Core i7/X58 Overclocking Thread

[StimulatedBoy]

Funny, everything on AUTO offers me the best results. I tried messing for hours upon hours with PLL and especially QPI voltages, all would break stability.

Same experience / result here. After a lot of trial and error I ended up with same settings as you... A coincidence? Thinking of replacing MOBO with Blood rage or EVGA X58 Sli or DFI

[GenTarkin]

Fixed, and nice car. I autocross mine.

I'm about to post up my screenshot of LinX x 20 @ 4.2ghz, 6gb, HT -on-, AIR COOLING. It has taken me a while to learn the right settings to use!

I will do Prime blend next and then go cry in a corner when it BSODs.

Thats a nice chip, wish mine would do something like that =( lol

[GenTarkin]

Funny, everything on AUTO offers me the best results. I tried messing for hours upon hours with PLL and especially QPI voltages, all would break stability. Also, I would disable HT and go for raw clock speed, except I need the 4 other "cores" for rendering purposes.

Full load after hours of Prime+LinX gets my lapped TRUE Black to around 87/88 degrees C. I'm fine with that. We'll see if these i7's degrade, or "burn-in" at all...

Just wondering, if I set everything to auto in BIOS does this just put all those settings at stock, or if I have an overclock specified does BIOS actually try to compensate the correct voltages?
I have a gigabyte board...

[Xello]

On Auto i do believe that boards try to compensate, as you say, i never leave many things in Auto Have also heard some horror stories over the years... Auto vcore

[GenTarkin]

yeah thats one I dont wanna let it set at auto =) I know what your talkin about, especially like with all the factory oc profiles on some older boards...wheww smoke that cpu! lol
But, Im wondering if I should just leave all them at auto cept vcore...see what it sets the qpi/vtt and pll's at...hrm wonder if it would overvolt them too far as well..

Edit UPDATE about my 3836B guys it seems this chip in particular does not like the uncore multplier being anything below more than 2 multis of the QPI bus. If I do that I get the uncorrectable hardware error almost guarunteed. If I have uncore within 2 multis of QPI bus...its stable and does not BSOD. This seems to not matter what my RAM is set to either. So, I think this is very interesting =)

[Brahmzy]

Obviously I don't think any of us would ever let VCore, VDIMM or MCH-type setiings remain on AUTO, however, I have found ASUS does a real good job with voltages on the rest. Now if I were using extreme cooling at extreme speeds, obviously this wouldn't be a discussion (every single setting would be manual).

[StimulatedBoy]

Now if I were using extreme cooling at extreme speeds, obviously this wouldn't be a discussion (every single setting would be manual).

Manual settings doesn't help here as I have a single stager built into my Lian Li case but anything else than Auto set in BIOS results in instability or a no post. I ended up with same BIOS setup as you after much trial and error and it's the only thing that works, even with -50 degrees Celsius 24/7...

[JWMc]

Same experience / result here. Is this the famous "User error"?

Yes, I think that's exactly it.

I finally brought my vDRAM and QPI/VTT settings back to what I was using for 4.0ghz HT with only 2 memory modules and that made it stable in LinX! I had also been finding the right vCore value of course and finally did.
Edit: Correction: I'm using 1.395 VTT instead of 1.375 which I used with 2 modules. I'm also using 1.68v DRAM instead of 1.66v.

Thats a nice chip, wish mine would do something like that =( lol

I got it from Newegg if that's of any help.

Here's my final OC on air (that I'm willing to try):

http://valid.canardpc.com/show_oc.php?id=488873
http://img222.imageshack.us/my.php?i...6gblinxts1.jpg

[GenTarkin]

Would anyone have an idea why EasyTune6 wont run on my PC? I have vista...when I install the program and then reboot PC, I double click icon and then nothing happens. I look in task manager and there is no exe or anything...it just seemingly starts and then exits.
Anyone know what may be causing this?
Thanks

[JWMc]

Would anyone have an idea why EasyTune6 wont run on my PC? I have vista...when I install the program and then reboot PC, I double click icon and then nothing happens. I look in task manager and there is no exe or anything...it just seemingly starts and then exits.
Anyone know what may be causing this?
Thanks

I get that problem sometimes. It usually doesn't start upon boot either. Sometimes I run it twice before the tray icon appears. I also get a 'has found latest version' popup box every time it starts or tries to start.

I think it might conflict with other hardware monitoring programs like Everest also?

[GenTarkin]

I get that problem sometimes. It usually doesn't start upon boot either. Sometimes I run it twice before the tray icon appears. I also get a 'has found latest version' popup box every time it starts or tries to start.

I think it might conflict with other hardware monitoring programs like Everest also?

