Core i7/X58 Overclocking Thread

[ReverendMaynard]

I had the fear that the clock generator would be located on the cpu.

Don't be afraid until you know the facts

[tonytiger]

You might remember a previous post when i had problems getting above bclk 172.Well i have a new i7 920 which booted straight away @180!Anyway i have another strange problem.In the bios all 3 channels are showing for the memory but only 4096 is displayed at post ,when i booted into Vista x64the o/s is only showing 4gig.If i look at cpuz it is showing 6gig and triple channel.Anyone else had this problem?

If have done the following.

Reflashed and cleared cmos
Reloaded bios defaults.

All settings @ stock (when i first installed the cpu i used dram v1.66 and no more than 1.275 on qpi/vtt to test bclk 180)

Default volts:

cpu 1.2
dram 1.54
qpi/vtt 1.175

Re-seated the memory
swapped the sticks around

tested each stick in ddr3_1 slot -each test displayed 2gig
tested dual channel in dd3 3_1 and ddr3 3_3 -displayed 4gig

with all three channels only 4gig is displayed on post.

The memory appears to be ok.

[tonytiger]

Its looks like i have found the problem.One of the pins at the bottom of the socket 1366 was slightly bent .Not sure how i carefully put the cpu in and it only goes one way!After bending it back in postion (not easy used a small needle pinhead) its posts with 6gig.

[Truckchase!]

Hey guys,

I'm just getting my head around overclocking this platform and found something slightly odd. It seems that in some cases more qpi/vtt voltage equates to lower stability.

At this point in time I'm testing @ 193x20, 1534RAM, 3454QPI (can't recall uclk right now, but it's in line with the 8:9 association) with turbo disabled (until I get a feel for the chokepoints of the rest of the platform) and it's stability wasn't 100%. I had the qpi/vtt volts at 1.3125 so I thought I'd try 'em at 1.325. To my surprise the system was significantly less stable. I lowered the volts than to 1.3v last night and have been stability testing successfully since. For reference, my vDram is 1.64v, my vCore is 1.2565 and my PLL is 1.9.

Has anyone else experienced this?

[Splave]

how are you stability testing?

[ReverendMaynard]

Hey guys,

I'm just getting my head around overclocking this platform and found something slightly odd. It seems that in some cases more qpi/vtt voltage equates to lower stability.

At this point in time I'm testing @ 193x20, 1534RAM, 3454QPI (can't recall uclk right now, but it's in line with the 8:9 association) with turbo disabled (until I get a feel for the chokepoints of the rest of the platform) and it's stability wasn't 100%. I had the qpi/vtt volts at 1.3125 so I thought I'd try 'em at 1.325. To my surprise the system was significantly less stable. I lowered the volts than to 1.3v last night and have been stability testing successfully since. For reference, my vDram is 1.64v, my vCore is 1.2565 and my PLL is 1.9.

Has anyone else experienced this?

1.325vcore, 1.86vpll, 1.3v qpi/vtt, 1.66v dram might be a good place to start. I think you're aiming at too little vcore and too much pll off the hop. unclk should be 16x - 18x max.

[shazza]

Its looks like i have found the problem.One of the pins at the bottom of the socket 1366 was slightly bent .Not sure how i carefully put the cpu in and it only goes one way!After bending it back in postion (not easy used a small needle pinhead) its posts with 6gig.

That's pretty interesting. I've had the same issue with my P6T Deluxe re missing 2 GB of memory, but having it show up in CPU-Z and the system running perfect in every other way. A number of others have reported the same thing in the ASUS forums.

Seems odd that a bent pin would show okay in CPU-Z, but not otherwise ... but great that it's working for you. I'm looking at an RMA, I think.

[dejanh]

Two new results with relatively low Vcore and overclocked Dominator 1600MHz sticks (6GB)...

First image is 22x180MHz (3960MHz), 1804MHz DRAM 8-8-7-20-1T, 1.30000V CPU, 1.35000V QPI/DRAM, 1.65681V DRAM (all BIOS settings). The configuration is both memtest and stress test stable.

