Thanks Xtreme

[jlacy76]

I have never built an Intel machine in my life but I have built a few AMD based machines. I have a buddy who wanted to build an i7 photoshop ONLY box and I told him I would help him. Frankly, being an AMD guy I didn't know where to start (I don't know a celeron from and I7) but I did know where to come to find out. I knew for an Intel based screamer, XS is where I needed to come to learn.

So, I spent about 2 full days on this forum, reading and comparing Mobos, Ram etc, back and forth, reading, reading, reading, then sent him my hardware recommendations which he ordered or bought at a local store yesterday. I didn't need to ask too many questions on this forum, the info I needed to know was all here at XS.

Here is what I suggested hardware wise and it's either in his hands right now or on the way, from the egg.

I7 920 D0 stepping - Microcenter in Dallas has the D0 for 199.00
Cooler: Xigmatek hdt-s1283 / AS5
Asus P6t deluxe v2 - 40mm fan for the Northbridge
12gb Ocz platinum PC312800 ddr3 1600 7-7-7-24
Power supply - Silencer 750w Quad
1 gb Video Card - He bought an EVGA Gts 250
WD6400AAKS 640GB RPM for now until he goes Raid
Case - He found a HAF full tower on sale he liked and bought it.

I read every single post in the Official Asus P6t thread http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/...&highlight=p6t

I think I have his bios + settings to take him to 4 ghz when it all arrives thanks to the good people on this forum.

Bios: Cross Flash his v2 board with a v1 1403 bios to kill the x21 throttle down issue on the v2.
http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/...&postcount=521

Bios OC Settings:
Ai Overclock Tuner: Manual
CPU Ratio: x21
Intel Speed Step: Disable
BCLK Freq: 200
PCIE Feq:100
DRAM Freq: 1603MHZ
UCLK Freq: AUTO
QPI Link Data Rate: AUTO
DRAM Timing Control: 7-7-7-24-1T
CPU Voltage: 1.35
CPU PLL: AUTO
QPI/DRAM Voltage: 1.35
DRAM Voltage: 1.7
C1E Support: Disable
CPU TM Function: Disable
HyperThreating: Enable
(All the rest: Auto/Default)

Other ram settings to try:
1680 (210 bclk): 8-8-8-24-1T, 1.7v.
1720 (215 bclk): 9-9-9-24-1T, 1.7v.

My buddy said he would be happy if I got him 3.5, I think I can get him 4.0 or maybe a little more. If I wasn't already running 24/7 @ 3.6 on three cores on my elcheapo AMD box, I would build this for myself, maybe next time.

I just wanted to thank everyone for making this so easy. I "think" this will be a pretty solid first Intel build for me and I owe it all to this forum.

Finally, if you guys see something I have suggested incorrectly or missed something in all this, please tell me. I still have to get it running ya' know

~j

[unclewebb]

I wouldn't be cross flashing anything to start with. If you need to cross flash a P6T Deluxe v2 then at least use the correct bios. To correct the turbo throttling issue, you need to cross flash using the P6T Deluxe v1 bios, version 0006. This is the least of your concerns at the moment.

Your settings above mean you are shooting for 200 x 21 = 4200 MHz. A lot of guys are running water to reliably run at that speed and deal with the heat that it creates. Running 12GB of ram reliably at those settings on air might not be as easy as it looks. Does the cooler you ordered come with a kit to mount it to a socket 1366 Core i7 CPU? It was originally designed for the previous Core 2 motherboards which are socket 775. Some of the newer Xigmatek coolers come with the hardware needed to mount on a Core i7 motherboard but I'm not sure about that one.

It should be a fun build. If you run into any issues, there are lots of users here that are always willing to help.

[jlacy76]

Thanks Unclewebb, that cooler was something that worried me for more than one reason, I'm not sure about the layout of the dimm slots on this board, on my amd board, you must fill the dimms before the cooler goes on. Mounting bracket aside, I have more concerns than just the bracket. I will look today and adjust, thanks for pointing that out. I actually read that and thought I remembered a bracket coming with my 1283, but need to clarify it. Great catch, you're exactly right and thanks.

Ok, no cross flashing. I'm not sure if he will ever put enough load doing photoshop to have it throttle down in the first place. It's a photo editing machine and NOTHING else. It won't even have email. 20x200 will be fast enough I think and if I'm reading correctly it only throttles down at x21. Not that it matters if I'm not there in the first place.

I'm still trying to find max safe temp for a 24/7 D0 920. Once I have that and find some software that reports temps correctly, (real Temps?) that vcore would be set to the safe limit based on the cooler and whatever ram settngs and multiplier I use would be whatever we can get. I'm not looking to burn a chip or break any world records here. A solid 4.0 would be great, anything over that stupendous!! It's a workstation not a synthetic benching box, but you know the drill.

[unclewebb]

You're right, turbo throttling only happens when running a x21 multiplier and even then you need a lot of MHz, a lot of core voltage and a hell of a load. Photoshop probably won't be a big enough load so turbo throttling isn't something to be concerned about at this stage, especially for the type of rig you're building.

Many users have an easier time getting something like 190x21 stable at a reasonable voltage compared to 200x20. Same total MHz more or less but the 21X multi is usually easier to get stable than a 20X multi.

I'm a little biased but RealTemp works OK on Core i7 CPUs.
http://www.fileden.com/files/2008/3/...alTempBeta.zip

Max safe temp for any Intel Core CPU is the temperature at which the CPU can run 100% reliably without thermal throttling kicking in. On Core i7, that doesn't happen until 100C so don't worry too much about core temperature until you start losing stability. When overclocked, these CPUs can run reliably at higher temperatures compared to the previous Core 2 CPUs so don't let big numbers like 80C or so scare you too much.

[jlacy76]

Perfect, news I can use. I read something about that, thought is was weird, 19 and 21 more stable than 20. Noted.

Ok, Xig is not open yet so I can't call. I did find out the s1283 fits the lga775 socket with push pins. The guy at Micro center said it "should" work for a 1366, but we all know how all that goes, aka a definitive maybe. The dark night xig will fit lga 1366 but frosty tech has a new winner when I looked this morning. http://www.frostytech.com/articlevie...articleID=2383. If the s1283 does not work both the Dark night and the Titan are in stock locally. We wasted 30.00 maybe or he can return it. My bad, I "may" have missed it on the cooler.

Thanks for the link, what should be my max safe temp that Real Temp reports and what is a good vcore to start? I know in amd we're guessing on temps because nothing out there gives a real temps not even at the bios. Over there we just crank up vcore until we smell something burning then back it off to where it stops smoking, I'm kidding of course...well partially.

[jlacy76]

don't let big numbers like 80C or so scare you too much. [/QUOTE]

Oh really? Wow...great news. Sorry, you ninjaed me as I was asking this question.

[jlacy76]

After reading more on that titan, the noise level is 58db on high. That's louder than the old Vantec Tornando! The xig at high/50db and only slightly less cooling. I'll suggest the dark night I think if the s1283 does not fit.

[jlacy76]

OK, cooler thing fixed, XIGMATEK ACK-I7361 Cooler hardware, that will mount a s1283 to a 1366 board. In stock locally. Yes!