**Official** Core i7 860/870 overclocking thread

[GrandMasterJ]

The previous run with lower GFlops may have been due to not being fully stable. You also need to check what problem size he is running in comparison to you.

Oddly enough, I get ~52-54GFlops(20,507->19925 problem size) with 8-thread LinX with Hyper-threading OFF.

With Hyper-threading ON and 8-threads, it drops to 49GFlops(same problem size).

This is on an i7-860 @ 3.8Ghz. Everything is very stable and the LinX results are consistent through 10, 25, and even 50 runs.


HT OFFHT ON

[mngdew]

I just ran a quick Linx @ 4.2Ghz. Now at ~52GFlops....much better...

-M

Yikes! That's alot of voltage and temperature. I don't have the screet shot, but my problem size is larger than 23000 with 54+Gflops when HT is on.
Considering i7 860 showing better benchmark result than 920, there's still something not right with your settings. Looking at your recent screen shot, I think it has to do with higher bus, QPI, and memory clock speed of my system resulting higher Gflops. I think you should try higer Bclk with lower multiplier for better performance.

LinX shows higher Gflops when HT is off at the same clock speed.

[ezaleina]

my 1st oc with my new mobo m3f.,but why everest read my IMC at 1.55v.,and the turbo v read at 1.29V.,i dunno which is the accurrate between them.,and is it save for me to use this setting for 24/7?

[David-Duc]

-Guys, I'm running my 860 at 182*21 with 1.28 vcore and 1.27 vQPI, prime 95 small FFTs load temps maxed out at 83°C with Megahalems, when I lower the vcore and vQPI to 1.26 and 1.25 (Prime 95 small FFTs stable) -> the load temps still reach 83°C. What's wrong with my temps ? It's supposed to be cooler with lower voltage, isn't it ?

-My rigs:
i7 860 L926B422 @182*21
Gigabyte P55A-UD3P
Gskill Ripjaw 2*2GB 1600 XMP
Megahalems Rev.B with thermaltake thunderblade 2000rpm

Temps with F@H via VMWare Linux:

[cesthree]

@ David-Duc

Your reasoning seems correct. You should check some other things though too.

• Have you tried disabling HT? This makes ~10C difference in temps for most.
• What type of thermal paste?
• Is thermal paste mounted properly? Has it had time to cure?
• Do you have adequate airflow?
• What are your idle temps? (if they are also high, then this might be more of a reason to investage the first three)
• Remember, ambient temps make a HUGE difference.
• Does your case have a fan that vents heat out the top?

Just a few things I could think of. I know you might have had some previous overclocking experience, but these can be things that many overlook, even when they are experienced.

Good Luck, and have fun. All else looks good, you should be on the way to victory in no time!

[David-Duc]

Thanks a lot for your reply, cesthree. Answers to your questions:

-I tried to disable the HT, the temp goes down but I couldn't have my HT disabled, because the F@H via Linux VMWare require it .
-The Thermal paste is the one that came with my Megahalem, I think it is PK-1. The mounting is also good, double checked it .
-My system has been up for 3-4 days and I think this period of time is ok for TIM curing.
-My case is CM Centurion 5, which is 4 years old now , but I think it still meets my needs. 1 intake fan, 1 exhaust fan, 1 fan from PSU that also exhaust, all fans are Thermaltake Thunderblade 2000rpm except for the PSU fan - they sounded like a vacuum
-Idle temp. around 42-46°C.
-Room temp. around 28°C

I'm not a "suicide overclocker" and my system has to full load at least 18hrs a day so I'll leave it at 3.8Ghz. Sharing experiences and discussing problems help us leap forward , so don't be hesitate. Thank you again, cesthree.

[cesthree]

I built 4 systems using that case for my last employer. Still running circles around the HP crap they have in the other 75% of the offices.

It's a good case, for a desktop. I am not sure if it does a great job at keeping your Megahalems happy tho.

A buddy of mine had two cases that were very similar in design. We went in halves on a hole saw to cut 120mm fan holes. Punched holes in both of them and mounted some medium-high speed fans. Made a very significant impact on his temps.

Also, have you seen this:

http://skinneelabs.com/indigoxtreme.html

I am picking up some of that Shin-Etsu as soon as I find a retailer that carries the fitting I want and the Shin-Etsu so I can order from one place.

Really with the voltages you are pushing you shouldn't see that high of temps, and the Megahalems is a great cooler, which leaves case airflow and ambient temps.

I should have specified if we were talking about ambient room or ambient case temps. If it is room temps then:

28C isn't bad, but I know that 25C is ~75F, so you are closer to 80F and that is a right around what temperature my computer room gets to when I am stress testing after 3-4 hours.

If you are starting at 28C, then you really need to lower ambient some if you want lower temps in the case at the CPU.

I could be totally off base. These are just guesses, and I am not a thermodynamic engineer. Just from what I have observed.