The second image is 21x190 (3990MHz), 1904MHz DRAM 8-9-7-20-1T, 1.28750V CPU, 1.43750V QPI/DRAM, 1.65681V DRAM (all BIOS settings). The configuration is both memtest and stress test stable. This config I am not 100% comfortable with as the QPI is much lower and significantly lower than Uncore, but the memory OC is just insane.

Thoughts? Which one seems better? The second has a better memory OC, lower CPU volts, but much higher QPI/DRAM volts than the first. Maybe I should skip all of these and settle for 21x180 (3780MHz), 1804MHz DRAM 8-8-7-20-1T, with 1.21250V CPU, 1.35000V QPI/DRAM, 1.65681V DRAM (BIOS settings)...

Edit: I guess I forgot to mention that I am now striving for the best balance between OC and voltages for 24/7, as opposed to raw clockspeed. After I managed to do 3.8 with only 1.2V I just cannot bear to force this chip to run at 1.4V for only 400MHz more.

[ap4lifetn]

what a difference the TRUE makes, i can do a moderate OC to 3.2GHz and temps won't pass 62C on prime95 w/ HT, maybe I can finally do 4GHz 24/7 on AIR!

[dejanh]

what a difference the TRUE makes, i can do a moderate OC to 3.2GHz and temps won't pass 62C on prime95 w/ HT, maybe I can finally do 4GHz 24/7 on AIR!

4GHz is going to be a lot hotter, and I mean A LOT.

[Lukee]

If you are using 6 sticks of Ram are you going to need a higher VDimm or qpi/vtt voltage?

[ap4lifetn]

4GHz is going to be a lot hotter, and I mean A LOT.

heh, idle 36C, load 80-84C, my cores are split

[dejanh]

If you are using 6 sticks of Ram are you going to need a higher VDimm or qpi/vtt voltage?

I'm pretty sure that with 12GB I would have to tone down the OC, but I am quite confident that 1800MHz would still be quite possible. Maybe 1900MHz would be a bit much. I do not think that there would be much change to QPI/DRAM voltage, or any for that matter. DRAM voltage, I have no idea as it seemingly has no effect on anything for me, at least in all of the tests so far.

All in all, not planning on getting 12GB any time soon as 6GB is already more than I need and because there are still a ton of project that I do that involve using 32-bit Windows so there more than 3GB is all useless gravy.

heh, idle 36C, load 80-84C, my cores are split

Yeah, the temps are split for everyone generally. Core 1-2 tend to be hotter than cores 3-4, but I guess reverse is possible too...

[ReverendMaynard]

I'm pretty sure that with 12GB I would have to tone down the OC, but I am quite confident that 1800MHz would still be quite possible. Maybe 1900MHz would be a bit much. I do not think that there would be much change to QPI/DRAM voltage, or any for that matter. DRAM voltage, I have no idea as it seemingly has no effect on anything for me, at least in all of the tests so far.

All in all, not planning on getting 12GB any time soon as 6GB is already more than I need and because there are still a ton of project that I do that involve using 32-bit Windows so there more than 3GB is all useless gravy.



Yeah, the temps are split for everyone generally. Core 1-2 tend to be hotter than cores 3-4, but I guess reverse is possible too...

Mines a bit different. I get say 75C/70C/70C/68C.

[dejanh]

Mines a bit different. I get say 75C/70C/70C/68C.

Are you measuring under Vista or XP? In Vista mine split the way you said, but in XP they are roughly 2 high/2 low.

On a different note...you know, after playing with those memory OCs, what the heck is the point in buying the ultra expensive 1866MHz and 2000MHz kits? I can get this memory up to 1950MHz before loosing a channel, and I can actually run it at 2000MHz in dual-channel configuration. But 1900MHz triple-channel is plenty plenty fast already and requires only 1.43750V QPI/DRAM. Heck, even 1600MHz was fast. It makes me think that these manufacturers just take the same chips, test them at higher speed, slap on a rating sticker and release it as "brand new high-speed" memory. Maybe if I was willing to crank up the QPI/DRAM to 1.65V as required by the Dominator GT sticks I would be able to run triple-channel at 2000MHz with the 1600MHz sticks. Not going to try that though, ever

[rge]

For anyone considering cooling, my core i7 overclocks much better, either higher or with less voltage with cooler temps. At 26C ambient, max OC for running chess stress test was 21x212, and even that was barely stable with 1.64Vcore, up to 1.68v no help. 21x213 no boot, no matter what.

