wouldn't know where to start to set the other voltages at.. my temps seem fine I never got above 50c with the whole time of 13 hours stress testing.. it's idling at 30c right now..


----------



## Trigunflame

Edit: nvm you're using ud5.


----------



## beyondPC

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Fresh2death*


Finally got a stable overclock of 3.8MHz at Vcore 1.26250 with 13 hours worth stress testing with Prime95 with large FFT's.


















Nice temps!


----------



## Fresh2death

Quote:



Originally Posted by *beyondPC*


Nice temps!


Thanks man.. I was thinkin the same


----------



## Fresh2death

Quote:


Originally Posted by *VulcanDragon* 
You can't unlock the CPU multiplier on a 920, the highest you can set it is to 20. The 21 multiplier comes from having Turbo Mode enabled, in which case the CPU automatically bumps you up by one multiplier. But you cannoy set 21 manually.

Now what multi to actually use is dependent on your specific hardware. There are multiple ways to get to a specific clock speed...my 3.8GHz is 19x200, but I believe most people are doing 20x180. But for me, 19x200 was easier to get stable. So don't go thinking you "need" to have a 21 multiplier, or any specific multiplier. As long as the multiplier x BCLK come out to the number you want and is stable, you're on target.

What you'll be adjusting the most is the BCLK and your voltages. There have been several posts in the last couple of days with fairly complete example setups...start with one of those, or maybe something a little lower if you want to increase your initial chances (e.g. maybe start at 3.3 or 3.4 GHz, don't try to jump straight to 3.8); and then incrementally work your way up.

Thanks for clearing that up much appreciated


----------



## VulcanDragon

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Trigunflame*


also dropped my pll to 1.84 (read some other guy talking about staying below 1.85 as 1.9 can easily burn the chip up after a while).


Where did you see that, do you remember? I haven't seen anything BUT people saying to use 1.9. And in the BIOS, setting to 1.9 doesn't change colors, so it's apparently in the "okay" range.


----------



## Trigunflame

Quote:



Originally Posted by *VulcanDragon*


Where did you see that, do you remember? I haven't seen anything BUT people saying to use 1.9. And in the BIOS, setting to 1.9 doesn't change colors, so it's apparently in the "okay" range.


http://forums.extremeoverclocking.co...d.php?t=310596

It didn't affect my stability dropping it from 1.9, and I just set it 1.84 per his recommendations; really don't think it affects much either way at a low OC like ours.

I'm tempted to push this to 4ghz once I reseat this TRUE yet again.. I just want to do a little more checking on how many people are running at ~1.4vcore because atm I'm scared to go that high; I've already tried 200x20 and 210x19 @ 1.35v and it's not gonna cut it on mine.


----------



## HardwarzFan

I just noticed that in my P6T's bios it will not allow me to raise my CPU Ratio (miltiplier) above 20. It says that theres a min of 12 and a max of 20. Whats the deal, how do I get around this???


----------



## beyondPC

Quote:



Originally Posted by *HardwarzFan*


I just noticed that in my P6T's bios it will not allow me to raise my CPU Ratio (miltiplier) above 20. It says that theres a min of 12 and a max of 20. Whats the deal, how do I get around this???


Only Extreme Editions have unlocked multipliers. You can add 1x to your multiplier by enabling Intel Turbo Mode.


----------



## HardwarzFan

Oh... I thought it at just went to 21 automatically. So many 920 people has said they were at 21x200 that I figured it was simply available to type in. So I just set Turbo on and set it to 20 then?

Thanks.


----------



## beyondPC

Quote:



Originally Posted by *HardwarzFan*


So I just set Turbo on and set it to 20 then?

Thanks.


Correct and np.


----------



## zlojack

Anyone using the EVGA board yet?

I'm sitting at 191x21 for 4GHz right now with the RAM at 1528.

So far it's doing alright in Prime95, though it gets pretty hot. I think I need to reseat my waterblock.


----------



## HardwarzFan

Quick question. For stability is it generally better to have as high a CPU Multiplier as possible and as low of a BLCK as possible for the speed? For instance on a 920 you'd generally see better results using the 20x multiplier than using something like a 17x with a high BCLK.


----------



## Trigunflame

Not necessarily it seems, lot's of people have been having bad results with the 20x multiplier; these p6t's can push bclk relatively high; as for 965's using a high multiplier is the easy path to higher oc's.

For me personally, using a 20x multiplier and lower bclk actually required more vcore vs using 19x and a higher bclk.. so I guess it just depends from setup to setup.


----------



## HardwarzFan

The 20 multiplier's bugginess aside, would you say that a multi even lower than 19x and a much much higher BLCK would use less juice (or OC easier)? Is that a general pattern?


----------



## VulcanDragon

Quote:


Originally Posted by *HardwarzFan* 
Quick question. For stability is it generally better to have as high a CPU Multiplier as possible and as low of a BLCK as possible for the speed? For instance on a 920 you'd generally see better results using the 20x multiplier than using something like a 17x with a high BCLK.

As with Trigunflame, my experience was that 19x200 was easier to get stable for 3.8 GHz than 20x180. I had virtually no success with 20x180 actually, but 19x200 was not really a problem at all. But YMMV.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *HardwarzFan* 
The 20 multiplier's bugginess aside, would you say that a multi even lower than 19x and a much much higher BLCK would use less juice (or OC easier)? Is that a general pattern?

Hard to say without trying it out, it would just be speculation. I was going to try 18x211, but I probably won't bother since I'm stable now. Obviously at some point increasing BCLK will become more costly than it is probably worth, but I couldn't guess at what that number is.


----------



## MRoFlare

I just did my i7 build and OCed it to 3.8 Finally got it stable 8hour prime95 with 19x200. Vcore 1.35 QPI/Dram at 1.375. Gonna now try lower voltage to see if it gets stable.


----------



## zlojack

I can't go above 191 bclk. I get BSOD in Prime95 after 5 minutes at 193 while at 191 x 21 I am rock stable for 6+ hours.


----------



## HardwarzFan

Quote:


Originally Posted by *MRoFlare* 
I just did my i7 build and OCed it to 3.8 Finally got it stable 8hour prime95 with 19x200. Vcore 1.35 QPI/Dram at 1.375. Gonna now try lower voltage to see if it gets stable.

You will probably find that you are using more voltage than you need, I'm at the same speed running 1.318v for CPU and QPI.


----------



## Fresh2death

Quote:


Originally Posted by *zlojack* 
I can't go above 191 bclk. I get BSOD in Prime95 after 5 minutes at 193 while at 191 x 21 I am rock stable for 6+ hours.

Didn't you have the Gigabyte EX58 UD5 at one time?


----------



## zlojack

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Fresh2death* 
Didn't you have the Gigabyte EX58 UD5 at one time?

Yeah. I sold it because I'm going for tri-SLI and the bottom PCIE slot sits too close to the back of my case and would almost block the rear fans. I picked up the EVGA because it has better slot spacing.


----------



## Fresh2death

Quote:


Originally Posted by *zlojack* 
Yeah. I sold it because I'm going for tri-SLI and the bottom PCIE slot sits too close to the back of my case and would almost block the rear fans. I picked up the EVGA because it has better slot spacing.

Yeah I thought you had that board haha, well that's cool, does that EVGA overclock easy?


----------



## zlojack

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Fresh2death* 
Yeah I thought you had that board haha, well that's cool, does that EVGA overclock easy?

I got it to 4GHz pretty easily. Now just trying to go above that


----------



## Fresh2death

Quote:


Originally Posted by *zlojack* 
I got it to 4GHz pretty easily. Now just trying to go above that









haha. awesome


----------



## TFL Replica

EVGA, Foxconn, Asus, Gigabyte, DFI can't decide. I was hoping that reading this thread would help me choose. Does it even matter?


----------



## eflyguy

I would *not* go with the P6T. Don't have any experience with the others but I'm thinking of picking one up to try..

Yes, it does matter.
..a


----------



## Fresh2death

Quote:


Originally Posted by *TFL Replica* 
EVGA, Foxconn, Asus, Gigabyte, DFI can't decide. I was hoping that reading this thread would help me choose. Does it even matter?

If I were you I'd just do some research on each motherboard and compare them. Then decide for yourself what is the best of those. I know the Gigabyte and Asus are great overclockers so I have also heard about the Foxconn I haven't heard much on the DFI one tho.The EVGA is another good overclocker as well..


----------



## HardwarzFan

Quote:


Originally Posted by *eflyguy* 
I would *not* go with the P6T. Don't have any experience with the others but I'm thinking of picking one up to try..

Yes, it does matter.
..a

Are you having issues with your P6T... or is it just that it doesn't seem to OC quite as high as the Gigabytes do?


----------



## eflyguy

OC - something is holding me back. I'm in denial that it could be the CPU..








..a


----------



## HardwarzFan

What speed are you at, and where did you want to be?


----------



## eflyguy

4.0, perhaps 4.2 (need to run a good test to be sure). Was looking for 4.5 easily, hoping for more..
..a


----------



## gooddog

Quote:


Originally Posted by *eflyguy* 
4.0, perhaps 4.2 (need to run a good test to be sure). Was looking for 4.5 easily, hoping for more..
..a

I am not sure that 4.2 is achievable without some serious voltages and some other mystery settings.

I am very stable at 4.0 at around 1.31 or so...however, I got to pump a lot of voltage to get quasi stable at 4.2. 4.3 is out of the question.

I must be doing something wrong. I would hope that the 965 OCs better than a 920 - many of which seem to also get to 4.0 with similar voltages.

I don't get it.


----------



## HardwarzFan

I think what the problem may be is the fact that people with 965 are thinking that their chips should be able to OC vastly higher than the 920's and 940's... but I don't think that this is the case. From what I hear the 965's can reach max OC's easier and at lower voltages, but I think that the entire i7 family has about the same roof. So if you are really wanting to get nutzo overclocks you may be forced to look more to cooling than chips.


----------



## zlojack

Alright, I've made it to 205 bclk and it's priming ok so far on the 19 multi. The RAM is only on the 6x multi for the moment as I want to remove that variable from the equation. I think my Mushkin will need some work on the sub-timings to run at over 1600, but the bandwidth and latency even at 1200 with 6-6-6 timings is still pretty crazy.

Anyway, next up is 20x205 and we'll see if it posts. I tried 210 bclk but that got me a BSOD pretty quick


----------



## beyondPC

Quote:


Originally Posted by *zlojack* 
Alright, I've made it to 205 bclk and it's priming ok so far on the 19 multi. The RAM is only on the 6x multi for the moment as I want to remove that variable from the equation. I think my Mushkin will need some work on the sub-timings to run at over 1600, but the bandwidth and latency even at 1200 with 6-6-6 timings is still pretty crazy.

Anyway, next up is 20x205 and we'll see if it posts. I tried 210 bclk but that got me a BSOD pretty quick









What are your temps?


----------



## Trigunflame

Quote:


Originally Posted by *zlojack* 
Alright, I've made it to 205 bclk and it's priming ok so far on the 19 multi. The RAM is only on the 6x multi for the moment as I want to remove that variable from the equation. I think my Mushkin will need some work on the sub-timings to run at over 1600, but the bandwidth and latency even at 1200 with 6-6-6 timings is still pretty crazy.

Anyway, next up is 20x205 and we'll see if it posts. I tried 210 bclk but that got me a BSOD pretty quick









Ya the timings dont seem to affect performance as much as it used to (dual channel ddr2 days) with these setups (tri channel ddr3), I had to raise my latency 1 notch to get mine to run at their rated frequency due to the low dram voltage I was using. Benchmarks showed ~.5 or so difference, I think i may have went from 30ns to 32ns read latency other than that.. read perf/write perf/copy perf was practically the same. Believe it was around 17k MBs read @ 3.8ghz / 1600mhz / 9-9-9-24-1t


----------



## gooddog

Quote:


Originally Posted by *HardwarzFan* 
I think what the problem may be is the fact that people with 965 are thinking that their chips should be able to OC vastly higher than the 920's and 940's... but I don't think that this is the case. From what I hear the 965's can reach max OC's easier and at lower voltages, but I think that the entire i7 family has about the same roof. So if you are really wanting to get nutzo overclocks you may be forced to look more to cooling than chips.

I am not sure that is the issue. I agree with the first part, that they OC the same but the 965 requires slightly lower voltages.

However, to go from 4.0 to 4.2 gHz I am pumping in serious voltage to the chip and prime95 gives out relatively early but still doesn't hit serious temps. So I don't think it is a cooling problem. I think there is something else going on around 4G.


----------



## MikersSU

From reading other forums, it would seem that the OC wall is dependent on the processors. I'm seeing that the "B" batches are achieving higher clocks with lower voltages than the "A" batches. I wonder if this observation holds water.


----------



## HardwarzFan

Quote:



Originally Posted by *gooddog*


I am not sure that is the issue. I agree with the first part, that they OC the same but the 965 requires slightly lower voltages.

However, to go from 4.0 to 4.2 gHz I am pumping in serious voltage to the chip and prime95 gives out relatively early but still doesn't hit serious temps. So I don't think it is a cooling problem. I think there is something else going on around 4G.


What about your RAM? Is it a high quality RAM, are you sure it mighht not be holding the OC back? Because I suppose if you can rule out the RAM, cooling, and chip it must be the mobo. Or if the motherboard checks out (people have had higher OC's then you on the same board) then it may be the chip.


----------



## TFL Replica

Quote:



Originally Posted by *MikersSU*


From reading other forums, it would seem that the OC wall is dependent on the processors. I'm seeing that the "B" batches are achieving higher clocks with lower voltages than the "A" batches. I wonder if this observation holds water.


The opposite (A batches doing much better than B batches) has also occurred. So it really isn't a general rule that can be relied on.


----------



## eflyguy

My 4.2 "somewhat stable" (just need time to test it thoroughly) numbers are:
27x157, Uncore @ 3147. Vcore is only 1.375.
I've never seen temps over 70C..
..a


----------



## SolShade

Quote:


Originally Posted by *gooddog* 
I must be doing something wrong. I would hope that the 965 OCs better than a 920 - many of which seem to also get to 4.0 with similar voltages.

Ah yes i remember when i thought the extreme actually meant something when i got my QX9650. But unless you have a chip from the center of the wafer it's really not going to OC any better than the cheaper chips, or you can go LN2 and crank the voltage


----------



## gooddog

Quote:



Originally Posted by *HardwarzFan*


What about your RAM? Is it a high quality RAM, are you sure it mighht not be holding the OC back? Because I suppose if you can rule out the RAM, cooling, and chip it must be the mobo. Or if the motherboard checks out (people have had higher OC's then you on the same board) then it may be the chip.


I have very good RAM (Mushkin, 1600) and have also tested the OC by running it at 1333 rather than the rated 1600, so I don't think that is the issue.

I get stable at 25x160 but going to 26x160 is not stable for 2 minutes under prime95.


----------



## Fresh2death

Just got another stable over clock of 3.8MHz this time with (HT) turned on. I turned off turbo boost mode for it to be more stable seems like 100% stable now solid as a rock to me.

here are my settings in case any of you would be wondering..

CPU Vcore - 1.31875 (couldn't get much lower then this with turbo boost turned off and with HT turned on)
QPI/vtt Voltage - 1.220v
IOH core - 1.100v
DRAM voltage - 1.500v
CPU PLL - 1.840v
==================
QPI Link Speed x36
Uncore Frequency x13=2470MHz
Load-Line calibration - enabled
==================
intel turbo boost tech - disabled
CPU enhanced Halt(C1E) - disabled
C3/C6/C7 state support - disabled
CPU thermal monitor - disabled
CPU Eist function - disabled
Virtualization tech - disabled
Bu directional PROCHOT - disabled


----------



## Trigunflame

*cry* definately going to be messing with my true soon... can only get 1 of my cores to idle @ 32c or lower atm, the rest are 3-5c higher.


----------



## Fresh2death

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Trigunflame*


*cry* definately going to be messing with my true soon... can only get 1 of my cores to idle @ 32c or lower atm, the rest are 3-5c higher.


That's still not too bad, just when you go to re-seat it just make sure you have that thermal paste on so thin you can almost see threw it. That's what i did and I have great temps with my TRUE..


----------



## HardwarzFan

I used a credit card to spread my thermal paste when I did it. I looked up a video on you tube to see how thin to make it as well.


----------



## eflyguy

You probably have too much on there.
..a


----------



## Fresh2death

Quote:



Originally Posted by *HardwarzFan*


I used a credit card to spread my thermal paste when I did it. I looked up a video on you tube to see how thin to make it as well.


I just used a plastic sandwich bag..


----------



## Fresh2death

The only problem I have now is my memory at x6 ratio running 1140MHz but when I try to bump it up to 1540MHz it won't boot up I also put the Uncore frequency to 3.6MHz I wonder why its not like 1200 at x6 ratio or 1600 at x8 ratio or should just leave it as it is? I dunno how to solve that lil problem tho...


----------



## Trigunflame

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Fresh2death*


The only problem I have now is my memory at x6 ratio running 1140MHz but when I try to bump it up to 1540MHz it won't boot up I also put the Uncore frequency to 3.6MHz I wonder why its not like 1200 at x6 ratio or 1600 at x8 ratio or should just leave it as it is? I dunno how to solve that lil problem tho...

CPU Vcore - 1.31875 (couldn't get much lower then this with turbo boost turned off and with HT turned on)
QPI/vtt Voltage - 1.220v
IOH core - 1.100v
DRAM voltage - 1.500v
CPU PLL - 1.840v


Bump your dram voltage up if you still have it at 1.5v, it will be hard to run your memory near 1600 @ baseline voltage. Try 1.6-1.64, your qpi is also low and that has direct relationship to memory so you may want to up that as well.

With my ocz 1600 I had to run qpi @ 1.35 and dram @ 1.64 to get it stable at that speed. It will make a difference being that your OC'n that 920, so I would try and get to as close to 1600 as possible. That's another reason I went for using a higher bclk x 19 as opposed to using 20 and a lower one, so that my memory ran almost at it's exact rated speed.. think it ended up being like 1605 or something.


----------



## Fresh2death

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Trigunflame* 
Bump your dram voltage up if you still have it at 1.5v, it will be hard to run your memory near 1600 @ baseline voltage. Try 1.6-1.64, your qpi is also low and that has direct relationship to memory so you may want to up that as well.

With my ocz 1600 I had to run qpi @ 1.35 and dram @ 1.64 to get it stable at that speed. It will make a difference being that your OC'n that 920, so I would try and get to as close to 1600 as possible. That's another reason I went for using a higher bclk x 19 as opposed to using 20 and a lower one, so that my memory ran almost at it's exact rated speed.. think it ended up being like 1605 or something.

Thanks alot for the tip rep! I'm going to try that..i'm going to try 19x200 as well...


----------



## Fresh2death

Alright finally booted 1600mhz memory Uncore frequencey was too low so couldn't boot til i reached 3200MHz, changed QPI volts at 1.360, changed DRAM Voltage to 1.680 and now using bclk of 200x19 at 3.8MHz now, so gonna stress for 8 hours.


----------



## killerhz

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Fresh2death*


Alright finally booted 1600mhz memory Uncore frequencey was too low so couldn't boot til i reached 3200MHz, changed QPI volts at 1.360, changed DRAM Voltage to 1.680 and now using bclk of 200x19 at 3.8MHz now, so gonna stress for 8 hours.


What are you temps like? I am starting to OC my 920 and want to know what to expect...


----------



## Fresh2death

Quote:



Originally Posted by *killerhz*


What are you temps like? I am starting to OC my 920 and want to know what to expect...


with my TRUE my temps right now are like 65 to 67c's load...you should do pretty good with that copper TRUE...


----------



## beyondPC

Quote:


Originally Posted by *killerhz* 
What are you temps like? I am starting to OC my 920 and want to know what to expect...

On a 3.8 OC, temps range from 60-70 load on a TRUE.


----------



## zlojack

What ambient temps do you guys have to get your temps so low? I'm on water and mine are high compared to those! If that's the case, I'll sell all my watercooling and just buy a TRUE


----------



## Fresh2death

Quote:


Originally Posted by *zlojack* 
What ambient temps do you guys have to get your temps so low? I'm on water and mine are high compared to those! If that's the case, I'll sell all my watercooling and just buy a TRUE









Umm I think it's less then 70 degrees in my house I am not sure tho. What's wrong with your water cooling system aren't you suppost to get like 15 20c's better than air? so I am told.. I would love to have a water cooling system that is affordable with performance but right now the TRUE is all I can get and I love it tho...


----------



## Duckydude

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Fresh2death*


Umm I think it's less then 70 degrees in my house I am not sure tho. What's wrong with your water cooling system aren't you suppost to get like 15 20c's better than air? so I am told.. I would love to have a water cooling system that is affordable with performance but right now the TRUE is all I can get and I love it tho...


Water has higher idle temps though, its because the water can't really get any cooler than the ambient temp of air.


----------



## zlojack

My CPU loads at about 72-78 under LinX and a couple degrees lower in Prime95.

I've remounted and reseated the EK Supreme 3 times and still not getting much love.


----------



## Fresh2death

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Duckydude* 
Water has higher idle temps though, its because the water can't really get any cooler than the ambient temp of air.

Oh I see, doesn't sound so worth it going water cooling then..


----------



## zlojack

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Fresh2death* 
Oh I see, doesn't sound so worth it going water cooling then..

Usually the load temps are what are more important anyway.

The problem I'm having is my load temps are very high.


----------



## Fresh2death

Quote:


Originally Posted by *zlojack* 
Usually the load temps are what are more important anyway.

The problem I'm having is my load temps are very high.

Yeah that's true.. load temps is what matters.. i'm sure you'll fix your load temps.


----------



## eflyguy

I'm seeing 70C after a couple of hours on linpack testing - water temps are going up about 5C above ambient (which is around 20C).

I'll probably never see this in real use, though..
..a


----------



## gooddog

Quote:



Originally Posted by *eflyguy*


I'm seeing 70C after a couple of hours on linpack testing - 
..a


whoa! I believe that you shouldn't run Linpack that much. 5-10 runs seems to be what people recommend.


----------



## eflyguy

As long as temps are fine, there's no issue running it longer - also, several people reported that their systems failed after more than just 5-10 runs. I entered 100..








..a


----------



## VulcanDragon

Quote:


Originally Posted by *eflyguy* 
As long as temps are fine, there's no issue running it longer - also, several people reported that their systems failed after more than just 5-10 runs. I entered 100..








..a

100?!? Holy crap!







I've been using 10 based on what people have been saying.

If you're doing 100, it's running for hours and hours, yes? So what's the benefit of even using this instead of Prime? The whole reason I've started using it is to not have to run Prime all day or overnight to figure out if I'm stable.


----------



## eflyguy

No, I didn't time it but it took less than 2 hrs.

I ran it from the command line, however - on the i7, IntelBurnTest doesn't seem to stress the cores correctly, so I ran the linkpack native 64-bit version in two command windows, with manually entered numbers to use up almost all of my RAM..
..a


----------



## zlojack

Quote:


Originally Posted by *eflyguy* 
No, I didn't time it but it took less than 2 hrs.

I ran it from the command line, however - on the i7, IntelBurnTest doesn't seem to stress the cores correctly, so I ran the linkpack native 64-bit version in two command windows, with manually entered numbers to use up almost all of my RAM..
..a

Use LinX. The latest version works nicely with i7.


----------



## VulcanDragon

Quote:



Originally Posted by *eflyguy*


No, I didn't time it but it took less than 2 hrs.


Wow, that's pretty fast. With the IntelBurnTest, each iteration on mine takes something like 240 seconds IIRC, so I was figuring you were well over seven hours.

Quote:



I ran it from the command line, however - on the i7, IntelBurnTest doesn't seem to stress the cores correctly, so I ran the linkpack native 64-bit version in two command windows, with manually entered numbers to use up almost all of my RAM..


Yep, I noticed that too, RealTemp says the CPU is going getting about 50-52% load. Temps on all four cores are reaching the same highs I see under Prime, so I didn't worry about too much about it.


----------



## eflyguy

.. that's the problem, current version doesn't stress all cores correctly, hence the command-line way of doing it that does. Temps were higher than Prime ever got, so I'm using that exclusively now..
..a


----------



## zlojack

Guys, check the link in my last post. LinX does Linpack testing for i7 and stresses all 4 cores and 8 threads.


----------



## killerhz

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Fresh2death*


with my TRUE my temps right now are like 65 to 67c's load...you should do pretty good with that copper TRUE...



Quote:



Originally Posted by *beyondPC*


On a 3.8 OC, temps range from 60-70 load on a TRUE.


Can both of you post a bios template of what settings are? I followed the guide over at evga and had no issues and was hitting 70c-73c @ 4.2ghz for the first few hours of PRIME95. I might start to work my way down on the volts and clocks for my 24/7.


----------



## Fresh2death

Quote:



Originally Posted by *killerhz*


Can both of you post a bios template of what settings are? I followed the guide over at evga and had no issues and was hitting 70c-73c @ 4.2ghz for the first few hours of PRIME95. I might start to work my way down on the volts and clocks for my 24/7.


For a 3.80 O.C. I have..

19x200 bclk
Memory Mulitplier x8=1600MHz
QPI link speed 7.2
Uncore Frequency 3200MHz
CPU Vcore 1.31875v
QPI/Vtt voltage 1.360v
DRAM voltage 1.640b
CPU PLL 1.840v

With these settings I was stable over a 8 hour run of Prime95, tryed to go 3.9Mhz couldn't get it stable also tryed 4.0Mhz with vcore over 1.4v and was hitting 75c. Looks like my 920 won't let me hit 3.9 or 4.0 or my motherboard can't take me that far gotta be one or other.


----------



## beyondPC

Quote:


Originally Posted by *killerhz* 
Can both of you post a bios template of what settings are? I followed the guide over at evga and had no issues and was hitting 70c-73c @ 4.2ghz for the first few hours of PRIME95. I might start to work my way down on the volts and clocks for my 24/7.

181 x 21 [Turbo Mode]
QPI Link Speed: 6.51
Uncore Frequency: 2896 Mhz
QPI/VTT Voltage: 1.220 V
DRAM: 1.500 V @ 8-8-8-20
CPU PLL: 1.840 V
HT on
Those are outstanding load temps btw. GJ.


----------



## zlojack

I'm currently testing out 206x19 for 3900ish. I keep lowering vcore and it keep passing LinX testing. I'm currently at 1.325v bios. With vdroop disabled in bios, voltages actually rise under load to 1.364v.

RAM is at 7-8-7-20 1644MHz

If I can get it to hold at these voltages, I might try to play with bclk a bit. So far, I've had no luck with the 20 or 21 multi.


----------



## Xecuter2

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Fresh2death*


For a 3.80 O.C. I have..

19x200 bclk
Memory Mulitplier x8=1600MHz
QPI link speed 7.2
Uncore Frequency 3200MHz
CPU Vcore 1.31875v
QPI/Vtt voltage 1.360v
DRAM voltage 1.640b
CPU PLL 1.840v

With these settings I was stable over a 8 hour run of Prime95, tryed to go 3.9Mhz couldn't get it stable also tryed 4.0Mhz with vcore over 1.4v and was hitting 75c. Looks like my 920 won't let me hit 3.9 or 4.0 or my motherboard can't take me that far gotta be one or other.


Try 19 x 211 or something other than 20x


----------



## Korrakas

Well i got my 920 last night, and this morning in managed to OC it stable to 4.00.
temps are hitting 70C after 7 hours of Prime95 (I have an Akasa Nero cooler with 120mm 110 CFM).
I had 2 BSODS before pulling off stable but it was amazingly easy (contradictory to my fears after reading through the fourmn).
Vcore is 1.4
and RAM is 1333mhz underclocked to 1200 with x6 multi
HT and Turbo are turned off (i am planning to try applying turbo on the next run)
btw some info on uncore would be useful if possible (i just did my first OC ever







) and also i find 70 c fine for stress testing any thoughts on it ?


----------



## zlojack

What motherboard?


----------



## VulcanDragon

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Korrakas* 
and also i find 70 c fine for stress testing any thoughts on it ?

That's a good load temp, no worries.


----------



## Fresh2death

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Xecuter2* 
Try 19 x 211 or something other than 20x


----------



## Korrakas

Gigabyte GA-EX58-DS4 mobo (although their crappy slots placing ideas means with my 4870X2 and a Wireless PCI card i cant stick another 4870X2 as the cooling ports are obstructed by the PCI card)


----------



## Fresh2death

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Korrakas*


Gigabyte GA-EX58-DS4 mobo (although their crappy slots placing ideas means with my 4870X2 and a Wireless PCI card i cant stick another 4870X2 as the cooling ports are obstructed by the PCI card)


I got me a USB wireless adapter that way I have all my PCI-e's and PCI slots free for room for 2 or 3 videocards when ever i get around to getting them.


----------



## Korrakas

I had one on my old comp but their connection was borderline useless and i use alot of net


----------



## SolShade

I just picked up a 920 from Microcenter for $229.99. Now i just have to wait on my mobo and ram to come from newegg.


----------



## Fresh2death

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Korrakas*


I had one on my old comp but their connection was borderline useless and i use alot of net


The one I have the NetGear RangeMax Dual Band Wireless-N works great for me I got it for $79.00 at BestBuy. I can game and download stuff for hours and it never gets hot.

Quote:



Originally Posted by *SolShade*


I just picked up a 920 from Microcenter for $229.99. Now i just have to wait on my mobo and ram to come from newegg.


What kind of mobo and ram are you getting?


----------



## bulmung

sorry noob question how do you get a multiplier of 19? I know how to do 20 and 21 but not sure about 19x.


----------



## Fresh2death

Quote:



Originally Posted by *bulmung*


sorry noob question how do you get a multiplier of 19? I know how to do 20 and 21 but not sure about 19x.


Just type in "19" in the multiplier space and there you go then rasie your bclk and it will calulate your CPU MHz.


----------



## bulmung

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Fresh2death*


Just type in "19" in the multiplier space and there you go then rasie your bclk and it will calulate your CPU MHz.










thanks 
ps....+rep


----------



## beyondPC

Quote:



Originally Posted by *bulmung*


sorry noob question how do you get a multiplier of 19? I know how to do 20 and 21 but not sure about 19x.



Also, if you are going to use 19x, then make sure you disable Intel Turbo Boost. If you leave it enabled, it will recognize a 20x multiplier and Windows might not boot up unless you tweak voltages. If you aiming for 3.8, simply put 200 in BCLK. If turbo is on, then it will recognize a 4.0 and it might not be stable enough to boot.

Good luck!


----------



## bulmung

Quote:



Originally Posted by *beyondPC*


Also, if you are going to use 19x, then make sure you disable Intel Turbo Boost. If you leave it enabled, it will recognize a 20x multiplier and Windows might not boot up unless you tweak voltages. If you aiming for 3.8, simply put 200 in BCLK. If turbo is on, then it will recognize a 4.0 and it might not be stable enough to boot.

Good luck!


well I have already done 3.8 im trying to find a way to being stable at 4.0-4.2ghz I can boot at 4 and 4.2 but nothing is ever stable and maybe a lower multi with a higher bclk might help


----------



## Xecuter2

Quote:



Originally Posted by *bulmung*


well I have already done 3.8 im trying to find a way to being stable at 4.0-4.2ghz I can boot at 4 and 4.2 but nothing is ever stable and maybe a lower multi with a higher bclk might help


Have you tried with HT off and 211 x 19? This is the most rock stable setting for me, besides a 4 ghz setting with turbo, which I did not like.


----------



## Fresh2death

Quote:


Originally Posted by *bulmung* 
thanks
ps....+rep

No problem.. good luck man..


----------



## beyondPC

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Xecuter2* 
This is the most rock stable setting for me, besides a 4 ghz setting with turbo, which I did not like.

I agree. Their is a correlation between Turbo Boost and temps, where 1x boost is automatically disabled when it reaches a high temp. I saw this occur during my prime / occt tests.


----------



## Fresh2death

Quote:



Originally Posted by *beyondPC*


I agree. Their is a correlation between Turbo Boost and temps, where 1x boost is automatically disabled when it reaches a high temp. I saw this occur during my prime / occt tests.


The same thing happened to me I didn't like it at all so I turned the turbo boost off.


----------



## Korrakas

i still dont see how a friggin i7 at 4ghz can only pull of a 10 sec Pi run what are your pi scores with i7 ?


----------



## VulcanDragon

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Korrakas*


i still dont see how a friggin i7 at 4ghz can only pull of a 10 sec Pi run what are your pi scores with i7 ?


Mine was 10.9s @ 3.8 GHz, 14.6s @ stock.


----------



## Trigunflame

Well reseated this thing for like the 10th time.. and No Matter What I try (Even did more lapping) I cannot get this 1st core to cool in line with the others..

But.. I think this is about as good as I'm going to get it? Put this on about 10min ago, so I imagine after the bake on process I should get a 1-2c cooler.










If I reseated it yet again, I honestly don't think I can get it much cooler than this for whatever reason.. still not sure whether it's cool enough to warrant going to 4ghz. If I could just get that 1st core to stay in line with the others.. 62c at load on air would be pretty damn good imo.


----------



## dejanh

New clocks for the new chip. Best on air is 4.2GHz using 1.40000V CPU, 1.35000V QPI/DRAM, and 1.65681V DRAM. Currently running 3990MHz with 21x190MHz using 1.28V CPU, 1.43750V QPI/DRAM, and 1.65681V DRAM in order to overclock the Corsair Dominators to 1.9GHz from stock 1.6GHz with 8-9-7-20-1T timings









Personal best for low-voltage OC is 20x190MHz (3.8GHz) using 1.20000V on the CPU, 1900MHz DRAM with 1.43750V QPI/DRAM, and 1.65681V DRAM.

Some screens here http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/...postcount=1808


----------



## Fresh2death

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Trigunflame*


Well reseated this thing for like the 10th time.. and No Matter What I try (Even did more lapping) I cannot get this 1st core to cool in line with the others..

But.. I think this is about as good as I'm going to get it? Put this on about 10min ago, so I imagine after the bake on process I should get a 1-2c cooler.










If I reseated it yet again, I honestly don't think I can get it much cooler than this for whatever reason.. still not sure whether it's cool enough to warrant going to 4ghz. If I could just get that 1st core to stay in line with the others.. 62c at load on air would be pretty damn good imo.


You probably cant get that core down because the CPU isn't flat I wouldn't really worry about it tho and I wouldn't lap the CPU because it will make your warrenty invalid.


----------



## Korrakas

Quote:


Originally Posted by *dejanh* 
Best on air is 4.2GHz using 1.40000V CPU, 1.35000V QPI/DRAM, and 1.65681V DRAM.

Thanks for those. awsome setup, ill give it a whirl see if i have the luck you had


----------



## bulmung

I am trying to get 4ghz stable I am using a 19x 210=3.99ghz with a vcore of 1.3925 in bios cpuz sees it as 1.36 which is safe right? I am using core damage to stress my cpu and its hitting 72c on one core is that safe for stress testing? I know its really high but just for stressing is it safe? prime hits about 62-65c. Also how long should I run core damage before I know its stable. Is this an ok voltage? did 2 passes of linx linepacker and 1 hour of prime 95 stable but temp. I am afraid to do core damage because I was hitting 72c on a core.

cpu 19x210=3.99 vcore 1.39 qpi/vtt 1.335 cpu pll 1.84 memory at 1260mhz 8-8-8-20


----------



## Trigunflame

The temps are very safe; I personally wouldn't want to be inside < 20c of tjmax for a stress test of a few hours.

Under any normal circumstances gaming etc.. you're not gonna hit temps higher than what prime95 would generate so you're good atm. If you're that worried about it just stay at 3.8, the difference even in synthetic benchmarks is very low; you have to figure going from 2.66-3.8 is over 1.1ghz OC already; 200mhz isn't that big of a difference in the whole picture.

I'm hoping if I decide to push the voltage to hit 4.0 I can stay below 70 after my reseat; I could have been at it already it's just a matter of deciding is 200mhz worth "atleast for me" .09-.1v increase, im stable at 1.31xxxx atm, and I know my chip would need on the order of 1.39xxx-1.4xxxv maybe higher for 4ghz.. it's really not a great tradeoff for the voltage/heat but I guess its cool just to say you hit 4ghz







I dropped 1k on this and that's the reason I'm so hesitant with voltage being that I can't afford to buy new parts 6 months down the road because I needed a virtually inperceptable 200 mhz lol.


----------



## bulmung

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Trigunflame*


The temps are very safe; I personally wouldn't want to be inside < 20c of tjmax for a stress test of a few hours.

Under any normal circumstances gaming etc.. you're not gonna hit temps higher than what prime95 would generate so you're good atm. If you're that worried about it just stay at 3.8, the difference even in synthetic benchmarks is very low; you have to figure going from 2.66-3.8 is over 1.1ghz OC already; 200mhz isn't that big of a difference in the whole picture.

I'm hoping if I decide to push the voltage to hit 4.0 I can stay below 70 after my reseat; I could have been at it already it's just a matter of deciding is 200mhz worth "atleast for me" .09-.1v increase, im stable at 1.31xxxx atm, and I know my chip would need on the order of 1.39xxx-1.4xxxv maybe higher for 4ghz.. it's really not a great tradeoff for the voltage/heat but I guess its cool just to say you hit 4ghz







I dropped 1k on this and that's the reason I'm so hesitant with voltage being that I can't afford to buy new parts 6 months down the road because I needed a virtually inperceptable 200 mhz lol.


I also spent a lot of money on this and it does freak me out but I also bought this to do 4ghz. When I originally saw the reviews and every one is like you can do 4 ghz on air, I was like that's my next upgrade. I am more worried about the long term affects of this voltage will be. Will this pc last 4 years? 2 years? 6 months? I hope so lol. My vcore is below the max vid after vdroop so I think I am safe but always wondering.


----------



## Xecuter2

Turn off HT and you gain back the 10c load temps and 200mhz in clock speed at LESS voltage







It also benches faster and what not, HT is a joke :/ 3.8 ht on = 1.34v / 4.0 1.3v ht off


----------



## zlojack

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Xecuter2*


Turn off HT and you gain back the 10c load temps and 200mhz in clock speed at LESS voltage







It also benches faster and what not,* HT is a joke* :/ 3.8 ht on = 1.34v / 4.0 1.3v ht off


Not for crunching


----------



## error10

And folding. HT stays on for me, even if the OC winds up lower. Otherwise you lose too much power and you may as well have gotten a Q9xxx.


----------



## TFL Replica

Is that so? So how does a 4GHz i7 without HT compare to a 4GHz Q9xxx. I already know some of you had/have a 4GHz Q9xxx before going i7.


----------



## bulmung

HT really helps me out in encoding/editing and renders dont really see the difference in games.


----------



## error10

I've got my Core i7 at stock while I wait for some more parts to arrive. Folding with HT on, it gets about as many PPD as my 4GHz Q9550 did.


----------



## {core2duo}werd

i'm thinking that i'm going to wait till there's a new chipset before i replace my board, because the x58 chipset is not very impressive when you think about it. i mean what process is it? 120nm o something? common. i think intel got lazy now that they don't have to compete with ATI or Nvidia chipsets.


----------



## error10

Quote:


Originally Posted by *{core2duo}werd* 
i'm thinking that i'm going to wait till there's a new chipset before i replace my board, because the x58 chipset is not very impressive when you think about it. i mean what process is it? 120nm o something? common. i think intel got lazy now that they don't have to compete with ATI or Nvidia chipsets.

120nm? Where did you hear that? And anyway, NVIDIA is supposed to have a chipset out in a couple of months.


----------



## zlojack

Quote:


Originally Posted by *{core2duo}werd* 
i'm thinking that i'm going to wait till there's a new chipset before i replace my board, because the x58 chipset is not very impressive when you think about it. i mean what process is it? 120nm o something? common. i think intel got lazy now that they don't have to compete with ATI or Nvidia chipsets.

Yeah, but it's a totally different design.

I don't think you can compare it to the previous chipsets.


----------



## VulcanDragon

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Xecuter2*


Turn off HT and you gain back the 10c load temps and 200mhz in clock speed at LESS voltage







It also benches faster and what not, HT is a joke :/ 3.8 ht on = 1.34v / 4.0 1.3v ht off


Um, I don't know what benches you're running, but my 3DMark Vantage CPU score dropped by 7.5% when I disable HT. HT threading absolutely _does_ provide a positive effect. Whether it is enough of a positive effect for the voltage and heat required is a personal decision based on what you want to do with your CPU.


----------



## {core2duo}werd

Quote:



Originally Posted by *error10*


120nm? Where did you hear that? And anyway, NVIDIA is supposed to have a chipset out in a couple of months.


i guess maybe it's 130nm what i was remembering was this guys statement, let me see if i can find anything to back it up.

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Aaroman*


ya what's with the 130nm? gonna have to wait for a die shrink now...... x68 anyone?


Edit:
the wiki on x58 says it's 130nm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intel_X58

I thought Intel told nvidia they couldn't make i7 chipsets? that's why x58 supports SLI.


----------



## hao

need help to get my i7 920, rampage 2 extreme with team extreme 1600 tri channel kit.

AI overclock - manual

CPU configuration
CPU Ratio Setting - auto
C1E Support - disable
Hardware prefetcher - enable
Adjacent Cache line prefetcher - enable
Intel Virtualization tech - disabled
CPU TM Function - disable
Execute Disabled bit - disabled
Intel HT Technology - disable
Active Processor Cores - all
A20M - disabled
Intel Speedstep tech - enable
Intel Turbo Mode tech - enable
Intel C-STATE tech - disabled

BCLK frequency - 200
PCIE frequency - 100
DRAM frequency - DDR3 1603MHz
UCLK frequency - auto
QPI frequency - auto

Dram timing control
1st iformation - Insert Timings Here in 8-8-8-24 -X-X-Xformat
2nd information - Insert Timings Here in X-X-X-XX -X-X-Xformat
3rd information - Insert Timings Here in X-X-X-XX-X-X-X format

EPU II phase control - full phase
Load-line calibration - enable
CPU differential amplitude - auto
Extreme OV - disabled

Current voltage 1.54v - 1.812v - 1.35v (May be different)
Cpu voltage - 1.48v
CPU PLL voltage - 1.9v
QPI-Dram voltage - 1.35v

IOH voltage - 1.35
IOH PCIE voltage - auto
ICH voltage- 1.35
ICH PCIE voltage - auto

Current voltage X.xxx v, X.xxx v, X.xxx v ,X.xxx v
DRAM Bus voltage - 1.650
DRAM REF voltage - auto

Debug mode - string
Keyboard TeakIt comtrol - disabled
CPU spread spectrum - disabled
PCIE spectrum - disabled
CPU clock skew - auto
IOH clock skew - auto

is my setting correct? i cant run prime95, intelburn test and occt wif this setting. pls help..


----------



## Korrakas

that should be stable...i have a higher uncore freq and 1.4 vcore, imo all your volts seem a bit extreme for a 4ghz OC


----------



## Korrakas

also i suggest you take off speedstep and turbo as they seem to harm the stability


----------



## Fresh2death

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Korrakas*


also i suggest you take off speedstep and turbo as they seem to harm the stability


How did you disable speedstep?


----------



## Acroma

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Fresh2death*


How did you disable speedstep?


its in your bios.


----------



## Fresh2death

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Acroma*


its in your bios.


no shat lol but how do i turn it off haha cuz I been looking in my bios and I dont see anything listed as "speedstep"


----------



## Pyr0

are you running the uncore at 2x the mem?
i'd prolly start by lowering cpu pll, ich and ioh voltages.
then only if needed, raising the qpi-dram


----------



## gooddog

Quote:



Originally Posted by *hao*


need help to get my i7 920, rampage 2 extreme with team extreme 1600 tri channel kit.

AI overclock - manual

CPU configuration 
CPU Ratio Setting - auto
C1E Support - disable

Intel Speedstep tech - enable
Intel Turbo Mode tech - enable

.


change CPU mult to manual and set to 20
disable speedstep and turbo mode.

manually enter memory timings


----------



## Trigunflame

Quote:



Originally Posted by *hao*


Current voltage 1.54v - 1.812v - 1.35v (May be different)
Cpu voltage - 1.48v
CPU PLL voltage - 1.9v
QPI-Dram voltage - 1.35v


Your chip isn't going to last long at that vcore. Suggest you drop it asap.

1.55 is the absolute max and if you've set it that far up you've already reduced it's lifespan instantly.
Drop it down to about 1.3 and play with bclk say 180x19, then 190x19, then 200x19 eventually working your way up to 200x20 if you want 4ghz you'll prob need ~1.4vcore if you have HT on.


----------



## Korrakas

btw has anyone of you managed to pull off a prime stable 4ghz with HT ? i tried putting on HT on my current 4ghz OC and got 4 BSODs in a row, i also tried rasing voltages but that didnt seem to help...does HT really cause that much instability ?


----------



## eflyguy

Well I have a stable 4.0 w/HT, but on the 965, not sure if that counts.
..a

Quote:


Originally Posted by *error10* 
I've got my Core i7 at stock while I wait for some more parts to arrive. Folding with HT on, it gets about as many PPD as my 4GHz Q9550 did.









So [email protected] > [email protected] - that's a pretty hefty jump in performance.

..a


----------



## hao

now i overclock it to 3.8ghz at 1.37v, thats the lower vcore i can go to stable occt, intelburn test and prime95. but i cant complete superpi, for hyper i disable audio, themes and aero glass interfacebut it still keep stopping at 15 loop. is there any setting i need to change to run superpi n hyperpi?

http://resources.vr-zone.com/image_d...4e8e944b89.jpg


----------



## killerhz

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Fresh2death*


For a 3.80 O.C. I have..

19x200 bclk
Memory Mulitplier x8=1600MHz
QPI link speed 7.2
Uncore Frequency 3200MHz
CPU Vcore 1.31875v
QPI/Vtt voltage 1.360v
DRAM voltage 1.640b
CPU PLL 1.840v

With these settings I was stable over a 8 hour run of Prime95, tryed to go 3.9Mhz couldn't get it stable also tryed 4.0Mhz with vcore over 1.4v and was hitting 75c. Looks like my 920 won't let me hit 3.9 or 4.0 or my motherboard can't take me that far gotta be one or other.



exactly what I am finding out. Seems like the i7's are running about 10c hotter than C2D. Over at extreme's many ppl are allowing for temps in the 70's-80's and feeling all right about it. Not me. Isn't the max supposed to be 67.9c? I haven't backed down yet but have passed 20X of Intel Burn test.

Thanks for the info +1

Quote:



Originally Posted by *beyondPC*


181 x 21 [Turbo Mode]
QPI Link Speed: 6.51
Uncore Frequency: 2896 Mhz
QPI/VTT Voltage: 1.220 V
DRAM: 1.500 V @ 8-8-8-20
CPU PLL: 1.840 V
HT on
Those are outstanding load temps btw. GJ.


Great thanks for the info. +1


----------



## Xecuter2

It takes my chip 1.3 to be stable at 4.0 without ht, and it takes it 1.34 at 3.8 with ht on, if that shows anything about how demanding HT is as well as how little performance gain you get from having it on.


----------



## Korrakas

i see, well i have been having random crashes of my system, i cant seem to deicde if its the overclocked graphics card or the overclocked CPU thats doing it (my 3dmarko6 keeps crashing with my OCed graphics card so im led to believe its that) althought i had it OCed yesterday and played bioshock for 7hr straight and not even a hiccup, so it only seems to be 3dmarko6, do any of you guys know the symptoms of an unstable graphics card ? also whats the diffrence between 19x211=4ghz or 20x200=4ghz, any gains to having higher multi/higher BLCK ?


----------



## Fresh2death

Quote:


Originally Posted by *killerhz* 
exactly what I am finding out. Seems like the i7's are running about 10c hotter than C2D. Over at extreme's many ppl are allowing for temps in the 70's-80's and feeling all right about it. Not me. Isn't the max supposed to be 67.9c? I haven't backed down yet but have passed 20X of Intel Burn test.

Thanks for the info +1

Great thanks for the info. +1

Yeah, I am having a hard time letting my i7 run in the 70's too I also thought the max would be 70..


----------



## Fresh2death

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Korrakas* 
btw has anyone of you managed to pull off a prime stable 4ghz with HT ? i tried putting on HT on my current 4ghz OC and got 4 BSODs in a row, i also tried rasing voltages but that didnt seem to help...does HT really cause that much instability ?

Man I get a BSOD no matter what my settings are for 4.0MHz lol


----------



## Korrakas

jeus i just went into a rocky patch, i managed to accertain the i7 was casuing the random crashes, althou when i first OCed it it was prime stable for 7 hours and then gaming worthy for another whole day for some reason today it started randomly freezing while surfing the intrenet (minimal workload).
When i returned to the bios and tried to save my OC i was greeted with my rig refusing to even pass the customary bootup bleep and starting up for 5 sconds and shutting down and repeating this sequence.
I have no idea why it suddenly has begun to do this with a previous stable OC and the only thing i could match the symptoms to was as if it was nto getting enough power?
from the PSU


----------



## Fresh2death

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Korrakas* 
jeus i just went into a rocky patch, i managed to accertain the i7 was casuing the random crashes, althou when i first OCed it it was prime stable for 7 hours and then gaming worthy for another whole day for some reason today it started randomly freezing while surfing the intrenet (minimal workload).
When i returned to the bios and tried to save my OC i was greeted with my rig refusing to even pass the customary bootup bleep and starting up for 5 sconds and shutting down and repeating this sequence.
I have no idea why it suddenly has begun to do this with a previous stable OC and the only thing i could match the symptoms to was as if it was nto getting enough power?
from the PSU


Hmm that is weird.. I wouldn't really think it would be power from that 1000watt PSU tho.. do you have your memory overclocked or underclocked? For some reason when I have my memory at it's top rated speed 1600MHz with DRAM voltage at 1.64 my 3.80 O.C. is stable for 8 hours but like when I shut down and re-boot it will boot for 3 seconds. Then shut down then boot again everything looks fine in the bios and seems stable in windows but when I underclock the ram it just boots once like normal I thought that was weird too but I just been ignoring it laltly...


----------



## Korrakas

its underclocked as its 1333mhz so im runnin it at x6 1200mhz, i used my CMOS jumper ((L) dear gigabyte) and returned to stock settings and found out it is indeed my OC that was bieng *****y + my comp does what your does aswel, must be a power-rig thing


----------



## Fresh2death

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Korrakas*


its underclocked as its 1333mhz so im runnin it at x6 1200mhz, i used my CMOS jumper ((L) dear gigabyte) and returned to stock settings and found out it is indeed my OC that was bieng *****y + my comp does what your does aswel, must be a power-rig thing










Oh, I guess that's sorta good to know about the boot thing since we kinda have the same motherboard BIOS...


----------



## error10

The 67.8 degree number is for 130W of heat and measured at the center of the IHS. There's no sensor there so the best you can do is watch the PECI value (NOT the 4 DTS values).


----------



## HardwarzFan

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Fresh2death*


do you have your memory overclocked or underclocked? For some reason when I have my memory at it's top rated speed 1600MHz with DRAM voltage at 1.64 my 3.80 O.C. is stable for 8 hours but like when I shut down and re-boot it will boot for 3 seconds. Then shut down then boot again everything looks fine in the bios and seems stable in windows but when I underclock the ram it just boots once like normal I thought that was weird too but I just been ignoring it laltly...


Thats strange. Does overclocking/underclocking RAM have a known normal effect on CPU OC stability to begin with (assuming you are giving the correct amount of volts to the ram and the ram can handle the speeds you run it at)? I would think that RAM should at least run at spec speeds. Hmm


----------



## eflyguy

The RAM itself may be stable, but because the controller is now in the CPU, RAM speed can have a big effect on CPU stability.
..a


----------



## Korrakas

looks like my assumptions of unstable overclocks in CPUs and GPUs are useless,it seems it is indeed....VISTA. Apparently many people have had the same problem (random freezing where rebooting is the only fix) but as one would expect no one can explain why this is happening. It is indeed random as i hae had prime on for 7 hours again on the 4ghz OC and no problems. Now the bigger problem is WTH could be causing vista to do this ??? the solutions ive read range from bad memory modules to "craplets" to old BIOSes to drivers etc etc


----------



## eflyguy

I run Vista on two of my primary rigs, both of them overclocked, once I found a stable OC I've had no further issues.
..a


----------



## VulcanDragon

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Korrakas*


looks like my assumptions of unstable overclocks in CPUs and GPUs are useless,it seems it is indeed....VISTA. Apparently many people have had the same problem (random freezing where rebooting is the only fix) but as one would expect no one can explain why this is happening. It is indeed random as i hae had prime on for 7 hours again on the 4ghz OC and no problems. Now the bigger problem is WTH could be causing vista to do this ??? the solutions ive read range from bad memory modules to "craplets" to old BIOSes to drivers etc etc


Hmm, bummer. I've been running Vista x64 Ultimate with no problems. And to be sure, it is almost certainly not Vista itself, it is something you have loaded not playing well with Vista.

You mentioned memory modules...one thing you could try is to do a Prime run in safe mode...minimal software and drivers loaded. If it's the memory modules, it should still fail, yes? Of course, a failure in safe mode could still point to something in the BIOS; but you would think that a BIOS issue would be readily sniffed out by the community. Unless maybe you have a faulty component on your board, and having that feature enabled in BIOS is the trigger; so not everyone would exhibit the issue. Sounds far fetched, but many pages back there was a guy with a P6T that would not post until he unplugged one of the onboard USB connections.


----------



## {core2duo}werd

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Korrakas*


looks like my assumptions of unstable overclocks in CPUs and GPUs are useless,it seems it is indeed....VISTA. Apparently many people have had the same problem (random freezing where rebooting is the only fix) but as one would expect no one can explain why this is happening. It is indeed random as i hae had prime on for 7 hours again on the 4ghz OC and no problems. Now the bigger problem is WTH could be causing vista to do this ??? the solutions ive read range from bad memory modules to "craplets" to old BIOSes to drivers etc etc


do you have load line calibration enabled? it's notorious for problems like that. I can tell you with confidence that it's not vista itself that is causing the problem, but maybe something that has a problem with vista, which would be the manufacturers problem. MANY many people here on the forum use vista 24/7, and it doesn't cause problems.


----------



## error10

I did my OC on a fresh install of Windows 7 beta, with nothing installed but E-LEET and 7-Zip.

Now I have a stable 3.8GHz 200x19 at 1.35Vcore (without Vdroop) but if I go to 200x20 then I seem to need 1.45V or more to get it stable, and of course it gets boiling hot!


----------



## Korrakas

ill chek out your suggestions guys thanks for the nfo


----------



## Korrakas

btw a few intresting things happened today,i noticed every time my comp crashes when i reboot theres the customary "windows has had a problem etc please choose which option to run windows in" but my mouse and keyboard only activate once i am windows so i can input my password, secondly i tried the load line calibration and it has no effect that i can assertain although it was indeed disabled as stock also i ran memtest86 (a complex affair) and found out there is no bad memory modules as far as i could tell. And thirdly while i was reOCing last night i forgot to change the memory multi from 8 down to 6 and lo behold with 20x200 and my 1333mhz XMS3 memory running at !1600 MHZ! which quite impressed me as it was going a full 300mhz higher, i only rembered it was like that after 20 mins into prime so i rebooted and lowered the multi back down


----------



## eflyguy

Turn on the option in your BIOS to allow it to activate the USB devices.
..a


----------



## Trigunflame

A weird issue I've had transitioning to i7 is my 8800 GTS's in SLI which before I could OC to around 620/1040 (stock 513/792) back on my x2 6000; now I can't push it more than 600/972 without getting the screen to freeze...

I'm wondering if it has something to do with the fact I was previously using a m2n32-sli deluxe mb that used an nvidia 590 chipset.. which had built in 'performance modifications' for using nvidia cards.. maybe that increases it's overclockability somehow..

but ya, my only weird experience so far


----------



## HardwarzFan

Guys, my chips batch 3837A769. Doesn't seem to wanna hit 4.0ghz with less than 1.4v. Anybody else have a chip from this batch or something very close?


----------



## Xecuter2

Quote:


Originally Posted by *HardwarzFan* 
Guys, my chips batch 3837A769. Doesn't seem to wanna hit 4.0ghz with less than 1.4v. Anybody else have a chip from this batch or something very close?

Tried with ht off? Mine needs 1.34 for 3.8 ht on, or 1.3 4.0 ht off, and also try 19x multi instead of 20 or 21x


----------



## Trigunflame

Quote:


Originally Posted by *HardwarzFan* 
Guys, my chips batch 3837A769. Doesn't seem to wanna hit 4.0ghz with less than 1.4v. Anybody else have a chip from this batch or something very close?

As is the case with most of the samples going around unfortunately. As suggested above try with and without HT.

The farthest voltage I would run into my chip was max vid @ 1.375000 and it took every bit of it to get stable with HT off at 4.0, would need in excess of 1.4 with HT on for me.


----------



## Tutto

Quote:


Originally Posted by *TFL Replica* 
There's a bios option that unlocks the voltage protection so you can OC. Consult the manual.

I know I'm going to feel like a real dummy but can someone tell me what bios option I need to change that will allow me to change voltages.


----------



## HardwarzFan

What mobo?


----------



## Bacchus451

Anyone have any experience in overclocking a 920 in the new, cheap Gigabyte board? I honestly have no idea how to go about overclocking these new chips so I'm going to set aside some time tomorrow to read through this thread but in the meantime I figured I would post something for more directed help


----------



## Extreme Newbie

I think for 24/7 usage I will stick with 3.9. I did 50 runs of LinX and have been running Prime for about 2 hours now and so far so good. My settings are:
20 x 195
CPU @ 1.225
QPI @ 1.2375
Ram is running 1563 @1.66v 8-8-8-24 2T
Temp with LinX hit a max of 72 and Temps have maxed out at 68 running Prime.








[/IMG]


----------



## beyondPC

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Extreme Newbie*


I think for 24/7 usage I will stick with 3.9. I did 50 runs of LinX and have been running Prime for about 2 hours now and so far so good. My settings are:
20 x 195
CPU @ 1.225 
QPI @ 1.2375
Ram is running 1563 @1.66v 8-8-8-24 2T
Temp with LinX hit a max of 72 and Temps have maxed out at 68 running Prime.








[/IMG]


what is your ambient temp.?


----------



## Extreme Newbie

I have an office in the basement of my house (Cool most times) and to keep the abient temps down I close all heat vents in the winter and open them back up in the summer for the air conditioning.
With all that my ambient temps never get higher than 18 degrees.
My 1000w power supply plus the heat from the I7 make for a great heater (-:


----------



## PizzaMan

Quote:


Originally Posted by *{core2duo}werd* 
i guess maybe it's 130nm what i was remembering was this guys statement, let me see if i can find anything to back it up.

Edit:
the wiki on x58 says it's 130nm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intel_X58

I thought Intel told nvidia they couldn't make i7 chipsets? that's why x58 supports SLI.

From what I've heard, nVidia hasn't paid for licensing to produce chipsets for this arch. Rumor is, nVidia plans to make its own CPU. Though, it's only a rumor.


----------



## Trigunflame

Decided to play around with HT off since it wasn't doing much for me in gaming, running 3.8 @ 1.25000v atm; prime95 load is 50c

May take the jump to 4ghz 24/7 if I can keep volts low enough.


----------



## [email protected]

Does this look fine?? 1.312v's should be safe??


----------



## Trigunflame

Ya that voltage is fine, temps look fine as well.


----------



## {core2duo}werd

for some reason when i run windows seven my multi goes up to 22... it only goes up to 21 when i'm in vista.


----------



## VulcanDragon

Quote:


Originally Posted by *{core2duo}werd* 
for some reason when i run windows seven my multi goes up to 22... it only goes up to 21 when i'm in vista.

What the...? I thought that Turbo only increased the multi by one, end of story...it shouldn't matter what OS you're running, this is way below the OS layer...very strange indeed.


----------



## zlojack

On single threaded apps, Turbo should increase by 2.


----------



## {core2duo}werd

Quote:


Originally Posted by *zlojack* 
On single threaded apps, Turbo should increase by 2.

but it never did in vista, only in windows seven... it doesn't make sense (other than the fact that the OS controls the multi when speed step is enabled)

not only that but it stays at 22 no matter what load.


----------



## VulcanDragon

Quote:


Originally Posted by *zlojack* 
On single threaded apps, Turbo should increase by 2.

I'm not following. There are enough processes running when Windows is idling to use all eight threads, right? Or to put it more basically, if I launch eight distinct copies of Notepad, I would hope I'm round-robin'ing to all eight available threads? Or does each app just get assigned to a core, and the apps have to signal to the OS that it is actually multithread capable for HT to be triggered? (That doesn't make sense either, since nothing at all was really thread-aware in the P4 days, right?)


----------



## zlojack

Hmm...well, let's see if anyone else reports that.

If we get an extra multi in Win7, I bet everyone with i7 jumps!

I should really install the beta. I've just been too lazy to make another partition.

How much space does it need?


----------



## {core2duo}werd

one thing i did that might have an effect is, i went into the power saving settings and set minimum processor state to 100%, but i did that in vista too.


----------



## zlojack

Quote:


Originally Posted by *{core2duo}werd* 
one thing i did that might have an effect is, i went into the power saving settings and set minimum processor state to 100%, but i did that in vista too.

That's very strange...yet awesome.

I wonder what it took to do it.


----------



## Trigunflame

Well after lots of testing it seems this chip/board combo seems to really like turbo mode; 21 multi seems to really sync with the 920 somehow.

Before I was having trouble using the 20x multi with anything to hit 4ghz+, couldn't get several hours stable @ say 20x200 at 1.4v; turning my multi up to 21x191 i've been stable for a few hours at 1.35v and thinking I can go lower.

Using this multi I was able to boot into windows @ 1.4 with 200x21 as well; completed a 9.71s 1M superpi; but crashed after a couple min of prime95.. so I may go back to that after I work out the 4ghz where I want it.


----------



## {core2duo}werd

Quote:



Originally Posted by *zlojack*


That's very strange...yet awesome.

I wonder what it took to do it.


i just ran some tests and it seems there is no performance difference with superpi wich is single threaded, and OCCT still reports it as only 3.8, so i'm thinking CPU-Z is just reporting it wrong.


----------



## beret9987

I just built my i7 system yesterday and I'm currently priming at [email protected] actual(1.4V i n BIOS), with temps of 72-69-69-66. I'm gonna try lowering my VCore. Anyone know what the QPI PLL and CPU PLL max voltages are though? I'm wondering if that could help stabliize my OC rather than more CPU VCore.


----------



## Trigunflame

1.4v is overkill for 3ghz, 99.9% of 920's will do that at or below it's stock VID. I would set it to 1.20 to start with and lower from there if you want to stay 3ghz.

I wouldn't go higher than about 1.84v CPU PLL, 1.35v QPI/Uncore


----------



## beret9987

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Trigunflame* 
1.36v is overkill for 3ghz, 99.9% of 920's will do that at or below it's stock VID. I would set it to 1.20 to start with and lower from there if you want to stay 3ghz.

I wouldn't go higher than about 1.84v CPU PLL, 1.35v QPI/Uncore

Haha oops, I meant 4Ghz! Yea everything up to 3.9 was pretty easy to get >_>


----------



## Trigunflame

Well as I posted above, im luckily running 1.3500v @ 4ghz atm (priming still) with HT off (since I wasn't seeing any performance increase in games) and that allowed me the lower voltages/temps.

60c @ load atm.


----------



## eflyguy

My 965 is quite happy with a 30 multi. Doesn't go up, or go down..








..a

(ducks head..)


----------



## beret9987

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Trigunflame* 
Well as I posted above, im luckily running 1.3500v @ 4ghz atm (priming still) with HT off (since I wasn't seeing any performance increase in games) and that allowed me the lower voltages/temps.

60c @ load atm.

I couldn't get 1.35V stable but 1.4V seems to be doin okay! Then again, I usually just pump a fair amount of voltage in, jump to my desired OC and then work my way down.


----------



## Trigunflame

Quote:


Originally Posted by *beret9987* 
I couldn't get 1.35V stable but 1.4V seems to be doin okay! Then again, I usually just pump a fair amount of voltage in, jump to my desired OC and then work my way down.









Same, I had started all the way up at 1.45 when trying for 4ghz being that my chip isn't so great







With HT on, no telling the voltages I would need:swearing:


----------



## beret9987

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Trigunflame* 
Same, I had started all the way up at 1.45 when trying for 4ghz being that my chip isn't so great







With HT on, no telling the voltages I would need:swearing:

Well for mine to be even remotely stable at 4Ghz, I need 1.415V on the QPI/DRAM VTT. Not sure if thats okay or not... I got that number of the gigabyte quite for the i7 and it seems to be working like a champ. If I drop that number to like 1.355V, Orthos fails in about 40 seconds









Any ideas on that as well as max voltages for QPI PLL?


----------



## Extreme Newbie

I have yet to try 4GHz or more with HT off. It seems as if I have a pretty good chip so I will see how much I can push it without HT.


----------



## beret9987

grr... To get my 4GHz stable, I need 1.455V on the QPI/DRAM VTT even though I dropped my RAM down to DDR3-1200... Any thoughts if that's safe? I'm gonna toy with the QPI PLL voltage and see if that increases stability as well...


----------



## Trigunflame

Meh I didn't want to go above max vid @ 1.37500 for longest, but there have been a lot of people running at 1.4 so I figured I'd atleast try and see if I could get stable somewhere along that.

1.55 Is Absolute max, but I wouldn't run anywhere near 1.5 if you want the chip to last imo. If you have to go above 1.45 I'd just settle for a lower clock.

Be careful with the QPI/Uncore voltage as that's still part of the CPU technically; think max recommended is 1.35 or 1.375 and stay within .5 of dram bus voltage.

As for my 4ghz.. I'm not entirely happy and might end up trying to get stable at 4.2 again, running at 21x191 has really thrown mine memory frequency off.. I'll end up being under or way over with the memory multi. @ bclk of 200 it was perfect and I could run the memory @ 1600.. right now it's at 1526...


----------



## Extreme Newbie

[/IMG]

It sure is a lot easier to get over the 4GHz mark without HT enabled. I am testing 4.3GHz now. Kinda seems like cheating when you disable HT though.
21x205
CPU @1.3
[email protected] 1.275


----------



## Trigunflame

Well for the majority of people, you will actually take a performance hit with HT on unless you run apps that can specifically target 8 cores and even then HT is not a true core so there is overhead involved.

Ie. HT doesn't seem to scale well with spinlock sync which a lot of programs seem to use for thread syncronization.

You seem to have a very good chip, if you can prime at 4.3 @ 1.3v that is a testament to that. I couldn't even boot into windows at less than 1.32v for 4.0ghz.

BTW: Did you manually adjust your memory for 2T? Mine seems to be locked at 1T which is good for performance, but would be nice to be able to loosen it for OC'n the memory and I can't find it in the bios...


----------



## Extreme Newbie

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Trigunflame* 

BTW: Did you manually adjust your memory for 2T? Mine seems to be locked at 1T which is good for performance, but would be nice to be able to loosen it for OC'n the memory and I can't find it in the bios...

I manually set the memory to 2T. There is a setting "DRAM Timing control" in the bios that allows you to adjust all your timings.


----------



## Trigunflame

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Extreme Newbie* 
I manually set the memory to 2T. There is a setting "DRAM Timing control" in the bios that allows you to adjust all your timings.

Ya, I just didn't know the name of the sub-setting within that, they had it listed with N's instead of T's as well.


----------



## beret9987

Well I seem to be okay at [email protected] so I'm gonna leave it there! As for disabling HT though, I do enough rendering/encoding that it is in my benefit to leave HT on I figure. What I did notice that stabilized my OC was setting the QPI PLL to 1.4V. That was what really did the trick for me personally.


----------



## beyondPC

Quote:



Originally Posted by *beret9987*


Well for mine to be even remotely stable at 4Ghz, I need 1.415V on the QPI/DRAM VTT. Not sure if thats okay or not... I got that number of the gigabyte quite for the i7 and it seems to be working like a champ. If I drop that number to like 1.355V, Orthos fails in about 40 seconds









Any ideas on that as well as max voltages for QPI PLL?


I agree that the Gigabyte has proven to be a great OC board that has been overlooked. I'm staying with my 3.8 since my ambient temps are high. (Miami lol).


----------



## [email protected]

Just changed my multiplier down after reading that it can help achieve a stable overclock, I'm trying to lower my volts at the moment and at 1.3v 20x190 my system would do about 10mins of Prime before crashing, at 1.3v 19x200 50mins and its still going


----------



## Extreme Newbie

4.3 GHz, no HT, didn't prove to be stable.







It was fine while I played COD4 and other various tasks but it failed Prime after 3 hrs.


----------



## error10

The performance benefit of HT really depends on your workload. You aren't going to see it in games. Almost everything else will benefit.

As for thread synchronization, well, let's call this reason #817 why I hate Windows.


----------



## c0nv1ct

So is 1.4v vcore safe? I haven't been able to get mine stable at 4ghz at 1.375v yet. 211x19 seems to be the most stable so far, but I only seem to get about 20mins into prime95 before it BSOD's... I don't want to disable HT as it helps compile times in Gentoo significantly.


----------



## [email protected]

Did over 6 hours of Prime95 last night, only reason I stopped it was I woke up and wanted to use the PC lol so seems stable


----------



## Trigunflame

Quote:


Originally Posted by *[email protected]* 
Did over 6 hours of Prime95 last night, only reason I stopped it was I woke up and wanted to use the PC lol so seems stable









Ya the 19 multi seems to be the most stable for the amount of voltage it takes to hit a certain speed on the 920; 20x just doesn't play well for most people for some reason. I am having luck with 21x via turbo mode however and using a performance power profile, the multi is staying locked at 21 instead of jumping around.


----------



## zlojack

I'm in the same boat.

My 19x206 settings which had previously passed LinX testing seemed to take a dive, so I backed it down to 19x201.

3.8GHz seems to be a sweet spot. Currently on 1.2875v in bios and under load 1.317 om Windows.


----------



## bulmung

Quote:



Originally Posted by *c0nv1ct*


So is 1.4v vcore safe? I haven't been able to get mine stable at 4ghz at 1.375v yet. 211x19 seems to be the most stable so far, but I only seem to get about 20mins into prime95 before it BSOD's... I don't want to disable HT as it helps compile times in Gentoo significantly.


No one really knows how long these chips will last over 1.375v. my settings are similar to yours but I needed 1.39v in bios 1.344 in windows during load to be stable with 210x19.


----------



## zlojack

I have a feeling that they should be fine up to about 1.45v

I mean...the max voltage range by Intel is 1.55v


----------



## Korrakas

well 20x200 with HT off seems to be treating me quite well on a Gigabyte DS4, after some troubles with vista (not OC related) ive had 4ghz prime stable for 24/7 use for a few weeks. vcore is 1.4, but HT even with vcore at 1.5 is unstable...


----------



## c0nv1ct

Quote:



Originally Posted by *bulmung*


No one really knows how long these chips will last over 1.375v. my settings are similar to yours but I needed 1.39v in bios 1.344 in windows during load to be stable with 210x19.


So, in other words, I really shouldn't leave this at 1.4v 24/7... It's been stable so far at that vcore, just a bit hot while stressed.


----------



## bulmung

Quote:



Originally Posted by *c0nv1ct*


So, in other words, I really shouldn't leave this at 1.4v 24/7... It's been stable so far at that vcore, just a bit hot while stressed.


that's up to you. If you want to be safe then turn it down. I am thinking that this 1.39v will be fine but there are no long term tests proving me right or wrong. I am leaving mine because I feel intel is probably very conservative on their numbers.


----------



## Trigunflame

You'll probably be alright, Its certainly not going to die in a short period of time at 1.4 I wouldn't think. When you start getting up around 1.5 or so.. that's a different story.


----------



## zlojack

Quote:



Originally Posted by *c0nv1ct*


So, in other words, I really shouldn't leave this at 1.4v 24/7... It's been stable so far at that vcore, just a bit hot while stressed.


Bah...don't be scared of volts.

Are you planning to keep the chip for 5 years?


----------



## Blameless

With LLC off, I'd say 1.45v BIOS would likely be safe 24/7 with good cooling. LLC on and I probably would not want to take it past 1.375-1.4v.

Anyway, I've got a question.

What kind of OCs did you guys get out of your 920s on the stock cooler, if you tried?

I'm playing around with the stock cooler on mine, and I've managed a stable 3.5GHz with it, HT on.


----------



## zlojack

I got 3.36 with the stock cooler. 21x160


----------



## 003

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Blameless* 
What kind of OCs did you guys get out of your 920s on the stock cooler, if you tried?

3.8GHz with 1.325v -- load temps hit 100C though. I tried 4GHz but couldn't get it stable (both 200x20 and 211x19 were unstable, using 1.4v). I never tried 3.9GHz so that may be possible, but I don't even feel like bothering. Once my LGA1366 mount kit for the Fuzion V2 arrives, the sucker is being dunked under water.


----------



## beyondPC

Quote:



Originally Posted by *[email protected]*


Did over 6 hours of Prime95 last night, only reason I stopped it was I woke up and wanted to use the PC lol so seems stable










Those are good temps.. you can def. get to 4.0!


----------



## error10

I never mounted the stock cooler at all. I'm crazy but not THAT crazy!


----------



## beret9987

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Blameless* 
With LLC off, I'd say 1.45v BIOS would likely be safe 24/7 with good cooling. LLC on and I probably would not want to take it past 1.375-1.4v.

Anyway, I've got a question.

What kind of OCs did you guys get out of your 920s on the stock cooler, if you tried?

I'm playing around with the stock cooler on mine, and I've managed a stable 3.5GHz with it, HT on.

Meh, with LLC on my UD5, which is quite horrible, I have it sitting at 1.425V in the BIOS and it drops down to 1.392V or 1.376V, but usually 1.376V, so I am BARELY within range of safe voltages. It's stable though, and I get to keep HT on so I'm a happy camper


----------



## VulcanDragon

Quote:



Originally Posted by *error10*


I never mounted the stock cooler at all. I'm crazy but not THAT crazy!


There's nothing wrong with the stock cooler until you start overclocking. I ran at stock speeds and with the stock cooler for a month, temps were just fine.


----------



## error10

Quote:



Originally Posted by *VulcanDragon*


There's nothing wrong with the stock cooler until you start overclocking. I ran at stock speeds and with the stock cooler for a month, temps were just fine.


I ran at stock only long enough to bench [email protected] on it. A month would have driven me up the wall!


----------



## zlojack

Alright, I figured out my problem. I was running uncore at 17

Now with uncore at 16 my CPU is back to 3.9GHz.

I wonder what the performance difference is between 3.8GHz CPU and 3.5GHz uncore or 3.9GHz CPU and 3.3GHz u.ncore


----------



## killerhz

Well, just trying to get a stable OC @ 3.833ghz for a 24/7. I have been bumping down the vcore and am sitting at 1.258 Ran LinX 20 X for stability and is good. My temps are not ideal for my cooler so I may need a re-seat and better application for my TIM. Still not to bad and am going to try and lower my voltages to see if I can get any lower.


----------



## Trigunflame

Lucky :/ I could only run 1.25 @ 3.8 with HT off


----------



## BADFASTBUSA

Ok I have researched motherboards until im blue in the face and have yet to find any hard facts on which is really the 100% uncontested best motherboard for these 920's... I want to start off with the best chances to hit a stable 4ghz at least on air or more with my first mobo and not have to wonder if I made the best choice or not, and which ram along with how much of it... I have 2 days until I make my purchase and still don't have a clue... Money isn't the issue, I just don't want to have to respend if I don't have to... I want the best possible combo to start with.
PLEASE HELP!!! Pm me if you have to, just please help me make up my mind...


