Help with Simple O.C. - Can't get i7920 Past 3.0

[Bassman2003]

Hello,

Sorry for another O.C. thread, but there is so much info on the web that it is hard to narrow down my situation.

I just want a stable, cool 3.2Ghz

First, here is my rig:

i7 920 - D0
Gigabyte EX58-UD5 - f7 Bios
12Gb Cruical Ballistixs DDR 31600
Scythe Mugen 2
ATI 4850
6 SATA hard drives
Antec 650w power supply

I have tried some settings in the BIOS like just changing the blck to 160 and the computer restarts before it gets to windows. When I go into the BIOS a red waring shows up telling me the settings were changed.

So I tried the Easy tune software from Gigbyte. This works for 3.0 but when I select the 3.2 setting it does not ever get to Windows.

So is there some overidding setting that I am missing here?

This processor is supposed to be such an easy O.C. that I purchased it expecting to get 3.2Ghz easily.

Thanks for your help!

 

[aigomorla]

...

are you touching voltages at all?

 

[nyker96]

did you run say OCCT/prime95 just to see what temperature you get, I mean maybe you didn't mount the HSF correctly. yes with your setup you can do even 3,6 easily and cooly.

 

[Bassman2003]

So far all I have done is try to change the blck to 160. I had read this should be possible as the only change.

The voltage of the CPU is at 1.30

It seems I have read that many people have the voltage set at 1.21 or 1.25. Why would my default voltage be higher? And should I go lower?

CoreTemp64 shows my four cores running from 38 to 40C (this is at 3.0Ghz) So I would think the cooler is doing its job.

Thanks for your help

 

[aigomorla]

i need to know your QPI / DRAM voltage

Your VTT

Is your vcore 1.30? is that under load?
Giggy's all have a bad vdroop and no load line calibration.

 

[Bassman2003]

Thanks for your help.

QPI - 5.4 GHz
VTT/QPI Voltage - 1.175v
DDR Voltage - 1.5v

Load Line Calibration - Disabled

 

[nyker96]

So far all I have done is try to change the blck to 160. I had read this should be possible as the only change.

The voltage of the CPU is at 1.30

It seems I have read that many people have the voltage set at 1.21 or 1.25. Why would my default voltage be higher? And should I go lower?

CoreTemp64 shows my four cores running from 38 to 40C (this is at 3.0Ghz) So I would think the cooler is doing its job.

Thanks for your help

how about use OCCT and put a full load on it and see if it goes about 75C. if not then your HSF is ok, it's a settings issue. just post your full BIOS settings here so people can help with your settings, not to worry you already got the parts that can go very high, just a matter of working out the BIOS settings here. the setup is solid.

 

[Bassman2003]

Hello,

I ran the OCCT tool for two short tests and my temps did not leave the mid forty's.

OCCT reported my vCore as 1.33

 

[rolodomo]

QPI - 5.4 GHz

Whoa, QPI at 5.4 GHz? I thought the real world maximum was 4.0 GHz. Even if your hardware could do it, that's not a good staring point for your first "simple" overclock attempt. I would double check your QPI (and all other) mutlipliers. Please post your relevant BIOS settings.

 

[Bassman2003]

Whoa, QPI at 5.4 GHz? I thought the real world maximum was 4.0 GHz. Even if your hardware could do it, that's not a good staring point for your first "simple" overclock attempt. I would double check your QPI (and all other) mutlipliers. Please post your relevant BIOS settings.

This setting defaults at 4.8 and it seems to go higher with a multiple change of other settings.

The settings I listed are With the EasyTune overclock @ 3.00 GHz

 

[rolodomo]

This setting defaults at 4.8 and it seems to go higher with a multiple change of other settings.

The settings I listed are With the EasyTune overclock @ 3.00 GHz

Ok, that must be the QPI transer rate (GT/s), not frequency (GHz), in which case it is ok.

I would also check your memory. You have 12 GB, which generally limits the O.C. If you're using six modules, you might want to take three out during O.C. tests. In addition, check whether the easy tune is pushing it past 1600, in which case you might be brushing against your memory's reliable frequency limit at default timings. Also, your default voltage of 1.5 should be viewed as a minimum for any O.C. Also, make sure the default memory timings chosen by BIOS (e.g., XMP profile) actually correspond to your advertised memory timings.

 

[Bassman2003]

Hello,

The ram I have has timings of 8-8-8-24 which the BIOS has set as well.

The ram freq. defaults to I think 1064 in the bios but went up to 1284 after the 3.0 overclock.

Is there a way to report the bios settings from windows?

How else do you post all of the settings?

 

[aigomorla]

Thanks for your help.

QPI - 5.4 GHz
VTT/QPI Voltage - 1.175v
DDR Voltage - 1.5v

Load Line Calibration - Disabled

Ummm... set QPI at the lowest possible you can set it at.

Set VTT @ 1.3
Set DDR Voltage @ 1.60

Reboot and see what happens.

The first thing you should notice is your CPU will be a LOT hotter.

 

[Bassman2003]

Ummm... set QPI at the lowest possible you can set it at.

