Core i7/X58 Overclocking Thread

[Michael_R.]

great thread here, so much to learn for a newbe like me.
However I recognized, that all of you have a QPI Link Frequency of only 3600.
I do have 3800, does 3800 have any drawbacks?

[Michael_R.]

great thread here, so much to learn for a newbe like me.
However I recognized, that all of you have a QPI Link Frequency of only 3600.
I do have 3800, does 3800 have any drawbacks?

[foolycooly]

Hey guys,

First post for me. First system build also, and first time attempting to overclock. System setup:

i7 920 @ 3.6ghz (see below)
ASUS P6T V2
OCZ platinum 1600 @ 1440 7-7-7-18 1T timings
cm v8 cpu cooler

As you can see, I'm doing this on stock voltages. The temps seem to be my biggest limiting factor. They were idleing in the 39-43 range and load temps you can see below.

However, I just back to school this evening from my spring break and the ambient temps seem to be making a huge difference. It's quite cooler in this room, and i've been booted for about an hour and am idleing in the 35-37 range. Much more comfortable





Any problems you guys see running 24/7 at this? Passed 2+ hours of prime95 capping at 76ish. Looking for some feedback being my first time!

[DiscoTech]

I have these 3 in mind.

DFI H8, Gigabyte UD5, Biostar x58

Can you give me your opinion on which one to get if you were making a purchase today?

Thanks in advance!

[Pisklink]

great thread here, so much to learn for a newbe like me.
However I recognized, that all of you have a QPI Link Frequency of only 3600.
I do have 3800, does 3800 have any drawbacks?

It doens't have any drawbacks expect for the possibility that you need more voltage to run it at 3800+ speed. I can run QPI 3800+ with 1.35v which is still within Intel's spec. It will make your system faster as well and therefore you could give it a try. As a rule of thumb you should remember to run a uncore / QPI ratio of 8:9 (at stock this will be 3200:3600).

@ Foolycooly

What voltages are you using for that OC setting?

[foolycooly]

might be a little small in the picture, but as seen in the turbo v window, it is stock voltages...1.2v vcore and 1.2v qpi/dram. 1.6v ram

[Jakethesnake011]

Question
I had my Memory at multi of 4 and my uncore at 8, should I run my uncore at a multi of 9? I do not have option to change my QPI multi due to BIOS limit, but I believe it is running at 3300MHZ so with a base clack of 185 so a multi of 18? Sound right. Well anyways my system seems stable now at 3.9 with HT on and Turbo but I want to try and hit 3.9 with out turbo on. I believe max QPI is 1.35 and max Intel voltage is 1.375? Poor thing is my Mobo MSI Eclipse does not have the proper circuity for a sensor to read the Voltage, which sucks they dropped the ball here. But what is Default i7 920 QPI since I can not tell what mine is. I have been going with a default for this 920, of 1.12V, is that right? Sicne I have +0.100V added to that which makes 1.22V, or is 1.22 default for 920 so then I have QPI at 1.32V, which is a lot closer to Intel's max? I do not want to pump to much QPI voltage into the chip, but it will not boot or be stable at my 3.9 without it being +0.100V, and it has to be +0.180 for anything over 3.85 without turbo, so if the default is 1.22V that would make the QPI voltage 1.40, which is way to high for my liking.

[Chicken Patty]

Question
I had my Memory at multi of 4 and my uncore at 8, should I run my uncore at a multi of 9? I do not have option to change my QPI multi due to BIOS limit, but I believe it is running at 3300MHZ so with a base clack of 185 so a multi of 18? Sound right. Well anyways my system seems stable now at 3.9 with HT on and Turbo but I want to try and hit 3.9 with out turbo on. I believe max QPI is 1.35 and max Intel voltage is 1.375? Poor thing is my Mobo MSI Eclipse does not have the proper circuity for a sensor to read the Voltage, which sucks they dropped the ball here. But what is Default i7 920 QPI since I can not tell what mine is. I have been going with a default for this 920, of 1.12V, is that right? Sicne I have +0.100V added to that which makes 1.22V, or is 1.22 default for 920 so then I have QPI at 1.32V, which is a lot closer to Intel's max? I do not want to pump to much QPI voltage into the chip, but it will not boot or be stable at my 3.9 without it being +0.100V, and it has to be +0.180 for anything over 3.85 without turbo, so if the default is 1.22V that would make the QPI voltage 1.40, which is way to high for my liking.

DUDE RUN UNCORE AT 16X AND MEMORY AT 8. iF ANYTHING RUN MEMORY AT 6, BUT LEAVE UNCORE AT 16X.

[GoldenTiger]

Noob question: does Turbo run just one core @ 21x multi on an i7 920, or all four, when under full load? I.E. do I have to leave it off if I want a full-time overclock on all 4 cores?

[Splave]

depends on the board, Most leave turbo on all cores when enabled

[GoldenTiger]

depends on the board, Most leave turbo on all cores when enabled

It's an Asus P6T (vanilla, the new one).

Thanks ... extra multiplier will help if that's the case with this one .

[Jakethesnake011]

Why uncore at x16? I do have it set to a x16, but in bios it is telling me it is x8, and my memory is at x4 My BCLK is 185.5, and my NB freq is 2968, which works out to be a x16 multi. any possiblties on were it is getting the other x2 to add to the x8 in BIOS for uncore. Also I have my QPI link set to Auto and it is reading I guess at 6.6 gt/s in Memtest +86 when I do memory tests, now it I set my QPi link to 4.8 do you think I can cut some voltages off QPi and even CPU possibly?