----------



## error10

Quote:



Originally Posted by *BADFASTBUSA*


Ok I have researched motherboards until im blue in the face and have yet to find any hard facts on which is really the 100% uncontested best motherboard for these 920's... I want to start off with the best chances to hit a stable 4ghz at least on air or more with my first mobo and not have to wonder if I made the best choice or not, and which ram along with how much of it... I have 2 days until I make my purchase and still don't have a clue... Money isn't the issue, I just don't want to have to respend if I don't have to... I want the best possible combo to start with.
PLEASE HELP!!! Pm me if you have to, just please help me make up my mind...


Hitting 4GHz is going to depend more on your cooling, I think. I can get stable at 4GHz but only with 1.45+Vcore and I'm not quite ready to do that, even though the EVGA guys seem to think it's perfectly safe to run the Core i7 at 1.5V 24x7. And it runs HOT, even at 3.8 with 1.35V and a TRUE. I'm going to have to go with water cooling just to get 4GHz and I can't afford it right now. (Keep in mind my system is loaded 24x7. Yours might not be.)

I'm still happy, though, since 3.8 on this thing vastly outperforms 4GHz on my old Q9550. Hell, STOCK on this thing matched the 4GHz Q9550. Coming from a 9850BE you are going to be utterly blown away, even if you never OC it.

From everything I've read, nearly every LGA 1366 board will get you to 4GHz or beyond, so the things to look for are good RAM compatibility (still most boards do OK here) and whatever features you want (SLI, CFX, RAID, whatever).


----------



## zlojack

Quote:



Originally Posted by *BADFASTBUSA*


Ok I have researched motherboards until im blue in the face and have yet to find any hard facts on which is really the 100% uncontested best motherboard for these 920's... I want to start off with the best chances to hit a stable 4ghz at least on air or more with my first mobo and not have to wonder if I made the best choice or not, and which ram along with how much of it... I have 2 days until I make my purchase and still don't have a clue... Money isn't the issue, I just don't want to have to respend if I don't have to... I want the best possible combo to start with.
PLEASE HELP!!! Pm me if you have to, just please help me make up my mind...


There isn't one.

They all have their ups and downs. You need to research those and pick the one that you think will work best for you.

Then you still have cooling and the variable nature of CPU batches to consider. You're not going to get a guaranteed 4GHz. I'm in the same boat as Error10. I"m sitting at 3.9GHz on 1.3375v in bios and it takes 1.45 to get me the extra 100MHz to get to 4GHz and I lose some RAM performance and gain 12C in temps to get there. So not worth it. 3.9GHz is more than enough for the time being!


----------



## BADFASTBUSA

is there a certain batch to look for or is it just luck of the draw?


----------



## Trigunflame

Some say B was OC'n better than A's but that's just a rumor imo; I've seen several from either OC' a hell of a lot better than mine with less volts so just get lucky.


----------



## zlojack

Check out the spreadsheet here.


----------



## Extreme Newbie

I had been running my i7 at 3.9 (20*195) 24/7 and wanted to see if 4.0 (21x195)made a difference with my 3d Mark06 score. 
When I checked my systems specs with 3D Mark06 it only showed 3.9 but CPU-Z showed the 4.0. Its almost like the turbo multi of 21 is not recognized by 3D Mark06???


----------



## {core2duo}werd

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Extreme Newbie*


I had been running my i7 at 3.9 (20*195) 24/7 and wanted to see if 4.0 (21x195)made a difference with my 3d Mark06 score. 
When I checked my systems specs with 3D Mark06 it only showed 3.9 but CPU-Z showed the 4.0. Its almost like the turbo multi of 21 is not recognized by 3D Mark06???


yeah 3dmark 06 doesn't show the turbo multi.


----------



## Extreme Newbie

My score actually went way down at 4.0 compared to 3.9.


----------



## Blameless

Right now I'm running 191x21 for 4,011MHz. I have the uncore at 19x (3,829MHz). All seems stable with 1.45v BIOS (LLC Disabled), 1.36-1.376 load. This is with HT on.

For the Uncore this is the max stable setting at 1.355v uncore/QPI voltage. Moving to 20x on the Uncore needs three more steps of uncore/qpi voltage (1.415v), so I'm leaving it here for now.

For whatever reason I cannot stabilize 200MHz BClock with HT enabled.

I'm perfectly content with voltages (VID without LLC is the max it should spike to, giving a full tenth of a volt of headroom before the absolute max is touched). And although temps are high after extended stress testing (one of the cores hits 80C thre rest are in the upper 70s), I also find this perfectly acceptable (it's cooler than my Yorkfield that is still running without issue at 85-90C load).

Batch of this chip is 3839A587.


----------



## Extreme Newbie

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Blameless*


For whatever reason I cannot stabilize 200MHz BClock with HT enabled.
.


I have read that a lot of people have a hard time with the 200 blck.


----------



## codymackay

WOOT I finally got my 920 stable at 4ghz with a Vcore of 1.53







doesnt go above 68 C on air too







!


----------



## zlojack

Quote:



Originally Posted by *codymackay*


WOOT I finally got my 920 stable at 4ghz with a Vcore of 1.53







doesnt go above 68 C on air too







!


Above 68C on air under what program?

I get over 70 on water at 1.375v under LinX full load all cores.

Also, what are your ambients? It must be pretty cold in your computer room if you're getting such low temps on air cooling.


----------



## Blameless

LinX doesn't get my system any hotter than Prime95, with HT Enabled.

I think the extra four threads of Prime95 do a pretty good job of moping up idle execution units.

I'm topping out at 82C with 25C ambients.


----------



## zlojack

LinX definitely gets my cores hotter than Prime95.

LinX also definitely stresses all cores. It runs two Linpack processes at the same time.

Are you sure you're using the latest version as previous versions only stressed half of the cores?


----------



## codymackay

Quote:



Originally Posted by *zlojack*


Above 68C on air under what program?

I get over 70 on water at 1.375v under LinX full load all cores.

Also, what are your ambients? It must be pretty cold in your computer room if you're getting such low temps on air cooling.


I'm using HWmonitor also not really its like 19-20 C ambient in my room where the comp is.

EDIT: oh yeah and idle the CPU is at 35 but today is a cold day havent checked the temp for ambient of today


----------



## codymackay

Use Orthos and run 4 programs at a time, since theres 8 threads, go to task manager then processes tab, then right click each of the orthos and click on set affinity, and set 2 CPU cores to each one. Then on each orthos choose large FFTs and priority 9. Now you will see ur CPU burn.

EDIT: oh yeah, can i ask how most of u are hitting 4 ghz with like 1.35vcores? what are your other settings at? I gotta put mine up so high to be prime stable







otherwise i get a clock interrupt bluescreen.


----------



## zlojack

Cody, your chip only gets to 68C when you're running Prime95?

On 1.51v?


----------



## Blameless

Quote:


Originally Posted by *zlojack* 
LinX definitely gets my cores hotter than Prime95.

LinX also definitely stresses all cores. It runs two Linpack processes at the same time.

Are you sure you're using the latest version as previous versions only stressed half of the cores?

I'm using 0.5.5 and yes it does stress all cores. It even detects errors much more quickly than Prime95, on average.

However, there is only a 1C difference bettween the hottest temps I've seen in Prime95 (8-threads) and LinX (8-threads).

If you are using the 64-bit LinX, that could explain the difference. I'm using XP atm so I cannot use the 64-bit linpak.

Also, what Prime95 test were you using. Unlike my previous Intel CPUs, my i7 gets hotter in the Large FTT test than the Small FTT one. The Large FTT test may very well be stressing the Uncore more.


----------



## killerhz

Quote:


Originally Posted by *codymackay* 
WOOT I finally got my 920 stable at 4ghz with a Vcore of 1.53







doesnt go above 68 C on air too







!

You know the routine







I am @ 3.8 with 1.25 vcore and I hit 69c.


----------



## zlojack

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Blameless* 
I'm using 0.5.5 and yes it does stress all cores. It even detects errors much more quickly than Prime95, on average.

However, there is only a 1C difference bettween the hottest temps I've seen in Prime95 (8-threads) and LinX (8-threads).

If you are using the 64-bit LinX, that could explain the difference. I'm using XP atm so I cannot use the 64-bit linpak.

Also, what Prime95 test were you using. Unlike my previous Intel CPUs, my i7 gets hotter in the Large FTT test than the Small FTT one. The Large FTT test may very well be stressing the Uncore more.

For i7 I just use blend, since the memory controller is on the chip.

I haven't bothered with small or large FFT. I'll give it a try


----------



## Blameless

Ah, that could very well explain it.

IMC or not, I've never found Prime95 Blend to be a especially effective stress test. Small and Large FTTs stress the CPU and cache more, while memory specific tests (HCI Memtest for Windows, for example) test the ram much, much more effectively.


----------



## zlojack

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Blameless* 
Ah, that could very well explain it.

IMC or not, I've never found Prime95 Blend to be a especially effective stress test. Small and Large FTTs stress the CPU and cache more, while memory specific tests (HCI Memtest for Windows, for example) test the ram much, much more effectively.

That's true. I usually rely more on LinX than Prime95.

That definitely stresses both the CPU and the memory very well.


----------



## killerhz

So I bumped down my vcore to 1.22 (bios) but 1.23 (windows) and temps are about the same as before 67c on the hottest core. Stability with 10, 20 & 25 using LinX all passed with no errors. I am going to keep trying to lower my voltages until I get a fail. This could be a really great chip or there is something wrong.


----------



## Blameless

Most i7s don't really start to need lots of voltage till 3.9-4GHz.

Still, your chip does seem like it could be quite a bit above average. Try running more loops of LinX.

The 3837Bs are supposedly a good batch.

Quote:



Originally Posted by *zlojack*


That's true. I usually rely more on LinX than Prime95.

That definitely stresses both the CPU and the memory very well.


I agree and I'm also finding it extremely useful.

Still no test is perfect and there are always things they can miss, so I'll continue to use my other tests aswell, after LinX passes 100-200 iterations.


----------



## codymackay

Quote:



Originally Posted by *zlojack*


Cody, your chip only gets to 68C when you're running Prime95?

On 1.51v?


Yeah I made a change i turned my TRUE 90 degrees and so it blows up and now my temps are even lower i tweaked the settings now at 1.425 vcore, stable OCCT for about 1 and a half hours so still need to tweak but now i get 50 C load! Its crazy these temps!


----------



## killerhz

Quote:



Originally Posted by *codymackay*


Yeah I made a change i* turned my TRUE 90 degrees and so it blows up* and now my temps are even lower i tweaked the settings now at 1.425 vcore, stable OCCT for about 1 and a half hours so still need to tweak but now i get 50 C load! Its crazy these temps!


Hey Cody- I was thinking about doing this the other day to improve temps. I am skeptical as I did this with the Q6600 and my temps increased 5-8 degrees depending on which seating I did. 
Looks like I may give this a try.


----------



## desairs

is 86C on one core too hot with prime running? im running at 4.2 with ht on.


----------



## killerhz

Quote:



Originally Posted by *desairs*


is 86C on one core too hot with prime running? im running at 4.2 with ht on.


isn't 67.9c the max they are supposed to hit? Nice OC by the way, what are your settings?


----------



## desairs

200x21 and a 1.4 vcore. If i turn ht off i can get 4.2 with a 1.31 vcore.


----------



## Trigunflame

:'(, every time people post this stuff it makes me sad; I would have RMA'd my processor already had I not lapped it ;/

Had to use:

1.25 @ 3.8 HT Off
1.35 @ 4.0 HT Off
1.45 @ 4.2 HT Off

Sigh....


----------



## VulcanDragon

Quote:


Originally Posted by *codymackay* 
Yeah I made a change i turned my TRUE 90 degrees and so it blows up and now my temps are even lower


Quote:


Originally Posted by *killerhz* 
Hey Cody- I was thinking about doing this the other day to improve temps. I am skeptical as I did this with the Q6600 and my temps increased 5-8 degrees depending on which seating I did.
Looks like I may give this a try.

Same question...how does having the TRUE blow hot air to somewhere else inside the case, either up towards the PSU or down towards the cards, provide better temps than blowing towards the back exhaust fans? This just doesn't make any sense in my head...


----------



## Extreme Newbie

Quote:



Originally Posted by *killerhz*


So I bumped down my vcore to 1.22 (bios) but 1.23 (windows) and temps are about the same as before 67c on the hottest core. Stability with 10, 20 & 25 using LinX all passed with no errors. I am going to keep trying to lower my voltages until I get a fail. This could be a really great chip or there is something wrong.


Sounds like you have the same chip I do.








3.9 (HT enabled) 20x195 needed only 1.22v bios (1.23 windows). Its when you try to get over 4.0 that you need more voltage and then the heat really goes up.


----------



## SolShade

Quote:



Originally Posted by *VulcanDragon*


Same question...how does having the TRUE blow hot air to somewhere else inside the case, either up towards the PSU or down towards the cards, provide better temps than blowing towards the back exhaust fans? This just doesn't make any sense in my head...


My guess is it has nothing to do with airflow and everything to do with the contact it is making with the cpu.


----------



## VulcanDragon

Quote:



Originally Posted by *SolShade*


My guess is it has nothing to do with airflow and everything to do with the contact it is making with the cpu.


Yeah, that makes sense...a better reseat, without realizing that it's the reseat causing the improvement.

Makes me wonder if I should try it though. Given the small amount of space I have to work with inside my case, it's hard for me to get a good seating. Maybe if I change the mount direction I would have more room for my hands and could tighten the screws without screwing up my seating job...could get me better temps even with the less optimal airflow? I'll have to think about that a little...


----------



## killerhz

Quote:



Originally Posted by *VulcanDragon*


Same question...how does having the TRUE blow hot air to somewhere else inside the case, either up towards the PSU or down towards the cards, provide better temps than blowing towards the back exhaust fans? This just doesn't make any sense in my head...


I have no idea but I did create a thread when I tried this with my Q6600 over here (i think) There was a noticeable difference for increase for me. Maybe it was the way I reseated or maybe t was because the base of the TRUE's dimensions contacted the CPU differently.






















Either way I will try it over the weekend and post my results....

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Extreme Newbie*


Sounds like you have the same chip I do.








3.9 (HT enabled) 20x195 needed only 1.22v bios (1.23 windows). Its when you try to get over 4.0 that you need more voltage and then the heat really goes up.


I could boot up in Windows running 200X21 (turbo mode on) HT enabled with 1.35-1.40 vcore. PRIME failed after 5 hours and LinX on the 10th try







I am sure that with a little tweaking I can get it stable but; temps are an issue. Hits 78c @ 4189 so until Intel release more info on this CPU I will keep her nice & chilly.


----------



## codymackay

Hi, I've had my i7 for about a month now, I now have it on Water, with a apogee gtz. Anyway I was wondering why can't I break 4ghz? I have tried so much to get this 4ghz stable, I've tried low voltages of about 1.38 up to 1.55, they all seem to fail. QPIVTT voltage is at 1.45 and DIMM voltage is at 1.64, ram multi is 6, QPI multi x36 and uncore at x13. I don't know what to do.


----------



## error10

Some cases have an exhaust fan at the top, and the PSU at the bottom.


----------



## VulcanDragon

Quote:


Originally Posted by *error10* 
Some cases have an exhaust fan at the top, and the PSU at the bottom.

True enough, my case has a top exhaust fan. But if that fan is centered on the top, as mine is, airflow up isn't in a straight path outward as it should be blowing backwards. Air blowing up is going to hit the PSU first, not blow directly out.

As for a bottom mounted PSU...that would certainly help in this scenario; but I would say that's the exception case. I don't know if that's what he has, but it's uncommon enough that I assume the PSU is in the standard location unless told otherwise.


----------



## beyondPC

Quote:



Originally Posted by *codymackay*


Hi, I've had my i7 for about a month now, I now have it on Water, with a apogee gtz. Anyway I was wondering why can't I break 4ghz? I have tried so much to get this 4ghz stable, I've tried low voltages of about 1.38 up to 1.55, they all seem to fail. QPIVTT voltage is at 1.45 and DIMM voltage is at 1.64, ram multi is 6, QPI multi x36 and uncore at x13. I don't know what to do.


Did you try using 21 multiplier? Also make sure that your ram isn't holding you back. What are your current load temps?


----------



## codymackay

Quote:


Originally Posted by *beyondPC* 
Did you try using 21 multiplier? Also make sure that your ram isn't holding you back. What are your current load temps?

Could it be my RAM holding me back? How would I check that? And on full load i'm getting around 53 degrees celcius overall. I have tried using 19 multi that held together the longest on OCCT.


----------



## dragosmp

Quote:


Originally Posted by *codymckay*
Could it be my RAM holding me back? How would I check that? And on full load i'm getting around 53 degrees celcius overall. I have tried using 19 multi that held together the longest on OCCT.

You may try setting down the RAM multiplier setting; by default it's 2:8 (if I'm not mistaking), so you could go down a notch or two. It would lower the sterss on the IMC and allow better OCs.

Here's an OCing guide, it might help you guys go a bit further:
http://www.overclock.net/hardware-ne...ing-guide.html


----------



## 45nm

Has anyone encountered any freezing or hanging/lock up issues with the Core i7's ?.


----------



## eflyguy

Quote:



Originally Posted by *45nm*


Has anyone encountered any freezing or hanging/lock up issues with the Core i7's ?.


Not since achieving a stable overclock. Until stable, however, it would either lock up or BSOD..
..a


----------



## {core2duo}werd

Quote:



Originally Posted by *45nm*


Has anyone encountered any freezing or hanging/lock up issues with the Core i7's ?.


i did but only when i had load line calibration enabled.


----------



## SolShade

Quote:



Originally Posted by *codymackay*


Could it be my RAM holding me back? How would I check that? And on full load i'm getting around 53 degrees celcius overall. I have tried using 19 multi that held together the longest on OCCT.


I would say it is your ram. At a 6 multi and anything greater than 178 blck you are looking at greater than the 1066 your ram is rated at. You can probably get away with it if you loosen up your memory timings a bit.


----------



## 45nm

Quote:



Originally Posted by *{core2duo}werd*


i did but only when i had load line calibration enabled.


Was that when you overclocked? Or before it ?.


----------



## {core2duo}werd

Quote:



Originally Posted by *45nm*


Was that when you overclocked? Or before it ?.


both


----------



## 45nm

So would you recommend I disable it. Im @ stock for now and will it help to reduce hang ups etc...?


----------



## {core2duo}werd

Quote:



Originally Posted by *45nm*


So would you recommend I disable it. Im @ stock for now and will it help to reduce hang ups etc...?


it helped for me.


----------



## SolShade

Load line doesn't appear to give me any trouble. But the WS Rev is a slightly different board layout


----------



## {core2duo}werd

Quote:



Originally Posted by *SolShade*


Load line doesn't appear to give me any trouble. But the WS Rev is a slightly different board layout


i think different chips react differently to load line calibration.


----------



## eflyguy

Hasn't affected mine either.
..a


----------



## jerjon7

hey, it appears when i qpi/vtt voltage up to 1.3 or above my system won't post.

so i am clear the setting just below 1.3 wil post but won't boot all the way, at 1.3 will not post at all


----------



## eflyguy

I didn't need mine that high, 1.275 for 4.0..
..a


----------



## jerjon7

well you have an extreme, but anybody know what could be causing that, board, memory, cpu?


----------



## eflyguy

Honestly, I don't think having the extreme puts me at much of an advantage!







<- for you..

However, I had better luck at high multi/stock BCLK than I did the other way around..
..a


----------



## jerjon7

i think i am going to make a thread about it, its kind of bugging me, i got it to boot at 4, but not being able to touch the qpi/vtt is not a good thing


----------



## Yomny

can you guys refer me to an I7 overclocking guide.. i need to start from zero with this!


----------



## zlojack

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Yomny*


can you guys refer me to an I7 overclocking guide.. i need to start from zero with this!


Here's a post of mine from RealRedRaider.com

Quote:



I'm still learning the ins and outs of X58, that's for sure.

There are a lot of factors involved with i7 overclocking, from what I can see.

Simply raising voltages doesn't guarantee anything. There are ratios and balances that need to be maintained in order to achieve higher clocks.

I suggest you get yourself a copy of LinX (this is a good and quick stability tester, much faster than Prime95). Run 5 passes (about 10-15 minutes) to test if you are relatively stable. Once you've reached your desired clocks, run 20-25 passes to ensure further stability. After that, you can run Prime95 and Memtest to further test your stability.

This helped me to find stability at 3.9 (206x19) You need to be methodical about voltages and test one at a time. It's a long process (I've been at it since Sunday, all evening, every evening).

I'm not a fan of AUTO voltages or any AUTO settings, so I like to play with them.

I'm pretty sure these are my current settings. I had used Jacob's settings to start out, but I wasn't having much success. I finally got the 206 bclk to some stability and proceeded to walk vcore down from 1.45v to where it is now. If you can pass 25 LinX passes, you should do well with Prime95 since Linpack stresses more.

What I do is: Leave RAM timings at AUTO for now. I set 201 bclk and 19 multi and it was stable in LinX after 5 passes. So I bumped it to 202 and again. Then to 204 and again and finally to 206. I haven't gone above that yet. Then I played with the primary RAM timings and lowered them to 8-8-8-24-1T-88 (my rated spec is 7-8-7-20-1T)

After that, I proceeded to test with Memtest for a while (just to 100%). Then I started going after vcore. Down two notches, then LinX 5 passes. Repeat. This finally got me down to 1.3625v, which passed 20x LinX, so down further I went. I finally setttled on 1.325 in bios, which passed 20x and my RAM passed 400% HCI Memtest (I also had set my RAM to its rated settings). That's where it sits right now and my temps are back to manageable (at 1.45v they were hitting 82C on WATER!!) After the vcore was established, I started lowering the other voltages to where they are in this template.


Here are a few links to get started.

Once you've gone through this stuff and tested a bit, come back and we'll help you out some more









http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/cpu...-core-i7-920/1

http://my.ocworkbench.com/2008/gigab...oc-guide-1.htm

http://www.linustechtips.com/how-to/...clocking-guide

http://hothardware.com/Articles/Over...920-Processor/


----------



## codymackay

Quote:



Originally Posted by *SolShade*


I would say it is your ram. At a 6 multi and anything greater than 178 blck you are looking at greater than the 1066 your ram is rated at. You can probably get away with it if you loosen up your memory timings a bit.


I don't know alot about RAM timings, what would I do to loosen them? And what does it do?


----------



## Yomny

thanks z lojack


----------



## {core2duo}werd

anyone running an i7 should download the newest core temp. it automatically detects the correct TjMax for your chip, as intel specified. no more guessing.
http://www.overclock.net/software-ne...ed-scythe.html


----------



## zlojack

Quote:



Originally Posted by *{core2duo}werd*


anyone running an i7 should download the newest core temp. it automatically detects the correct TjMax for your chip, as intel specified. no more guessing.
http://www.overclock.net/software-ne...ed-scythe.html


Good news


----------



## proTip

I just started overclocking my i7 today. I just wanted some opinions on if my current settings are relatively safe.

--Vcore
1.376v to 1.39v Idle
1.34v under Load

I'm running somewhat low end water.. Just three medium speed fans and I haven't figured out where to get shrouds yet.

100% Load









I just upgraded to the new version of core temp after this screenshot, but the Tj. Max didn't change and the idle temps are the same so I don't think there is any difference.


----------



## error10

Quote:


Originally Posted by *proTip* 
I just started overclocking my i7 today. I just wanted some opinions on if my current settings are relatively safe.

Nothing's wrong with your settings, though your temps seem kind of high for water. Of course the Core i7 throws off a LOT of heat.


----------



## SolShade

Quote:



Originally Posted by *codymackay*


I don't know alot about RAM timings, what would I do to loosen them? And what does it do?


First you would need to find out what your settings currently are by looking in the Memory tab of CPUz. To loosen them just add 1. The ones you will want to pay attention to are CL tRCD tRP and tRAS i think. Also if your Command Rate is 1T you may want to set it to 2T although I'd recommend trying to keep it at 1T because it really improves performance.
If you are already at say something like 9-9-9-28-2T you should just get some new ram cause those would be really horrible timings.

Ram timings are simply just when certain things happen when memory it is doing what memory does. Most of the timings are specified in number of clocks. I am unsure as to what they all mean though.


----------



## Yomny

i have some questions hope someone could help me with. lets say you have a stable OC of 4ghz @ X vcore, if you have turbo mode enabled wouldn't that take you into an unstable OC since a higher clock frequency needs, most times, more vcore?
Second question, what is the QPI speed or link, is it like AMD's HT link speed which case if it was too high or too low it could cause system isntability or lostfiles, errors? The stock 920 qpi link is 2.66 ghz?


----------



## zlojack

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Yomny*


i have some questions hope someone could help me with. lets say you have a stable OC of 4ghz @ X vcore, if you have turbo mode enabled wouldn't that take you into an unstable OC since a higher clock frequency needs, most times, more vcore?
Second question, what is the QPI speed or link, is it like AMD's HT link speed which case if it was too high or too low it could cause system isntability or lostfiles, errors? The stock 920 qpi link is 2.66 ghz?


As you overclock your BCLK, your QPI link speed will go up. You can also adjust it with a multiplier or some other adjustment on most boards that I've seen. As for the turbo thing, with the way the current bios are coded, it's sort of like having an extra multiplier so yes, you'd probably need more vcore if you have turbo enabled at 20 multi than if you didn't.


----------



## Yomny

so if im stable @ 4 with lets say 1.32 then the turbo kicks in the system would be practically unstable?
So the QPI link, does it need to be kept within a range, since they give you the multipliers to choose from, i qould assume it would be to keep it within spec?
Thanks for your help


----------



## zlojack

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Yomny*


so if im stable @ 4 with lets say 1.32 then the turbo kicks in the system would be practically unstable?
So the QPI link, does it need to be kept within a range, since they give you the multipliers to choose from, i qould assume it would be to keep it within spec?
Thanks for your help


Turbo doesn't work that way. With most boards, you choose to have turbo on in bios and it will lock your multi at 21 in Windows.

From what I understand, you need to keep your Uncore at double your RAM multi. So if you're at 8x RAM, then you need at least 16x uncore (NB). Then there is a theory put forth by dejanh that you should maintain an 8:9 ratio of uncore to QPI so that would mean the QPI multi would have to be 18 at least in this case, but I think this has later been disproven (maybe if dejanh is around he could let us know).

I guess it could be illustrated by an example:

BCLK = 200
RAM = 8x (1600)
Uncore = 16x (3200)
QPI = 18x (3600)


----------



## Yomny

So how will i know what is unstable, i know that i could dropped the cpu multi to test BCLK on the mb and add MCH voltage to help with its stability. Not worry about the ram because im going to use 1600 and not planning on OC'ing for the moment. How will i know if the uncore speed or QPI speed is what's giving me an unstable OC
thanks a mil for your help


----------



## zlojack

It's a new world with this chip.

You can try for max bclk and lower your RAM multi. The real world difference between DDR3 1200 and DDR3 1600 is almost nothing. In games and stuff you see no change in FPS or maybe a small fraction of a frame.

But it can put less stress on your memory controller.

I have been running at 1600 7-8-7 but I'm having trouble getting the 20 multi to work for me. I think I have a bad batch of CPU so that might be a factor, but I'm going to see what I can do with the RAM at 1200 6-6-6

Also as long as you keep the uncore at 2x the RAM multi and the QPI doesn't go over 4000, then you should be ok. So basically, with i7 920 and i7 940, you don't want to go much more than 1600 MHz RAM. Again, as I said, the difference in RAM performance is very minimal.

I should have my GTX 285 back by Friday if all goes well, so I'll do some more testing when I get my rig back up and running.


----------



## Yomny

ok so the uncore 2x the ram multi and well the qpi not to go above 4ghz, but isn't the qpi speed 4.8qt stock, isnt that4800? since we give the uncore qpi some voltage i just wanted to know if there's a way to just test those speeds to know if the given voltages are sufficient! Like we do with the BCLK, FSB, CPU freq. I think everything that needs voltage should have a way to test how much voltage it requires to be stable otherwise if i have an unstable overclock i wont know if its due to my cpu speed or the uncore speed or the qpi speed.


----------



## Acroma

here is a boggle.

I can't run 172 QPI in the bios.
But if i put my QPI to 150 in the bios i can Run it up to 172 in Eleet.

Any reason this is weird like that?


----------



## zlojack

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Yomny*


ok so the uncore 2x the ram multi and well the qpi not to go above 4ghz, but isn't the qpi speed 4.8qt stock, isnt that4800? since we give the uncore qpi some voltage i just wanted to know if there's a way to just test those speeds to know if the given voltages are sufficient! Like we do with the BCLK, FSB, CPU freq. I think everything that needs voltage should have a way to test how much voltage it requires to be stable otherwise if i have an unstable overclock i wont know if its due to my cpu speed or the uncore speed or the qpi speed.


4.8GT isn't the same as 4.8GHz


----------



## icemanu

I finally decided to endup with 3.8 Ghz for 24x7 (Prime and Linx stable) with CPU-z load voltage for 1.2V with max Linx load temp of 70C. Bios: QPI : 1.275V

Still need to implement Push-pull on my heatsink with a spare Kaze 2000 rpm fan. May drop my temperature by few notches.


----------



## Yomny

just wanted to see if some beginner specs are within range. I just received my new I7 with ud5 board and stock cooler for a very short time of course. My idle temp is anywhere from 45-50 with a 21C ambient temp, this is using turbo mode with a vcore 1.25. This thing runs hot, i also noticed i don't have a VID showing under coretemp.


----------



## SolShade

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Yomny* 
just wanted to see if some beginner specs are within range. I just received my new I7 with ud5 board and stock cooler for a very short time of course. My idle temp is anywhere from 45-50 with a 21C ambient temp, this is using turbo mode with a vcore 1.25. This thing runs hot, i also noticed i don't have a VID showing under coretemp.

Yah the memory controller being on there adds to the heat. Long as it's under 70C you should be fine


----------



## Yomny

yeah i read that 20 to 30C under tjmax is ok. Man does this stock cooler suck.


----------



## icemanu

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Yomny*


yeah i read that 20 to 30C under tjmax is ok. Man does this stock cooler suck.


Yea. I replaced the stock cooler with scythe mugen 2, now its staying under 70C for 3.8 Ghz or 3.9 Ghz.


----------



## Yomny

if the stock qpi speed is 4.2ghz in bios why do i read in some places that getting to 4000 is pushing it? Although i see in cpuz that the qpi link is 2300 or so, im confused by these two.


----------



## SolShade

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Yomny* 
if the stock qpi speed is 4.2ghz in bios why do i read in some places that getting to 4000 is pushing it? Although i see in cpuz that the qpi link is 2300 or so, im confused by these two.

QPI is reference 2 different ways in ghz and gt. Intel likes to use the gt number because it's double the mhz. so 6400gt is 3200mhz or something close to that. So the limit of 4000mhz is 8000gt


----------



## Yomny

thanks for that, makes sense. Another thing when i change the speed of my ram by increasing the ram multi ro reach 1600mhz from the automatically set 1033 i noticed in cpuz the NB freq reads in the mid 3000 and now running the ram at 1033 the NB freq is at 2000 something cant remember the numbers exactly.. i might be answering my own question here but noticed the system automatically adjusted the uncore speed to 3200 or so when i increased the ram multi, meaning the uncore multi increased as well.. Is this uncore speed what CPUZ reads as the NB freq?


----------



## BobbyChicken

I got 4.1 GHz at 1.45v with 1.4v on the qpi/dram. It seems to be stable. I've had it up for a couple hours now. These things run as hot as people say they do. I'm getting 75C as opposed to 33 at stock.


----------



## Extreme Newbie

What settings are you using to get to 4.1 GHz?
I am afraid to go over 1.35v on anything but my ram.


----------



## {core2duo}werd

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Extreme Newbie* 
What settings are you using to get to 4.1 GHz?
I am afraid to go over 1.35v on anything but my ram.

i have been running mine at 1.9v for a long time now. no problems yet.


----------



## Symtex

Quote:



Originally Posted by *{core2duo}werd*


i have been running mine at 1.9v for a long time now. no problems yet.


1.9v on the CPU Core voltage? wow that is very high. I gt to 4ghz on 1.35v. I don't believe the I7 architecture needs that high voltage to be stable.


----------



## Yomny

i just ran last night 200 bclk with 1.4 qpi/vtt (name of my board) and its pretty stable. Nothing else was touched, i simply set all the settings to default instead of auto. Running my ram at 1600 with 1.5v, will do more extensive ram testing to make sure it's stable as its suppose to run 1600 mhz with 1.65v.


----------



## {core2duo}werd

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Symtex*


1.9v on the CPU Core voltage? wow that is very high. I gt to 4ghz on 1.35v. I don't believe the I7 architecture needs that high voltage to be stable.


no 1.9 ram voltage


----------



## Extreme Newbie

Quote:



Originally Posted by *{core2duo}werd*


no 1.9 ram voltage


When you posted 1.9v I knew you must have meant ram. Would love to see 1.9 does on a cpu.


----------



## {core2duo}werd

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Extreme Newbie*


When you posted 1.9v I knew you must have meant ram. Would love to see 1.9 does on a cpu.










lol yeah.

i run 1.45 vcore 24/7


----------



## t4ct1c47

I was running 1.43v through my i7 920 when at 200 base clock and x20 multiplier. However, I was able to lower this to 1.38v easily enough by simply raising the PLL voltage to 1.85v. This in turn has lowered my overall temperatures a couple of degrees. I'm still playing around to see if I can reduce the volts to the CPU that little bit more.


----------



## Yomny

so you agree that the CPU PLL would have more of an effect in the CPU stability than helping the NB or board itself post at higher frequencies? In my previous board the cpu pll would greatly aid in booting at FSB's above 400. Good to know


----------



## Yomny

ok comments, well so far im @ 3ghz w/ 1.18 volts. the stock cooler is allowing the cpu to get 75C so i will leave it there til my TRUE gets here tomorrow.. Man this chip look so promising.

Should i enable LLC for this chip. I've read that is not good for some 45nm chips because an simple over voltage can burn them but seeing that this cpu has higher voltage tolerances i would believe its safe to use?


----------



## SolShade

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Yomny*


ok comments, well so far im @ 3ghz w/ 1.18 volts. the stock cooler is allowing the cpu to get 75C so i will leave it there til my TRUE gets here tomorrow.. Man this chip look so promising.

Should i enable LLC for this chip. I've read that is not good for some 45nm chips because an simple over voltage can burn them but seeing that this cpu has higher voltage tolerances i would believe its safe to use?


People have been having mixed results with it on. Some are reporting lock ups but for me it is working perfectly fine. Just have to try it out on your own really i think.


----------



## Blameless

LLC on or off doesn't change a whole lot.

Personally, I have it on. It allows me to use lower voltages at idle this way.

With it off, I need to bump the VID setting to the point where LLC would spike to anyway, and idle volts are higher.

As long as you realize that the max voltage being delivered to the chip is going to be pretty much the same wether you use 1.4v with LLC on, or 1.45v with it off, do whatever suits you.


----------



## eflyguy

There are some risks with "overshoot" if it is turned on, but it is not enough of a concern for me to worry about.
..a


----------



## Yomny

yeah and coming from a GA EP45-UD3P the LLc function was reported by many users to be pretty safe. They did several tests to measure vcore spikes and it was extremly stable. Im using a GA x58 board so im trusting that the board and LLC is just as decent. I enabled the LLC so i would have lower voltages under idle and minimal to medium loads. I know the vcore needed is always the same for a stable OC at a given speed.


----------



## Yomny

I seem to need more than 1.41 to run a 4ghz OC and my TRUE is letting the temps reach 79 so i backed down. I'm running the true with the stock fan so i'll see if i could get two better fans to run a push pull config. What voltages to you guys use for a 4ghz OC? What's the max voltage that is safe to push into these chips?


----------



## Razer0

I give mine about 1.42v, for 3D stable...here:



Managed 4.17GHz, 3D stable, at same volts:


----------



## Yomny

what cooler are you using and what temps are you seeing under load. i followed someone elses advice and i tried 191*21 using Turbo and im able to run using 1.34vcore... Im testing but its more stable so far than with 200*20 @1.41vcore


----------



## Razer0

I'm using Noctua NH C12P. It gets quite hot when running 3DM06. So far I managed 4.4GHz (not stable):

http://valid.canardpc.com/show_oc.php?id=493409

I'm afraid that I came to the fsb wall, because it freezes around 212MHz bclk. Tryed it on GB EX58 UD5P (some early ES) and Foxconn Blood Rage, both the same. Will try with the retail sample of CPU in few days.


----------



## Yomny

thanks, good luck with the OC


----------



## zlojack

I need about 1.45-1.48v for 4GHz while for 3.9 it runs at 1.35 so I just left it there.


----------



## SolShade

i am running at 1.425 i hit about 65C under load but i am on water so that helps. that temp seems kinda high for a true though. I'd reseat it.


----------



## eflyguy

I guess there is *some* benefit to having the 965 then. 1.368V for 4.0..
..a


----------



## Yomny

i managed to get 4gh with 1.41 under load but at idle or moderate speeds it uses 1.44 and im not too sure about running 24/7 with those vcores. My temps are also in the high 70's and thats using a true with a 2000 rpm scythe ninja flowing 88 cfm's. So i need to get some water for this guy.


----------



## Shaman

Intel i7 920 + EVGA X58 + V8 Cooler Master CPU cooler and results so far:










I can do 3.6GHz with stock volts and 3.8GHz with with 1.3V as seen in the screen capture above.

After a day of tweaking I tried this...










4.2GHz @ 1.375V as per screen capture above. Hyperthreading is enabled. Fully stable in all 3DMarks except Vantage where it keeps giving me "Application lost focus or display resolution changed".

Lot of tweaking left to do. My CPU responds to VTT voltage increases very well. CPU voltage has little effect on it.

Everything was done with a V8 Cooler Master cooler. Next stop: 4.4GHz

(By the way, if I disable hyperthreading, I can do 3.8GHz with stock volts.)


----------



## Razer0

That's one hell of a chip, and of course the board too


----------



## Yomny

it's incredible what that turbo could do, what i really dislike is that it seems to OC only the cores that are being utilized the most and give the others a rest. I feel as if it were a fake OC. By no means Shaman am i insulting your Oc, i personally was able to achieve 4ghz first by using the Turbo feature. Its easier to achieve a higher stable Oc with lower volts using Turbo because of the fact that less cores are actually OC'ed. Great clock none the less.


----------



## overclockerz

Is it true that the 1.65v limit for ram voltage doesn't apply? If i increase my ram voltage to 1.7v, so long as mine uncore voltage is at least (1.7v-0.5v) = 1.2v i should be safe from damaging mine CPU?


----------



## {core2duo}werd

Quote:


Originally Posted by *overclockerz* 
Is it true that the 1.65v limit for ram voltage doesn't apply? If i increase my ram voltage to 1.7v, so long as mine uncore voltage is at least (1.7v-0.5v) = 1.2v i should be safe from damaging mine CPU?

it hasn't been tested long term yet, but i run my ram at 1.9v


----------



## Xecuter2

1.7 is more than fine, I run 1.66 with 1.325 vtt. I would probably do 1.9 as well but I would increase my vtt to near 1.4.


----------



## Sukach

So last night I had prime running for like 9 hours before I got a blue screen. I don't know why it would run so long then get a blue screen.
I was running it at 4GHz with 1.38 vcore. My temps were 70c at load. Should I raise the voltage or drop it? Or is it just getting to hot?


----------



## SolShade

70c load should be fine. Just bump your volts a little more. If you don't feel like waiting 9 hours you should try using LinX Just set it to use at least 2 gig of memory and if it passes 20 times or so you should be able to consider it stable. This will also get your processor hotter than prime95 does.


----------



## Yomny

so whats a safe temp to run these i7's @ i've heard around that under 80C should fine? There are so many different opinions out there that i dont know what to beleive anymore.


----------



## Shaman

Wait, when you guys are talking about temperatures, are you talking about temperatures from the central diode? By that I mean the single CPU temperature reading shown in BIOS on pretty much every mobo, which is almost always lower than than the per-core estimate?

As for the Turbo option: if somebody thinks Turbo option is a fake OC then they can just deduct the single multi value and get the "real" OC themselves. Even with the "deduction" I think my clocks are decent.

Also, from what I know, Turbo under some circumstances will move up by two multi instead of just one. (So x22 instead of x21, when just x20 is set) So that means under some circumstances I have already hit 4.4GHz. And when I hit 4.4GHz (4.2GHz + 200MHz(x21) to 400Mhz(x22) from Turbo) that will actually mean around 4.6Ghz in some situations. As far as single threaded applications are concerned at least.


----------



## Yomny

what i mean by temps is what's displayed in core temp, hwmonitor which is what some call the digital... temps, core temps.


----------



## Shaman

Oh, I see. I assumed "core temps" was a generic term for literally core temps.

Also, I just noticed something in the ELEET utility. You said:

Quote:

what i really dislike is that it seems to OC only the cores that are being utilized the most and give the others a rest. I feel as if it were a fake OC.

However this is what my ELEET utility shows:










So that means I have x21 across the board, and not just "the cores that are being utilized". And even x22 on a single core. (4.4GHz on one and 4.2Ghz on the rest) Not sure how accurate it is, but that's what it shows.


----------



## Yomny

wow that little appcliation is really nice.. i dont have that with my GA board. So when you see in cpuz them multi set to 22, the rest are at 21?? Meaning that if one is set to 21 then the rest are @ 20? If thats the case then i wouldn't mind at all using Turbo. All boards are different though and this turbo operation could be manage differently. I didn't mean that the OC is a "fake" is just something i had read and made me feel as if using the Turbo mode wasn't really Oc'ing all cores to the max. So you could give this little turbo thing a rest.


----------



## Shaman

Quote:



wow that little appcliation is really nice.. i dont have that with my GA board. So when you see in cpuz them multi set to 22, the rest are at 21?? Meaning that if one is set to 21 then the rest are @ 20? If thats the case then i wouldn't mind at all using Turbo. All boards are different though and this turbo operation could be manage differently. I didn't mean that the OC is a "fake" is just something i had read and made me feel as if using the Turbo mode wasn't really Oc'ing all cores to the max. So you could give this little turbo thing a rest.


I believe ELEET uses CPU-Z SDK, so in fact all ELEET is a standard CPU-Z application along with additional overclocking/overvolting tabs.

When CPU-Z/ELEET shows x21 in primary tab, it also shows x22, x21, x21, x21 in the overclocking tab. So it means all cores are Turbo-_ed_, and one core is pushed even more (x22), however, the primary tab shows x21.


----------



## Yomny

i wonder if this is only for that board.. that sounds neat. If so i will probably turn turbo on and use is with the 200 bclk..but i will have no way of monitoring what multis my other cores are using.. Out of curiosity, ELEET is it an application i could down load or does it only come with the EVGA boards?

Nevermind i see you need a EVGA X58 board.


----------



## Shaman

I got mine from the following link:

http://www.evga.com/eleet/

I'm pretty sure there will be a new release soon since lot of people are asking for additional functionality on EVGA forums. I would personally like to see some sort of OSD on the desktop level, sort of like what Everest Ultimate can do and ability to load profiles from the tray like the EVGA Precision tool does it for GPU's. (Although you can already load profiles via hot-keys in ELEET, just not from tray with mouse clicks.)


----------



## Blameless

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Yomny*


so whats a safe temp to run these i7's @ i've heard around that under 80C should fine? There are so many different opinions out there that i dont know what to beleive anymore.


What ever is stable.

Frankly, unless I'm triggering PROCHOT (95-100C), or showing signs of instability, I consider my CPU cool enough.


----------



## error10

E-LEET and CPU-Z will display your multiplier if you're in Turbo Mode and at 21x or 22x.

The way Turbo Mode works is that you get bumped up to 21x when at least one CPU core is fully loaded. If 2, 3 or 4 cores are loaded, you get bumped up to 21x, and if only 1 core is loaded (and the other 3 are idle) then you get bumped up to 22x.


----------



## FearlessLdr88

Quote:



Originally Posted by *zlojack*


Damn...Postal Strike in Canada and my stuff's shipped by Canada Post










Bahahah. Sorry man but thats kinda funny :X

Anyway.. I've been trying to OC mine a bit. I have a TRUE something or other.. not the copper one but it looks like that AND it has a purty little fan.

I got up to a bit past 4.0Ghz but it BSoD'd after 15-20 minutes with a 101 error. I think thats memory timings but I'm not sure. Anyone know how to get around that?

I think I was at about 200 x20. @ 1.35V
I pumped it up to 1.4 a second ago so we'll see what happens there.

Just found out that I CANNOT put my multiplier higher than 20 >:[

Only decent pics (No success):


















Any suggestions on jacking up the OC?

Rofl.. just got 124 BSoD


----------



## Yomny

i think you have ddr3 1600? If so they should be fine using 200 bclk, by fine i mean not overclocked, considering you used the right multipliers which i believe is 8 and 16 for uncore. I think that most 4ghz oveclocks are stable with 1.41-1.42 vcore.. atleast that's what i've noticed so i think you may want to try that. what's your qpi/vtt or qpi/uncore voltage.


----------



## Shaman

For my particular setup VTT makes all the difference. CPU voltage itself does little. However, I refuse to run VTT above 1.35V since nobody really knows what the safe limits are. I believe Intel states 1.35V. It took months before people realized that high VTT was killing 45nm Yorkfields. I would recommend upping the VTT all the way to 1.35V if you haven't already.


----------



## Yomny

would qpi/vtt be the same as CPU vtt?


----------



## zlojack

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Shaman* 
For my particular setup VTT makes all the difference. CPU voltage itself does little. However, I refuse to run VTT above 1.35V since nobody really knows what the safe limits are. I believe Intel states 1.35V. It took months before people realized that high VTT was killing 45nm Yorkfields. I would recommend upping the VTT all the way to 1.35V if you haven't already.

It wasn't proven that high VTT was killing 45nm Yorkfields.

In fact, BenchZowner did a test he posted at XS and ran several Yorkfields at ridiculous volts for a long time and they were all fine.

Here are the tests: http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/...&highlight=VTT

The VTT killing Yorkfields was a theory put forth by Anandtech when they killed their QX9650 and then the scare perpetuated. But it has never really been conclusively proven.


----------



## FearlessLdr88

Should Intel Speed step be turned off? Friend seems to think so.

Also, what is XMP? My memory says it is (according to CPU-Z). I turned that setting on for a sec in the bios and there was a note saying that voltages over 1.35 can fry **** according to intel. so... I promptly turned it back to bclk or whatever.

And VTT.. what is that? The only volt I have changed is the CPU to 1.4.

196 x20 = BSoD when I run prime95. Says some sort of hardware error and then goes to the normal blue screen.

FFS


----------



## Shaman

Quote:



The VTT killing Yorkfields was a theory put forth by Anandtech when they killed their QX9650 and then the scare perpetuated. But it has never really been conclusively proven.


I hear that. However, I don't want my sample, my CPU that is, to be the one that "conclusively" proves that theory if you get my meaning. If it was a $20 single core Sempron CPU? Sure, let the volts flow and let it burn. However, with a $300 CPU and the potential of damaging my $250 RAM and $300 motherboard or both, I am ready to let somebody else prove or disprove such theories. Until there is a wide consensus on what's safe or not, I will stick with Intel's supposed max specs.

Anyways, the brute and somewhat crude method of letting the volts flow as high as they can go and then overclocking was never my thing. Probably the reasons I never had a CPU die on me so far, and yet I still accomplish some decent overclocks.


----------



## zlojack

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Shaman*


I hear that. However, I don't want my sample, my CPU that is, to be the one that "conclusively" proves that theory if you get my meaning. If it was a $20 single core Sempron CPU? Sure, let the volts flow and let it burn. However, with a $300 CPU and the potential of damaging my $250 RAM and $300 motherboard or both, I am ready to let somebody else prove or disprove such theories. Until there is a wide consensus on what's safe or not, I will stick with Intel's supposed max specs.

Anyways, the brute and somewhat crude method of letting the volts flow as high as they can go and then overclocking was never my thing. Probably the reasons I never had a CPU die on me so far, and yet I still accomplish some decent overclocks.


LOL...I hear that!


----------



## overclockerz

Hey guys, i have just OCed my i7 920 using Prime95 to stress-test for 1hour plus @3.8Ghz (200bclk X 19) using 1.3vcore in BIOS. Under Prime 95 load vcore is 1.304. Max temperature is between 82-83 degree on the hottest core, the remaining three stayed below 80 degree all the way.

Air-cooled my cpu using thermalright ultra 120m extreme black in push-pull configuration using 2 delta fans.

Should i go further into 4.0Ghz region?


----------



## Yomny

There seems to be some type of barrier before the 4ghz and to break it you will need about 1.41-1.43 vcore. I think you should be still where you are because using 1.4vcore your temps will be dangerous. What i meant by barrier is that alot of people could get 3.6-3.9 easily with 1.23-1.33vcore but most of those people cant reach 4ghz without pushing 1.41+vcore.


----------



## overclockerz

Yea, achieving 4.0Ghz on i7 920 is a challenge. Well, its all boils down to heat and temperature.

I still can't believe Intel state 100 degree as the critical limit for Core i7 processors. If everyone take what Intel says, everyone will be able to hit 4.0Ghz simply by pumping up vcore so long as the hottest core stay below 100 degree.

Will i7 [email protected] limit the performance of mine gtx295? Cos i am also planning to oc my vga after i am done with my cpu.


----------



## Xecuter2

Quote:


Originally Posted by *FearlessLdr88* 
Should Intel Speed step be turned off? Friend seems to think so.

Also, what is XMP? My memory says it is (according to CPU-Z). I turned that setting on for a sec in the bios and there was a note saying that voltages over 1.35 can fry **** according to intel. so... I promptly turned it back to bclk or whatever.

And VTT.. what is that? The only volt I have changed is the CPU to 1.4.

196 x20 = BSoD when I run prime95. Says some sort of hardware error and then goes to the normal blue screen.

FFS









Don't use 20x multi. For everyone that has issues... ill say it again *NO 20x MULTI!!!* Now that I got that out of my system, I literally just tried 20x again to be 100% sure that what everyone at XS is true, and guess what, it is. Use 19x, as 20x rapes the memory controller and will require literally 1.375-1.4 vtt or vqpi in order to gain stability at 20x 200 or 20 x 200+. I run 1.33 or 1.35 at times with 19x and my OC is never limited by the qpi becoming unstable.


----------



## overclockerz

So we should try 19x210 = 3.99Ghz, althernatively 19x211 = 4.009Ghz.

In order to push bclk to 211, what setting do i need to change?


----------



## Xecuter2

I have been stable forever using 1.33 vtt/qpi and i keep ich at 1.2. 211 x 19 is easy to get stable. I had 216 x 19 stable with 4gb ram, but I added 2gb more and now it needs past 1.35vtt to be stable I think. At 211 though you should need no more than 1.35 vtt, which you will have to test... start at 1.325 and work up if you crash.


----------



## overclockerz

Does your "1.33 vtt/qpi " refer to the DRAM/QPI voltage? the uncore voltage?

Understood the part you saying about no more than 1.35v for vcore.


----------



## Yomny

i think some boards label what we call qpi/vtt the qpi/uncore, dont quote me on that but i've read it in some reviews.
I just tried to run 213 with less than 1.42 qpi and no luck the pc locked up, not even bios would come up.


----------



## Yomny

Quote:


Originally Posted by *overclockerz* 
So we should try 19x210 = 3.99Ghz, althernatively 19x211 = 4.009Ghz.

In order to push bclk to 211, what setting do i need to change?


What i do to try the highest bclk possible is set the voltages, except vcore, to auto and then try to boot, after you get to windows check with ET6, or EFlEET or what ever you have in order to see what your board set the voltages to for qpi and the other components. Normally the boards wont go above a certain safe limit.


----------



## {core2duo}werd

i have been having some weird instability issues lately... i can run orthos, occt, linpack, or prime 95 for hours with no problems, but when my buddy comes over, and tries to use facebook he gets BSODs about every hour... is it my computers instability? maybe it's a problem with windows 7 beta? maybe it's a problem with the latest flash?


----------



## VulcanDragon

Quote:



Originally Posted by *{core2duo}werd*


i have been having some weird instability issues lately... i can run orthos, occt, linpack, or prime 95 for hours with no problems, but when my buddy comes over, and tries to use facebook he gets BSODs about every hour... is it my computers instability? maybe it's a problem with windows 7 beta? maybe it's a problem with the latest flash?


Yeah, I've got to blame the Win7 beta there. If all your OC stress tests are fine, and every other site on earth works fine, then the finger points to some interaction between what's on Facebook and your software; and since Win7 is in beta, first blame has to go there.


----------



## {core2duo}werd

Quote:



Originally Posted by *VulcanDragon*


Yeah, I've got to blame the Win7 beta there. If all your OC stress tests are fine, and every other site on earth works fine, then the finger points to some interaction between what's on Facebook and your software; and since Win7 is in beta, first blame has to go there.


well it's weird because my other computer with the win 7 beta has no problem with facebook.

it's also kind of embarrassing because fixing computers is what i do for a living, but i can't keep my own PC from BSODing... i really want to show my customer the beta, but if it's going to crash and maybe make it look like i don't know what i'm doing i may have to go back to vista for a while.


----------



## error10

Betas crash. Even more than the RTM product. What can you do?


----------



## {core2duo}werd

Quote:


Originally Posted by *error10* 
Betas crash. Even more than the RTM product. What can you do?

lol i ran memtest for a few hours, and it started erroring in the second hour... i raised the ram voltage, and no more crashes. never thought to use facebook as a ram test.


----------



## error10

Facebook is more of an all-around sanity test.


----------



## uiucpeng

Hi all,

I've read through this thread pretty throughly (but couldn't read all 98 pages sorry) but still had some questions.

I have the core i7 920 on gigabyte ud5 with corsair TR3X6G1600C8D (ddr3 1600 6gb 8-8-8-24 1.65v).

I am running at 3.8ghz with the following setup
multiplier 19
bclk 200mhz
qpi 36x (7.2)
uncore freq 16x (3200)
ram @ 1600mhz, 8-8-8-24
vcore 1.25
cpu pll 1.88
uncore 1.26
dram 1.64

The system seems pretty stable at the moment. My load temperature is about 65 degrees running Prime95 64bit (measured by core temp).

Now, here are my 5 questions:

1. I have my memory setup manually right now, but the XMP profile seems to suggest 1.35 for uncore voltage. Memtest passes fine with the current setting, should I still change the uncore voltage to 1.35?

2. Does it matter how much voltage difference there is between the vcore and uncore?

3. Is there any advantage in trying to lower my current uncore voltage (1.26)? Any voltage other than the uncore I might be interested in lowering?

4. Memtest shows 7.1 QPI (set at 7.2 in bios) and 8-8-8-25 for memory (set at 8-8-8-24 in bios). Is this normal?

5. OCCT shows 0.14 for my 3.3v and my 12v fluctuates up to 16v. I have two noctua fans connected to the 12v system fan pin (3-pin). Is this expected?

Thanks!


----------



## SolShade

Quote:


Originally Posted by *uiucpeng* 
5. OCCT shows 0.14 for my 3.3v and my 12v fluctuates up to 16v. I have two noctua fans connected to the 12v system fan pin (3-pin). Is this expected?

That 12V going to 16V is a cause for concern. It would be best to get a volt meter and see if it is really doing that. Could be a power supply problem which would mean you need a new one or your electric company is overvolting your lines in which case they don't care and you should probably get a battery backup that has some Voltage Regulation.


----------



## DigitalSileR

hey guys whats up kinda new to the overclocking scene would love some advice or tips

just got this new setup core i7 920 @ 4Ghz after reading some peoples stuff
gigabyte ga-ex58-ud4p
corsair 3 gig triple channel 9-9-9-24 1600Mhz

air cooled

cooler master V8
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...%20master%20v8









running pretty stable as far as I can tell for now still running prime

dunno which of these temps to trust

came up from an AMD 3800+ x2 so a pretty big jump and very impressed let me know what you think

o BTW HT is off and so is intel turbo boost

any questions or comments I'd love to hear it... suggestions etc. please thank you pro's


----------



## SCtechie

Hi everyone,

I'm trying to get my system stable at 4ghz. I'm a relative n00b with these i7 systems so I've got a couple of questions.

My rig info should be below, I just updated. The short version is i7 920, 1600 DDR3, Gigabyte UD5.

I've been following the overclocking guide Gigabyte released. I figured it's gotta be decent since it's made for the board I have.

They recommend:

blck - 200
multiplier - 20x
vCore - 1.4000v
QPI/VTT - 1.515v
PLL - Auto

Well now, those voltages look REALLY high to me, but it's in their own guide so they must be safe? I've been reading this thread and seeing a lot of info about not going over 1.3x on vCore and their recommended 1.515v on the QPI seems crazy to me.

So, I modified their settings a bit and only went to 1.32 or 1.31 on the vCore and 1.3 or 1.2 on QPI. Left blck at 200 and the multiplier at 20x.

That was able to boot my system but blue screened me in OCCT in about 5 seconds. So, voltage issue I assume.

I then went to 20 x 160 for a 3.2 overclock with vCore still in the 1.3s. I still think my voltages were off because this time it crashed after about 2 hours (or at least when I came home windows had blue screened and rebooted).

Reading a bit in this thread, I saw some people saying the 20x multiplier sucked for overclocking, so I made a few changes.

I am now running stable (OCCT for 2 hours) with the following settings:

BLCK - 200
Multiplier - 19x = 3.8ghz
vCore - 1.3x

Under load, my temps getting into the upper 60s (65-68) so those seem ok. The problem is my vCore, under load, drops to 1.25v. At idle, it is 1.3v. Of course, that is still about .03v off the BIOS at idle and like .08v under load.

So, the questions:

Are the voltages recommended in Gigabytes guide safe for 24/7 usage? If not, what are the safe voltages for 24/7 operation assuming I would rather error on the side of caution?

Do I base my voltages (as far as safety) on the BIOS setting or what is actually reported in windows?

There is a setting in my BIOS called 'Load Line Calibration' with two settings. One is 'Intel Spec' and the other is enabled. This settings supposedly helps combat vDroop. Does anyone have any experience with this settings or similar ones? Should I use it?

Any other general advice / tips&tricks for getting this i7 stable at 4ghz for 24/7 usage?

Thanks,
SCTechie

EDIT: Oops, forgot to add. All 'power' features in the BIOS are turned off. Things like 'turbo mode' etc. HT is on.


----------



## uiucpeng

hi SCtechie,

You have the same setup as I do (920 with gigabyte ud5 and 1600 ram).

And yes I've read the gigabyte document you read too, and no I don't think it's safe.

Here's a summary of what I've researched so far (assuming air cooling):
source:
http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/cpu...-core-i7-920/3
http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/cpu...g_3.html#sect0

vcore - up to 1.35v is considered safe
uncore (qpi/vtt) voltage - up to 1.35v is safe
CPU PLL voltage - up to 1.88v

Currently I am running stable at 3.8ghz (19x200) you can read my post (2 above yours)
vcore 1.25
cpu pll 1.88
uncore 1.26
dram 1.64

The reason vCore drops is because of something called vDroop (feature in intel chips). You can google about it to learn more about it, but basically, you have to go with your BIOS voltage setting. The bios voltage setting is the MAX it is allowed to go. You do not want to touch the Load Line Calibration and just go with the default intel setting (the default setting in BIOS) unless you know exactly what you are doing ( I don't, and since you are asking about it I assume you are not an expert on it either) =).

As far as 4ghz stable on 1.35v or less, here's my 1 cent. I haven't tried any of this yet, just basing my opinion on other people's 4ghz spec, so I might be wrong just letting you know what I think. As you said, it seems 200 x 20 is not the best solution. I've seen people do it on odd numbers (213mhz, 198 mhz, if you know what I mean). So I guess you can try that.

And a question for you since you have a similar setup as mine =)
In OCCT, how does your 3.3v and 12v graphs look like? My 3.3v stays at 0.14v and my 12v goes anywhere between 12-16v while i run OCCT (I have noctua u12p with ocz stealth 600w power supply). Does your OCCT voltage reading show you the same?


----------



## SCtechie

Hey uiucpeng,

I read your post.









From what you said, it sounds like I should just put vCore / QPI in the BIOS and be done with it.

I do understand the basics of vDroop. Thanks for clarifying the BIOS setting is the MAX, I didn't know that.









So when you say you are stable at 1.25v, you mean you set the BIOS to 1.25? If that's so, can I ask what the volts read in windows under load (after vDroop).

I know that when my proc was clocked at stock it was reading at 1.10v in windows under load so it seems like a good chip.

In reference to the readings in OCCT:

My current settings are 19 x 200 for 3.8ghz, HT disabled.

Under load, OCCT shows:

vCore - 1.28
3.3v - .21 (does not move)
5V - 4.92 (does not move)
12V - 12.x (this one is moving around a bit, goes from as low as 12.2 and I saw it spike once to 13.06, nowhere near 16v though. I don't have it plugged into a UPS but I do have it in a pretty nice power-strip)

Give me a minute, I am going to reboot and just turn HT back on and check for any difference.

SCTechie


----------



## uiucpeng

I just noticed you are also using the same Memory as I am using (corsair dominator 1600 8-8-8-24). I assume you have TR3X6G1600C8D?

What does your memtest86+ (or cpu-z) show for your memory? Even though I set mine as 8-8-8-24, both readings show 8-8-8-25 on my setup.. Did you use XMP profile or set the timings manually?

Oh, and I have HT on.


----------



## SCtechie

I just reran OCCT with HT enabled and my results are similar to yours.

I now have in BIOS:

vCore: 1.35000v
QTT: 1.33500v
Multiplier: 21x
BLCK: 200
Memory: Same as before

In OCCT, I get:

vCore: 1.26v
3.3v: .21v
5v: 4.92
12v: 14-16v

Temps are all 65-70.

So it looks as if HT is a real beast. I would imagine other people are getting similar results and don't notice or are running with HT off. I would bet the second choice because from this thread, it looks as if a ton of people were choosing to run with HT off.

I am going to slowly bump up my blck and see how far it will go before I can't boot. These current settings seem like a nice compromise of heat/voltage/overclock. Depending on how bumping up the blck goes, I might stick at these settings long term.

We do have the same memory I believe. I've never had any trouble. I set the performance settings to 'standard' in the BIOS and then XMP to 'profile 1' and SPD to 'auto'.

It detects it at that point as 8-8-8-24. It shows up very strangely in Easy Tune 6 (think they just use CPU-Z) but I might just be reading the screen incorrectly.

SCTechie


----------



## Yorg

I would really apreciate some help guys ... I'm stuck for the last couple days at 3.8 and 85C

I'm using CM V8 and after an hour of P95 I get 85C (39-40 idle, 20x190 at 1.3v). At 1.29v I get a BSOD after 50 min of P95. Turbo off, vDroop off, HT on.

While I'm happy with the 3.8 on air, I'm afraid the temps are a bit hot and I can't find a way to go below 1.3v. Is there anything voltage or other vise I could do to lower the temps (besides WC that is)?


----------



## Yomny

im afraid not.. what voltages are you running on your ram and what speed? Whats your qpi/vtt or uncore voltage? Are you testing prime small ftt's?? if not and you're using blend test you may be getting an error because your NB or QPI is not stable as well as the ram could be your issue. Try just running small ftt's and see if you fail the test as well.


----------



## Yorg

Thanks for your help Yomny!

My RAM timings are default for dominator 1600. I've been running p95 on large FTTs (not blend).


----------



## Ghostscript

Okay, I'm about to see if I could knock up my 920 a bit, and would appreciate some help since this is my first real overclocking.

I don't want to push it to the extreme, at least not yet. What I would like for now is to get it stable at 3,4-3,5.

So, what should I do? Should I edit the settings in BIOS, or would the ASUS TurboV work here? Not that BIOS is any hassle, just liked the simple way of OC in TurboV compared with BIOS. But I'll go with whatever workes the best, if I just know witch settings to edit and what I should try with.

Thanks!


----------



## Extreme Newbie

Quote:



Originally Posted by *ChristianEx*


Okay, I'm about to see if I could knock up my 920 a bit, and would appreciate some help since this is my first real overclocking.

I don't want to push it to the extreme, at least not yet. What I would like for now is to get it stable at 3,4-3,5.

So, what should I do? Should I edit the settings in BIOS, or would the ASUS TurboV work here? Not that BIOS is any hassle, just liked the simple way of OC in TurboV compared with BIOS. But I'll go with whatever workes the best, if I just know witch settings to edit and what I should try with.

Thanks!


The BIOS is always the best way to overclock. To get to 3.4 try a CPU ratio of 20 with a BLCK of 170. CPU voltage should be at stock for 3.4GHz unless you have a real bad chip.
Monitor temps with RealTemp while you run Prime95.

Good luck


----------



## Ghostscript

Yeah, changed the BLCK in BIOS to 160 without touching anything else. Got 3,4 and witch seems to be stable after some hours with Prime95, Everest stress test and OCCT.


----------



## Extreme Newbie

What kind of temps are you getting when you stress test? 
Can you post a screen shot of CPU-Z and Real temp? If you have not touched any of the other settings in the BIOS then the CPU will automatically lower its speed when you are at idle. (Unless you set the power options in Vista to run 100% )


----------



## MegaFlop

Hi, this is my 1st post. 
I just started to overclock my new Ci7 920 rig:

ASUS P6T Deluxe OC/Palm
3x2GB Corsair Dominator DDR3-1600Mhz
Core i7 920
Cooler: Cooler Master V8

Until now, the best stable configuration I found, with HT on, is 3.8GHz with:

19 x 200MHz
CPU 3800MHz (19x), DRAM 1600MHz (8x), Uncore 3200MHz (16x), QPI 3600MHz (18x)

CPU = 1.28125 v
QPI = 1.33750 v
CPU PLL = 1.88 v
DRAM = 1.60 v

CPU Differencial Amplitude = 700mV

all other settings on [Auto].

After running a few hours of Prime95 the maximum temperature reached by the hottest core was 82ÂºC. Strangely or not, Core4 is consistently around 6ÂºC-9ÂºC colder than the other 3 cores ?! That happens both in Idle and in full load.

Yesterday, I decided to run the LinX application. Configured with the maximum memory available, in 64.bit mode, 10 successfully test passes took the hottest core to reach 88ÂºC !! Too high don't you think? Even with one of top-rated air coolers: CM V8.

I tried to lower the CPU and QPI voltages but I didn't manage to get it stable, got random BSODs when running Prime95 and LinX. So, I think my current voltages are the mininum I could find for a 19x200 overclock.

Reading this long thread, I notice there are several guys apparently reaching higher OC with lower voltages and less heat. I guess I have a bad chip, unfortunately









I'd appreciate if any of you could help me find a way to improve my overclocking. I tried to raise BCLK to 205, raising 1 or 2 notches the Vcore and Vqpi but the system BSODed after a few minutes with Prime.

I wonder if raising the IOH and ICH voltages or delaying the CPU clock might help.

Looking forward for your suggestions.

Thanks!!


----------



## {core2duo}werd

have any of you tried using the nehalem tech demo? when i run it at stock it uses about 80% of my CPU, but when i run it overclocked it only uses about 40% of my CPU, and i get the same frame rates. odd i thought.


----------



## Yomny

@Yorg, everything seems fine and the reason for the high temps is that you're using Large FTT's .. i beleive in prime it actually says in the description "maximum heat". Your idle temps look perfectly normal and your voltages look normal too for the OC you have. What i normally do is underclock the CPU using a small multiplier. Try and boot at 190 bclk and put the cpu vtt, qpi pll, cpu pll on auto settings. Once you boot check your ElEET application and look at what voltages your board used to boot at that blck and then run prime blend to make sure the NB, ram... are stable. Restart go into bios and set the voltages you saw in ELEET manually, as long as they're in a safe range. This time in bios set the cpu multi higher in order to get 3.8 or so and raise the vcore accordingly. then since you already tested the NB. ram by running blend prime now you're going to use prime small.. not too much heat and only tests your cpu. You should be able to run a 3.8 with 1.32vcore or less. Running prime large is like running LINX which is pretty harsh on your cpu, no other application or programs is ever going to push it like that. let me know how it goes

Yorg another thing you could try is running a higher bclk like 200 and running a multi of 19. I've read in many different places that the 20 multiplier stresses the memory controller alot and requires more vcore.. dont know if its true or not.. but its worth a shot. Im personally running 19*200 bclk and i use 1.25vcore for my 3.8 prime and LinX stable.


----------



## Ghostscript

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Extreme Newbie*


What kind of temps are you getting when you stress test? 
Can you post a screen shot of CPU-Z and Real temp? If you have not touched any of the other settings in the BIOS then the CPU will automatically lower its speed when you are at idle. (Unless you set the power options in Vista to run 100% )


I'll do so tomorrow for you. Running a bit late for work right now.









But in until then, the temps I remember:

Max core temp with Prime95: 65C (reached 3 hours after test startet, tested for 6 hours)
Max core temp with Everest: 58C
Max core temp with OCCT: 56C
Ambient temps were a bit higher then usual today, 25C. The winter is quite cold so guess the heaters are affecting the watercooler.
Anyways, I noticed that Prime95 got higher temps then the others, any reason for why that is? More stress to the system then the others?

I'll come back with pics of everest summary of temps and real temp when I test again tomorrow. Hopefully with an ambient temp of 22-23C witch it usually is.

I might overclock it a bit more as well, but I'm not going to push it as far as I can anyway - not that it should be any danger. But feel more comfy at a 24/7 mild OC.

And also, I do feel like I'm getting a bit high temps. The CPU temp haven't went over 50C, but the core temps are a bit high I feel. I'm going to remove the thermal pase and reply new and mount the waterblock again and see If it helps.

Edit:

Here are some pics with temps from RealTemp and Everest Ultimate after 30 min stress run.
Ambient temp were between 21-22C.
And a pic with Prime95 after running Everest.

Took out the CPU cooler and CPU and cleaned them and added some new thermal paste, seems to have helpet keeping the temps 2-3C lower.

I might overclock it a bit more today.


----------



## FearlessLdr88

Update:
I had it a bit over 4Ghz for a while just surfing the web, but I played CS for a while, probably an hour and it locked up and gave me a 124 BSoD Stop error >_<

Soo... I tried this:

CPU Ratio @ 19x
BCLK @ 211
PCIE @ 100 (Default)

QPI @ Auto (CPU-Z Says 3.8)
CPU Volt @ 1.4

CoreTemp says all 4 Cores are between 40-45C

However.. DRAM & UCLK are at Auto. When I mouse over them DRAM says "For Locked cpu only 800/1066 Work" Is that where the 940//965 come in because they are unlocked or can I do something to unlock mine?

Then UCLK says it must be double the DRAM. when I boot up the POST says my RAM is running at ~1300mhz, so should I leave those settings alone cause I'd lower the speeds?

Currently at 4005.1Mhz. Gonna let it chill over night.

P.S. I tried playing Crysis and my battery backup started beeping... Any idears? Should I just plug into an outlet?


----------



## TFL Replica

Between the 3 initial models only 965 is unlocked.
A 4GHz+ i7 running off a battery? Blasphemy, give it some outlet power.


----------



## FearlessLdr88

Lol. There's an outlet somewhere around here. XD

Could that be the source of my problems? Or is it OC'ed too much still


----------



## TFL Replica

Quote:



Originally Posted by *FearlessLdr88*


Lol. There's an outlet somewhere around here. XD

Could that be the source of my problems? Or is it OC'ed too much still










If you're haven't experienced any stability issues then there's nothing to worry about. Core i7 sees your battery and says:Omnomnom...


----------



## speedy2721

Right now I am linx stable at 3.3ghz with turbo mode and HT enabled with 1.1125V in bios,1.088V idle 1.056V load in windows. I don't really want to go higher since I am using stock cooler so I am going to see how low of voltage I can use to get stable with what I am at now.


----------



## NCspecV81

Okay guys! This is all I'm doing right now b/c I want to play some L4D and Fear 2. I'll get a longer run in. I know this is an i7 920 thread, but I don't see any other i7 overclocking threads that are stable clocks. I'm at the max readable temps as it does not read any further below -22 or -14 on the IHS. This is also reflective in the BIOS. However, I'm not sure if I can lower the voltage. For some reason it does not allow me to undervolt past 1.23v unless I use EIST, then I have changing clock speeds all the time.


----------



## zlojack

Very nice!


----------



## overclockerz

Hi guys! I am using the Asus P6T Deluxe mobo and here is mine BIOS setting for mine core i7 920 @3.90Ghz. I am using BIOS vcore 1.31v. Max temperature on hottest core after 1 hour 20 mins on Prime95 small FFT test is 86 degree.

Ai Overclock Tuner = Manual
CPU Ratio Setting = 20.0
BCLK Frequency = 195
PCIE Frequency = 100
DRAM Frequency = DDR3-1173 MHz
UCLK Frequency = 2346MHz
QPI Link Data Rate = 7038MT/s
DRAM Timing Control = 8-8-8-24
CPU Voltage = 1.31250
CPU PLL Voltage = 1.88
QPI/DRAM Core Voltage = 1.35000
IOH Voltage = 1.10
IOH PCIE Voltage = 1.50
ICH Voltage = 1.20
ICH PCIE Voltage = 1.50
DRAM Bus Voltage = 1.60
Loadline Calibration = Enabled
CPU Differential Amplitude = Auto
CPU Clock Skew = Auto
CPU Spread Spectrum = Disabled
IOH Clock Skew = Auto
PCIE Spread Spectrum = Disabled
C1E Support = Enabled
Hardware Prefetcher = Enabled
Adjacent Cache Line Prefetch = Enabled
Intel Virtualization Tech = Enabled
CPU TM Function = Enabled
Execute Disable Bit = Enabled
Intel HT Technology = Enabled
Active Processor Cores = ALL
A20M = Disabled
Intel C-STATE TECH = Disabled
ACPI 2.0 Support = Disabled
ACPI APIC Support = Enabled

I seriously believe there are many parts which should be tweaked to enhance my overclock. Can anyone point out to me which part to adjust further?


----------



## gooddog

Quote:


Originally Posted by *overclockerz* 
Hi guys! I am using the Asus P6T Deluxe mobo and here is mine BIOS setting for mine core i7 920 @3.90Ghz. I am using BIOS vcore 1.31v. Max temperature on hottest core after 1 hour 20 mins on Prime95 small FFT test is 86 degree.

Ai Overclock Tuner = Manual
CPU Ratio Setting = 20.0
BCLK Frequency = 195
PCIE Frequency = 100
DRAM Frequency = DDR3-1173 MHz
UCLK Frequency = 2346MHz
QPI Link Data Rate = 7038MT/s
DRAM Timing Control = 8-8-8-24
CPU Voltage = 1.31250

I seriously believe there are many parts which should be tweaked to enhance my overclock. Can anyone point out to me which part to adjust further?

raise your vcore. some do 4G at that voltage, but not all. start at 1.34 and if successful back off from there

also lower your memory speed for now just to make sure it isn't the memory that is holding you back


----------



## speedy2721

What is the max temps on these chips? Isn't 86C a little to high?


----------



## NCspecV81

Done a quick linx/IBT test with HT off. Letting prime95 run overnight and see what happens.

So far 4.403GHz @ 1.36v


----------



## overclockerz

Quote:



Originally Posted by *speedy2721*


What is the max temps on these chips? Isn't 86C a little to high?


The max temperature is 100 degree as stated by Intel themselves.

Oh yah, i am running mine DDR3 1600MHz ram @1173MHz now. Since my ram is running at speed way slower than the stock speed of 1600MHz, i am looking to tighten my ram timing from stock 8-8-8-24 to 7-7-7-24. If i were to tighten the dram timing, what voltage do i need to pump up?

