i7 Overclocking

[Brad]

K need alittle advice here. Im trying to get stable at 4.2Ghz but LinX BSOD after 4 mins which makes me think its not a Vcore problem It will do 4Ghz @ 1.16v load but at the moment trying to get 4.2Ghz @ 1.23v load.

Heres my settings. Im totally lost when it comes down to all the other voltages. This is where i could do with the advice.


4.2Ghz 920 D0 BSOD after 4 mins of LinX.

CPU Clock Ratio [20x]

Advanced CPU Features [Press Enter]:
CPU Clock Ratio [20x]
Intel(R) Turbo Boost Tech [Enabled]
CPU Cores Enabled [All]
CPU Multi Threading [Enabled]
CPU Enhanced Halt (C1E) [Enabled]
C3/C6/C7 State Support [Disabled]
CPU Thermal Monitor [Enabled]
CPU EIST Function [Enabled]
Virtualization Technology [Disabled]
Bi-Directional PROCHOT [Disabled]

Uncore & QPI Features [Press Enter]:
QPI Link Speed [x36]
Uncore Frequency [x16]
Isonchronous Frequency [Enabled]

Advanced Clock Control [Press Enter]:
standard clock control
Base Clock (BCLK) Control [Enabled]
BCLK Frequency (MHz) [200]
PCI Express Frequency (MHz) [AUTO]
C.I.A.2 [Disabled]

advanced clock control
CPU Clock Drive [ 700mV]
PCI Express Clock Drive [ 700mV]
CPU Clock Skew [ 0ps]
IOH Clock Skew [ 0ps]

Performance Enhance [Turbo]
Extreme Memory Profile (X.M.P.) [Disabled]
System Memory Multiplier (SPD) [x8]
DRAM Timing Selectable (sPD) [Manual]

Channel A

CAS Latency Time 8 [9]
tRCD 8 [9]
tRP 8 [9]
tRAS 20 [24]

Channel B

CAS Latency Time 8 [9]
tRCD 8 [9]
tRP 8 [9]
tRAS 20 [24]

Channel C

CAS Latency Time 8 [9]
tRCD 8 [9]
tRP 8 [9]
tRAS 20 [24]

Advanced DRAM Features [Press Enter]:
Performance Enhance [Turbo]
Extreme Memory Profile (X.M.P) [Disabled]
System Memory Multiplier (SPD) [AUTO]
DRAM Timing Selectable (sPD) [Manual]


Advanced Voltage Control [Press Enter]:
Load Line Calibration [Enabled] (Whats peoples views on this?)
CPU Vcore 1.15v [1.28125v]
QPI/VTT Voltage 1.150v [1.280v] (Tried from 1.28v-1.36v with no change in how long it takes to BSOD)
CPU PLL 1.800v [AUTO]

MCH

PCIE 1.500v [AUTO]
QPI PLL 1.100v [AUTO]
IOH Core 1.100v [AUTO]
ICH I/O 1.500v [AUTO]
ICH Core 1.1v [AUTO]

DRAM

DRAM Voltage 1.500v [1.66v]
DRAM Termination 0.750v [AUTO]
Ch-A Data VRef. 0.750v [AUTO]
Ch-B Data VRef. 0.750v [AUTO]
Ch-C Data VRef. 0.750v [AUTO]
Ch-A Address VRef. 0.750v [AUTO]
Ch-B Address VRef. 0.750v [AUTO]
Ch-C Address VRef. 0.750v [AUTO]

[Helior]

I'd starting my fiddling with

QPI PLL 1.100v [AUTO]

[Brad]

Whats safe?

[Helior]

seems like it's fine up to about 1.7v, i really don't know though, just googling rly :O

[coursemyhorse]

Have you tried lowering the vcore? These don't seem to scale like we all are used to aka keep adding vcore to ooze out the last few hundred megahertz. Sometimes they like lower vcores or it just won't affect it. Anyway you greedy monkey, 4ghz is enough! ;)

[Brad]

Lower? Its less than most need to get 4Ghz (1.23v load) Iv raised the QPI PLL which seems to have helped alot and thanks for the help peeps. Im aiming for 4.5Ghz 24/7 when my case is done :)

[Andrew Moore]

Have you tried lowering the QPI multi? Can cause issues with stability at high frequencys.