Set VTT @ 1.3
Set DDR Voltage @ 1.60

Reboot and see what happens.

The first thing you should notice is your CPU will be a LOT hotter.

Please explain why I would want to see if the CPU is a lot hotter!

I would like to keep this a cool setup. If it needs to be hot I do not want to do it.

Thanks

 

[kami]

Overclocking isn't supposed to be about cool temperatures, especially with a scorcher like the i7 920. Also he was just suggesting settings as a starting point to see if you can boot up at 3.2ghz, it doesn't mean you need to keep them.

Like others have mentioned try doing it with 3 ram sticks. My other thoughts are it could be a motherboard issue but I understand access to another x58 board probably isn't an option.

In the end, you may have just gotten a poor chip (poor for a D0 anyway).

 

[aigomorla]

Please explain why I would want to see if the CPU is a lot hotter!

I would like to keep this a cool setup. If it needs to be hot I do not want to do it.

Thanks

uhh do you know how cpu's work?

As they get loaded, meaning as work is applied to them, they draw current.
Current is not 100% utilized so it gets shed off as heat.

Heat is what needs to get removed.

The faster the cpu is working, more current it will draw, and more heat will also be released.

So how do you expect to get your cpu faster without the price you need to pay for it?
Ok..

From you asking this question.. DONT CHANGE YOUR BIOS.
I figured you had some general background info on overclocking.

Read an i7 overclocking guide b4 you play with your bios.
You dont seem to understand the basics in overclocking, and that can be VERY dangerous.

 

[Bassman2003]

Whoa there.

Thanks for your help, but no thanks for the baseless accusations. Please dial back your attitude as I am well aware of thermal properties.

There is a difference between adding some temperature and making my CPU "a lot hotter"

The system is running at 3.0GHZ right now and is pretty cool by most standards.

Why would moving to 3.2GHz turn it into a super hot system all of the sudden?

I was just reacting to your phrase " a lot hotter".

I know heat is part of the equation, but I live in Texas and I don't want a hot case/room, so I guess I should ask, can I get 3.2 without a lot of heat?

As to my experience, I have never overclocked but have been building my systems for over 8 years. So I am familiar with a lot of it but never have done it.

 

[Stealth Dzzl]

Your default vcore is pretty high, i have 2 i7 920 co's and both had a default of around 1.2. once you start fine tuning u should be able to get that down to around 1.22-1.25 depending on ur cpu, and that should help keep temps cool. 2: i would probly do what aigomoria said up ur qpi voltage to 1.3 and ur dram to 1.6, thats a good place to start. Most important is make sure that ur uclk frequency is at least double ur dram frequency ie, if ur ram is running @1600 then ur uclk should be at least 3200(double)(dont ask me y just has to be) And it is a good idea to keep ur qpi link at the lowest available setting. If these setting work then u can start fine tuning and try and get ur voltages to the lowest stable settings. Try to bring down ur vcore a few increments reboot and stress test, then try a little more until it fails stress test then set it back to last stable setting, same for qpi voltage, as for the dram voltage i would leave at 1.6 to keep the 12 gigs stable. Then you can start tinkering with timings i had my 9-9-9-24 at 7-7-7-20 stable at 1.62. GOOD LUCK

 

[aigomorla]

Whoa there.

Thanks for your help, but no thanks for the baseless accusations. Please dial back your attitude as I am well aware of thermal properties.

There is a difference between adding some temperature and making my CPU "a lot hotter"

The system is running at 3.0GHZ right now and is pretty cool by most standards.

Why would moving to 3.2GHz turn it into a super hot system all of the sudden?

I was just reacting to your phrase " a lot hotter".

I know heat is part of the equation, but I live in Texas and I don't want a hot case/room, so I guess I should ask, can I get 3.2 without a lot of heat?

As to my experience, I have never overclocked but have been building my systems for over 8 years. So I am familiar with a lot of it but never have done it.

because i just ramped your VTT voltage higher.
Your system cant maintain its OC probably because of the lack of VTT current to it in its termination.

By increasing it, 1.3 its still below the safety book @ 1.375 but higher then that u had it at stock.

So yes i expect about a 5-10C increase in core temps for the stability required.

Your cpu will get hotter regardless of clock when you increase voltage.
Your cpu will also get hotter regardless of votlage if its clock is set higher.

What your doing is both.. so yes i consider it a lot hotter.

Its a never winning game of thermo. :T

 

[Hyperlite]

how does it go...temp increases linearly with frequency and exponentially with voltage?

 

[aigomorla]

how does it go...temp increases linearly with frequency and exponentially with voltage?

i think thats how it went.. Or voltage is a factor of 2x.

im not 100% sure.

But the key in cooling things down is first voltage, then ease on the clock.

 

[Bassman2003]

I tried the few changes you mentioned:

QPI - lowest it would go is 5.4
VTT - 1.3
DDR Voltage 1.6
BLCK - 160

It did not work. The system restarted before posting.

Don't know why I got the only 920 in the world that does not want to overclock past 3.0GHz but without someone who knows more than I do being here, I don't feel comfortable experimenting with my rig.

So thanks for your help but I think I will take my cool 3.0GHz and keep it at that.