Uncore volt? DRAM voltage?

Please advise.


----------



## NCspecV81

okay 5.5hrs prime is good enough for me. 4.404GHz @ 1.36v


----------



## Blameless

Quote:


Originally Posted by *speedy2721* 
What is the max temps on these chips? Isn't 86C a little to high?

~100C, just like every other chip with a 100C tjmax.

85C may or may not be fine depending on your voltage.

Unless you load at 1.4v+, it's probably not going to do any harm, except in the extreme long term.


----------



## jrharvey

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Extreme Newbie* 
The BIOS is always the best way to overclock. To get to 3.4 try a CPU ratio of 20 with a BLCK of 170. CPU voltage should be at stock for 3.4GHz unless you have a real bad chip.
Monitor temps with RealTemp while you run Prime95.

Good luck

I normally dont mess around with these programs BUT I was very surprised to find that it is actually a great program. I went from 2.66ghz to 3.8ghz (Turbo Off) completely stable in prime 95 for an hour and a half. Granted its not a 6 hour run but the chip started to hit 80c so I figured it was good enough. For the first time ever I may actually use a software overclock tool to give that extra umph. Ill probably keep a 24/7 BIOS OC of 3.4-3.5 to keep the voltages low and use TurboV to bump it up only when I need it. Its actaully good. I know, I can't believe it but it works. Only problem is that you can only change CPU clock, CPU and RAM Voltages and QPI voltage.


----------



## Extreme Newbie

Quote:



Originally Posted by *jrharvey*


I normally dont mess around with these programs BUT I was very surprised to find that it is actually a great program. I went from 2.66ghz to 3.8ghz (Turbo Off) completely stable in prime 95 for an hour and a half. Granted its not a 6 hour run but the chip started to hit 80c so I figured it was good enough. For the first time ever I may actually use a software overclock tool to give that extra umph. Ill probably keep a 24/7 BIOS OC of 3.4-3.5 to keep the voltages low and use TurboV to bump it up only when I need it. Its actaully good. I know, I can't believe it but it works. Only problem is that you can only change CPU clock, CPU and RAM Voltages and QPI voltage.


TurboV wont show my correct BLCK if its set any higher than 199 in the BIOS. Has anyone else had this problem? I don't use it to overclock but it would be nice show the correct settings.


----------



## NCspecV81

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Extreme Newbie*


TurboV wont show my correct BLCK if its set any higher than 199 in the BIOS. Has anyone else had this problem? I don't use it to overclock but it would be nice show the correct settings.


use setfsb to adjust bclk and turbov for everything else.


----------



## BradleyW

what is the stock speed for a i7?


----------



## Extreme Newbie

Stock is 2.66


----------



## NCspecV81

i7 920 is 2.66
i7 940 is 2.93
i7 965xe is 3.2


----------



## jrharvey

Quote:



Originally Posted by *NCspecV81*


use setfsb to adjust bclk and turbov for everything else.


I havnt tried a Bclk over 200 so I wouldnt know. I wonder, is it safe to drop the multi to 19 to up the RAM a bit more? Does anyone run with a 19 multi? Im not sure what the long effects of running a really high base clock is yet 24/7.


----------



## NCspecV81

[email protected] 1.4v - I'm happy with my i7!


----------



## zlojack

NCSpec, what batch # is that chip? It looks like you got a beauty there!

(I also imagine the phase doesn't hurt)


----------



## NCspecV81

Quote:



Originally Posted by *zlojack*


ncspec, what batch # is that chip? It looks like you got a beauty there!

(i also imagine the phase doesn't hurt)


3837a945


----------



## zlojack

Interesting. Well, if I ever decide to grab a 965, I'll keep an eye out for that one!


----------



## NCspecV81

also I saw hipro's post about the last 3#'s... and mine follow his theory.. 007 is mine.. so it's VERY close to the center of the wafer.. I'm really really happy!

link to what he said about those #'s.

http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/...17&postcount=8


----------



## zlojack

I just rejigged my OC. I lost a bit on the RAM, but I'm at 4GHz stable so far. I was still having random lockups and freezes and I think it might have been my memory. I'm beginning to suspect my chip doesn't have a great memory controller.

My thing is going to be resisting using my tax return to get a new chip. Maybe I'll wait for the D0 chips to hit and see what they can do. Of course, a sweet 965 like yours would keep me happy for a while


----------



## NCspecV81

Quote:



Originally Posted by *zlojack*


I just rejigged my OC. I lost a bit on the RAM, but I'm at 4GHz stable so far. I was still having random lockups and freezes and I think it might have been my memory. I'm beginning to suspect my chip doesn't have a great memory controller.

My thing is going to be resisting using my tax return to get a new chip. Maybe I'll wait for the D0 chips to hit and see what they can do. Of course, a sweet 965 like yours would keep me happy for a while










extreme edition! you know you want it! =o) the unlocked multi is great for these!


----------



## zlojack

Quote:



Originally Posted by *NCspecV81*


extreme edition! you know you want it! =o) the unlocked multi is great for these!


Sure seems like it.

Anyway, we'll see. I imagine some 965s will get dumped in favour of the 975s when they arrive, so there might be some for sale


----------



## NCspecV81

still running! I'm praying it passes overnight!


----------



## Traken03

Hi all, im bran new to overclock.net. Just the past couple days ive been getting ready to build a new system with the i7 920. This will be my first OC and I wanna OC it around 3.4-3.5. Been reading up as much as i can on it and reading the commints on the site about other peoples OC's.

Theres really not much here that ive seen that just takes the cpu to th 3.4 to 3.5 area and was wondering if i could get a lil help. I havent actually built the system yet but I have most of the parts and the only thing im missing is the motherboard and the cpu cooler. Both the motherboar and cooler have been orderd and should be here within the next couple days. Just workin on a plan right now so when i do get em i can get it up and runing as soon as possible.

All my specs for the parts should be down below. It would be great if you guys can look over em and give me some tips or suggestions. Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanx


----------



## SolShade

Quote:



Originally Posted by *NCspecV81*


still running! I'm praying it passes overnight!











Is your 12V really at 9V or is that just a bug in speedfan?


----------



## jrharvey

Does anyone here have problems with sleep mode recovering correctly? I need to know if this is a common problem before I go RMAing my board.


----------



## Xecuter2

The two times I accidentally clicked sleep in windows 7, I got a. A BSOD b. a hard crash, so I would say it is borked.


----------



## gooddog

Quote:



Originally Posted by *jrharvey*


Does anyone here have problems with sleep mode recovering correctly? I need to know if this is a common problem before I go RMAing my board.


I have never had a problem with getting out of sleep mode.
I use it all the time.


----------



## Yomny

@Traken.. so you just want to reach 3.6 or so... Well you need to start by increasing your bclk to 180 while using a cpu multiplier of 20. Increasing your vcore to maybe 1.3v and your qpi/vtt or qpi/uncore voltage(what ever your mobo labels it) to about 1.26 or near it, to make sure you boot and then start priming away and you may be able to lower your vcore. Notice these voltages that i gave you are an estimate and you could very possibly use lower voltages. I currently run a 3.8 with 1.25vcore and 1.24 qpi.vtt voltage. Good luck!

Hit me up if you need more guidance.. its a lower easier to understand what i typed above when you've already familiarized yourself with your motherboards settings.


----------



## Traken03

Thanx Yomny, i should be getin my motherboard in the mail in the next couple of days. Had to order it online because all the ASUS P6T Deluxe boards are sold out everywere around here. I'll keep u updated when i get it and start my build and even take a couple pics and share em. If i need more help ill holla at u, thanx again.









Oh! i have one more question, do u think that the Memory that i have is good enough? I got the 1333 ddr3 because ive heard that people geting the higher stuff were underclocking it anyways.


----------



## Xecuter2

1333 Will be good if you run the lower memory strap speed, or stay at a low clock speed. At 4 ghz or so with a 19x multi, my ram speed is 1690, but if your chip works well at 20x multi, your ram will run slower which would work out.


----------



## jrharvey

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Traken03* 
Thanx Yomny, i should be getin my motherboard in the mail in the next couple of days. Had to order it online because all the ASUS P6T Deluxe boards are sold out everywere around here. I'll keep u updated when i get it and start my build and even take a couple pics and share em. If i need more help ill holla at u, thanx again.









Oh! i have one more question, do u think that the Memory that i have is good enough? I got the 1333 ddr3 because ive heard that people geting the higher stuff were underclocking it anyways.

You may have to manually set your memory speeds and timings.


----------



## Yomny

what harvey said, my mobo ran my ram at different timings that what they were spec'ed at but it also ran it with 1.5v instead of 1.65 so just make sure you're familiar with your hardware specs just in case you need to as stated above, set things manually. You're good to go because you could always use a lower multiplier for your ram and still overclock your cpu. Make sure to take some shots of the advanced or Overclocking menus your bios has so we could help you with more accuracy.


----------



## ricsim78

My first time overclocking my Core i7 920 I used the following settings on my P6T Deluxe to achieve 4.0 Ghz! I am stable and temps are 38-40 Celcius at idle, 45-55 at load (not all that bad, really!) Temps can get near 65 with Prime 95 and OCCT but they are not real world and still within spec.

I am using a Thermalright Extreme 1366 Cooler, 6 gigs of OCZ Platinum 1600 RAM, and (obviously) an Asus P6T Deluxe motherboard in an Antec 1200 case.

Bclk: 200
DRAM Frequency: 1600
CPU Voltage: 1.25 V (anything less and it will crash sometimes in heavy gaming.)
CPU PLL Voltage 1.96 Volts (seemed to increase stability)
QPI/DRAM Voltage: 1.35 Volts (very important, crashed constantly without!)
DRAM I have at 1.64 Volts, working perfectly fine.

System is stable, even with the heat of my 2 4870 cards I run it all the time without issue, cores at 35-40-37-36 while writing this.

I would say NEVER just copy and paste other people's settings and think they will work for you, unfortunately I did and luckily they worked for me, then I gradually brought things down to keep it stable and cool better.


----------



## Lyshk0

very nice! i'll be starting my oc'ing tonight at some point


----------



## speedy2721

Is there anyway to read the qpi voltage? On my MSI X58 Platinum Sli you can only increase it by .01 volts but it never gives you the real value so I can't tell how much I need to raise it.

I also need help getting over 3.6GHz stable.
My settings are:
Base Clock-180
Multi-20
DRAM speed- 1080mhz
CPU V- +0.09
Cpu PLL V- Auto
Qpi V- Auto
DRAM V- 1.5
NB V- Auto
ICH V- Auto


----------



## jrharvey

Quote:


Originally Posted by *speedy2721* 
Is there anyway to read the qpi voltage? On my MSI X58 Platinum Sli you can only increase it by .01 volts but it never gives you the real value so I can't tell how much I need to raise it.

I also need help getting over 3.6GHz stable.
My settings are:
Base Clock-180
Multi-20
DRAM speed- 1080mhz
CPU V- +0.09
Cpu PLL V- Auto
Qpi V- Auto
DRAM V- 1.5
NB V- Auto
ICH V- Auto

Whats stopping you? Temps or stability? I can get up to 4.3ghz without changing anything but the CPU voltage. I wouldnt run my CPU like that all the time AND I would not recommend it but its stable. I noticed there is a hole in my board from 193-200 Base Clock. I can stay at 192 or go up to 201 and its completely stable but I cannot even get it to boot in between that. Strange.


----------



## speedy2721

It wont boot up if I higher the base clock, but I am only using 1.192V in windows(1.168 load) and it is linx stable at 3.6GHz. I also changed my CPU PLL to 1.88(default 1.8) and I put QPI to +0.2V since I read the the default is around 1.1 for the I7 920 on this board.

Also my core temps are 50C-56C so temps aren't a problem.


----------



## jrharvey

Quote:



Originally Posted by *speedy2721*


It wont boot up if I higher the base clock, but I am only using 1.192V in windows(1.168 load) and it is linx stable at 3.6GHz. I also changed my CPU PLL to 1.88(default 1.8) and I put QPI to +0.2V since I read the the default is around 1.1 for the I7 920 on this board.

Also my core temps are 50C-56C so temps aren't a problem.


You will need more voltage on the CPU.


----------



## speedy2721

I already had it up to like 1.34 and it still wouldnt boot. Is anything else to high or low? Or maybe because I have the other things on auto?


----------



## ricsim78

The problem with overclocking is different combinations of parts yields different results. We can all buy the same exact board, memory, and CPU yet we would all get different settings and such. Now add the fact that nearly no one has the exact same setup and you can see why it is so hard to "help" people overclock.

If you are having trouble overclocking I suggest you Google "Overclocking MSI X58 Platinum with Corsair RAM" and see what it comes up with. It's good to at least see what others achieve with a similar setup. It may not work for you, but it will sure get you in the ballpark. There are also different methods to overclock your setup, some drop the multiplier for example and add more bus speed.

From there, you can experiment a bit but instability is usually one of 4 things: Not enough Voltage, your power supply not being stable enough to sustain an overclock, incorrect settings, or too much heat/not enough cooling.

Usually the last 2 are the main problems, but it can be a combination or all of the above. Goodluck and welcome to OCN!


----------



## ricsim78

One suggestion: Do you have your DRAM at 1.64 Volts? If not, try that and see if it helps. Also your CPU voltage is probably not enough, but I can get my Core i7 to 3.6 just by changing the BCLK.


----------



## speedy2721

My RAM is actually under clocked to 1066 right now so I don't think that raising the voltage on that will matter, but I will give it a try. I also didn't really have to raise anything to get to 3.6, only add .03 volts since the default was really low. Just anything after 3.6 it just doesn't boot, which I find to be weird since for 3.6 I only need 1.192V to be stable but it won't boot at 3.8 at 1.35V.


----------



## Xecuter2

QPI/VTT needs to be much higher, near 1.3v actually. I believe the max recommended is 1.35 by Intel, and many people run upwards of 1.4v, but give 1.3 a quick shot and see if that does it.


----------



## speedy2721

The problem with that is that I cant see what my QPI/VTT voltage is. In the bios, it only lets me set the increase, not the actual value. Next to the setting it says that the default can be 1.05 to 1.2 depending on the CPU that is in, so should I assume that it is the lowest one since I am using the 920?


----------



## elhefeglass

have you checked the timing specs for the ram you are running at the speed you are running it? i have a msi x58 pro (gold) and i had problems getting it to boot with some higher speeds..but i remedied this by manually putting it the exact timings and trying to boot...i found timings in mem-z..
i had to raise the qpi/vtt .02 at the most to get to 3.8..vcore is 1.28
how fast is the memory running now, and what are the timings set to?

i had to fiddle with timings and make sure the wintec was at its rated 1.65 in order to get it to even boot..


----------



## speedy2721

My RAM is rated for 1333 but I put it at 1088 just to make sure that the RAM is not the problem. I have all the timings on Auto so maybe I will try putting them in manually. Right now I have QPI/VTT at +0.02 and Voltage at +0.03 and it is stable at 3.6. I will probably raise the QPI a little more and mess with the RAM timings. Thanks to everyone that is helping, rep +.


----------



## jrharvey

Quote:



Originally Posted by *speedy2721*


My RAM is rated for 1333 but I put it at 1088 just to make sure that the RAM is not the problem. I have all the timings on Auto so maybe I will try putting them in manually. Right now I have QPI/VTT at +0.02 and Voltage at +0.03 and it is stable at 3.6. I will probably raise the QPI a little more and mess with the RAM timings. Thanks to everyone that is helping, rep +.


Believe it or not my 1600mhz RAM is not stable at 1066







With it not being set to its default speed I think my board messes up the timings.


----------



## speedy2721

I finally got 4Ghz linx stable! All I had to do is flip these three switches on my board to make it change the base clock to 200, then I went into the bios and made the multi 19 and the base clock 211.My voltage in windows is 1.352 idle; Is that safe to use 24/7 for a few years? Also my QPI is +0.21.

Here is the validation link: http://valid.canardpc.com/show_oc.php?id=513494


----------



## jrharvey

Quote:


Originally Posted by *speedy2721* 
I finally got 4Ghz linx stable! All I had to do is flip these three switches on my board to make it change the base clock to 200, then I went into the bios and made the multi 19 and the base clock 211.My voltage in windows is 1.352 idle; Is that safe to use 24/7 for a few years? Also my QPI is +0.21.

Here is the validation link: http://valid.canardpc.com/show_oc.php?id=513494

Its within intel's spec but just barely. One notch over actually but not much. You have to ask yourself, do you need it at that speed right now? I personally leave mine at 3.6ghz for 24/7 becaue it only requires 1.21 Volts. Going to 3.8 and beyond requires at least 1.3V so thats a big jump for 200mhz. Thats just my opinion though.


----------



## speedy2721

I thought that intel said that the max was 1.3625? Yeah my chip is the same way yours is, I can do 3.6 below 1.2 volts but anything above that requires me to up the voltage alot. I will compare 4 to 3.6 and see if I notice any speed differences. Thanks for the advice.


----------



## DJZeratul

Just built my i7 system today, I have it at stock speeds so far as I am re-loading all of my apps now. Im looking forward to pushing this baby as far as it will go!


----------



## elhefeglass

speedy, nice!

i have the same switches on my board...but i figured the 200 jump would be alot...
have you tried doing the same config using only the bios instead of the switches on the board? not sure if it makes any difference..
now that you have 4.0ghz...try to get that memory running a little faster..
i noticed quite an improvement by overclocking my memory and putting in the uber quick timings..right now its leaps and bounds above the fastest i7 listed on everest memory benchmarks..
awesome..its amazing how easy these i7s can overclock in most cases


----------



## speedy2721

If I kept those switches on the default 133mhz, the board wouldn't boot past 180 no matter what I raised the voltage to. When I used the switches it made the base clock 200 but it changed the multi to 18 so I switched the multi to 20 in the bios but that wasn't stable, so I decided to try 19X211 and it worked.

What timings do you recommend me trying?


----------



## MrMason

I am at 4Ghz stable with 1.3Vcore, have we decided on a max voltage for these chips? I tried searching this thread but couldn't find anything but speculation. I see 1.3625V, 1.45V, 1.55V


----------



## PizzaMan

Quote:



Originally Posted by *MrMason*


I am at 4Ghz stable with 1.3Vcore, have we decided on a max voltage for these chips? I tried searching this thread but couldn't find anything but speculation. I see 1.3625V, 1.45V, 1.55V


Intel now says 1.375v
http://processorfinder.intel.com/Det...px?sSpec=SLBCH


----------



## speedy2721

Nice find PizzaMan, +rep. At least it is a little bit higher then the 45nm core2 processors.


----------



## MrMason

Awesome thank you, I guess I'll just put it up there and see how high I can get! +rep

I've got 4.2Ghz stable so far at 1.375V!


----------



## speedy2721

I had to bump it up to 1.368 in Windows to get it to stay stable at 4Ghz because it wouldn't be able to do 10 runs of linx before. Good thing we know the max now though so I can keep my chip at 1.368 and not be worried. The only bad thing is that one of my cores was hitting 80C.


----------



## MrMason

These chips run really hot, I'm not really sure how good your cooler is though. Stock my CPU was hitting almost 85 in stress tests.


----------



## speedy2721

I read that it is supposed to be almost as good as a TRUE, but I am not 100% sure if that is true or not. What do you use to test for stability?


----------



## jrharvey

Quote:


Originally Posted by *speedy2721* 
I read that it is supposed to be almost as good as a TRUE, but I am not 100% sure if that is true or not. What do you use to test for stability?

haha you a mugen 2? that thing just looks like a monster. Is it as big as it looks? Nice cooler man.


----------



## speedy2721

Yeah that thing is huge,i and it weighs almost 1kg with the fan on it. Is it right that I am still getting up to 80C with that cooler or the I7's just run that hot?


----------



## jrharvey

Quote:



Originally Posted by *speedy2721*


Yeah that thing is huge,i and it weighs almost 1kg with the fan on it. Is it right that I am still getting up to 80C with that cooler or the I7's just run that hot?


What speed? 4ghz? i7's do just run that hot. Its the hyperthreading and integrated memory controller that make it run so hot.


----------



## speedy2721

Yeah at 4Ghz. You are right though I forgot about how the integrated memory controller and hyperthreading create more heat.

Now all I need to do is tighten my timings since my RAM is running at 1200 at 1.65V. What timings do you recommend me doing, as I dont know alot about the RAM timings.


----------



## MrMason

Is anyone able to get past around a 222 base clock? I can't seem to get much past this.


----------



## Lyshk0

Got 3.6 stable last night, finished stressing just a few minutes ago. I know 3.6 is no miracle, but i had it at 4, and didnt like the operating temps i was seeing (i was right under 1.350v aswell) so i decided to go this way with it...


----------



## jrharvey

Quote:



Originally Posted by *MrMason*


Is anyone able to get past around a 222 base clock? I can't seem to get much past this.


I think the record right now is 233 base clock. I dont remember what motherboard it was but that was the highest so far I BELIEVE. I havnt really tried to go over 215.


----------



## jrharvey

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Lyshk0*


Got 3.6 stable last night, finished stressing just a few minutes ago. I know 3.6 is no miracle, but i had it at 4, and didnt like the operating temps i was seeing (i was right under 1.350v aswell) so i decided to go this way with it...






Is there a reason why your only running 4 threads in prime 95? You should run all 8 to get your true temperatures. BTW, you should be able to get lower on the voltage to help temps. I have seen as low as 1.2V for 3.6ghz. I am stable at 1.215V


----------



## Yomny

i think my GA EDU5 does 213 also with minimum adjustments but couldn't boot at all over 213


----------



## Lyshk0

Quote:



Originally Posted by *jrharvey*


Is there a reason why your only running 4 threads in prime 95? You should run all 8 to get your true temperatures. BTW, you should be able to get lower on the voltage to help temps. I have seen as low as 1.2V for 3.6ghz. I am stable at 1.215V


i was running 8. i didnt take the time to arrange the windows though, and i wanted to get another screenshot while it was mid-test.


----------



## Extreme Newbie

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Lyshk0* 
i was running 8. i didnt take the time to arrange the windows though, and i wanted to get another screenshot while it was mid-test.



Your temps look like they are 80c at 3.6. That is a bit high for the speed. You may want to try and re-seat you cooler.


----------



## eflyguy

Seeing another P6T here, want to bring this "issue" up again:

Anyone else running all 6 slots full on their P6T board without issue?

This is supposed to reduce memory bandwidth but is not for me. Just curious to see what others have found..
..a


----------



## jrharvey

Quote:



Originally Posted by *eflyguy*


Seeing another P6T here, want to bring this "issue" up again:

Anyone else running all 6 slots full on their P6T board without issue?

This is supposed to reduce memory bandwidth but is not for me. Just curious to see what others have found..
..a


why would it reduce bandwidth? I havnt heard of this.


----------



## Aden Florian

Hey guys, I just got a 920 couple days ago, but don't have proper cooling yet.

Have any of y'all read this article, and do you agree with it?


----------



## eflyguy

Quote:


Originally Posted by *jrharvey* 
why would it reduce bandwidth? I havnt heard of this.

Someone posted it here (in this thread, I believe) - I wasn't aware of it, but it is even in the P6T docs..
..a


----------



## ricsim78

For a stock Intel cooler I would not overclock past 3.4 Ghz on a 920, 3.5-3.6 Ghz on a 940 or 3.6-3.8 on an Extreme 965. I would also keep it under 1.3 volts for the CPU. Anything higher and you are asking for trouble. It may run for a day, run for a week, or even run as long as the CPU is supposed to live but the extra heat for the minimum performance gain is not worth it.


----------



## ricsim78

That being said, I like to run and keep my Core i7 920 at 3.8 Ghz for everyday, 24/7 use (though I can go higher if I want). I am currently cooling the CPU with my Thermalright Ultra 120 Extreme 1366, using the stock fan with an additional fan bracket and an Ultra ball bearing fan (silent and cools well) in a push/pull setup. *DO NOT attempt these settings without proper cooling*, so if you are using the stock cooler and/or have a cramped case this is not recommended at all!

Temps are fairly close to stock at idle (1-3 degrees more sometimes) and under load are only 5-10 degrees difference (In Celsius). It can pass all stress tests and never gets above 70 degrees even at full load. Here are the settings for the Core i7 920 @ 3.8 Ghz. My components are listed below.

Asus P6T Deluxe BIOS Settings for 3.8 Ghz overclock:

*A.I. Overclock Tuner:* Manual
*CPU Ratio:* 19.0
*BCLK Frequency:* 200
*PCI-Express Frequency:* 100
*DRAM Frequency:* DDR3-1603
*UCLK:* 3208 MHz
*QPI Data Link: * 7218MT/s

*CPU Voltage:* 1.30000
*CPU PLL:* 1.92
*QPI/DRAM Voltage:* 1.30000
*DRAM Bus Voltage:* 1.66

For CPU options, I turn off everything not needed including power saving, virtualization, and speedstep. You can attempt Turbo but I keep it off.

*CPU Ratio:* 19
*C1E Support:* Disabled
*Hardware Prefetch:* Enabled (Keep on for more performance)
*Adjacent Hardware Prefetch:* Enabled (Keep this on, too)
*Intel Virtualization:* Disabled
*CPU TM Function:* Enabled (VERY Important to leave on for protection)
*Execute Disable Bit:* Enabled
*Intel HT:* Enabled (Keep on for more performance, Disabled will run cooler)
*Active Processors:* All (If you have it, use it!)
*A20M:* Disabled
*Intel C-State:* Enabled (helps your CPU run a bit cooler)
*C-State Set Limit:* Auto

Every other voltage setting is on Auto mode and I did not need to change anything else, including Memory timings. System runs like a top, runs slightly warmer than stock but fairly warm in intensive applications or stress testing. Passes Intel Burn test and Prime stable though.

If you have decent 1600 RAM and want to try settings out, let me know if they work for you but just remember these chips run HOT.

I can also run 4.0 Ghz but the temperature difference goes up enough to actually hurt performance slightly and not worth it for added stress on the CPU.

I am going to lap the heatsink and use a small amount of MX-2 instead of the stock Thermalright TIM and hoping to see my CPU temps go down even more but they are beyond acceptable even now. I do have a very well ventilated case which helps as well.


----------



## jrharvey

Quote:


Originally Posted by *ricsim78* 
That being said, I like to run and keep my Core i7 920 at 3.8 Ghz for everyday, 24/7 use (though I can go higher if I want). I am currently cooling the CPU with my Thermalright Ultra 120 Extreme 1366, using the stock fan with an additional fan bracket and an Ultra ball bearing fan (silent and cools well) in a push/pull setup. *DO NOT attempt these settings without proper cooling*, so if you are using the stock cooler and/or have a cramped case this is not recommended at all!

Temps are fairly close to stock at idle (1-3 degrees more sometimes) and under load are only 5-10 degrees difference (In Celsius). It can pass all stress tests and never gets above 70 degrees even at full load. Here are the settings for the Core i7 920 @ 3.8 Ghz. My components are listed below.

Asus P6T Deluxe BIOS Settings for 3.8 Ghz overclock:

*A.I. Overclock Tuner:* Manual
*CPU Ratio:* 19.0
*BCLK Frequency:* 200
*PCI-Express Frequency:* 100
*DRAM Frequency:* DDR3-1603
*UCLK:* 3208 MHz
*QPI Data Link:* 7218MT/s

*CPU Voltage:* 1.30000
*CPU PLL:* 1.92
*QPI/DRAM Voltage:* 1.30000
*DRAM Bus Voltage:* 1.66

For CPU options, I turn off everything not needed including power saving, virtualization, and speedstep. You can attempt Turbo but I keep it off.

*CPU Ratio:* 19
*C1E Support:* Disabled
*Hardware Prefetch:* Enabled (Keep on for more performance)
*Adjacent Hardware Prefetch:* Enabled (Keep this on, too)
*Intel Virtualization:* Disabled
*CPU TM Function:* Enabled (VERY Important to leave on for protection)
*Execute Disable Bit:* Enabled
*Intel HT:* Enabled (Keep on for more performance, Disabled will run cooler)
*Active Processors:* All (If you have it, use it!)
*A20M:* Disabled
Intel C-State: Enabled (helps your CPU run a bit cooler)
C-State Set Limit: Auto

Every other voltage setting is on Auto mode and I did not need to change anything else, including Memory timings. System runs like a top, runs slightly warmer than stock but fairly warm in intensive applications or stress testing. Passes Intel Burn test and Prime stable though.

If you have decent 1600 RAM and want to try settings out, let me know if they work for you but just remember these chips run HOT.

I can also run 4.0 Ghz but the temperature difference goes up enough to actually hurt performance slightly and not worth it for added stress on the CPU.

I am going to lap the heatsink and use a small amount of MX-2 instead of the stock Thermalright TIM and hoping to see my CPU temps go down even more but they are beyond acceptable even now. I do have a very well ventilated case which helps as well.

At what point did you have to up the CPU PLL voltage? I was able to get 3.8ghz Prime stable with only changing the CPU voltage to 1.31V. CPU PLL is set to 1.8V or default. Were you unstable with it lower?


----------



## ricsim78

Quote:

At what point did you have to up the CPU PLL voltage? I was able to get 3.8ghz Prime stable with only changing the CPU voltage to 1.31V. CPU PLL is set to 1.8V or default. Were you unstable with it lower?
I read that it can help a bit with stability and considering with it where it is set I have not had a single crash I decided to keep it set on 1.92. I can also overclock without it but I prefer to have a little "buffer" to help keep things running smooth. No difference in temps noticed with where I have it and certainly hurt nothing. It also helped overclock the Core 2 Quads as well sometimes.

After all, is is only a 0.12 Volt difference.


----------



## ricsim78

I can also say I have not really messed with the voltages, I may even be able to run mine with less voltage but I did crash when starting Windows trying to set 19.0 Mulitplier/210 BCLK with everything else on auto. (Of course I expected this, but always fun to try







) As it is, "if it is not broke don't fix it" applies and temperatures are well within acceptable limits, around the same as when I just had one fan on my TRUE Extreme with the CPU at stock. Win in my book.

I will experiment with lower voltages more when I lap my True and the MX-2 arrives next week. Lapping kit on it's way. Will post after I finish all the work next week.

I am also fairly new at Core i7 as I have only had my setup for about 3 weeks now and just began overclocking it. I have tried a lot of different things but this is so far the best performance I have managed to squeeze out of this setup yet.


----------



## StormX2

I need information from Asus P6T Deluxe users

in regards to Start up Default Bios Settings for DRAM , Speed, Voltage, Timings and such.

Reason why I need to know, is I have 4 x 1 Dual Channel DDR3 1600mhz set for XMP 7-7-7-20 1.8v

I need to knwo if I throw this ram in there , turn the machine on, will I have a serious problem? or will it boot up with lower voltage and timings and such.

PM me please


----------



## ricsim78

PM sent, but I am assuming it would run with lower timings and such unless you tweaked it. I would suggest getting a triple channel set of memory designed for the Core i7 actually.

Thought I would also post it on here to answer it for others to see, to help others with the same question as well.

It will run, but you won't be using it's potential and if you run it at the volts it needs, you can and will fry your Core i7.


----------



## StormX2

well thats why i need to know, when I turn on the computer, will it auto set to 1.8v??


----------



## {core2duo}werd

no i have the OCZ gold 1600 sticks and they set to ddr3 1066 with 1.5v by default.


----------



## dejanh

Anyone here experiencing cold boot problems with Rampage II Extreme? If yes, which PSU are you using and which DRAM?


----------



## jrharvey

Quote:


Originally Posted by *dejanh* 
Anyone here experiencing cold boot problems with Rampage II Extreme? If yes, which PSU are you using and which DRAM?

I am with asus P6T. I am in the process of RMAing right now. Hopefully it will fix the problem. If I leave the computer off more than 24 hours it wont boot unless I reset the CMOS. It doesnt matter whether its overclocked or stock.


----------



## PizzaMan

Quote:


Originally Posted by *jrharvey* 
I am with asus P6T. I am in the process of RMAing right now. Hopefully it will fix the problem. If I leave the computer off more than 24 hours it wont boot unless I reset the CMOS. It doesnt matter whether its overclocked or stock.


That sounds like a BIOS battery issue. Have you tried changing the battery?


----------



## Cyberbot

Man, im so pissed off at myself, i could have gotten a i7 setup to almost the same price as a C2Q setup, but I bought the C2Q


----------



## ricsim78

Quote:

Man, im so pissed off at myself, i could have gotten a i7 setup to almost the same price as a C2Q setup, but I bought the C2Q
Your computer setup is still very nice, the only thing I can say is I guess do more "pre shopping" because I almost did the same thing myself, not realizing the Core i7 is not much more money actually.

You live and you learn









Edit: Prices have dropped drastically on the components lately: I got the motherboard, memory, i7 920 processor, Sapphire 4870, and the DVD Burner for around $917.00! Plus, all the things I picked had free shipping at Newegg which was awesome, not a dime extra.

Of course, I have spent almost another $100.00 on the Thermalright Ultra 120 Extreme 1366 cooler, an additional fan and bracket for push pull, a CPU Cooler lapping kit, and a bottle of Arctic Cooling MX-2. But, my upgrade still ended up only being $1010.00 give or take a few.


----------



## Cyberbot

Quote:


Originally Posted by *ricsim78* 
Your computer setup is still very nice, the only thing I can say is I guess do more "pre shopping" because I almost did the same thing myself, not realizing the Core i7 is not much more money actually.

You live and you learn









Yeah, I sure will remember that next time...









But anyway, in 2 years i will have to change the hardware again, and then the i5 will be out


----------



## Cyberbot

Quote:


Originally Posted by *ricsim78* 
Your computer setup is still very nice, the only thing I can say is I guess do more "pre shopping" because I almost did the same thing myself, not realizing the Core i7 is not much more money actually.

You live and you learn









Edit: Prices have dropped drastically on the components lately: I got the motherboard, memory, i7 920 processor, Sapphire 4870, and the DVD Burner for around $917.00! Plus, all the things I picked had free shipping at Newegg which was awesome, not a dime extra.

Of course, I have spent almost another $100.00 on the Thermalright Ultra 120 Extreme 1366 cooler, an additional fan and bracket for push pull, a CPU Cooler lapping kit, and a bottle of Arctic Cooling MX-2. But, my upgrade still ended up only being $1010.00 give or take a few.

Only $1010?! Man that's cheap!


----------



## ricsim78

No need to worry, you still have a killer setup and better than most people's computers overall.


----------



## killerhz

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Cyberbot* 
Man, im so pissed off at myself, i could have gotten a i7 setup to almost the same price as a C2Q setup, but I bought the C2Q









You have an awesome set-up. No need to be bummed out. My brother thought the same thing but, gaming is almost identical. I get better FPS in Crysis but that's cause of my 3rd 260


----------



## Cyberbot

Nice








BTW, how much do you think my RAM's, CPU and mobo is worth?


----------



## Cyberbot

Quote:


Originally Posted by *killerhz* 
You have an awesome set-up. No need to be bummed out. My brother thought the same thing but, gaming is almost identical. I get better FPS in Crysis but that's cause of my 3rd 260









Ye, I know that my setup is almost as good, but its just that 775 is on its way home, and that kinda sucks


----------



## ricsim78

Here is a screenshot of mine overclocked to 3.8 Ghz.


----------



## ricsim78

Managed to get mine stable at 1.25V Vcore, 1.3V QPI, and 1.80 (stock) PLL

3.8 Ghz


----------



## jrharvey

Quote:



Originally Posted by *ricsim78*


Managed to get mine stable at 1.25V Vcore, 1.3V QPI, and 1.80 (stock) PLL

3.8 Ghz


good voltages. Still way under the recomended specs from intel. Lucky you.


----------



## ricsim78

Quote:



good voltages. Still way under the recomended specs from intel. Lucky you.


Thank you, yeah this seems to be a good chip.

I hit 4.0 Ghz with ease with it as well, I think a lot of overclocking potential is decided by how well your system works with everything you decide to choose for motherboard, ram, and cpu. That and sometimes you get lucky with a freak chip. I consider mine a very good one, but seems to be similar to some other results from both users and some of the reputed testing sites.


----------



## ricsim78

Also, I forgot to mention and it is often looked past and is a great cause of problems and overclocking pain.

The power supply is very important too, not only does it need to put out enough power for all of your stuff you plan to run, it needs to be stable.


----------



## Villainstone

Can anyone help me reach 4.0GHz, or even 200Mhz Bclck. I have tried the recommended voltage provided by the Gigabyte overclocking PDF, but it didn't seem to work out well. I know that this MB probably just can't reach 200MHz, but if it can I was hoping this was the place to start. I haven't played much with OCing yet just tried what the PDF said and a few other settings. For the most part I am still trying to learn what voltages go to what... outside of the obvious.


----------



## ricsim78

You can try 19.0 Multiplier with 210 BCLK and see if you have more luck. Go back a couple of pages to my 3.8 Overclocking thread, see if yours posts and then up your Bclk and keep going until you are unstable, raise the Vcore and QPI and see if you can get it stable.


----------



## eflyguy

What MB do you have (you have "Gigabyte EP45 UD4P" in your sig. That is not an X58 board)..
..a


----------



## speedy2721

Does anyone here use LLC? With it on I can get 4Ghz stable at 1.33 (idle in windows) and without it I need 1.36. I heard some people saying that it wasnt safe with 45nm chips but I was wondering if it was any different with I7, since it has the IMC and can use a little more volts then the C2D.


----------



## eflyguy

It depends more on the board than anything. Using it (LLC not LCC) on my P6T, no issues.
..a


----------



## {core2duo}werd

llc causes random BSODs on my machine. it would BSOD when i'm not doing anything, but i could run stability tests for hours and hours.


----------



## eflyguy

On your P6T?
..a


----------



## {core2duo}werd

yeah


----------



## Cyberbot

Hm, should I sell my current rig and buy a i7 setup?


----------



## Yomny

No..you have i pretty good rig overall. why would you want to get an I7, unless your chip is horrible and cant really Oc that well, but an i7 build is pretty expensive. just my opinion, i switched from my q6600 @3.2 and well my Pi times did go down by like 6 seconds or so but other than that.. i dont really see the reason for changing.


----------



## speedy2721

Yeah I dont experience any BSOD's or anything with LLC on, I was just wondering because I read that it was unsafe to use it with 45nm processors.


----------



## ricsim78

Quote:

Hm, should I sell my current rig and buy a i7 setup?
Unless you need the features your rig is plenty good and this is from an I7 owner. You have a great computer and as long as it fulfills your needs for now, don't worry about it.

I am glad I went to Core i7, but even now I realize my e8400 seemed to run things just about as good (except Crysis but I also have 2 video cards now too). Sure this thing will bench faster, give me better frame rates, and I am glad I got it. I had my Core 2 Duo for a year though, you just got yours.

Keep it and study more next time before you buy


----------



## ricsim78

Quote:

Yeah I dont experience any BSOD's or anything with LLC on, I was just wondering because I read that it was unsafe to use it with 45nm processors.
Considering Core i7 is made for Quad core chips only as of right now I doubt they would include a feature that would hurt the chips and can easily be turned on by the users.


----------



## dejanh

Got my new OC on my new cooling (or rather significantly improved cooling)







4.2GHz with just 1.376V measured with a DMM (1.360V CPUZ). Hottest core is only 64C









Ambient temps are 17C. It looks like I will need to lap the block as there is a 10C-12C discrepancy in temps between the hottest and coldest core.

Here is the screenshot...


----------



## ricsim78

Quote:


Originally Posted by *dejanh* 
Got my new OC on my new cooling (or rather significantly improved cooling)







4.2GHz with just 1.376V measured with a DMM (1.360V CPUZ). Hottest core is only 64C









Ambient temps are 17C. It looks like I will need to lap the block as there is a 10C-12C discrepancy in temps between the hottest and coldest core.

Here is the screenshot...

Very nice, my CPU lapping kit just got here today so will be doing that over the weekend.

I am planning on lapping both my 920 and the TRUE. Will post before and after pics when I am done.


----------



## Noctred

voltages and core speed drops when stop using folding, is that natural?


----------



## dejanh

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Noctred*


voltages and core speed drops when stop using folding, is that natural?


Yep. You must have C-state enabled which reduces clock speed at lighter loads.


----------



## Noctred

Quote:



Originally Posted by *dejanh*


Yep. You must have C-state enabled which reduces clock speed at lighter loads.


ok ty i had it disabled.

How does my "Advanced CPU Features" look?

CPU Clock Ratio - 20x
CPU Frequency - 3.60GHZ (180x20)
Intel(R) Turbo Boost Tech - Disabled
CPU Cores Enabled - ALL
CPU Multi Threading - Enabled
CPU Enchanced Halt (C1E) - Disabled
C3/C6/C7 State Support -Enabled
CPU Thermal Monitor - Disabled
CPU EIST Function - Enabled 
VT - Enabled
Bi-Directional PROCHOT - Enabled

I have a feeling i'm doing something wrong, please inform me, i'm relatively new.

Thanks


----------



## dejanh

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Noctred*


ok ty i had it disabled.

How does my "Advanced CPU Features" look?

CPU Clock Ratio - 20x
CPU Frequency - 3.60GHZ (180x20)
Intel(R) Turbo Boost Tech - Disabled
CPU Cores Enabled - ALL
CPU Multi Threading - Enabled
CPU Enchanced Halt (C1E) - Disabled
C3/C6/C7 State Support -Enabled
CPU Thermal Monitor - Disabled
CPU EIST Function - Enabled 
VT - Enabled
Bi-Directional PROCHOT - Enabled

I have a feeling i'm doing something wrong, please inform me, i'm relatively new.

Thanks


You want to have your CPU Thermal Monitor Enabled. In case your fan burns or something happens to your cooling having this Disabled will fry your CPU. For your OC the rest of the settings look good.


----------



## Extreme Newbie

Have you disabled speedstep? You can only see this option if you have the CPU clock ratio set to "AUTO".


----------



## Noctred

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Extreme Newbie*


Have you disabled speedstep? You can only see this option if you have the CPU clock ratio set to "AUTO".


no, how do you put the cpu clock ratio to "auto"? It only lets me change digits from 12-20.

thanks


----------



## jrharvey

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Noctred*


no, how do you put the cpu clock ratio to "auto"? It only lets me change digits from 12-20.

thanks


on the asus boards you just type AUTO.


----------



## Noctred

Quote:



Originally Posted by *jrharvey*


on the asus boards you just type AUTO.


i have a gigabyte ud5 board, i just tried to type "auto" but it won't do anything, it just accepts numbers.


----------



## jrharvey

Have you guys read this? http://forums.legitreviews.com/about19189.html Its to get 22 multi. Not exactly great for true performance since I would always want at least 2 cores running but i guess its good for getting really high OC's


----------



## Noctred

starting to really wishi got the asus board instead of the gigabyte board!!


----------



## Extreme Newbie

Disable CPU EIST function. That seems to be what enables or disables speedstepping on your board.


----------



## ricsim78

How does this sound?

I lapped my Core i7 (THAT WAS SCARY!) and my TRUE last night. It took me 4 hours to do both but was really worth it! I was so paranoid about the CPU but it was fairly easy to do and chip working fine and cooler now to boot.

Temps did go down, I would say 2-3c at idle and 6-8c at full load.

Well, been messing with the overclocking and think I found a setting I really like, actually at this overclock it is completely stable and temps are around stock (as are voltages!). Think this is the best compromise between speed and heat I could come up with. I may try turbo later with 20 CPU Ratio and BCLK 190 so I will be running at 4.0 Ghz with this









Settings: Manual

CPU Ratio: 19
BCLK: 200
PCIE: 100
DRAM: 1603
UCLK: 3208
QPI LINK: 7218

CPU Voltage: 1.25
QPI/DRAM: 1.26
DRAM: 1.66

That is 3.8 Ghz near stock temps and voltages. I love it!

Everything else at auto, speedstep and turbo off. I am also running my OCZ Platinum DDR3 1600 at 7-7-7-24 timings with this. Passed 5 passed of Intel Burn Test with similar temps to stock and a 3dmark06 run. I REALLY love these Core i7's!

Funny thing is, I found a forum write up after I dialed these in with a guy that owns the P6T (regular) with the same exact settings, he also has the same RAM was kind of freaky! Found it at the OCZ forums

He runs his DRAM at 1.64 though, mine is at 1.66.


----------



## xtreme1280

Quote:



Originally Posted by *ricsim78*


How does this sound?

I lapped my Core i7 and my TRUE last night. It took me 4 hours to do both but was really worth it!

Temps did go down, I would say 2-3c at idle and 6-8c at full load.

Well, been messing with the overclocking and think I found a setting I really like, actually at this overclock it is completely stable and temps are around stock (as are voltages!). Think this is the best compromise between speed and heat I could come up with. I may try turbo later so I will be running at 4.0 Ghz with this









Settings: Manual

CPU Ratio: 19
BCLK: 200
PCIE: 100
DRAM: 1603
UCLK: 3208
QPI LINK: 7218

CPU Voltage: 1.25
QPI/DRAM: 1.26
DRAM: 1.66

That is 3.8 Ghz near stock temps and voltages. I love it!

Everything else at auto, speedstep and turbo off. I am also running my OCZ Platinum DDR3 1600 at 7-7-7-24 timings with this. Passed 5 passed of Intel Burn Test with similar temps to stock and a 3dmark06 run. I REALLY love these Core i7's!

Funny thing is, I found a forum write up after I dialed these in with a guy that owns the P6T (regular) with the same exact settings, he also has the same RAM was kind of freaky! Found it at the OCZ forums

He runs his DRAM at 1.64 though, mine is at 1.66.


that's almost my exact settings on my gigabyte board. i'm running my dram at 1.64 though. my temps went up about 2-3c over stock, but i'm using a v-8 and haven't lapped anything. these chips are the easiest ones i've ever overclocked. they rock.


----------



## ricsim78

Quote:



that's almost my exact settings on my gigabyte board. i'm running my dram at 1.64 though. my temps went up about 2-3c over stock, but i'm using a v-8 and haven't lapped anything. these chips are the easiest ones i've ever overclocked. they rock.


Heck yeah, the TRUE is a good cooler but I have found you have to work at it to make it work best. To be honest it got a bid tedious after a while but it was overall fun to Lap the TRUE and CPU (though I was scared about the CPU, was my first time lapping and really did not want to ruin a $300.00 chip)

Funny, our systems are sort of similar as well. Different case and cooler, same line of video card. Motherboard is different or course.


----------



## Extreme Newbie

I lapped my cpu and TRUE and was a bit nervous as well. Lapping the TRUE has always shown to help with temps but not sure how much lapping the cpu added to the overall drop in my temps. I wish I would have lapped my TRUE, checked temps, then lapped my CPU to compare the temps.
With both lapped I got about 6 degrees lower at load.


----------



## speedy2721

My bios set my QPI voltage to 1.435 and it has been like this for like 5 days (not 24/7 though), is my CPU going to have permanent damage or well it be fine since it has only been like that for a few days?


----------



## Xecuter2

Should be fine, many many people run 1.4 24/7, and I NEED atleast 1.4 to be stable using 20x multiplier







I guess my chip just hates me? 19x + high bclk runs fine.


----------



## speedy2721

Ok thanks. This taught me to not trust the auto settings in the bios.


----------



## jrharvey

Quote:


Originally Posted by *speedy2721* 
Ok thanks. This taught me to not trust the auto settings in the bios.

All I heard was how asus perfected the voltage needs of these chips and no manual adjustment was needed. That is far from the truth. At 3.8 ghz my board defaults 1.41V but it is perfectly stable at 1.31V and maybe even lower.


----------



## speedy2721

My board actually put around 1.16 for stock volts, but when I overclocked it the board on auto put the Vcore to 1.36 and the QPI to 1.435. For some reason my new gigabyte board is stable at 1.298 on load and my old MSI board required 1.35 to be stable. Maybe because the gigabyte board has LLC?


----------



## Lyshk0

thats kinda high vcore for stock. mine was around 1.06-1.07


----------



## Extreme Newbie

I found that the RAM timings play a big part in the stability of my overclock. I can run at 3.9GHz (20 x 195) at 1.225v but in order to be stable I need to run my ram at 9-9-9-24 2t. I tried running at 8-8-8-24 2t ,as specified for my RAM, but it wasn't 100% stable.


----------



## jrharvey

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Extreme Newbie* 
I found that the RAM timings play a big part in the stability of my overclock. I can run at 3.9GHz (20 x 195) at 1.225v but in order to be stable I need to run my ram at 9-9-9-24 2t. I tried running at 8-8-8-24 2t ,as specified for my RAM, but it wasn't 100% stable.

what speed are you running your RAM at?


----------



## Extreme Newbie

Quote:



Originally Posted by *jrharvey*


what speed are you running your RAM at?


Ram is running at 1560.


----------



## mrkryz

Quote:


Originally Posted by *eflyguy* 
Seeing another P6T here, want to bring this "issue" up again:

Anyone else running all 6 slots full on their P6T board without issue?

This is supposed to reduce memory bandwidth but is not for me. Just curious to see what others have found..
..a


Im running all 6 slots filled @ 4ghz w/o any problems.


----------



## Oatsie

Hi guys. Which motherboard would be the better choice for overclocking and overall stability?

Asus P6T Deluxe or
Gigabyte GA-EX58-UD5

I'm hoping to get atleast 3.5GHz out of it. I'm about to order a Core i7 920 and (3x1GB) Corsair Dominator DDR3 1600MHz, but can't decide which motherboard.


----------



## Extreme Newbie

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Oatsie*


Hi guys. Which motherboard would be the better choice for overclocking and overall stability?

Asus P6T Deluxe or
Gigabyte GA-EX58-UD5

I'm hoping to get atleast 3.5GHz out of it. I'm about to order a Core i7 920 and (3x1GB) Corsair Dominator DDR3 1600MHz, but can't decide which motherboard.


I don't think you will have a problem getting to 3.5GHz with either of these motherboards. These chips run very hot so good cooling is a must.


----------



## NOS KIA

Do you think I can get 3.5Ghz on a TRUE that has not been lapped?
Running Stable with 6Gb (3-2GB)1333 Patriot Viper Memory. Timings are:
7-7-7-20. Mother board GA-x58-ud5.


----------



## eflyguy

Quote:



Originally Posted by *NOS KIA*


Do you think I can get 3.5Ghz on a TRUE that has not been lapped?
Running Stable with 6Gb (3-2GB)1333 Patriot Viper Memory. Timings are:
7-7-7-20. Mother board GA-x58-ud5.


If correctly applied, you should. Lapping only makes 1-2C difference as long as your CPU isn't warped like a banana!
..a


----------



## eflyguy

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Oatsie*


Hi guys. Which motherboard would be the better choice for overclocking and overall stability?

Asus P6T Deluxe or
Gigabyte GA-EX58-UD5

I'm hoping to get atleast 3.5GHz out of it. I'm about to order a Core i7 920 and (3x1GB) Corsair Dominator DDR3 1600MHz, but can't decide which motherboard.



I know I'm going to buy another i7, the 920 is so cheap ($229 locally @ Microcenter) so I plan to pick up the newer GB board with the new power mosfets when it becomes available. Over time, I will probably move the 965 to the GB for power use, and use the 920/P6T for playing..
..a


----------



## Extreme Newbie

Quote:



Originally Posted by *NOS KIA*


Do you think I can get 3.5Ghz on a TRUE that has not been lapped?
Running Stable with 6Gb (3-2GB)1333 Patriot Viper Memory. Timings are:
7-7-7-20. Mother board GA-x58-ud5.


3.5 Ghz on a unlapped true should be easy. I wouldn't be surprised if you could get to 3.8 or more.


----------



## Noctred

nvm i fixed it...


----------



## nyder

So far i'm totally impressed with the OCing of my 920.



thats on air, haven't even replaced the fan in the V8 yet with a better one that i bought.

and thats just raising the bclk, haven't even had to try to do anything more sophisticated. =)


----------



## Extreme Newbie

Quote:



Originally Posted by *nyder*


So far i'm totally impressed with the OCing of my 920.



thats on air, haven't even replaced the fan in the V8 yet with a better one that i bought.

and thats just raising the bclk, haven't even had to try to do anything more sophisticated. =)



What kind of load temps are you getting and what voltage are you using?


----------



## NOS KIA

If I go with my other cooler choice, the CoolIT Domino A.L.C., would I get better performance than with my TRUE un-lapped?
I have heard of people getting 4Ghz on the A.L.C.
-Thanks


----------



## Extreme Newbie

Quote:



Originally Posted by *NOS KIA*


If I go with my other cooler choice, the CoolIT Domino A.L.C., would I get better performance than with my TRUE un-lapped?
I have heard of people getting 4Ghz on the A.L.C.
-Thanks


Looks like the TRUE beats it by a couple degrees.

http://www.overclockersclub.com/revi...ominoalc/5.htm


----------



## NOS KIA

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Extreme Newbie* 
Looks like the TRUE beats it by a couple degrees.

http://www.overclockersclub.com/revi...ominoalc/5.htm

Is that Lapped or not? I couldn't find that info.

Also they were not using the i7. It might be different, but thank you for searching for that review for me. I believe I have exhausted all the reviews on both. So I bought both of them. Can't wait to start my build.

Also! A newb question of sorts:
Do you need to do an initial 8 hr. burn in with stock fan/cpu/clock to kinda seat the new build?

Thanks again guys.


----------



## dejanh

Quote:



Originally Posted by *NOS KIA*


Is that Lapped or not? I couldn't find that info.

Also they were not using the i7. It might be different, but thank you for searching for that review for me. I believe I have exhausted all the reviews on both. So I bought both of them. Can't wait to start my build.

Also! A newb question of sorts:
Do you need to do an initial 8 hr. burn in with stock fan/cpu/clock to kinda seat the new build?

Thanks again guys.


Burn in is a myth. Plug in and OC


----------



## nyder

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Extreme Newbie*


What kind of load temps are you getting and what voltage are you using?


Well, running Vantage and having speedfan keep the cpu temp chart going, I tend to be at 120f for most stuff, then jumped up to the mid 140's with 148f being top twice during the cpu tests.

Normal voltage, haven't dwelved into that yet.

Thats all good right? Looks like a got a good cpu?

I am considering going water cooling because I get a lot of dust and cat hair in my apartment and hate having to clean fans out every month.

I have been running my computer at 3.87ghz for the last couple days and it's been running great. Idle/normal cpu temp is around 100f

Vid cards are up at 160f though, not sure if thats normal, but short of a watercooler, not much i can probably do about that.

Because I'm above I-5, I have a lot of noise in my place, so having a noisey computer doesn't overly matter. so i was considering replacing the case fans with something that pushes air out a little faster.

It's not that i have to have the fastest computer on like orb, it's just I feel i should be able to pull closer to it's cpu score at least (have to get a couple 295's for the vid score probably, lol).


----------



## ricsim78

Overclocking a 920/940/965 a few things to keep in mind:

1.5 Volts is the MAX CPU Voltage you can run the Core i7 at without degrading it's life or damaging it immediately. Without good cooling (good water cooling, TEC, etc.) I would not exceed 1.45 Volts (even with a good air cooler) but the lower the better. You may not directly damage your chip immediately but you will shorten it's life span. You generally do not want the Core i7 CPU continually hitting over 70C on an overclock (during stress testing) or you are hurting it's life span and risking damage. The chip can live with up to 100c but you want to be generally 40% or more away from this most of the time for chip safety.

You generally want the QPI voltage to start at 1.3 for an overclock. You should keep the QPI around the same as your CPU Voltage or slightly higher. You do not want to turn this up too much, either. This can damage your CPU and/or board overdoing this. Actually, sometimes raising this to 1.3 and not touching your CPU Voltage will allow you to do a mild overclock.

You must pay attention to your DRAM Voltage and generally you do not want to exceed 1.66 for voltage.

Just remember, the goal behind overclocking is basically free speed for no extra cost. You must keep a few things in mind: Cooling must be adequate, you want your overclock to give you more performance, and you do not want to fry your CPU (or other stuff) while doing this.

Good case flow, an adequate power supply, and knowledge of the limits of your gear are essential to an overclock.

I have come to the best compromise I could find for performance vs heat on mine.

I have the Vcore at 1.3, QPI at 1.3. and my chip running at 3.6 with Turbo on. This has proven to be faster than my former 3.8 and 4.0 Overclock and temps stay good. I keep speed step on, turbo on, and keep thermal protection, C-state, C1E, and everything on. Runs cool when idle and runs cooler when at load. Completely stable with stress testing, normal usage, and no hiccups yet.

With my lapped TRUE and lapped Core i7 Idle is generally 32-20-29-30 and at game load, it's around 45-53c during Crysis, and 60-65 (occasional spikes of 70-72) with stress testing.


----------



## speedy2721

Doesn't running a chip over the max vid degrade the chips life faster then normal? I don't think that the max is 1.5 since that is around the max of the 65nm chips; but I could be wrong.


----------



## ricsim78

Quote:



Originally Posted by *speedy2721*


Doesn't running a chip over the max vid degrade the chips life faster then normal? I don't think that the max is 1.5 since that is around the max of the 65nm chips; but I could be wrong.


Any overclocking shortens a chips life, you are running it faster than it was intended to be ran. More voltage, more heat = shorter life. As long as you keep it cool it will probably last almost as long as stock but generally temps will be much higher because people push it as far as it is stable in general. This may take a month of life, or even a few years depending on that chip or how hard you push it on a sustained basis. It's hard to say because each chip is the same but different, some will live longer than spec pushed way over limit but those chips are very rare.

According to Intel, the max is 1.5 for Core i7's as well as the 65nm chips. Not that some people will not exceed that anyhow, but according to Intel 1.5 is the terminal velocity. With the heat, it makes sense because even at 1.35 you can still exceed 80c with decent air cooling. Before lapping I hit nearly 80C at 1.35 Vcore with my TRUE and it is considered one of the best coolers. That is only 20C from the thermal limit. This is inside of a well ventilated Antec 1200 case. Imagine a cramped case with no cable management.


----------



## speedy2721

I always thought that the max vid was the most a chip could go without any damage done to the chip( as long as you have the chip cooled properly) and then anything after that would damage the chip after a period of time.

Where were you able to find out the max volts and max temps of the I7 on intels site? All I was able to find was the max vid which is 1.375.


----------



## xtreme1280

Quote:



Originally Posted by *speedy2721*


Where were you able to find out the max volts and max temps of the I7 on intels site? All I was able to find was the max vid which is 1.375.


yeah from what i have read also, the max is 1.37v. 1.5v sounds ways to high. i know alot of people run in the low 1.4's, but never seen anybody over that.


----------



## ricsim78

Quote:



Originally Posted by *xtreme1280*


yeah from what i have read also, the max is 1.37v. 1.5v sounds ways to high. i know alot of people run in the low 1.4's, but never seen anybody over that.


If the max was 1.375 a lot of people would have blown chips right now.







Most of the specs are conservative anyhow. If I am correct I believe 1.375 would be the max Intel recommends with the stock cooler.

1.5 is the max with (good!) water cooling or other methods better than air. This was asked by a magazine directly from Intel.

If I can find the link, I will post it but they asked an Intel engineer.


----------



## subtle

I just put together my new i7 system this afternoon and, having not built a computer in about 8 years, the BIOS is a little bit overwhelming to me at the moment with all these new options and features I'm not accustomed to.

Would someone please help me adjust the BIOS properly? I'm just looking for a mild overclock to like 3.6ghz or so. Stability is what I'm after.

I'm running an i7 920 on the ASUS P6T6 board with a 6GB set of the Mushkin DDR3-1600 7-8-7-20 memory.

Here is a template if you feel like helping me out. As you can see the only thing I've changed, based on what I've read so far, is the DRAM Frequency, UCLK Frequency, basic Memory Timings. Where I really need the most help is with the voltages. I really have very little to no idea what I'm doing there and don't want to mess anything up or brick the board. If there are any settings that I left off the template that should also be disabled or adjusted would you please throw that out there?

I will deal out mass Reps to anyone patient enough to help me out here.

Ai Overclock Tuner Manual
CPU Ratio Setting Auto
Intel SpeedStep Tech Disabled
Intel Turbo Mode Tech Disabled
BCLK Frequency 133
PCIE Frequency 100
DRAM Frequency DDR3-1600MHz
UCLK Frequency 3200MHz
QPI Link Data Rate Auto

DRAM Timing Control

DRAM CAS# Latency 7
DRAM RAS# to CAS# Delay 8
DRAM RAS# PRE Time 7
DRAM RAS# ACT Time 20
DRAM RAS# to RAS# Delay Auto
DRAM REF Cycle Time Auto
DRAM WRITE Recovery Time Auto
DRAM READ to PRE Time Auto
DRAM FOUR ACT WIN Time Auto
DRAM Back-To-Back CAS# Delay Auto

DRAM Timing Mode Auto
DRAM Round Trip Latency on CHA Auto
DRAM Round Trip Latency on CHB Auto
DRAM Round Trip Latency on CHC Auto

DRAM WRITE to READ Delay(DD) Auto
DRAM WRITE to READ Delay(DR) Auto
DRAM WRITE to READ Delay(SR) Auto
DRAM READ to WRITE Delay(DD) Auto
DRAM READ to WRITE Delay(DR) Auto
DRAM READ to WRITE Delay(SR) Auto
DRAM READ to READ Delay(DD) Auto
DRAM READ to READ Delay(DR) Auto
DRAM READ to READ Delay(SR) Auto
DRAM WRITE to WRITE Delay(DD) Auto
DRAM WRITE to WRITE Delay(DR) Auto
DRAM WRITE to WRITE Delay(SR) Auto

CPU Voltage Auto
CPU PLL Voltage Auto
QPI/DRAM Core Voltage Auto
IOH Voltage Auto
IOH PCIE Voltage Auto
ICH Voltage Auto
ICH PCIE Voltage Auto
DRAM Bus Voltage Auto
DRAM DATA REF Voltage on CHA Auto
DRAM CTRL REF Voltage on CHA Auto
DRAM DATA REF Voltage on CHB Auto
DRAM CTRL REF Voltage on CHB Auto
DRAM DATA REF Voltage on CHC Auto
DRAM CTRL REF Voltage on CHC Auto

Load-Line Calibration Auto
CPU Differential Amplitude Auto
CPU Clock Skew  Auto
CPU Spread Spectrum Auto
IOH Clock Skew Auto
PCIE Spread Spectrum Auto


----------



## xtreme1280

Quote:



Originally Posted by *ricsim78*


If the max was 1.375 a lot of people would have blown chips right now.







Most of the specs are conservative anyhow. If I am correct I believe 1.375 would be the max Intel recommends with the stock cooler.

1.5 is the max with (good!) water cooling or other methods better than air. This was asked by a magazine directly from Intel.

If I can find the link, I will post it but they asked an Intel engineer.


okay cool, that makes sense.


----------



## Extreme Newbie

Try the following to get to 3.8Ghz:

Ai Overclock Tuner Manual
CPU Ratio Setting *20*
Intel SpeedStep Tech Disabled
Intel Turbo Mode Tech Disabled
BCLK Frequency *190*
PCIE Frequency 100
DRAM Frequency *Whatever number is under 1600*
UCLK Frequency *Auto*
QPI Link Data Rate Auto

DRAM Timing Control

DRAM CAS# Latency 7
DRAM RAS# to CAS# Delay 8
DRAM RAS# PRE Time 7
DRAM RAS# ACT Time 20
DRAM RAS# to RAS# Delay Auto
DRAM REF Cycle Time Auto
DRAM WRITE Recovery Time Auto
DRAM READ to PRE Time Auto
DRAM FOUR ACT WIN Time Auto
DRAM Back-To-Back CAS# Delay Auto

DRAM Timing Mode Auto
DRAM Round Trip Latency on CHA Auto
DRAM Round Trip Latency on CHB Auto
DRAM Round Trip Latency on CHC Auto

DRAM WRITE to READ Delay(DD) Auto
DRAM WRITE to READ Delay(DR) Auto
DRAM WRITE to READ Delay(SR) Auto
DRAM READ to WRITE Delay(DD) Auto
DRAM READ to WRITE Delay(DR) Auto
DRAM READ to WRITE Delay(SR) Auto
DRAM READ to READ Delay(DD) Auto
DRAM READ to READ Delay(DR) Auto
DRAM READ to READ Delay(SR) Auto
DRAM WRITE to WRITE Delay(DD) Auto
DRAM WRITE to WRITE Delay(DR) Auto
DRAM WRITE to WRITE Delay(SR) Auto

CPU Voltage *1.25*
CPU PLL Voltage Auto
QPI/DRAM Core Voltage * 1.3*
IOH Voltage Auto
IOH PCIE Voltage Auto
ICH Voltage Auto
ICH PCIE Voltage Auto
DRAM Bus Voltage Auto
DRAM DATA REF Voltage on CHA Auto
DRAM CTRL REF Voltage on CHA Auto
DRAM DATA REF Voltage on CHB Auto
DRAM CTRL REF Voltage on CHB Auto
DRAM DATA REF Voltage on CHC Auto
DRAM CTRL REF Voltage on CHC Auto

Load-Line Calibration Auto
CPU Differential Amplitude Auto
CPU Clock Skew Auto
CPU Spread Spectrum Auto
IOH Clock Skew Auto
PCIE Spread Spectrum Auto

Run Prime95 and check temps with Real Temp. Good luck and let us know how ya make out.


----------



## ricsim78

Ai Overclock Tuner Manual
CPU Ratio Setting *19*
Intel SpeedStep Tech *Enabled*
Intel Turbo Mode Tech *Enabled*
BCLK Frequency *200*
PCIE Frequency 100
DRAM Frequency* 1603*
UCLK Frequency Auto
QPI Link Data Rate Auto

DRAM Timing Control

DRAM CAS# Latency *8*
DRAM RAS# to CAS# Delay *8*
DRAM RAS# PRE Time *8*
DRAM RAS# ACT Time *24*
DRAM RAS# to RAS# Delay Auto
DRAM REF Cycle Time Auto
DRAM WRITE Recovery Time Auto
DRAM READ to PRE Time Auto
DRAM FOUR ACT WIN Time Auto
DRAM Back-To-Back CAS# Delay Auto

DRAM Timing Mode Auto
DRAM Round Trip Latency on CHA Auto
DRAM Round Trip Latency on CHB Auto
DRAM Round Trip Latency on CHC Auto

DRAM WRITE to READ Delay(DD) Auto
DRAM WRITE to READ Delay(DR) Auto
DRAM WRITE to READ Delay(SR) Auto
DRAM READ to WRITE Delay(DD) Auto
DRAM READ to WRITE Delay(DR) Auto
DRAM READ to WRITE Delay(SR) Auto
DRAM READ to READ Delay(DD) Auto
DRAM READ to READ Delay(DR) Auto
DRAM READ to READ Delay(SR) Auto
DRAM WRITE to WRITE Delay(DD) Auto
DRAM WRITE to WRITE Delay(DR) Auto
DRAM WRITE to WRITE Delay(SR) Auto

CPU Voltage *1.3*
CPU PLL Voltage Auto
QPI/DRAM Core Voltage *1.3*
IOH Voltage Auto
IOH PCIE Voltage Auto
ICH Voltage Auto
ICH PCIE Voltage Auto
DRAM Bus Voltage Auto
DRAM DATA REF Voltage on CHA Auto
DRAM CTRL REF Voltage on CHA Auto
DRAM DATA REF Voltage on CHB Auto
DRAM CTRL REF Voltage on CHB Auto
DRAM DATA REF Voltage on CHC Auto
DRAM CTRL REF Voltage on CHC Auto

Load-Line Calibration Auto
CPU Differential Amplitude Auto
CPU Clock Skew Auto
CPU Spread Spectrum Auto
IOH Clock Skew Auto
PCIE Spread Spectrum Auto

Run* Intel Burn Test (Max stress, 5 runs with error checking on)* and check temps with Real Temp. Good luck and let us know how ya make out.








(Have found that Turbo mode on allows for a better overclock with less heat)


----------



## subtle

Thank you very much for the quick feedback guys. I will give this a go and report back in a bit.


----------



## ricsim78

Ai Overclock Tuner Manual
CPU Ratio Setting *Auto*
Intel SpeedStep Tech *Enabled*
Intel Turbo Mode Tech *Enabled*
BCLK Frequency *183*
PCIE Frequency 100
DRAM Frequency *1467*
UCLK Frequency Auto
QPI Link Data Rate Auto

DRAM Timing Control

DRAM CAS# Latency *7*
DRAM RAS# to CAS# Delay *7*
DRAM RAS# PRE Time *7*
DRAM RAS# ACT Time *24*
DRAM RAS# to RAS# Delay Auto
DRAM REF Cycle Time Auto
DRAM WRITE Recovery Time Auto
DRAM READ to PRE Time Auto
DRAM FOUR ACT WIN Time Auto
DRAM Back-To-Back CAS# Delay Auto

DRAM Timing Mode Auto
DRAM Round Trip Latency on CHA Auto
DRAM Round Trip Latency on CHB Auto
DRAM Round Trip Latency on CHC Auto

DRAM WRITE to READ Delay(DD) Auto
DRAM WRITE to READ Delay(DR) Auto
DRAM WRITE to READ Delay(SR) Auto
DRAM READ to WRITE Delay(DD) Auto
DRAM READ to WRITE Delay(DR) Auto
DRAM READ to WRITE Delay(SR) Auto
DRAM READ to READ Delay(DD) Auto
DRAM READ to READ Delay(DR) Auto
DRAM READ to READ Delay(SR) Auto
DRAM WRITE to WRITE Delay(DD) Auto
DRAM WRITE to WRITE Delay(DR) Auto
DRAM WRITE to WRITE Delay(SR) Auto

CPU Voltage *1.3*
CPU PLL Voltage Auto
QPI/DRAM Core Voltage *1.3*
IOH Voltage Auto
IOH PCIE Voltage Auto
ICH Voltage Auto
ICH PCIE Voltage Auto
DRAM Bus Voltage *1.66*
DRAM DATA REF Voltage on CHA Auto
DRAM CTRL REF Voltage on CHA Auto
DRAM DATA REF Voltage on CHB Auto
DRAM CTRL REF Voltage on CHB Auto
DRAM DATA REF Voltage on CHC Auto
DRAM CTRL REF Voltage on CHC Auto

Load-Line Calibration Auto
CPU Differential Amplitude Auto
CPU Clock Skew Auto
CPU Spread Spectrum Auto
IOH Clock Skew Auto
PCIE Spread Spectrum Auto

*Advanced
CPU Ratio: Auto
C1E Support: Enabled
Hardware Prefetch: Enabled
Adjacent Cache Line Prefetch: Enabled
Intel Virtualization: Disabled
Execute Disable Bit: Disabled
Intel HT Technology: Enabled
Active Processor Cores: All
A20M: Disabled
Intel Speedstep: Enabled
Intel Turbo Tech: Enabled
C-State: Enabled
C-State Package: Auto*

This is 3.6 Ghz (stable with my stuff stress tested and temps are good!) with Turbo you will be running 3.8 with dual threaded apps, and 4.0 with single threaded. These are my exact settings and fastest I have been able to come up with yet. Plus, the best part is you are still enabling a lot of the power saving features while still pushing your clocks to the max and getting the most out of your stuff.

This keeps temps down at idle, uses less power at all stages, and it kicks in when you need the speed by itself.


----------



## subtle

ricsim78...I was reading earlier where people were recommending setting the DRAM Bus Voltage to 1.64-1.66.

I assume, based on your settings, that you just recommend leaving that at Auto for now?


----------



## ricsim78

Quote:



ricsim78...I was reading earlier where people were recommending setting the DRAM Bus Voltage to 1.64-1.66.

I assume, based on your settings, that you just recommend leaving that at Auto for now?


Ooops forgot to change that...yes 1.66. Will update my post. Sorry


----------



## lsdmeasap

Quote:



Originally Posted by *xtreme1280*


yeah from what i have read also, the max is 1.37v. 1.5v sounds ways to high. i know alot of people run in the low 1.4's, but never seen anybody over that.



It is 1.5V is the Max Vcore, per Intel's own public documentation >>>










Source PDF
http://download.intel.com/design/pro...hts/320834.pdf

Main Site with all Documents
http://www.intel.com/design/corei7/documentation.htm

Max VID range that you see on this page Is just the max, or min, amount that any processor will leave the factory floor programmed with at stock speeds


----------



## speedy2721

So the max temp for I7 is 68C?


----------



## Ghostscript

TjMax for the 920 (and the others also I guess) is 100C


----------



## Noctred

so i just got a i7 with Gigabyte ex58-UD5 and i noticed most people in this thread have the ASUS P6T motherboard, which confuses me when I read the bios settings since my Gigabyte has different names for advanced cpu settings area etc.

The first thing i need to touch would be to adjust the Advanced CPU settings and then my vCore and QPI?


----------



## Villainstone

Sorry I have been away, I actually forgot I posted here LOL. Anyway I tried 210 Bclck and 19x but the MB would not boot.

Here is one thing I am concerned about... voltages. I am not entirely sure what voltages go to what with this MB. I know what the RAM voltage is, and of course the CPU voltage. I would like to know what voltages controls the base clock, the uncore, and the QPI link. I would also like to know what the max safe voltages for them are.

Please forgive me if these questions have been answered already. I admit that I am just to tired and lazy to read all the post in this thread. I have read up to page three and the last 3 pages as well. TBH I am just looking for q fast and accurate answer. I am not really looking for 4.0 but more like what ever I can get... but it is important to understand the board of course.


----------



## Villainstone

Ok I am at 180MHz bclock and stable. I am hoping to get higher, I will lower the multi to 19 and see if I can push it higher. I read about some sort of multiplier conflict at higher multi's so I will see how it goes. Temps hit 80C at it's maximum... is this to high?? I will post again after I try OCing a bit more.


----------



## Yomny

i try to keep them under 80 while testing.. but obviously while regular computer use they may never reach that high. The trouble multi, which i also read about was 20, so try and use 19 with higher bclks. good luck


----------



## Type-R Yo!

Just playing with it for now. Nothing crazy. Well try 3.8Ghz when I have more time.

Setup:

BCLK - 170
CPU Ratio - 20
CPU Voltage - (BIOS: 1.13125v (alittle lower then stock 2.66Ghz), in CPUZ it shows 1.120v @ idle and 1.128v @ 100% load in Prime95)
DRAM - 1363Mhz
DRAM Voltage - 1.52v
CPU PLL Voltage - 1.80v
QPI/DRAM Core Voltage - 1.2000v

Turbo is On
HT is On
CPU Spread spectrum is Off
Everything else is on Auto
Ran Prime95 for 4 hours and everything is good.

Temperature: (21.6 C in the room)
Idle: 41.25 C
Load: 67 C

CPU is not lapped only TRUE is lapped


----------



## Villainstone

What are the safe voltages to use for each voltage setting besides vcore, and RAM?


----------



## Villainstone

I seem to need at least 1.4v on the QPI/VTT voltage, is that safe? The system is stable 180MHz bclckm and 3.8Ghz CPU speed. I have temps in check, but after trying to get 190Mhz stable all night long I gave up and settled with 180MHz. This board seems to top out about there I guess. I already have an RMA number and packing slip, so I will send it back to Newegg and tell them the replacement was DOA and I want a refund. At that point I will just buy the EVGA board.


----------



## Extreme Newbie

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Villainstone*


I seem to need at least 1.4v on the QPI/VTT voltage, is that safe? The system is stable 180MHz bclckm and 3.8Ghz CPU speed. I have temps in check, but after trying to get 190Mhz stable all night long I gave up and settled with 180MHz. This board seems to top out about there I guess. I already have an RMA number and packing slip, so I will send it back to Newegg and tell them the replacement was DOA and I want a refund. At that point I will just buy the EVGA board.


I think the max QPI Voltage is 1.35 (According to Intel Specs). Have you tried other BLCK settings? If 190 doesn't work try 192 or 193. Sometimes there will be a range of numbers that just wont work. 
What CPU voltages did you try?


