Considering overclocking i7-930 for first time

[ITGL72]

I've run a PC with an i7-930 for about two years now. I've built this, and many a PC but never overclocked. Everything is stock cooling except for arctic silver thermal paste on CPU when I assembled it. Considering trying to get it over the 3GHZ barrier. Is it feasible to raise this CPU's speed with the current cooling? Is it worth even to try? Suggestions, comments, thank you.

 

[Rifter]

I would say you are ok if you keep the voltage stock. If you raise the voltage get a better cooler.

 

[Ferzerp]

I ran a 930 at 4Ghz for a few years, but I had an H50. It was slightly under stock voltage and temp peak was mid 70's.

 

[KentState]

My 920 ran at 4Ghz without any issues but that was with a Noctua. However, going only to 3Ghz isn't much and the stock cooler should be able to handle it.

 

[Joseph F]

I wouldn't bother trying to OC it with the stock cooler.
Just invest the $30, or so to get a CM Hyper 212+.

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

3.8 should be effortless with improved cooling. Hitting 4ghz isn't too bad, but finding a decent stable voltage will definitely increase heat a LOT compared to 3.8. I have to run like 1.29-1.30V to hit 4ghz, and I swear my processor is a heater.

 

[Rifter]

3.8 should be effortless with improved cooling. Hitting 4ghz isn't too bad, but finding a decent stable voltage will definitely increase heat a LOT compared to 3.8. I have to run like 1.29-1.30V to hit 4ghz, and I swear my processor is a heater.

Yeah my 930@4.2 hits 90c load temps in the summer. They run hot but they can take the heat, mine has never throttled due to heat.

 

[Termie]

I've run a PC with an i7-930 for about two years now. I've built this, and many a PC but never overclocked. Everything is stock cooling except for arctic silver thermal paste on CPU when I assembled it. Considering trying to get it over the 3GHZ barrier. Is it feasible to raise this CPU's speed with the current cooling? Is it worth even to try? Suggestions, comments, thank you.

The other posts above will give you some idea of what the limits of the CPU are. For your purposes, though, I don't think you need to worry too much about heat.

Set your BCLK to 143. You'll be at 3.0 and I'm almost certain you won't have to touch any voltages or worry about overheating. If your memory is 1066 or 1333, you'll need to reduce the memory multiplier from 10 to 8 to keep it in spec.

 

[tigersty1e]

depends on the cpu temps.

it doesn't matter what cooler is attached. your cpu doesn't know what cooler is attached.

just blast all your fans to max and start overclocking.

 

[bleucharm28]

OC to 3.8 should be easy peasy. Due to warmer weather, my temp reaches low 80's. But what's more important is stablities. I use LinX to test for stability, run it couple times and I call it good.

 

[RaistlinZ]

Put a decent HSF on it if you want to do some real overclocking. Otherwise, 3.5Ghz should be fine with the stock cooler as long as your room is cool and your case has decent airflow.

 

[ITGL72]

These are great replies. Thanks! I'm going to start looking over some decent coolers for the CPU. I have a decent HAF case, so I feel good about that. Have some reading to do.

 

[Carlitos714]

You can do it with stock cooler but I woukdnt. Find a decent cooler and get 3.8 GHz. What do you do with your pc? Games? Pic/video work?

 

[Don Karnage]

Change the bclk to 150 and reboot. Going higher will require other small changes and the stock cooler is fine till 3.6ghz

 

[Ben90]

I was running 4Ghz on the stock cooler for about 2 years until I broke one of the pushpins.

 

[ITGL72]

You can do it with stock cooler but I woukdnt. Find a decent cooler and get 3.8 GHz. What do you do with your pc? Games? Pic/video work?

Its a gamer, the only stutter I ever really see is in higher end flight/combat sims, or 60 man BF3 when there is intense action all around, other than that it still runs well.

I do do some video as well.

 

[Carlitos714]

Here is a BIOS template. Its for an EVGA Classified so it might be different to your board. Just delete what you dont need/add what you have. Get that cooler. Also find out your CPU's VID

Mother Board ( EVGA X58 Classified E-759 )
Drivers ( 1025 )
Bios ( 49 )
CPU ( 975EE ) (with 920's please also add the stepping CO or DO)
CPU Cooler ( Heat Killer 3.0 )
Memory ( Corsair Dominator GTX 2250 8 8 8 24 1t )
PSU ( Corsair HX1000W )
GPU ( GTX295 Co-op X 2 )
Drivers ( 190.56 )
Operating System ( Windows 7 64 Ultimate )


Frequency Control
CPU Clock Ratio ( 31X )
CPU Host Frequency (Mhz) ( 142 )
MCH Strap ( Auto )
CPU Uncore Frequency (Mhz) ( 4156Mhz { 29X } )
CPU Clock Skew ( 0 ps )
Spread Spectrum ( Disabled )
PCIE Frequency (Mhz) ( 102 ) If using SSDs, Check with your SSD manufacturer before raising above 100.