Open the windows and cooled the room to 12C, and then it ran chess stress test easily 10x in a row at 21x215 (trying to get max score) and needed only 1.65 vcore. 21x215 in cold was very stable, 21x212 at 26C even using same Vcore and other settings would barely run, constantly crashing.

Just tried running linpack, and could lower vcore 2 notches and make a successful 25 run by dropping temps 14C, where same settings at 26C always failed.

[dejanh]

For anyone considering cooling, my core i7 overclocks much better, either higher or with less voltage with cooler temps. At 26C ambient, max OC for running chess stress test was 21x212, and even that was barely stable with 1.64Vcore, up to 1.68v no help. 21x213 no boot, no matter what.

Open the windows and cooled the room to 12C, and then it ran chess stress test easily 10x in a row at 21x215 (trying to get max score) and needed only 1.65 vcore. 21x215 in cold was very stable, 21x212 at 26C even using same Vcore and other settings would barely run, constantly crashing.

Just tried running linpack, and could lower vcore 2 notches and make a successful 25 run by dropping temps 14C, where same settings at 26C always failed.

Yup, I noticed this too having used three separate i7 940s. Even on pure air the same thing happens if you just drop your temps. Even just 3C - 5C difference in ambient can mean stability over complete failure. That's also why I was saying that this new i7 940 I got should be able to go as high as 4.6GHz if temps can be kept under control.

Not every chip obviously reacts exactly the same, but all of the ones that I tried did at least...

[Hornet331]

Yup, I noticed this too having used three separate i7 940s. Even on pure air the same thing happens if you just drop your temps. Even just 3C - 5C difference in ambient can mean stability over complete failure. That's also why I was saying that this new i7 940 I got should be able to go as high as 4.6GHz if temps can be kept under control.

Not every chip obviously reacts exactly the same, but all of the ones that I tried did at least...

What about the IOH Temp?

Under load they can get quite high and if the increased bclck and the temp, it might be the source of the failure.

[rbuass]

I am trying the best with the Corei7 920...
The results are almost the same that i7 965








i am doing my best, but i think it s the better on the air

[rge]

IOH temp, either by software or IR, does not get much higher at 4.5 than 4.2 on mine, and at both are lower than all my early prime runs prior to putting a fan on IOH...which incidentally did nothing for stability...so not an issue on mine. But cpu temps go from 70's to near 100 from 4.2 to 4.5.

[SlackerXL]

Two new results with relatively low Vcore and overclocked Dominator 1600MHz sticks (6GB)...

First image is 22x180MHz (3960MHz), 1804MHz DRAM 8-8-7-20-1T, 1.30000V CPU, 1.35000V QPI/DRAM, 1.65681V DRAM (all BIOS settings). The configuration is both memtest and stress test stable.

i started using linx
after realizing prime was not enough to determine system stability
within a reasonable stress period. (can't afford priming for 10+ hours to see if its stable or not)

one question though
what "problem size" value is considered a rational setting?
i see in your screenshots using a size of 10000
the program on my system ιν 64bit mode can go up to 25000
which problem size do you find as reliable

thanx in advance

[Bullu$]

bios 1.3b6
222.5 x 19
HT > enabled
Turbo > disabled
Dram ratio 3
Vcpu > +0.31V
QPI > +0.18V
Cpu pll > 1.81V
DDR > 1.65V
IOH > 1.15V

[rge]

4.8Ghz with help of 4C outside temps with 1.68 vcore cpuz. (inside temps max is 4670)

http://valid.canardpc.com/show_oc.php?id=481012

[Aberration]

You have your radiator outside?

[rge]

You have your radiator outside?

Set my computer outside, wanted to see max in cold, but keyboard, mouse and monitor inside (wires though cracked door), no point in me freezing too

But after seeing the difference, I would not mind mounting the rad outside my window...except the cold season isnt long enough here.