[dejanh]

Why uncore at x16? I do have it set to a x16, but in bios it is telling me it is x8, and my memory is at x4 My BCLK is 185.5, and my NB freq is 2968, which works out to be a x16 multi. any possiblties on were it is getting the other x2 to add to the x8 in BIOS for uncore. Also I have my QPI link set to Auto and it is reading I guess at 6.6 gt/s in Memtest +86 when I do memory tests, now it I set my QPi link to 4.8 do you think I can cut some voltages off QPi and even CPU possibly?

Lower QPI link speed will likely not result in any temperature or voltage reductions.

[Pisklink]

might be a little small in the picture, but as seen in the turbo v window, it is stock voltages...1.2v vcore and 1.2v qpi/dram. 1.6v ram

I'm at work and pictures are blocked. Fortunately, I'm still able to visit XS. When you run your CPU at 3.6Ghz with the voltages as stated above you should be fine. These are far beneath the maximum rated Intel spec so don't worry, assuming your temps are fine as well (under 70 - 80 degrees to be sure).

[dMITIj]

might be a little small in the picture, but as seen in the turbo v window, it is stock voltages...1.2v vcore and 1.2v qpi/dram. 1.6v ram

Hello there foolycooly

Could you plz fillout a Bios Template so other ppl/me colud try your settings?

and fillout your computer spec.

thx

[dejanh]

Hello there foolycooly

Could you plz fillout a Bios Template so other ppl/me colud try your settings?

and fillout your computer spec.

thx

I've PMd you some OC settings that you can use. His 3.6GHz OC is quite easy to do and is the same on any board basically so check your message and try out the settings I sent.

[dMITIj]

I've PMd you some OC settings that you can use. His 3.6GHz OC is quite easy to do and is the same on any board basically so check your message and try out the settings I sent.

Hello m8.

thanks for the settings
but is that all i have to chance in BIOS? and nothing else?

what program do you use to test your OC with? intel burntest ore?

i only have a CM v8 for cooling right now so i thing 3600/3800Mhz will be to much of an OC at this time ore?

Best Regards.

[2slick4u]

I can only get my core i7 920 to oc to 3.3ghz at stable temperatures...
i tried ocing to 4.2ghz it loaded windows but it was unstable and temperature was way too high..
Even at 3.6ghz I'm having trouble getting it stable..Temperatures were still pretty high at 3.6ghz..
Any ideas?
My motherboard is Asus P6T Deluxe V2 with the latest bios and running it with noctua nh-u12p / 2 120mm fans cpu cooler

[dMITIj]

I can only get my core i7 920 to oc to 3.3ghz at stable temperatures...
i tried ocing to 4.2ghz it loaded windows but it was unstable and temperature was way too high..
Even at 3.6ghz I'm having trouble getting it stable..Temperatures were still pretty high at 3.6ghz..
Any ideas?
My motherboard is Asus P6T Deluxe V2 with the latest bios and running it with noctua nh-u12p / 2 120mm fans cpu cooler

how are your temps at loade? i send you a pm

[2slick4u]

right now i'm running 3.5ghz. so far stable..
temp full load 72 running prime95 right now haha
thx man
i dunno if i can push 3.6ghz
i tried 4ghz wasnt stable at all lol

[ewitte]

My temps at 2.67Ghz 0.95v and the stock cooler were slightly higher than 3.8Ghz 1.145v on the Coolermaster V8. System currently down for water cooling installation Keep in mind on the i7 you shouldn't have any stability issues because of temperatures until about 80-85C. When its that high though you may need an extra 1% or so on the vcore.

[dejanh]

Hello m8.

thanks for the settings
but is that all i have to chance in BIOS? and nothing else?

what program do you use to test your OC with? intel burntest ore?

i only have a CM v8 for cooling right now so i thing 3600/3800Mhz will be to much of an OC at this time ore?

Best Regards.

Check your PM again.

right now i'm running 3.5ghz. so far stable..
temp full load 72 running prime95 right now haha
thx man
i dunno if i can push 3.6ghz
i tried 4ghz wasnt stable at all lol

You should be okay with temps and air cooling up to about 3.8GHz. You should not need more than 1.3V for 3.8GHz even if you have a bad chip. Try using 200MHz BCLK and 19x multiplier.

[1MaNArmY]

I can only get my core i7 920 to oc to 3.3ghz at stable temperatures...
i tried ocing to 4.2ghz it loaded windows but it was unstable and temperature was way too high..
Even at 3.6ghz I'm having trouble getting it stable..Temperatures were still pretty high at 3.6ghz..
Any ideas?
My motherboard is Asus P6T Deluxe V2 with the latest bios and running it with noctua nh-u12p / 2 120mm fans cpu cooler

What's the batch # of your core i7?

[dejanh]

What's the batch # of your core i7?

If you want decent batches try to get 3836Axxx, 3841A, most 38xxB batches...

I know personally that 3835A was really bad for me, and 3838B was not good either...

Check your private messages by the way

[1MaNArmY]

how are your temps at loade? i send you a pm

can you send me a PM of your settings?
I am currently building a system with the following
CORE I7 Batch 3841A525
ASUS P6T Deluxe V2
6G Corsair Dominator DDR/1600
LG H20L Bluray/HD-DVD drive
640G WD Caviar Black
500G Seagate Baracuda
ThermalRight Ultra Extreme-120
Corsair 1000 W PSU
eVGA 8800GT SC (to be replaced)
Vista 64 Bit Home Premium