----------



## Yomny

I've had several people advise me that 1.35 is max as per intel but then again so is 1.356 for vcore and i've also been told that 1.42 is ok to use with no damage being done, reported by other users. I personally need 1.42 to get higher than 210 bclk. I used it for a few weeks while getting my 4ghz and had no issues, but then again maybe after several months it could be dangerous. When i set my qpi.vtt to auto my board uses 1.42 to boot @ 213 bclk.

Side question: so as per the table provided of voltages by another user, 1.55vcore is now safe, or ok per Intel?


----------



## PizzaMan

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Yomny*


I've had several people advise me that 1.35 is max as per intel but then again so is 1.356 for vcore and i've also been told that 1.42 is ok to use with no damage being done, reported by other users. I personally need 1.42 to get higher than 210 bclk. I used it for a few weeks while getting my 4ghz and had no issues, but then again maybe after several months it could be dangerous. When i set my qpi.vtt to auto my board uses 1.42 to boot @ 213 bclk.

Side question: so as per the table provided of voltages by another user, 1.55vcore is now safe, or ok per Intel?



So long as you control temps.


----------



## Yomny

good to know, now i could run my 4.0ghz 24/7 because i need like 1.37vcore or so under load and it rises to 1.41 @ idle, so i didn't want to push that much vcore before without knowing.


----------



## xtreme1280

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Villainstone* 
I seem to need at least 1.4v on the QPI/VTT voltage, is that safe? The system is stable 180MHz bclckm and 3.8Ghz CPU speed. I have temps in check, but after trying to get 190Mhz stable all night long I gave up and settled with 180MHz. This board seems to top out about there I guess. I already have an RMA number and packing slip, so I will send it back to Newegg and tell them the replacement was DOA and I want a refund. At that point I will just buy the EVGA board.

that's surprising that your board is stopping there. i have the ud3r the model below yours and mine was almost to easy to get to 3.8ghz. qpi/vtt is at 1.28v, vcore at 1.25v. have you tried to turn turbo off(if on) and set your multi at say 19x, and then play with the blck. i go 200blck with a 19x multi for 3.8ghz.


----------



## eflyguy

I do not agree with the 1.55V Vcore. For short term benching, perhaps, but not long-term.
..a


----------



## Yomny

i agree with eflyguy, maybe's because im so used to seeing the limits of most 45 nm chips at or around 1.356 that it makes it hard for anyone to be comfortable with 1.55 for this expensive chip. I don't think i'll be using anything above the 1.37 or so til further testing and prove that the chip has no issues running high voltages for long periods of times. I do know that the temps have a lot to do with the vcore used.


----------



## Villainstone

Well for my vcore running at 3.8 right now I am using 1.37v. I could get low probably I am just making sure that the cpu has enough power.

I have not tried any other Bclck aside from 175 (stable), 180 (stable), 190 (boots to windows), 200 (fails to post). The voltages were set at 1.4 vcore, 1.4 qpi/vtt, 1.64 vdimm, I have the pll set for 1.8v. LLC- ON, HT- ON, Turbo- on. I don't think it is the CPU though, I think it is the MB.


----------



## Extreme Newbie

Have you tried it without turbo on? Maybe a multi of 19 or 20 will work better with your board?


----------



## xtreme1280

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Villainstone* 
Well for my vcore running at 3.8 right now I am using 1.37v. I could get low probably I am just making sure that the cpu has enough power.

I have not tried any other Bclck aside from 175 (stable), 180 (stable), 190 (boots to windows), 200 (fails to post). The voltages were set at 1.4 vcore, 1.4 qpi/vtt, 1.64 vdimm, I have the pll set for 1.8v. LLC- ON, HT- ON, Turbo- on. I don't think it is the CPU though, I think it is the MB.

mine wouldn't post either with turbo on and the blck set at 200. with it off it's stable. also you might try to turn llc-off, don't know if that will help or not. although it is sounding like you might have a bad board. not meaning that it doesn't perform fine stock, just not that great of an overclocker compared to maybe someone else with the same board. it seems like you should be able to go lower on your voltages.


----------



## Villainstone

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Extreme Newbie*


Have you tried it without turbo on? Maybe a multi of 19 or 20 will work better with your board?


Yeah I had turbo off the whole time so that way the multi is constant. I;m sure that if I turn HT off I can do better but I like the thought of having it. I guess the thought of having 8 theoretical cores.

I will play around with it a bit more. I just hate how it can be so time consuming. 3 hours goes by and it will be 5:00 before I know it just like last night LOL. How am I suppse to play games if I am being consumed by OCing







?


----------



## eflyguy

Mini-rant - not directed at anyone in particular.

For those that argue against HT, I say why not turn off all but a single core? This is a pretty expensive way to simply come up with an impressive OC.

I bought the i7 for the performance - and I believe I am getting what I paid for, although it's not the most impressive OC out there..
..a


----------



## jrharvey

Quote:



Originally Posted by *eflyguy*


Mini-rant - not directed at anyone in particular.

For those that argue against HT, I say why not turn off all but a single core? This is a pretty expensive way to simply come up with an impressive OC.

I bought the i7 for the performance - and I believe I am getting what I paid for, although it's not the most impressive OC out there..
..a


I guess it depends on what you do. If all you do is play games then hyperthreading really doesnt do anything. Why have 8 threads when you can barely use 4. Me personally, I do alot of graphics, annimation and 3d visualization so I need all the cores I can get. If there was a 32 core machine out there, I would buy it (if i had the money). I guess it depends on what you do.


----------



## PizzaMan

Here's the thermal spec guys. I know lots of you have been running load temps in the 70-80's.


----------



## speedy2721

Isnt that the max temps for the case, not the actual cores?


----------



## Extreme Newbie

From what I have read the Thermal spec for core temps / real temp is 100C at 130W full load. Thermal spec for Tcase, which apparently you can not monitor, is 67.9C at full 130W.
I am sure that someone has the REAL answer to what the max temp is for these i7's.


----------



## Slightly skewed

I don't understand that table at all.









Intel thermal limit is *1.375v*. http://processorfinder.intel.com/det...px?sSpec=SLBCH

I am using 1.42 for 4.1 ghz and a 20 multi. It seems that the 19 needs the same amount of volts after a certain clock. I have yet to try any lower mulit's though because as someone mentioned, it's beyond time consuming.

I do have a question though, the QPI frequency can be chosen in the BIOS, has anyone selected a higher transfer rate then 4.8gt/s?


----------



## laxrunner

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Slightly skewed* 
I don't understand that table at all.









Intel thermal limit is *1.375v*. http://processorfinder.intel.com/det...px?sSpec=SLBCH

Then if you were to follow the link on that page to the technical documents and look for yourself at their processor datasheet, in volume 1, chapter 2, table 2-6 you would see this:

Note max Vcc is 1.55V

CPU VID is not the same as Vcc, they refer to different things. Vcc is Vcore, VID is a reference number not the actual voltage delivered.


----------



## Slightly skewed

I see. Well thanks for clarifying this and making that other thread.


----------



## Blameless

Quote:



Originally Posted by *PizzaMan*


Here's the thermal spec guys. I know lots of you have been running load temps in the 70-80's.


You should educate yourself on the difference between TCASE and TJ.

The thermal profile in the Intel white papers uses TCASE, this is a _*totaly different, and far lower*_ number than TJ.

TCASE is the temperature of the tp center of the heatspreader. The only way to read this is to mill a trench in the IHS and install a physical thermal probe.

TJ is the temperature of the interface (junction) between the die and underside of the IHS. This can easily be 20C + warmer. TJ (or more precisely the distance to TJmax) is measured on-die, with Intels DTS. *This is what temperature monitoring programs read.*

If you have the TJmax set to 100C, then a 90C load temp in everest, realtemp, core temp, etc, is LOWER than the 67.9C thermal spec on TCASE.


----------



## Blameless

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Extreme Newbie*


I am sure that someone has the REAL answer to what the max temp is for these i7's.


There is no firm answer. The higher the voltage and them more current you draw, the colder the chip will have to be for electromigration to progress at the same rate.

Apparently Intel's TJmax is ~100C. This is the point the CPU will throttle back. Shut down won't happen till 120C+.

Given that throttling does not even occur till well past 90C, it's reasonable to assume that Intel expects these CPUs to last at least 3 years of continuous use at 90-100C and stock clocks, as a minimum.

A rough rule of thumb is that for every ~10C cooler you keep a part, you double it's life span. On the other hand, higher than stock voltages, and/or clocks can dramatically increase electromigration, and lower life span.

My particular i7 setup needs 1.376v to stay stable uder max load. With this voltage and these clocks, I load at 80-85C. I expect my increased voltage to knock a year off the life of my chip, and the 50% over clock to take off another year. However, even at 85C I am 10-15C below what the CPU was originally rated for, which should double the expected life.

If I run Linpack 24/7 I expect this CPU to last at least 2 years, at these settings. Since I don't run linpack 24, I expect this CPU to last at least 5 years, by which time it will have long since been sold, or given away.

This is a very imprecise guestimate (and there are many factors I did not take into account), but from past experience, it's fairly accurate (assuming nothing else goes wrong and everythign is being given clean, stable power).


----------



## hollywood406

I've been reading a lot of these posts and everyone's success at OC'ing the i7. I'm having trouble getting past 3.4ghz. I read in a post somewhere that certain processor lot numbers were better overclockers. I have the 3838A and was wondering what you guys are running.


----------



## jrharvey

Quote:



Originally Posted by *hollywood406*


I've been reading a lot of these posts and everyone's success at OC'ing the i7. I'm having trouble getting past 3.4ghz. I read in a post somewhere that certain processor lot numbers were better overclockers. I have the 3838A and was wondering what you guys are running.


Tell us a bit more about the settings you are using and what you change to get your OC. I bet your CPU can get higher than 3.4ghz


----------



## hollywood406

I'm at work right now but I'll post them in the morning. I was trying a 20x cpu multiplier and stepping the bclk +10 at a time from the 20x170 that I'm using to achieve 3.4ghz stable. Vcore is 1.3v (BIOS) and QPI/Vtt 1.3v also. I think I left the QPI multiplier at x36 and all boosts are disabled (EIST, CIA2, TURBO, ect) I did leave HT on. I get a variety of crashes but mostly if I go too high with the bclk, I can't post.


----------



## Xecuter2

Try to use 19x multi. 20x is an epic fail with anything I have tried, though I can run 216 x 19 stable o.0.


----------



## Blameless

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Xecuter2* 
Try to use 19x multi. 20x is an epic fail with anything I have tried, though I can run 216 x 19 stable o.0.

I've seen the opposite with my chip.

This 920 (a 3839A if I recall correctly) cannot handle over 195 BCLK without dramatic increases in voltage, but takes the 20 and 21 multipliers just fine.

Seems to be quite a bit of vairability from chip to chip.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *hollywood406* 
I'm at work right now but I'll post them in the morning. I was trying a 20x cpu multiplier and stepping the bclk +10 at a time from the 20x170 that I'm using to achieve 3.4ghz stable. Vcore is 1.3v (BIOS) and QPI/Vtt 1.3v also. I think I left the QPI multiplier at x36 and all boosts are disabled (EIST, CIA2, TURBO, ect) I did leave HT on. I get a variety of crashes but mostly if I go too high with the bclk, I can't post.

What BIOS version are you using?

Also, what are your uncore and memory multipliers?

You may very well need more QPI/Vtt voltage. In fact the only voltages I've needed to touch when OCing my i7 on this board are the vcore and qpi/vtt.


----------



## jrharvey

I know we have different board and chips but I was able to get 3.6ghz on 1.21 volts and can hit 3.8 on 1.26V. That is with turbo mode off. Maybe try just jumping straight to a 180 bclock and see if that helps. Hmmm are you underclocking your RAM to account for the drastic Bclock speeds? My ram doesnt like to go over 1780mhz so I have to knock it down a multi or two.


----------



## hollywood406

Thanks for the replies and the tips guys. I'm running the F3 BIOS and the uncore multiplier is x16 (2720mhz) and memory multiplier is 8.0. The ram is a bit overclocked at 1360 when it's rated at 1333. I could try to knock that down. I've also read that some chips like (or dislike) a range of BCLK frequencies. I can try 190 and a x19 multiplier.

I should add that I did have it running at 3.8 for a short time. I even ran 3dMarkVantage (13,037) and 3DMark06 (19,140) but I BSOD as soon as I tried to run Prime95 The 3.8 settings were CPU x19, BCLK 200, Uncore x13, QPI Link x36, Mem x6 (1200), Vcore 1.3, QPI/Vtt 1.32 with all the speed stepping stuff disabled except HT and all cores active.

I'm going to plug those settings in again with your tips on multipliers and bclk and I'll let you know how it works.


----------



## hollywood406

OK, I tried these settings.....

CPU x19
BCLK 191 (3.62ghz)
QPI x36
Uncore x13 (2483mhz)
Mem Multiplier 6.0 (1146mhz)
Vdram 1.6v
CPU 1.300v
QPI/Vtt 1.32

I POST OK and load windows OK but I lock up at the FEATURE TEST of 3DMarkVantage (so close!). I can run 3DMark06 (18,278)

I can set my memory from 1.5 - 1.6 with the latency settings on AUTO. They usually get set to 9-9-9-24 Any other ideas?


----------



## Extreme Newbie

Have you tired leaving all your setting on Auto with the exception of CPU voltage, QPI voltage, CPU multi and BLCK?


----------



## hollywood406

What do you guys use to test your settings for stability? I use 3DMarkVantage, 3DMark06 and Prime95

BTW......I knocked the Vdram back to 1.5v and set the Vcore to 1.325v and was able to pass 3DMarkVantage (13,081) I haven't run P95 yet


----------



## hollywood406

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Extreme Newbie*


Have you tired leaving all your setting on Auto with the exception of CPU voltage, QPI voltage, CPU multi and BLCK?


I can try that. Do you think the voltages, frequencies and multipliers look OK for that?
Say.....
CPU Multi x19
BCLK 200
Vcore 1.325v
QPI/Vtt 1.32v

What about the Speed step? Leave it disabled? I haven't had any luck when I enable that.


----------



## xtreme1280

Quote:


Originally Posted by *hollywood406* 
I can try that. Do you think the voltages, frequencies and multipliers look OK for that?
Say.....
CPU Multi x19
BCLK 200
Vcore 1.325v
QPI/Vtt 1.32v

What about the Speed step? Leave it disabled? I haven't had any luck when I enable that.

yeah i would leave it disabled. mine doesn't like it enabled either. i have the same board as you. i use
cpu multi x19
bclk-200
vcore-1.25v
qpi/vtt-1.27v
mem multi-8x


----------



## hollywood406

OK, I ran 1+ hour of Prime95 (small fft) without a crash or BSOD. So far 3.62 looks promising! I haven't had much luck with a BCLK of 200 but I could try it with the x19 CPU multiplier. I had some really good 3DMark numbers with the 3.8 settings........right up until I crashed with P95! haha Maybe I'll set the other settings to AUTO and try just the CPU/QPI voltages and CPU Multi and BCLK. Thanks for all the advice so far!!


----------



## hollywood406

Here's a couple shots of my i7 build. Isn't that Mugen-2 cooler HUGE!! It keeps the temps, during Prime95, down to the low 60's so I'm real happy with it so far. I hope that it works as well when I hit 4ghz


----------



## Extreme Newbie

Quote:


Originally Posted by *hollywood406* 
Here's a couple shots of my i7 build. Isn't that Mugen-2 cooler HUGE!! It keeps the temps, during Prime95, down to the low 60's so I'm real happy with it so far. I hope that it works as well when I hit 4ghz

Wow that is a huge cooler...are you sure you took it out of the box before you installed it


----------



## speedy2721

Quote:



Originally Posted by *hollywood406*


Here's a couple shots of my i7 build. Isn't that Mugen-2 cooler HUGE!! It keeps the temps, during Prime95, down to the low 60's so I'm real happy with it so far. I hope that it works as well when I hit 4ghz


I have the same cooler using IC Diamond TIM and my temps at 4Ghz using LinX is 75C-80C using 1.312V at load. Post your temps once you overclock it to see if we have similar temps.


----------



## NOS KIA

Using CoolIt's Domino ALC (about like good Air Coolinig, W/O the weight...)
I am getting about 72-75 C (ambient=24C)at load 
2.77--> 3.887 Ghz
20x
185 bclk
1.3vcore
1.64v ram
Patriot Viper (3-2gb)ram running at 6x

Does this sound fairly decent?
I am running the 8 hour Prime95 Torture Test overnight.
Should this tell me if my system is stable or not?
Or is there more software to run for stability?

Thanks for the input,
Nos


----------



## Extreme Newbie

Quote:



Originally Posted by *NOS KIA*


Using CoolIt's Domino ALC (about like good Air Coolinig, W/O the weight...)
I am getting about 72-75 C (ambient=24C)at load 
2.77--> 3.887 Ghz
20x
185 bclk
1.3vcore
1.64v ram
Patriot Viper (3-2gb)ram running at 6x

Does this sound fairly decent?
I am running the 8 hour Prime95 Torture Test overnight.
Should this tell me if my system is stable or not?
Or is there more software to run for stability?

Thanks for the input,
Nos


You may be able to get away with a little less voltage on your CPU. I can run at 3.9 with 1.225v so if you can get lower it would help with temps.
Prime95 is great for testing stability. What motherboard are you using?


----------



## NOS KIA

I am using the Gigabyte UD5 motherboard.
So you think I can lower the voltages to help out my Temps?
I just had a heck of a time getting to this point, I would really like to lower Vcore voltage, especially if it lowers my cpu temps.

Oh and by the way test came back perfect.

Thanks,
NOS


----------



## Extreme Newbie

There are quite a few getting to 3.8Ghz with 1.25v using the UD3 boards. Not sure if the UD5 will be the same but its worth a shot. The lower you go the better you temps will be.
You can use OCCT to do a quick stress test to see if the lower voltages work. Once you find the lowest voltage that will pass a 1hr OCCT test then you should run an 8 hour (or longer) Prime95 test to be sure its stable.


----------



## cky2k6

prime95 is not a good stress test for i7 alone. linx with max memory usage truly tests how stable the chip is, since its not only more intense than prime on the cpu, but it also stresses the memory controller and ram as well.


----------



## tpavur

setings are as follows:

turbo mode - dis.
BCLK - 190
Dram - 15XX
V core 1.31250
CPU PLL Volt - 1.80
QPI - 1.35
DRAM Volt 1.66
CPU Diff - 800Mv
APCI 2 ena

how can i improve? idle temp is 40C load is 73C after 15 min of prime95


----------



## jrharvey

Quote:



Originally Posted by *tpavur*


setings are as follows:

turbo mode - dis.
BCLK - 190
Dram - 15XX
V core 1.31250
CPU PLL Volt - 1.80
QPI - 1.35
DRAM Volt 1.66
CPU Diff - 800Mv
APCI 2 ena

how can i improve? idle temp is 40C load is 73C after 15 min of prime95


That sounds pretty good to me but 15 minutes of prime 95 is not going to find the max temps of that chip. I start to hit the highest temps about 35-30 minutes into the test. After that it just kinda stays steady. Sounds like that cooler is doing pretty good.


----------



## tpavur

does it look like these setings should be pretty stable? i keep HT on, is that pretty much the norm? what do you guys use to keep track of temps? im using OCCT.


----------



## Extreme Newbie

Quote:



Originally Posted by *tpavur*


does it look like these setings should be pretty stable? i keep HT on, is that pretty much the norm? what do you guys use to keep track of temps? im using OCCT.


I use Realtemp. Coretemp is good and so is Everest.


----------



## laxrunner

Quote:



Originally Posted by *tpavur*


setings are as follows:

turbo mode - dis.
BCLK - 190
Dram - 15XX
V core 1.31250
CPU PLL Volt - 1.80
QPI - 1.35
DRAM Volt 1.66
CPU Diff - 800Mv
APCI 2 ena

how can i improve? idle temp is 40C load is 73C after 15 min of prime95


You probably don't need QPI voltage that high, 1.2-1.25 should be plenty. Do you have vdroop on or off? (don't even know if your mobo allows that?) what is the load voltage? 1.3125 vcore (bios) is also probably more than you need for a stable 190bclk. Stability test and gradually lower the voltage needed while keeping the cpu stable, should help lower max temps.


----------



## tpavur

in OCCT it sas CPU volt is 1.31, is it safe to say if i have been running prime95 for 45 min. i'm stable? if so how much should i lower the V core?


----------



## tpavur

if I run prime95 through the night while i sleep, is there a way to make my computer shutdown if i hit a certain temp?


----------



## NOS KIA

All-right everyone. I am at 3.887 and stable.

Need your wisdom.
Using Gigabyte -UD5 mother board
Multi= 20x
I have 185 Bclk
1.3 vcore
QPI is auto, never touched it
Ram is 6x under clocked @ 1.64v or 1.66b cant remember
(Patriot viper 1333) timings 7-7-7-20
**never touched the timings, if I need to, let me know, Id like to give up some of the tight timings for a little more speed if I could**

Turbo ON
All the power saving devices ON
1.3 vcore

Cooling is about 39 Idle - 78 Full Load (max)after 8 hrs of Prime95
MemTest Passed up to 2 hrs.

Is there any way to get the temps down to like 70(max) under full load and keep the overlock at around 3.8?

I Haven't even messed with the timings on the memory or the QPI.
I know it runs great @ a 1.3 Vcore and @ 1.275 it doesn't run so great, CRASH. And doesn't pass 45 min. Prime test.
I believe there is 2 or 3 voltage settings inbetween 1.27500 and 1.30000, I have yet to have time to check those others out, but I don't think the temp. difference will be that great. I was hoping for something around stock.
When I first when to overclock this i7, we hit 3.5Ghz Immediately and very easily. Raised the Bclk to like 180 at stock voltage and underclocked memory and ran great. Is there THAT HUGE of a difference between 180 and 185?
Should I try a Multi of 19 instead of 20? I have heard that on some Mobo that is working better, but I am kinda stuck on my level of knowhow.
Looking for some direction! Love this OCcing though!

OCCT and Real Temp are showing perfect temps comparatively. FYI


----------



## Slightly skewed

I'm almost positive that the only way to decrease temps, is to decrease voltage, as in vcore. Yes, some have had good luck with the 19x and lower multi's semm to need less vcore to obtain the same speeds so you might want to try that.. Most of the time anyways.

There is a point on every set-up that's almost like a wall. Anything above that wall offers depreciating gains.


----------



## NOS KIA

I would agree with your last statement, but I don't think I am doing everything I could be doing to make sure my temps are lowered.
My stability test failed b/c of memory stability issues, I am allmost conviced.
Actually I have no clue, but wondering if that can make a difference in vcore or QPI voltage?
As I have not messed with that at all.


----------



## tphotog96

Quote:


Originally Posted by *zlojack* 
Apparently guys have been having luck with the 19 Multi and 211 bclk.

Maybe try that?

Also, what bios revision on your board?

At what vcore (roughly of course as everyone is going to be different)?...


----------



## Slightly skewed

Quote:



Originally Posted by *NOS KIA*


I would agree with your last statement, but I don't think I am doing everything I could be doing to make sure my temps are lowered.
My stability test failed b/c of memory stability issues, I am allmost conviced.
Actually I have no clue, but wondering if that can make a difference in vcore or QPI voltage? 
As I have not messed with that at all.


 It may be a bad stick, but try upping the NB voltage a bit.


----------



## Slightly skewed

Is anyone running uncore above 16X?


----------



## NOS KIA

U mean the QPI voltage? Is that NBridge voltage?
The Board Revision is The newest one. "F5"


----------



## Slightly skewed

Quote:



Originally Posted by *NOS KIA*


U mean the QPI voltage? Is that NBridge voltage?
The Board Revision is The newest one. "F5"


 I don't know what it's listed as in your BIOS.


----------



## Jakethesnake011

I got my i7 to 3.5 with ht on and turbo off, and 3.8 with ht on and turbo on. My voltage for Vcore is 1.224V and QPI is somewhere like 1.2 volts, I think +0.03 V from default. Now what is a safe range for my QPI voltage, I think 1.35 is way to high or max and 1.2 is default right? Rule of thumb to keep QPI as close as possible to Vcore Voltage?


----------



## Extreme Newbie

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Jakethesnake011* 
I got my i7 to 3.5 with ht on and turbo off, and 3.8 with ht on and turbo on. My voltage for Vcore is 1.224V and QPI is somewhere like 1.2 volts, I think +0.03 V from default. Now what is a safe range for my QPI voltage, I think 1.35 is way to high or max and 1.2 is default right? Rule of thumb to keep QPI as close as possible to Vcore Voltage?

1.35 is the recommended max for QPI (Intel specs) and it is suggested that you keep QPI within .5 volts of your RAM voltage.


----------



## Jakethesnake011

RAM? Hmm have not heard qpi linking to ram. Well okay, help me out if u dont mind. My Vcore is +.03V so 1.224, my QPI is +0.04V ( I do not know default for this i7 my mobo have no realtime reading), my ram is running 1.6V and the IOH is 1.10 and cpu PLL is 1.80. So I am rock solid stable at this boring 3.531 overclock, now I should get the TRUE i order this weekend and I plan on lapping the TRUE not my i7 just yet, maybe after the warrenty is gone







, but anyways this weekend I will be hitting this CPU and trying to pull 4.0+ out of it. nevermind uyou said to keep it 0.5 within RAM, but do you keep it somewhere like 0.01 V above the Vcore, until you hit the 1.35 V max for QPI?


----------



## NOS KIA

I am getting a solid 3.885Ghz Running both Mem-Test(2hr) and Prime95 (8hr) and max temps are around 70C with ambient around 20C. Idle temps are about 38C-39C.

I am happy with this. I think I will underclock back to 3.5Ghz for peace of mind.
Here is my specs.


----------



## p0isonapple

I'm currently getting 4009Mhz using the following settings:

Multi: 21x
BCLK: 191
vCore: 1.42
HT: On
QPI: 1.3
DRAM: Auto

However i'm concerned the voltage on my CPU is going to impact it's life. Can someone give me some guidance here? Am I better off trying to get 3.6 - 3.8Ghz at a lower voltage?


----------



## Extreme Newbie

Quote:


Originally Posted by *p0isonapple* 
I'm currently getting 4009Mhz using the following settings:

Multi: 21x
BCLK: 191
vCore: 1.42
HT: On
QPI: 1.3
DRAM: Auto

However i'm concerned the voltage on my CPU is going to impact it's life. Can someone give me some guidance here? Am I better off trying to get 3.6 - 3.8Ghz at a lower voltage?

Have you tried a multi of 20 and blck of 201 to get to 4Ghz? I found that the turbo mode (21 multi) required more voltage than the 20 multi.


----------



## jrharvey

Quote:


Originally Posted by *p0isonapple* 
I'm currently getting 4009Mhz using the following settings:

Multi: 21x
BCLK: 191
vCore: 1.42
HT: On
QPI: 1.3
DRAM: Auto

However i'm concerned the voltage on my CPU is going to impact it's life. Can someone give me some guidance here? Am I better off trying to get 3.6 - 3.8Ghz at a lower voltage?

I would not run that voltage. Are you sure you need that much? If you cannot get stable with any less than that then you need to try the 20 multi just like the other guy said. I dont run turbo mode so I know I can get perfectly stable at 4.1ghz on 1.38V. I definately would not run that 24/7. Mayby short burst of speed when you need it. What kinda voltages are you running at 4.0ghz?


----------



## J Rod

Alright, I'm a many-time builder, but first-time poster and overclocker. This is my first i7 system and all suspective leads take me to bad memory but I honestly have no idea what I'm looking for as I've never dealt with DDR3 memory before.

I'm only running 3.32Ghz, DDR3-1280 because I currently only have the stock cooler (Vigor Monsoon was blocked by PWM heatsink on my eVGA mobo, so I've got a Zalman 9500 on the way). Aiming for 3.8 or 4.0, once I get the new cooler, assuming I can figure out what is going on with the memory. I'd like to run at 160 Bclk, 20x mult, 2:10 mem mult to give me DDR3-1600 but I can get a POST at any voltages that I've tried.

Here is the issue, Prime95 runs for over 12 hours on small FTT but instantly fails within 5 sec of the large FTT or blend tests. It gives me the same stupid 0x00000124 BSOD which was an audio error that I had with my 8600GT on my old rig. As far as I understand things small FTT is more of a CPU test and the others are more for memory, but I don't know if that is flawed logic.

I thought it was just Prime95, but Memtest86+ locks up at time 0:00:04 at 7% on the first test, even with Legacy USB support disabled. I'm going to try the sticks individually to try to narrow down the culprit, and I've been recommended to up the DRAM voltage but this G.Skill memory is only rated from 1.5 to 1.6V. Any suggestions?

The system is entirely stable on normal apps/COD4&5/Mass Effect/WoW at max settings, but Prime95 large FTT and blend seem to hate it. My temps across all cores are 40C idle, 70C at max load (I hate the stock cooler ugh).

I apologize if I'm posting this in the wrong thread, this was the only one I could find regarding i7 overclocking.


----------



## Extreme Newbie

Welcome to OCN.
Have you tried leaving all you setting on Auto except for your multi (20) & blck (160)? Motherboards tend to over volt when set to auto but its a good way to see what voltages are being used. You can then go back and set the voltages lower in your bios to see where the problem might be.
These i7 produce a ton of heat and the Zalman 9500 wont be able to handle it, especially if you want to try and reach 4.0Ghz.


----------



## J Rod

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Extreme Newbie* 
Welcome to OCN.
Have you tried leaving all you setting on Auto except for your multi (20) & blck (160)? Motherboards tend to over volt when set to auto but its a good way to see what voltages are being used. You can then go back and set the voltages lower in your bios to see where the problem might be.

I had it on auto to begin with to see what the mobo recommended. Here is what I have been running with currently:

Bclk: 160
Multi: 20 (21 with turbo on)
Vcore: 1.30 V
DRAM: 1.50 V
VTT: 1.10 V
IOH/ICH: 1.50 V
ICH: 1.10 V

Any obvious problems with those voltages at 3.2Ghz (3.32 turbo)?

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Extreme Newbie* 
These i7 produce a ton of heat and the Zalman 9500 wont be able to handle it, especially if you want to try and reach 4.0Ghz.

What kind of cooler do you recommend then? I'm open to alternatives, the Zalman just seemed like a good bang/buck and I had used their coolers before, and I've read multiple reviews that the 9700 and an i7-920 will yield between 25-30C idle and 45-50C load @ 4Ghz. I'd definitely be happy with that. I have also considered a TRUE because I see that as a well-rounded option, but I don't know of a reliable place to purchase it from (I'm almost exclusively Newegg). Haven't RMA'd the old one yet.


----------



## Extreme Newbie

Try these settings:
Turbo- Disabled (I found Turbo required more voltage)
Multi- 20
Bclk- 160
Vcore- 1.25 (Shouldn't need 1.3 for 3.2Ghz, may be able to get away with less than 1.25))
Ram- 1.6 (Max safe for your ram)
Everything else on Auto for now.

As far as a good cooler I recommend the TRUE because I have one.







It is one of, if not the, best coolers around (According to many)


----------



## J Rod

I'll give those voltages a shot and see what happens.

With regard to the TRUE, I haven't heard a bad review from anyone yet. I won't be able to put it in push-pull however because I don't believe I have clearance for both fans. I guess I'll give it a shot and buy an extra fan and bracket, and if it doesn't fit then I've got an extra fan for my side panel on the 900.


----------



## Extreme Newbie

Quote:



Originally Posted by *J Rod*


I'll give those voltages a shot and see what happens.

With regard to the TRUE, I haven't heard a bad review from anyone yet. I won't be able to put it in push-pull however because I don't believe I have clearance for both fans. I guess I'll give it a shot and buy an extra fan and bracket, and if it doesn't fit then I've got an extra fan for my side panel on the 900. 


I don't know if there is much advantage to push/pull.I did it because I like all the blue LED fans. 1 good fan in push is all you need.

Have you disables speedstep or CxE function? Both of these are power saving features.


----------



## J Rod

VCore @ 1.25 V and DIMM @ 1.60 V boots into Windows without a problem. Prime95 again works well on small FTT but instant BSOD on Blend or Large FTT. Still giving the 0x00000124 audio error common with nVidia GPUs (from what I read). 12V rail stays rock steady at 12.18V which leads me to believe it isn't PSU-related.

Just realized I was running Memtest86 v3.5 instead of Memtest86+ v2.11. Must have downloaded the wrong ISO. New test completed 2 passes with no errors/lockups. Should I be worried that my actual DIMM voltage is reading 1.67 V in CPU-Z/E-LEET and my RAM is rated at 1.50-1.60V? It seems my PSU overvoltages a bit because it is set at 1.60 V in the BIOS.

If I do push to 4.0 GHz with the new cooler, do you think adding another GTX 260 Core 216 for SLI would be pushing it for my 750W PSU? It's got 60A on the 12V rail and the single card calls for 36A, but I don't know if using 2 cards would essentially double the requirements.


----------



## J Rod

Well, upon further inspection I found a review including my exact mobo and the TRUE (http://www.hardwarecanucks.com/forum...-review-5.html). It looks like an east-west orientation with the "push" fan mounted from my RAM side will work fine. I've got a 120mm exhaust directly on the opposite side so I don't think push-pull will even be necessary because it would just be an exhaust fan blowing at another exhaust fan (seems like a waste). The TRUE is going to hang off the edge of my mobo by like 2cm, but it shouldn't be a problem because I've got about 1.5 in of clearance before it hits the 200cm fan on the top of my case.

Quote:



Have you disables speedstep or CxE function? Both of these are power saving features.


Yeah, that's the first thing I did upon loading defaults. I run High Performance profile in Vista anyway and I don't think those kick in unless you're on Balanced or Power Saver. Might be wrong, though.


----------



## laxrunner

Quote:


Originally Posted by *J Rod* 
Here is the issue, Prime95 runs for over 12 hours on small FTT but instantly fails within 5 sec of the large FTT or blend tests. It gives me the same stupid 0x00000124 BSOD which was an audio error that I had with my 8600GT on my old rig. As far as I understand things small FTT is more of a CPU test and the others are more for memory, but I don't know if that is flawed logic.

BSOD error 124 is due to too little CPU VTT voltage on that board. I have the same one, just bump that voltage a bit and you should be good. For reference the BSOD error 101 is too little vcore if you get that one at some point.


----------



## J Rod

Quote:


Originally Posted by *laxrunner* 
BSOD error 124 is due to too little CPU VTT voltage on that board. I have the same one, just bump that voltage a bit and you should be good. For reference the BSOD error 101 is too little vcore if you get that one at some point.

Excellent. I had it pretty low to begin with at 1.10 V. Just bumping it up to 1.15 V was enough to keep it from BSOD immediately. I've got the Blend test going at the moment and I'm gonna see how that does for a few hours.

Haven't seen the 101 BSOD yet, but just dropping my VCore from 1.30 to 1.25V was enough to drop idle temps by 6 C and load temps by 10 C across all coress. I just can't wait for my TRUE to get here so I can actually start making real tweaks. I'm happy with 3.2Ghz on the stock cooler for now though.

Thanks to all for the quick responses and help! I already love this forum...


----------



## J Rod

Well, Prime95 Blend test went for 4.5 hours with no errors after the increased VTT.

My system is now stable with Prime95 on all 3 tests and Memtest86+, but here is a new issue: I'm getting random restarts when playing WoW. No warning, no graphic artifacts, no BSOD, nothing logged upon restart of system. Of all games, I wouldn't think something as old as WoW would cause issues especially after it held up to the earlier tests as well as 3DMark/PCMark Vantage tests.

I thought it may have been heat or power related, but my 12V rail stays rock steady at 12.18 V, GPU temp only reaches 41 C while playing WoW, CPU temp across all cores around 38 C. This leads me to think that it's not an overheat issue. I knocked the GPU settings back to the stock 576/1351/999 and it still happens.

Currently I'm downloading the newest set of nVidia drivers to see if that fixes anything.


----------



## Lyshk0

Quote:


Originally Posted by *J Rod* 
Well, Prime95 Blend test went for 4.5 hours with no errors after the increased VTT.

My system is now stable with Prime95 on all 3 tests and Memtest86+, but here is a new issue: I'm getting random restarts when playing WoW. No warning, no graphic artifacts, no BSOD, nothing logged upon restart of system. Of all games, I wouldn't think something as old as WoW would cause issues especially after it held up to the earlier tests as well as 3DMark/PCMark Vantage tests.

I thought it may have been heat or power related, but my 12V rail stays rock steady at 12.18 V, GPU temp only reaches 41 C while playing WoW, CPU temp across all cores around 38 C. This leads me to think that it's not an overheat issue. I knocked the GPU settings back to the stock 576/1351/999 and it still happens.

Currently I'm downloading the newest set of nVidia drivers to see if that fixes anything.

i was having a similar issue while folding (2xsmp clients for 8 threads) after i bumped up my qpi voltage. what do you have yours set at? can you lower it and maintain stability? i think i had mine too high, but i lowered it and it cleared up the issue.

edit: actually, looking at your earlier post for vtt, you may want to raise that some to see if that helps. mine was to high, but if you set yours down to auto, it might not be getting enough


----------



## jrharvey

Sounds like an issue I am having. Sometimes when I do a fresh boot I just get past the BIOS post fine but black screen as soon as the login page comes up. Sometimes in windows I just get a white screen of death and i have to reboot to get my PC back. I have tried just about everything you can think of. I think its just the way they all are unfortunately. I have been through 2 motherboards and tried new RAM, GPU, PSU and nothing worked.


----------



## pzyko80

hey.... anyone here using the rampage II extreme board... got my 920 to 3.2 stable so far I want to go higher. I was wondering if someone can give me an idea on there voltage set ups...just for a reference guide... thanks much


----------



## p0isonapple

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Extreme Newbie* 
Have you tried a multi of 20 and blck of 201 to get to 4Ghz? I found that the turbo mode (21 multi) required more voltage than the 20 multi.

I've tried, and required pretty much the same voltage as 21x 191.

I'm going to attempt to get a 3.8Ghz stable tonight on less than 1.38v. Would that be sufficient for 24/7 use?


----------



## Lyshk0

Quote:



Originally Posted by *p0isonapple*


I've tried, and required pretty much the same voltage as 21x 191.

I'm going to attempt to get a 3.8Ghz stable tonight on less than 1.38v. Would that be sufficient for 24/7 use?



that seems like high vcore to me, but idk, its up to you if you feel comfortable running it that high.

i did 3.6 (180x20) at right around 1.2vcore. if i went up any higher i found that i needed at least 1.3v and for 4.0 i needed around 1.34v


----------



## ColdHardCash

Quote:


Originally Posted by *p0isonapple* 
I've tried, and required pretty much the same voltage as 21x 191.

I'm going to attempt to get a 3.8Ghz stable tonight on less than 1.38v. Would that be sufficient for 24/7 use?

depends on your temps i guess. 1.38v does seem quite high for 3.8ghz.


----------



## jrharvey

Quote:



Originally Posted by *p0isonapple*


I've tried, and required pretty much the same voltage as 21x 191.

I'm going to attempt to get a 3.8Ghz stable tonight on less than 1.38v. Would that be sufficient for 24/7 use?


The asus board SHOULD be able to do better than that. I have hit 4.0 on 1.31V (Turbo Off) and I may even be able to go lower but that was just to see if I could get it to 4.0 and stable. What is your CPU PLL voltage at? If I remember right, I left mine at 1.84 but Im not possitive. It wasnt at the max of 1.88.


----------



## NOS KIA

I agree it sound pretty high. I am at 3.885Ghz with
bclk of 185
Multi 20(21) (turbo on)
vcore @ 1.28v
And Im stable with max temps around 65Cmax under 8 load test of prime.
If you find that your not getting better clocks unless your ramp up vcore, try underclocking your mem. and focusing on CPU clock first, then work up to ram.
Thats what I did to lower vcore.....in turn Temps...which is also good piece of mind.
IMO


----------



## NOS KIA

Quote:


Originally Posted by *pzyko80* 
hey.... anyone here using the rampage II extreme board... got my 920 to 3.2 stable so far I want to go higher. I was wondering if someone can give me an idea on there voltage set ups...just for a reference guide... thanks much









3.2Ghz on Air would be fairly simple to achieve with and Good HS&F('s)
I believe a good place to start is by underclocking your memory (6x)
Then keep your vcore the Stock. You should be able to get into the 3.5 area with stock vcore and stock setup, just by upping the Bclk. I think if I remember the Bclk for 3.5 is around 170? I don't remember right off hand though.
Just slowly start ramping up and see where you can't boot into windows anymore, drop it back some and run some stability tests.
Good place to start is 3.5Ghz, see where your temps are. If your using stock cooling, might want to think about better cooling.


----------



## Blameless

3.2Ghz should be totaly viable and stable at all stock voltages on the stock cooler.

You shouldn't even need to bump any voltages till 3.5-3.6GHz, unless you have a particularly poor sample.

I'm seriously considering backing off to 3.8 or even 3.6GHz to reduce noise. This chip is an unexceptional 3839A and it's voltage requirements for 4GHz are obscene.

I have 5 Antec tri-cools running on medium/high, as well as my Panaflo at full blast. The noise is low pitched and not grating, but there is just enough volume to it that I'm not able to hear the subtleties in certain parts of music and games anymore.


----------



## NOS KIA

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Blameless* 
3.2Ghz should be totaly viable and stable at all stock voltages on the stock cooler.

You shouldn't even need to bump any voltages till 3.5-3.6GHz, unless you have a particularly poor sample.

I'm seriously considering backing off to 3.8 or even 3.6GHz to reduce noise. This chip is an unexceptional 3839A and it's voltage requirements for 4GHz are obscene.

I have 5 Antec tri-cools running on medium/high, as well as my Panaflo at full blast. The noise is low pitched and not grating, but there is just enough volume to it that I'm not able to hear the subtleties in certain parts of music and games anymore.

Yeah I dropped mine down just so I wasn't running it soooo warm. Although Gigabyte boards really do keep the chip cool when not in use.
I also found that my new TRUE with push/pull is keeping my chip cooler at OC's better than my CoolIT's Domino ALC water cooler was.
By around 8-12C when under load.
Now running at 3.5Ghz IDLE it seems like a fridge inside the case. Better enviornment for longer term use.

I DID realize that all my fans are still @100% though, b/c I don't have a fan controller, ordered one yesterday, should be here in a week or so.


----------



## 45nm

It's quite interesting reading this thread and very few people have bothered to actually exceed 1.35v for their QPI Voltage. My bios automatically sets my QPI voltage to about 1.375v (PC Probe II reports 1.38v) and I didn't notice that until recently. Why is everyone running such conservative QPI Voltage ?.


----------



## {core2duo}werd

Quote:



Originally Posted by *45nm*


It's quite interesting reading this thread and very few people have bothered to actually exceed 1.35v for their QPI Voltage. My bios automatically sets my QPI voltage to about 1.375v (PC Probe II reports 1.38v) and I didn't notice that until recently. Why is everyone running such conservative QPI Voltage ?.


if i go over 1.35 QPI my system won't boot.


----------



## Extreme Newbie

Quote:



Originally Posted by *45nm*


It's quite interesting reading this thread and very few people have bothered to actually exceed 1.35v for their QPI Voltage. My bios automatically sets my QPI voltage to about 1.375v (PC Probe II reports 1.38v) and I didn't notice that until recently. Why is everyone running such conservative QPI Voltage ?.


My bios will also set the QPI voltage to 1.375v if left on auto. According to Intel's specs you shouldn't run QPI voltage higher than 1.35v but does anyone listen to what Intel tells them


----------



## 45nm

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Extreme Newbie* 
My bios will also set the QPI voltage to 1.375v if left on auto. According to Intel's specs you shouldn't run QPI voltage higher than 1.35v but does anyone listen to what Intel tells them









Is it actually 1.375v or is it 1.275v and it's reported higher ?. I don't remember how long I ran at 1.375v I believe it was for a few weeks without any problems. Also shouldn't this thread also be renamed to i7 overclocking thread as there are no such immense 940/965 overclocking threads.


----------



## Blameless

I've been running at 1.395v on the QPI/vtt/uncore (min stable for the uncore clock and memory settings in my sig), for about 3 months, no issues.


----------



## {core2duo}werd

Quote:


Originally Posted by *45nm* 
Is it actually 1.375v or is it 1.275v and it's reported higher ?. I don't remember how long I ran at 1.375v I believe it was for a few weeks without any problems. Also shouldn't this thread also be renamed to i7 overclocking thread as there are no such immense 940/965 overclocking threads.

if everyone thinks it should be changed to the i7 overclocking thread, then i can do that. Also, if there is anything anyone wants me to add to the first post, just PM me.


----------



## 45nm

Is the QPI Voltage actually at 1.375v or is it 1.275v and it's reported higher ?.


----------



## Extreme Newbie

I have my QPI manually set to 1.2375v (Bios). Turbo V will show it at that setting but if I leave QPI on "Auto" it shows it at 1.375v. I can only assume that it is reading it correct.


----------



## mikecentola

I'm working on overclocking my i7 920 and something really weird is going on... I have an evga x58 mobo and I have the vcore set to 1.29375V. In CPU-Z or E-LEET it shows the vcore as 1.517V. Which is right? If the 1.517V is right, that is waaaay too high. Although I'm running Prime95 With no issues. I don't know whats up here....Thoughts?


----------



## sparklin

Just got parts for my new build. Core i7 920, ASUS RIIE, GTX295, 6GB Corsair memory.. Going to assemble tomorrow and do some tests. Hopefully some of you can help me if I need help overclocking my i7 920.









Btw batch # for my darling is 3843A813. I want to see how far I can go with a Coolermaster z600 CPU cooler.


----------



## Xecuter2

Pretty insane temps...looks like 1.5v to me.


----------



## Extreme Newbie

Quote:



Originally Posted by *mikecentola*


I'm working on overclocking my i7 920 and something really weird is going on... I have an evga x58 mobo and I have the vcore set to 1.29375V. In CPU-Z or E-LEET it shows the vcore as 1.517V. Which is right? If the 1.517V is right, that is waaaay too high. Although I'm running Prime95 With no issues. I don't know whats up here....Thoughts?


With the high temps that you are showing the there is no doubt that your at 1.517v. By any chance did you set the vcore in bios but forget to save it? That voltage will kill you chip.


----------



## NOS KIA

I would never run my chip that high. And I would prolly set it lower on next reboot. If it doesn't take for some reason, CLEAR BIOS and start afresh!
Extreme is right, it will fry your board in no time flat!


----------



## USlatin

so is 3.6 the average air rock solid 24/7 stable OC? or a bit higher?


----------



## speedy2721

I would say that at least 3.8 is average, but alot of people get to 4GHz but others have touble getting to 4 without going over intels max or having to high of temps.


----------



## USlatin

but on air, and Rock of Gibraltar stable? as in 24/7 folding stable? as in your livelihood depends on the stability type of stable?


----------



## Extreme Newbie

Quote:


Originally Posted by *USlatin* 









but on air, and Rock of Gibraltar stable? as in 24/7 folding stable? as in your livelihood depends on the stability type of stable?

I think we call that stock


----------



## jrharvey

Quote:



Originally Posted by *USlatin*











but on air, and Rock of Gibraltar stable? as in 24/7 folding stable? as in your livelihood depends on the stability type of stable?


I am rock solid, bet my life on it stable at 3.6. I am just as stable at 3.8 but temps get into the mid 70's with prime 95. I like low temps but I could go 3.8 just fine.


----------



## Blameless

Quote:



Originally Posted by *USlatin*











but on air, and Rock of Gibraltar stable? as in 24/7 folding stable? as in your livelihood depends on the stability type of stable?


3.8GHz.

Many will do 4Ghz 100% stable, but most 4Ghz OCs you see would not fit my definition of 100%.

I've recently run into some instability with mine that virtually no one else would ever encounter, or care about, but it may very well force me to back off my OC a bit.

So far, it only crops up after running 8-10 hours of Linpack (500 iteration runs of LinX) at the same time as FurMark or AtiTool, but I demand perfect stability, *no* exceptions, in 30C ambients, when I OC.


----------



## jermin

It is just incredible I have missed such a great OC forum for such a long time. Anyway, here is my problem. My 920 can't get stable at 200X20 on GigaByte EX58-Extreme, even the vcore is cranked up to 1.5V. But what is wierd is I can pass CPU Test 1# of 3DV with 190X21 @ 1.4V (haven't test vcore lower than this yet) without any problem. The Bios version is F3. Other settings are QPI X36, Memory X8, Uncore X17, vtt 1.34v. Is it the cpu or the mobo?


----------



## Extreme Newbie

Quote:


Originally Posted by *USlatin* 









but on air, and Rock of Gibraltar stable? as in 24/7 folding stable? as in your livelihood depends on the stability type of stable?

For 100% stability I run at 3.9Ghz. I was running 4.0Ghz but temps got in the 75c range so 3.9 is my happy place. I ran Prime for 38 hours (by accident







)so I guess its stable.


----------



## Xecuter2

Quote:



Originally Posted by *jermin*


It is just incredible I have missed such a great OC forum for such a long time. Anyway, here is my problem. My 920 can't get stable at 200X20 on GigaByte EX58-Extreme, even the vcore is cranked up to 1.5V. But what is wierd is I can pass CPU Test 1# of 3DV with 190X21 @ 1.4V (haven't test vcore lower than this yet) without any problem. The Bios version is F3. Other settings are QPI X36, Memory X8, Uncore X17, vtt 1.34v. Is it the cpu or the mobo?


Lower the vcore way down to 1.36, and try 211 x 19. 200 x 20 puts too much stress on everything. 1.5 is WAY too high IMO and may have harmed your chip already, I would not go past 1.4 for 24/7.
Also, what temps are you looking at using the latest real temp? At 1.5v and 4 ghz, there is no way you are under 80c at load


----------



## jermin

My cooler is TRUE 120 and actually I didn't even get a chance to push my 920 to full load under 1.5v. The cpu test failed just 3 seconds after it started.







Will try your suggestion and report back.


----------



## drakos

I am currently running at 3.9 ghz HT on @ 1.3v rock stable and folding 24/7. Is it really worth it to push the CPU to 4.0ghz w/HT off @ 1.35-1.45v? Is 4.0ghz that big of a deal? Will I notice a big performance gain vs my current setup? It seems that the past 130 or so pages have everyone in a pickle trying to hit the 4ghz+ plateau.


----------



## Blameless

Turning off HT for an extra 100-200Mhz will cost you performance in any siginificantly multi-threaded task.

A 2.5% boost in clock speed is unnoticeable regardless.

I can run 3.8GHZ with 1.33v, or I can run 4GHz with 1.42v (and load temps coming to within 5C of the tjmax). I'm probably backing down to 3.8 for good as it's only about 2% slower in tests.


----------



## Blameless

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Xecuter2*


Lower the vcore way down to 1.36, and try 211 x 19. 200 x 20 puts too much stress on everything. 1.5 is WAY too high IMO and may have harmed your chip already, I would not go past 1.4 for 24/7.
Also, what temps are you looking at using the latest real temp? At 1.5v and 4 ghz, there is no way you are under 80c at load










211x19 is more stressful than 200x20. The end clocks will all be the same or similar, except for the QPI bus clock, which will be higher.

Your other comments are right though. 1.5v is too high on air, and there is no way max load at 1.5v is 80C or below, unless ambients are very low.


----------



## USlatin

So it sounds like depending on MoBo, RAM and the samples of each of those including the CPU... that you might be able to get close 3.8 then... did you run two instances of Prime, or does Prime push all cores now? 36hs sounds like my kind of stability. I guess I will have to worry more about the RAM keeping up than the chip... or do the available multipliers give you enough flexibility?


----------



## jrharvey

Quote:


Originally Posted by *USlatin* 
So it sounds like depending on MoBo, RAM and the samples of each of those including the CPU... that you might be able to get close 3.8 then... did you run two instances of Prime, or does Prime push all cores now? 36hs sounds like my kind of stability. I guess I will have to worry more about the RAM keeping up than the chip... or do the available multipliers give you enough flexibility?

Prime 95 is fully multithreaded now. Heck, if you have 16 threads Im sure you can use it in P95.


----------



## Jakethesnake011

I would use LinX instead of Prime. I have not had the best results with Prime compared to Linx. Linx pushs my temps about 3 to 4 degrees more finds errors faster much faster and seems to stress chip and memory better than Prime.


----------



## USlatin

I see... thanks harvey and Jake


----------



## Scooby06

Im running the I7 940 and im currently at 3.8GHz and was wondering if i can go any higher. Temps are at 42-43 at idle and the highest ive seen is 80 during Full Load w/Large FTTs in P95, running on a CoolerMaster V8. Any suggestions/comments would be appreciated.

My settings are as follows:

19x CPU Clock
200x BCLK
-VCore is set to 1.325 in the BIOS (Im getting 1.296 on CPU-Z, why such a difference ?)
-QPI/Vtt 1.24V
-IOH Core 1.12V
-DRAM 1.660V
-Turbo is Disabled
-HT is Enabled
-8x DRAM Timing Selectable
-x36 QPI Link Speed
-x16 UnCore Frequency
-Load Line Calibration Enabled


----------



## Blameless

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Scooby06*


Im running the I7 940 and im currently at 3.8GHz and was wondering if i can go any higher. Temps are at 42-43 at idle and the highest ive seen is 80 during Full Load w/Large FTTs in P95, running on a CoolerMaster V8. Any suggestions/comments would be appreciated.


You do have a bit of voltage headroom, but going from 3.8 to 4Ghz usually requires a fairly large bump.

3.9GHz may very well be possible, but I would not go for 4GHz without even better cooling.

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Scooby06*


-VCore is set to 1.325 in the BIOS (Im getting 1.296 on CPU-Z, why such a difference ?)


Voffset.

VID is the voltage you set in the bios and that voltage is not what is supposed ot be delivered continuously, it's the max that is supposed to delivered during surges (such as when leaving a high load).


----------



## Xecuter2

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Blameless*


211x19 is more stressful than 200x20. The end clocks will all be the same or similar, except for the QPI bus clock, which will be higher.

Your other comments are right though. 1.5v is too high on air, and there is no way max load at 1.5v is 80C or below, unless ambients are very low.


There is a thread on XS that goes into great detail why using 20 x 200 is extremely stressful on the memory controller and will, in many cases be less stable than a higher bclk and lower multi overclock. Some people apparently can run 20 x 200, but I can't run anywhere near 20x once I get past 3.8, I have to run 19x to be stable. I can do 4 at 211 x 19 with 1.32 on vtt/cpu and be stable, but when I try 20x, I try upwards of 1.4v vtt and it is nearly stable but still unstable. I don't think there is a need to run that high if it is not necessary, bad chip for me I guess


----------



## p0isonapple

I've been having a hell of a time getting a stable clock, and have dropped back to stock for now.

Can someone please give a template for the P6T Deluxe to get me a nice starting point around 3.6Ghz?

So far i've only been able to achieve a stable clock with the 21x multi.

Thanks a heap!


----------



## markm75

I'm finally stable with my 920 i7 at stock 2.66ghz on this motherboard and also 12GB of ram (corsair dominator, see sig for exact spec)..

Currently i leave everything on auto, except ram i have at 1.65v and qpi volts at 1.35v, i've turned off the spectrums.. The only other setting change i made was setting the ram at 999-24, though i could probably hit 888-24 ok as well..

This is all at 2.66ghz...

Can anyone shoot me some changes i should make to run ok at 3.2ghz?
------------
I've tried the OC cpu option, where you can pick say 3.2ghz manually from the list, and it sets cpu volts at 1.31, but i froze on loading vista.. (i set ram to 1604 manually)
---------
I tried a blck at 166 and ram at 1604 (i didnt set cpu ratio).. (i also set the cpu volts to 1.35v, qpi still at 1.35v, ram at 1.65 volts, spectrums disabled, these are the only things changed).. these settings froze on me during a video render test.. ( i did notice in the bios the cpu volts were over 1.35v, perhaps i need to up the cpu volts is all? I thought 1.35v was the max safe limit for the 920)

I've seen some with lower memory speeds while overclocked, but with dominator can I achieve 12gb at 1600mhz OC'd?

When vcore is mentioned, this is the same as cpu volts? (IE: my 1.35 i've tried?)

I'll be puttin in a spare hdd and doing prime95 or linpack testing (anyone have a preference? IE: linpack with 10 passes? or just prime95)

Any thoughts?
Thanks


----------



## Extreme Newbie

Quote:



Originally Posted by *p0isonapple*


I've been having a hell of a time getting a stable clock, and have dropped back to stock for now.

Can someone please give a template for the P6T Deluxe to get me a nice starting point around 3.6Ghz?

So far i've only been able to achieve a stable clock with the 21x multi.

Thanks a heap!


Not sure how well my settings will work in your situation since every piece of hardware is different. Here is what I used at 3.9Ghz:
Turbo- Disabled
Speedstep- Disabled
20 x 195 (Use 180 for 3.6Ghz)
CPU Voltage- 1.225
QPI/DRAM Voltage- 1.2375
RAM- 1563 
RAM timings- Auto
RAM voltage- 1.66


----------



## jrharvey

Ok I just had a discussion with a friend which leads me to a question. I thought turbo mode only overclocked 1 core and left the other 3 at the 20 multi. So it would look like this 21,20,20,20 but he says that turbo overclocks all the cores. Which is right? I am very curious now.


----------



## Jakethesnake011

Yes from what I believe and have seen a Multi of 21 overclocks all cores, but Turbo I am unsure. I know if I turn Turbo off and then Manully set my CPU Multi to 21 I get that Multiplier applied to my BCLK. BUT it will only work if 4 threads (HT on) 2 cores at 100% load. If 5 threads or 3 cores are under that 100% load the multiplier of 21 will fall to 20. The voltages also get adjusted by the system and I do not have any control over then, seem to raise about 0.04Volts or so with a 21 Multi. I am not sure if Turbo is the same as having a multiplier of 21


----------



## Jakethesnake011

Question with QPI,
MY motherboard, MSI Eclipse x58 DOES NOT HAVE A REAL TIME QPI READING!!!!!!!





















Been alot of talk in the MSI forum I belong to and the MSI engineers and Tech support say that there is not sensor circuity for the QPI sensor and the hardware is limited!!!??? On a $350 mobo! Crazy. Anyways anyone suggest a program which can show me my QPI reading? I can not find any and I do want to see if I can get a reading before I move the voltage up to much. So far I have heard default QPI for 920 is 1.12V and max is 1.35V, and QPI should not be different than 0.5V from your ram. I need a rpogram that gives some reading, I am just guessing without that number.


----------



## jrharvey

Did you guys notice that Intel finally released their temperature recomendations for the core i7? 67.9c seems like an odd number and a bit low if you ask me. 
http://processorfinder.intel.com/det...x?sSpec=SLBCH#


----------



## zlojack

Interesting.

So what does that mean? We need to keep the chips under that temp for 24/7 operation?


----------



## jrharvey

Quote:



Originally Posted by *zlojack*


Interesting.

So what does that mean? We need to keep the chips under that temp for 24/7 operation?


Im not sure what that means. I know there are plenty of i7's that get over that at stock speeds with the stock cooler.


----------



## Blameless

Quote:



Originally Posted by *jrharvey*


Did you guys notice that Intel finally released their temperature recomendations for the core i7? 67.9c seems like an odd number and a bit low if you ask me. 
http://processorfinder.intel.com/det...x?sSpec=SLBCH#


Sigh...

I (and a few other people) have mentioned this at least a dozen times before, but the thermal spec of any and all Intel CPUs that are equipped with an IHS refers to the TCASE.

TCASE is the temperature of the top center side of the heat spreader, it is NOT the same as TJunction. You have NO way to measure TCASE, unless you do this (just a trench in your IHS and attach a thermal probe):










Intels DTS measures *distance to TJmax*. The *T*hermal *j*unction is where the die meets the IHS. And in the case of i7s the max rated temp here is ~100C.

If the top of your IHS is ~70C, the CPU is probably 100C+ inside, where the DTS is. So, in reality, the ~70.xC TCASE, and the ~100C tjmax are the same temperature, just measured at different points. Since the sensors nearly all of use us (anyone who uses any temp monitoring software not connected to the kind of thermal probe hardware above) are embedded inside the die, and are calibrated for the latter temp, this is the limit most of use should pay attention to.


----------



## Extreme Newbie

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Jakethesnake011* 
Yes from what I believe and have seen a Multi of 21 overclocks all cores, but Turbo I am unsure. I know if I turn Turbo off and then Manully set my CPU Multi to 21 I get that Multiplier applied to my BCLK. BUT it will only work if 4 threads (HT on) 2 cores at 100% load. If 5 threads or 3 cores are under that 100% load the multiplier of 21 will fall to 20. The voltages also get adjusted by the system and I do not have any control over then, seem to raise about 0.04Volts or so with a 21 Multi. I am not sure if Turbo is the same as having a multiplier of 21

For the 920 you can only get the multi of 21 if you use Turbo. If you disable turbo you can only set the multi to a max of 20.
When turbo mode is enabled the multi will jump from 20 to 21 when you are under load. In order to keep the multi of 21 consistant you can set you power options in windows to run at 100% (performance).


----------



## Jakethesnake011

Not with the MSI Eclipse, I am able to set a multiplier of 21 with turbo off, but it acts as turbo mode I would say. In my bios Turbo is off and I can up my Core Multiplier to 21 I am not kidding.


----------



## jrharvey

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Extreme Newbie*


For the 920 you can only get the multi of 21 if you use Turbo. If you disable turbo you can only set the multi to a max of 20.
When turbo mode is enabled the multi will jump from 20 to 21 when you are under load. In order to keep the multi of 21 consistant you can set you power options in windows to run at 100% (performance).


Well my question refered to whether or not you can have a multi of 21 on all four cores. If I remember right I heard that the 21 multi could only be used on 2 of the four cores and the multi of 22 could only be used on 1 of the 4. What do you guys think? Right now I have turbo off


----------



## jrharvey

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Blameless*


Sigh...

I (and a few other people) have mentioned this at least a dozen times before, but the thermal spec of any and all Intel CPUs that are equipped with an IHS refers to the TCASE.

TCASE is the temperature of the top center side of the heat spreader, it is NOT the same as TJunction. You have NO way to measure TCASE, unless you do this (just a trench in your IHS and attach a thermal probe):

Intels DTS measures *distance to TJmax*. The *T*hermal *j*unction is where the die meets the IHS. And in the case of i7s the max rated temp here is ~100C.

If the top of your IHS is ~70C, the CPU is probably 100C+ inside, where the DTS is. So, in reality, the ~70.xC TCASE, and the ~100C tjmax are the same temperature, just measured at different points. Since the sensors nearly all of use us (anyone who uses any temp monitoring software not connected to the kind of thermal probe hardware above) are embedded inside the die, and are calibrated for the latter temp, this is the limit most of use should pay attention to.



I realize this. I know that they test the temp on top of the chip and not inside but I was simply saying that they finally put it on their spec sheets. I have not seen this on their website yet and I was just letting everyone know. The reason I said it looked low is because compared to the Q6600 its about 5c lower.


----------



## Blameless

Quote:



Originally Posted by *jrharvey*


I realize this. I know that they test the temp on top of the chip and not inside but I was simply saying that they finally put it on their spec sheets. I have not seen this on their website yet and I was just letting everyone know. The reason I said it looked low is because compared to the Q6600 its about 5c lower.


Ah, sorry for the misunderstanding.

I think the increasing gap between TCAS and tjmax between the two chips has to do with greater power density and a slightly thicker thicker IHS. A smaller process with more leakage, and a higher TDP is going to be hotter for a given area, and the IHS in the i7s does seem to be a bit thicker than the LGA775 chips, meaning slightly increased resistance.


----------



## jermin

I've tried 211X19 but I couldn't pass 3DV below 1.360 (read from ET6). Even I raised the vcore beyond 1.4, I still could't run Prime95 for more than 10 mins. But how long actually should I run to get stable? Another problem I've noticed was the vcore dropped drastically to 1.34 when running Prime95. I think it might be the reason I coundn't pass the test.


----------



## Extreme Newbie

Quote:



Originally Posted by *jrharvey*


Well my question refered to whether or not you can have a multi of 21 on all four cores. If I remember right I heard that the 21 multi could only be used on 2 of the four cores and the multi of 22 could only be used on 1 of the 4. What do you guys think? Right now I have turbo off


This seems to show that the 21 multi will apply to all 4 cores if a multi core application is in use. In single core applications the multi can go to 22.
http://www.intel.com/technology/prod...d=tech_tb+demo


----------



## jrharvey

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Extreme Newbie*


This seems to show that the 21 multi will apply to all 4 cores if a multi core application is in use. In single core applications the multi can go to 22.
http://www.intel.com/technology/prod...d=tech_tb+demo


Ahh good find. It does look like the turbo works on all four cores. I guess I was wrong







If I am going to be wrong I guess that is the best kinda wrong


----------



## zlojack

21 across four cores. In the rare instance that you only load one core it can go to 22, but that almost never happens, though I believe some boards have a bios that does that.


----------



## Blameless

You need to have the higher (well technically lower I suppose) C-states enabled to get the two multiplier boost. I couldn't get it untill the F5x bios revisions with my board.


----------



## {core2duo}werd

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Blameless* 
You need to have the higher (well technically lower I suppose) C-states enabled to get the two multiplier boost. I couldn't get it untill the F5x bios revisions with my board.

yeah, i was messing around in my bios the other day and i was going to post that, but i forgot.


----------



## Scooby06

Im pretty satisfied for now with a 3.8GHz (maybe try 3.9 later on) overclock, and plus the system is really stable. But one thing i would like to improve is my temps.. I bought the Silverstone FM121 fan to replace the P.O.S CoolerMaster V8 fan and that yielded a 2c drop in idle temp (43 before the new fan, 41 with the new fan at max setting).

My concern is the load temps, im hovering at around 73-74C during P95s large FTT tests and ive been reading from the web that people are below 70C at full load at the same clock speed. Can i drop my voltage down a little bit from 1.325 ? What would you guys suggest, or am i being a bit too paranoid...


----------



## Blameless

Being 26C away from tjmax with 0.05v less than the upper limit of the VID range is not going to harm anything except in the very long term.

If you can drop voltage and maintain 100% stablity, by all means, do it (you should alway use as little voltage as you really need). However, there is nothing harmful enough about your current settings that you'll have to worry about the CPU failing anytime in the next 5 years, unless it was already a dud.


----------



## speedy2721

I need some help lowering my temps. I am using a Scythe Mugen 2 with IC Diamond 7 TIM and my I7 is at 4GHz(19X211) with load voltage at 1.292V.It is also out of the case right now and my ambient temps are around 20C. When I use Primes Small FFT or LinX, my load temps are going up to 82C only after like a minute.

At this site : http://www.xtremesystems.org/Forums/...d.php?t=211739 , they are using a higher voltage then I am but are getting 10-15C lower temps then I am. Does anyone know what I can be doing wrong that is making temps this high? Thanks to anyone that helps.


----------



## jrharvey

Quote:



Originally Posted by *speedy2721*


I need some help lowering my temps. I am using a Scythe Mugen 2 with IC Diamond 7 TIM and my I7 is at 4GHz(19X211) with load voltage at 1.292V.It is also out of the case right now and my ambient temps are around 20C. When I use Primes Small FFT or LinX, my load temps are going up to 82C only after like a minute.

At this site : http://www.xtremesystems.org/Forums/...d.php?t=211739 , they are using a higher voltage then I am but are getting 10-15C lower temps then I am. Does anyone know what I can be doing wrong that is making temps this high? Thanks to anyone that helps.


Your link doesnt work. I cannot get to the site.


----------



## jrharvey

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Scooby06*


Im pretty satisfied for now with a 3.8GHz (maybe try 3.9 later on) overclock, and plus the system is really stable. But one thing i would like to improve is my temps.. I bought the Silverstone FM121 fan to replace the P.O.S CoolerMaster V8 fan and that yielded a 2c drop in idle temp (43 before the new fan, 41 with the new fan at max setting).

My concern is the load temps, im hovering at around 73-74C during P95s large FTT tests and ive been reading from the web that people are below 70C at full load at the same clock speed. Can i drop my voltage down a little bit from 1.325 ? What would you guys suggest, or am i being a bit too paranoid...


You need to fill out your system specs so people can help you when you ask a question. What motherboard are you using? I am 3 hours prime stable and 1 hour Linx for 3.8ghz 1.23V and temps max out at 71c in linx and about 68 in prime. I think you will notice a difference by lowering that voltage. It really depends on your motherboard I think as the ASUS boards seem to provide more stability at lower voltages. Maybe its just what I have seen but it seems that way to me. I am sure you could get down to at least 1.25V and still be stable at 3.8ghz.


----------



## speedy2721

I think the site is down right now. The site said they were running at 1.336 volts at 3.7GHz and their temps were at 71C load using a Mugen 2.


----------



## jrharvey

Quote:



Originally Posted by *speedy2721*


I think the site is down right now. The site said they were running at 1.336 volts at 3.7GHz and their temps were at 71C load using a Mugen 2.


Have you tried reseating your heatsink, lapping or adding High CFM fans? My temps dropped about 5c after getting a 3,000rpm fan. Another 5c average when lapping the heatsink. Before that I was barely able to hit 3.6c and keep it under high 70s. I havnt lapped my CPU but I am soooo tempted. Im not really sure if I need to though. I am getting pretty good temps now. Maybe if I go for 4ghz as a 24/7 clock then I may.


----------



## Jakethesnake011

I was thinking the same thing I want to lap it but have never done it. I like my temps so far I have 72 max on 1st core and then in high 60s from there so I am happy and I am running 3.9 with Turbo on for now. But I want to try and hit 3.9 without Turbo but I have not had time to really play with the voltages to give me good results. I have not been able to hit 3.9 with 1.25V, what other setting you using, maybe it might help me out


----------



## jrharvey

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Jakethesnake011*


I was thinking the same thing I want to lap it but have never done it. I like my temps so far I have 72 max on 1st core and then in high 60s from there so I am happy and I am running 3.9 with Turbo on for now. But I want to try and hit 3.9 without Turbo but I have not had time to really play with the voltages to give me good results. I have not been able to hit 3.9 with 1.25V, what other setting you using, maybe it might help me out


I meant 1.25V at 3.8ghz (im stable at 1.23V, 3.79ghz). I havnt really done 3.9 yet. Just jumped straight to 4ghz. I honestly just set all my voltages to the stock specs (Manually). I dont leave anything on auto but I leave it all at stock settings. I do change the CPU voltages and that's it. Ive been able to hit 4.4ghz without changing a thing but I cant really test for stability as my temps get too high. I have been able to run 3dmark and some other benches but that's about it. No prime or anything at 4.4. I havnt had to change the CPU PLL voltage yet. Not sure why most reviews jump straight to 1.88V. I just leave mine at 1.8V.


----------



## speedy2721

Quote:



Originally Posted by *jrharvey*


Have you tried reseating your heatsink, lapping or adding High CFM fans? My temps dropped about 5c after getting a 3,000rpm fan. Another 5c average when lapping the heatsink. Before that I was barely able to hit 3.6c and keep it under high 70s. I havnt lapped my CPU but I am soooo tempted. Im not really sure if I need to though. I am getting pretty good temps now. Maybe if I go for 4ghz as a 24/7 clock then I may.


I have tried reseating the heatsink a few times and I get the same results. I havent tried lapping, but it seemed like it was flat since the bottom was like a mirror when I got it, but if that will help then where can I get the materials to lap it at? I only have the fan that came with it on which is 1300 RPM and 74.25 CFM.


----------



## jrharvey

Quote:



Originally Posted by *speedy2721*


I have tried reseating the heatsink a few times and I get the same results. I havent tried lapping, but it seemed like it was flat since the bottom was like a mirror when I got it, but if that will help then where can I get the materials to lap it at? I only have the fan that came with it on which is 1300 RPM and 74.25 CFM.


Get another fan for push/pull if it will fit. That is a massive heatsink that calls for some massive airflow.


----------



## speedy2721

Should I get two of these fans? http://www.microcenter.com/single_pr...uct_id=0274204


----------



## jrharvey

Quote:



Originally Posted by *speedy2721*


Should I get two of these fans? http://www.microcenter.com/single_pr...uct_id=0274204


You could just get another of the same one you have. The ultra kaze is LOUD. Trust me, I know from experience. If you dont mind the noise, its one of the most powerfull fans you can buy but its all prefference. There are some really High CFM fans that are alot more quiete but they get a bit pricier.


----------



## speedy2721

I don't really mind noise as long as it is going to help alot and it isnt that expensive. How much would having those fans in push pull lower my temps by?


----------



## Jakethesnake011

No one can tell you about how much it will matter since the setups are all different, it might help more to some than others. I would def do another fan in push pull config and have your rear exhaust pull the hot air from the pull on the heatsink, It has been working very nice for me. I went from a thermaltake v1 cooler and having load temps of a max 82 degrees with only a 3.5 overclock to now having max load temps of 75 degrees with a 3.9 overclock with the thermalright in push pull config, it seems to help. I have not tested with just one fan.


----------



## Jakethesnake011

I was finally able to hit 4.0 with turbo on which I am happy with, but it is not stable past 45 minutes, but I have not played with voltages too much, due to time but I am happy with running 3.9 24/7. My max temps are 77 on core 1, and the rest are in low 70s. My voltages are as follows
CPU +0.110, which works out to be 1.360 with turbo on, and about 1.30 with it off
QPI: +.120V, which if I am using the right defualt of 1.12,. makes it 1.24V
PLL: 1.88V
DRAM: 1.60V
My QPI link is auto, but I am getting in Memtest +86 an auto setting readin 6.6 gt/s, which is high, I am going to try and bump that down to see if I can get lower voltages with a 4.8 manual set QPI link speed. 
My BCLK is 185.5Mhz.
My CPU under load goes back down to a multiplier of 20, when 5 threads or more are under 1005 load, and it goes down to 3730Mhz, and my voltage drops about 0.07, down. Here is proof of both.

][/URL] 3.9

][/URL] 4.0


----------



## speedy2721

Ok well I got my push/pull Ultra Kaze fans and now my temps are 72C max using LinX and 69C max using Prime 95, does that sound about right now? Also does it matter if one of my cores is running at 38C idle while the others are at 34C, or is that just normal for the cores to be a few C off when idle?


----------



## XxG3nexX

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Jakethesnake011*


I was finally able to hit 4.0 with turbo on which I am happy with, but it is not stable past 45 minutes, but I have not played with voltages too much, due to time but I am happy with running 3.9 24/7. My max temps are 77 on core 1, and the rest are in low 70s. My voltages are as follows
CPU +0.110, which works out to be 1.360 with turbo on, and about 1.30 with it off
QPI: +.120V, which if I am using the right defualt of 1.12,. makes it 1.24V
PLL: 1.88V
DRAM: 1.60V
My QPI link is auto, but I am getting in Memtest +86 an auto setting readin 6.6 gt/s, which is high, I am going to try and bump that down to see if I can get lower voltages with a 4.8 manual set QPI link speed. 
My BCLK is 185.5Mhz.
My CPU under load goes back down to a multiplier of 20, when 5 threads or more are under 1005 load, and it goes down to 3730Mhz, and my voltage drops about 0.07, down. Here is proof of both.

][/URL] 3.9

][/URL] 4.0











Whats your IOH voltage?

Increase it, provides better stability for my sys, but also higher temps


----------



## 45nm

I'm currently working on a debunking report concerning the absolute maximum/minimum voltages Intel specifies in it's i7 electrical specification. Expect it soon.