Well, nothing EVER pops up for me...like the latest version or anything or tray icon. only other programs I use for monitoring are speedfan on startup and rivatuner for video card, tried exiting both of those then starting ET6 and same thing happens =(

[jcool]

Manual settings doesn't help here as I have a single stager built into my Lian Li case but anything else than Auto set in BIOS results in instability or a no post. I ended up with same BIOS setup as you after much trial and error and it's the only thing that works, even with -50 degrees Celsius 24/7...

Dayum.. what kind of SS unit you got that can hold an i7 at -50C loaded evap?
I am glad mine is holding at all (-25C or so), with the CPU nearing 300W power drain it is a mircale my 1/3hp NL11F can pull it off at all.

[StimulatedBoy]

Dayum.. what kind of SS unit you got that can hold an i7 at -50C loaded evap?
I am glad mine is holding at all (-25C or so), with the CPU nearing 300W power drain it is a mircale my 1/3hp NL11F can pull it off at all.

Temperature varies a little bit but after 2 hours of BF2 gaming it's down to 44-45 degrees as opposed to 48-49 on an ordinary basis with my i7 965. It was custom built by Overklokk, a Norwegian OC'er, that was pretty active at XS until a couple of years ago, but then retired... Guess you still can find a lot of his posts / results here somewhere. CPU is given 1,475v in BIOS, effectively 1,465v.

[jcool]

Lol okay.. gaming is like 0 load on an i7. Try 4,4Ghz at 1,55V with HT enabled, running 8 threads of prime or BOINC + gaming, you'll see what I mean then

[StimulatedBoy]

Lol okay.. gaming is like 0 load on an i7. Try 4,4Ghz at 1,55V with HT enabled, running 8 threads of prime or BOINC + gaming, you'll see what I mean then

Running 4.45GHZ (165 * 27) with 1,45v with HT enabled 24/7 but has never tried BOINC or anything similar in paralell with gaming...

[systemviper]

Would anyone have an idea why EasyTune6 wont run on my PC? I have vista...when I install the program and then reboot PC, I double click icon and then nothing happens. I look in task manager and there is no exe or anything...it just seemingly starts and then exits.
Anyone know what may be causing this?
Thanks

I having problems with easy tune 6 on my vista ultimate 64 rig.

but just got my first over 4ghz results, now have to find the sweet spot!





.

[SteveRo]

Yes, I think that's exactly it.

I finally brought my vDRAM and QPI/VTT settings back to what I was using for 4.0ghz HT with only 2 memory modules and that made it stable in LinX! I had also been finding the right vCore value of course and finally did.
Edit: Correction: I'm using 1.395 VTT instead of 1.375 which I used with 2 modules. I'm also using 1.68v DRAM instead of 1.66v.



I got it from Newegg if that's of any help.

Here's my final OC on air (that I'm willing to try):

http://valid.canardpc.com/show_oc.php?id=488873
http://img222.imageshack.us/my.php?i...6gblinxts1.jpg

1.395v for qpi?
I wouldn't run it that high for long periods at least not until we have more experience with the chip. intel max v's -

[Brahmzy]

Manual settings doesn't help here as I have a single stager built into my Lian Li case but anything else than Auto set in BIOS results in instability or a no post. I ended up with same BIOS setup as you after much trial and error and it's the only thing that works, even with -50 degrees Celsius 24/7...

Too funny... well that's nice we agree on what BIOS settings work - must be a P6T WS Pro thing.

Are you a Priest fan?

Please o please let me know what you've done to get sleep resume to work on this board!

[JWMc]

1.395v for qpi?
I wouldn't run it that high for long periods at least not until we have more experience with the chip. intel max v's -

Yep, I know. I'm going to try and see if it's still stable with it lowered next. I needed it to get stable even at lower overclocks with these 2 gig modules. I need some 1 giggers like yours so I can cheat. :P

Edit: But isn't the QPI/VTT voltage max more of a thing referencing the max DRAM voltage which they only had to specify because the old DDR3 memory couldn't run at low enough volts to stay within 0.5 volts of the stock QPI/VTT? So if you are running 1.9v on your memory you need at least 1.4v QPI/VTT (probably more lke 1.5v) and this is 'safe' with sufficient motherboard cooling, I think.

So far I am unable to get stable at all ever with 3 x 2gig modules at tight timings at 4.0ghz and beyond without exceeding 1.35v QPI/VTT. Actually, I needed 1.375v QPI/VTT to pass long prime blend runs even with 2 sticks.

