Need Help OC'ing i7 990X!

[Baasha]

So I got my 990X last week and am supremely happy with it so far.

I tried to OC it for the first time today and my previous CPU was the i7 950.

Never had a Gulftown (32nm) chip before and I've heard they are more finicky than the "regular" i7 series chips when it comes to OC'ing (?).

Can you guys suggest any good Gulftown specific, or even better, an i7 990X, OC'ing guide(s)?

I tried to OC to 4.46GHz on AIR (Noctua NH-D14) @ 1.29V v-core and 1.30V QPI/DRAM voltage.

My multiplier is 33 and my Bus Speed is 135 MHz. My DRAM voltage is set to 1.66v which is perfectly fine for 1600MHz Dominators (12GB). My memory is actually running at 1624MHz with this clock.

I have SpeedStep, HyperThreading, LoadLine Calibration ON. Everything else is pretty much on AUTO.

MY MoBo is the Asus P6T7 WS Supercomputer.

I was able to OC my i7 950 to 4.2GHz @ 1.28V v-core and was perfectly stable.

I would like to get 4.6-4.8 GHz with my 990X and I hear others are doing it (on AIR cooling)!

My main concern is the V-Core. Is it safe to push the v-core of the 990X above 1.30V? The color turns PURPLE in the BIOS once I push beyond 1.30V and so I haven't done that yet. Also, the QPI/DRAM (QPI/VTT) voltage is already PURPLE at 1.30V.

What is a safe V-core and QPI/DRAM voltage for the 990X? What I mean is this: I want to keep this CPU (and my system) for several years to come. I want flawless performance and absolute stability (more or less). So I want a really good stable overclock. I usually shut down my computer at night and never leave it on 24/7.

My tasks on the PC are: gaming, video/photo editing, 3D modeling, and other general stuff.

Please help me OC my 990X to 4.6GHz and beyond with stability.

Thanks.

 

[Castiel]

Going to need hefty voltage for 4.8Ghz with the gulftown. Safe voltage for 32nm is around 1.375v for daily use. Anything more and you're pushing it.

Should be able to push 4.4Ghz+ with 1.34v. Just go into the bios, Select 34X multi, Bclk 133, Cpu Vcore 1.34v, Reboot

 

[Baasha]

Going to need hefty voltage for 4.8Ghz with the gulftown. Safe voltage for 32nm is around 1.375v for daily use. Anything more and you're pushing it.

Should be able to push 4.4Ghz+ with 1.34v. Just go into the bios, Select 34X multi, Bclk 133, Cpu Vcore 1.34v, Reboot

Well, I'm at 4.46GHz right now with 1.29v.

What about the QPI/DRAM voltage? Leave that @ 1.30v?

And what about the fact that even multipliers are supposedly quirky.. should I just try 35 and 133?

 

[Rubycon]

Overclocking is a lottery. Some chips are winners, others not.
Expecting 4.6 - 4.8 on air is stretching things - a lot! Booting windows and running a benchmark and actually being stable are two different things.

These chips also prefer odd multipliers.
Don't worry too much about the voltages - keep it at 1.4 or lower on both VTT and VCORE. (unless temps get too high - 75C under typical loads means it could reach 85-90C under full stress (LinX). Some people feel that is too high. 100C is where it will throttle back. If you reach that while stress testing back off or consider better cooling. Your air cooler is near or at the top of the food chain for air as it is.

Realistically with air you're looking at a 4.2 (21x200) overclock for 24/7 stability - true stability! Unless you have a gem that will do 4.6 at 1.35 volts. None of the 990s I had were that good but a 980 and W5680 (Xeon) was! Go figure.

Well, I'm at 4.46GHz right now with 1.29v. That's good but how are you proving stability?

What about the QPI/DRAM voltage? Leave that @ 1.30v? Lower is better but you could still be unstable under stress. Raise it as needed keeping it slightly under vcore if possible.

And what about the fact that even multipliers are supposedly quirky.. should I just try 35 and 133? That's quite a stretch. Try it and see if it's stable!