Andy

[Brad]

Thats lowest possible setting.

[Andrew Moore]

Ah... Sorry for the lack of help there then. You can get away with 1.3v is without causing damage to your cpu and providing your cooling is up to it it should over heat. If its stable with a voltage of 1.3v then lower the voltage in reasonably small steps until it becomes unstable again and then knock it back up by 2.

Worth a shot to begin with.


Andy

EDIT:

The core i7 920 (D0) has a max Vcore rating of 1.375v I believe before any major damage may occur which means as I said before 1.3v is fine to try it at say 4.2ghz. Most 4.5ghz 920s run a vcore of around 1.35v which is just under this limit. You say its stable at 4ghz with a vcore of 1.16v underload. I assume that this is then set to 1.2v in the BIOS and reads on CPU-z as 1.16v??

As for your question on load line calibration...

1. If you enable it, you have a chance of vCore overshoot beyond the allowable margin.
2. If you disable it, your CPU will need higher idle vCore to maintain the same overclock. (Like having to give 1.50V idle in order to maintain 1.40V under load)

[mattk]

try reducing you memory clock ratio. when pusing the FSB your also pushing your memory, maybe beyond what it can do, give that a go and see how it is. if not try dropping the QPI ratio as this can sometimes cause problems.

[Brad]

QPI is as low as it can go and ram is at its rated 1600mhz speed.

[Brad]

I cant raise Vcore as temps are as high as i wanna take em really.

http://i552.photobucket.com/albums/jj339/oggiet/42Ghsfail.jpg

[Brad]

Managed to get it.

http://i552.photobucket.com/albums/jj339/oggiet/42Ghzstable.jpg

[Nollauno]

Have a look on youtube.

Cant remember where but as the multiplier is locked and if I can remember correctly all you need to do is leave everything on auto (sorry using a Asus P6T SE here, dont know what your BIOS is like). Then up the vcore power level I have a very stable system at 3.7ghz. This is very basis tweaking but it will do me fine.

Regards

[anti5580]

Brad you made me want to up mine to 4.2 now lol ... the BIOS settings you listed, is that the current BIOS setting for 4.2Ghz?

I'm going to start from scratch again, the last time I did it I just jumped straight to 4Ghz and it work pretty much straight away. I need to do it properly again and fine tune some of the settings.

[I3R0K3N7FEET]

surely you'll have to disable hyper threading if you want up to 4.5? i heard that having it enabled even up to 4.2ghz is amazing.. ??

[anti5580]

One thing, wouldn't it be best to run Linx on maximum memory? Mine will always pass even using 1.1v on 4Ghz but it would fail on maximum until I up the voltage to 1.26v.

[Brad]

@ Anti: These are my exact settings now for 4.2Ghz. I had 4Ghz stable with 1.16v with all memory used on LinX but im hitting 86+ so dont wanna push it any more on air cooling. And iv never experienced any instability in the month or 2 its been at this speed.


CPU Clock Ratio [20x]

Advanced CPU Features [Press Enter]:
CPU Clock Ratio [20x]
Intel(R) Turbo Boost Tech [Enabled]
CPU Cores Enabled [All]
CPU Multi Threading [Enabled]
CPU Enhanced Halt (C1E) [Enabled]
C3/C6/C7 State Support [Disabled]
CPU Thermal Monitor [Enabled]
CPU EIST Function [Enabled]
Virtualization Technology [Disabled]
Bi-Directional PROCHOT [Disabled]

Uncore & QPI Features [Press Enter]:
QPI Link Speed [x36]
Uncore Frequency [x19]
Isonchronous Frequency [Enabled]

Advanced Clock Control [Press Enter]:
standard clock control
Base Clock (BCLK) Control [Enabled]
BCLK Frequency (MHz) [200]
PCI Express Frequency (MHz) [AUTO]
C.I.A.2 [Disabled]

advanced clock control
CPU Clock Drive [ 800mV]
PCI Express Clock Drive [ 900mV]
CPU Clock Skew [ 100ps]
IOH Clock Skew [ 0ps]

Performance Enhance [Turbo]
Extreme Memory Profile (X.M.P.) [Disabled]
System Memory Multiplier (SPD) [x8]
DRAM Timing Selectable (sPD) [Manual]