----------



## PizzaMan

Quote:



Originally Posted by *45nm*


I'm currently working on a debunking report concerning the absolute maximum/minimum voltages Intel specifies in it's i7 electrical specification. Expect it soon.



Looking forward to it.


----------



## jrharvey

Quote:



Originally Posted by *XxG3nexX*


Whats your IOH voltage?

Increase it, provides better stability for my sys, but also higher temps










I was still on stock voltages (manually set) up to 4ghz and stable. Heat was an issue too but it was Linx Stable for 30 minutes. How long would you guys say is good for using Linx? Ive heard different things but most people say if it passes 20 minutes then it is pretty much stable. Is that true? I just started using it yesterday.


----------



## Jakethesnake011

@XxG3nexX
My IOH voltage is the "default" which is 1.10V, not set to auto but manually set to stay there. Now with my Mobo the x58 MSI eclipse, my IOH temps now with the 1.10V is 60-66 degrees Centigrade, which for me is hot, but according to Intel and MSI this temps are within the normal range. I plan taking the heat sinks of both North and South Bridge and cleaning and applying Arctic Silver 5 to hope to drop those temps down somewhat. But that is when I plan to lap my TRUE so who knows when I will do that. but I have nylon screws wahsers and nuts to put back in place of the push-pin with the spring, so I hope it will go easy and show some real positive results.


----------



## Jakethesnake011

@jrharvey
With My experience and Linx, I have noticed that Linx will make my system Blue screen within the 1st 20 minutes IF it is fairly unstable, but if my system is on the verge of being stable it might take an hour, so I would say for the system to be rock hard stable let it run 6 hours, and that is for peace of mind, maybe 3 hours if you want, but I do 6 and I feel 100% safe leaving it alone, well leaving it on when I aint home. Now are you using the max amount of memory available? That helps a lot too the bigger the Linx "Probelm size" the more heat generated from CPU and the more stress o0n both CPU and your RAM which is nice it kind of tests both. But I would use Memtest +86 2.11 for RAM test just to make sure and let that run 2 times (tests), since my RAM is about 100Mhz overclocked than stock max values, I had to run Memtest to make sure, same when I tighten my timings.


----------



## XxG3nexX

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Jakethesnake011*


@XxG3nexX
My IOH voltage is the "default" which is 1.10V, not set to auto but manually set to stay there. Now with my Mobo the x58 MSI eclipse, my IOH temps now with the 1.10V is 60-66 degrees Centigrade, which for me is hot, but according to Intel and MSI this temps are within the normal range. I plan taking the heat sinks of both North and South Bridge and cleaning and applying Arctic Silver 5 to hope to drop those temps down somewhat. But that is when I plan to lap my TRUE so who knows when I will do that. but I have nylon screws wahsers and nuts to put back in place of the push-pin with the spring, so I hope it will go easy and show some real positive results.


Waiting to see 45nm voltage guide. I thought that nb temps were high also,I was adv that they rated up to 100C so I increased my voltage anyway







, only for a while tho I loaded up warhead at 4.2ghz with IOH volt at 1.3







I alt+tab to everest and 77-80 TEMPS!!! So i stopped ocing for a while at least until I get a waterblock for my nb. Btw, if reseting the heat sinks improves ur temps let me know


----------



## PizzaMan

I still think it's crazy pushing so close to TJmax. For the 775 arch everyone recommended staying within the thermal profile, but with i7 everyone recommends TJmax for the max temp. Why the change in logic?


----------



## Xecuter2

They run that hot on the stock cooler at stock clocks so they were made to run hot without issue. Heat used to make the overclock unstable on 775, say 50c load vs 70c, you would fail prime or bsod. With i7, you can load mid 80's and be just as stable as 50c load. It is odd I must say but not bad.


----------



## Blameless

Quote:


Originally Posted by *PizzaMan* 
I still think it's crazy pushing so close to TJmax. For the 775 arch everyone recommended staying within the thermal profile, but with i7 everyone recommends TJmax for the max temp. Why the change in logic?

The only change is a gradual reduction in ignorance.

If you aren't exceeding tjmax, you aren't going to exceed the thermal profile. Same heat output, just different points of measurement.


----------



## Jakethesnake011

tjmax (100 with core i7's) is the heat at the core and the thermal spec (67.5 with core i7's) by Intel is the heat on the IHS


----------



## PizzaMan

The thermal profile temp max is 67.9C. I know that's Tcase, but if your core temps are in the 80's do you really think your Tcase is going to be much lower?


----------



## Xecuter2

Quote:


Originally Posted by *PizzaMan* 
The thermal profile temp max is 67.9C. I know that's Tcase, but if your core temps are in the 80's do you really think your Tcase is going to be much lower?

yes, hottest point on the core, vs the temp being red on top/in the IHS. Core temp sensors read on the core, so..


----------



## PizzaMan

Then that heat passes through the IHS. Yea, it's going to be a little bit lower, but 33C lower?

I'm just trying to get a better understanding of this arch. The results from this thread are just way off from Intel's spec sheets. They're saying 1.55v with 67.9c and you guys are limiting to 1.37v and 100C. Sounds like Intel has some issues.


----------



## Jakethesnake011

were do you get 1.55V, I know Intel says the max Core voltage is 1.375V and the QPI voltage max is 1.35V, but 1.55? Now Intel says Tcase max is 67.9, and the Tjmax is 100, if I am not mistaken.


----------



## PizzaMan

1.375v is only the max VID that they will send a chip from factory. Click the link in my sig for detail Intel spec sheets.


----------



## Jakethesnake011

I do not think that a 33 degree Centigrade difference is normal? The only way to really tell is to attach a temp senor on the ISH and wait and see.


----------



## PizzaMan

Here's a good thread I found here. It's old but it explains how TJmax is only assumed by software makers and not an actual limit set by Intel.

http://www.overclock.net/intel-cpus/...p-prochot.html


----------



## laxrunner

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Jakethesnake011* 
were do you get 1.55V, I know Intel says the max Core voltage is 1.375V and the QPI voltage max is 1.35V, but 1.55? Now Intel says Tcase max is 67.9, and the Tjmax is 100, if I am not mistaken.

Ok, I had to explain this one a few days ago http://www.overclock.net/5734235-post1199.html, 1.375V is the max VID, a reference number, which is not the same as Vcore. Max Vcore is 1.55V according to intel spec sheets.


----------



## PizzaMan

Quote:


Originally Posted by *laxrunner* 
Ok, I had to explain this one a few days ago http://www.overclock.net/intel-cpus/...ml#post5734235, 1.375V is the max VID, a reference number, which is not the same as Vcore. Max Vcore is 1.55V according to intel spec sheets.

Yea, I know. It's crazy to think 1.55v with the temps peeps are getting with 1.37v. I wouldn't be surprised if we find out that the temp monitoring software is reading these things wrong.


----------



## siric

Hey all, new to this, but managed to get a good 3.7ghz stable out of my 920. Temp is 60C with the true installed and positive airflow in case. Was wondering if I got a good batch and was thinking it's a good idea to pump it to 4.0ghz stable.. Not sure how, here are the current stats:
*
Bclk 186*
*DRAM 1491* <- ??? the Dominators are 1600
*CPU Voltage 1.35*
*Differential Amplitude 800mV* <- not sure what this is, some guy adviced it
*Speedstep Disabled* -> for a static clock, but still not 100% static...what else is needed?
*Turbo Disabled* -> same as above I guess

I have prime running, screenshot here:


----------



## jrharvey

Quote:


Originally Posted by *siric* 
Hey all, new to this, but managed to get a good 3.7ghz stable out of my 920. Temp is 60C with the true installed and positive airflow in case. Was wondering if I got a good batch and was thinking it's a good idea to pump it to 4.0ghz stable.. Not sure how, here are the current stats:
*
Bclk 186*
*DRAM 1491* <- ??? the Dominators are 1600
*CPU Voltage 1.35*
*Differential Amplitude 800mV* <- not sure what this is, some guy adviced it
*Speedstep Disabled* -> for a static clock, but still not 100% static...what else is needed?
*Turbo Disabled* -> same as above I guess

I have prime running, screenshot here:

Those are great temps. Keep pushing it. You should be able to get at least 3.9ghz or 4.0 and keep it under 75c for sure.


----------



## siric

Quote:


Originally Posted by *jrharvey* 
Those are great temps. Keep pushing it. You should be able to get at least 3.9ghz or 4.0 and keep it under 75c for sure.


Cool, the TRUE is performing excellent then, MX-2 paste and unlapped base. I want to push this to 4ghz, can someone give me a direction?

And how can I get the DRAM to 1600MHz? There's only an option list provided with some odd numbers.

Current:

Bclk: 186
DRAM: 1491
CPU Voltage: 1.35
QPI: 1.35
CPU PPL: 1.96
Differential Amplitude: 800mV
Speedstep: Disabled
Turbo: Disabled

rest auto


----------



## jrharvey

Quote:


Originally Posted by *siric* 
Cool, the TRUE is performing excellent then, MX-2 paste and unlapped base. I want to push this to 4ghz, can someone give me a direction?

And how can I get the DRAM to 1600MHz? There's only an option list provided with some odd numbers.

Current:

Bclk: 186
DRAM: 1491
CPU Voltage: 1.35
QPI: 1.35
CPU PPL: 1.96
Differential Amplitude: 800mV
Speedstep: Disabled
Turbo: Disabled

rest auto

WHY IS YOUR PLL SO HIGH? I dont think you need that much. Anyone else agree?

Your memory is only set to a multiplier that is a combination of the multi and the Bclock to give you those options. Changing the Bclock is going to change your RAM speed. To get 1600mhz even you would need a Bclock of 200. The general rule is to keep the memory as close to the rated speed as possible and maybe a bit above (As long as its stable). You can actually overclock your RAM to 1700-1800 or whatever you want as long as its stable. Honestly there is no real point because you are always limited by CPU speed before you need to tap into memory bandwidth. Your current RAM speed is just fine. Its not a problem.


----------



## Blameless

Yeah, you probably don't need more than the stock 1.8v PLL.

Quote:



Originally Posted by *siric*


And how can I get the DRAM to 1600MHz? There's only an option list provided with some odd numbers.


You're not going to be able to get exactly 1600 with a BCLK of 186.

It's next bump after the speed you are using now is ~1860, if you keep your current BCLK.


----------



## jrharvey

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Blameless*


Yeah, you probably don't need more than the stock 1.8v PLL.

You're not going to be able to get exactly 1600 with a BCLK of 186.

It's next bump after the speed you are using now is ~1860, if you keep your current BCLK.


I was able to get stable at 4ghz on a 1.8V PLL. What if you go higher, would you need to change it. I dont think it works the same as the core2 series that actually needed a small bump when you get high clocks. I havnt really tried 4.2-4.4ghz stable yet. I got that high but didnt test stability.


----------



## Shadowclock

_Ok Sig Rig and I can't get this thing past 3.38 @ 73 degrees during load. Most BCLK Freq I have tried above 161 either fail P95 tests or it simply doesn't load Windows._

*EDIT: * got it to 3.8 BSOD...got it to 3.6 and i was running 78 degrees 5 min into P95. Should I lower my CPU and QPI to lower temps? *Changed numbers below.*

CPU Ratio = 19
SpdStep = Enabled
Turbo = Enabled
BCLK Freq = 190
PCI Freq = 100

DRAM Timings 7-7-7-24

CPU V = 1.3
PLL = Auto
QPI = 1.3
DRAM = 1.66

A20M = Disabled
Everything else Enabled or Auto

_Most the time when I change my CPU Ratio or BCLK I F10 to save settings and the computer wont auto restart and I get a "Overclock failed go back to setup"._

*EDIT:* The issue stated above and below kept happening untill I gave up and went back to default to post...is there a time where your computer hiccups and wont load properly (regardless of good input) unless you get a clean windows load in between bad Overclock settings?

_Help...I must be doing something wrong....I got to 161 BLCK and when I went back to make some changes after reading some newer results and getting pumped about my 2nd attempt I couldn't even get my 161 BCLK to work and had to default....gonna try again to get my 161 back at least but...yea...help._

*EDIT:* I want to run 24/7 around 3.6-3.8 with 70 or lower temps and low voltage. I would also like to keep Turbo and HT enabled to ensure future gaming does not get bottlenecked by my overclocking. Is this asking too much or am I misinformed about the uses of HT and Turbo?


----------



## siric

Quote:



Originally Posted by *jrharvey*


WHY IS YOUR PLL SO HIGH? I dont think you need that much. Anyone else agree?

Your memory is only set to a multiplier that is a combination of the multi and the Bclock to give you those options. Changing the Bclock is going to change your RAM speed. To get 1600mhz even you would need a Bclock of 200. The general rule is to keep the memory as close to the rated speed as possible and maybe a bit above (As long as its stable). You can actually overclock your RAM to 1700-1800 or whatever you want as long as its stable. Honestly there is no real point because you are always limited by CPU speed before you need to tap into memory bandwidth. Your current RAM speed is just fine. Its not a problem.


Ahh, thanks for the info. Yes, the sticks are rated 1600mhz and that's the speed I would like. So this is only possible if I set BCLK to 200? Weird! Why not work right out of the box correctly.

I guess 200 BCLK is the way to go then, anything else I need to change in order to get that stable?


----------



## Jakethesnake011

No I think you can get to 3.8 with turbo and Ht on.
Okay for overclocking though turn turbo off it makes things harder when trying to push the CPU, so turn it off and then find a good base clock, say 180 then turn turbo on and it will boost that 180 up even more. Do not leave voltages on auto since the BIOS does not always do the best job setting them.
Most likely you can not get into windows due to you QPI voltage which is the QPI link, this has to be higher than default if you want to overclock in the 3.5 range or higher. Now the max QPI voltage is 1.35V, which is about +0.24, but do not push it I would only max out at +0.18V IF you need it. 
Turn off speed step please, turn of spread spectrum, turn off Overspeed protection, turn off C1/C0, turn of EISt (turbo), now you CPU PLL has a max of 1.88V (+0.08V), which is in Intel's spec, it helps me increasing this to 1.88V to get a stable 3.9 overclock. Now leave PCI frequency alone,since that deals with your graphics cards and other devices. 
Okay so your voltage is high enough to get at least a 3.6 overclock I would say, but that might be voltage with turbo on, since turbo mode pumps more voltage into the chip even if you tell it not to, say you set CPU voltage to +0.15V, which would end up being 1.342V, without Turbo, but with Turbo on the voltage would really be around 1.38V, it kicks in some volts to help that extra multiplier.
okay leave HT on, it will produce more heat but it helps a little more then without it.
Now with your cooler it should keep the i7 with in the 70-80 degree centigrade range, mine runs at 77 max on a core when stressing. Also use a program called Linx, here is the link: http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/...d.php?t=201670 Please use it since it works so much better than Prime 95, it can tell if system is unstable with in 5 to 15 minutes and it generates more heat for CPU, so you can see how hot it really gets. Also stress with the max memory hit the "All" button and use all the memory you have to stress CPU, since Linx stresses both CPU and RAM at same time and it will kick you into a blue screen if system is unstable. now if system is close to stable, (passes Linx with 20 tests, using a problem size of about 20,000 (I use 25,000 due to having 6 gigs of RAM yours might be less) now with it passing then let it run for about 3 hours to see if system is rock hard stable. Then use Memtest +86 2.11 here is link:http://www.pcgameshardware.com/aid,6...test/Download/ Now burn the ISO to a cd, then restart system with it in Cd drive and it will run, let it run 2 full tests, it will test your RAM to see if that is stable, and then you are in the clear. Now use RealTemp for temps. http://www.techpowerup.com/realtemp/ Also Core temp : http://www.alcpu.com/CoreTemp/ Now use CPU-z to read info from CPU: http://www.cpuid.com/.
Okay back to voltages, and base clock turn base clock say up to 180, since you want a 3.6 overclock (with turbo on it will give about 3.8 overclock), then set voltages higher, something like CPU, +0.120, QPI +0.13, PLL +0.04 (making 1.84), Now pull RAM back down to 1.64V, since Core i7 and the RAM voltage of 1.66 are not good at all, so go 1.64V for RAM. Then leave IOH voltage alone, not auto for +0.00V. Best to have your QPI link set to 4.8 Gt/s. Okay with setting those voltages high, save and exit and see if windows will boot up, and if it does great run Linx with Coretmep and Realtemp going to monitor temps and watch to see if they jump past 80 if so I would back off your overclock, or it might be from higher voltages. Then if those voltage work for about 45 minutes with Linx, restart computer go into BIOS and then cut 0.01V on CPU voltage and 0.01 on QPI ( leave QPI +0.01V higher than CPU voltage). Now if those votlages do not let you boot into windows then jump them up 0.01 volts until you get in. It is a time consuming thing man be patient and test each setting with Linx and record temp, maybe write in notebook your Base clock and voltages so you can see what you did and what did not work. Also it is best best to leave memory multiplier at 4, or 8, in this case leave it at 4, since it works best in those multipliers, and then have your Uncore multiplier twice the memory multiplier, so 4 memory and 8 uncore. Turn off all power saving things on the CPU, since it will kill your overclock and not give CPU enough power, or cut power when it needs it. Make sure your fans are in push/pull config, works best with these cpus. Then if you get something that is rock stable turn on turbo and see how it is and if it boots and then run Linx with turbo and it is stable keep it on. Ummm, what else, can I think of...nothing right now, but come back and let me know how you did.


----------



## ricsim78

Here is all I need to get my P6T Deluxe to push my Core i7 920 to 4.0 Ghz on air (lapped TRUE with MX-2 and lapped CPU too).

Manual mode
CPU Ratio: Auto (20)
Turbo/speedstep: off
Bclk 200
DRAM Voltage: 1.66 (will not hurt it at all, Intel is just playing it safe. 1.64 will work if you are paranoid about it, but 1.66 is .01 more voltage than the memory asks for!)
DRAM Speed: 1603
DRAM Timings: 8-8-8-24 (may be able to go lower, no need!)
Cstate: On (auto mode) (made a big cooling difference and did not effect speed or stability.)

CPU Vcore: 1.35
PLL: Auto (no need to raise!)
QPI: 1.35

Everything else on auto. This brings me to 4.02 Ghz, RAM slightly overclocked to 1603 with nearly stock timings, and Idle hovers around 34-30-29-29 +/- 3

Load temps rarely exceed 70 degrees when stress testing (usually mid 60's). Game temps barely exceed 50-55 and usually hover in the 40's (Crysis included). This is in a 68 degree room with my Antec 1200 case.

Mileage may vary, but this is how I run mine and it screams (26,340 3dmark 06, not bad at all!). Prime95 Stable overnight, and Linpack: no errors even when run for over an hour.

Just bought a water cooling setup which should be here tomorrow. Hoping to be able to fight back temps even more!


----------



## Shadowclock

Jake you have a lot of homework for me to do...will attempt to run some of that stuff tomorrow when I get home from work.

Latest update:

I dropped to 1.275 CPU and QPI and went to 1.64 DRAM but temps after 3 P95 tests got up to 76 so I am not happy with that.

Will try disabling everything you said and follow the steps....almost TLDR LOL JK but can you fix the format so my head doesn't hurt when I read the great instructions?









+rep for the help, links, info.


----------



## Zero4549

Just sticking my foot into this thread so I wont forget about it later. I'm building a very nice liquid cooled ddr3 2000 core i7 920 rig once newegg restocks the last few item's I'm waiting on and I will of course be overclocking this beast









Check my system "Arcane" if interested.


----------



## Blameless

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Shadowclock*


*EDIT: * got it to 3.8 BSOD...got it to 3.6 and i was running 78 degrees 5 min into P95. Should I lower my CPU and QPI to lower temps?


Temps probably aren't the cause of your BSODs. A lack of voltage somewhere is more likely the cause.

How fast are your memory and uncore (NB frequency in CPU-Z) clocks?


----------



## Jakethesnake011

Good luck man, I will check when I get back from NYC tomorrow, best of luck


----------



## Shadowclock

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Blameless*


Temps probably aren't the cause of your BSODs. A lack of voltage somewhere is more likely the cause.

How fast are your memory and uncore (NB frequency in CPU-Z) clocks?


I am getting there but I am still probably 4/10 on a scale with the rest of you in knowledge.

The NB Freq is 3040.2 right now with the 3.6 I am hitting atm. Memory is rated at 1600MHz...probably not what your asking. Sorry


----------



## Jakethesnake011

@ricsim
Why will Bios not let anyone lock DRAM volts into 1.65V? Must mean something right? I dunno my ram does not run higher than 1.6, so I do not know. I though it was something with the memory controller in the CPU and 1.65V or higher will over volt the thing. I know I saw it somewhere I will look an see if I can find it. 
But why push the RAM or anything over Intel's Specs, if he only wants 3.8??
I understand 4.0, but 3.8 is well in Intel's range.

Any luck with the TRUE? Find a buyer? Ty for advice on lapping will do soon, but man you kinda made me feel like an ass about rep issue in your true thread when I did not even say thank you lol


----------



## Jakethesnake011

nah that it, but look in the CPU-z program under memory tab and it will say "NB frequency" and DRAM frequency. Now your DRAM is the speed per memory stick, so 1600 will be 800 in CPU-z, but the speed of the memory is controlled by the Base Clock of the CPU, same with North Bridge frequency. So in order for your 1600 RAM to run at the rated speed your base clock would have to be 200, and a memory multiplier of 4, but that is way to high of a base clock for now, hit 180 1st. Now with a base clock of 180 and a memory multiplier of 4 your RAM will be running at 720Mhz per stick, so 1440, which is a small "down clock" but that is okay. Leave memory Multiplier at 4 for now, and leave your Uncore multiplier at 8 also, from my experience those are the 2 best multipliers for those 2 values. Also it seem to me with that NB frequency your Uncore has to have a multiplier of of 9 or 10, with a base base of 160, so turn that down, since the higher the Uncore runs in frequency the more QPI voltage you need to supply. Also the higher the NB frequency the harder it is going to be to get a stable overclock.


----------



## Blameless

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Shadowclock* 
I am getting there but I am still probably 4/10 on a scale with the rest of you in knowledge.

The NB Freq is 3040.2 right now with the 3.6 I am hitting atm. Memory is rated at 1600MHz...probably not what your asking. Sorry









That NB Freq should be stable with a QPI/vtt/uncore voltage of 1.3, so I don't think that is what is causing your BSODs.

You might need more vcore. If it's set to 1.3 in the BIOS, you are probably only around ~1.24v under load (unless you have LLC or something enabled).


----------



## Alexander99

hey there Boys please could you help me???how can i get to 3.2 stable???plls help me


----------



## Euphoric

Hi all,

This is my first post and also my first overclock attempt.
Although I still have to tweak things regarding my system, I am currently running a Prime 95 test at 3780Mhz. The settings I have, have passed 10 tests of Intel Burntest and are now well underway to a 24hrs prime95. Highest temp is 78 degrees on core1 which is always 4 to 5 degrees Celsius higher than the others. The I7 920 is lapped and so is the True with 2 Noctua's in Push - Pull. IMO the temps are relatively high, but I think my CPU batch is not that great (will post nr later on). Anyone with more insights on this? Perhaps the heatsink should be reseated??

Especially after reading Ricsim78's posts regarding his temperatures and the fact that my rig looks very similar to his (Same MOBO / RAM / CPU Cooler / Lapping / Pushpull I wonder if I have to reseat the sink or try different thermal paste. I Used coollaboratory liquid pro but I also have that latest arctic silver paste (MX-2 i think) here. With 3 120mm fan's intake and 3 120mm fan's exhaust and the Cosmos S case I should be able to get lower temps compared to the current situation (after 13 hrs stresstesting maxtemps 78-78-73-73). This is with 1.35 vcore and QPI and RAM at 1.64 with 7-7-7-24 timings. Turbo is on (3.6Ghz with the turbo makes 3.78) as is hyperthreading.

I also wanted to say thanks to the people here who posted settings, it helped me a lot and hopefully, I can help others with my settings which I will post later as well.


----------



## speedy2721

I can pass 15 passes of LinX but I fail Prime 95 in like 10 minutes. Does anyone know what could be causing only Prime 95 to fail and what I have to rasie to fix that?


----------



## jrharvey

Quote:


Originally Posted by *speedy2721* 
I can pass 15 passes of LinX but I fail Prime 95 in like 10 minutes. Does anyone know what could be causing only Prime 95 to fail and what I have to rasie to fix that?


Quote:


Originally Posted by *Alexander99* 
hey there Boys please could you help me???how can i get to 3.2 stable???plls help me









At both of you, What are your current settings. What have you tried to use in the BIOS so far?


----------



## siric

Quote:


Originally Posted by *ricsim78* 
Here is all I need to get my P6T Deluxe to push my Core i7 920 to 4.0 Ghz on air (lapped TRUE with MX-2 and lapped CPU too).

Manual mode
CPU Ratio: Auto (20)
Turbo/speedstep: off
Bclk 200
DRAM Voltage: 1.66 (will not hurt it at all, Intel is just playing it safe. 1.64 will work if you are paranoid about it, but 1.66 is .01 more voltage than the memory asks for!)
DRAM Speed: 1603
DRAM Timings: 8-8-8-24 (may be able to go lower, no need!)
Cstate: On (auto mode) (made a big cooling difference and did not effect speed or stability.)

CPU Vcore: 1.35
PLL: Auto (no need to raise!)
QPI: 1.35

Everything else on auto. This brings me to 4.02 Ghz, RAM slightly overclocked to 1603 with nearly stock timings, and Idle hovers around 34-30-29-29 +/- 3

Load temps rarely exceed 70 degrees when stress testing (usually mid 60's). Game temps barely exceed 50-55 and usually hover in the 40's (Crysis included). This is in a 68 degree room with my Antec 1200 case.

Mileage may vary, but this is how I run mine and it screams (26,340 3dmark 06, not bad at all!). Prime95 Stable overnight, and Linpack: no errors even when run for over an hour.

Just bought a water cooling setup which should be here tomorrow. Hoping to be able to fight back temps even more!

I tried these settings but prime95 failed in like 5min. Temps are ~70c. Works ok with BCLK 180. More voltage you think?

Testing 180 for now but I cant seem to get a 100% fixed clock even with Speedstep, Turbo and C1E off. It keeps varying from 3599.5 to 3600.1 mhz during load. What else do I need to change?


----------



## Extreme Newbie

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Euphoric* 
Hi all,

This is my first post and also my first overclock attempt.
Although I still have to tweak things regarding my system, I am currently running a Prime 95 test at 3780Mhz. The settings I have, have passed 10 tests of Intel Burntest and are now well underway to a 24hrs prime95. Highest temp is 78 degrees on core1 which is always 4 to 5 degrees Celsius higher than the others. The I7 920 is lapped and so is the True with 2 Noctua's in Push - Pull. IMO the temps are relatively high, but I think my CPU batch is not that great (will post nr later on). Anyone with more insights on this? Perhaps the heatsink should be reseated??

Especially after reading Ricsim78's posts regarding his temperatures and the fact that my rig looks very similar to his (Same MOBO / RAM / CPU Cooler / Lapping / Pushpull I wonder if I have to reseat the sink or try different thermal paste. I Used coollaboratory liquid pro but I also have that latest arctic silver paste (MX-2 i think) here. With 3 120mm fan's intake and 3 120mm fan's exhaust and the Cosmos S case I should be able to get lower temps compared to the current situation (after 13 hrs stresstesting maxtemps 78-78-73-73). This is with 1.35 vcore and QPI and RAM at 1.64 with 7-7-7-24 timings. Turbo is on (3.6Ghz with the turbo makes 3.78) as is hyperthreading.

I also wanted to say thanks to the people here who posted settings, it helped me a lot and hopefully, I can help others with my settings which I will post later as well.

Have you tried lowering your vcore? At 3.6 (3.78 Turbo) you shouldn't need 1.35v. Try 1.25v and see if it passes IBT, if it does then try a bit lower and re-test. If it fails then add a bit of voltage and try again. The lower you can get your voltage the better your temps will be. Once you get voltage as low as you can then run Prime95 for 12- 24hrs.
You can probably lower your QPI voltage as well. 1.35v is Intel's recommended max but you shouldn't require that at 3.6Ghz (3.78 Turbo).


----------



## Extreme Newbie

Quote:


Originally Posted by *siric* 
I tried these settings but prime95 failed in like 5min. Temps are ~70c. Works ok with BCLK 180. More voltage you think?

Testing 180 for now but I cant seem to get a 100% fixed clock even with Speedstep, Turbo and C1E off. It keeps varying from 3599.5 to 3600.1 mhz during load. What else do I need to change?


Try your memory timings at 9-9-9-24 2T and try prime again. 8-8-8-24 2T wasn't stable at 4.0Ghz for me.


----------



## Shadowclock

Quick random question: For a 24/7 clock wouldn't it be best to have CPU ratio on Auto so that it can downclock when not in use. Wouldn't this increase the longevity of the chip? Didn't see it mentioned in all the 300+ pages of posts I have read here.

Thanks, still at work so have yet to do some more testing...day is sooo slow =P

Edit: You mentioned timings made you unstable at times....I have mine set to 7-7-7-24...would you think this had a lot to do with my instability issues? Considering I am going for 3.6 I should be fine with 9-9-9-24 timings, yea?

Also, forgot to mention I disabled some of the features mentioned and it didn't effect my temps...i am running 3.6 at 1.275 and can't get the temps below 78 during load. What else can I do to lower the temps with HT and Turbo still on?


----------



## speedy2721

Here are my settings:

CPU Multi-19
Base Clock- 211
Turbo- Off
QPI speed- 7.59GHz
RAM multi-6
RAM speed- 1266 MHz
Timings- Auto
LLC- Enabled
CPU Vcore- 1.3375
QPI-VTT Voltage- 1.335
IOH Core- 1.28
DRAM Voltage- 1.64
CPU PLL- 1.88
QPI-PLL- 1.26
ICH I/O- Auto
ICH- core- 1.2
DRAM Termination- Auto
PCIE voltage- Auto


----------



## laxrunner

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Shadowclock* 
Quick random question: For a 24/7 clock wouldn't it be best to have CPU ratio on Auto so that it can downclock when not in use. Wouldn't this increase the longevity of the chip? Didn't see it mentioned in all the 300+ pages of posts I have read here.

Edit: You mentioned timings made you unstable at times....I have mine set to 7-7-7-24...would you think this had a lot to do with my instability issues? Considering I am going for 3.6 I should be fine with 9-9-9-24 timings, yea?

Leaving the CPU on auto will just run it at stock. If you want the cpu to be able to downclock when not in use then I think you need to enable speedstep in the bios. As far as increasing the longevity of the cpu, that is the point of having a "24/7 OC" it is stable and cool enough to not cause any long term damage to the cpu.

As for your memory timings, just run them on whatever they are rated at. You shouldn't need to loosen the timings at the low speeds you're running. Also all ram is different in its ability to overclock just like everything else. I can hit 1760MHz at 8-8-8-24 on my ram thats only rated to 1600MHz at those timings, and 1950MHz at 9-9-9-28 but that doesnt mean that the next person can do the same. If you're not sure about memory stability then run memtest.

The key to overclocking is trial and error then testing to ensure stability. Someone can point you in the right direction but you have to do the final testing to make it work. If you want to really learn how to overclock your system, then sit down with a pen and paper and start from the bottom up taking notes of what voltages get what settings stable and work your way through ram, NB, QPI, and then finally the CPU.


----------



## jrharvey

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Shadowclock*


Quick random question: For a 24/7 clock wouldn't it be best to have CPU ratio on Auto so that it can downclock when not in use. Wouldn't this increase the longevity of the chip? Didn't see it mentioned in all the 300+ pages of posts I have read here.

Thanks, still at work so have yet to do some more testing...day is sooo slow =P

Edit: You mentioned timings made you unstable at times....I have mine set to 7-7-7-24...would you think this had a lot to do with my instability issues? Considering I am going for 3.6 I should be fine with 9-9-9-24 timings, yea?

Also, forgot to mention I disabled some of the features mentioned and it didn't effect my temps...i am running 3.6 at 1.275 and can't get the temps below 78 during load. What else can I do to lower the temps with HT and Turbo still on?


I leave my CPU ratio on auto for that exact reason. If you manually set the multi to 19 or 20 then it wont go into power saving mode. Its a shame really. The last gen core2 series could be manually set and still down-clock when not in use but this i7 seems stuck when you manually set the multi.


----------



## jrharvey

Quote:



Originally Posted by *speedy2721*


Here are my settings:

CPU Multi-19
Base Clock- 211
Turbo- Off
QPI speed- 7.59GHz
RAM multi-6
RAM speed- 1266 MHz
Timings- Auto
LLC- Enabled
CPU Vcore- 1.3375
QPI-VTT Voltage- 1.335
IOH Core- 1.28
DRAM Voltage- 1.64
CPU PLL- 1.88
QPI-PLL- 1.26
ICH I/O- Auto
ICH- core- 1.2
DRAM Termination- Auto
PCIE voltage- Auto


Do you have the newest version of prime95? Most people claim that linpack is a much more demanding algorithm so its weird that prime crashes fast and linpack keeps on going. So far everything looks fine to me but you could try setting you Multiplier to 20 or (Auto) so you can use a lower base clock. Some boards just dont like anything over 200 Bclock.


----------



## Extreme Newbie

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Shadowclock* 

Edit: You mentioned timings made you unstable at times....I have mine set to 7-7-7-24...would you think this had a lot to do with my instability issues? Considering I am going for 3.6 I should be fine with 9-9-9-24 timings, yea?

Also, forgot to mention I disabled some of the features mentioned and it didn't effect my temps...i am running 3.6 at 1.275 and can't get the temps below 78 during load. What else can I do to lower the temps with HT and Turbo still on?

My RAM is spec'd to run at 8-8-8-24 2T at 1600Mhz however I could not get my overclock stable with these settings. This by no means that your RAM won't run at 8-8-8-24 2T. We all know that no 2 components are the same.


----------



## speedy2721

Quote:



Originally Posted by *jrharvey*


Do you have the newest version of prime95? Most people claim that linpack is a much more demanding algorithm so its weird that prime crashes fast and linpack keeps on going. So far everything looks fine to me but you could try setting you Multiplier to 20 or (Auto) so you can use a lower base clock. Some boards just dont like anything over 200 Bclock.


I think that I have the newest version of Prime, but could you send me a link to it just incase I don't? I also thought it is weird how I can pass Linx over and over again but Prime fails in 10min.

I haven't tried a higher since I heard that 20x200 was harder to get stable then 19x211, but I will try it anyway and see if it works. Would 21x191 be better though or just try 20x200?


----------



## Blameless

Quote:


Originally Posted by *speedy2721* 
I also thought it is weird how I can pass Linx over and over again but Prime fails in 10min.

This has been known to happen. Prime95 and Linpack do vastly different things.

On an HT enabled CPU Prime is very nearly as demanding as Linpack. This is because the gaps in the pipeline that Prime95 would usually leave are filled by another thread of Prime95, where as Linpack would have left very few resources unused, so HT Linpack sees a much smaller increase.

Also, Linpack tests tend to only continually load all the cores for a few seconds at a time, then they cycle through each core, before loading everything again.

Prime95 loads all cores/threads the entire time it runs, except for the split second in needs to start the next test.

I currently favor running LinX, Prime 95 FFTs in the background, to mop up what cycles LinX does not use, and FurMark (to heat everything up) simultaneously.


----------



## FearlessLdr88

New Bios for P6T6 Rev. out
http://support.asus.com/download/dow...Language=en-us

http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/cpu...-core-i7-920/3
This might help as well.


----------



## Patch

I'm quite new to this having done my first build/oc venture last summer with an E8400, but I'm hooked. I get the insomniac thing now.

Any advice for going further with my i7?

4.3 ghz
215X20
Vcore 1.5
IOH 1.30
Hyperthreading enabled.
Turbo off.

1600 Mushkins are still underclocked at 1292 at 1.65V.

Probably not horribly stable, but I'm typing on it right now after doing Prime Blend for 15 min with load temps averaging 72 C (max 77).

Will I get much more of a clock with hyperthreading off? Just for the stable clock numbers, I mean - not for overall performance.

How about decreasing the multi while upping the base clock?

.....I know you can't know till you try and I'll be doing those things anyway. Any suggestions for something I'm not thinking of?

Attachment 101959

Attachment 101960


----------



## P?P?!

@ Patch: Nice over clock and really nice temps...if i could get my temps that low i bet i could go higher for now im stuck at 4.2Ghz because of the heat if i go higher it will probally damage the chip.

My Overclock:
4.2Ghz @ 1.35
200x21
Turbo Enabled
HT Disabled


----------



## Shadowclock

So I did some more tests, turned off all my energy savers, I am still stuck at 3.6 with

CPU Ratio 19
BCLK 190

CPU V 1.275
QPI V 1.275
RAM V 1.64

I am still running much hotter then I want to be (78 on Prime95 with 8 tests). Maybe its the cooler....it doesn't get the best reviews (now that I have seen some)....I might just leave it as is for now. I don't really do anything to really stress my system.

I might upgrade to a True in the next 6 months or so and try again but at this point I think I will have to stick with the 3.6 I have.


----------



## Jakethesnake011

It is probably the cooler, I had one before a thermaltake v1 cooler and my temps went up into the 80s with a 3.7 overclock, so I could see it being the cooler. The true is awesome I have upgraded to one myself and I am very happy in doing so. Worth the money. Now why don't you try to increase your cpu multiplier? To say 20 or if your mobo bios will let you go to 21, kind of a permanent turbo mode. My MSI x58 lets me turn off EIST and then turn my multiplier up to 21 manually. Try say a base clock of 185 and a multi of 20? It is a guessing game which sucks man







It takes up so much time but is worth it. Best of luck


----------



## Shadowclock

Switched it to auto, so now I have a multi of 20. Lowered the BLCK to 180 because no matter what voltages between 1.25 and 1.3 could I get it stable beyond that. So now I am at 3.6 and temps aren't getting above 74 so I am pretty happy with it for a 24/7 clock.

I could try some more aggressive voltages or ratios but since my temps are so close to leaving my comfort zone I don't really want to mess with it. Oh I also tried turning turbo back on to hit the 21 multi and got a BSOD.

I would love to sit at 3.8 but I really think my cooler is holding me back with temps.

I appreciate all the help Jake. I'll get the True probably the same time I get my Vertex SSD and we will take another whack at this whole thing.

Only hitting 17.1k on the 3Dmark06 unfortunately. Anything I need to tweak up to get that higher or is that about right with my rig?


----------



## Jakethesnake011

17k including GPU? could be that holding you back but with my i7 at 3.7 and my 4850x2 I was able to get into the 21k area.


----------



## Shadowclock

17.1k including GPU, yes...standard test...of course I am running with 1 x 4870. Will be upgrading in another few months to Crossfire.


----------



## Jakethesnake011

seems a little low to me, but gpu's can pull down a good cpu score a lot. Why not test the cpu alone and see how it fars and compare online?


----------



## falven

Hey guys, I finally recieved and installed my motherboard and processor, but since i've never had an intel before I am totally lost, for example, what is uncore?
i am trying to get to 4gz on my setup, thanks!
-Falven


----------



## Jakethesnake011

o I think you can get to 3.8 with turbo and Ht on.
Okay for overclocking though turn turbo off it makes things harder when trying to push the CPU, so turn it off and then find a good base clock, say 180 then turn turbo on and it will boost that 180 up even more. Do not leave voltages on auto since the BIOS does not always do the best job setting them.
Most likely you can not get into windows due to you QPI voltage which is the QPI link, this has to be higher than default if you want to overclock in the 3.5 range or higher. Now the max QPI voltage is 1.35V, which is about +0.24, but do not push it I would only max out at +0.18V IF you need it.
Turn off speed step please, turn of spread spectrum, turn off Overspeed protection, turn off C1/C0, turn of EISt (turbo), now you CPU PLL has a max of 1.88V (+0.08V), which is in Intel's spec, it helps me increasing this to 1.88V to get a stable 3.9 overclock. Now leave PCI frequency alone,since that deals with your graphics cards and other devices.
Okay so your voltage is high enough to get at least a 3.6 overclock I would say, but that might be voltage with turbo on, since turbo mode pumps more voltage into the chip even if you tell it not to, say you set CPU voltage to +0.15V, which would end up being 1.342V, without Turbo, but with Turbo on the voltage would really be around 1.38V, it kicks in some volts to help that extra multiplier.
okay leave HT on, it will produce more heat but it helps a little more then without it.
Now with your cooler it should keep the i7 with in the 70-80 degree centigrade range, mine runs at 77 max on a core when stressing. Also use a program called Linx, here is the link: http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/...d.php?t=201670 Please use it since it works so much better than Prime 95, it can tell if system is unstable with in 5 to 15 minutes and it generates more heat for CPU, so you can see how hot it really gets. Also stress with the max memory hit the "All" button and use all the memory you have to stress CPU, since Linx stresses both CPU and RAM at same time and it will kick you into a blue screen if system is unstable. now if system is close to stable, (passes Linx with 20 tests, using a problem size of about 20,000 (I use 25,000 due to having 6 gigs of RAM yours might be less) now with it passing then let it run for about 3 hours to see if system is rock hard stable. Then use Memtest +86 2.11 here is link:http://www.pcgameshardware.com/aid,6...test/Download/ Now burn the ISO to a cd, then restart system with it in Cd drive and it will run, let it run 2 full tests, it will test your RAM to see if that is stable, and then you are in the clear. Now use RealTemp for temps. http://www.techpowerup.com/realtemp/ Also Core temp : http://www.alcpu.com/CoreTemp/ Now use CPU-z to read info from CPU: http://www.cpuid.com/.
Okay back to voltages, and base clock turn base clock say up to 180, since you want a 3.6 overclock (with turbo on it will give about 3.8 overclock), then set voltages higher, something like CPU, +0.120, QPI +0.13, PLL +0.04 (making 1.84), Now pull RAM back down to 1.64V, since Core i7 and the RAM voltage of 1.66 are not good at all, so go 1.64V for RAM. Then leave IOH voltage alone, not auto for +0.00V. Best to have your QPI link set to 4.8 Gt/s. Okay with setting those voltages high, save and exit and see if windows will boot up, and if it does great run Linx with Coretmep and Realtemp going to monitor temps and watch to see if they jump past 80 if so I would back off your overclock, or it might be from higher voltages. Then if those voltage work for about 45 minutes with Linx, restart computer go into BIOS and then cut 0.01V on CPU voltage and 0.01 on QPI ( leave QPI +0.01V higher than CPU voltage). Now if those votlages do not let you boot into windows then jump them up 0.01 volts until you get in. It is a time consuming thing man be patient and test each setting with Linx and record temp, maybe write in notebook your Base clock and voltages so you can see what you did and what did not work. Also it is best best to leave memory multiplier at 4, or 8, in this case leave it at 4, since it works best in those multipliers, and then have your Uncore multiplier twice the memory multiplier, so 4 memory and 8 uncore. Turn off all power saving things on the CPU, since it will kill your overclock and not give CPU enough power, or cut power when it needs it. Make sure your fans are in push/pull config, works best with these cpus. Then if you get something that is rock stable turn on turbo and see how it is and if it boots and then run Linx with turbo and it is stable keep it on. Ummm, what else, can I think of...nothing right now, but come back and let me know how you did.

I posted it somewhat before, but try to follow what I have here with what applies. I dunno if it might help.


----------



## ryan]

help! im overclocked to 3.6 and vista is running slower than stock for me. ive been running prime 95 for about an hour and the highest temp is hit is 65


----------



## Jakethesnake011

what do you mean slower?
It could be your memory?


----------



## jrharvey

Quote:



Originally Posted by *ryan]*


help! im overclocked to 3.6 and vista is running slower than stock for me. ive been running prime 95 for about an hour and the highest temp is hit is 65


What are you using to test this "Speed" change. Is it some type of benchmark?


----------



## ryan]

Quote:



Originally Posted by *jrharvey*


What are you using to test this "Speed" change. Is it some type of benchmark?


its noticable.

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Jakethesnake011*


what do you mean slower?
It could be your memory?


slower like sluggish. for example i click on my computer and it takes several seconds to come up whereas at stock it would come up instantly.


----------



## ryan]

okay well i set my ram bus voltage to 1.64, bios wouldnt let me do 1.65...and now it seems to be working fine. is this okay? could that be the reason it was sluggish? my ram just wasn't getting enough voltage?


----------



## jrharvey

Quote:



Originally Posted by *ryan]*


okay well i set my ram bus voltage to 1.64, bios wouldnt let me do 1.65...and now it seems to be working fine. is this okay? could that be the reason it was sluggish? my ram just wasn't getting enough voltage?


Possible I suppose. Most of the time when I see RAM instability, I see worse problems than this but maybe it was just enough off not to cause too much trouble.


----------



## ryan]

Quote:


Originally Posted by *jrharvey* 
Possible I suppose. Most of the time when I see RAM instability, I see worse problems than this but maybe it was just enough off not to cause too much trouble.

well it was set to auto in the bios. does it automatically not give it enough voltage to run right? is 1.64 too much or should i back it down a bit?


----------



## lsdmeasap

Auto can often Over Volt things when overclocking, so be careful what you leave in Auto and always check with Easytune if you are not sure what is being applied as it will show you what a voltage setting is getting if you use Auto


----------



## jrharvey

Quote:



Originally Posted by *ryan]*


well it was set to auto in the bios. does it automatically not give it enough voltage to run right? is 1.64 too much or should i back it down a bit?


Most X58 boards default the RAM to 1.5V or at least mine does. You could just manually set everything. If you enable XMP it should automatically set all your RAM settings to manufacturer specs (Clocks, timings, voltage). From there you can lower the ram speed and try to up the Bclock to give you that same overclock but with all the RAM settings correct.


----------



## Extreme Newbie

Quote:


Originally Posted by *ryan]* 
well it was set to auto in the bios. does it automatically not give it enough voltage to run right? is 1.64 too much or should i back it down a bit?

Your RAM is rated for 1.65v so you are OK at 1.64. On our motherboards you can't get 1.65 so it's 1.64 or 1.66. I run my RAM on at 1.66v.


----------



## Derp

Anyone one of you want to make an i7 overclocking guide for OCN? I haven't seen any proper guides done yet and one of you with experience would make a great candidate for the author. Simple with guidelines including explanations on what the specific voltages do and what their safe limits are, what to adjust and what to be cautious of.


----------



## {core2duo}werd

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Auld*


Anyone one of you want to make an i7 overclocking guide for OCN? I haven't seen any proper guides done yet and one of you with experience would make a great candidate for the author. Simple with guidelines including explanations on what the specific voltages do and what their safe limits are, what to adjust and what to be cautious of.


the biggest problem is that alot of information is debatable.


----------



## jrharvey

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Auld*


Anyone one of you want to make an i7 overclocking guide for OCN? I haven't seen any proper guides done yet and one of you with experience would make a great candidate for the author. Simple with guidelines including explanations on what the specific voltages do and what their safe limits are, what to adjust and what to be cautious of.


I think the biggest misconception for these chips are the voltages needed for 3.6+ ghz. Some people arent stable at a certain speed so they throw massive voltages at it to get it stable when in reality they just need to push a bit farther and change the multi. My board is completely unstable from 191 bclock to 200. No matter what voltage I am just all over the place in between there. Once I set 201 or higher I am just fine. and still remarkable low on the voltages. I keep mine at 190 right now but I think if I go any higher Ill just use turbo for that 21 multi instead of trying to push a 201 Bclock.


----------



## laxrunner

I don't know about a full overclocking guide, but I've definitely been thinking about writing at least a guide to basically decipher what all the different voltages affect since every day a new person comes along and asks a question that has been answered and buried in 40 pages of thread. Also want to make a reference of the names different manufacturers gave the voltages, since every manufacturer decided to call different voltages different things. I find it really annoying trying to figure out what somebody with an ASUS board is talking about because my EVGA calls it something else. maybe in a few days after classes start up again.


----------



## Patch

Quote:



Originally Posted by *jrharvey*


I think the biggest misconception for these chips are the voltages needed for 3.6+ ghz. Some people arent stable at a certain speed so they throw massive voltages at it to get it stable when in reality they just need to push a bit farther and change the multi. My board is completely unstable from 191 bclock to 200. No matter what voltage I am just all over the place in between there. Once I set 201 or higher I am just fine. and still remarkable low on the voltages. I keep mine at 190 right now but I think if I go any higher Ill just use turbo for that 21 multi instead of trying to push a 201 Bclock.


Agree with that.

I was hitting a wall at 4.4 ghz, even pushing up to 1.55V trying to get higher. Then I dropped my voltages back and did a lot of minor tinkering to jump up to 4.64 ghz. Not horribly stable at that level, of course, only good for getting into windows and web surfing.

Settings on Bloodrage:

221 mhz X 21 (turbo on)
Vc 1.45
VTT(uncore) +180
PLL 1.87
IOH 1.30
DRAM 1.65
PPM enabled
EIST enabled
cxe disabled
hyperthreading disabled


----------



## NCspecV81

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Patch*


Agree with that.

I was hitting a wall at 4.4 ghz, even pushing up to 1.55V trying to get higher. Then I dropped my voltages back and did a lot of minor tinkering to jump up to 4.64 ghz. Not horribly stable at that level, of course, only good for getting into windows and web surfing.

Settings on Bloodrage:

221 mhz X 21 (turbo on)
Vc 1.45
VTT(uncore) +180
PLL 1.87
IOH 1.30
DRAM 1.65
PPM enabled
EIST enabled
cxe disabled
hyperthreading disabled



That is very nice!


----------



## P?P?!

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Patch*


Agree with that.

I was hitting a wall at 4.4 ghz, even pushing up to 1.55V trying to get higher. Then I dropped my voltages back and did a lot of minor tinkering to jump up to 4.64 ghz. Not horribly stable at that level, of course, only good for getting into windows and web surfing.

Settings on Bloodrage:

221 mhz X 21 (turbo on)
Vc 1.45
VTT(uncore) +180
PLL 1.87
IOH 1.30
DRAM 1.65
PPM enabled
EIST enabled
cxe disabled
hyperthreading disabled


Holy mother! , Thats awesome , hopefully when i go water i will hit those clocks


----------



## Euphoric

I am quite annoyed you guys get such great clocks at those voltages.
I have tried lowering my voltages, but in order to run at 3.78Ghz my system really needs 1.35 for both voltages







I have tried lots of possible different settings all leading to BSOD's. I really think I have a mediocre CPU and will leave the system clocked like this unless someone here has any more ideas.

Just tweaked the GTX295 a bit and installed the latest nvidia drivers for vista x64. 3dmark score was 23850, so that is quite good.


----------



## Jakethesnake011

So I just lapped my TRUE last night and am very happy with the results. My tamps did drop about 7 degrees on hottest core so far, and the Arctic Silver has not had anytime to cure and fill in all the gaps. Took me about 3 hours which was not fun, but it seems like it was worth it. I also did the washer mod and put a big fat washer, that could barely fit between the heat pipes in, and it was about as thick as 1.5 quarters. One is when turbo is on and off, but when I stress the CPU turbo turns off either way, so it is 3.9 with 21 multi and 3.7 with a 20 multi, but the 20 multi only kicks in when 2 or more cores are under 100% load. Now I do not have EIST on, but I am able to pick a multiplier of 21 for CPU in my BIOS with the MSI x58 Eclipse, I do not know if others boards allow, but it seems to act like turbo mode.


----------



## Derp

nvm


----------



## jrharvey

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Jakethesnake011* 
So I just lapped my TRUE last night and am very happy with the results. My tamps did drop about 7 degrees on hottest core so far, and the Arctic Silver has not had anytime to cure and fill in all the gaps. Took me about 3 hours which was not fun, but it seems like it was worth it. I also did the washer mod and put a big fat washer, that could barely fit between the heat pipes in, and it was about as thick as 1.5 quarters. One is when turbo is on and off, but when I stress the CPU turbo turns off either way, so it is 3.9 with 21 multi and 3.7 with a 20 multi, but the 20 multi only kicks in when 2 or more cores are under 100% load. Now I do not have EIST on, but I am able to pick a multiplier of 21 for CPU in my BIOS with the MSI x58 Eclipse, I do not know if others boards allow, but it seems to act like turbo mode.

Not bad on the temps there. I am around the same at that speed, maybe 1-2c lower. Going from 3.7-3.8 increases my temps about 4c on average but not enough to worry.


----------



## Jakethesnake011

I am much happier with this temps, its been hard for it to break into the 70s.
Now with my turbo mode. I have EIST off, but on my MSI Eclipse I can put the CPU multiplier to 21. When I do this it runs with a 21 multiplier on all applications, except when I stress the CPU. I have HT on, so if I put stress (100%) on 5 threads the multiplier goes back to 20. And stays there. Also with the 21 multiplier my TDJ is up to 147ish, and under stress (20 mulit) is goes back down to 130. This seems to me like a turbo mode, right? So when I stress the CPU it only stresses as if it was a 20 multiplier (3.75 speed) but when normal usage it runs at a 21 multiplier (3.9 speed) Now if EIST is on and you stress the CPU does it stress under a 21 multiplier? or does the multiplier go down to 20? I do not know if other motherboards do this or only the MSI x58.


----------



## speedy2721

On my board it will only let you put the multi up to 20. If you have turbo mode on and have the multi at 20 and go into the windows power settings, you can set the minimum processor power from 5% to 100% and the multi will stay at 21.


----------



## Jakethesnake011

I do not see that option in my power settings in the control panal, but I believe it is at 100%, I will look more


----------



## speedy2721

Go to Control Panel-Hardware and Sound-Power Options-Change Plan Settings- Change Advance Power Settings-Processor Power Management-Minimum Processor State

Then change 5% to 100%.


----------



## Jakethesnake011

You got windows 7, I have vista, thats prob why I do not see that


----------



## Jakethesnake011

Here is what I got.


----------



## Extreme Newbie

I run Vista and I show an option "processor power management". Not sure why you don't have that option?


----------



## Kuat

guise, so what's the current record on Air ?


----------



## falven

Quote:


Originally Posted by *speedy2721* 
On my board it will only let you put the multi up to 20. If you have turbo mode on and have the multi at 20 and go into the windows power settings, you can set the minimum processor power from 5% to 100% and the multi will stay at 21.

Wow, nice thinking!
Are there any downfals to this?


----------



## Patch

Quote:


Originally Posted by *speedy2721* 
On my board it will only let you put the multi up to 20. If you have turbo mode on and have the multi at 20 and go into the windows power settings, you can set the minimum processor power from 5% to 100% and the multi will stay at 21.

The Bloodrage BIOS has an option to select turbo "always on" to keep the multi at 21.


----------



## jrharvey

Quote:


Originally Posted by *falven* 
Wow, nice thinking!
Are there any downfals to this?

100% power draw all the time







When you arent using your computer wont go into power saving mode. IDK I seem to be the only one on this forum that actually likes the power saving features that intel has but that is just me. Since I am running 3.8ghz 24/7 now its really good to know that my computer will downclock to 2.4ghz when i am away.


----------



## nyder

Quote:



Originally Posted by *pzyko80*


hey.... anyone here using the rampage II extreme board... got my 920 to 3.2 stable so far I want to go higher. I was wondering if someone can give me an idea on there voltage set ups...just for a reference guide... thanks much










I got to 4ghz without changing in voltages.

Not sure what your heatsink/fan is, but i completely recommend the CM V8 if you want a good one. Has a completely flat/smooth base (unlike most the heatsinks i've seen), and does great with stock fan, but i suggest removing it with a higher rated fan. (I haven't swapped fans yet, but seeing as i can hit 4ghz with the stock one, i'm sure i'll do bit better).

make sure you put the proper amount of artic silver 5 (i don't recommend anything else), which is about the size of a bb. ya, that small. I used a thin piece of stiff cardboard to spread it evenly and thinly on the cpu. Some peeps suggest putting it in the middle and letting the heatsink spread it around, which seems to work, but i wanted to be extra careful.

Other then that, make sure you have a decent air path to the cpu and back out the case. If you have an older case with the power supply on top, i suggest you get a new case that has the PS on the bottem. on top it's too close to the cpu.

other then that, you should be able to do better without hitting your voltages yet. unless i'm wrong, it seems to me that you want to get it OC'd as much as possible with having to adjust your voltages as little as possible.
but like i said, it's possible i'm wrong on that, and someone will correctly in a post or 2. lol

good luck


----------



## jrharvey

Quote:



Originally Posted by *nyder*


I got to 4ghz without changing in voltages.

Not sure what your heatsink/fan is, but i completely recommend the CM V8 if you want a good one. Has a completely flat/smooth base (unlike most the heatsinks i've seen), and does great with stock fan, but i suggest removing it with a higher rated fan. (I haven't swapped fans yet, but seeing as i can hit 4ghz with the stock one, i'm sure i'll do bit better).

make sure you put the proper amount of artic silver 5 (i don't recommend anything else), which is about the size of a bb. ya, that small. I used a thin piece of stiff cardboard to spread it evenly and thinly on the cpu. Some peeps suggest putting it in the middle and letting the heatsink spread it around, which seems to work, but i wanted to be extra careful.

Other then that, make sure you have a decent air path to the cpu and back out the case. If you have an older case with the power supply on top, i suggest you get a new case that has the PS on the bottem. on top it's too close to the cpu.

other then that, you should be able to do better without hitting your voltages yet. unless i'm wrong, it seems to me that you want to get it OC'd as much as possible with having to adjust your voltages as little as possible.
but like i said, it's possible i'm wrong on that, and someone will correctly in a post or 2. lol

good luck


When you say you got 4ghz without changing any voltages, does that mean you left everything on Auto? If so then that is not a good idea by any means. Motherboards often heavily overvolt CPU's when left on auto and an OC applied. At 4ghz Im thinking your pushing well over 1.4V when you could easily run alot less. If that isnt what you meant then my apologies.


----------



## nyder

Quote:



Originally Posted by *jrharvey*


When you say you got 4ghz without changing any voltages, does that mean you left everything on Auto? If so then that is not a good idea by any means. Motherboards often heavily overvolt CPU's when left on auto and an OC applied. At 4ghz Im thinking your pushing well over 1.4V when you could easily run alot less. If that isnt what you meant then my apologies.


I mean that I up'd the blck only.

Didn't change the voltage or anything.

though i have a really good powersupply & mb, so maybe that keeps the voltages more even, which is why I wouldn't need to up the voltages so soon.

not really sure, still learning alot of about this myself.

It's just from what i've seen in posts and stuff, most the 920's OC great over air, so it would seem you should be able to get a bit better then that before you need to up the voltage, but maybe not.

I remember what happened to me at first. I had my memory set at 1600, and i hit a ceiling around 3.2ghz, and once i lowered my memory i was able to get up to 4ghz. Also, I did that with HT on, so i should be able to do better with HT off. I don't even see a difference with it off on my computer anyways, so i figure it's less overhead the OS has to deal with.


----------



## jrharvey

Quote:



Originally Posted by *nyder*


I mean that I up'd the blck only.

Didn't change the voltage or anything.

though i have a really good powersupply & mb, so maybe that keeps the voltages more even, which is why I wouldn't need to up the voltages so soon.

not really sure, still learning alot of about this myself.

It's just from what i've seen in posts and stuff, most the 920's OC great over air, so it would seem you should be able to get a bit better then that before you need to up the voltage, but maybe not.

I remember what happened to me at first. I had my memory set at 1600, and i hit a ceiling around 3.2ghz, and once i lowered my memory i was able to get up to 4ghz. Also, I did that with HT on, so i should be able to do better with HT off. I don't even see a difference with it off on my computer anyways, so i figure it's less overhead the OS has to deal with.



I see what you are saying, you left your voltages on AUTO. Just here me out here before jumping to conclusions. I am simply trying to help here. If all you do is up the Bclock then your board automatically ups the voltage to account for the overclock. Now normally this is ok for a LIGHT overclock but you are talking 4ghz here. That is quite a bit for this chip on air and you really have to start regulating the voltage going into this chip. I want you to open up CPU-Z and show a screenshot of what your voltages are running at. Im guessing its anywhere between 1.4 and 1.42V. The lower you can keep your voltages the safer your chip will be. Im not saying that 1.4V will kill this chip, Im just saying that if you can run much lower then you really should. Most people can hit 4ghz between 1.26-1.31V. Its always good to MANUALLY set your voltages on such high OC's. Im sorry if you already knew this, Im just trying to help here. It will also help keep your temps down quite a bit. If you dont want me to say anything else then just tell me to leave you alone. Im good either way


----------



## Jakethesnake011

He must have set the voltages to auto, no way possible to get 4.0 on 1.192v!! I wish! Auto is Default setting for most motherboards, so I would fix the Auto as jrharvey is saying, since the motherboard will sometimes overdo the voltage needed and give too much, it might be +0.180V for CPU and QPI, which falls close to Intel's max of 1.375 for CU voltage and 1.35 for QPI voltage then if you ahve Turbo mode on top of those it will add about another +0.070V to the CPU core voltage which will jump you into the 1.40ish range which is high but the chip can go to 4.0 under this range. Just use the motherboard's overclocking utility to find out what your setting are


----------



## ricsim78

FYI P6T Deluxe owners:

If you upgrade your BIOS to the latest version (1033), it unlocks the 21x Multiplier for the Core i7 920.

More potential has been unleashed! I will see what I can come with as far as overclocking with the 21x Multiplier.


----------



## Jakethesnake011

Ricsim78,
I have an MSI eclipse x58 and I can also unlock the 21 multiplier, but my problem which might occur with your motherbaord too, let me know. Is when you stress 5 threads or more 100% load the multiplier goes down to 20, let me know. That is if HT is on, with it off and stress system with 3 cores 100% load the multiplier goes down to 20. I can now have it stay at 21 when stressing the CPU, it will for all other apps just not stress tests.


----------



## jrharvey

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Jakethesnake011*


Ricsim78,
I have an MSI eclipse x58 and I can also unlock the 21 multiplier, but my problem which might occur with your motherbaord too, let me know. Is when you stress 5 threads or more 100% load the multiplier goes down to 20, let me know. That is if HT is on, with it off and stress system with 3 cores 100% load the multiplier goes down to 20. I can now have it stay at 21 when stressing the CPU, it will for all other apps just not stress tests.


Mine will stress 8 threads and still keep the 21 multi.


----------



## Jakethesnake011

Do you have EIST on? Or is it off with a 21 CPU multiplier?


----------



## jrharvey

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Jakethesnake011*


Do you have EIST on? Or is it off with a 21 CPU multiplier?


Whatever the default value is. I have it on auto. I cannot type in 21 multi under CPU ratio but I can use the 21 multi with turbo mode.


----------



## Jakethesnake011

I think default is enabled EIST, which is turbo mode, just a complex way of saying it. But in CPU-z you see the Multiplier of 21 from what your are saying. Okay, I am able to use "turbo" mode while having EIST off, and manually pick a multiplier of 21, which is odd, since it acts as turbo but it turns off under high loads. It is a thing with these MSI x58's I tried to ask MSI about it and they can not give me an answer as to why I am able to pick "21" as a CPU multiplier when I have turbo off. SO I guess I will wait until a new BIOS update


----------



## falven

accidental double post


----------



## falven

Question! on the evga x 58, is the "VTT Voltage" the same as the "QPI volt." for the other boards? Also, what's the "QPI PLL volt."?

i am trying to OC my chip, I have
20X multi
163
2:10 ram
20X uncore
5.866gt/s qpi
1.25 vcore
+200mV CPU VTT Volt.
1.6 Vdimm volt.
1067khz pwm freq

It boots into windows but fails after a second of P95 and gives me an "the system encountered an uncorrectable hardware error" BSOD








Help!


----------



## jrharvey

Quote:


Originally Posted by *falven* 
Question! on the evga x 58, is the "VTT Voltage" the same as the "QPI volt." for the other boards? Also, what's the "QPI PLL volt."?

i am trying to OC my chip, I have
20X multi
163
2:10 ram
20X uncore
5.866gt/s qpi
1.25 vcore
+200mV CPU VTT Volt.
1.6 Vdimm volt.
1067khz pwm freq

It boots into windows but fails after a second of P95 and gives me an "the system encountered an uncorrectable hardware error" BSOD








Help!

What speed are you running your RAM? That seems to be the biggest reason why most people fail to get the high OC's


----------



## falven

Quote:



Originally Posted by *jrharvey*


what speed are you running your ram? That seems to be the biggest reason why most people fail to get the high oc's


163x10 = 1630mhz @ 1.62v


----------



## Patch

Quote:



Originally Posted by *falven*


Question! on the evga x 58, is the "VTT Voltage" the same as the "QPI volt." for the other boards? Also, what's the "QPI PLL volt."?

i am trying to OC my chip, I have
20X multi 
163
2:10 ram
20X uncore
5.866gt/s qpi
1.25 vcore
+200mV CPU VTT Volt.
1.6 Vdimm volt.
1067khz pwm freq

It boots into windows but fails after a second of P95 and gives me an "the system encountered an uncorrectable hardware error" BSOD








Help!


I'll be comparing apples to oranges a bit, coming from a different mobo with slightly different terminology, so take it with a grain of salt:

1) Your VTT seems a bit high for your Vcore and base clock. Try bumping that down. I haven't needed to use +200mV or higher until my base clock goes to the 210-215 range and my vcore's at 1.4 or higher.

2) I don't understand phase lock loop (PLL) voltage at all, but it seems to be a crapshoot parameter to change. Higher isn't necessarily better, but by laboriously trying different parameters it has allowed my to hit some higher clocks. BUT, higher clocks have not necessarily been helped by higher PLL. If you almost get a clock stable, you might try adjusting it a little to see if it helps.

3) You might need to tinker with your RAM. Some sticks really need the full 1.65 V to get their "default" speeds. Maybe relax the timings a bit. Or lower your multi and underclock it to see if you can get your CPU clock stable.


----------



## falven

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Patch* 
I'll be comparing apples to oranges a bit, coming from a different mobo with slightly different terminology, so take it with a grain of salt:

1) Your VTT seems a bit high for your Vcore and base clock. Try bumping that down. I haven't needed to use +200mV or higher until my base clock goes to the 210-215 range and my vcore's at 1.4 or higher.

2) I don't understand phase lock loop (PLL) voltage at all, but it seems to be a crapshoot parameter to change. Higher isn't necessarily better, but by laboriously trying different parameters it has allowed my to hit some higher clocks. BUT, higher clocks have not necessarily been helped by higher PLL. If you almost get a clock stable, you might try adjusting it a little to see if it helps.

3) You might need to tinker with your RAM. Some sticks really need the full 1.65 V to get their "default" speeds. Maybe relax the timings a bit. Or lower your multi and underclock it to see if you can get your CPU clock stable.

Thanks! i think i got it solved, i am running now at 21X180.0 = 3780 @ 1.34Vcore, 1.62 Dram, 1.30 VTT! Temps are 71, 68, 70, 62


----------



## stargate125645

What is a good voltage ID for a 920? Real Temp says mine is 0.96V or something very similar. If I am not mistaken, voltage ID is the tested voltage at which the processor runs at intended levels, so I find it hard to believe that this value is accurate.

Also, any help explaining my issues in this thread would be appreciated!


----------



## laxrunner

Quote:



Originally Posted by *falven*


Thanks! i think i got it solved, i am running now at 21X180.0 = 3780 @ 1.34Vcore, 1.62 Dram, 1.30 VTT! Temps are 71, 68, 70, 62










You should try lowering your vcore, 1.34V is pretty high for 3.8ish. You should be able to run it around 1.25V at that speed, and it should lower your load temps. Also just go ahead and bump the dimm voltage to 1.65. It's not going to hurt anything but will definitely help stability if you're running a 2:10 multi on ram. QPI PLL voltage is related to the memory controller, if you're having stability issues due to your memory speeds, try bumping this up. I generally just keep it with CPU VTT for simplicity.


----------



## zlojack

Quote:



Originally Posted by *stargate125645*


What is a good voltage ID for a 920? Real Temp says mine is 0.96V or something very similar. If I am not mistaken, voltage ID is the tested voltage at which the processor runs at intended levels, so I find it hard to believe that this value is accurate.

Also, any help explaining my issues in this thread would be appreciated!


There are no programs that can accurately read VID of i7 chips.


----------



## stargate125645

Quote:



Originally Posted by *zlojack*


There are no programs that can accurately read VID of i7 chips.


Well that's a shame. That would explain why it is so low, though.


----------



## jrharvey

Quote:



Originally Posted by *stargate125645*


Well that's a shame. That would explain why it is so low, though.


my CPU runs about 1V when everything is stock/default settings so im not surprised that yours says that.


----------



## falven

Quote:



Originally Posted by *laxrunner*


You should try lowering your vcore, 1.34V is pretty high for 3.8ish. You should be able to run it around 1.25V at that speed, and it should lower your load temps. Also just go ahead and bump the dimm voltage to 1.65. It's not going to hurt anything but will definitely help stability if you're running a 2:10 multi on ram. QPI PLL voltage is related to the memory controller, if you're having stability issues due to your memory speeds, try bumping this up. I generally just keep it with CPU VTT for simplicity.


Thanks, 
running at:
Vcore - 1.388
21 X 181.6 = 3812
QPI - 3267
DRAM - 1.62
VTT 1.29 (+150)

I tried following your advice to lower Vcore but i get BSOD during 5 intelburntest that reads "clock not recieved or whatever..." which from my past experience means it needs more Vcore, no?
Thanks for your help
+Rep

-Falven


----------



## stargate125645

Quote:



Originally Posted by *falven*


Thanks, 
running at:
Vcore - 1.388
21 X 181.6 = 3812
QPI - 3267
DRAM - 1.62
VTT 1.29 (+150)

I tried following your advice to lower Vcore but i get BSOD during 5 intelburntest that reads "clock not recieved or whatever..." which from my past experience means it needs more Vcore, no?
Thanks for your help
+Rep

-Falven


How do you have a multiplier of 21? I thought max for 920 is 20.


----------



## {core2duo}werd

Quote:



Originally Posted by *stargate125645*


How do you have a multiplier of 21? I thought max for 920 is 20.


if i enable c-states in my bios i get a 21 multi also.


----------



## stargate125645

Quote:



Originally Posted by *{core2duo}werd*


if i enable c-states in my bios i get a 21 multi also.


I have not seen said option in my BIOS. What does it do?


----------



## {core2duo}werd

Quote:



Originally Posted by *stargate125645*


I have not seen said option in my BIOS. What does it do?


it's under the CPU features, i think it just enables the 21x multi.


----------



## stargate125645

Quote:



Originally Posted by *{core2duo}werd*


it's under the CPU features, i think it just enables the 21x multi.


Sounds to me like it's Intel's Turbo Mode then.


----------



## {core2duo}werd

it is.


----------



## falven

Quote:



Originally Posted by *stargate125645*


How do you have a multiplier of 21? I thought max for 920 is 20.


Set your power settings on vista from 5-100% to 100-100% and boom! a multi of 21 whenever you have turbo on...


----------



## stargate125645

Quote:



Originally Posted by *{core2duo}werd*


it is.


Well that doesn't count then! The core operates at the multiplier of 20 the vast majority of the time, and 21 only occurs when some or all but one of the cores is/are idle.


----------



## {core2duo}werd

Quote:



Originally Posted by *stargate125645*


Well that doesn't count then! The core operates at the multiplier of 20 the vast majority of the time, and 21 only occurs when some or all but one of the cores is/are idle.


no, if you go into the power settings and set the minimum to 100% then you get the 21 multi all the time. i get a 21 multi while folding.


----------



## falven

Quote:


Originally Posted by *{core2duo}werd* 
no, if you go into the power settings and set the minimum to 100% then you get the 21 multi all the time. i get a 21 multi while folding.

Sorry, that's what I meant...
Anyhow, my overclock isn't stable at 20X 180 with any vcore below 1.388 (BSOD: "A clock interrupt was not recieved on a secondary processor within the allocated time interval")... Are there any other voltages or options to help an OC become stable without having to add so much Vcore?


----------



## {core2duo}werd

Quote:


Originally Posted by *falven* 
Sorry, that's what I meant...
Anyhow, my overclock isn't stable at 20X 180 with any vcore below 1.388 (BSOD: "A clock interrupt was not recieved on a secondary processor within the allocated time interval")... Are there any other voltages or options to help an OC become stable without having to add so much Vcore?

you were right, i was saying no to him not you.


----------



## Jakethesnake011

@core2duo
I am able to pick a 21 multiplier for my CPU ratio also with my MSI Eclipse. I can run the 21 multiplier all the time except when I am stressing the CPU. When I have 100% load on 5 threads or more (HT on) the multiplier jumps back down to 20. Now I said this before, but is it anything like what you have there and why don't you try to stress test it with Linx: http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/...d.php?t=201670
Please try it and tell me if you get the same results as I am. I do not know why the multiplier drops down when under more stress. I do have the 21 multiplier all other times. I also have EIST disabled and Turbo mode Disabled in my BIOS. I can show pick if no one believes me about the 21 multiplier, since no one has freaking answered me about my questions.


----------



## Jakethesnake011

@flaven
I am able to get to 185-187 with a +0.120V CPU and +0.130V QPI to get to my 3.9 stable with the 21 multiplier. You are over "Intel's max rating" which is 1.375 I believe but you should try bringing up our QPI well as CPU voltage. Do not bring QPI over 1.35 though. But try to keep the QPI +0.01V over CPU. I would say you would be able to get to 3.8 or 3.9 with +0.180V on both CPU and QPI, which bring you to a core voltage of 1.372


----------



## {core2duo}werd




----------



## Jakethesnake011

Monitor with RealTemp: http://www.techpowerup.com/realtemp/
And Core Temp: http://www.alcpu.com/CoreTemp/
watch CPU temperatures you do not want them to get too hot.


----------



## laxrunner

Quote:



Originally Posted by *falven*


Sorry, that's what I meant...
Anyhow, my overclock isn't stable at 20X 180 with any vcore below 1.388 (BSOD: "A clock interrupt was not recieved on a secondary processor within the allocated time interval")... Are there any other voltages or options to help an OC become stable without having to add so much Vcore?


Your problem isn't vcore. If your vcore was too low, you would get a BSOD error code 0x0000000101 and something else after it. Sounds to me like your problem might be something involving the QPI/ram. Try setting QPI PLL to 1.25V, dram to 1.65V, and IOH vcore to 1.15V. Also what is your ram multi set at? you probably want 2:8 at a 180bclk.

EDIT: @jake, the 1.375V is max VID, not max vcore. I've posted this a couple times before, but VID is simply a reference voltage that isn't displayed in any software that I know of. Max vcore is 1.55V according to intel documentation. Hope that clears some things up. The i7 is easily able to run over 1.375V vcore.


----------



## falven

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Jakethesnake011* 
Monitor with RealTemp: http://www.techpowerup.com/realtemp/
And Core Temp: http://www.alcpu.com/CoreTemp/
watch CPU temperatures you do not want them to get too hot.

Jake, it is unstable with
19X187 (21X187)
1.376 Vcore (While not on load)
1.34VTT
1.68Dram


----------



## laxrunner

Quote:


Originally Posted by *falven* 
Jake, it is unstable with
19X187 (21X187)
1.376 Vcore (While not on load)
1.34VTT
1.68Dram










What is your dram frequency and QPI PLL voltage (voltages tab) in eleet?


----------



## Jakethesnake011

@laxrunner
Thanks I did not read those posts you had talked of before, but thanks for letting me know again, since I was lazy and did not read. And I do agree with the issue of his QPI voltage, it was my biggest problem in overclocking.

@falven
Whats your QPI voltage? try to keep it as close as possible to your Vcore voltage. Also your RAM might be a problem keep multipliers/ ratio of 2:8, which works well do not go 3:9 etc try to keep it 4 to 1. But anyways you have to play around with more settings. Try to see how high you can get your base clock on 1.376. Say put it down to 160, and then test, then put it up to 170 then test, and continue until you hit something you cannot get working. You also have to keep in mind with your QPI voltage, which is important.