 

[Baasha]

Overclocking is a lottery. Some chips are winners, others not.
Expecting 4.6 - 4.8 on air is stretching things - a lot! Booting windows and running a benchmark and actually being stable are two different things.

These chips also prefer odd multipliers.
Don't worry too much about the voltages - keep it at 1.4 or lower on both VTT and VCORE. (unless temps get too high - 75C under typical loads means it could reach 85-90C under full stress (LinX). Some people feel that is too high. 100C is where it will throttle back. If you reach that while stress testing back off or consider better cooling. Your air cooler is near or at the top of the food chain for air as it is.

Realistically with air you're looking at a 4.2 (21x200) overclock for 24/7 stability - true stability! Unless you have a gem that will do 4.6 at 1.35 volts. None of the 990s I had were that good but a 980 and W5680 (Xeon) was! Go figure.

interesting.. I just tried 135x35 (4.725GHz) @ 1.34v (v-core) and 1.3v (QPI/DRAM). I was able to boot and started OCCT. Around 23 mins into it, it quacked and said, "Error detected on core #3".

 

[happy medium]

interesting.. I just tried 135x35 (4.725GHz) @ 1.34v (v-core) and 1.3v (QPI/DRAM). I was able to boot and started OCCT. Around 23 mins into it, it quacked and said, "Error detected on core #3".

What was your temps like when it "quacked". You sound close to stable to me.

 

[betasub]

The color turns PURPLE in the BIOS once I push beyond 1.30V and so I haven't done that yet. Also, the QPI/DRAM (QPI/VTT) voltage is already PURPLE at 1.30V.

If you worried about PURPLE, what are you going to do if you are advised to use settings that turn RED?

 

[Diogenes2]

interesting.. I just tried 135x35 (4.725GHz) @ 1.34v (v-core) and 1.3v (QPI/DRAM). I was able to boot and started OCCT. Around 23 mins into it, it quacked and said, "Error detected on core #3".

Try 1.35 ..

 

[Baasha]

What was your temps like when it "quacked". You sound close to stable to me.

My temps were around 60-62C when it quacked.

 

[Baasha]

Also, a really weird thing that I saw was that in CPU-Z, my Core Speed is 4465.1MHz but when I ran Unigine Heaven 2.5 Benchmark, the results screen showed my CPU as 3.512GHz. I then ran Cinebench 11.5 and in the description of the results, it again showed the CPU as 3.512GHz. WTF? Why would it show the CPU at a much lower speed when it is actually at 4.46GHz??

If I try 1.35V for v-core, what voltage should I make the QPI/DRAM?

 

[Blitz KriegeR]

It has to do with how the programs reads your CPU speed. Some of them read your stock multi and just assume it has never changed, hence an incorrect reading. As long as CPU-Z is solid I would just disregard all the other ones.

 

[aigomorla]

I would like to get 4.6-4.8 GHz with my 990X and I hear others are doing it (on AIR cooling)!

Thanks.

Da hell on air? for 24/7?

Id really like to see that.

4.5-4.6ghz is where most people top out regardless of what medium your on unless you have a spectacular chip.

I am currently @ 4.5 and Under top tier water.


Try to mess with bclk as little as possible.
This is a EE cpu, so you got full multi unlocked all across the board.
Use the multi's


VTT will be required to get a clock that high as well, however VTT is what kills these guys.
Your 950 is honestly a Tank compared to these gulftowns.

Ive seen 980's degrade after 1 intense overclocking session. Thats how fragile these puppy's are with voltage.

 

[Rubycon]

Don't even worry about those colors. On the REXIII one finds the voltages can be raised much higher before the color changes.

Seriously overclockers laugh at that voltage. When you get into the 1.45-1.5v range is when you have to start worrying. Forget about that on air, however.

Sounds like you have a good chip though. You could probably do 200x21 (4.2GHz) with 1.2 ish volts. Cool and near silent and should last forever. (in CPU years anyhow)

Ive seen 980's degrade after 1 intense overclocking session. Thats how fragile these puppy's are with voltage.

1.88V / 6.66GHz Cascade

 

[Baasha]

Da hell on air? for 24/7?