[vikingboy]

This is on an ASUS P6T WS Pro FWIW:

CPU - 19
BCLK - 211
DRAM Freq - 1269 (624.5 (2:6))
UCLK - AUTO (Can go up one step further, but I see no tangible perf. benefit)
QPI Freq - AUTO
DRAM Timing - 8-9-9-23, 1T (any lower and Prime+LinX BSOD's at 4.0GHz)
CPU V - 1.375 BIOS (2 increments lower and Prime+LinX locks box up, no BSOD)
CPU PLL V - AUTO
QPI/DRAM V - AUTO
IOH - AUTO
IOH PCIE V - AUTO
ICH V - AUTO
ICH PCIE V - AUTO
DRAM BUS V - 1.60 (any higher up to 1.66 doesn't seem to help anything except heat up my CPU more. 2 increments lower and Prime+LinX BSOD's)
All other DRAM V - AUTO
LLC - EN
CPU DIFF - AUTO
CPU Clock SKEW - AUTO
CPU SS - DIS
IOH Clock SKEW - AUTO
PCIE SS - DIS

HT - EN

All other Intel CM/TM/VT crap is off.

<snip>

Thank you - Im back on track again. My issue seemed to be memory timings and not vcore of QPI volts.

I have been successful with 19*210 @ 1.36v CPU-Z reported volts with QPI at 1.35 (bios).

I have managed to get memory timings working at 8-8-8-24 at 839Mhz, 3356.1Mhz once I increased the write delay timing out to 15 from auto.
This has increased my stability no end and is possibly due to apps like Linx and prime writing a hell of a lot to RAM.

It might be worth you having a play and see if yu can get the extra memory bandwidth which might just give you a bit extra for your money.

Im running Corsair DDR3 1600Mhz dominators at 1.65v

thanks again for your pointers, much appreciated.
great thread everyone - Im loving thi i7 platform although it isn't as easy to overclock at 4ghz as I had heard!

Ian

[JWMc]

Thank you - Im back on track again. My issue seemed to be memory timings and not vcore of QPI volts.

I have been successful with 19*210 @ 1.36v CPU-Z reported volts with QPI at 1.35 (bios).

I have managed to get memory timings working at 8-8-8-24 at 839Mhz, 3356.1Mhz once I increased the write delay timing out to 15 from auto.
This has increased my stability no end and is possibly due to apps like Linx and prime writing a hell of a lot to RAM.

It might be worth you having a play and see if yu can get the extra memory bandwidth which might just give you a bit extra for your money.

Im running Corsair DDR3 1600Mhz dominators at 1.65v

thanks again for your pointers, much appreciated.
great thread everyone - Im loving thi i7 platform although it isn't as easy to overclock at 4ghz as I had heard!

Ian

Wow, that's awesome man.

I haven't spent any time making specific tweaks to the memory timings because I have no idea what I'm doing with them. I've only relaxed them drastically to try and isolate things but I haven't changed any sub-timings when using the normal rated timings. I will try your settings and see what I get!

[Supafish111]

Viking,

Which setting is that? Write to write, or write to read?

Having troubles getting to 4ghz myself on RE2 board

Thanks in advance.

Lou.

Thank you - Im back on track again. My issue seemed to be memory timings and not vcore of QPI volts.

I have been successful with 19*210 @ 1.36v CPU-Z reported volts with QPI at 1.35 (bios).

I have managed to get memory timings working at 8-8-8-24 at 839Mhz, 3356.1Mhz once I increased the write delay timing out to 15 from auto.
This has increased my stability no end and is possibly due to apps like Linx and prime writing a hell of a lot to RAM.

It might be worth you having a play and see if yu can get the extra memory bandwidth which might just give you a bit extra for your money.

Im running Corsair DDR3 1600Mhz dominators at 1.65v

thanks again for your pointers, much appreciated.
great thread everyone - Im loving thi i7 platform although it isn't as easy to overclock at 4ghz as I had heard!

Ian

[vikingboy]

ack.......sorry, think Ive been a idiot.....(makes excuses being n00b and all that)

When fiddling I must have switched the DRAM timing mode from 1T to AUTO which means it switched by default to 2T mode, presumably this reduced memory efficiency also?
I just benched it quickly with Everest memory bandwidth test and its still clocking at 18100MB/s so still not too shabby......

Its been running prime95 (blend) and a 100 pass Linx pass (10000) for 1hr now and has been stable at those settings.

Edit: A quick google showed a fair few disagreements regarding memory performance at 1T vs 2T so I need to do some more investigations too.

Hope I didnt get everyones hopes up and apologise for any wrong path leading.....

[JWMc]

I increased the write delay timing out to 15 from auto.
This has increased my stability no end and is possibly due to apps like Linx and prime writing a hell of a lot to RAM.

What is the literal name of this value in MemSet or the BIOS?

[D3mon_Hunt3r]

That'll work. Are you interested in a couple 4870X2 w/ waterblock?

I have one WC'ed too.
Looking to the GTX285 for a twin match. :P