Memory Feature
Memory Speed ( Standard )
Memory Control Setting ( Enabled )
Memory Frequency ( 1866Mhz / 2:14 )
Channel Interleave Setting ( 6 Way )
Rank Interleave Setting ( 4 Way )
Memory Low Gap ( 2.5 )
tCL Setting ( 8 )
tRCD Setting ( 8 )
tRP Setting ( 8 )
tRAS Setting ( 24 )
tRFC Setting ( 88 )
Command Rate ( 1t )


Voltage Control
EVGA VDroop Control ( Without VDroop )
CPU VCore ( 1.40 )
CPU VTT Voltage ( +275 )
CPU PLL VCore ( 1.350 )
**IOH PLL VCore ( 1.350 )
DIMM Voltage ( 1.65 )
DIMM DQ Vref ( +0mV )
QPI PLL VCore ( 1.275 )
IOH VCore ( Auto )
IOH/ICH I/O Voltage ( Auto )
**BR04 ( NF200) Voltage ( 1.40 ) (only on E-759)
**VTT PWM Frequency ( 250 KHZ )
**CPU PWM Frequency ( 800 KHZ )
**CPU Impedance ( Less )
**QPI Signal Compensation ( Less )
ICH VCore ( Auto )
*PWM Frequency ( Not Used on Classified )


CPU Feature
Intel SpeedStep ( Disabled )
Turbo Mode Function ( Enabled )
CxE Function ( Disabled )
Execute Disable Bit ( Disabled )
Virtualization Technology ( Disabled )
Intel HT Technology ( Enabled )
Active Processor Cores ( All )
QPI Control Settings ( Enabled )
QPI Link Fast Mode ( Enabled )
QPI Frequency Selection ( 6.400 GT/s )
OC Recovery ( Disabled )
Turbo Performance ( Disabled )

PnP/PCI PCI Express
Maximum Payload Size ( 4096 )

Power Management Setup
ACPI Suspend Type ( S3 )
HPET Support ( Enabled )
HPET Mode ( 64-bit )

 

[ITGL72]

So, I've tinkered with this overclocking activity now on and off during the last weeks. I feel more comfortable with it than I did when I started. PC has been running most everything I send at it pretty well. I don't always leave it OC'd though due to cooling. Its not outrageously hot, but, I'm at the point where I'll feel better with a little better cooling to the CPU.


Luckily, my HAF case allows me access to the bottom of the motherboard so I do not have to remove it to add a different cooling option.

I'll start researching, but any recommendations for a quality, fairly priced CPU cooling option for a 930 running in the neighborhood of 3.5 (or less) please do share.

Thanks for all of your help thus far on this forum, great!

 

[Rifter]

CM 212+ is about the best option out there for a budget cooler. Or you can go baller and grab a NH-D14 like me

 

[pantsaregood]

Run at 166•21. Default is 133•21. 25% OC, and shouldn't take too much extra voltage. You'll be at 3.5 GHz.

 

[fluffmonster]

I run my 920 at 166bclk with a slight undervolt. No need to change the ram multiplier if you have 1333 ram or better either. If heat is a big concern, turn off hyperthreading.

 

[ITGL72]

Phew! Been busy, in a final semester of a college experience here and just ordering parts. I picked up the Cooler Master Hyper 212 Plus.

 

[SocketF]

Dont forget to overclock the Uncore / L3. Especially games like it.

It is connected to the RAM clock, DDR3-1333 will e.g. yield 2666 MHz Uncore clock. If you don't have DDR3-1600, let the Uncore run @3200.

 

[Jacky60]

What is the rest of your system. If it's not a dell or something built on the cheap I'd buy a decent cooler (Noctua 12 etc) and do it. I've been at 4ghz on my 920 for 3 years. It's really straightforward and good fun. 3Ghz is a pretty pathetic overclock to shoot for I'm not sure you'll much notice it. Conversely I can immediately tell if my cpu has reverted to 2.6ghz ( e.g.after several crashes when messing with my gpu overclock) when gaming as the overclock give me a 40% higher frame rate.And make sure your PCI stays at 100mhz.