----------



## falven

Keep in mind that on load I get different voltages.
I am totally stumped as to how you managed to get these settings stable on my system :O It passed the IntelBurnTest 5 loops so far!
Thanks so much for the help so far









Edit: Does not pass the IntelBurn Test Frequency 10


----------



## 45nm

I decided to have some overclocking fun today (since it's raining). I changed the multiplier's from 24 (stock) to 31 and 30. Windows would show the loading screen on 31 and then the loading bar would be stuck at a certain point. Backed it down to 30 and no loading screen would show. Just a black screen. I was shooting for 4.1ghz but I didn't quite make it. I think I set the voltages too low (1.25vcore) and 1.2(vtt). I'm gonna try increments of 1 and see what happens.


----------



## laxrunner

Quote:



Originally Posted by *45nm*


I decided to have some overclocking fun today (since it's raining). I changed the multiplier's from 24 (stock) to 31 and 30. Windows would show the loading screen on 31 and then the loading bar would be stuck at a certain point. Backed it down to 30 and no loading screen would show. Just a black screen.


Yeah, you can't make giant jumps like that. Overclocking isn't exactly plug and go. Start off small and move up a bit at a time making sure it's stable along the way. Did you have an actual question?


----------



## 45nm

Nope just reporting my findings thats all. I'm at 3.8 right now and stable. Going to see how I can push it further a bit later.


----------



## stargate125645

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Jakethesnake011* 
Monitor with RealTemp: http://www.techpowerup.com/realtemp/
And Core Temp: http://www.alcpu.com/CoreTemp/
watch CPU temperatures you do not want them to get too hot.

Speaking of temperatures, having a Tj_max of 100 degrees C seems way too high. When I use Core Temp, I load at 50 degrees C with 1.28V (auto settings; I do not intend to run it this high at stock speeds) and idle at 30 degrees C for its auto-detected Tj_max of 100 degrees C. How are those temperatures in relation to what they should be for stock at my voltage? How high can you put the temperature and voltage on these guys (like I said, 100 degrees C seems way too high)? Ambient is around 22 degrees C for me for what it's worth.

I scanned through the first few pages and did not see any mention of "guidelines," and reading the articles linked in the first post did not give me any voltage or temperature limits, so that is why I am asking.


----------



## Extreme Newbie

Quote:


Originally Posted by *stargate125645* 
I scanned through the first few pages and did not see any mention of "guidelines," and reading the articles linked in the first post did not give me any voltage or temperature limits, so that is why I am asking.

I think this is what you are looking for:
http://www.overclock.net/intel-cpus/...hread-120.html


----------



## 45nm

I'm running my i7 965 @ 3.8 currently and my PC Probe II is setting off alarms because I was running Vantage and the cpu was at 65c under load. What is the 'safe' temperature for the i7 cpu's ?.


----------



## PizzaMan

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Extreme Newbie* 
I think this is what you are looking for:
http://www.overclock.net/intel-cpus/...hread-120.html

Little bit more info here:
http://www.overclock.net/intel-cpus/...ml#post5821507

I'm still in ahh over these specs for i7. 1.55v is what the data sheet says, but geeez, with the temps you guys are getting at ~1.39v. Makes 1.55v seem crazy without extreme cooling.

Read this post for my currant thoughts on these limitations:
http://www.overclock.net/intel-cpus/...ml#post5821507


----------



## Extreme Newbie

Quote:


Originally Posted by *45nm* 
I'm running my i7 965 @ 3.8 currently and my PC Probe II is setting off alarms because I was running Vantage and the cpu was at 65c under load. What is the 'safe' temperature for the i7 cpu's ?.

Max temp is stated to be 100c so if you can stay between 70c and 80c (Under full load) you should be fine.
You can adjust the various threshold settings in PC Probe to stop alarms from going of when you reach 65c.


----------



## speedy2721

Is it normal for it to require more core voltage when you get more RAM. Before I was stable at 19x211 when I had 2GB of DDR3 1336, but when I got 6GB of DDR3 1600 RAM, it wasn't stable anymore. I had to make it 211x191 to make it stable and make my CPU voltage from 1.312V load to 1.328 load.

Could it be because I turned my RAM multiplier from 6 to 8 which made my RAM run at 1688 and with the 211x191 it is running around 1550?


----------



## Patch

I'm hitting a very hard wall.

Base clock of 220 Mhz.

*Period.*

With tinkering I'm getting various settings more and more stable at 219-220 Mhz bclock, but it won't go past. Even lowering the multi down to 12. Vcore of 1.45 is fine for 220X21 (turbo on) to get some benching at 4.6Ghz, but I can't even get through early post with a higher baseclock - even with 1.55 Vc. Can't even get far enough for an error screen.

I'm on water and have yet to even see my core temps higher than 80C.

Once, I got into Windows for a quick validation at 221 bclock for 4.64 Ghz.

Is ANYBODY getting a base clock higher than 220 on their 920? Even with extreme cooling?

I'm thinking 4.64 ghz will my chip's absolute limit. Though I'm not complaining


----------



## laxrunner

Anything above about 217 takes work. The highest I've ever gotten mine is right at 222, but it was in no way stable and gave BSOD instantly if I tried going to even 222.5. I've seen higher a couple times, but if I recall correctly those were at ~1.9V to the ram and 1.6V or so on the QPI and NB. Not sure what the Vcore was but those voltages are a lot more than you want to be pushing on a regular basis unless you have cash to low on new parts all the time.


----------



## stargate125645

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Extreme Newbie* 
I think this is what you are looking for:
http://www.overclock.net/intel-cpus/...hread-120.html

Yeah, that would have sucked looking for. From reading the fine print on the table, I'm not so sure that 1.55V can be used diretly. It is explained in the footnotes as a voltage difference to Vss, so I'd need to know the Vss limits. What is needed is a nice table of all the voltages that may need to be changed, and their safe operating limits. Any suggestions to that end?

You guys have been running core temperatures in the 70s and 80s under full load without any problem? What are your idle core temperatures?


----------



## Extreme Newbie

Quote:


Originally Posted by *stargate125645* 
Yeah, that would have sucked looking for. From reading the fine print on the table, I'm not so sure that 1.55V can be used diretly. It is explained in the footnotes as a voltage difference to Vss, so I'd need to know the Vss limits. What is needed is a nice table of all the voltages that may need to be changed, and their safe operating limits.

You guys have been running core temperatures in the 70s and 80s under full load without any problem? What are your idle core temperatures?

I think the jury is still out on what is the "safe" 24/7 cpu voltage. Heat seems to be more of the issue than voltage for me.
At 3.9Ghz (20x195) I use only 1.225v CPU with QPI at 1.2375v. Even with these low voltages my idle temps are 35c-39c and load reached 68c-72c. At 4.0Ghz (21x191) the temps hit 80c so the extra .1 Ghz doesn't seem to be worth it. Once I go with water cooling I will push the chip a bit more.


----------



## {core2duo}werd

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Patch* 
I'm hitting a very hard wall.

Base clock of 220 Mhz.

*Period.*

With tinkering I'm getting various settings more and more stable at 219-220 Mhz bclock, but it won't go past. Even lowering the multi down to 12. Vcore of 1.45 is fine for 220X21 (turbo on) to get some benching at 4.6Ghz, but I can't even get through early post with a higher baseclock - even with 1.55 Vc. Can't even get far enough for an error screen.

I'm on water and have yet to even see my core temps higher than 80C.

Once, I got into Windows for a quick validation at 221 bclock for 4.64 Ghz.

Is ANYBODY getting a base clock higher than 220 on their 920? Even with extreme cooling?

I'm thinking 4.64 ghz will my chip's absolute limit. Though I'm not complaining









i wish my wall was at 220 lol mine is at 180...


----------



## Rosaki

W0w nice
Can i know how to post picture?Ty


----------



## stargate125645

Alright, since there is a vast amount of information scattered around everwhere, I will attempt to combine it into one post. Help me fill in the question marks and give me other voltages to add that help with and/or limit overclocking. Any other recommended temperatures are also welcome. The following information is aimed only at the i7 9xx series processors.

*Max. Temperature Estimates:*
- _Tj_max_ is 100 degrees C. This temperature should not be exceeded; most try to stay below 80 degrees C for 24/7 operation.

*Max. Voltage Estimates:*
- _CPU voltage_ (V_CC) should not exceed 1.55V, but most prefer to stay at around 1.3625V or lower to mitigate chip degredation.
- _Memory voltage_ (V_DDQ) should not exceed 1.85V, and it should be within 0.5V of the uncore voltage. The default uncore voltage is 1.15V, from which we can use the 0.5V maximum differential to obtain the oft-referenced 1.65V maximum memory voltage.
- _QPI (uncore) voltage_ (V_TTA and V_TTD) should not exceed 1.35V.
- _PLL voltage_ (V_CCPLL) should not exceed 1.89V. Some have reported keeping it at 1.8V (default) for overclocking, while others have safely increased it to 1.88V. Some review sites have used beyond 1.9V in their overclocking experiments.

*Recommended Voltages:*
- _ICH and IOH voltages_ may need to be increased to as much as 1.3V.

"Max. Temperature Estimates" should not be exceeded during operation of the chip. "Max. Voltage Estimates" are the voltages most likely to be changed for overclocking, and as a general rule should not exceed the listed estimated maximums, which are supplied by Intel documentation. "Recommended Voltages" may need to be adjusted for overclocking; however, no maximum voltage estimates have been obtained for these variables. As a general rule these voltages should not be adjusted unless necessary.

Liability Note: I take no responsibility for how this information is used. You use the information contained within this post at your own risk!


----------



## Extreme Newbie

Quote:


Originally Posted by *stargate125645* 
Alright, since there is a vast amount of information scattered around everwhere, I will attempt to combine it into one post. Help me fill in the question marks and give me other voltages to add that help with and/or limit overclocking. Any other recommended temperatures are also welcome.

*Max. Temperature Estimates:*
- _Tj_max_ should not exceed 100 degrees C, but most try to stay below 80 degrees C for 24/7 operation.

*Max. Voltage Estimates:*
- _Core voltage_ should not exceed 1.55V, but most prefer to stay at around 1.3625V or lower to mitigate chip degredation.
- _Memory voltage_ should not exceed 1.65V austensibly, and it should be within 0.5V of the core voltage.
- _QPI voltage_ = ?.

*Recommended Voltages:*
- _PLL voltage_ can remain at 1.8V (default), but many have safely increased it to 1.88V.
- _ICH/IOH voltage_ may need to be increased to as much as 1.3V.
- _VTT_ = ?.

"Max. Temperature Estimates" should not be exceeded during operation of the chip. "Max. Voltage Estimates" are the voltages most likely to be changed for overclocking, and as a general rule should not exceed the listed estimated maximums. "Recommended Voltages" may need to be adjusted for overclocking; however, no maximum voltage estimates have been obtained for these variables. As a general rule these voltages should not be adjusted unless necessary.

Liability Note: I take no responsibility for how this information is used. You use the ifnormation contained within this post at your own risk!

I am happy to see that someone has decided to try and put all of this information together in one place. Rep+ to you for getting the ball rolling.
What do you think about starting a new thread with this information? I am worried that this will get lost in here.

What I can add is this:
Max QPI voltage is specified at 1.35v
Memory Voltage is 1.65v max but should be within .5v of QPI voltage not core voltage.


----------



## stargate125645

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Extreme Newbie* 
I am happy to see that someone has decided to try and put all of this information together in one place. Rep+ to you for getting the ball rolling.
What do you think about starting a new thread with this information? I am worried that this will get lost in here.

What I can add is this:
Max QPI voltage is specified at 1.35v
Memory Voltage is 1.65v max but should be within .5v of QPI voltage not core voltage.

I have no problem starting a new thread.

I have added the QPI information you provided (I presume that is from one of the tables you linked to before)? Any other voltages I should add? Also from that table, is the V_DDQ the memory voltage? I have it listed separately right now in my summary.

Regarding the memory voltage being within 0.5V of the core voltage, I took that from this:

Quote:

While we were fearful about the memory overclockability of Core i7 CPUs we've found this not to be the case - we've hit 1,600MHz without even breaking a sweat on pre-production BIOSes and companies are already launching triple channel memory kits that are hitting 2,000MHz at a record low 1.65V. You can push the memory voltage, but Intel performance guru FranÃ§ois Piednoel was keen to stress that the CPU voltage must be kept within a 0.5V potential difference to memory.

With CPU stock voltages at sub 1.2V this only allows an upper safe maximum of ~1.65-1.7V, however increase the CPU voltage to 1.4 or 1.5 (or more) with some extreme cooling (remember these CPUs are rated at a 130W TDP at ~1.2V) and you give yourself more breathing room to 1.9-2.0V on the memory.
Source: http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/cpu...tecture-dive/3
Did I read it wrong? That second paragraph is what makes me believe they mean the core voltage.


----------



## Patch

Quote:


Originally Posted by *laxrunner* 
Anything above about 217 takes work. The highest I've ever gotten mine is right at 222, but it was in no way stable and gave BSOD instantly if I tried going to even 222.5. I've seen higher a couple times, but if I recall correctly those were at ~1.9V to the ram and 1.6V or so on the QPI and NB. Not sure what the Vcore was but those voltages are a lot more than you want to be pushing on a regular basis unless you have cash to low on new parts all the time.

Hmm...gives me food for thought.

At Bclock 220 and turbo on/HT off, I can get into Windows and surf Firefox (but nothing CPU intensive). That's using Vc 1.45, VTT +220, PLL 1.87, 1.65 to ram, IOH 1.3. Since my 1600 mushkins tend to give me constant C1 beeps (they ring in my head now) when clocked over 1730 despite lots of power and loose timings, for higher CPU clocks I run the RAM at a lower multi (end up in low 1300's mhz) with tighter timings of 6-6-6-16.

Sooo....when trying to get bclock to 222 I've stepwise adjusted parameters individually, in different combinations, and all of them together up to the following levels:
Vc 1.55
VTT +320
PLL 1.95
IOH 1.34
RAM 1.66

I've upped the SB volts some and upped the IOH subcategories
I've adjusted CPU and IOH skew in different combinations up to 200ps.

Taken Turbo on and off
Tried different combinations of PPM, EIST, CXE on and off (keeping CXE off helps all my higher clock combos)
Tried disabling QPI fast link

With 222 bclock I still can't even get to a beep or a blue screen to direct me to a problem to address. I just get a brief power on/shutdown and an auto reboot in safe mode with a generic overclock recovery screen (that doesn't even have the decency to be blue).

I haven't tried the massive voltages to NB and RAM you mention folks used. RAM because it's underclocked from spec anyway, and NB because it doesn't make sense to need such a huge jump for another 1 mzh clock.

But, my NB is on water so maybe I'll try cranking up the IOH a lot more.

While I don't want my chip to fry under my nose, my longevity expectations are limited to the next significant processor release.


----------



## Extreme Newbie

Quote:


Originally Posted by *stargate125645* 
I have no problem starting a new thread.

I have added the QPI information you provided (I presume that is from one of the tables you linked to before)? Any other voltages I should add? Also from that table, is the V_DDQ the memory voltage? I have it listed separately right now in my summary.

Regarding the memory voltage being within 0.5V of the core voltage, I took that from this:

Source: http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/cpu...tecture-dive/3
Did I read it wrong? That second paragraph is what makes me believe they mean the core voltage.

It looks like you read that review correct as they do state its .5 from CPU voltage. However, this review states that is is .5 from QPI voltage.
http://i4memory.com/wp/article/327
I will do some more searching and see what I can find.


----------



## stargate125645

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Extreme Newbie* 
It looks like you read that review correct as they do state its .5 from CPU voltage. However, this review states that is is .5 from QPI voltage.
http://i4memory.com/wp/article/327
I will do some more searching and see what I can find.

They reference the same report as I, and suggest it is the uncore voltage.

Quote:

DRAM Voltage - 1.66V: This is the closest to the 1.65V the Corsair Dominator DIMMs wanted and it's within the 0.5V Uncore difference.
I take it uncore voltage is the QPI voltage? I have adjusted my summary accordingly.

Also, what is the V_DDQ from the Intel manual? I don't see it referenced in the BIOS or in any overclocking guides.


----------



## nebuchanezzar

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Patch* 
Hmm...gives me food for thought.

At Bclock 220 and turbo on/HT off, I can get into Windows and surf Firefox (but nothing CPU intensive). That's using Vc 1.45, VTT +220, PLL 1.87, 1.65 to ram, IOH 1.3. Since my 1600 mushkins tend to give me constant C1 beeps (they ring in my head now) when clocked over 1730 despite lots of power and loose timings, for higher CPU clocks I run the RAM at a lower multi (end up in low 1300's mhz) with tighter timings of 6-6-6-16.

Sooo....when trying to get bclock to 222 I've stepwise adjusted parameters individually, in different combinations, and all of them together up to the following levels:
Vc 1.55
_*VTT +320*_
PLL 1.95
IOH 1.34
RAM 1.66

I've upped the SB volts some and upped the IOH subcategories
I've adjusted CPU and IOH skew in different combinations up to 200ps.

Taken Turbo on and off
Tried different combinations of PPM, EIST, CXE on and off (keeping CXE off helps all my higher clock combos)
Tried disabling QPI fast link

With 222 bclock I still can't even get to a beep or a blue screen to direct me to a problem to address. I just get a brief power on/shutdown and an auto reboot in safe mode with a generic overclock recovery screen (that doesn't even have the decency to be blue).

I haven't tried the massive voltages to NB and RAM you mention folks used. RAM because it's underclocked from spec anyway, and NB because it doesn't make sense to need such a huge jump for another 1 mzh clock.

But, my NB is on water so maybe I'll try cranking up the IOH a lot more.

While I don't want my chip to fry under my nose, my longevity expectations are limited to the next significant processor release.

Correct me if I am wrong but, at +.320 with a default vtt of 1.20 you would be at @ 1.52 vtt voltage. That would somewhat make sense with such a high BCLK but that is a bit over 1.35. If your default is 1.10v then it would be about 1.42 which is back within my personal comfort zone. Can you check that with a multimeter or even in your bios? I'm curious what it is actually at.

220BCLK is actually quite impressive no matter what multis you are running. AFAIK the people who post higher BCLKs are not booting with them. They boot at a lower clock and then raise it with things like SetFSB or some overclocking utility as they cannot boot with such a high setting. They dial in just enough voltage to complete a certain benchmark and then hope it doesn't crash before it finishes and they get a screenie







.

Good luck on working past 220 but really, anything over 200 is great and anything over 210 is stupendous.

@stargate125645
I can offer some links for things like the pdf for the i7 and quite a few good articles and reviews/overclocks that I have been reading if you want to consolidate some info.
Also, the .5 differential is vtt to vdimm specifically set by Intel. I have come across many users that also state a relationship between vtt voltage and vcore voltage recommending to keep vtt at least within .1v of vC and many recommending even closer but not over. That does somewhat conflict with tests by those pushing their memory to the 2000 speeds who often have vtt much higher than vC so take that as you will. I personally feel these chips are pretty darn tough and will take a lot more abuse than people think but that's just an opinion, they haven't been around long enough to extrapolate any true long-term results/effects yet.

edit
v_ddq is vdimm voltage. According to Intels own whitepapers(found here) page 22 lists recommended voltages. It lists v_ddq(VDimm) at maximum of 1.85. This is if you raise your vtt to 1.35 however as you must keep vtt ~ vD within .5v difference and no greater. However, like I mentioned, many OCers have pushed vtt well above 1.5v in order to run memory at voltages over 2.0v vDimm. For some good technical information(besides the whitepaper pdf I listed already) check out Lost Circuits articles on i7 overall and another focusing on the power draw/voltage/actual tdp found here.
Hope that helps a bit.

one last edit, if you check the forum at i4memory you will see Eva2000's results with the big brother to my mobo running very high ram speeds with quite a bump to vtt and vdimm voltages. He also includes some great general info on i7 overclocking. A recommended read even if you are not using a DFI X58 mobo.


----------



## stargate125645

Quote:


Originally Posted by *nebuchanezzar* 
Correct me if I am wrong but, at +.320 with a default vtt of 1.20 you would be at @ 1.52 vtt voltage. That would somewhat make sense with such a high BCLK but that is a bit over 1.35. If your default is 1.10v then it would be about 1.42 which is back within my personal comfort zone. Can you check that with a multimeter or even in your bios? I'm curious what it is actually at.

220BCLK is actually quite impressive no matter what multis you are running. AFAIK the people who post higher BCLKs are not booting with them. They boot at a lower clock and then raise it with things like SetFSB or some overclocking utility as they cannot boot with such a high setting. They dial in just enough voltage to complete a certain benchmark and then hope it doesn't crash before it finishes and they get a screenie







.

Good luck on working past 220 but really, anything over 200 is great and anything over 210 is stupendous.

@stargate125645
I can offer some links for things like the pdf for the i7 and quite a few good articles and reviews/overclocks that I have been reading if you want to consolidate some info.
Also, the .5 differential is vtt to vdimm specifically set by Intel. I have come across many users that also state a relationship between vtt voltage and vcore voltage recommending to keep vtt at least within .1v of vC and many recommending even closer but not over. That does somewhat conflict with tests by those pushing their memory to the 2000 speeds who often have vtt much higher than vC so take that as you will. I personally feel these chips are pretty darn tough and will take a lot more abuse than people think but that's just an opinion, they haven't been around long enough to extrapolate any true long-term results/effects yet.

edit
v_ddq is vdimm voltage. According to Intels own whitepapers(found here) page 22 lists recommended voltages. It lists v_ddq(VDimm) at maximum of 1.85. This is if you raise your vtt to 1.35 however as you must keep vtt ~ vD within .5v difference and no greater. However, like I mentioned, many OCers have pushed vtt well above 1.5v in order to run memory at voltages over 2.0v vDimm. For some good technical information(besides the whitepaper pdf I listed already) check out Lost Circuits articles on i7 overall and another focusing on the power draw/voltage/actual tdp found here.
Hope that helps a bit.

one last edit, if you check the forum at i4memory you will see Eva2000's results with the big brother to my mobo running very high ram speeds with quite a bump to vtt and vdimm voltages. He also includes some great general info on i7 overclocking. A recommended read even if you are not using a DFI X58 mobo.

Very nice! I'll update the information today when I'm done with work. So the V_DDQ max of 1.85V listed by Intel assumes that the QPI/uncore voltage has been increased to the max of 1.35V?


----------



## Wylker

Sigh, I'm having a hell of a time working on my i7 920 on a gigabyte ex58-ud5 board. It likes to just boot loop a lot


----------



## Extreme Newbie

I don't think that Intel ever specified that RAM voltage couldn't exceed 1.65v. That number seems to have comes from the motherboard manufacturers.


----------



## the$#!Za.

Hi all.

Can someone please let me know if it's possible to overclock my 920 to a stable 3Ghz without replacing heat-sink/fan ??

Do I have to overlock my RAM if I overclock my CPU ??
Excuse my overclock knowledge.

Thanx,
the$#!Za.


----------



## 45nm

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Extreme Newbie*


Max temp is stated to be 100c so if you can stay between 70c and 80c (Under full load) you should be fine. 
You can adjust the various threshold settings in PC Probe to stop alarms from going of when you reach 65c.


@ 3.5 under CinebenchR10 (100% full load) temps reached a maximum of about 71 degrees. I'd say that's fairly decent since I am not using aftermarket cooler.


----------



## nebuchanezzar

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Extreme Newbie*


I don't think that Intel ever specified that RAM voltage couldn't exceed 1.65v. That number seems to have comes from the motherboard manufacturers.


Early on Intel did infact say that exceeding 1.65vDimm could actually kill your processor. That wasn't directly true but close. The recommended default vtt was 1.15-1.20 volts. To keep the vdimm within .5v means a theoretical maximum of 1.65-1.7 and, like always, Intel err's on the side of caution. Until we learned more about the why's that was considered a truth in and of itself. As soon as it was discovered that the damage was related to exceeding the .5v window many many users have benched/tested with much higher ram voltages.

My DFI DK X58 automatically raises my vtt to .5v under my vDimm if I raise my vDimm out range, nice little feature if you ask me









the$#!Za.

Quote:



Originally Posted by *the$#!Za.*


Hi all.

Can someone please let me know if it's possible to overclock my 920 to a stable 3Ghz without replacing heat-sink/fan ??


You can overclock however you would like with the stock fan but you will not be happy with your temps. I recommend _*UNDERCLOCKING*_ if you are staying with the stock fan....I'm 100% serious about that btw. I don't always follow my own advice and was testing many settings in the week or so it took for my water cooling equipment to all get here. In all honesty, I was able to get over 3.0Ghz with less than stock voltage _but that in no way implies you or anyone else can_. It still raised my temps noticeably though despite running less voltage because frequency(Ghz) also has a residual effect on your heat output.
It's your processor, don't let other people tell you what to do with it, decide yourself. Overclocking of any kind at all risks destroying your processor. If you can't afford to replace it right now why risk it? I highly doubt you need the performance and if you do, then get a real cooling option because the stock one sucks ass at best....

Quote:



Originally Posted by *the$#!Za.*


Do I have to overlock my RAM if I overclock my CPU ??
Excuse my overclock knowledge.


No, not really. To make your life easier you will want to use a low memory multiplier and underclock your ram. To raise your CPU speed you must raise your BCLK(baseclock) which overclocks everything. In most cases you will either overclock or underclock your ram on this platform so don't expect to run exactly at whatever it is rated for. Start hitting google and read, read, read, and read some more.


----------



## laxrunner

Quote:


Originally Posted by *45nm* 
@ 3.5 under CinebenchR10 (100% full load) temps reached a maximum of about 71 degrees. I'd say that's fairly decent since I am not using aftermarket cooler.

Wait, you bought a 965 and have it on the stock cooler?! You, sir are doing a grave injustice to that magnificent chip. No processor has any real OC potential on stock cooling, and at $1000 that is just painful to think about.


----------



## Jakethesnake011

Haha, that is great.


----------



## Patch

Quote:



Originally Posted by *nebuchanezzar*


Correct me if I am wrong but, at +.320 with a default vtt of 1.20 you would be at @ 1.52 vtt voltage. That would somewhat make sense with such a high BCLK but that is a bit over 1.35. If your default is 1.10v then it would be about 1.42 which is back within my personal comfort zone. Can you check that with a multimeter or even in your bios? I'm curious what it is actually at.


I actually made it a minor project to find out my default VTT the other night and gave up. Manual, foxconn/quantum force website, Everest, google search....but now that you mention it, I never tried looking at "hardware monitoring" in my BIOS.

I'll check tonight.

I've avoided overclocking from Windows so far, but maybe I'll give it a try to see if I can break through the under 9 second barrier in Super Pi 1 mil.

On a side note, is there a convention for how to deal with Turbo when we report our clocks?

For example, people seem to use the CPUZ validation for their 24/7 clocks of 4.0 Ghz. That always shows the x21 turbo multi. But, during 2 hours of prime it generally clocks down to x20. Validation at 4.0....stability testing at 3.8ish.....

I've been reporting my 24/7 clock as 4.0 ghz based on where it runs during Prime95, but I have Turbo on and it generally runs at 4.2 most of the time (including Validation).

Does that mean I have a 4.2 ghz 24/7 clock? That would be pretty cool to claim if it's the convention.


----------



## Wylker

I didn't want to cross post the entire thing, but I'm looking for some help with my ex58-ud5 + ci7 920 OC in this thread:

http://www.overclock.net/intel-mothe...5-oc-help.html


----------



## Patch

Quote:



Originally Posted by *nebuchanezzar*


Correct me if I am wrong but, at +.320 with a default vtt of 1.20 you would be at @ 1.52 vtt voltage. That would somewhat make sense with such a high BCLK but that is a bit over 1.35. If your default is *1.10v *then it would be about 1.42 which is back within my personal comfort zone. Can you check that with a multimeter or even in your bios? I'm curious what it is actually at.


1.10v default.


----------



## the$#!Za.

Thanks for the reply and advice nebuchanezzar, King Of Babylon









Well I'm not having any temp issues at all with my stock heat-sink/fan and just thought hey, why not try for 3Ghz, but I guess the temp rises more than I thought. I'm going to have to find one of those overlocking for dummies tutorials.

Thanx,
the$#!Za.


----------



## nebuchanezzar

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Patch* 
On a side note, is there a convention for how to deal with Turbo when we report our clocks?

For example, people seem to use the CPUZ validation for their 24/7 clocks of 4.0 Ghz. That always shows the x21 turbo multi. But, during 2 hours of prime it generally clocks down to x20. Validation at 4.0....stability testing at 3.8ish.....

I've been reporting my 24/7 clock as 4.0 ghz based on where it runs during Prime95, but I have Turbo on and it generally runs at 4.2 most of the time (including Validation).

Does that mean I have a 4.2 ghz 24/7 clock? That would be pretty cool to claim if it's the convention.

afaik you can permanently enable Turbo with your system. If you are running Vista or Windows 7 though you need to do one more thing in your OS. Under your control panel you will find a setting for Power Options. You need to enable the performance profile or create a custom one. Then look at the hidden options. One of them is CPU Utilization(I think thats what its called, Im at work on an XP machine atm sorry) and you have to set your minimum processor utilization and maximum processor utilization to 100%. Along with certain bios settings that allows me 21x even at idle no matter the temperatures or voltage as long as my current draw is not over 140Amps...so perma turbo mode.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Patch* 
1.10v default.

Ok, that's about what I figured but thanks for the clarification. Running up to around 1.45ish vtt is within my personal comfort zone for now. I'm sure I will push past that eventually though and have seen many running higher. They are usually only doing it to run their ram at much higher voltages though whereas I am just working on my BCLKs. I don't have any plans for 2.0v 2000Mhz+ ram myself.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *the$#!Za.* 
Thanks for the reply and advice nebuchanezzar, King Of Babylon









Well I'm not having any temp issues at all with my stock heat-sink/fan and just thought hey, why not try for 3Ghz, but I guess the temp rises more than I thought. I'm going to have to find one of those overlocking for dummies tutorials.

Thanx,
the$#!Za.

What have you used to test your system? If your temps are ok then it's aaaalllll goooodd







. I'm not sure how much you like to read but there are definitely some good articles you can find with a google search. Shoot me a pm if you would like some of my bookmarks.


----------



## 45nm

Quote:


Originally Posted by *laxrunner* 
Wait, you bought a 965 and have it on the stock cooler?! You, sir are doing a grave injustice to that magnificent chip. No processor has any real OC potential on stock cooling, and at $1000 that is just painful to think about.

Actually if you read CPU's i7 920 review they were able to reach 3.8ghz using the stock cooler and with fairly decent settings.


----------



## Derp

Quote:


Originally Posted by *45nm* 
Actually if you read CPU's i7 920 review they were able to reach 3.8ghz using the stock cooler and with fairly decent settings. If you got nothing useful to post , don't post it plain and simple. As for the cooler I feel it's decent for mild/mid overclocks.









Link please, i7 920 3.8 on the stock cooler = 100C easily. The i7 965 includes a much better stock cooler but he is right though, buying a $1000 i7 965 and running it on air (let alone STOCK BOX COOLER AIR) is a ridiculous waste of money because you are not using the unlocked multiplier to its fullest. You need some fancy water/Phase/Ln2 benching to warrant the purchase of that chip.


----------



## stargate125645

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Auld* 







Link please, i7 920 3.8 on the stock cooler = 100C easily. The i7 965 includes a much better stock cooler but he is right though, buying a $1000 i7 965 and running it on air (let alone STOCK BOX COOLER AIR) is a ridiculous waste of money because you are not using the unlocked multiplier to its fullest. You need some fancy water/Phase/Ln2 benching to warrant the purchase of that chip.

Is 100 degrees C not the limit?


----------



## jrharvey

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Auld*









Link please, i7 920 3.8 on the stock cooler = 100C easily. The i7 965 includes a much better stock cooler but he is right though, buying a $1000 i7 965 and running it on air (let alone STOCK BOX COOLER AIR) is a ridiculous waste of money because you are not using the unlocked multiplier to its fullest. You need some fancy water/Phase/Ln2 benching to warrant the purchase of that chip.


They probably didnt stress test that 920. I agree, it would hit 100c easy at that clock.


----------



## speedy2721

So as long as the QPI voltage is at 1.35, the max voltage for RAM is 1.85?


----------



## stargate125645

Quote:


Originally Posted by *speedy2721* 
So as long as the QPI voltage is at 1.35, the max voltage for RAM is 1.85?

It would appear that way from the articles I've read.


----------



## speedy2721

Where does it say that the qpi and the ram voltage must be .5V within each other?


----------



## stargate125645

Quote:



Originally Posted by *speedy2721*


Where does it say that the qpi and the ram voltage must be .5V within each other?


http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/cpu...tecture-dive/3


----------



## speedy2721

Doesn't that article talk about the CPU voltage though?


----------



## Patch

Quote:



Originally Posted by *nebuchanezzar*


afaik you can permanently enable Turbo with your system. If you are running Vista or Windows 7 though you need to do one more thing in your OS. Under your control panel you will find a setting for Power Options. You need to enable the performance profile or create a custom one. Then look at the hidden options. One of them is CPU Utilization(I think thats what its called, Im at work on an XP machine atm sorry) and you have to set your minimum processor utilization and maximum processor utilization to 100%. Along with certain bios settings that allows me 21x even at idle no matter the temperatures or voltage as long as my current draw is not over 140Amps...so perma turbo mode.


Fortunately, the Bloodrage makes it even easier to have turbo always on with the following BIOS options:
1) Turbo enabled.
2) Turbo disabled.
3) Turbo always on.

With "always on", vista seems to just interpret it as a constant 21 multi (at least I've never seen it downgrade to 20 - even during prime).

I actually like Turbo as it's intended. Bump me up when it's comfortable and down when it's not. I put it "Always On" only when going for high benchmark scores. No need for 24/7.

My only point is that I've been taking stated "24/7" clocks with a grain of salt when I see a validation with a x21 multi, unless it comes with an active screenie under stress testing with active CPU-Z up. Not that it really matters since I'm not the overclock police, but it helps to interpret the data. I like to see if I can match what others have obtained, and figure out how they did it if I can't.


----------



## stargate125645

Quote:



Originally Posted by *speedy2721*


Doesn't that article talk about the CPU voltage though?


The max voltages on Intel's official information agree with the 0.5V max differential with respect to the QPI votlage. The QPI (uncore) voltage is a type of CPU voltage, which is to what that article is referring. Here is another link spelling it out more expclicitly: http://i4memory.com/wp/article/327.

All this stuff was discussed over the last 5 pages of this thread, as well.


----------



## speedy2721

Ok thanks for the links and the info, I just didn't want to mess anything up by highering the RAM voltage over 1.65.


----------



## laxrunner

Quote:



Originally Posted by *stargate125645*


The max voltages on Intel's official informatioo agree with the 0.5V max differential with respect to the QPI votlage. The uncore voltage is a type of CPU voltage, which is to what that article is referring. Here is another leak spelling it out more expclicitly: http://i4memory.com/wp/article/327.

All this stuff was discussed over the last 5 pages of this thread, as well.


See, now this is exactly why I hate the fact that the different mobo manufacturers couldn't just play nice and name their voltages consistently. On my EVGA board, it's the CPU VTT voltage rather than QPI voltage that needs to stay within 0.5V of dram. For me, CPU VTT voltage corresponds to the uncore/NB voltage and QPI is another voltage for the on chip memory controller (I think). Its sorta moot point for me as I generally keep VTT and QPI voltages pretty close to each other, but still the inconsistent nomenclature is annoying as hell.


----------



## stargate125645

Quote:



Originally Posted by *laxrunner*


See, now this is exactly why I hate the fact that the different mobo manufacturers couldn't just play nice and name their voltages consistently. On my EVGA board, it's the CPU VTT voltage rather than QPI voltage that needs to stay within 0.5V of dram. For me, CPU VTT voltage corresponds to the uncore/NB voltage and QPI is another voltage for the on chip memory controller (I think). Its sorta moot point for me as I generally keep VTT and QPI voltages pretty close to each other, but still the inconsistent nomenclature is annoying as hell.


That's why I made this post: http://www.overclock.net/intel-cpus/...ml#post5879338

P.S. Wow I typed that post horribly. Someone at work must have been talking to me whilst I was typing it.

Quote:



Originally Posted by *speedy2721*


Ok thanks for the links and the info, I just didn't want to mess anything up by highering the RAM voltage over 1.65.


No problem. Assuming you are using your XMS3 sticks, I wouldn't bother applying too much voltage to them (or increasing the VTT just to be able to increase the voltage to the DIMMs) as the XMS series in my experience are horrible overclockers so a voltage increase probably won't do you much good.


----------



## 45nm

http://74.125.47.132/search?q=cache:...ient=firefox-a


----------



## speedy2721

Quote:



Originally Posted by *stargate125645*


No problem. Assuming you are using your XMS3 sticks, I wouldn't bother applying too much voltage to them (or increasing the VTT just to be able to increase the voltage to the DIMMs) as the XMS series in my experience are horrible overclockers so a voltage increase probably won't do you much good.


Yeah I wasn't going to try to overclock them, I actually had to change my multi from 19 to 21 because my RAM was running at 1688 and it wouldn't pass LinX even if I loosened the timings alot. I have them at 1.64V but the are rated at 1.65 so I didn't want to go over by using 1.66V.

I had to higher some of my voltages since I got 6GB of RAM instead of 2, so here is what I have and if they are to high then can someone tell me what to lower.

4GHz-1.344 idle 1.328 load
CPU Multi-21
Base Clock- 191
Turbo- On
HT- On
QPI speed- 7.59GHz
RAM multi-8
RAM speed- 1566 MHz
Timings- 9-9-9-25
LLC- Enabled
CPU Vcore- 1.36825
QPI-VTT Voltage- 1.335
IOH Core- 1.3
DRAM Voltage- 1.64
CPU PLL- 1.88
QPI-PLL- 1.3
ICH I/O- 1.3
ICH- core- 1.3
DRAM Termination- Auto
PCIE voltage- Auto


----------



## stargate125645

Quote:



Originally Posted by *speedy2721*


Yeah I wasn't going to try to overclock them, I actually had to change my multi from 19 to 21 because my RAM was running at 1688 and it wouldn't pass LinX even if I loosened the timings alot. I have them at 1.64V but the are rated at 1.65 so I didn't want to go over by using 1.66V.


1.66V is used often by reviewers. I don't even think my motherboard will do 1.65V (has to be even increments).

I also don't see anything wrong with the numbers you've listed but I still don't have much experience with my 920 so I'll let some of the others that do mull those over. Are your RAM subtimings all on auto? Subtimings that won't go loose enough can limit your other timings. You can use CPU-Z to get the SPD timings for your RAM to see what they are supposed to have as timings for certain frequencies.


----------



## speedy2721

Yeah my board won't do 1.65, only 1.64 and 1.66. I didn't want to go over 1.65 so I am using 1.64, but I guess I can use 1.66 since my QPI is 1.335.


----------



## ImAmazing

3.8ghz - 1.296 load (I hit 4.1 with 1.31 or somewhere along the lines of that)
Multi - 20
Turbo off
HT on
QPI = auto
CPU vtt 1.28
QPI/PLL 1.28
RAM: 2:8
DRAM voltage - 1.64
Timings - 8-8-8-24


----------



## jrharvey

Quote:



Originally Posted by *ImAmazing*


3.8ghz - 1.296 load (I hit 4.1 with 1.31 or somewhere along the lines of that)
Multi - 20
Turbo off
HT on
QPI = auto
CPU vtt 1.28
QPI/PLL 1.28
RAM: 2:8
DRAM voltage - 1.64
Timings - 8-8-8-24


Hows that Biostar treating you? I almost bought that board instead.


----------



## ImAmazing

I like it to be honest, I had a little trouble here and there, but man this thing is a beast when it come sot OCing...well once you get the hang of it. I'd give it an 8 out of 10, knocked 2 off just because it's frustrating to getting working like I want it to lol.


----------



## falven

Everyone has all these nice overclocks, I got a bad chip :/ I think...


----------



## jrharvey

Quote:


Originally Posted by *falven* 
Everyone has all these nice overclocks, I got a bad chip :/ I think...

3.8ghz is pretty good. Is that a 24/7 overclock or is that your max?


----------



## nebuchanezzar

Quote:



Originally Posted by *laxrunner*


See, now this is exactly why I hate the fact that the different mobo manufacturers couldn't just play nice and name their voltages consistently. On my EVGA board, it's the CPU VTT voltage rather than QPI voltage that needs to stay within 0.5V of dram. For me, CPU VTT voltage corresponds to the uncore/NB voltage and QPI is another voltage for the on chip memory controller (I think). Its sorta moot point for me as I generally keep VTT and QPI voltages pretty close to each other, but still the inconsistent nomenclature is annoying as hell.


I 2nd and 3rd that sentiment. I have had so many problems trying to explain QPI/Dram is not vdimm for Asus users.... I'm thankful DFI tends to keep things simplistically named, if it's not the Intel naming convention then it's a description of what it effects. Thank you Oscar Wu!!!!!


----------



## 2slick4u

I'm having trouble getting it stable at 3.8ghz with a 200 x 19 ratio and vcore at 1.4 on bios 1.35v qpi 1.66v dram? This is on a Gigabyte EX58 Extreme with the F5 bios...


----------



## Wylker

Quote:



Originally Posted by *2slick4u*


I'm having trouble getting it stable at 3.8ghz with a 200 x 19 ratio and vcore at 1.4 on bios 1.35v qpi 1.66v dram? This is on a Gigabyte EX58 Extreme with the F5 bios...


I'm having trouble with my ex58-ud5 as well. How much ram do you have?


----------



## MuffDiver

**HELP**I need help Overclocking my I7 920 to 3.0-3.2
i dont want a huge overclock.
ill paypal someone $15 to give me pics or show me what to change in the bios
i have no clue where to start
Does anyone have the same mobo as me "EVGA Classified"
PM Me


----------



## ReignsOfPower

Still cant find Corsair Dominator GT modules in Australia!


----------



## laxrunner

Quote:


Originally Posted by *MuffDiver* 
**HELP**I need help Overclocking my I7 920 to 3.0-3.2
i dont want a huge overclock.
ill paypal someone $15 to give me pics or show me what to change in the bios
i have no clue where to start
Does anyone have the same mobo as me "EVGA Classified"
PM Me

Please don't let someone take your money, especially not for that slight of an OC. This is what the forums are for, asking questions and getting free help.

That said, I don't have the classified but I do have the EVGA X58, which should be very similar for general overclocking. These chips are cake to overclock to 3.2. If you want the easiest way, I would recommend setting your multiplier to 20, turn turbo mode on and set your base clock to 150 which would give you 3.15GHz. Disable C-states and speedstep if you want to keep the processor from dropping down to lower speeds. You should be able to leave voltages to auto and be fine at that speed. Honestly, with all that nice hardware you should try going higher, theres lots of people who can help. Feel free to ask for help if you want more in depth info or want to go with a higher overclock.


----------



## nyder

Quote:


Originally Posted by *jrharvey* 
I see what you are saying, you left your voltages on AUTO. Just here me out here before jumping to conclusions. I am simply trying to help here. If all you do is up the Bclock then your board automatically ups the voltage to account for the overclock. Now normally this is ok for a LIGHT overclock but you are talking 4ghz here. That is quite a bit for this chip on air and you really have to start regulating the voltage going into this chip. I want you to open up CPU-Z and show a screenshot of what your voltages are running at. Im guessing its anywhere between 1.4 and 1.42V. The lower you can keep your voltages the safer your chip will be. Im not saying that 1.4V will kill this chip, Im just saying that if you can run much lower then you really should. Most people can hit 4ghz between 1.26-1.31V. Its always good to MANUALLY set your voltages on such high OC's. Im sorry if you already knew this, Im just trying to help here. It will also help keep your temps down quite a bit. If you dont want me to say anything else then just tell me to leave you alone. Im good either way









ah, my bad, i see what your saying. =)

Okay, ya, i didn't change any autovolts, so i'll have to check that out.
Not used to this nice mb with it's auto this, and all these wonderful settngs to mess with. =)

I have gotten it up to 4.2 cpuz validated on air, so i'll have to check out what auto sets it's voltage too. Pretty sure the cpu isn't getting that hot, so upping the voltage will probably let me hit higher. Not that i need to, but hey, if I can do it... lol

On a side note, the other 920 i got recently isn't a D0 one. Sort of wishing it was so i could see how they compare, but such is life.


----------



## i7_Scorpion

Hello guys ,

Im getting my new pc in a week or so , and I really want to overclock it but not that much .
My system :

i7 940 ( v8 cooler )
Asus rampage extreme 2
Corsair dominator 1600 8-8-8-24
Corsair 1000 watt
evga 285gtx ftw
300g raptor
Antec 1200

I don't care about benchmarks I only use it for gaming .
I was thinking about 3.6 ghz ( this would make me extremely happy in my pants ) but if you guys think I should go 3.8 that is fine with me aswell .
I just want it to be very very stable so if 3.8 is to much I rather go for 3.6 ( I dont do lapping or replacing paste , I just have a v8 cooling it ).

I never overclocked before but I did spend some quality time reading forums .
Suggestions are greatly appreciated ( keep in mind im ULTRANEWB







)


----------



## speedy2721

Quote:


Originally Posted by *i7_Scorpion* 
Hello guys ,

Im getting my new pc in a week or so , and I really want to overclock it but not that much .
My system :

i7 940 ( v8 cooler )
Asus rampage extreme 2
Corsair dominator 1600 8-8-8-24
Corsair 1000 watt
evga 285gtx ftw
300g raptor
Antec 1200

I don't care about benchmarks I only use it for gaming .
I was thinking about 3.6 ghz ( this would make me extremely happy in my pants ) but if you guys think I should go 3.8 that is fine with me aswell .
I just want it to be very very stable so if 3.8 is to much I rather go for 3.6 ( I dont do lapping or replacing paste , I just have a v8 cooling it ).

I never overclocked before but I did spend some quality time reading forums .
Suggestions are greatly appreciated ( keep in mind im ULTRANEWB







)

I would get the 920 if you want to get to 3.6-3.8, as it can do that pretty easily for half the price.


----------



## i7_Scorpion

Its to late for that xD .


----------



## Lyshk0

Quote:


Originally Posted by *i7_Scorpion* 
Hello guys ,

Im getting my new pc in *a week or so* , and I really want to overclock it but not that much .
My system :

i7 940 ( v8 cooler )
Asus rampage extreme 2
Corsair dominator 1600 8-8-8-24
Corsair 1000 watt
evga 285gtx ftw
300g raptor
Antec 1200

I don't care about benchmarks I only use it for gaming .
I was thinking about 3.6 ghz ( this would make me extremely happy in my pants ) but if you guys think I should go 3.8 that is fine with me aswell .
I just want it to be very very stable so if 3.8 is to much I rather go for 3.6 ( I dont do lapping or replacing paste , I just have a v8 cooling it ).

I never overclocked before but I did spend some quality time reading forums .
Suggestions are greatly appreciated ( keep in mind im ULTRANEWB







)


Quote:


Originally Posted by *i7_Scorpion* 
Its to late for that xD .

lol! less than an hour apart haha


----------



## i7_Scorpion

Nonono , I ordered it last week and its arriving in less then a week .
But I dont really care im pretty satisfied with the setup tho I could have saved some money on the processor but money is not an issue for me .


----------



## chavez885

Quote:


Originally Posted by *i7_Scorpion* 
Hello guys ,

Im getting my new pc in a week or so , and I really want to overclock it but not that much .
My system :

i7 940 ( v8 cooler )
Asus rampage extreme 2
Corsair dominator 1600 8-8-8-24
Corsair 1000 watt
evga 285gtx ftw
300g raptor
Antec 1200

I don't care about benchmarks I only use it for gaming .
I was thinking about 3.6 ghz ( this would make me extremely happy in my pants ) but if you guys think I should go 3.8 that is fine with me aswell .
I just want it to be very very stable so if 3.8 is to much I rather go for 3.6 ( I dont do lapping or replacing paste , I just have a v8 cooling it ).

I never overclocked before but I did spend some quality time reading forums .
Suggestions are greatly appreciated ( keep in mind im ULTRANEWB







)

lol @ happy in the pants.

First thing I would do Scorpion is get all the CPU monitoring and stress test tools, CPU-Z, Coretemp, Linx and/or Prime95, when you get the PC and have the time. Then post up your temps and volt settings and we'll help you do some overclockin.


----------



## Kleric

I could use a quick bit of advice.

My goal is a 4ghz OC with my current setup with HT on.

Right now I have a stable 3.9 OC:










These are my bios settings (voltage is at 1.4 right now though):
























What should I change to get up to a stable 4? I tried a few different voltages with 4ghz and I could get into Windows but when I started Prime95 it locked up and gave a BSOD.

Any and all help is greatly appreciated!


----------



## falven

How do you Prevent this BSOD?
Page Fault in nonpaged area
0X00000050


----------



## stargate125645

Quote:


Originally Posted by *falven* 
How do you Prevent this BSOD?
Page Fault in nonpaged area
0X00000050

BSODs tend to happen when the system is unstable, so either your temperatures are too high or your voltages are too low, assuming we are talking about your CPU. Unstable RAM has a tendency to BSOD while CPUs will often shut down the system altogether.


----------



## Bizong

I'm looking to upgrade from my old dual core AMD build to an Intel build. I have a few questions though. Im obviously going to get a i7 920 since im posting in this forum and i want to overclock it quite a bit (preferably 3.6+.) So my question is what motherboard and memory combination would be best for this. 
I was looking at the ASUS Rampage II and the ASUS P6T6 WS Revolution (i'd take other suggestions money is not a problem but going cheaper doesnt hurt if i will out perform with a cheaper board). 
I'm completely lost on what memory to get for overclocking this. Obviously DDR3 stuff.

So what would you guys suggest for my new Intel build.

Looking at this to cool it








http://www.frozencpu.com/products/88..._775_1366.html


----------



## falven

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Bizong*


I'm looking to upgrade from my old dual core AMD build to an Intel build. I have a few questions though. Im obviously going to get a i7 920 since im posting in this forum and i want to overclock it quite a bit (preferably 3.6+.) So my question is what motherboard and memory combination would be best for this. 
I was looking at the ASUS Rampage II and the ASUS P6T6 WS Revolution (i'd take other suggestions money is not a problem but going cheaper doesnt hurt if i will out perform with a cheaper board). 
I'm completely lost on what memory to get for overclocking this. Obviously DDR3 stuff.

So what would you guys suggest for my new Intel build.

Looking at this to cool it








http://www.frozencpu.com/products/88..._775_1366.html


I recommend the Evga X58 Sli, and make sure you get some good ram, because my ram is limiting my overclock to 3.8 right now


----------



## lsdmeasap

Quote:



Originally Posted by *falven*


How do you Prevent this BSOD?
Page Fault in nonpaged area
0X00000050


I have found this to be true 99% of the time for X58 >>>
0X00000050 << Incorrect Memory Timing/Freq or Uncore Multi
0X00000124 << Incorrect QPI/Vtt Voltage (To Much/Not Enough)
0X00000101 << Not enough Vcore Voltage


----------



## tweakboy

Do these OC further then the Penryn 45nm ,,,

They got one @ 5.6ghz on a ASUS P6T ,, says on their site..

What penryn goes to 5Ghz ,,,, gmm gl


----------



## tweakboy

Anyhow no need to upgrade CPU for another 20 years,, until CPU can do GPU work 3D on CPU, theres no reason to upgrade. These cpu's are soo fast, you cant even tell difference with a I7 or even a Core 2 duo 2.666. games dont need the CPU power thats for sure,,, itsi all GPU,,

I will upgrade CPU when it can perform 3D calculations,,,,,,, CPU is limited and got a long way to go,, whos gonna jump on the 32nm bandwagon,, lol time to stay stop and work on progress on the rig,, and get something positive done, besides folding hehe,


----------



## laxrunner

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Bizong*


I'm looking to upgrade from my old dual core AMD build to an Intel build. I have a few questions though. Im obviously going to get a i7 920 since im posting in this forum and i want to overclock it quite a bit (preferably 3.6+.) So my question is what motherboard and memory combination would be best for this. 
I was looking at the ASUS Rampage II and the ASUS P6T6 WS Revolution (i'd take other suggestions money is not a problem but going cheaper doesnt hurt if i will out perform with a cheaper board). 
I'm completely lost on what memory to get for overclocking this. Obviously DDR3 stuff.

So what would you guys suggest for my new Intel build.

Looking at this to cool it








http://www.frozencpu.com/products/88..._775_1366.html


I've read good things about the megahalems, should work well for you. As far as the board is concerned, I would recommend looking at the features of the board as overclocking ability seems mostly dependent on the chip rather than the board. As far as ram is concerned, dominators are always highly recommended or these http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820227388. I have them and they are fantastic, cheap, and overclock very well.

@tweakboy: go away, you aren't contributing to anything. You already made your rant in your own thread, please don't spam other threads as well. I wish I could -rep you.


----------



## crashnburn_819

Quote:



Originally Posted by *tweakboy*


Anyhow no need to upgrade CPU for another 20 years,, until CPU can do GPU work 3D on CPU, theres no reason to upgrade. These cpu's are soo fast, you cant even tell difference with a I7 or even a Core 2 duo 2.666. games dont need the CPU power thats for sure,,, itsi all GPU,,

I will upgrade CPU when it can perform 3D calculations,,,,,,, CPU is limited and got a long way to go,, whos gonna jump on the 32nm bandwagon,, lol time to stay stop and work on progress on the rig,, and get something positive done, besides folding hehe,


What about bottlenecks?


----------



## Bizong

Quote:



Originally Posted by *laxrunner*


I've read good things about the megahalems, should work well for you. As far as the board is concerned, I would recommend looking at the features of the board as overclocking ability seems mostly dependent on the chip rather than the board. As far as ram is concerned, dominators are always highly recommended or these http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820227388. I have them and they are fantastic, cheap, and overclock very well.


Yeah i read the thread where that beats out the thermalright 120 extreme quite impressive. Ok so i guess ill just look for a board that has good features for what i will be doing. I was looking at the dominators and they look great ill have to check out the other ones. Thanks for the help!


----------



## chavez885

Quote:



Originally Posted by *tweakboy*


These cpu's are soo fast, you cant even tell difference with a I7 or even a Core 2 duo 2.666. games dont need the CPU power thats for sure,,, itsi all GPU,,


You're in the wrong thread. Please stop talking..wow.


----------



## eflyguy

Has anyone come across a comprehensive comparison of the various 1366 MB's out there? I've browsed the specs at NewEgg but it would be nice to have a table showing the features of each board.

Thinking of building another i7 system - this time a 920 with air..
..a


----------



## Kleric

ASUS P6T6 > All IMO.

I don't know how to overclock at all and it's stable at a 3.8-3.9ghz. Not too shabby.

I would like to get it up to 4ghz *hint hint* see my last post *cough cough*.


----------



## falven

Quote:


Originally Posted by *eflyguy* 
Has anyone come across a comprehensive comparison of the various 1366 MB's out there? I've browsed the specs at NewEgg but it would be nice to have a table showing the features of each board.

Thinking of building another i7 system - this time a 920 with air..
..a

I honestly recommend the Evga X58 SLI, I own it, and I loveeee the eleet utility, its so so useful, and the bios is easy to manage, i just love it, it's the best board ive ever owned TBH...


----------



## Anth0789

Yeah I think im going to save up to get me a i7.


----------



## brettjv

Quote:



Originally Posted by *crashnburn_819*


What about bottlenecks?


At the risk of offending my hardcore CPU overclocking friends ... cpu bottlenecks are ... um ... overrated? At least, when it comes to actual gaming they are ...

It remains extremely rare for a cpu to be slow enough that it forces you to lower your playable settings in order to accommodate it's 'slowness'. CPU speed shows up as a factor in older, easier benchmarks (like 3dMark06) but makes little difference in terms of one's gaming experience is the truth, unless you're talking about a really slow cpu setup.

This being said, though ... there's other things one can do with a computer besides gaming ... and faster cpu's show their true colors when you are using the computer for many other things ... video, photo, or music editing/encoding/transcoding, compressing/extracting .rar files, those sorts of things.


----------



## brettjv

Quote:



Originally Posted by *jrharvey*


They probably didnt stress test that 920. I agree, it would hit 100c easy at that clock.



Quote:



Originally Posted by *Auld*









Link please, i7 920 3.8 on the stock cooler = 100C easily. The i7 965 includes a much better stock cooler but he is right though, buying a $1000 i7 965 and running it on air (let alone STOCK BOX COOLER AIR) is a ridiculous waste of money because you are not using the unlocked multiplier to its fullest. You need some fancy water/Phase/Ln2 benching to warrant the purchase of that chip.


Wow ... until yesterday I was running my i920 at 3.6 on the stock cooler (even the stock tim) and idling at 40C, loading out (prime 95 stress test) at around 53C, using the voltage in my sig (which I totally eyeballed, to be honest I have no idea if I'd need more V to go higher or if I could lower the V at these speeds).

Glad I never doubled my temps trying to go for another .2GHz on my stock cooler ...

Honestly, the stock cooler is not quite the POS that y'all are making them out to be ...


----------



## da_coolest

170x20 (3.4Ghz) raise the temp to 95C !!!

what should i do? Am i doing anything wrong?


----------



## Derp

Quote:


Originally Posted by *brettjv* 
Wow ... until yesterday I was running my i920 at 3.6 on the stock cooler (even the stock tim) and idling at 40C, loading out (prime 95 stress test) at around 53C, using the voltage in my sig (which I totally eyeballed, to be honest I have no idea if I'd need more V to go higher or if I could lower the V at these speeds).

Glad I never doubled my temps trying to go for another .2GHz on my stock cooler ...

Honestly, the stock cooler is not quite the POS that y'all are making them out to be ...

And the very next post....

Quote:


Originally Posted by *da_coolest* 
170x20 (3.4Ghz) raise the temp to 95C !!!

what should i do? Am i doing anything wrong?

LOL, very ironic dont you think?







.

Anyways, many things could be causing your heat problems: too much Vcore for that clockspeed: high ambients: bad case airflow: bad mount etc.. it looks like you are using the stock box cooler, it is not designed for overclocking at all and is only manufactured to keep the i7 safe at its stock clocks. if you want to overclock buy a nice cooler.


----------



## Kitarist

well the i7 920 is a beast in multitasking


----------



## ricsim78

I have found that even with my very decent water cooling setup, that the best performance vs heat (at least with my setup) is 3.8 Ghz. (200 BCLK for 1603 Memory speed, 19x Multiplier).

This makes me idle at 32-29-29-29 and full load usually stays in the high 50's with stress testing That is as good as it did stock with a TRUE. Maybe a bit better as even with a lapped TRUE and CPU Lapped I was spiking in the low 60's.

Water cooling is definitely recommended on the Core i7's, but a good air cooler can do nearly as well.

I would say for bragging rights, 4.0 Ghz + is fine, but the heat vs performance starts getting much larger on the heat, smaller on the performance gains. I will make mine go to 4.2 Ghz at times for 3dmark 06 and such but it's funny when benching I have not seen very many gains with the extra overclocking. The heat difference is tremendous too.

I think 3.6 Ghz is ideal for a 24/7 overclock with decent air cooling, 3.8 (maybe 4.0 with a good chip) with the best air coolers or water cooling, and 4.0 Ghz + requires a good water cooling loop and some good cooling on the motherboard. This is 24/7 overclocks anyhow.

I am happy at 3.8 and wow is this thing fast! I have never seen a CPU that can do so many things at once and use so little of it's power. 6 gigs of memory certainly does not hurt!


----------



## stargate125645

Quote:



Originally Posted by *brettjv*


Wow ... until yesterday I was running my i920 at 3.6 on the stock cooler (even the stock tim) and idling at 40C, loading out (prime 95 stress test) at around 53C, using the voltage in my sig (which I totally eyeballed, to be honest I have no idea if I'd need more V to go higher or if I could lower the V at these speeds).

Glad I never doubled my temps trying to go for another .2GHz on my stock cooler ...

Honestly, the stock cooler is not quite the POS that y'all are making them out to be ...


I do not think your temperatures are accurate. They are way too low. The ones listed in your signature are way too low as well.


----------



## ricsim78

Quote:



I do not think your temperatures are accurate. They are way too low. The ones listed in your signature are way too low as well.


Well, some chips do run cooler but yeah, if his stock CPU cooler is performing as well as a lapped TRUE I want to buy his chip off of him!

I agree do not think his temps are accurate. Not one bit.


----------



## ricsim78

The stock cooler is designed by Intel to handle the Core i7 at it's stock (factory speed). That is with it's factory voltage (with Turbo enabled) and it's designed to keep the chip within thermal spec at stock speeds. For this is does what it is designed to do.

If Intel intended to make and include a cooler that allows you to easily hit 3.8 Ghz with a Core i7 using the stock TIM the aftermarket vendors would not be so easily selling their products. Nor would Arctic Silver 5, MX-2, etc be selling as well. Most people besides Brettjv are also quoting stock cooler temps that seem accurate to me. Unless you keep your computer outside in 20 degree weather or in an air conditioned enclosure your temps are amazing with that stock cooler.

The stock cooler is not horrible at all, it serves it's purpose. But for better temps and more overclocking headroom you need a good aftermarket cooler. There is no way Brettjv that your stock cooler is performing as well as a lapped TRUE.

The Core i7 pumps out roughly 130 watts of heat. You need some good cooling to keep that under control, much better than the wimpy stock cooler can provide.


----------



## ricsim78

Quote:



I have found that even with my very decent water cooling setup, that the best performance vs heat (at least with my setup) is 3.8 Ghz. (200 BCLK for 1603 Memory speed, 19x Multiplier).

This makes me idle at 32-29-29-29 and full load usually stays in the high 50's with stress testing That is as good as it did stock with a TRUE. Maybe a bit better as even with a lapped TRUE and CPU Lapped I was spiking in the low 60's.

Water cooling is definitely recommended on the Core i7's, but a good air cooler can do nearly as well.

I would say for bragging rights, 4.0 Ghz + is fine, but the heat vs performance starts getting much larger on the heat, smaller on the performance gains. I will make mine go to 4.2 Ghz at times for 3dmark 06 and such but it's funny when benching I have not seen very many gains with the extra overclocking. The heat difference is tremendous too.

I think 3.6 Ghz is ideal for a 24/7 overclock with decent air cooling, 3.8 (maybe 4.0 with a good chip) with the best air coolers or water cooling, and 4.0 Ghz + requires a good water cooling loop and some good cooling on the motherboard. This is 24/7 overclocks anyhow.


Agree/disagree?


----------



## nicklawrence77

Hmm... is it really as simple as this video implies?

http://www.hardocp.com/news.html?new...HVzaWFzdCwsLDE

Here is what he is essentially stating:

Open BIOS
Set Overclock Tuner to Manual
Leave CPU ratio at Auto
Disable SpeedStep
Set BClock to 190
Set DRAM to 1523 or 1600
Set CPU voltage to 1.35
Set DRAM Bus voltage to 1.65
Leave all of the other BIOS settings on auto

From what I can tell, the only real difference between this guys machine in the video and mine is that I have an i7 940 vs his i7 920, I have an ASUS P6T and he has an ASUS P6T Deluxe, and he likely has a better cooling system than mine.

The specs for the computer that I am having built are in my profile below, and should arrive next week. I imagine the BIOS in the P6T and the P6T Deluxe are similar, so is it safe to say that what was outlined above should produce a fairly stable build? I know that there will always be some minor differences, but it just seems too easy to me (always a danger sign), and keep in mind that I am VERY new to this stuff.

Any other items that I should be concerned about and/or take into consideration? All thoughts and comments are greatly appreciated!


----------



## akademiks

Ugh... I feel so frustrated with this overclocking thing.. I've been reading quite a bit but nothing is realy registering into my brain.. I feel like I'm dyslexic or something because quite frankly I haven't learnt anything and still don't know crap about crap.
I wish I could say I even got to square one... Very confused.. 
Some places I'm reading that you can just set most things to auto & edit bclk and vcore, and other places I'm reading of QPI, bclk, vcore, memory multipliers and all sorts of crap.

I suck at computing


----------



## Kitarist

so guys does anyone of you know when the prices will drop a lil bit on these


----------



## i7_Scorpion

So I just got my new pc

My system :

i7 940 ( v8 cooler )
Asus rampage extreme 2
Corsair dominator 1600 8-8-8-24
Corsair 1000 watt
evga 285gtx ftw
300g raptor
Antec 1200

I want to get 3.6 - 3.8 ghz not more .
Ive spend some quality time reading about overclocking but I still dont get half of it so I like to get some advice .



This is with prime95 running ( I ran blend with 8 workers ) .

I didnt change anything to my bios yet .
cpu level up auto
memory level up auto
ai overclock tuner auto

cpu config everyting enabled apart from a20m and c-state tech .

About my voltages :
Current voltage 1.257v 1.812v 1.210v
cpu voltage auto
voltage auto
qpi/dram voltage auto
1.501 dram bus volt

Remember I never overclocked before .
Help would be greatly appreciated .


----------



## ricsim78

The main problem with overclocking is that every component used in each computer (even if lets say 5 people have the same CPU, Motherboard, Memory, CPU cooler, TIM, and case cooling) each person will get different results. This is why it is basically impossible to list a guide that will tell you how to overclock your Core i7 setup.

It can get you in the ballpark, but I cannot understand how a lot of people seem to bump their BCLK and Multiplier up and bam, a no effort 4.0 Ghz overclock. I doubt the validity of that though, as in my own experience you do not WANT to leave stuff on auto, it will sometimes set things to dangerous settings.

I have also found a lot of the online testing sites will use ridiculous voltages, like 1.35 Vcore for a 3.6 Overclock. Unless they have a super hot testing room or literally just want to run it, I cannot see needing that much. So using their settings can be taken with a grain of salt too. I saw one who used 1.45 volts for a 4.0 Ghz overclock, which is beyond safe limits for air coolers and will kill your chip quickly.

The best thing to do to find a decent overclock is trying different levels of overclocking.

A 3.2-3.4 Overclock is very easy, sometimes requiring just a BCLK bump to reach it.

A 3.4-3.8 Overclock I consider medium difficulty. You will definitely (I don't care what ANYONE says) need to adjust your voltages a bit. At least a small bump, and for my setup I need Vcore and QPI to be at 1.3V each for a 3.8 Overclock. I also need to adjust my memory timings a bit, loosening them to 7-7-7-24 (from 7-7-7-20).

A 3.8 to 4.0 Ghz (and beyond overclock) is what I consider hard difficulty. You have to adjust your Vcore, QPI, sometimes other exotic things such as LLC on Asus boards, C-state, sometimes disabling Hyperthreading, adjust your memory, sometimes add some PLL Voltage. In order to get mine stable at 4.0 Ghz:

*BCLK: 200
Multiplier: 20
Vcore: 1.375 (can use 1.35 but works better at 1.375)
Qpi: 1.35
Dram voltage: 1.66
Dram timings: 8-8-8-24
Dram speed: 1603
Load Line Calibration: On
Spread Spectrum: Off
Turbo Mode: Off
C-State: On (AUTO)
Hyperthreading: On (Off drops temps a bit but I prefer it on)
Rest at auto or default. All Power saving and Thermal management are also enabled. Execute Disable bit disabled.*

As you can see, I have to do a lot more to get this stable. A lot of people are not comfortable messing with this many settings and honestly the minimal extra performance I get is not worth the extra hassle, not to mention the heat.

I would say unless you have extreme cooling or want to do short runs for benchmarks and the like you can go for a hard overclock. If you want your Core i7 920 to beat a stock Core i7 Extreme 965 you can attempt an easy overclock. For most users and for 24/7 overclocks I would say a medium overclock would be ideal, it is what I run mine at and is the best point for performance vs extra heat.

Now, you can try these settings, they more than likely will boot into Windows. Make sure you stress test with Prime 95 or Lin-pack for at least a half hour to see if you are stable. There is no gaurantee this will work for you, but it should get you in the ballpark. WATCH YOUR HEAT LEVELS! If you are hitting the high 70's and low 80's you want to tone it down a bit. Make sure you have a good air cooler (do NOT use the stock one!) and be careful.


----------



## JoeC

My stable 3.858GHz @ 1.256CV overclock.Ran prime for 6+hrs


----------



## i7_Scorpion

ricsim78 thanks alot for your help .

I tried some 3.8-4.0 settings from your suggestions on page 117 but they gave me bsod after 1 min of prime .

Now im running 160x23 (3.68ghz) cpu/qpi 1.3v and went from 8-8-8-20 to 8-8-8-24 ( I didnt touch any other setting ) .
I ran prime for 30 min which put me on 68-72C .

Does this mean im stable ?


----------



## 7hm

run it for 3 hours


----------



## i7_Scorpion

3 hours of prime95 70-74C .

Im really satisfied with 3.68 so I can leave it like this I guess ?


----------



## eflyguy

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Kitarist*


so guys does anyone of you know when the prices will drop a lil bit on these


Couple of years when the i8 or whatever it's called comes out.
..a


----------



## silenttits

Just thought some of you would like to get figures from my i7 920 system. As of now, everything set to Auto in bios, except one thing set to manual that allows me to play with the BCLK, set to 200. No rocket science in here...


----------



## eflyguy

What does your voltage jump to under load?

I tried auto once too, until I saw what voltage the core was running at..
..a


----------



## Villainstone

I just hit 4.1GHz and I am trying for more.


----------



## stargate125645

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Villainstone*


I just hit 4.1GHz and I am trying for more.



Voltages? Temperatures?


----------



## Villainstone

I haven't tested stability yet so I will return with temps. Voltage is crazy though. CPU-Z says it is 1.45, and the VTT is set to 1.40 I think. I will mark it all down right now I am trying to see what I can do.

http://valid.canardpc.com/show_oc.php?id=546608


----------



## Chewman

Quote:



Originally Posted by *ricsim78*


Dram voltage: 1.66












I thought you could damage i7 processors by bringing your DRAM Voltage over 1.65?
or am I wrong?


----------



## stargate125645

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Villainstone*


I haven't tested stability yet so I will return with temps. Voltage is crazy though. CPU-Z says it is 1.45, and the VTT is set to 1.40 I think. I will mark it all down right now I am trying to see what I can do.

http://valid.canardpc.com/show_oc.php?id=546608


Your QPI voltage is above spec. I would lower it...
http://www.overclock.net/intel-cpus/...ml#post5879338

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Chewman*











I thought you could damage i7 processors by bringing your DRAM Voltage over 1.65?
or am I wrong?


See the link above.


----------



## Rochfordrambo

just finished some testing and noticed with ht off @ 4ghz in 3d mark vantage my cpu score is about 17500 but on my other bios i have it set @ 3.8 but with ht on and my cpu score was 23500 big jump (no phsyx of course) my question is. is it just a benchmark thing or will i really see gains in games from having ht on


----------



## stargate125645

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Rochfordrambo*


just finished some testing and noticed with ht off @ 4ghz in 3d mark vantage my cpu score is about 17500 but on my other bios i have it set @ 3.8 but with ht on and my cpu score was 23500 big jump (no phsyx of course) my question is. is it just a benchmark thing or will i really see gains in games from having ht on










I think your CPU is throttling itself. Do you have C1E and the like enabled?


----------



## Rochfordrambo

Quote:



Originally Posted by *stargate125645*


I think your CPU is throttling itself. Do you have C1E and the like enabled?


no c1and all that stuff is disabled


----------



## stargate125645

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Rochfordrambo*


no c1and all that stuff is disabled


Is 3DMark06 multi-core capable? If it is not, then HT should theoretically help. If it is multi-core capable, then I think your CPU is throttling itself due to high temperatures or some other factor. 1.3V for 4.0GHz seems rather low.


----------



## laxrunner

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Chewman*











I thought you could damage i7 processors by bringing your DRAM Voltage over 1.65?
or am I wrong?


The .01V won't make any difference. The thing that will actually damage the processor is having >.5V difference between dram voltage and QPI or VTT or QPI/VTT (or whatever your board happens to call it) voltage.


----------



## Rochfordrambo

Quote:


Originally Posted by *stargate125645* 
Is 3DMark06 multi-core capable? If it is not, then HT should theoretically help. If it is multi-core capable, then I think your CPU is throttling itself due to high temperatures or some other factor. 1.3V for 4.0GHz seems rather low.

Temps never go above 65 under load and idle @ about 36-38 so i dont think its temps i just think vantage must read all cores when HT is on therefor giving a bigger score than with HT off


----------



## stargate125645

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Rochfordrambo*


Temps never go above 65 under load and idle @ about 36-38 so i dont think its temps i just think vantage must read all cores when HT is on therefor giving a bigger score than with HT off


According to what program, though. That's the key. Those are incredibly low temperatures for 4GHz even for a lapped TRUE. Those sound more like IHS temperatures than core temperatures.


----------



## FuzzDad

I'm running this in a Element S mid-tower (excellent cooling) and a 9900LED air cooler. Right now my CPU is 22C, VREG 48C and the four CPU cores are 33-39C. When i fire up Prime95 I get temps on the four cores in the upper 50's.

http://valid.canardpc.com/show_oc.php?id=546937

What about the RAM? Seems to me I must have something a bit screwy there.


----------



## nebuchanezzar

Quote:


Originally Posted by *stargate125645* 
According to what program, though. That's the key. Those are incredibly low temperatures for 4GHz even for a lapped TRUE. Those sound more like IHS temperatures than core temperatures.

tl;dr all of what's transpired but Stargate is right. If those are your temps at the socket like most monitoring programs read you are not getting an accurate temperature. At least not in the sense that most i7 users can relate to.

Real Temp or Core Temp are two programs I would recommend. They both read the temperature at the cores themselves and not at the socket. This seems to be a very common mistake with those new to the i7 systems.

Let us know what you find out.

@FuzzDad, Your ram is running at 1460 and high latencies...I don't like the latencies myself but they are not such a deal breaker with these systems. If you mean the 730, thats normal. It's half of what you were expecting though huh..


----------



## Jakethesnake011

Able to push my Core clock to 212.5 which is good considering my RAM which really is holding me back. But besides that was not stable for long since I was only running it on 1.385V. But now I have the cpu running at 3866Mhz with a 19 multiplier on the CPU. For some reason I can not get past 187mhz with a 20 mulitplier, so 19 it is. I the RAM had it running at 1600+ Mhz at 9-9-9-24 and it tested and was stable for a day. Then the next day went to turn on computer and stress it again, which I usually stress like 3 times turning on and off between. Now it did not work, so I loosened my timings to 10-10-10-28 which is loose, but it is giving the ability to run this 1333 Ram at 1640Mhz, which to me, is good for now, until I get some 1600 or even 2000mhz not sure on what to get yet. But my Vcore is 1.368V Qpi is 1.32V DRAM is 1.62V IOH 1.15V ICH 1.10. Any suggestions on how to get my base clock past 187, maybe into the 200 range with the 20 mulitplier. I am unsure why it is just not going I have tried increasing the Vcore to 1.45V the QPI to 1.36V the DRAM to 1.64V and the IOH to 1.25V and nothing in the combonations I did works.


----------



## ricsim78

Well, sometimes you learn new things and I just learned a very important thing with mine.

I shut C-State off, C1E off, and run it at 4.0 Ghz it absolutely flies and rock stable. My temps did go up a few degrees from turning it off, but now my computer is running constantly at 4.0 Ghz and I love it! Insanely quick with little temperature difference. Plus, it is ALWAYS running at 4.0 Ghz. Seems to be a bit more stable and benching higher than ever.

Temps are also completely acceptable, high at a little below 70 running Prime 95 64 Bit. Idles in mid to low 30's and under normal load has not exceeded 50 degrees C.