Channel A

CAS Latency Time 8 [9]
tRCD 8 [9]
tRP 8 [9]
tRAS 20 [24]

Channel B

CAS Latency Time 8 [9]
tRCD 8 [9]
tRP 8 [9]
tRAS 20 [24]

Channel C

CAS Latency Time 8 [9]
tRCD 8 [9]
tRP 8 [9]
tRAS 20 [24]


Advanced Voltage Control [Press Enter]:
Load Line Calibration [Enabled]
CPU Vcore 1.15v [1.28750v]
QPI/VTT Voltage 1.150v [1.320v]
CPU PLL 1.800v [1.840v]

MCH

PCIE 1.500v [1.540v]
QPI PLL 1.100v [1.140v]
IOH Core 1.100v [1.200v]
ICH I/O 1.500v [AUTO]
ICH Core 1.1v [1.200v]

DRAM

DRAM Voltage 1.500v [1.660v]
DRAM Termination 0.750v [AUTO]
Ch-A Data VRef. 0.750v [AUTO]
Ch-B Data VRef. 0.750v [AUTO]
Ch-C Data VRef. 0.750v [AUTO]
Ch-A Address VRef. 0.750v [AUTO]
Ch-B Address VRef. 0.750v [AUTO]
Ch-C Address VRef. 0.750v [AUTO]


@ Death: The only other result iv managed to find with the same batch as mine has 4.5Ghz with HT on 1.38v stable so thats what im aiming for once i get some better cooling.

[I3R0K3N7FEET]

ok cool. tbh i dont know much aboout ocing i7 but good luck.. did you hunt down that batch no? and how far do you think you can push on liquid?

[Sybex]

What is the max temperature these i7's can go, I'm having a play with my new build and have only taken it up to 3.6 GHz so far

[Brad]

ok cool. tbh i dont know much aboout ocing i7 but good luck.. did you hunt down that batch no? and how far do you think you can push on liquid?

Yes mate i found out what batches were available and chose this one due to that result i found. So far been fully stable at 4Ghz with only 1.16v leaves me on target to get what i want which is 4.5Ghz HT on 24/7.


What is the max temperature these i7's can go, I'm having a play with my new build and have only taken it up to 3.6 GHz so far

85c is about max.

[anti5580]

Got it running along 4.2Ghz last night ... have to fine tune it tonight as it's currently on 1.325v (BIOS). Temps at 84c which is a bit high for my liking.

[Brad]

Temps max u wanna hit really but ok as its only stress testing not everyday use. Whats voltage in CPU-Z underload?

[anti5580]

Temps max u wanna hit really but ok as its only stress testing not everyday use. Whats voltage in CPU-Z underload?

I can't remember the actual voltage, think it was 1.3v ... will double check tonight.

I need to tinker with the voltages a bit more as I know I can get it down a bit more especially with the QPI/DRAM Voltage. I have SpeedStep enabled as well so that helps when my PC is left idle.

[Brad]

Yah no need to run without speedstep :)

[anti5580]

Would it actually help if I disable SpeedStep in terms of lowering the voltages?

[Brad]

No does your voltage drop when the speed does?

[anti5580]

Yeah the voltage drops when the multiplier goes to x12 during idle.

I was on 1.26v when I was running without Turbo (4Ghz) ... think my batch is a bad one.

[Brad]

Nah most need over 1.3v for 4.2Ghz and some alot more that are bad. Iv just got lucky getting a really good one :)

[anti5580]

Sorry to be a pain, what do I use to check the batch number? Also is there a list/thread you might know of that has batch comparisons?

[Brad]

Batch number is on the side of the box and top of CPU. Just enter in google and see what comes up. Mines #3849A769 Info i found (http://www.hardwareluxx.de/community/showpost.php?p=12052144&postcount=2112)

[anti5580]

Brilliant ... I'll check it later. I'll be needing your assistance later if I have any problems with my OC :P

[anti5580]

Managed to do a bit more fine tuning ... got it running at 1.3250v, QPI/DRAM at 1.2750, IOH/ICH at 1.2.

Is it possible to lower the QPI/DRAM any more further? I heard it had to be within 0.05, right?