I had to close the heat register in our computer room to keep things under control. Both of our rigs keep it warm enough anyhow.

[David-Duc]

-Good new: changing TIM from PK-1 to OCZ Freeze helps reduce temperature to 78°C. Tested 2 times and OCZ Freeze always better than PK-1 about 2°C.

[-JJ-]

Here is mine current stable clock that I use for 24/7


With current setup I can get the cpu stable @4ghz with HT on (voltage @1,376v), however since I have no use for HT, I do not intend to use this profile anyway.


Randomly picked Corsair Dominator GT clocks very well as seen in the first picture posted and the one right bellow.

[mojado]

What´s the real VID? In BIOS show 1,1375 (GA-P55M-UD2) for my batch L933B553. Is correct?

[David-Duc]

@-JJ-: max load temp. hit 90+°C is not safe for 24/7 using IMO . But I love your Dominator, my 2*2GB Ripjaws 1600 maxed out at 1820 and they don't eat any voltage at all.

[-JJ-]

@-JJ-: max load temp. hit 90+°C is not safe for 24/7 using IMO . But I love your Dominator, my 2*2GB Ripjaws 1600 maxed out at 1820 and they don't eat any voltage at all.

Bullsh_it -> only Linx can get the CPU to ~90 °C with this particular setup&settings, therefore its safe as hell. I have tried all sorts of games/software and nothing gets the CPU over 65 °C. In fact here's a print screen of temp. after playing COD6 MW2 MP..


This particular ram kit overclocks so well even with ram voltage bellow its default (1.65v). I use it @1,64v.

[Associated]

Hellow!

Today my rock solid overcloack at 3.8GHz turned out not so solid any more... infact i didnt even get in windows. Afer some (long) time i "spoted" the problem.
My CPU isnt stable anymore with 22x multi. any ideas why would that happen? Maybe is MOBOs foult? (same settings now at 21x multi 3.8GHz is solid once again... i wonder for how long )

[cesthree]

Hellow!

Today my rock solid overcloack at 3.8GHz turned out not so solid any more... infact i didnt even get in windows. Afer some (long) time i "spoted" the problem.
My CPU isnt stable anymore with 22x multi. any ideas why would that happen? Maybe is MOBOs foult? (same settings now at 21x multi 3.8GHz is solid once again... i wonder for how long )

Do you have some other system settings for us? Not that you changed them, but I am concerned as to what you are running for voltages, settings, etc. in order to obtain your 3.8Ghz OC.

Thanks!

[Associated]

Yeah here they are:

PS: its very wird this thing... everthing was normal... i wanted to boot it this morning and it just didnt go in to windows any more.
Works normal now on 21x multi. Hope that doestn mean that next month i will got to 20x multi and if it is in any help, works/goes normaly in safemode.

This is now


Was

[cesthree]

What memory and at what speed are you running it?

[HondaGuy]

Just got mine up and running

[Associated]

What memory and at what speed are you running it?

They are G.Skill Eco 1600 cl7, i have them at 2:10 ratio so before 1730mhz 7-8-7-24 1.5V, now 1810 same settings.

[overclocking101]

are the newer i7 860's clocking worse? like how the core 2 are the newer batches suck? and how do you find VID on these chips??? core temp doesnt have it in any of these screen shots??

[karnalta]

cesthree how do you get 50k+ CPU score in 3DMark Vantage with your cpu clocked at 4Ghz ??

I get around 30k (if I remember well) with my i7 860 @ 4.2Ghz and HT on. Do you have a bi cpu setup ? Or maybe there are some tips to get high CPU score ?

EDIT :

Never mind, I forgot that Futurmark was a friend of nVidia PhysX lol, you certainly have a nVidia card.

[-JJ-]

Improved my cpu temp. by taking off/on the CPU cooler (ultra 120 ext.) and using MX2 thermal paste instead of AS5..



Initially, the cpu cooler (ultra 120 ext.) was not setup good enough, since the temp. improvement from 88C to 73C could not be achieved only because of change of thermal pastes..

[overclocking101]

heres mine i7-860 EVGA P55 FTW 4099mhz 205X20

[karnalta]

Hi,

I have a few question about my cpu.

I am @ 1.415 vcore and I still can't get my i7 860 Linx stable at 4.2Ghz, do I have herited of a poor cpu ?

What's the real risk for the CPU, the voltage or the temperature ? I am currently at about 70°C under Linx so temperature is ok. But my vcore is a bit high no ?

[Pablo70]

4200x1.376v HT


4200x1.352v HT


4200x1.344 HT


4300x1.376


4324x1.368

[simi_id]

Hi,

I've also an I7 860 with Asus P7P55D-E Deluxe motherboard.
The strange thing is that in bios on multiplier options I can go up until 22x instead of 21x.
Is this normal ? Is a motherboard feature ? Or is a I7 870 CPU downclocked to 860 and with the multiplier forgeted at 22x ?
Does anyone else encountered this ?