4.0 Ghz
200 Bclk
20x Multi (not auto)
HT: On

1.35 Vcore
1.30 QPI
LLC: Off
DRAM Speed: 8-8-8-24

DRAM Voltage: 1.66

Best 3dmark 06 score with my current listed setup below @ 4.0 Ghz: 26,354
Best former 3dmark 06 score: 24, 980 (at 3.8 with power saving on).

I would say you need a water cooling setup like I have to run it this fast at the temps I am 24/7. Also the Antec 1200 is a good breathing case. If my room gets hot temps will climb slightly but generally stay at above listed temps.


----------



## jrharvey

Quote:



Originally Posted by *ricsim78*


Well, sometimes you learn new things and I just learned a very important thing with mine.

I shut C-State off, C1E off, and run it at 4.0 Ghz it absolutely flies and rock stable. My temps did go up a few degrees from turning it off, but now my computer is running constantly at 4.0 Ghz and I love it! Insanely quick with little temperature difference. Plus, it is ALWAYS running at 4.0 Ghz. Seems to be a bit more stable and benching higher than ever.

Temps are also completely acceptable, high at a little below 70 running Prime 95 64 Bit. Idles in mid to low 30's and under normal load has not exceeded 50 degrees C.

4.0 Ghz
200 Bclk
20x Multi (not auto)
HT: On

1.35 Vcore
1.30 QPI
LLC: Off
DRAM Speed: 8-8-8-24

DRAM Voltage: 1.66

Best 3dmark 06 score with my current listed setup below @ 4.0 Ghz: 26,354
Best former 3dmark 06 score: 24, 980 (at 3.8 with power saving on).

I would say you need a water cooling setup like I have to run it this fast at the temps I am 24/7. Also the Antec 1200 is a good breathing case. If my room gets hot temps will climb slightly but generally stay at above listed temps.


Eh, some people want to run 4ghz all the time and some like the speedstep. Were you having stability problems before?


----------



## eflyguy

I have all the power savings options enabled. Of course, I have a higher rated CPU, but I use this system all day every day and don't want it eating that much power when it's not needed..
..a


----------



## Rochfordrambo

Quote:



Originally Posted by *nebuchanezzar*


tl;dr all of what's transpired but Stargate is right. If those are your temps at the socket like most monitoring programs read you are not getting an accurate temperature. At least not in the sense that most i7 users can relate to.

Real Temp or Core Temp are two programs I would recommend. They both read the temperature at the cores themselves and not at the socket. This seems to be a very common mistake with those new to the i7 systems.

Let us know what you find out.

@FuzzDad, Your ram is running at 1460 and high latencies...I don't like the latencies myself but they are not such a deal breaker with these systems. If you mean the 730, thats normal. It's half of what you were expecting though huh..


I use real temp and have done for some time so the temps from the above post were all on real temp v3


----------



## stargate125645

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Rochfordrambo* 
I use real temp and have done for some time so the temps from the above post were all on real temp v3

I still don't buy it. It doesn't make sense to be that low for that frequency and voltage. I have no idea what could be wrong, either, so I'm not really anything but a Debbie Downer right now. Try Core Temp.


----------



## Extreme Newbie

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Rochfordrambo*


I use real temp and have done for some time so the temps from the above post were all on real temp v3


Your load temps are what really matter. If you could post a screen shot of temps while running Prime it would help.


----------



## Rochfordrambo

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Extreme Newbie* 
Your load temps are what really matter. If you could post a screen shot of temps while running Prime it would help.

i will do that asap im not having any probs at all just as my first post said i saw better results on vantage with HT on @ only 3.8 than @ 4ghz with HT off.


----------



## Extreme Newbie

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Rochfordrambo* 
i will do that asap im not having any probs at all just as my first post said i saw better results on vantage with HT on @ only 3.8 than @ 4ghz with HT off.









When it comes to some benchmarks, HT will definitely give you an advantage. When it comes to real world applications I guess it all depends on what you are doing. I doubt that HT will give you any performance gain if you are playing solitaire


----------



## akademiks

Question - If I'm overclocking to - say - 3.33ghz w/ turbo on, and I turn the bclk up to 166, are the voltages, settings, etc all sufficient on auto? 
What else would I have to change? I want to do some light o/c'ing at 3.33ghz or 3.66ghz because my computer room is pretty hot and at 4ghz the idle temps will probably get up there to around 40 degrees.

Thanks for the help.


----------



## Extreme Newbie

Quote:



Originally Posted by *akademiks*


Question - If I'm overclocking to - say - 3.33ghz w/ turbo on, and I turn the bclk up to 166, are the voltages, settings, etc all sufficient on auto? 
What else would I have to change? I want to do some light o/c'ing at 3.33ghz or 3.66ghz because my computer room is pretty hot and at 4ghz the idle temps will probably get up there to around 40 degrees.

Thanks for the help.


The problem with leaving your voltages on "Auto" is that it tends to use more voltage than required. Try manually setting the cpu and QPI voltages.


----------



## Slightly skewed

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Extreme Newbie*


Your load temps are what really matter. If you could post a screen shot of temps while running Prime it would help.


 Ya, no kidding. Idle temps mean nothing. I bet it's in the 80's with small fft's.


----------



## akademiks

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Extreme Newbie* 
The problem with leaving your voltages on "Auto" is that it tends to use more voltage than required. Try manually setting the cpu and QPI voltages.

So should I adjust anything to do with memory multipliers and/or voltage as well?
I'm still not very confident in my knowledge of overclocking even though I've read a few articles..
Feels like an "in one ear, out the other" type situation for me.


----------



## ricsim78

Running it at 4.0 Ghz straight up has seemed to take away a lot of the formerly present lag I was getting before. This would include running games, and Solitaire (man does Solitaire fly at 4.0 Ghz!). Ok, well Solitaire I cannot vouch for but everything else!









I think a lot of it had to do with the fact the CPU was constantly running at different speeds. Since the Core i7 is so efficient it was hardly reaching (read: needing) 4.0 Ghz since so little of the CPU is used with HT on. I have noticed not only is everything much snappier, temps are not much higher at all and it is benching higher than ever. I can also push it a bit more, but to me this is insanely fast and running everything I have in style.

It is benching 3000 points faster than running it at 3.8 with Turbo on, this is with 3dmark06. I do not rely on the 3dmark series as the "stepping stone" but it is showing gains running it. Real time performance is what I go by and it is definitely quicker in everything.

Devil May Cry 4, Unreal Tournament 3, Crysis, Oblivion, Diablo 2 w/ Lord Of Destruction (snicker but happens to be my most played game...go figure. All this horsepower for use with a very old but still one of the best games ever!). All these games I happen to see a boost in overall performance (except for Diablo 2, as my Athlon 64 3500+ system used to easily max that game out.) and everything has been a lot snappier. This includes loading stuff, transfering files, virus/spyware/malware scans, multimedia tasks, etc.

While Turbo mode is fine I would rather have my CPU running at a constant speed. This makes everything more seamless and consistent across all applications. When you have C1E, Turbo, and/or C-State going your computer is constantly running at different speeds. Plus, as stated with HT on generally your CPU will be running at low speed unless you are running very intense applications that are CPU defendant. It's good for power consumption and heat, but not for performance as you generally will not be using much CPU power.

But, if you are running air cooling or running in a hot environment you may not have much choice anyhow. You might need to enable the power saving and use Turbo as heat may be an issue. I would suggest running at least a water cooling loop for 24/7 4.0 Ghz (or higher) use. That is, unless you want to make your chip live a shorter life span. Anything over 1.35 on Vcore is running pretty hot for an air cooler, even in a well ventilated case and a decent ambient temp. Things get more complicated in the summer or those people who live in hot environments to begin with.

Not many people I have seen can run their Core i7 920 at 4.0 Ghz with 1.33 Vcore and 1.34 QPI. I do not have an exceptional chip, but it's definitely above average as far as overclocking vs heat. It helps that it is lapped as well.


----------



## ShadowFox19

I'm about to try OC'ing my rig (see sig), and I was wondering if you recommend using the AI Tweaker in my BIOS?


----------



## ShadowFox19

Does this look right? My AI Suite program and CPU-Z have two different clocks...is this normal?


----------



## ricsim78

Edit: Wow, wrong post...not sure how this happened but...sorry lol.


----------



## Robilar

I'm running my i7 at 4ghz. 20x200 with 1.24 vcore/QPI and 1.64 on memory (running at 1600mhz, 7-7-7-20 timings)

temps are in mid to high 60's with prime, much lower day to day use.

I am also thinking about going water as well.


----------



## stargate125645

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Robilar*


I'm running my i7 at 4ghz. 20x200 with 1.24 vcore/QPI and 1.64 on memory (running at 1600mhz, 7-7-7-20 timings)

temps are in mid to high 60's with prime, much lower day to day use.

I am also thinking about going water as well.


I take it HT is disabled then? Those temperatures seem to low to me otherwise (and this is why OCCT > Prime95). 1.24V for the CPU also seems rather low. Is the new stepping really that much better?


----------



## jrharvey

Quote:



Originally Posted by *stargate125645*


I take it HT is disabled then? Those temperatures seem to low to me otherwise (and this is why OCCT > Prime95). 1.24V for the CPU also seems rather low. Is the new stepping really that much better?


Probably not, he has the new DO version that appearantly does quite nice.


----------



## stargate125645

Quote:


Originally Posted by *jrharvey* 
Probably not, he has the new DO version that appearantly does quite nice.

Well then Prime95 is insufficient to test temperatures as it doesn't do HT last time I checked. Has this changed? A 0.1V drop in the voltage required for 4.0GHz puts it at barely 0.1V above average stock voltage which is why I find it hard to believe. Perhaps calling it Vcore was a misnomer and it should be uncore/QPI, as that would make sense. But both Vcore and QPI at 1.24V? Hard to believe.


----------



## Gollie

Quote:


Originally Posted by *stargate125645* 
Well then Prime95 is insufficient to test temperatures as it doesn't do HT last time I checked. Has this changed? A 0.1V drop in the voltage required for 4.0GHz puts it at barely 0.1V above average stock voltage which is why I find it hard to believe. Perhaps calling it Vcore was a misnomer and it should be uncore/QPI, as that would make sense. But both Vcore and QPI at 1.24V? Hard to believe.

When Prime 95 fires up 8 threads, I think it is testing HT...

@1.24v I believe he is at 60C on air. The D0's are supposed to be very good on volts.


----------



## stargate125645

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Gollie* 
When Prime 95 fires up 8 threads, I think it is testing HT...

@1.24v I believe he is at 60C on air. The D0's are supposed to be very good on volts.

60C degrees on air with 8 threads is low for 4.0GHz, not high. I have yet to see review sites testing D0s so if you have any I missed feel free to link me, but as it stands that's a huge decrease and I still don't buy it.


----------



## jrharvey

I dont think its so far off to think that the DO's can do that speed at that voltage. My chip is perfectly stable at 4ghz and 1.26V and that is only .02V difference from his.


----------



## stargate125645

Quote:



Originally Posted by *jrharvey*


I dont think its so far off to think that the DO's can do that speed at that voltage. My chip is perfectly stable at 4ghz and 1.26V and that is only .02V difference from his.


Then why are others needing well over 1.3V to achieve this (I don't know what my requirements for 4.0GHz are)? I still think the temperature is low, and it is also odd for the Vcore and the QPI/uncore voltages to be the same, which is why I'm confused.


----------



## justin.kerr

my D0 needs 1.24v to be prime/Linx stable @ 4.0 Ghz 1.26 QPI.. don't know if it is stable at lower voltage than that, did not mess witht that setting very long. lol


----------



## Bonz(TM)

I must've just got a bad chip. I need 1.42v for 4GHz, and even then... With my Xiggy 1283 and Ultra Kaze 3000 each core come close to 90c on load.

I'm running 3.8 @ 1.36 now and cores are 80c loaded. HT on stressing all 8 threads.


----------



## stargate125645

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Bonzâ„¢*


I must've just got a bad chip. I need 1.42v for 4GHz, and even then... With my Xiggy 1283 and Ultra Kaze 3000 each core come close to 90c on load.

I'm running 3.8 @ 1.36 now and cores are 80c loaded. HT on stressing all 8 threads.


That sounds more like normal. Not sure if the other guys are mixing up uncore (QPI) voltage with core voltage.


----------



## justin.kerr

I need 1.32 to do 4.5Ghz lol


----------



## stargate125645

Quote:


Originally Posted by *justin.kerr* 
I need 1.32 to do 4.5Ghz lol

If it is true that the D0s are so much better then it makes me think that there should be a bigger deal made about the new stepping.


----------



## justin.kerr

oops


----------



## Robilar

I've run prime with 4 cores running and temps are in mid 60's. With HT enabled some of the cores hit 70C (that is the highest though).

I am looking into water cooling. Volts are not an issue with this chip but I would like to bring the temperatures down (which hopefully water will do).

I have vcore and QPI at the same voltage as I read they should be close to each other for overclocking purposes.

I did up the PLL to 1.9 though (1.8 is default).

I have LLC enabled and vcore is 1.24


----------



## stargate125645

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Robilar* 
I've run prime with 4 cores running and temps are in mid 60's. With HT enabled some of the cores hit 70C (that is the highest though).

I am looking into water cooling. Volts are not an issue with this chip but I would like to bring the temperatures down (which hopefully water will do).

I have vcore and QPI at the same voltage as I read they should be close to each other for overclocking purposes.

I did up the PLL to 1.9 though (1.8 is default).

I have LLC enabled and vcore is 1.24

Max PLL is 1.88V, max Vcore is 1.55V, and max QPI is 1.35V. QPI and Vcore can be different according to Intel specifications.
http://www.overclock.net/intel-cpus/...ml#post5879338


----------



## jrharvey

What is the key to know if you got a DO or not. i forgot where to check.


----------



## PizzaMan

Quote:



Originally Posted by *jrharvey*


What is the key to know if you got a DO or not. i forgot where to check.


Does CPUz not tell you?


----------



## laxrunner

Quote:



Originally Posted by *jrharvey*


What is the key to know if you got a DO or not. i forgot where to check.


CPU-Z will tell you stepping, also on the box the S-spec code is SLBEJ for D0, as opposed to SLBCH for C0.


----------



## nuclearjock

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Robilar* 
I've run prime with 4 cores running and temps are in mid 60's. With HT enabled some of the cores hit 70C (that is the highest though).

I am looking into water cooling. Volts are not an issue with this chip but I would like to bring the temperatures down (which hopefully water will do).

Water cooling will bring those load temps down Rob. At ~1.26 vcore, 8 cores, I'm the low 50's @4ghz. It really tames load temps.

Suggestions:
1/2" all the way
GTZ
MCP655 (It's been good to me + has speed control)
I love my Fesser 480 rad, but the Black Ice GTX Gen II's are also effecient.
Don't mess with 25mm (thickness) fans, I've got 38mm panaflows and they really do the job in push alone at ~60% speed, (nice and quiet).
I would also suggest a heay duty rheostat like this to control your fan speeds (low for surfing high for benching etc).
also a resevoir and a "T" for filling are nice.
I use Fesser fluid and have never had a problem of any sort what so ever.

All the best


----------



## eflyguy

Those temps are fantastic. They are lower than mine by 10C, and I'm on water!
..a


----------



## Shadowclock

Need some help. Every multi I put it at I do fine but any BCLK I put over 187 I get a BSOD 124. I looked up what 124 was and all I see is audio conflicts...that just doesn't make any sense to me.

Anyone know how to solve a 124 BSOD? I upped my PLL from 1.64 to 1.66 because I did read one article where it had to deal with RAM voltage but that did nothing.

All power saving disabled.
Currently at 21x187
1.32 Vcore
1.32 QPI
1.64 PLL
All rest on auto.

Ideas?


----------



## Patch

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Shadowclock*


Need some help. Every multi I put it at I do fine but any BCLK I put over 187 I get a BSOD 124. I looked up what 124 was and all I see is audio conflicts...that just doesn't make any sense to me.

Anyone know how to solve a 124 BSOD? I upped my PLL from 1.64 to 1.66 because I did read one article where it had to deal with RAM voltage but that did nothing.

All power saving disabled.
Currently at 21x187 
1.32 Vcore 
1.32 QPI
1.64 PLL
All rest on auto.

Ideas?










Sometimes 124's can be fixed by changing QPI/VTT voltage.

Are you writing PLL when you mean DRAM? Your DRAM should be about 1.65, but your PLL seems very low. My default PLL is 1.8 and I put it at 1.81 - 1.82 as I near 200 bclock, and up to 1.87-1.88 when around 220 bclock. We have different boards though.

Hope that helps.


----------



## Robilar

I was running PLL at 1.9 (suggested from a mate at XS) but later dropped it back to 1.8. It had no effect on stability at 4ghz either way.


----------



## iDShaDoW

I seem to be having trouble too getting things stable and figuring out good voltages at 4GHz.

Temps definitely don't seem to be a problem since I'm idling in the lower 30C range and when I had Prime running it would max at 60-61C.

I have HT enabled (would this be a problem?). Asked in the 4GHz club thread if most the people had HT off or not and no answer.

CPU Vcore: [1.4v]
QPI/Vtt Voltage: [1.315v]
CPU PLL: [1.84v]
PCIE: [1.5v]
QPI PLL: [1.1v]
IOH Core: [1.1v]
ICH I/O: [1.5v]
ICH Core: [1.1v]
DRAM: [1.64v]

Any suggestions? CPU Vcore seems kinda high to me in comparison to other people who have mentioned theirs but I can't seem to get it to boot to Windows at a lower Vcore. 1.3875v worked but then after Prime BSOD it wouldn't boot up at 1.3875v again.

Should I just let the BIOS auto everything besides CPU Vcore, QPI/Vtt, CPU PLL, and DRAM?

Or am I just SOL and should stick to 3.8GHz?


----------



## jrharvey

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Robilar*


I was running PLL at 1.9 (suggested from a mate at XS) but later dropped it back to 1.8. It had no effect on stability at 4ghz either way.


Ya, that is what I have found.


----------



## Patch

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Robilar*


I was running PLL at 1.9 (suggested from a mate at XS) but later dropped it back to 1.8. It had no effect on stability at 4ghz either way.


For me, PLL makes a big difference between 200-221 bclock. Over that baseclock range I need to steadily increase from 1.8 to 1.88ish.


----------



## Robilar

I'll keep that in mind. I have only tested out 20x200 so far.

I'm stilling giggling over my 1.24 required vcore for stability


----------



## stargate125645

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Robilar*


I'll keep that in mind. I have only tested out 20x200 so far.

I'm stilling giggling over my 1.24 required vcore for stability


Just remember: it's cheating if you don't stress test all 8 threads!









Too bad it's already 90 degrees here - I now get core temperatures in the low 30s (degrees C) for normal/idle usage (not stress).


----------



## Shadowclock

The PLL didn't help with the BSOD 124 issue I mentioned in the last page. Is there another voltage that could be creating that error?

I am perfectly stable at 21x181 right now with 1.29v.

I like it but I would certainly like 4Ghz.


----------



## nebuchanezzar

124 was fixed by vtt adjustments for me a few times. Sometimes down too not always up.

what pll voltage is that? CPU or QPI? I thought CPU defaulted to 1.80 and the qpi was 1.1? Is that your Ram voltage?
What is your ram multi or is auto keeping it at 1333 or 1066 or something?

edit
should have read back first, my post is almost a repeat of previous statements. Didn't realize the same question was asked earlier

update your question with some answers please =]


----------



## rsfkevski

For all of those people not really happy with their C0. Check out this "Online Deal Thread"


----------



## Robilar

Quote:



Originally Posted by *stargate125645*


Just remember: it's cheating if you don't stress test all 8 threads!









Too bad it's already 90 degrees here - I now get core temperatures in the low 30s (degrees C) for normal/idle usage (not stress).


It is stable with all 8 threads running. I just need to get my temps down.


----------



## jrharvey

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Robilar* 
It is stable with all 8 threads running. I just need to get my temps down.

I didnt think your temps were all that bad. You didnt go above 70 right? The i7 is MUCH hotter than previous quads like the Q9650 or 9550.


----------



## stargate125645

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Robilar*


It is stable with all 8 threads running. I just need to get my temps down.


But you reported your temperatures with only 4 threads running, so your temperatures seemed low (and still do to some extent, but that is apparently because of the D0 stepping).

Quote:



Originally Posted by *jrharvey*


I didnt think your temps were all that bad. You didnt go above 70 right? The i7 is MUCH hotter than previous quads like the Q9650 or 9550.


Are they simply hotter or are the improved digital temperature readouts partially to blame?


----------



## NCspecV81

I got an i7 920 D0 coming, hopefully Monday! Gonna throw this under some cold and see what happens! Tempted to give it some ln2, but I'm kinda wanting to make some ln2 ice cream! =o)~


----------



## {core2duo}werd

Quote:


Originally Posted by *NCspecV81* 
I got an i7 920 D0 coming, hopefully Monday! Gonna throw this under some cold and see what happens! Tempted to give it some ln2, but I'm kinda wanting to make some ln2 ice cream! =o)~

hhhmmmmm ice cream? or possible WR... tough choice...


----------



## stargate125645

I finally have some time to overclock, and I've posted at 3.675GHz (175x21) and it is stable for normal operation.

BCLK: 175
CPU: 1.225V
QPI: 1.21875V
Mem: 1.52V
PLL: 1.8V

I am reasonably happy with 3.675GHz and a core voltage of 1.225V and am hopeful I will get to 4GHz before reaching the 1.3625V limit I am placing. I won't be able to go further, though, until my replacement RAM arrives. I am on my backup RAM right now and it is only DDR3 1066 and I am at the lowest divider possible right now. Unfortunately, UPS decided to give my replacement XMPs a trip around the country multiple times (see here)...

My idle temperatures are only 2 degrees higher (at most) than what they were before so I'm thinking my digital sensors don't like to give me accurate low temperatures below a certain level (which means my temperatures are quite good so my lapping job on this heat sink is good).

Comments?


----------



## Gollie

Quote:



Originally Posted by *stargate125645*


(see here)...


oh my!


----------



## stargate125645

4GHz!

Sadly I needed 1.3625V, but it boots and I can do everyday tasks. I haven't stress tested it yet, but my idle temperatures are great!

Edit: Alright, I got it stable at 4.0GHz (no HT), but I had to use Auto on all the other voltages because putting them at their maximum levels (according to Intel) did not work. Is there a program out there that accurately reads these voltages so that I can get an idea of what the BIOS is doing?

P.S. Load temperatures were only in the mid-to-upper 50s, so I'm quite pleased! Voltage is my only problem.


----------



## Bonz(TM)

Quote:



Originally Posted by *stargate125645*


4GHz!

Sadly I needed 1.3625V, but it boots and I can do everyday tasks. I haven't stress tested it yet, but my idle temperatures are great!

Edit: Alright, I got it stable at 4.0GHz (no HT), but I had to use Auto on all the other voltages because putting them at their maximum levels (according to Intel) did not work. Is there a program out there that accurately reads these voltages so that I can get an idea of what the BIOS is doing?

P.S. Load temperatures were only in the mid-to-upper 50s, so I'm quite pleased! Voltage is my only problem.










. It takes me 1.42 to get to 4GHz.


----------



## stargate125645

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Bonz™*









. It takes me 1.42 to get to 4GHz.


I found that it was my other voltages causing me issues, not the Vcore. Until I put the other voltages to Auto (and upped the Vcore a bit more), I wasn't stable at 4.0GHz.

I have now updated my signature to include my 24/7 overclocks. If anyone knows of a program that can give me those voltages I'd greatly appreciate it!


----------



## Patch

Quote:


Originally Posted by *stargate125645* 
I found that it was my other voltages causing me issues, not the Vcore. Until I put the other voltages to Auto (and upped the Vcore a bit more), I wasn't stable at 4.0GHz.

I have now updated my signature to include my 24/7 overclocks. If anyone knows of a program that can give me those voltages I'd greatly appreciate it!

If you mean a software program that will tell you your voltages, Everest is nice.

Attachment 107399


----------



## stargate125645

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Patch* 
If you mean a software program that will tell you your voltages, Everest is nice.

Attachment 107399

Thank you very much! I would like to point out that you have your QPI voltage at 1.39V and Intel lists the maximum as 1.35V. I was hoping to get a program that would read more than just the QPI voltage but that is my main concern.

P.S. Is there not a free version of Everest?


----------



## Patch

Quote:


Originally Posted by *stargate125645* 
Thank you very much! I would like to point out that you have your QPI voltage at 1.39V and Intel lists the maximum as 1.35V. I was hoping to get a program that would read more than just the QPI voltage but that is my main concern.

P.S. Is there not a free version of Everest?

Lol, that post was from some wPrime benching last night. Upping VTT/QPI and IOH voltages really help my stability at 4.3+ Ghz clocks. Note the NB (IOH) voltage of 1.42 is way out of spec, too. If the 1.39 VTT/QPI makes you nervous, you would have cringed to see the 1.6+ Vcore, 1.6+ VTT and 1.75 ram voltages I tried earlier in the evening trying to blast past the 221 bclock wall of mine. To no avail, I must add.









Everest does have a trial version for free to see if you like it. Unfortunately, their trial version doesn't give you as much info. I don't recall how detailed it is on the voltages.


----------



## stargate125645

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Patch* 
Lol, that post was from some wPrime benching last night. Upping VTT/QPI and IOH voltages really help my stability at 4.3+ Ghz clocks. Note the NB (IOH) voltage of 1.42 is way out of spec, too. If the 1.39 VTT/QPI makes you nervous, you would have cringed to see the 1.6+ Vcore, 1.6+ VTT and 1.75 ram voltages I tried earlier in the evening trying to blast past the 221 bclock wall of mine. To no avail, I must add.









Everest does have a trial version for free to see if you like it. Unfortunately, their trial version doesn't give you as much info. I don't recall how detailed it is on the voltages.

The 1.75V for the RAM isn't a big deal since your QPI voltage was up. See the link in my signature for more elaboration on that.

The Everest copy does not want to show my VTT voltage so it's of no use to me, sadly.







I do like its ability to meld with my G15 though.


----------



## CDMAN

Here is my 1st go around with a 920 D0 on the Rampage. One thing I noticed is that the D0 clocks high very easy but it gets a little hotter than my 965 C0 chip. My room temp was 79 at the time of this run, and I took the ScreenShot the moment the test ended. Will Try the D0 on the classified later in the week:

i7 920 D0 @ 4.4 HT, 1.44 volts - P30855 -PhysX
http://service.futuremark.com/compare?3dmv=1033285


----------



## Bonz(TM)

I need a D0.

Or Pepsi's C0


----------



## stargate125645

Quote:



Originally Posted by *CDMAN*


Here is my 1st go around with a 920 D0 on the Rampage. One thing I noticed is that the D0 clocks high very easy but it gets a little hotter than my 965 C0 chip. My room temp was 79 at the time of this run, and I took the ScreenShot the moment the test ended. Will Try the D0 on the classified later in the week:

i7 920 D0 @ 4.4 HT, 1.44 volts - P30855 -PhysX
http://service.futuremark.com/compare?3dmv=1033285


Very nice! You should stress test it with OCCT though - Vantage doesn't stress the CPU nearly as much.


----------



## ssgwright

ya nice scores. I'm messing with my IOH and QPI voltages now. I can hit 4.0 easy with both on auto but I'm close to getting 4.2 linx stable but it's not quite there yet. anyone got any tips for qpi/vtt and ioh voltages?


----------



## ReignsOfPower

I don't get it.
How is this possible?

[email protected] 1.2V?

CDMAN - Are you having trouble running your Dominator Ram @ it's full speed? I'm having trouble running it at 7-8-7-20 @ 2000Mhz even with 1.6V UNCORE/QPI and 1.65VDIMM.

Before anyone jumps in, this passed 2 hours Prime95.


----------



## nebuchanezzar

Quote:


Originally Posted by *CDMAN* 
Here is my 1st go around with a 920 D0 on the Rampage. One thing I noticed is that the D0 clocks high very easy but it gets a little hotter than my 965 C0 chip. My room temp was 79 at the time of this run, and I took the ScreenShot the moment the test ended. Will Try the D0 on the classified later in the week:

i7 920 D0 @ 4.4 HT, 1.44 volts - P30855 -PhysX


Just for the record, I think the HK looks just beautiful nickel plated....too bad there is nothing within 150+ miles of me that can do it...

Get that D0 on the Classified. I have learned you can run an UnCore multi of less than 2x memory multi on the Classified...I just can't justify making another i7 system just to get one though









Quote:


Originally Posted by *ssgwright* 
ya nice scores. I'm messing with my IOH and QPI voltages now. I can hit 4.0 easy with both on auto but I'm close to getting 4.2 linx stable but it's not quite there yet. anyone got any tips for qpi/vtt and ioh voltages?

IOH in general has little effect until you have multiple GPUs BUT I am more stable at speeds over 4.3Ghz with it running at 1.25 instead of 1.1, ymmv.

vtt is a strange animal. With a high BCLK and low ram bandwidth/speed it will still need some kind of bump most likely. With high ram speed/bandwidth you will need a lot. Throw that Intel recommended max of 1.35 right out the window if you want more.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *ReignsOfPower* 
I don't get it.
How is this possible?
[email protected] 1.2V?

CDMAN - Are you having trouble running your Dominator Ram @ it's full speed? I'm having trouble running it at 7-8-7-20 @ 2000Mhz even with 1.6V UNCORE/QPI and 1.65VDIMM.

Before anyone jumps in, this passed 2 hours Prime95.

Near perfection in the wafer making process is just a guess.
On my board 1.20 at idle means 1.24 or 1.25 under load which does make a difference. fwiw that is just under .1v less than I need to run LinX for 50+ passes with 6Gb ram. Pretty standard for D0 steppings from what I have read but I have yet to see a single screenshot WHILE RUNNING LINX or even OCCT or P95 so until I do....

Is that your screenshot or someone elses? I don't necessarily trust screenshots unless I have reason to trust the person taking them. I can run any test at one setting then jack my BCLK up pretty high for a CPUz screenie on top of all those old tests. I don't see much reason to myself but have come across many examples of those who do so take that as you will.

Not saying it's not legit though, it very well could be and probably is. Whether it is bench stable or 24/7 stable though is a different story.


----------



## CDMAN

Quote:


Originally Posted by *ReignsOfPower* 
I don't get it.
How is this possible?

[email protected] 1.2V?

CDMAN - Are you having trouble running your Dominator Ram @ it's full speed? I'm having trouble running it at 7-8-7-20 @ 2000Mhz even with 1.6V UNCORE/QPI and 1.65VDIMM.

Before anyone jumps in, this passed 2 hours Prime95.

Hello,

I have not had any problems running my ram at full speed. I have 1866 ram not 2000 so I cant speak about the 2000 chips.


----------



## ricsim78

Quote:



Is that your screenshot or someone elses? I don't necessarily trust screenshots unless I have reason to trust the person taking them. I can run any test at one setting then jack my BCLK up pretty high for a CPUz screenie on top of all those old tests. I don't see much reason to myself but have come across many examples of those who do so take that as you will.

Not saying it's not legit though, it very well could be and probably is. Whether it is bench stable or 24/7 stable though is a different story.


It's the Internets, you never know lol.

Some of the screen shots are hard to believe, but I just take them with a grain of salt. If they are legit, wow. If not, oh well that's how it goes.

I have more trouble believing a lot of people's supposed rigs that I do the screen shots. Heck when I was younger I used to exaggerate what I had a bit.


----------



## speedy2721

I did 10 passes of LinX on my W3520( Server version of I7 920 D0) at 4Ghz using 1.2V at load. It seems really hot though for the amount of voltage I am using. Here is some proof. Idle and load temps are in the pictures.

http://img518.imageshack.us/img518/6342/91051552.png

http://img217.imageshack.us/img217/1636/4finished.png


----------



## redalert

Quote:



Originally Posted by *speedy2721*


I did 10 passes of LinX on my W3520( Server version of I7 920 D0) at 4Ghz using 1.2V at load. It seems really hot though for the amount of voltage I am using. Here is some proof.

http://img518.imageshack.us/img518/6342/91051552.png

http://img217.imageshack.us/img217/1636/4finished.png


its HT that is causing those high temps it probably adds 7-10 degrees when its on. Intel's thermal spec is low to for the i7's 67.9C. Im at 185x21 with vcore and QPI at 1.25 but when I get time im gonna mess around my OC and voltages.


----------



## stargate125645

Quote:


Originally Posted by *redalert* 
its HT that is causing those high temps it probably adds 7-10 degrees when its on. Intel's thermal spec is low to for the i7's 67.9C. Im at 185x21 with vcore and QPI at 1.25 but when I get time im gonna mess around my OC and voltages.

Where are you getting the 67.9 degrees C from? Their specifications state 100 degrees C for the cores (Tj_max).


----------



## redalert

Quote:


Originally Posted by *stargate125645* 
Where are you getting the 67.9 degrees C from? Their specifications state 100 degrees C for the cores (Tj_max).

http://processorfinder.intel.com/det...px?sSpec=SLBCJ


----------



## SlicketyRickety

Well i just got my self a i920 cpu and a GA-EX58-UD4P this thing rocks @2.6!
I will OC as soon as i find a 1366 block to replace my 775 1/2 barb block. I can't wait this cpu shows promise with a VID of 1.054 can't wait to OC this baby










Edit: but first lost of reading because its really different.


----------



## laxrunner

Quote:



Originally Posted by *redalert*


http://processorfinder.intel.com/det...px?sSpec=SLBCJ


That website is pretty worthless, the 67.9 is isnt the temperature you measure in software, etc. The temperature shown for the thermal spec is only the temp at the top of the IHS and can only be measured by installing a thermal probe on the IHS by machining a part of it out, which you probably don't want to do. If you actually click on the part that says thermal spec it pops open a window that explains it. I believe the max core temp is supposed to be 100*C, but I like keeping it under 80 for posterity.


----------



## stargate125645

Quote:


Originally Posted by *laxrunner* 
That website is pretty worthless, the 67.9 is isnt the temperature you measure in software, etc. The temperature shown for the thermal spec is only the temp at the top of the IHS and can only be measured by installing a thermal probe on the IHS by machining a part of it out, which you probably don't want to do. If you actually click on the part that says thermal spec it pops open a window that explains it. I believe the max core temp is supposed to be 100*C, but I like keeping it under 80 for posterity.

This.


----------



## ReignsOfPower

Quote:


Originally Posted by *nebuchanezzar* 
Is that your screenshot or someone elses? I don't necessarily trust screenshots unless I have reason to trust the person taking them. I can run any test at one setting then jack my BCLK up pretty high for a CPUz screenie on top of all those old tests. I don't see much reason to myself but have come across many examples of those who do so take that as you will.

Not saying it's not legit though, it very well could be and probably is. Whether it is bench stable or 24/7 stable though is a different story.

Righto mate, so what kind of pictures would you like to believe me? I have a full gallery of the build as well as CPU-Z/3dMark 06 runs etc.

26279 3D Mark 06
http://service.futuremark.com/compare?3dm06=10899684
P17081 3D Mark Vantage
http://service.futuremark.com/compare?3dmv=1052169

This is on Windows 7 64bit RC with 4.2Ghz @ 1.2V and CL6 1600MHz ram speed (still working on these)

Oh and due to the RC OS and the new stepping in the CPU, it doesn't show up at 4.2Ghz, only 4.0 (additionally mentions its a 975 when in fact that isn't even out yet) So refer to my previous picture for that information.


----------



## Robilar

Quote:


Originally Posted by *ReignsOfPower* 
I don't get it.
How is this possible?

[email protected] 1.2V?

CDMAN - Are you having trouble running your Dominator Ram @ it's full speed? I'm having trouble running it at 7-8-7-20 @ 2000Mhz even with 1.6V UNCORE/QPI and 1.65VDIMM.

Before anyone jumps in, this passed 2 hours Prime95.

? So what? My D0 would probably be stable at 1.20 for that type of test as well.

Try running prime95 or OCCT for a couple of hours and see if its stable.

The D0's need very low vcore. I set mine at 1.24 and it passed prime95 with flying colors. When I get my system reassembled (case is being powdercoated), I'll be trying out lower vcore.


----------



## ReignsOfPower

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Robilar*


? So what? My D0 would probably be stable at 1.20 for that type of test as well.

Try running prime95 or OCCT for a couple of hours and see if its stable.

The D0's need very low vcore. I set mine at 1.24 and it passed prime95 with flying colors. When I get my system reassembled (case is being powdercoated), I'll be trying out lower vcore.


Yep passes that, even a 10 pass Burntest mate. 0.975 VID on the chip.


----------



## ericeod

I'm still waiting for my Xeon W3520 (back ordered April 22nd)! I dont mind too much since I've been getting ready for finals, which are over tomorrow. But I really want to start playing with my build! I have a feeling I am going to miss my WCing setup.


----------



## NoodleGTS

Hey so what's the best way to overclock these things? Just got my 920 D0 and Classified here and I'm struggling with all the settings...

So I set everything to default, and just upped the base clock and CPU core a tad. I think I'm going to go about this by just leaving everything on auto and figuring out what my max base clock is first. Once that's done I'll mess around with the RAM and overclocking the uncore... etc.

Does that sound like a good idea?


----------



## NoodleGTS

One more question - currently cruising at a QPI of 215 with a x14 multiplier (just to see what I can max my QPI at). If I try setting 220 in E-LEET my system automatically hangs, but I don't think it's a Vcore issue.

Are there any "rules" that I'm breaking by taking QPI above 220? Meaning is there anything else I would have to adjust that is otherwise automatically overclocking itself?

Thanks


----------



## stargate125645

Quote:



Originally Posted by *NoodleGTS*


One more question - currently cruising at a QPI of 215 with a x14 multiplier (just to see what I can max my QPI at). If I try setting 220 in E-LEET my system automatically hangs, but I don't think it's a Vcore issue.

Are there any "rules" that I'm breaking by taking QPI above 220? Meaning is there anything else I would have to adjust that is otherwise automatically overclocking itself?

Thanks


See the link in my signature regarding i7 voltage limits. That will tell you the voltages that typically need to be adjusted and their associated limits.

Most boards have issues taking the QPI that high without exceeding one or more of the voltage limits, though if you aren't overclocking the clock speed at all you may be able to avoid exceeding the limits (or at least avoid exceeding them by a great deal).


----------



## NoodleGTS

Just wanted to post my 920 D0 overclock in here:
http://valid.canardpc.com/show_oc.php?id=566053

Never OCed an i7 before.. this is after a few hours of playing with it today (it's stable.. and HT is ON). Hopefully I can take this to 4.5-4.6GHz with a little more messing around.


----------



## i7_Scorpion

I'd like some more help with overclocking my i7-940 . 
Currently im on 155x23 (3,55ghz) with vcore and QPI on 1.25v with ram on 8-8-8-24 .
This is prime stable and gives me a max of 72degrees .

I tried some 20x190 19x200 with some more voltage but it just wont boot .
Suggestions are greatly appreciated .


----------



## Eradicator

If you can boot up at the lowest possible voltage that the pc will allow, is that safe, or will it fail under tests?


----------



## speedy2721

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Eradicator*


If you can boot up at the lowest possible voltage that the pc will allow, is that safe, or will it fail under tests?


There is a chance that it will fail during a stress test, or anything else that puts the CPU under stress. You should run LinX(Intel burn test) around 10 times and prime for at least an hour so you can make sure that your CPU wont mess up and get a BSOD.


----------



## NoodleGTS

Quote:



Originally Posted by *i7_Scorpion*


I'd like some more help with overclocking my i7-940 . 
Currently im on 155x23 (3,55ghz) with vcore and QPI on 1.25v with ram on 8-8-8-24 .
This is prime stable and gives me a max of 72degrees .

I tried some 20x190 19x200 with some more voltage but it just wont boot .
Suggestions are greatly appreciated .


What I would do is set your ram and uncore multipliers to the lowest possible setting, set your CPU multiplier to the highest, enable Turbo, disable all the power management, and start there. I would try some higher QPI setting. I have mine at 1.4 right now. Make sure to sync that voltage with your northbridge voltage as well.


----------



## NoodleGTS

Can we make a list of everyone's volts and clocks w/ mobo at the beginning, just so we can use as a reference? Would be nice to be able to PM someone with a similar setup who is getting better results, for instance.


----------



## SlicketyRickety

Finally hooked up water. heres my OC on a C0

Its weird because some sites say 1.35 max on QPI and some say 1.40 mines on 1.4 so we will see how that goes. For reference heres the settings
[email protected] 200x 20
vcore:1.40625
QPI/VTT:1.41
QPIPLL:1.35
CPUPLL:1.25
Dram:1.64
Uncore:3600
IOH:1.10
ICH:1.10

After reading some more and bumping the IOH and ICH to 1.3 i was able to lower the QPI/VTT voltage to 1.33 and get a stable OC @4.0. For reference.


----------



## stargate125645

Quote:


Originally Posted by *SlicketyRickety* 
Finally hooked up water. heres my OC on a C0

Its weird because some sites say 1.35 max on QPI and some say 1.40 mines on 1.4 so we will see how that goes. For reference heres the settings
[email protected] 200x 20
vcore:1.40625
QPI/VTT:1.41
QPIPLL:1.35
CPUPLL:1.25
Dram:1.64
Uncore:3600
IOH:1.10
ICH:1.10

After reading some more and bumping the IOH and ICH to 1.3 i was able to lower the QPI/VTT voltage to 1.33 and get a stable OC @4.0. For reference.

Gigabyte must have different names for voltages than ASUS as you seem to have multiple names for a single voltage. VTT should not exceed 1.35V according to Intel, by the way.


----------



## NoodleGTS

Quote:



Originally Posted by *stargate125645*


Gigabyte must have different names for voltages than ASUS as you seem to have multiple names for a single voltage. VTT should not exceed 1.35V according to Intel, by the way.


Oh crap







my vtt is at 1.55. Thats +350mv above stock, but well within the "green zone" on my Classified. Lots of people with my board have been using VTT well above 1.35.

Anyway now stable 4.4GHz at 1.425v with 1.55vtt... any less and it BSOD's and demands more VTT.


----------



## thecookmaster

can anyone give me any specs how i can reach 3.8 Ghz or over on a I7 C0 aircooled, please. I'm kind of new to overclocking but know most of the terms. I would like to not reach over 80 degrees in prime95 or OCCT. And i need it to be pretty stable since I'm going to start folding almost 24/7. Any suggestions?


----------



## NoodleGTS

Quote:



Originally Posted by *thecookmaster*


can anyone give me any specs how i can reach 3.8 Ghz or over on a I7 C0 aircooled, please. I'm kind of new to overclocking but know most of the terms. I would like to not reach over 80 degrees in prime95 or OCCT. And i need it to be pretty stable since I'm going to start folding almost 24/7. Any suggestions?


Ok here's what you should do.

Set everything to defaults in your BIOS. Set your multiplier to the lowest for the memory, and then to double that for the uncore (should be the lowest BIOS allows). Now turn off the power management functions of your CPU.

Increase your base clock by 5 MHz and boot into windows. Run Prime 95 for 5 minutes. If it passes and doesn't go over 85C, then restart and increase your base clock another 5MHz.

When you get a BSOD, you should read what it says at the top. If it says an uncorrectable hardware error... increase your VTT a little bit. If it says a CPU clock cycle blah blah, then increase your VCore.

You should disable automatic rebooting on BSOD so you can read what it says. Go to properties in my computer then advanced system settings then startup and recovery. Uncheck the box that says "automatically restart."

If you need any more help with these instructions, just PM me. I did exactly that and am sitting at 4.4GHz stable, so there's not much else to it.

Also, remember to set your ram to run at its stock voltage, and also for the IOH/ICH i/o to run at that same voltage. You can also specifiy your ram timings in the BIOS, but I would leave that until you get stable.


----------



## SlicketyRickety

Quote:



Originally Posted by *stargate125645*


Gigabyte must have different names for voltages than ASUS as you seem to have multiple names for a single voltage. VTT should not exceed 1.35V according to Intel, by the way.


Yep its all seperately named and heres the update.

vcore:1.39725 (llc enabled)
QPI/VTT: 1.33
IOC:1.35
ICH:1.35

that keeps it nice and stable @ 4.0 i bumped up IOH and ICH and bam i could lower all other voltages.


----------



## stargate125645

Quote:



Originally Posted by *NoodleGTS*


Oh crap







my vtt is at 1.55. Thats +350mv above stock, but well within the "green zone" on my Classified. Lots of people with my board have been using VTT well above 1.35.

Anyway now stable 4.4GHz at 1.425v with 1.55vtt... any less and it BSOD's and demands more VTT.


No one is making you follow Intel's specifications. I just pointed out that they do have a limit. As long as you know you are exceeding those limits then my goal is accomplished. No need to get hostile.


----------



## I_am_McLovin

My settings on Air

[4.1ghz]

205x20 BCLK
1.29 Voltage
1.3 VTT
1.2 IoH
x6 Multi
x13 Uncore
x36 QPI

76c load. Will pump the voltages up when I get Water


----------



## thecookmaster

ok somehow i did something wrong while overclocking. I put everything to default put memory multi to x6 and uncore to x12 then i put BCLK to 140 on 1.29 volts and it just keeps rebooting. I can't even enter the BIOS. what should i do? i thought i have to clear the SMOS. But i don't here it is on my mobo i just can't find it. omg


----------



## redalert

Quote:


Originally Posted by *thecookmaster* 
ok somehow i did something wrong while overclocking. I put everything to default put memory multi to x6 and uncore to x12 then i put BCLK to 140 on 1.29 volts and it just keeps rebooting. I can't even enter the BIOS. what should i do? i thought i have to clear the SMOS. But i don't here it is on my mobo i just can't find it. omg

remove the battery


----------



## I_am_McLovin

Quote:


Originally Posted by *thecookmaster* 
ok somehow i did something wrong while overclocking. I put everything to default put memory multi to x6 and uncore to x12 then i put BCLK to 140 on 1.29 volts and it just keeps rebooting. I can't even enter the BIOS. what should i do? i thought i have to clear the SMOS. But i don't here it is on my mobo i just can't find it. omg

theres a clear cmos switch on the back of your motherboard


----------



## thecookmaster

could someone maybe show me a link where the Cmos clear button is displayed on my specific mobo. also What battery? I don't think i have one.


----------



## cky2k6

Just got my new d0







stepping 3849B028. I'll have initial results by tonight.


----------



## thecookmaster

any ideas?


----------



## redalert

your board has a battery


----------



## I_am_McLovin

Dude, are you blind? rofl

Dont remove the battery.. press the clr cmos and you're done... not very hard


















its even lighted up with BLUE led so its impossible to miss it..


----------



## thecookmaster

aight i found it but u guys were showing the wrong mobo. mine is at a another place a friend explained it but here is another request.
Hey OCN,
so here is my problem:
I want to get a overclock above V8 on my I7 which i really think is possible since my friend got one with high temps on 4.1 Ghz on the same aircooler. What are the specs i have to put in in order to get there.

here are the specs that I try to use right now since i started playing with the oc yesterday. But it doesnt even get into windows. It just keeps rebooting two times then it tells me there is a voltage or overclocking issue. So here are my specs

i7 C0
3.8
21x181
1.350vcore
1.30qpi
DRAM 1.64
everything else on auto really
and energy saving things disabled

is there something wrong with this? how can i reach 3.8 Ghz stable or even higher? I would like to have temps under 80 in prime95 or OCCT.
help please


----------



## redalert

what speed is your memory at 3.8?


----------



## NoodleGTS

Quote:



Originally Posted by *stargate125645*


No one is making you follow Intel's specifications. I just pointed out that they do have a limit. As long as you know you are exceeding those limits then my goal is accomplished. No need to get hostile.


Sorry if I gave you the impression I was being hostile at all, I really wasn't. I was just worried that I may be screwing up my chip. Thanks for the word. Typically I like to follow Intel's guidelines for voltages, but I'm just surprised at how many people are running way above that.. wonder if they are also aware of that Intel guideline.

Thanks for posting man.


----------



## //.DK

Alright it's been about a week and a half for me now since I finally have the new rig up and running the new rig now at:

Vcore: +100mV (1.0500 from what is says in BIOS but 1.232 in cpu-z)
VTT: +160mV
RAM:1.60V
IOH:1.16V

stable with load temps maxed at 51C @4.0gHz.

thing is though should I be trusting that I have my Vcore set at 1.05V from what it says or 1.232V from what it says my Vcore in cpu-z, OCCT, etc? Next step is going for 4.5ghz on air.


----------



## thecookmaster

Hey OCN,
so my problem is that i want to run a overclock on a air cooled I7 920 C0 at at least 3.8 Ghz. Better would be above. I want it stable since i want to start to fold 24/7 what specs and voltages should i include for IoH, Qpi, Vcore, Dram etc.
Any suggestions?


----------



## NoodleGTS

Quote:



Originally Posted by *thecookmaster*


Hey OCN,
so my problem is that i want to run a overclock on a air cooled I7 920 C0 at at least 3.8 Ghz. Better would be above. I want it stable since i want to start to fold 24/7 what specs and voltages should i include for IoH, Qpi, Vcore, Dram etc.
Any suggestions?


Dude.. there isn't a set list of voltages and stuff to do. Every chip is going to be different, so do a little trial and error. Look at the long post that I wrote on the previous page, and follow those steps closely. 3.8GHz is real easy on any 920 and you should be able to get that on stock volts, if not just a tad higher.


----------



## myusernameisdumb

Do I understand things correctly as a novice OC'er?? I'm getting a i7 965 Insane Edition really soon, on it's way. It seems to me that the memory bus is default for 800/1066 or so and if you want to use any mem module higher, like even a 1333, then you have to OC the mem bus for it. Am I right??? If you have a mem module rated as high as 2000, then it can use it but you have to OC it to get 2000 out of it???

Of course all of those higher rated modules would run really well if you left you mem bus at stock speed. But am I right about this stuff??


----------



## I_am_McLovin

OK, ran prime95 for 18 hours and it is 100% stable









Currently @ 4.0 ghz 43c idle, 78c load


----------



## NoodleGTS

Quote:



Originally Posted by *myusernameisdumb*


Do I understand things correctly as a novice OC'er?? I'm getting a i7 965 Insane Edition really soon, on it's way. It seems to me that the memory bus is default for 800/1066 or so and if you want to use any mem module higher, like even a 1333, then you have to OC the mem bus for it. Am I right??? If you have a mem module rated as high as 2000, then it can use it but you have to OC it to get 2000 out of it???

Of course all of those higher rated modules would run really well if you left you mem bus at stock speed. But am I right about this stuff??


Save your money and don't get the 965. Instead, get a Core i7 920 *D0*. In many tests they have overclocked even further than the extreme edition. Use the extra cash on a good mobo like the evga CLassified. Anandtech has a review where with proper cooling they push the 920 all the way to over 5.3GHz. That's a 100% overclock right there.

And the answer to your ram question is you willl have to OC... if you get ram that runs at 2000 you need to run your uncore at 4000, which is higher than stock clocks. If i were you I wouldn't get any ram faster than 1866. I have the 2GHz corsair dominator GT and they're total overkill. The fastest I've run them is ~1700.


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## myusernameisdumb

It's interesting that so many enthusiasts OC processors and Ram but I have never seen much increase of FPS from doing it in any game. What really seems to matter is GPU and VDRAM as far as upping gaming performance. Graphics is really what does the FPS increase trick in my experience.

That being said, I still plan to OC my i7 965 anyway because it would be stupid and a waste to have such an expensive chip and then see many out there with 920s and 940s getting more ( slightly more ) performance because the OC'd theirs but I didn't.


----------



## myusernameisdumb

Quote:



Originally Posted by *NoodleGTS*


Save your money and don't get the 965. Instead, get a Core i7 920 *D0*. In many tests they have overclocked even further than the extreme edition. Use the extra cash on a good mobo like the evga CLassified. Anandtech has a review where with proper cooling they push the 920 all the way to over 5.3GHz. That's a 100% overclock right there.

And the answer to your ram question is you willl have to OC... if you get ram that runs at 2000 you need to run your uncore at 4000, which is higher than stock clocks. If i were you I wouldn't get any ram faster than 1866. I have the 2GHz corsair dominator GT and they're total overkill. The fastest I've run them is ~1700.


Thanks but I'm sticking with my 965 because I can afford it.
I am not planning an extreme OC whether I had a 920, 940 or 965 in any case. I'd be satisfied with 3.8ghz and a 965 can do that without even upping any voltages if I am reading a lot of posts correctly. A ton of people are telling me not to get the 965 in a lot of forums but I'm determined to get it and it's on it's way to my house within the week. As I mention in my post before graphics power makes more difference in most games than pure CPU power. Memory bandwidth should also make more a difference than CPU OC'ing. Not necessarily in every game but most.

By the way, I am getting the Asus P6T deluxe v2, is that as good as the EVGA board you mention??? It ( P6T ) has had absolutely rave reviews!!


----------



## chadamir

Quote:



Originally Posted by *myusernameisdumb*


Thanks but I'm sticking with my 965 because I can afford it.
I am not planning an extreme OC whether I had a 920, 940 or 965 in any case. I'd be satisfied with 3.8ghz and a 965 can do that without even upping any voltages if I am reading a lot of posts correctly. A ton of people are telling me not to get the 965 in a lot of forums but I'm determined to get it and it's on it's way to my house within the week. As I mention in my post before graphics power makes more difference in most games than pure CPU power. Memory bandwidth should also make more a difference than CPU OC'ing. Not necessarily in every game but most.


Actually memory bandwidth does very little after a certain point(Read any memory review). OCing a 920 to 3.8 is easy. Save your money.


----------



## redalert

wow a 965 @ 3.8 that just a total waste of money IMO but if you got the money to waste go for it.


----------



## justin.kerr

a 965 is not a good idea, maybe you can return it?? the 975's will be released very soon, if you are stuck on the extreme model.


----------



## I_am_McLovin

Ok i'm a bit confused here. With 4ghz 18hours prime stable I get a bit of stuttering in cod4. Like it will be at 125 fps then randomly drop down to 40 and so. When i'm at 3.8 I never get any of these lag spikes. What do you guys think I should do? I really want to run it at 4.0 because it was stable as a rock.

My ram is running at a x6 multi still, could that be the problem?


----------



## M1 Abrams

Quote:


Originally Posted by *I_am_McLovin* 
Ok i'm a bit confused here. With 4ghz 18hours prime stable I get a bit of stuttering in cod4. Like it will be at 125 fps then randomly drop down to 40 and so. When i'm at 3.8 I never get any of these lag spikes. What do you guys think I should do? I really want to run it at 4.0 because it was stable as a rock.

My ram is running at a x6 multi still, could that be the problem?

Try raising the core voltage on the X58 a notch and try it


----------



## devsk

Quote:



Originally Posted by *myusernameisdumb*


Thanks but I'm sticking with my 965 because I can afford it.
I am not planning an extreme OC whether I had a 920, 940 or 965 in any case. I'd be satisfied with 3.8ghz and a 965 can do that without even upping any voltages if I am reading a lot of posts correctly. A ton of people are telling me not to get the 965 in a lot of forums but I'm determined to get it and it's on it's way to my house within the week. As I mention in my post before graphics power makes more difference in most games than pure CPU power. Memory bandwidth should also make more a difference than CPU OC'ing. Not necessarily in every game but most.

By the way, I am getting the Asus P6T deluxe v2, is that as good as the EVGA board you mention??? It ( P6T ) has had absolutely rave reviews!!


dude, save that money and invest in a good SSD drive (like Intel's or OCZ vertex) AND a good graphics card. Your system will fly with those upgrades. A 920 D0 can be clocked to 4Ghz at almost stock settings without any effort with a decent air cooler.

Don't waste your money like that. If you insist, may be wait for 975 to arrive at the end of this month. That will probably clock to 4.5 and more out of the box. 965 is obsolete and Intel has discontinued it. Don't spend money on that thing.


----------



## I_am_McLovin

Quote:



Originally Posted by *M1 Abrams*


Try raising the core voltage on the X58 a notch and try it


By core you mean CPU right?


----------



## thecookmaster

yes vcore is the voltage on the cpu


----------



## M1 Abrams

Quote:



Originally Posted by *I_am_McLovin*


By core you mean CPU right?










Your chipset core its called IOH on asus, noit sure what your bios refers to it as, that s why I said "X58"
cya
EDIT: X58


----------



## devsk

dreaded double post.


----------



## I_am_McLovin

Wow.. it's pretty cold in my house

Picture says a thousand words..


----------



## thecookmaster

hey OCN,
so i wanted to oc my I7 920 C0 further but my temps were already pretty high 74 on full load. But now i tried turning HP off and the temps dropped by 8 degrees. I was wondering if hyper threading makes a huge difference in games, video converting, transferring data, vantage benchmarks etc.?


----------



## chadamir

Quote:



Originally Posted by *thecookmaster*


hey OCN,
so i wanted to oc my I7 920 C0 further but my temps were already pretty high 74 on full load. But now i tried turning HP off and the temps dropped by 8 degrees. I was wondering if hyper threading makes a huge difference in games, video converting, transferring data, vantage benchmarks etc.?


Gaming - no 
video converting - if optimized for it yes (x264 uses it really well)
transfering data - probably not.
vantage and 06 - yes. (HT adds about 12 percent. if you can increase your clocks more than that then its worth it,)


----------



## stargate125645

I got me a D0 today in the mail. I have roughly the same idle temperatures as previously with 3.8GHz, but now at 4.0GHz and dropping my core voltage from 1.33V to 1.25V and my QPI voltage from 1.35V to 1.29V (I haven't refined my settings yet so those voltages will presumably drop). My D0 may run a little hot given the idle temperatures shown in the screenshot (I have reseated the heat sink 3 times), but load temperatures barely exceed 70 at 4.0GHz with HT enabled so I'm satisfied.


----------



## totalz

which mb that supports SLi do u guys recommend for this beast?


----------



## stargate125645

Sweet! Now I'm at 4GHz stable (w/ HT) at only 1.325V for both vcore and QPI!

Quote:



Originally Posted by *totalz*


which mb that supports SLi do u guys recommend for this beast?


What stepping of 920? For the C0 a simple P6T is a great choice, but if you are getting a D0 and want to overclock like mad then you will want the extra 10 or so MHz of QPI you can get from a much more expensive board.


----------



## valtopps

ok is it worth it for me to switch over to an i7 920. would i see an improvement.


----------



## stargate125645

Quote:



Originally Posted by *valtopps*


ok is it worth it for me to switch over to an i7 920. would i see an improvement.


What will you be doing on the CPU?


----------



## valtopps

Quote:



Originally Posted by *stargate125645*


What will you be doing on the CPU?


i take it with that question i wont see much improvement.
surf,scan, burn dvd movies, gaming and chat with you on ocn








also can i use my vendetta 2?


----------



## stargate125645

Quote:


Originally Posted by *valtopps* 
i take it with that question i wont see an improvement.
surf,scan, burn dvd movies, gaming and chat with you on ocn









If that's what you'll be doing then you will probably see little difference unless you use a game where the CPU is pushed hard due to constant background stuff going on, like an RTS. Your CPU also has more cache than the i7, which helps in games.


----------



## G|F.E.A.D|Killa

ok i have to ask, and no im not bragging, i have a C0 that does 4.0 at 1.29 vcore and 4.2 at 1.33 vcore, do i have a chip thats beetter then some D0s


----------



## ericeod

Quote:


Originally Posted by *G|F.E.A.D|Killa* 
ok i have to ask, and no im not bragging, i have a C0 that does 4.0 at 1.29 vcore and 4.2 at 1.33 vcore, do i have a chip thats beetter then some D0s

I dont know, many of the D0s I've seen can run 4.0GHz at 1.25v. But your C0 iss deffinitely a good chip.

Here is what my D0 is capable of (heat is an issue so OI cant go higher, so I am saving up for a new WCing system):


----------



## G|F.E.A.D|Killa

Quote:


Originally Posted by *ericeod* 
I dont know, many of the D0s I've seen can run 4.0GHz at 1.25v. But your C0 iss deffinitely a good chip.

Here is what my D0 is capable of (heat is an issue so OI cant go higher, so I am saving up for a new WCing system):










oh, atleast i got a good C0 lol, but DAMN, your D0 would fit nice with my board







i envy you.


----------



## stargate125645

Quote:


Originally Posted by *G|F.E.A.D|Killa* 
ok i have to ask, and no im not bragging, i have a C0 that does 4.0 at 1.29 vcore and 4.2 at 1.33 vcore, do i have a chip thats beetter then some D0s

HT enabled or not? That makes a big difference when stress testing for stability. If you are talking about with HT disabled, then that's about average for a C0, perhaps a tad bit better than average.


----------



## ericeod

Quote:


Originally Posted by *G|F.E.A.D|Killa* 
oh, atleast i got a good C0 lol, but DAMN, your D0 would fit nice with my board







i envy you.

Temps seem to be higher for the vcore, but the same for clock speed. I dont know if that means the temps on i7 are more closely tied to clock speed then to vcore... But I am planning on going with a "HeatKiller" and Feser RAD.


----------



## Yomny

That's a hell of a sweet OC with only 1.2v. Whats the highest vcore that we're using for the i7 920, im trying to get 4ghz w/out turbo but i'm going to need about 1.37 and im not sure if its a good idea since the vcore is a bit high already.


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## stargate125645

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Yomny* 
That's a hell of a sweet OC with only 1.2v. Whats the highest vcore that we're using for the i7 920, im trying to get 4ghz w/out turbo but i'm going to need about 1.37 and im not sure if its a good idea since the vcore is a bit high already.

See the link in my signature regarding i7 voltage limits.


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## Yomny

reps for you.. for the quick and to the point response. I found it very helpful.


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## G|F.E.A.D|Killa

Quote:



Originally Posted by *stargate125645*


HT enabled or not? That makes a big difference when stress testing for stability. If you are talking about with HT disabled, then that's about average for a C0, perhaps a tad bit better than average.


no thats with HT on.


----------



## Villainstone

Hey very simple question here... providing that the temps are in safe range is there any new info on the max safe 24/7 voltage. Is it still 1.55 as long as temps are in order or has it been proven that 1.55 is to much for 24/7? I am looking for a solid definitive answer. TY


----------



## devsk

I don't think 920 has been out long enough to have a solid or definitive answer. I would say temps matter more than the voltage for determining the life of the CPU. But I may be wrong.


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## Villainstone

Well ATM the voltage is at 1.3 and the temps have reached 65C after about 15minutes of ITB2. I know that my temps are in good shape but right now I am only OCing my BClck. I will still need to add voltage when I up the CPU multiplie once I reach my max BClck. I updated my BIOS so I decided to start my OC from scratch. This BIOS seems to me much more stable at lower voltages so far, and I am liking it very much as of right now.


----------



## G|F.E.A.D|Killa

i WOULDNT put 1.55 through this chip for 24/7. the heat would be very high and kill the chip very fast.

putting the i7 at 1.55 would cause the chip to give off about 300 watts of heat. now if you didnt know, its 130 stock, so it puts off ALOT of heat.


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## Villainstone

Right now for my next question what is the range for safe VTT/QPI voltage? Also what is safe for the IOH? In Aegis the VTT is reported as 1.46 as well as in Everest. In the BIOS it is read to be 1.40. Now I do not know which is accurate but I am still very concerned.

Also what the odds that I can RMA this chip right to Intel and they honor it and send me a new chip, maybe a D0?


----------



## SlicketyRickety

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Villainstone*


Right now for my next question what is the range for safe VTT/QPI voltage? Also what is safe for the IOH? In Aegis the VTT is reported as 1.46 as well as in Everest. In the BIOS it is read to be 1.40. Now I do not know which is accurate but I am still very concerned.

Also what the odds that I can RMA this chip right to Intel and they honor it and send me a new chip, maybe a D0?


1.35 QPI/VTT max


----------



## Villainstone

Ouch seriously, I have been running more than that sense day one LOL. I was running 1.4 on the last BIOS, and this one if I believe Everest, and Aegis is 1.46. Like I said before the BIOS is 1.4 but I am not sure which to believe. The ocing was looking really good needing only 1.3 to reach 175MHz BClck. But that extra 25MHz needed a lot of added voltage. What are some tweaks that I can do to lower the Uncore voltage but still remain stable?


----------



## SlicketyRickety

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Villainstone*


Ouch seriously, I have been running more than that sense day one LOL. I was running 1.4 on the last BIOS, and this one if I believe Everest, and Aegis is 1.46. Like I said before the BIOS is 1.4 but I am not sure which to believe. The ocing was looking really good needing only 1.3 to reach 175MHz BClck. But that extra 25MHz needed a lot of added voltage. What are some tweaks that I can do to lower the Uncore voltage but still remain stable?


I know i had mine at 1.42 for the longest time till i found it was baaad. What i did was put the cpu PLL @ 1.88 (max) [email protected] IOH 1.35 ICH 1.35 QPI/[email protected] enabled LLC and put vcore @ 1.39 (its a c0) [email protected] and i could hit 4.0 stable. for me the IOH and ICH volts are what helped me to lower QPI/VTT.


----------



## Villainstone

Which is the Uncore? QPI or VTT I cannot remember?

Ok so the Vtt is the uncore as it says it right in the BIOS







and that is what is reading 1.46 in Everest, and Aegis, but 1.4 in the BIOS. I did what you suggested and I got it down to 1.37 in the BIOS and 1.42 in Everest and Aegis. Should I trust the BIOS or the the OS apps?


----------



## Villainstone

Alright now my next issue is that Turbo is not working even though I have it set to always on. I am not sure why but I am getting so frustrated trying to get it activated. For now I am going to bed and TY for your help.


----------



## stargate125645

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Villainstone* 
Which is the Uncore? QPI or VTT I cannot remember?

Ok so the Vtt is the uncore as it says it right in the BIOS







and that is what is reading 1.46 in Everest, and Aegis, but 1.4 in the BIOS. I did what you suggested and I got it down to 1.37 in the BIOS and 1.42 in Everest and Aegis. Should I trust the BIOS or the the OS apps?

VTT is the voltage for the QPI (uncore).

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Villainstone* 
Alright now my next issue is that Turbo is not working even though I have it set to always on. I am not sure why but I am getting so frustrated trying to get it activated. For now I am going to bed and TY for your help.

Set Windows power management options to the best performance option (i.e. least power saving option) and Turbo will alwasy be on. Otherwise it just kicks in when one or two cores are active so you probably won't see its effect looking at CPU-Z.

Look at the link in my signature for core i7 voltage limits, in regards to a previous question you had posted.


----------



## nebuchanezzar

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Villainstone*


Which is the Uncore? QPI or VTT I cannot remember?

Ok so the Vtt is the uncore as it says it right in the BIOS







and that is what is reading 1.46 in Everest, and Aegis, but 1.4 in the BIOS. I did what you suggested and I got it down to 1.37 in the BIOS and 1.42 in Everest and Aegis. Should I trust the BIOS or the the OS apps?


Neither should be implicitly trusted. Only a DMM can be trusted. From there you can ascertain how accurate your software reports. As an example..on my (dead







)DFI DK the reading for vCore was spot on but vtt was showing a few hundredths higher than actual and vdimm was reporting a bit lower than actual. On my Classified, it is grossly off on vtt- a few *tenths* higher than what it actually is. The rest read accurately although the board overvolts my vDimm by @.02-.04 over what I set in the bios it at least reads it correctly. Knowing the actual voltages is too important to not at least verify with a DMM but that is just my humble opinion on that subject.

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Villainstone*


Hey very simple question here... providing that the temps are in safe range is there any new info on the max safe 24/7 voltage. Is it still 1.55 as long as temps are in order or has it been proven that 1.55 is to much for 24/7? I am looking for a solid definitive answer. TY


There is no solid definitive answer. I know of people that have popped over 1.6v on air thru their cpu's and who run vtt even higher to use some high voltage/speed DDR3. Those with phase that I occasionally talk to or read posts by have run as much as 1.7 vC but obviously the are not talking 24/7

IMHO my comfort zone is probably around 1.5-1.55 vC and 1.4-1.45vtt as tentative max 24/7's but to each their own.

Quote:



Originally Posted by *devsk*


I don't think 920 has been out long enough to have a solid or definitive answer. I would say temps matter more than the voltage for determining the life of the CPU. But I may be wrong.


I agree, in general it is heat that degrades a cpu more-so than voltage. Voltage has a "cliff" so to speak though where it just flat out kills a cpu. Electron migration degrades performance and is related to both but it seems that again, heat is the larger contributor. I'm not a physicist though... The high-k gate in the i7 does handle much more heat than previous cpu's as implied by Intels turbo cycling @ 98ish and shutdown right around the 100C mark(at the cores NOT the ihs/socket area)

Quote:



Originally Posted by *stargate125645*


VTT is the voltage for the QPI (uncore).

Set Windows power management options to performance and Turbo will alwasy be on. Otherwise it just kicks in when one or two cores are active so you probably won't see its effect looking at CPU-Z.

Look at the link in my signature for core i7 voltage limits, in regards to a previous question you had posted.


Nice work on always being there to offer those links Stargate. I don't get on much but remember discussing these with you in this or another thread. Thanks for keeping that available to people. I tend to put OCers in the categories of "timid" or "drag-racers" lol. The timid clockers want to stay under XXX settings while the drag racers think of manufacturers recommended settings as where to start


----------



## stargate125645

Quote:



Originally Posted by *nebuchanezzar*


I tend to put OCers in the categories of "timid" or "drag-racers" lol. The timid clockers want to stay under XXX settings while the drag racers think of manufacturers recommended settings as where to start










Well put. As long as the drag racers have a "don't try this at home" mentality when helping others, it's all the better to have experience available from both methodoligies.


----------



## Patch

Perspective is always important when answering voltage questions.

Look at Stargate's links for max voltages officially sanctioned by a company that needs their chips to last a long time to satisfy a wide range of customers (and that doesn't want to deal with the cost of replacing a lot of chips under warranty).

If you overclock, you take the risk of getting burned. Period.

So that Stargate doesn't spank me, take note: *The following information may not be safe for your hardware.* Don't try this at home unless you don't mind breaking things.

Based on my personal and anecdotal evidence, 1.55 Vcore doesn't stress this chip too much. Assuming your temps are under control, of course. But I wouldn't feel comfortable running that 24/7 if you want your chip to last a reasonable amount of time.

Also, the QPI/VTT/Uncore and RAM voltages need to be within 0.5 of each other to keep the IMC safe. As long as you maintain that value, you can play with the those voltages with as much abandon as you do the Vcore - and you _need_ to in order to maintain any stability at higher baseclocks.

It is turning out to be a misconception that since the memory controller is on the CPU, you really can ignore the NB and other voltages. That is not true. The fact that increasing the PCIe frequency is essential for >220 baseclock suggests that other voltages are definitely important. IOH ("northbridge") and ICH ("southbridge"), as well as QPI/VTT/Uncore voltages help tremendously in maintaining stability at higher baseclocks.

I've been regularly flogging my 920 C0 up to 1.7 vcore, 1.7 QPI/VTT/Uncore, 1.88+ PLL, 1.65 IOH, 1.6 ICH, RAM 2.0 while "drag racing" on water and it still works fine. Temps idle in mid 40's at those voltages and some cores get up to 70 during superPi testing, but I can't tell you load temps because full load = BSOD at 222+ baseclock for me. Now I don't run it for long at those voltages, 1/2 hour to 45 minutes for pi benching.


----------



## stargate125645

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Patch* 
Perspective is always important when answering voltage questions.

Look at Stargate's links for max voltages officially sanctioned by a company that needs their chips to last a long time to satisfy a wide range of customers (and that doesn't want to deal with the cost of replacing a lot of chips under warranty).

If you overclock, you take the risk of getting burned. Period.

*So that Stargate doesn't spank me*, take note: The following information may not be safe for your hardware. Don't try this at home unless you don't mind breaking things.











Quote:

Based on my personal and anecdotal evidence, 1.55 Vcore doesn't stress this chip too much. Assuming your temps are under control, of course. But I wouldn't feel comfortable running that 24/7 if you want your chip to last a reasonable amount of time.

Also, the QPI/VTT/Uncore and RAM voltages need to be within 0.5 of each other to keep the IMC safe. As long as you maintain that value, you can play with the those voltages with as much abandon as you do the Vcore - and you _need_ to in order to maintain any stability at higher baseclocks.

It is turning out to be a misconception that since the memory controller is on the CPU, you really can ignore the NB and other voltages. That is not true. The fact that increasing the PCIe frequency is essential for >220 baseclock suggests that other voltages are definitely important. IOH ("northbridge") and ICH ("southbridge"), as well as QPI/VTT/Uncore voltages help tremendously in maintaining stability at higher baseclocks.

I've been regularly flogging my 920 C0 up to 1.7 vcore, 1.7 QPI/VTT/Uncore, 1.88+ PLL, 1.65 IOH, 1.6 ICH, RAM 2.0 while "drag racing" on water and it still works fine. Temps idle in mid 40's at those voltages and some cores get up to 70 during superPi testing, but I can't tell you load temps because full load = BSOD at 222+ baseclock for me. Now I don't run it for long at those voltages, 1/2 hour to 45 minutes for pi benching.
If it works for you with voltages that high, more power to you!

To add to your evidence of the NB and SB needing extra voltage, my graphics card won't initiate with the CPU clocked at 3.8GHz and above unless the IOH voltage is increased. The system still POSTs, however, which is weird.


----------



## NoodleGTS

*HEEEEEEEELLLLLLLLLPPPPPPPPPPPP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!*

Now that I have everyone's attention.. I need a little help..

I can boot as high as 4.6GHz, but Prime 95 fails instantly at 4.5GHz. The message I get is "an uncorrectable hardware failure blah blah blah." That usually means add more VTT. However I've _been_ adding more VTT and even at +475mv Prime still fails instantly. At 4.2GHz I don't have to add _any_ VTT at all. Is there something I'm missing or do I just have a bad chip (and by bad I mean not as great as I would like, but still awesome).


----------



## wixdfast

Wow, 4GHz+ overclocks here. I, uh, feel pretty bad now. You guys are really good OC'ers!


----------



## nebuchanezzar

Quote:



Originally Posted by *NoodleGTS*


*HEEEEEEEELLLLLLLLLPPPPPPPPPPPP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!*

Now that I have everyone's attention.. I need a little help..

I can boot as high as 4.6GHz, but Prime 95 fails instantly at 4.5GHz. The message I get is "an uncorrectable hardware failure blah blah blah." That usually means add more VTT. However I've _been_ adding more VTT and even at +475mv Prime still fails instantly. At 4.2GHz I don't have to add _any_ VTT at all. Is there something I'm missing or do I just have a bad chip (and by bad I mean not as great as I would like, but still awesome).


A lot more information is needed when going over 4.2G imo. What are your settings as in ram speed, timings, sub voltage settings etc. Plus...I don't try Priming or LinX at those speeds...just, well benches. Most of the generalities for errors go out the window after 4Ghzish and you cannot swear a 124 error is only vtt related anymore.

Quote:



Originally Posted by *wixdfast*


Wow, 4GHz+ overclocks here. I, uh, feel pretty bad now. You guys are really good OC'ers!


Don't sweat it







. Most people are not interested in anything this high for actual realworld use. It's those of us who are compelled to brutally push systems to the breaking points. Everyone tweaks their rigs with different goals in mind. Being a "timid" overclocker is not meant as any put-down, it's where most of the people that do OCing play.


----------



## Chewman

so during overclocking, How long do you guys run stress tests?
i've been going up in small chunks (about 200Mhz) and will fine tune when I hit snags,
but how long should I run Prime95 for between?
I've been doing 15 Minute Blends on 8 Threads, Will that be enough?
(When I get to 3.8 or something I'll do an overnight Blend.)

also, how Do I tell if the overclock is unstable? does the system just crash or is it less obvious, something I may overlook?

thanks for your help guys, been reading thru parts of the thread and it's helped a noob overclocker like me out a lot.


----------



## andygoyap

Do you guys think this are good voltages?
My C0 bios settings are:

Vcore - 1.325 (can't lower anymore)
QPI/VTT - 1.24
CPU/PLL - 1.84
Dram Voltage - 1.64
Hyperthreading - On
All other volts - AUTO
All Power Saving features Off
Turbo Off

Temps: 40 idle, 74 Max Load OCCT, 76 Max Load Linx (office w/ AC).

Tested @ OCCT w/ HT on: 4 hours Small Data Set, 1 hour Large Data Set, 1 hour & 30 Medium Data Set. = All Passed
Tested @ Linx Full Memory 20/20 = Passed


----------



## Extreme Newbie

I think my CO is really a DO but it won't admit it.








4GHz doesn't seem to be an issue with my CO but like the DO the temps start to get up there even with low voltage. If I ever get motivated enough to order my watercooling setup I will see what my CO can really do.


----------



## stargate125645

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Extreme Newbie*


I think my CO is really a DO but it won't admit it.








4GHz doesn't seem to be an issue with my CO but like the DO the temps start to get up there even with low voltage. If I ever get motivated enough to order my watercooling setup I will see what my CO can really do.


Great job! My C0 would go that high with HT enabled but I needed about 0.1V more to do that than you. I am currently working on my D0 going 4.0GHz with less than 1.2V, and trying to figure out what to do with my C0.

Quote:



Originally Posted by *andygoyap*


Do you guys think this are good voltages?
My C0 bios settings are:

Vcore - 1.325 (can't lower anymore)
QPI/VTT - 1.24
CPU/PLL - 1.84
Dram Voltage - 1.64
Hyperthreading - On
All other volts - AUTO
All Power Saving features Off
Turbo Off

Temps: 40 idle, 74 Max Load OCCT, 76 Max Load Linx (office w/ AC).

Tested @ OCCT w/ HT on: 4 hours Small Data Set, 1 hour Large Data Set, 1 hour & 30 Medium Data Set. = All Passed
Tested @ Linx Full Memory 20/20 = Passed


Those look good. You may be able to lower your CPU voltage if you raise your QPI voltage, as it seems somewhat low.


----------



## Chewman

191 x 21 on 1.232v!
craaapppp I can't go anywhere near 4Ghz unless I'm over 1.35v.
thats crazeee.


----------



## andygoyap

Quote:


Originally Posted by *stargate125645* 
Those look good. You may be able to lower your CPU voltage if you raise your QPI voltage, as it seems somewhat low.

What's the ideal safe qpi/vtt voltage? from what i have read anything below 1.35 is safe.

and xtremesystems:

Quote:

1.90v vdimm / 1.20v vtt = dead after 1 day (Engineering Sample CPU rev B) - rev B?
1.90v vdimm / 1.20v vtt = dead after 10 days (Retail 965 rev C) - most likely freak accident/bios/board bug
2.25v vdimm / 1.45v vtt = dead after 1 day (Engineering Sample CPU rev C) - buggy board?
1.88v vdimm / 1.50v vtt= dead after 1 week (Retail 965 rev C) - most likely freak accident/bios/board bug

1.65v vdimm / 1.20v vtt = ok forever according to intel
1.80v vdimm / 1.30v vtt = ok for 7 weeks
1.95v vdimm / 1.40v vtt = ok for 5 weeks
2.05v vdimm / 1.45v vtt = ok for 5 weeks
2.05v vdimm / 1.36v vtt = ok for 6 weeks
2.00v vdimm / 1.50v vtt = ok for 8 weeks (cold)
2.00v vdimm / 1.60v vtt = ok for 2 weks
2.00v vdimm / 1.65v vtt = ok for 8 weks
2.25v vdimm / 1.70v vtt = ok for 4 weeks
2.30v vdimm / 1.35v vtt = ok for 2 week (cold)
1.75v vdimm / 1.75v vtt = ok for 1 day (cold)
source: http://www.xtremesystems.org/Forums/...d.php?t=207972

I should be safe, from reading other threads..

If you have a qpi/vtt of 1.35 you can use drams up to 1.85 voltage safely.
So.. if i am running qpi/vtt at 1.25 you can use drams up to 1.75 voltage safely correct?


----------



## stargate125645

Quote:


Originally Posted by *andygoyap* 
What's the ideal safe qpi/vtt voltage? from what i have read anything below 1.35 is safe.

and xtremesystems:

source: http://www.xtremesystems.org/Forums/...d.php?t=207972

I should be safe, from reading other threads..

If you have a qpi/vtt of 1.35 you can use drams up to 1.85 voltage safely.
So.. if i am running qpi/vtt at 1.25 you can use drams up to 1.75 voltage safely correct?

I never said what you were using was unsafe; I simply said you may be able to reduce your vcore if you raise your vtt. You can see the voltage limits through the link in my signature.


----------



## andygoyap

Quote:


Originally Posted by *stargate125645* 
I never said what you were using was unsafe; I simply said you may be able to reduce your vcore if you raise your vtt. You can see the voltage limits through the link in my signature.

ohhh, sorry my bad, i thought you said that my qpi/vtt voltage was unsafe for my 1.64 dram voltage >.<

Thanks!








I will probably stay with this settings if they are really safe for now, i have tried to go 4.0ghz with this c0 but needed 1.4vcore









If i add a notch the qpi/vtt lets say 1.26 i can decrease the vcore by a notch ?

i tried running at 1.31vcore before, it failed occt and prime lol


----------



## stargate125645

Quote:



Originally Posted by *andygoyap*


ohhh, sorry my bad, i thought you said that my qpi/vtt voltage was unsafe for my 1.64 dram voltage >.<

Thanks!








I will probably stay with this settings if they are really safe for now, i have tried to go 4.0ghz with this c0 but needed 1.4vcore









If i add a notch the qpi/vtt lets say 1.26 i can decrease the vcore by a notch ?

i tried running at 1.31vcore before, it failed occt and prime lol


I would increase the vtt by several notches and see how low I can put the vcore.


----------



## Robilar

This is what I am currently prime testing.

1.192 vcore at 20x200.

So far so good.

Highest any core has hit is 61C

If it passes this (only been running for an hour and a half so far). I am going to try 1.18


----------



## Chewman

AAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!

somebody tell me what I am doing wrong.
overclocked to 4Ghz easy, but Decided to tune it down to 3.8 to save me from running 1.45v thru my CPU.
on 3.8Ghz, did a 20Hour Prime95 Blend on 8 threads, No errors.

Then I hop on start firefox up, computer dies within 5 minutes.
no BSOD, no error messages, just cuts out.

I'm thinking PSU problem. waddya reckon?


----------



## stargate125645

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Chewman*


AAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!

somebody tell me what I am doing wrong.
overclocked to 4Ghz easy, but Decided to tune it down to 3.8 to save me from running 1.45v thru my CPU.
on 3.8Ghz, did a 20Hour Prime95 Blend on 8 threads, No errors.

Then I hop on start firefox up, computer dies within 5 minutes.
no BSOD, no error messages, just cuts out.

I'm thinking PSU problem. waddya reckon?


You probably should have a separate thread for this so you get more responses... Assuming your computer will not turn on, I think something shorted, with the CPU the main suspect in my opinion. Beyond that, it's not going to be easy to determine what the issue is unless you have spare parts to start testing what needs to be replaced before it boots up. If it were the PSU, my guess is you would have noticed some smoke (or smelled something weird) or heard sparks.


----------



## ericeod

I like my new Xeon since it runs 15Â°C cooler then my last 2 D0 chips! It doesnt OC as well, but I can still manage 4.2GHz with 1.30v vcore, and the temps stay below 75Â°C. With my old D0, I was at 4.0GHz with 1.20v vcore, but temps were at 78Â°C!

Anyways, here is my new OC: 4.2GHz 1.30v vcore, ram at DDR3 1600 6-7-6-18 1T

http://valid.canardpc.com/show_oc.php?id=581166


----------



## jrharvey

Quote:



Originally Posted by *ericeod*


I like my new Xeon since it runs 15Â°C cooler then my last 2 D0 chips! It doesnt OC as well, but I can still manage 4.2GHz with 1.30v vcore, and the temps stay below 75Â°C. With my old D0, I was at 4.0GHz with 1.20v vcore, but temps were at 78Â°C!

Anyways, here is my new OC: 4.2GHz 1.30v vcore, ram at DDR3 1600 6-7-6-18 1T

http://valid.canardpc.com/show_oc.php?id=581166











Really..... Very interesting. I had no idea that was even possible. I may consider this rather than an i7 920 next time I build another nehalem computer. EDIT: where did you buy your chip. Seems newegg doesn't carry it any more.


----------



## ecaftermath

i'm so lost in overclocking this..

mine is all "[AUTO]" and have to set a number.. there are so many things on the list on "Ai Tweaker" I don't know where to start..anyone have the same motherboard as me and would like to share their BIOS setting with me? like a picture? thanks

EDIT: 
well i did manage to get to 3.2ghz simply reading what you guys put..
i stil only put in the stuff i knew from LGA775 oc'ing. but i added QPI/DRAM - 1.2v
IOH volt - 1.2
DRAM Volt - 1.6
BLCK Freq. - 160
CPU Clock ratio - 20x
and something like 5.8 GT/s or something

as for the rams. i didn't really know what to do
i just added 9-9-9-21 on the first 4 AUTO lol

it's stable for now since i ran prime95 on blend mde 5 minutes ago..

but the ram is screwed. it's reading the DRAM freq at 480mhz at FSB DRAM 2:6

temps are 52C-57C

and at CPU-Z the QPI Link is 2880 around


----------



## BigBruiserAl

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Patch* 
Also, the QPI/VTT/Uncore and RAM voltages need to be within 0.5 of each other to keep the IMC safe. As long as you maintain that value, you can play with the those voltages with as much abandon as you do the Vcore - and you _need_ to in order to maintain any stability at higher baseclocks.

Little help please people, just clocked my i7 but and now worried as i didt need to move the above voltages to be stable. Will this damage my chip then? How can be within 0.5 if your ram volatge 1.64 the other will need approx 1.6









BLCK:190x20
Vcore:1.25 Bios
DRAM:1.64
Uncore:17
Mem Div:8
QPI/Vtt:1.175
QPI link:36

HT







n Turbo







ff


----------



## devsk

Quote:


Originally Posted by *BigBruiserAl* 
Little help please people, just clocked my i7 but and now worried as i didt need to move the above voltages to be stable. Will this damage my chip then? How can be within 0.5 if your ram volatge 1.64 the other will need approx 1.6









You require math101 before you proceed....









Quote:


Originally Posted by *BigBruiserAl* 
QPI/Vtt:1.175

Although you are OK currently (0.465 away from DDR) Make this 1.2 (And you will be 0.44 away from DDR voltage) if it really is this low.


----------



## ecaftermath

Quote:



Originally Posted by *ecaftermath*


i'm so lost in overclocking this..

mine is all "[AUTO]" and have to set a number.. there are so many things on the list on "Ai Tweaker" I don't know where to start..anyone have the same motherboard as me and would like to share their BIOS setting with me? like a picture? thanks

EDIT: 
well i did manage to get to 3.2ghz simply reading what you guys put..
i stil only put in the stuff i knew from LGA775 oc'ing. but i added QPI/DRAM - 1.2v
IOH volt - 1.2
DRAM Volt - 1.6
BLCK Freq. - 160
CPU Clock ratio - 20x
and something like 5.8 GT/s or something

as for the rams. i didn't really know what to do
i just added 9-9-9-21 on the first 4 AUTO lol

it's stable for now since i ran prime95 on blend mde 5 minutes ago..

but the ram is screwed. it's reading the DRAM freq at 480mhz at FSB DRAM 2:6

temps are 52C-57C

and at CPU-Z the QPI Link is 2880 around


anyone?


----------



## aln688

So what exactly is the problem, heat, or too low an overclock? I have the Asus P6T Deluxe V2 board, which shouldn't be too different from yours in regards to the BIOS menus. You can find my settings in this thread.


----------



## ecaftermath

Quote:



Originally Posted by *aln688*


So what exactly is the problem, heat, or too low an overclock? I have the Asus P6T Deluxe V2 board, which shouldn't be too different from yours in regards to the BIOS menus. You can find my settings in this thread.


Well, that post was when i first got it and didn't know what to do...this thread is where i made my updates..

right now i just took it to 4.0 ghz at 1.26 in BIOS but says its 1.272 Vcore in CPU-Z and it still not stable..after 5 min of PRIME95 on large ftt runs

Motherboard ( Asus P6T SE )
Bios ( not sure ) newest bios
CPU ( i920 D0 )
CPU Cooler ( TRUE BLACK - ultra kaze 3000rpm and tricool )
Memory ( G skill 6GB 1600 8-8-8-21 )
PSU ( Antec CP-850w )
GPU ( GTX 260 )
Operating System ( Windows 7 Ultimate x64 )

*** AI TWEAKER ***
CPU Ratio Setting ( x20 )
Intel SpeedStep Tech ( Disabled )
Intel Turbo Mode Tech ( Disabled )
BCLK Frequency (Mhz) ( 200 )
PCIE Frequency ( 100 )
DRAM Frequency ( DDR3-1603 x8 multiplier )
UCLK Frequency ( 3208 x16 multiplier )
QPI Link Data Rate ( 7218MT/s )

CPU Voltage ( 1.26250 )
CPU PLL Voltage ( 1.80 )
QPI/DRAM Core Voltage ( 1.3 )
IOH Voltage ( 1.10 )
IOH PCIE Voltage ( 1.50 )
ICH Voltage ( 1.10 )
ICH PCIE Voltage ( 1.50 )
DRAM Bus Voltage( 1.62 )

Load-Line Calibration ( Enabled )
CPU Differential Amplitude ( 800mV )
CPU Clock Skew ( Normal )
CPU Spread Spectrum ( Disabled )
IOH Clock Skew ( Normal )
PCIE Spread Spectrum ( Disabled )

*** ADVANCED -> CPU CONFIGURATION ***
C1E Support ( Dsiabled )
Hardware Prefetcher ( Enabled )
Adjacent Cache Line Prefetch ( Enabled )
Intel Virtualization Tech ( Enabled )
CPU TM Function ( Enabled )
Execute Disable Bit ( Enabled )
Intel HT Technology ( Enabled )
Active Processor Cores ( All )
A20M ( Disabled )
Intel C-STATE Tech (Disabled )
C State package limit setting ( Disable )

and I got BSOD while typing this and running prime95 on blend mode =(

lucky firefox saves your messages or this whole thing is gone! lol

the temps reached pretty high as well.. max 72C =S


----------



## paras

try 4.0 maybe?


----------



## ecaftermath

Quote:



Originally Posted by *paras*


try 4.0 maybe?


try reading?


----------



## equetefue

lower your QPI to 4800 and increase the ram voltage without exceeding 1.65


----------



## ecaftermath

Quote:


Originally Posted by *equetefue* 
lower your QPI to 4800 and increase the ram voltage without exceeding 1.65

ok ill try that..

but if it takes that much more vcore to run at 4.0ghz, i'll just leave it at 3.8 which needs only 1.2

because right now i'm at 1.28750 and still not stable..


----------



## aln688

I understand. I've found my CPU Voltage fluctuates in CPU-Z as well. Someone here, "Robilar" I think the user is, can get away with as low as 1.18! I'll admit, I'm jealous! Good to see you are getting reasonable results. May I make a few suggestions?

1) Make sure you're using the latest BIOS, check http://support.asus.com/

2) Set both your CPU Voltage and QPI/DRAM Voltage to 1.30 each, then notch down your CPU Voltage one value until you're stable. This is what I did, when it stopped being stable, I put it back up a notch. Then, I did the same thing with the QPI/DRAM Voltage, otherwise known as the memory controller voltage which is on the CPU.

3) Change your DRAM Bus Voltage to 1.60. For me, I can get away with just 1.60 volts (DRAM Voltage) for 12GB's of Corsair Dominator C8 DDR3 modules.

4) Give thought to disabling Hyper-Threading. Yes, I know it enables eight virtual cores, but in reality (for me at least) I don't have any software that fully utilizes Hyper-Threading. The visual image of eight wonderous cores ready for action sounds great, but I've not seen any piece of software that really uses it, certainly not any software I have. In fact I found in LinX the Gigaflops were larger with it disabled and Photoshop ran noticeably faster as well. On my system, disabling it reduced my temperatures by six degrees C. A lower temperature with four cores is a just trade-off versus a higher temperature with eight cores.

5) Try enabling C-STATE Tech and C State package limit setting.

6) For quick stress testing, try using LinX 0.5.9, running 20 passes of this will give a quick indicator if you're close to stable.

Right now my maximum is 71C at 4.0 GHz, using the settings in that post. If I turn on Hyper-Threading the maximum is 76C. However, I have ordered a Prolimatech Megahalems heatsink, and will be installing that pointing vertical so the fluid in the heatpipes works better. Of course this means knocking out 6GB of my 12GB, but I think for a cooler, faster system, it's worth it.

I'm slightly baffled why you aren't stable at 1.26 volts, I can get away with 1.23. Then again you have a slightly different board to me, almost the same though. Just some ideas for you. If I think of anything else I'll let you know. Personally, I don't think 72C for a 4.0 GHz overclock is that bad, especially since you have Hyper-Threading enabled.


----------



## ecaftermath

Thanks for your long detailed suggestion aln688

Ok I just updated my BIOS. It was 2 versions behind =\\

Now I can put the multiplier to 21x. Is it better to put it to 20 or 21?So now it's at 21x191 and 1.288 vcore (on CPU-z) it is stable for now and ill go down from there

however i left #4 & 5, the way it was.

the max temp was 72C compared to 3.8ghz at 63C.. i don't think 200mhz difference will be that a dramatic difference?

EDIT: after an hour it's max temp was 75C at 1.288vcore, i'll try to lower it now

EDIT 2: I'm using LinX right now to do the testing. I lowered the vcore by one now, which is 1.275 on BIOS, but is running from 1.272-1.288 while running LinX and the highest temp is 76C =O

but it looks like its stable. from the LinX 20 runs


----------



## aln688

Ah, so you were two versions behind in the BIOS? Well that's good you are updated. Newer firmware is usually good to have.

Well, my thinking behind the multiplier is this - people see the multiplier automatically going up to 21 as free performance, as on a 920 you cannot manually go up to 21. The only way to get to 21 is to set the CPU Ratio to Auto and Intel Turbo Tech to Enabled. For me, I don't want a 21 multiplier. Why? Because it would mean my CPU clock speed is going over 4.0 GHz, which means more heat and negible performance over 4.0 GHz. You could say the same about going from 3.8 GHz to 4.0 GHz, but for me, I've got to 4.0 GHz with an acceptable temperature.

Right now 4.0 GHz produces me 71C maximum load, that's acceptable and I certainly wouldn't want more heat than that. The performance difference between 4.0 (20 x 200) and 4.2 (21 x 200) will not be that great. Yes, you run a benchmark program and you get a few thousand more performance points, but so what? What does it mean in real world where you're using MS Office, e-mail, Internet browsing, etc. Play a game and get a few FPS's more. Point being, not much improvement in performance for higher temperatures. On my system, I've manually set the CPU Ratio to 20.

That's good you're at CPU Voltage of 1.288, I would suggest you go through these steps:

1) Set the voltage in the BIOS, Press F10 to save and reboot
2) Boot into Windows, run Real Temp (or Core Temp), run LinX 20 passes
3) If it succeeds, run Prime95 Small FFTs for four hours
4) If it succeeds, go back to step 1 but reducing the voltage
5) If it fails, go back to Step 1, put the voltage back up one notch, save and you're finished this step.

Once you've done this, now repeat the above but instead of CPU Voltage, repeat it for the QPI/DRAM Voltage (memory controller).

I think you're probably right, there won't be a huge difference in performance between 3.8 GHz and 4.0 GHz. I think it makes sense to record your temperatures at the different speeds, then pick a speed that gives you acceptable temperatures.


----------



## ecaftermath

Quote:



Originally Posted by *aln688*


Ah, so you were two versions behind in the BIOS? Well that's good you are updated. Newer firmware is usually good to have.

Well, my thinking behind the multiplier is this - people see the multiplier automatically going up to 21 as free performance, as on a 920 you cannot manually go up to 21. The only way to get to 21 is to set the CPU Ratio to Auto and Intel Turbo Tech to Enabled. For me, I don't want a 21 multiplier. Why? Because it would mean my CPU clock speed is going over 4.0 GHz, which means more heat and negible performance over 4.0 GHz. You could say the same about going from 3.8 GHz to 4.0 GHz, but for me, I've got to 4.0 GHz with an acceptable temperature.

Right now 4.0 GHz produces me 71C maximum load, that's acceptable and I certainly wouldn't want more heat than that. The performance difference between 4.0 (20 x 200) and 4.2 (21 x 200) will not be that great. Yes, you run a benchmark program and you get a few thousand more performance points, but so what? What does it mean in real world where you're using MS Office, e-mail, Internet browsing, etc. Play a game and get a few FPS's more. Point being, not much improvement in performance for higher temperatures. On my system, I've manually set the CPU Ratio to 20.

That's good you're at CPU Voltage of 1.288, I would suggest you go through these steps:

1) Set the voltage in the BIOS, Press F10 to save and reboot
2) Boot into Windows, run Real Temp (or Core Temp), run LinX 20 passes
3) If it succeeds, run Prime95 Small FFTs for four hours
4) If it succeeds, go back to step 1 but reducing the voltage
5) If it fails, go back to Step 1, put the voltage back up one notch, save and you're finished this step.

Once you've done this, now repeat the above but instead of CPU Voltage, repeat it for the QPI/DRAM Voltage (memory controller).

I think you're probably right, there won't be a huge difference in performance between 3.8 GHz and 4.0 GHz. I think it makes sense to record your temperatures at the different speeds, then pick a speed that gives you acceptable temperatures.


Longg process but I will give it a try! Thanks!


----------



## SlicketyRickety

JUst for the record HT off makes my system feel like a slug when i running 2 [email protected] clients and trying to do other things, so it has some effect even if 1 program isnt using all 8 cores IMO.


----------



## aln688

Quote:



Originally Posted by *ecaftermath*


Longg process but I will give it a try! Thanks!


Yes, it's a long process, but once you've found that magic lowest voltage and been through the stability testing, you can use your PC as normal knowing it's as fast as you can get it, and operating at the lowest temperature based on that speed.

Quote:



Originally Posted by *SlicketyRickety*


JUst for the record HT off makes my system feel like a slug when i running 2 [email protected] clients and trying to do other things, so it has some effect even if 1 program isnt using all 8 cores IMO.


I see, yes there will be specific applications which can use Hyper-Threading, such as your Folding @ Home application. For what I do which is software development, Office, Photoshop and a minor amount of gaming, it has no real benefit. Each to their own.


----------



## dagimp16

Sorry to change the subject, but i need some help with this one...

sys specs
Rampage II Extreme BIOS 1406 (latest BIOS)
i7 920 @ 4.2 HT
6GB Corsair 1866c7 Dominator GT
2 - hd3870x2
Antec 1000w TruPower Quattro
Windows 7 RC 64bit

I had the CPU OC to 4.0 (200x20) Turbo and HT, CPUZ showed 4.2 (200x21) in windows 7 but windows performance and 3dmark vantage show 4.0ghz. Now I set it up to 200x21 no turbo mode, HT on in the BIOS. CPUZ still shows the appropriate 4.2ghz (200x21) but windows and 3dmark vantage still rate it at 4.0ghz. Can anybody tell me what is going on?? Is it truly running at 4.2 or 4.0??? I also noticed that my CPU score didn't change when I manually set it to 200x21. That should be right, but it leaves me wondering if the CPU is only at 4.0ghz.


----------



## whatsthatsmell

Quote:



Originally Posted by *dagimp16*


Sorry to change the subject, but i need some help with this one...

sys specs
Rampage II Extreme BIOS 1406 (latest BIOS)
i7 920 @ 4.2 HT
6GB Corsair 1866c7 Dominator GT
2 - hd3870x2
Antec 1000w TruPower Quattro
Windows 7 RC 64bit

I had the CPU OC to 4.0 (200x20) Turbo and HT, CPUZ showed 4.2 (200x21) in windows 7 but windows performance and 3dmark vantage show 4.0ghz. Now I set it up to 200x21 no turbo mode, HT on in the BIOS. CPUZ still shows the appropriate 4.2ghz (200x21) but windows and 3dmark vantage still rate it at 4.0ghz. Can anybody tell me what is going on?? Is it truly running at 4.2 or 4.0??? I also noticed that my CPU score didn't change when I manually set it to 200x21. That should be right, but it leaves me wondering if the CPU is only at 4.0ghz.


3dmark software and windows doesnt recognize x21 multiplier because those programs havent been updated recently to display core17 but cpuz has. trust cpuz and dont worry about what 3dmark or windows displays.


----------



## dagimp16

Makes sense, thanks for the quick reply.


----------



## ecaftermath

wow turning HT off shaved like 10C+ off the load temps (after lowering the vcore as well) and significantly lowers the vcore..

i'm still shaving bit by bit off right now ..am curently at 1.224

i want to bring it down below 1.2 =) hopefully!


----------



## aln688

Quote:



Originally Posted by *ecaftermath*


wow turning HT off shaved like 10C+ off the load temps (after lowering the vcore as well) and significantly lowers the vcore..

i'm still shaving bit by bit off right now ..am curently at 1.224

i want to bring it down below 1.2 =) hopefully!


Absolutely. I'm running with Hyper-Threading (HT) off just now, problem is I can't get below a CPU Voltage of 1.23750. Let me know how you do, I'm interested in the results.


----------



## ecaftermath

i just got BSOD on 1.216 vcore and QPI/DRAM voltage 1.25

but now i'm at the same vcore and i just raised the QPI/DRAM volt to 1.275.. now it's working on both linx and prime95.

the temps are great! 56C max on prime95 and 60C max on Linx

EDIT/UPDATE: I think 1.21875 vcore is the lowest I can go..beyond that I get BSOD even with QPI/DRAm on 1.3 voltage


----------



## aln688

That's incredible! At 1.216 you're getting 56C and 60C? Excellent results. I'm actually swapping my heatsink for a Prolimatech Megahalems, with IC Diamond 7 thermal compound. I haven't received it yet but I can't wait to see the results. Is this the heatsink you're using? Thermalright TRUE Black 120. I have to say, that looks like an impressive heatsink. Well done on the overclock, run Prime95 Large FFTs for 12 hours, if it's still going after that then I would say your system is stable, ready for mainstream use.


----------



## devsk

Quote:



Originally Posted by *aln688*


That's incredible! At 1.216 you're getting 56C and 60C? Excellent results. I'm actually swapping my heatsink for a Prolimatech Megahalems, with IC Diamond 7 thermal compound. I haven't received it yet but I can't wait to see the results. Is this the heatsink you're using? Thermalright TRUE Black 120. I have to say, that looks like an impressive heatsink. Well done on the overclock, run Prime95 Large FFTs for 12 hours, if it's still going after that then I would say your system is stable, ready for mainstream use.


aln688: Can you do me a favor? Can you test the same heatsink with just the TIM replaced with ICD7? I want to see how just the TIM affects your temps. I know its additional work but it will be a good data point to compare TIMs under similar conditions and I will really appreciate your inputs. I currently use OCZ freeze and I am hearing a lot about ICD7.


----------



## ecaftermath

Quote:


Originally Posted by *aln688* 
That's incredible! At 1.216 you're getting 56C and 60C? Excellent results. I'm actually swapping my heatsink for a Prolimatech Megahalems, with IC Diamond 7 thermal compound. I haven't received it yet but I can't wait to see the results. Is this the heatsink you're using? Thermalright TRUE Black 120. I have to say, that looks like an impressive heatsink. Well done on the overclock, run Prime95 Large FFTs for 12 hours, if it's still going after that then I would say your system is stable, ready for mainstream use.

It's all thanks to you!
That hsf you're getting is humongous! I also want to try out that IC Diamond 7 thermal paste, but I can't find it in Canadian sites like NCIX, CanadaComputers, etc =(

Oh I found some. =D

Just ordered one!


----------



## Extreme Newbie

Quote:


Originally Posted by *ecaftermath* 
i just got BSOD on 1.216 vcore and QPI/DRAM voltage 1.25

but now i'm at the same vcore and i just raised the QPI/DRAM volt to 1.275.. now it's working on both linx and prime95.

the temps are great! 56C max on prime95 and 60C max on Linx

EDIT/UPDATE: I think 1.21875 vcore is the lowest I can go..beyond that I get BSOD even with QPI/DRAm on 1.3 voltage

Those are nice temps, I assume you are not using Hyper Threading?


----------



## ecaftermath

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Extreme Newbie* 
Those are nice temps, I assume you are not using Hyper Threading?

yeah i turned off HT, if it was on, i'd have to up the vcore to 1.288 and temps would've been 76C load


----------



## Extreme Newbie

Quote:


Originally Posted by *ecaftermath* 
yeah i turned off HT, if it was on, i'd have to up the vcore to 1.288 and temps would've been 76C load









HT does add a lot of heat and needs a fair bit more voltage. There is debate on whether HT is an advantage but it all depends on the applications.

Your temps of 76C are nothing to worry about if you feel that HT helps.


----------



## PizzaMan

Quote:


Originally Posted by *whatsthatsmell* 
3dmark software and windows doesnt recognize x21 multiplier because those programs havent been updated recently to display core17 but cpuz has. trust cpuz and dont worry about what 3dmark or windows displays.


Actually, futuremark updated all the 3Dmark apps just a couple weeks ago to account for new hardware recognition.


----------



## aln688

Quote:



Originally Posted by *devsk*


aln688: Can you do me a favor? Can you test the same heatsink with just the TIM replaced with ICD7? I want to see how just the TIM affects your temps. I know its additional work but it will be a good data point to compare TIMs under similar conditions and I will really appreciate your inputs. I currently use OCZ freeze and I am hearing a lot about ICD7.


Of course, I still have the board installed and the Noctua mounting mechanism is still in place. I've removed the drive cage but I can put that back for testing purposes. Once I get the IC Diamond 24 I'll try a test on my Noctua heatsink, I should get the compound on Saturday as ordered from Petra's Tech shop. I'll also try the Artic Cooling MX-2 as well, as I'll have a tube of that available to test as well.

Quote:



Originally Posted by *ecaftermath*


It's all thanks to you! 
That hsf you're getting is humongous! I also want to try out that IC Diamond 7 thermal paste, but I can't find it in Canadian sites like NCIX, CanadaComputers, etc =(

Oh I found some. =D

Just ordered one!


Glad to be of help. Well, the Megahalems seems to get good reviews from what I've read and I'm only swapping it in order to get cooler temperatures at 4.0 GHz. I got the Megahalems (what a mouthful that is) from SVC.com, I'm planning on putting a Panaflo FBA12G12L1BX 120x120x38mm low-speed fan on it, 68 CFM at 30 dBA. I got the Prolimatech original clips from here. All of this is yet to arrive, hopefully before or on Saturday.

If you need a tube of IC Diamond 7 I'd be happy to take a PayPal, buy a tube and send it to you. Right now I'm upgrading the cooling system on my PC, now I've overclocked to 4.0 GHz I realize how hot this board can get. The parts desk is filling up!


----------



## ecaftermath

Quote:



Originally Posted by *aln688*


Of course, I still have the board installed and the Noctua mounting mechanism is still in place. I've removed the drive cage but I can put that back for testing purposes. Once I get the IC Diamond 24 I'll try a test on my Noctua heatsink, I should get the compound on Saturday as ordered from Petra's Tech shop. I'll also try the Artic Cooling MX-2 as well, as I'll have a tube of that available to test as well.

Glad to be of help. Well, the Megahalems seems to get good reviews from what I've read and I'm only swapping it in order to get cooler temperatures at 4.0 GHz. I got the Megahalems (what a mouthful that is) from SVC.com, I'm planning on putting a Panaflo FBA12G12L1BX 120x120x38mm low-speed fan on it, 68 CFM at 30 dBA. I got the Prolimatech original clips from here. All of this is yet to arrive, hopefully before or on Saturday.

If you need a tube of IC Diamond 7 I'd be happy to take a PayPal, buy a tube and send it to you. Right now I'm upgrading the cooling system on my PC, now I've overclocked to 4.0 GHz I realize how hot this board can get. The parts desk is filling up!


Oh I just bought one online couple hours ago! For $12.85CAD. There's no difference between 24 and 7 IC Diamond right? One's just 5 g and one's 1.5 g respectively.


----------



## aln688

Quote:


Originally Posted by *ecaftermath* 
Oh I just bought one online couple hours ago! For $12.85CAD. There's no difference between 24 and 7 IC Diamond right? One's just 5 g and one's 1.5 g respectively.

Alright, good. I notice Hardware Canucks and Directron in Canada have it.

I'm taking a guess that the IC Diamond 24 is the same as IC Diamond 7, it's just a larger tube, larger tube means more carats. I plan on testing a little so I bought a larger tube.

I read this from the Heatsinkfactory web-site:

"*IC Diamond contains a solvent which enhances application to the CPU. For optimum results, after applying a thin coat of IC Diamond on the CPU, DO NOT install the heatsink for 10 minutes to allow solvent to evaporate.*"

Also, the instructions from the web-site, here, recommend a 5.5mm blob. This makes life easier as I'm used to the line method and using 3M scotch tape to keep it thin. It looks like 5.5mm blob is what they recommend.


----------



## mushrooshi

I am a 100% noob at overclocking, I need help from the ground up lol


----------



## mushrooshi

Wow, I'm a chicken. I'm going to keep my 17 920 overclock at 3ghz. I was cringing at my temps.


----------



## equetefue

testing at 4.3 right now...


----------



## aln688

Word of warning for anyone who wants to buy the Prolimatech Megahalems, I received mine today and while it's very impressive, the X-bracket with thumbscrews on top do not tighten up. I think the silver posts on the X-bracket are too tall.

I made this video which I posted on YouTube, mainly for Prolimatech's benefit. I've already e-mailed Prolimatech about this. For reference I purchased my Megahalems from SVC.com. Turn on HQ mode on this video, it's much clearer in this mode.

  
 YouTube - Prolimatech Megahalems installation problem  



 
 I also took some pictures of the Noctua against the Megahalems heatsink, just so you can get a reference of how this thing looks. FYI I still haven't received my IC Diamond 24 yet, when I do I'll run some tests against the Noctua heatsink.


----------



## mushrooshi

Alright, I have a question:

Overvolting a CPU is dangerous...

If I open up CPU-Z, it says my Core Voltage is 1.296

Does this mean in BIOS, if I set VCORE from Auto to 1.296 I should get the same result? Or is it different?

I want to start to undervolt my CPU...


----------



## aln688

Quote:



Originally Posted by *mushrooshi*


Alright, I have a question:

Overvolting a CPU is dangerous...

If I open up CPU-Z, it says my Core Voltage is 1.296

Does this mean in BIOS, if I set VCORE from Auto to 1.296 I should get the same result? Or is it different?

I want to start to undervolt my CPU...


For me if I set it to 1.23750, when running full load it jumps a little higher than what I set it to in the BIOS, but not much.


----------



## devsk

Quote:



Originally Posted by *aln688*


Word of warning for anyone who wants to buy the Prolimatech Megahalems, I received mine today and while it's very impressive, the X-bracket with thumbscrews on top do not tighten up. I think the silver posts on the X-bracket are too tall. I followed the instructions and tightened the thumbscrews, the bracket was still loose.


aln688: Mine did the same thing as well. But once you place the sink and tighten all screws, there is no play. Yeah, it gave me shock too. But eventually it was very tightly bolted.

Also, I think PM's installation was supposed to be easy but it was anything but easy for me. The nuts that bolt through get hidden by the fans if you install fans before hand. First I had some problem aligning the strips. They just wouldn't fit in. The holes won't match the screws on the bracket. After fiddling with it for 10 minutes, I said screw it, I am drilling the holes into a bigger size. After that the strips fit in fine. But when I was done with my install, I was blown away by its performance. I am testing 4.4Ghz at this time in LinX. In CA heat...


----------



## aln688

Quote:



Originally Posted by *devsk*


aln688: Mine did the same thing as well. But once you place the sink and tighten all screws, there is no play. Yeah, it gave me shock too. But eventually it was very tightly bolted.

Also, I think PM's installation was supposed to be easy but it was anything but easy for me. The nuts that bolt through get hidden by the fans if you install fans before hand. First I had some problem aligning the strips. They just wouldn't fit in. The holes won't match the screws on the bracket. After fiddling with it for 10 minutes, I said screw it, I am drilling the holes into a bigger size. After that the strips fit in fine. But when I was done with my install, I was blown away by its performance. I am testing 4.4Ghz at this time in LinX. In CA heat...










Yours too?! But how can there be no movement once it's all installed? The entire heatsink assembly rests on these four thumbscrews, if they move then in theory the entire aluminum metal strips and heatsink should move as well. No matter how tight I tightened the thumbscrews, the X-bracket still moved up and down. So you're saying there's more problems, the screws don't match the holes in the bracket? Geez, after spending $80 for this kit, the last thing I want to do is get the hand-drill out. Yes, I'm in Southern California heat as well, that's why I thought a better heatsink is needed. So much for that idea! I'll wait to hear back from Prolimatech, if it's a no go, I'll reluctantly put the Noctua back on, although I have to admit I'm tempted to try the Thermaltake Ultra-120 eXtreme 1366RT, with it's questionably flat-base.


----------



## mushrooshi

So far running for 5 minutes, plan to run it for tonight, Prime 95 on whatever generates heat the most...

Core Temp says I have 55C max temp! Wow!

Right now, I am a 183 x 20.0, 3.66ghz, voltage is at 1.128


----------



## devsk

Quote:


Originally Posted by *aln688* 
Yours too?! But how can there be no movement once it's all installed? The entire heatsink assembly rests on these four thumbscrews, if they move then in theory the entire aluminum metal strips and heatsink should move as well. No matter how tight I tightened the thumbscrews, the X-bracket still moved up and down. So you're saying there's more problems, the screws don't match the holes in the bracket? Geez, after spending $80 for this kit, the last thing I want to do is get the hand-drill out. Yes, I'm in Southern California heat as well, that's why I thought a better heatsink is needed. So much for that idea! I'll wait to hear back from Prolimatech, if it's a no go, I'll reluctantly put the Noctua back on, although I have to admit I'm tempted to try the Thermaltake Ultra-120 eXtreme 1366RT, with it's questionably flat-base.

Yeah, the movement will go away once its pressed against the CPU asembly and tightened. The CPU assembly is fixed to the mobo with a separate bracket.

Yeah, for 70$ (in US) sink, all this should not be needed. But I am forgiving type...


----------



## devsk

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mushrooshi* 
So far running for 5 minutes, plan to run it for tonight, Prime 95 on whatever generates heat the most...

Core Temp says I have 55C max temp! Wow!

Right now, I am a 183 x 20.0, 3.66ghz, voltage is at 1.128

Good going! You have a very good cooler in mugen2.


----------



## mushrooshi

Quote:


Originally Posted by *devsk* 
Good going! You have a very good cooler in mugen2.

Running for an hour.

If I clear tonight, I'll try for 4ghz stable at less than 65C


----------



## Subayai

Is this ok? After 30 minutes of prime, my temps are 77/75/77/72 with a vcore of 1.325 for a 4.0ghz overclock with HT on... this is my first shot at oc'ing the i7.


----------



## ya mother

4.6ghz........i7 920 Do.


----------



## Drakemoore

Quote:


Originally Posted by *ya mother* 
4.6ghz........i7 920 Do.

Temps?


----------



## ya mother

didnt run prime as it was too hot a day for that.....was 55c idle.....booted into windows no probs and ran a few little apps...was fine.... my 4.5ghz clock temps reached 92c on 1 core and it was a little cooler that day, so wasnt going to tempt fate.
Will run a stress test soon.


----------



## kodeboswachter

hi,

i just finished my build, a core i7 and rampage 2 extreme. everytime i to overclock the multiplier keeps resetting to 12, does anyone know how to fix it?

i tried to go for 3,2 ghz, that shouldn't be a problem... the temps are fine


----------



## batmang

Quote:


Originally Posted by *ya mother* 
didnt run prime as it was too hot a day for that.....was 55c idle.....booted into windows no probs and ran a few little apps...was fine.... my 4.5ghz clock temps reached 92c on 1 core and it was a little cooler that day, so wasnt going to tempt fate.
Will run a stress test soon.

Yeah, thats WAY too hot. What are your voltages?

Here is my benching/suicide setup:









And my new 24/7 Summer setup:









Haven't started working on lowering the memory timings yet. Also, looking to get this same configuration stable with turbo enabled.


----------



## FearlessLdr88

Is it better to have your "Core Speed" higher or have your "DRAM Frequency" Higher?

I can either get my cpu at 4.4 Ghz and my dram @ 860mhz
OR
My cpu @ 4.0 and my Dram at 1000mhz. 1.35 vcore. Will try to lower it.

I havent tested going higher either way i.e 4.4 + 1000mhz or whatever, but where would I see more performance?

I used to be able to boot into vista without seeing the welcome screen and the swirling circle.. now I cannot. Just wondering why.


----------



## Blameless

Core frequency is significantly more important than memory speed.


----------



## sdla4ever

Hello all! i went i7 finally! ill fill in my specs in a minute, but what should i know before i start OC'n this? i OC'd my Q9650 on my UD3P to 4.1 GHz so im not new to OCn just to i7's!

Thank you all for the help!


----------



## :Dunky

Bought my first i7 920 system and am already addicted to overclocking. First thing i learnt was the my D0 920 runs very well









So far ive pushed it to 4.0GHz with the following:

BClk: 200
Multiplyer: 20
VCore: 1.250 <-- possibly lower but havent tried yet.

Most other voltages are set to minimum for now, just so that they are not set on auto.

UPDATE bsod after 3.5 hours







back to the bios!!

Temps on idle are 35 33 34 29
Temps on load are 73 74 68 67 <-- although these are peaks, actual running average over 1 hr on Prime95 Blend were 69 70 66 64.

Have been running Prime95 Blend for 3 hours now and no problems.

My ambient temp in my comp room is only 20, so im concerned that the load temps are a bit high. Considering reseating the Noctua cooler but unsure of the best method for applying the thermal compoud (there are so many conflicting ideals around the net)

Any advice so far?


----------



## MasterFire

You can up the core voltage a tad, or perhaps your PLL voltage (depending on what it is right now).

If not, try 19*211 or 21*190/191
Some like higher multi's some like lower.


----------



## aln688

On my Rampage II Gene board I've found that using an odd multiplier will let me use a lower CPU voltage, odd I know, but I've actually witnessed it. I'm still testing to see how low I can go with the voltage.

Also, the Noctua never seated properly on my Core i7, as much as I really like that cooler, it would touch at the sides but only a thin line of contact down the middle, I ended up with a Prolimatech.


----------



## Dopin_Nuts

Hey guys, just started overclocking my i7 920 D0 tonight and I was pretty impressed with what I could do in an hour or so.

I was able to get to 4.61 Ghz:


















But I was a little worried about trying for higher right now because my vcore is already at 1.435v. So, I was wondering those of you who have gotten 4.7+ ghz on your i7s...how much vcore are you guys needing??


----------



## IRknnT

Quote:



Originally Posted by *aln688*


On my Rampage II Gene board I've found that using an odd multiplier will let me use a lower CPU voltage, odd I know, but I've actually witnessed it. I'm still testing to see how low I can go with the voltage.

Also, the Noctua never seated properly on my Core i7, as much as I really like that cooler, it would touch at the sides but only a thin line of contact down the middle, I ended up with a Prolimatech.


care to share which multiplier?


----------



## Blameless

19 or 21 tend to be superior to 20.


----------



## aln688

Quote:


Originally Posted by *IRknnT* 
care to share which multiplier?









I'm using 21 x 190 with good results, so far on my system the CPU voltage can go down to 1.21, less than I could if I used 20 x 200.


----------



## campb292

Just upgraded my 1 year old q9550 for a i7 920. I had prepared myself for a little disappointment, because I really liked my 9550 and thought it really owned some booty. I am blown away by this thing!

Everything went perfect. I got a great deal from newegg (510 for the p6t v2 and 920) it came the next day, D0 (didn't get a rogue C revision which would be my luck), everything worked problem free. I did a stock stability test, 4 hours OCCT and 8 hours P95. Bumped the bugger to 150, every voltage lowest it can go save the cpu, 1.15. Great. Bumped to 160, 170, 175. This thing is overclocking boredom. My P45 / q9550 was way more touchy.

Two questions dealing with this new setup:
1) What settings do you guys use for quickpath?
2) I mainly use my machine for common internet usage, work, and gaming. Right now, I am using a raid setup with intent on going ssd with the retail release of Win7. Which raid0 stripe would most benefit me? 64k? 32k? 128k?

Once I settle on an OC I will post some pics.


----------



## ya mother

4.7ghz ht off.


----------



## Daveros

Just tried my hand at my first ever bit of overclocking yesterday.

3.22GHz (161 x 20: Turbo Off: HT on) @ ~1.14 VCore. 10 hours stable Prime95 (ran overnight), will see how it is when I get home from work. Ran it yesterday at 1.125 but one thread in Prime95 failed after 8 hours. I'm quite optimistic with this effort.

Temps of around 55-60C under full load. Don't want to push it too much further as yet.


----------



## 8KCABrett

Hi guys - I've got a quick question.

I've got a D0 920 on a P6T Deluxe with 6GB of OCZ 1600 DDR3 that is prime 95 stable (13 hours) at 4.2 GHz (200*21) at a BIOS set vCore of 1.39375volts, which drops to 1.336v under load in P95 and betwen 1.32 and 1.36v under Intel BurnTest. Max temp on the hottest core was 67C (Megahalems with push-pull).

4.3GHz seems to need approx a BIOS set 1.41875v which drops to 1.360 under Prime 95.

I had not expected to need this much vCore, but given that the temps seems pretty good, and the amount of droop between the BIOS set voltages and the voltages in windows do you guys think these are acceptable vCore values? We had hoped to do better than this with our D0s, but could be happy with 4.3 if these voltages aren't too out of line for 24/7 use.

This is my first 1366 OC session so the BCLK/Uncore/QPI etc are new to me but from what I understand, it seems that once you set QPI/DRAM to 1.35, PLL to 1.88 DRAM voltage to 1.66, CPU Skew to 300 ps, CPU Amp to 800 that there isn't much more you can do other than adding vCore. . .is that correct?


----------



## Daveros

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Daveros* 
Just tried my hand at my first ever bit of overclocking yesterday.

3.22GHz (161 x 20: Turbo Off: HT on) @ ~1.14 VCore. 10 hours stable Prime95 (ran overnight), will see how it is when I get home from work. Ran it yesterday at 1.125 but one thread in Prime95 failed after 8 hours. I'm quite optimistic with this effort.

Temps of around 55-60C under full load. Don't want to push it too much further as yet.

Stable @ 24hrs! Hooray! My first ever OC!!!


----------



## Charlton22

Dear All, I'm new on this Web. I Just built my pc and was thinking about over clocking. Max Load cpu Temp is 59C. I guess I need a power full cpu cooler.

I was thinking about air cooling, not water cooling as here in summer it goes up to 42C and I was told that with water cooling at those temperatures i will be rather heating my cpu







rather then cooling it down....









Any suggestions about which cooler should I get as my first step of over clocking from 2.66 stock to 3.8-4.0Ghz.


----------



## fang_laluna

Here's my voltage, I got BSOD101 if I set vcore lower than 1.356










I'm worried about my voltage, am I doing it right?

It's stable (p95, linx, occt)

but I was wondering what could I do to lower vcore?


----------



## kevingreenbmx

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Charlton22*


Dear All, I'm new on this Web. I Just built my pc and was thinking about over clocking. Max Load cpu Temp is 59C. I guess I need a power full cpu cooler.

I was thinking about air cooling, not water cooling as here in summer it goes up to 42C and I was told that with water cooling at those temperatures i will be rather heating my cpu







rather then cooling it down....









Any suggestions about which cooler should I get as my first step of over clocking from 2.66 stock to 3.8-4.0Ghz.


i answered this in your thread you made. should avoid posting the same thing twice. ;-)


----------



## MasterFire

Quote:



Originally Posted by *fang_laluna*


Here's my voltage, I got BSOD101 if I set vcore lower than 1.356










I'm worried about my voltage, am I doing it right?

It's stable (p95, linx, occt)

but I was wondering what could I do to lower vcore?


Well, it's reading out as 1.26v which is a fine voltage for that speed. Maybe you could try turning on LLC to get rid of some vdroop/drop.


----------



## Gabkicks

http://valid.canardpc.com/show_oc.php?id=796830

I hit 4.2ghz using the "EZ OC" option on my BIOS, but its not stable at all so I'm going to try to do it manually -_-


----------



## Zoomer

So what's the deal with voltages? I've read 1.4 is safe 24/7, but elsewhere it's been said 1.55 is safe.

Also, with that much, should I be setting my QPI voltage higher? It's at 1.3 right now, while my CPU is just one notch below 1.4......

I ask just for the best stability/lifespan ratio of my i7. Seems to be running fine, but TF2 was acting up last night (seems fine now though, and that was after the machine ran all day).

I turn off my rig at night, and my temps haven't gone above about 55*C so far (have not stressed with prime95 TO CHECK FOR TEMPS, though I did run it to check stability).

Any tips would be appreciated.

Oh, and sorry I didn't read the whole thread for this info already (185 pages? O_O)


----------



## bluebunny

@ Zoomer

i would run prime because it sounds like a stability issue
bump the vcore up one notch (since its semi stable) and prime it over night w/ small ffs then blend for at least 6 hours each( preferably for 8 hours at)

and max from what i found is 1.55 vcore and 1.5 QPI and 1.7 RAM make sure they dont get past .5v from each other and your golden.

24/7 voltages differ of course w/ 1.4 vcore, 1.4 QPI and 1.7 RAM


----------



## Zoomer

Should I bump up the RAM to 1.7? I'm sure it'll be fine, but will it help stability? It's at rated settings now (1.65).

When I get off work, I'll bump up the QPI and CPU to 1.4 each. I'll prime it all day tomorrow to make sure the settings are good, and I'll post the results.

Also, new benching is in order, I'll have a new validation and maybe some other scores up in a few days.


----------



## bluebunny

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Zoomer* 
Should I bump up the RAM to 1.7? I'm sure it'll be fine, but will it help stability? It's at rated settings now (1.65).

When I get off work, I'll bump up the QPI and CPU to 1.4 each. I'll prime it all day tomorrow to make sure the settings are good, and I'll post the results.

Also, new benching is in order, I'll have a new validation and maybe some other scores up in a few days.









only if your comfortable its really not needed w/ that beefy ram you have
you trying for 4.5 or something??


----------



## Zoomer

Nah just want maximum stability. I want to RUN the RAM at rated timings, but I'd have to make a big jump on the BCLK to get that with a higher OC, and I can't get much further without some crazy cooling setup. On air I don't expect to get much further than 4.2GHZ.

I might push up a bit past 200 at some point, that's what I'm running now with a 21 multiplier thanks to Turbo mode.

Just wanted some other opinions on voltages.









Oh, and the instability in TF2 may have been because of the new Nvidia drivers....<_<


----------



## 88EVGAFTW

Do you all think +400mv on the Vtt, making it 1.5V Vtt, is safe to run daily?

That is what my C0 needs for 4.4, I cannot go higher as I need extreme Vtt and I don't wanna kill the chip.
http://valid.canardpc.com/show_oc.php?id=1000007


----------



## rizmo

stupid question, does overclocking this i5's and i7's basically render turbo boost useless? i mean, why would you need turbo boost, when the cpu is just gonna flare up to that speed anyway.


----------



## Zoomer

So, what do you guys reccomend for the VTT and other additional voltages (others rated at +mv, I have not touched that stuff).

Also, haven't benched yet, but system seems faster for whatever reason with that extra voltage boost to the QPI (didn't know it had to be within .5v of the other parts), and am clocked at 203 on the bclk with 1.675 on the RAM (since it's running slightly above rated speed).

With this I'm doing awesome, but what do you guys reccomend for said settings? (All the stuff rated in mv).


----------



## Gabkicks

Quote:


Originally Posted by *rizmo* 
stupid question, does overclocking this i5's and i7's basically render turbo boost useless? i mean, why would you need turbo boost, when the cpu is just gonna flare up to that speed anyway.

you have a choice whether or not you want to disable it nor not. For the i7 920, turbo mode just gives u+1 on the multiplier. Like w/ the i7 920, 21x multiplier is turbo mode. I also have all the power saving stuff on, so it drops down to 12x multiplier for 2d stuff.


----------



## sanjuroM

Quote:


Originally Posted by *rizmo* 
stupid question, does overclocking this i5's and i7's basically render turbo boost useless? i mean, why would you need turbo boost, when the cpu is just gonna flare up to that speed anyway.

Quite the contrary, Turbo Boost can aid with overclocking. The intel Turbo Boost is a feature of i5/i7 cpus and as such different from other so called 'turbo mode' option often found on motherboard bioses which are basically overclocking on eazy-mode. The Intel Turbo Boost on the other hand gives the cpu access to higher multipliers. So on my i7-920 by enabling turbo boost, I get 21x multiplier as opposed to the default 20x. What this allows me to do is utilize a lower BCLK than I would have if I had gone 20x or 19x. BCLK affects things across the board i.e. - qpi, uncore and dram frequencies.


----------



## aln688

As you've already read, what's considered "safe" is all over the board, although from what I've read anything approaching 1.5 is too high.

My overclocking technique is to set the QPI to 1.35, RAM to 1.65 (as recommend by Corsair), then set the CPU Voltage to a low value, say 1.15, then perform a LinX/Prime95 bench test, if it fails, up the voltage until the test suceeds and try again. That's how I overclocked my system and it's 100% stable.

You can't copy another user's CPU voltage, every CPU/motherboard requires different "lowest" values for overclocking.

FYI, I'm using a CPU Ratio of 21 (Turbo off) and BCLK of 200.


----------



## Zoomer

Turbo would have to be on to enable a 21 multiplier, just to let you know. I'm running great at this point, thanks for the tips!


----------



## Gnomaana

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Zoomer*


Turbo would have to be on to enable a 21 multiplier, just to let you know. I'm running great at this point, thanks for the tips!










On my motherboard if I set a 21 multiplier then turbo isn't an option. The difference as far as I can tell is, if I set turbo on and use 20 multiplier it throttles up and down between x20 and x21, if I set x21 and therefore have turbo disabled it stays at x21 and never throttles down. At least that's the way it looks to me atm.


----------



## Field

would it be fairly easy to have this 920 chip running at a fast but reliable 3.5 or so Ghz with minimal changes in voltages and temperature increase?

i was wondering with a pretty common P6TX58 mobo and some good solid corsair
DDR3 1600 ram stick combo if i would have many problems speeding this chip up and at what point most likely would i have to adjust any voltages or timings.


----------



## MasterFire

Temperature will always increase, voltage increase though, shouldn't take too much. The only way you'll find out how much you can speed the chip up without going over your stock voltages (whatever those are supposed to be for you). I suggest just putting it to 3.5ghz and then checking what voltage works for you.


----------



## Gnomaana

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Field*


would it be fairly easy to have this 920 chip running at a fast but reliable 3.5 or so Ghz with minimal changes in voltages and temperature increase?

i was wondering with a pretty common P6TX58 mobo and some good solid corsair 
DDR3 1600 ram stick combo if i would have many problems speeding this chip up and at what point most likely would i have to adjust any voltages or timings.


3.5 or so should be fairly easy. I didn't have to start adjusting voltage and timings until I got fairly close to 4.0Ghz. But as last poster said, you will have to test because every chip and mobo have their own little quirks.


----------



## Field

are these temps somewhat normal for the stock cpu that has just been sitting at idle overnight? i heard one time that a 5 degree difference between any of the cores is bad, but that H50 cpu cooler just had that pre-applied layer of past on it, i did have to fiddle with the thing a bit to get it on the bracket and i tightend the screws pretty securely how the manual described. i remember with my last cpu there was at most a 5 degree difference between core 1 and 2


----------



## M1 Abrams

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Field* 
are these temps somewhat normal for the stock cpu that has just been sitting at idle overnight? i heard one time that a 5 degree difference between any of the cores is bad, but that H50 cpu cooler just had that pre-applied layer of past on it, i did have to fiddle with the thing a bit to get it on the bracket and i tightend the screws pretty securely how the manual described. i remember with my last cpu there was at most a 5 degree difference between core 1 and 2

]

my 920 acts the same, no worry.

core 0 is usually the warmest.

at load ex: 60/58/59/56 etc.

idle temps are not accurate.

use RealTemp


----------



## Field

ohhh so apparently with some of these programs like Turbo V that came with my motherboard i dont need to actually go into the bios to change anything?


----------



## M1 Abrams

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Field* 
ohhh so apparently with some of these programs like Turbo V that came with my motherboard i dont need to actually go into the bios to change anything?

]

I never use software to OC.
go to BIOS it's safer.

heres the temps from last post I mentioned>


----------



## Field

uhh something odd i went into the bios and just increased the base clock speed from 1.33mhz to 1.5mhz and kept the 20x multiplier so the cpu would be running just around 3ghz. when i start windows and turn that occt thing on it shows that the cpu speed hopping up and down once in a while between 1.8ghz and 3ghz. does this make any sense?


----------



## SimpleTech

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Field*


uhh something odd i went into the bios and just increased the base clock speed from 1.33mhz to 1.5mhz and kept the 20x multiplier so the cpu would be running just around 3ghz. when i start windows and turn that occt thing on it shows that the cpu speed hopping up and down once in a while between 1.8ghz and 3ghz. does this make any sense?


You have to disable EIST and other power saving modes in the BIOS.


----------



## Field

thanks i forgot about that lol

huh one thing about this asus p6t x58 im not really a fan of this bios its got. its uglier and clunkier than the pheonix bios that i had for the x38 mobo in my last computer

that and this bios yes you can save oc profiles or whatnot but i just prefered what the pheonix had which was simply reverting to original settings or reverting to previous settings.


----------



## Ironwolf1974

Anyone have this Board??

Im having difficulty making sure I have my settings right. I do NOT want to burn my chip but get a nice 3.8 constant. I have a CM 690 II Advanced case with a H50 water cooler and lotsa airflow.

I have kingston ram PC3-10700H, max 667mhz in CPU-Z.

I have updated to the newest bios for my MSI X58 Eclipse and have the possibility of using a 21 multiplier. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Ironwolf


----------



## nnnswordfish

*I want to buy i7-920 or 930 guys and what u think what is the best motherboard for overclocking for this CPU? thanks*


----------



## Pie Killa

Quote:



Originally Posted by *nnnswordfish*


*I want to buy i7-920 or 930 guys and what u think what is the best motherboard for overclocking for this CPU? thanks*


Buy the 920, much lower vcore needed for overclock. Best board..eh, its up in the air. Depends on your budget and goals. Cant go wrong with Asus rampage 2 extreme mobo though.


----------



## DQ Hero

im at 3.81 over 12hours IBT max stable. Gonna go for 4.0+ stable tomorrow.


----------



## Pie Killa

Quote:


Originally Posted by *DQ Hero* 
im at 3.81 over 12hours IBT max stable. Gonna go for 4.0+ stable tomorrow.

If you have a 920 D0 chip, this chart will help. Keep in mind my clock is on air cooling that needs lapping and better paste..and more fans...always more fans!


----------



## Grip424

Need some advise; it's been a while since I last dabled with customizing/building a PC, so I was thinking of going with an Alienware pre-built custom box with an i7 920 and HD5870 video card. However, was just curious if Dell does anything with their machines to restrict over-clocking? I'm wanting to over-clock the CPU to around 3.6 - 3.8GHz. Would I have any issues doing so with an Alienware PC?


----------



## nexxusty

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Grip424* 
Need some advise; it's been a while since I last dabled with customizing/building a PC, so I was thinking of going with an Alienware pre-built custom box with an i7 920 and HD5870 video card. However, was just curious if Dell does anything with their machines to restrict over-clocking? I'm wanting to over-clock the CPU to around 3.6 - 3.8GHz. Would I have any issues doing so with an Alienware PC?

4.0ghz+ or nothing bro. 3.anything is weaksauce.


----------



## Faeze 1

Quote:


Originally Posted by *nexxusty* 
4.0ghz+ or nothing bro. 3.anything is weaksauce.


----------



## Gabkicks

the difference between 3.2ghz and 4.2ghz in most games is about 1fps average , it seems :/


----------



## ThumperSD

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Gabkicks*


the difference between 3.2ghz and 4.2ghz in most games is about 1fps average , it seems :/


where did you get that?


----------



## {core2duo}werd

it depends on the game, and your setup. Multi GPU setups need faster CPU's to keep up, and more CPU bound games need a faster CPU to keep up.

But the great thing about CPU's is that they aren't only for gaming


----------



## The Viper

Quote:



Originally Posted by *{core2duo}werd*


it depends on the game, and your setup. Multi GPU setups need faster CPU's to keep up, and more CPU bound games need a faster CPU to keep up.

But the great thing about CPU's is that they aren't only for gaming










Hes ALIVE!


----------



## Ezygroove

I'm sure i posted here before!


----------



## {core2duo}werd

Quote:



Originally Posted by *The Viper*


Hes ALIVE!


Yup, did you ever figure out what's wrong with your rig?


----------



## The Viper

Quote:



Originally Posted by *{core2duo}werd*


Yup, did you ever figure out what's wrong with your rig?


not 100% yet, but im pretty sure my w3530 died, Ill know for fact later this week, I had to buy a i7 920 (its "golden" though), then Ill rma the w3530 and sell it







...it really sucks not having Byrnes PC around, I have no where to go and test things, the 1366 platform is too darn expensive to have spare parts


----------



## nexxusty

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Gabkicks* 
the difference between 3.2ghz and 4.2ghz in most games is about 1fps average , it seems :/

Hehe, says the guy with 3.3ghz. LOL.


----------



## The Viper

My new "golden" 3849B018...i wish i had H20 cooling, i think thats the key to unlocking the potential of this chip

HT=*ON*


----------



## Gabkicks

Quote:


Originally Posted by *nexxusty* 
Hehe, says the guy with 3.3ghz. LOL.

i've gone as high as 4.2ghz and In benchmarks, I may see 1fps gain. Just cus I was @ 3.3ghz then doesnt mean that is the max i can do, I thought people here were smarter than that 0_o. Maybe for some super cpu intensive game it would matter, but I havent run into any... I'll check Arma II.


----------



## Stance

Quote:


Originally Posted by *The Viper* 
My new "golden" 3849B018...i wish i had H20 cooling, i think thats the key to unlocking the potential of this chip

HT=*ON*

Very impressive, seeing this makes you realize the difference between chips is truly outrageous.


----------



## The Viper

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Stance* 
Very impressive, seeing this makes you realize the difference between chips is truly outrageous.

Thank you sir.

Another quick and dirty LinX run...this chip seems to be scaling very nice for now, surprisingly my temps are still within acceptable ranges, my modded H50 is holding her own with this little devil


----------



## MasterFire

I'd like to see that at a bigger problem size and more cycles (like perhaps the 100% stability club standards of 25.000 on 20 cycles), impressive nonetheless that it runs 4.4Ghz with HT on.


----------



## The Viper

Quote:


Originally Posted by *MasterFire* 
I'd like to see that at a bigger problem size and more cycles (like perhaps the 100% stability club standards of 25.000 on 20 cycles), impressive nonetheless that it runs 4.4Ghz with HT on.

thanks, i only have 4gigs of ram, thats the largest problem size i can run with 4gigs, right?
Thinking of you i doubled my runs to 10, stopped linx at 8minutes and restarted to use every ounce of RAM...until i switch mobos to something that can reliably run a higher bclk reliably this is almost as far as i can go (such a shame), i do have a 4.47 linx run, but after bclk of 213 everything goes haywire including no booting after 215 (this board sucks)

This chip scales with voltage fantastic:
4.45 HT=*ON*


----------



## Metroid

I was playing around and it has been a while since I have posted a result.

Metroid- 4.17GHz v1.29, Asus P6T Deluxe v2, Crucial 3GB 7-7-7-18 v1.50


----------



## shateredsoul

so i'm new and was thinking of overclocking my i7 920 to 4ghz, before getting started though I was wondering if you guys could recommend a cooling system based on your experience? If an h20 cooling system works best, maybe I should just start there rather than trying out fan cooling.

Would this work cooling system work?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16835207006

The tricky part is that i'm transplanting my hp cpu and setup to a new motherboard, so I can overclock.

I bought this case

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...-216-_-Product

And i'm considering this mobo 
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...-456-_-Product


----------



## REZ325

I have a i7920 LGA1366 sitting in a ASUS P6T SE M/B and just added a H50 cooler and want to overclock

Should I just adjust the Bus Speed setting to 170 (to achieve 3.4Mhz) with a multiplyer of 20 & the Ai overclock tuner disabled, and leave everything else on Auto and let the ASUS M/B do the rest, or should I tweak other areas with in the Ai Tweaker? I want to O/C, but nothing too serious like some achieve here.

Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated , or a link to a similar question asked previously.

Ray


----------



## REZ325

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *shateredsoul;11455652*
> I bought this case
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119216&cm_re=CM690-_-11-119-216-_-Product


I have the same case, my only dislike is the power supply sits on the bottom. I feel the you should look for a case with the PSU at the top, its a cooling issue.


----------



## MasterFire

Plenty cases have an exhaust fan both at the back and the top, so it doesn't really matter much.

On your overclocking querry, I'm sure 170*21 would do just fine under (pretty much) the same voltages. Not to mention it'll probably do a bit more as well. Best you not put voltages to auto though, found that it wanted to throw 1.55v through my QPI even though my current 1.35v is working just fine. Let alone see what it would've done to the vCore or anything else.

I suggest you set voltages like vcore, QPI, PLL, Dram, ICH and IOH manually.


----------



## remedyplugin

Hello,

I'm new to this forum. Can anyone help me find some stable settings to oc my proc to 3.4-3.6Ghz?

I have:

ATX 620W Corsair HX (CMPSU-620HXEU)
GigaByte GA-EX58-UD5
CORE I7- 920, 2.660 GHz 8MB, LGA1366 BOX
SAPPHIRE PCI-E ATI RADEON HD4870, 1GB GDDR5, 2x DVI lite retail
Kingston HyperX DDR3 12GB 9-9-9-27 at 1.65V
Cooler Master V8

I'll try to find another hd4870 to combine it together : )



Tnx in advance!!


----------



## shadman

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *remedyplugin*
> 
> Hello,
> 
> I'm new to this forum. Can anyone help me find some stable settings to oc my proc to 3.4-3.6Ghz?
> 
> I have:
> 
> ATX 620W Corsair HX (CMPSU-620HXEU)
> GigaByte GA-EX58-UD5
> CORE I7- 920, 2.660 GHz 8MB, LGA1366 BOX
> SAPPHIRE PCI-E ATI RADEON HD4870, 1GB GDDR5, 2x DVI lite retail
> Kingston HyperX DDR3 12GB 9-9-9-27 at 1.65V
> Cooler Master V8
> 
> I'll try to find another hd4870 to combine it together : )
> 
> 
> 
> Tnx in advance!!


This is a very old (yet still relevant) thread. For a post like that though, I would have made my own thread.

Anyway, it seems like you might need to up a little more VCore to get higher, you're still pretty close to stock.
Also, try turning your ram performance down, so you know for a fact they are not bottlenecking you. Same with your NorthBridge (aka uncore)
Also, check out this thread: http://www.overclock.net/t/538439/guide-to-overclocking-the-core-i7-920-or-930-to-4-0ghz


----------



## kill3rvill3

I actually have pretty much the same setup as you but with a 6970 gpu and ex58-ud4

if you are new to things you can get quite a decent boost to 3.2ghz by downloading the gigabyte software for your motherboard from the gigabyte site (not sure i can post links to other sites here but if you google it you can get it from the gigabyte site) - its called easytune 6

You basically choose the type of oc you want by pressing one of 3 buttons, your pc will reboot and apply the settings needed

I am still very new to things and have my 920 running at 3.5, anything higher causes the system to lock up and blue screen so any help would be greatly appreciated - i will post back later on when i am at home what my settings are - i would ideally like to get to 4.0ghz

cheers

Kv3


----------



## evilminist

I doubt you're going to get very far on air. Best I could do on my V8+i7 920 C0 was 3.7Ghz (177x21 at 1.2875V). but that was on a different mobo.

@remedyplugin, you might want to start with getting to around 3.4 GHz first. 3.36 = 21 x 160 (which is a pretty good start). start by bumping the voltage up to 1.25V, then use IBT and test for stability.
it looks like you have XMP profiles so you can load that if you want. not quite sure about that though...i manually configured mine. otherwise, just set them as they are rated and don't worry too much about it.


----------



## DiamondCut

Thought Id share my 920 with all of you

Core Voltage: 1.248 V
Core Speed: 3820.22 mhz
Multiplier: x20.0
Bus Speed: 191
Revision: D0
Board: Gigabyte EX58-UD3R
Memory: Mushkin 1333mhz


----------



## CDreier

I see that this is an old thread but hope someone will stop by and offer their thoughts. I've recently retweaked the BIOS on my Asus P6T Deluxe V2 for my i7 920 D0 processor. My RAM is Corsair Dominator 6GB (3x2GB) DDR3 1600 (PC3 1600). I'm air cooled with a Prolematec Mega Shadow Deluxe. My idle temps are 44-44-45-42 with a room ambient temp of approx. 23c. I know it's short and not nearly a complete test but running 10 minutes OCCT's Medium Data Set my highest temps are 66-66-65-63. I used this time and set because my most strenuous program is Microsoft's Flight Simulator FS9 with a number of add-ons. It doesn't appear to tax the system more than what I've tested.

My overclock is right at 3.8 - in fact almost exactly there at 3799.9 to 3800.1. So this is my question. Looking at my BIOS settings do you see anything that NEEDS to be changed for processor or memory sake, or that I might be able to tweak to go a bit higher in clock? Or, should I leave well enough alone and be satisfied with the numbers I have?

OVERCLOCK SETTINGS:

AI Overclock Tuner: XMP
Profile Info: 1600MHz-8-8-8-24-2N-1.65V-1.35V
CPU Ratio: 20
Turbo Boost: Disabled
BLCK Freq: 190
PCIE Freq: 100
DRAM Freq: DDR3-1523MHz
UCLK Freq: Auto
QPI Link Data Rate: Auto

DRAM Timing Control: no changes made

CPU Voltage: 1.225V
CPU PLL Voltage: Auto
QPI/DRAM Core: 1.26875V
IOH Voltage: Auto
IOH PCIE Voltage: Auto
ICH Voltage: Auto
ICH PCIE Voltage: Auto
DRAM Bus Voltage: 1.64V
DRAM DATA REF Voltage on CHA: Auto
DRAM CTRL REF Voltage on CHA: Auto
DRAM DATA REF Voltage on CHB: Auto
DRAM CTRL REF Voltage on CHB: Auto
DRAM DATA REF Voltage on CHC: Auto
DRAM CTRL REF Voltage on CHC: Auto

Load-Line Calibration: Disabled
CPU Differential Amplitude: Auto
CPU Clock Skew: Auto
CPU Spread Spectrum: Auto
IOH Clock Skew: Auto
PCIE Spread Spectrum: Disabled

Thanks guys!!!!


----------



## AngeLG3E

I just get my i7 920 to 20% overclock. (No Voltage Changes)

I only touch the Host Frequency Clock (BCLK) from 133 to 160. I didn't modify the voltages, Vcore is in auto and the max Vcore I get is 1.219v (CPU-Z). I did change QPI Data Rate (QPI Frequency) from auto (4.8GT/s) to manual 4.8GT/s.

I also let Turbo Boost ON, because the voltages are default and I don't see any problems on let it ON (People says that it changes the manual set voltages and is better to disable it).

Full details:
BCLK (HFC, Bus Speed) = 160Mhz (20% From Default)
Core Voltage: Auto (Default) (Max ≈ 1.219v)
Core Speed ≈ 3364 MHz
Multiplier: Auto (x21.0)
QPI Data Rate = 4.8GT/s
Turbo Boost: Enabled
C1E: Enabled
HyperThreading: Enabled
Memory: Corsair Vengeance DDR3 2x4GB 1600Mhz (Auto)
Temps: Idle = 45ºC; Normal Use = 47ºC to 53ºC; Stress Test (Prime95, Small FFTs) = 75ºC(max).
Room Temp ≈ 27ºC
Cooler System: Hydro Series™ H60 High Performance Liquid CPU Cooler - Corsair

So far the pc is stable, temps are only 5 to 10ºC more than system Defaults. But I don't know if these changes can harm my computer in long term.


----------



## juretrn

Hi, I have an issue regarding my RAM running my 3,82 GHz OC on my C0 revision chip. (181 x21)
I can only get my 1600 MHz to the 1470 Mhz mark, the next level I can set it to is around 1800 MHz, but then my computer won't even POST when I try to do that, and I would like to get what I paid for when I bought that RAM, I just get a "cannot set overclock" message at boot. The RAM is set to 1.65 volts. What can I do to be able to get my RAM higher?
I can provide more accurate numbers when I come home.


----------



## Gabkicks

^ if you figure this out, could you tell me what you did?


----------



## jacgues

On the same mobo (GA-UD5P) i hit 4,2 Ghz on 1,362Vcore and 1,315 VTT/Qpi (200x21)


----------



## RAJY93

ok im completely new to the whole forum/posting thing and this is officially my first post ever so sorry if i got it wrong haha. I looked all over and wasn't sure if I should post here or if I am supposed to make a new forum or something so I thought id just give it a go an see what happens. basically my set up is as follows:

HAF 932 case
i7 950 @ 3.8ghz (so far)
Sabertooth X58 mobo
16gb Ripjaw 2133Mhz ram (running 1724Mhz)
the watercooling setup out of a thermaltake armor lcs case
two radeon 7970's in crossfire clocked at 1100/1500
Corsair AX1200i psu (brand new today!!)

my issue is two things, firstly i managed a stable clock of 180 with a multiplier of 21 but suffered a huge drop in gpu performance which i think is because i couldnt set my QPI link data rate any higher than "slow mode" . so what would stop me being able to raise it ?? and how does that effect the gpu performance so much ??

secondly i now have a stable clock of 172 with a multiplier of 22 and the QPI is one up from the lowest which is 6208mt/s and my voltages are as follows:

CPU voltage : 1.22500
CPU PLL Voltage : 1.86
QPI/DRAM Core Voltage: 1.3
DRAM Bus Voltage: 1.62
the rest are at either auto or their lowest settings

im now trying to get 4ghz and managed to get a stable boot with a cpu voltage of 1.23750 BUT i get a blue screen after 3 minuets of prime 95 on the maximum heat setting but my max temps are 68 so far so i was wondering what i could do to get a stable 4ghz out of my system because im sure its possible ??

and again im sorry if iv posted wrong please direct me accordingly if i have thanks


----------



## JonnyMark

Pretty straight forward overclocking the i7 just keep bumping the vcore when you bsod is what I did to get 4.0GHz on air.

My current setup has lasted me such a long time, I am glad these first gen i7 can be pushed to far remember buying the 920 at Microcenter because it cost $200.


----------



## RAJY93

Yea iv managed to get it stable at 4.2ghz but my vcore is 1.45v lol it just seems really high to me :/


----------



## sibleles59

Nice OC, You start a good post to find it. You will get it soon.

Chicago Heights IL Locksmith


----------