Id really like to see that.

4.5-4.6ghz is where most people top out regardless of what medium your on unless you have a spectacular chip.

I am currently @ 4.5 and Under top tier water.

Yea I was really surprised at first as well but they certainly are out there.

The thing is, I'm not sure they are 24/7 clocks. I'm sure the 5GHz+ on air are most definitely NOT 24/7 but there seem to quite a few around 4.6-4.8GHz.

Try to mess with bclk as little as possible.
This is a EE cpu, so you got full multi unlocked all across the board.
Use the multi's

This is what I thought too. In fact, I would like to know if changing the multi is better or BCLK. I've heard increasing the BCLK changes a lot of things in the system whereas the multi only affects the CPU (?).

For example, Rubycon is suggesting I do 200x21 (which is what I did on my 950 ) but for 990X, wouldn't it be better to leave the BCLK at 133 or maybe 135 and just bump the multi? What's the difference and which method is better/safer?

VTT will be required to get a clock that high as well, however VTT is what kills these guys.
Your 950 is honestly a Tank compared to these gulftowns.

Ive seen 980's degrade after 1 intense overclocking session. Thats how fragile these puppy's are with voltage.

Right, my VTT (QPI/DRAM) is at 1.30V right now. If needed, 1.35V VTT should be safe right? It still shows PURPLE in BIOS for 1.35v VTT.

I will have to play with this today and will update this thread as I tweak and tune my OC.

 

[Baasha]

Don't even worry about those colors. On the REXIII one finds the voltages can be raised much higher before the color changes.

Seriously overclockers laugh at that voltage. When you get into the 1.45-1.5v range is when you have to start worrying. Forget about that on air, however.

Sounds like you have a good chip though. You could probably do 200x21 (4.2GHz) with 1.2 ish volts. Cool and near silent and should last forever. (in CPU years anyhow)

So you're saying anything 1.4v and under is pretty safe on AIR? I will try to stick to 1.35v for both v-core and QPI/DRAM voltages and see what I can get...

Also, as I mentioned in my previous post to aigo, you suggest increasing the BCLK to 200 but since this is the 990X, isn't it easier and safer to just bump the multi and leave the BCLK near "stock"?

 

[Baasha]

It has to do with how the programs reads your CPU speed. Some of them read your stock multi and just assume it has never changed, hence an incorrect reading. As long as CPU-Z is solid I would just disregard all the other ones.

thanks for that.. I was getting freaked out unnecessarily.. LOL..

 

[Diogenes2]

...The thing is, I'm not sure they are 24/7 clocks. I'm sure the 5GHz+ on air are most definitely NOT 24/7 but there seem to quite a few around 4.6-4.8GHz.

If you are seeing ' quite a few ' of these around, are they not revealing how they got there ?

 

[Baasha]

If you are seeing ' quite a few ' of these around, are they not revealing how they got there ?

Most of them aren't...

look at this thread: http://www.overclock.net/intel-cpus/949819-my-new-990x-temps.html#post12664149

there are two guys with 990X @ 5.0GHz+.. one is on AIR and I'm not sure about the other guy (sti06)... his vcore is 1.45v so I assume that has to be water..

the Strider guy is doing it on air and has the SAME cooler (Noctua) as I do!

His vcore for that is 1.504v in CPU-Z: http://valid.canardpc.com/show_oc.php?id=1697979

I think that is WAY too high but I don't want 5GHz... I'm looking for 4.6-4.8GHz stable..

 

[aigomorla]

For example, Rubycon is suggesting I do 200x21 (which is what I did on my 950 ) but for 990X, wouldn't it be better to leave the BCLK at 133 or maybe 135 and just bump the multi? What's the difference and which method is better/safer?

yes, because we have an unlocked QPI, unlocked Ram divider, unlocked multi, unlocked MT/s selector even.

There is nothing locked with our cpu, so pushing the bclk to its limits and stressing the IMC along with the board is absolutely pointless on a EE cpu.

Also using the bclk @ or near stock gives better overall latency. This is from everyone i talked to at GooC.

So your just best off using those multi's and then very fine tuning with bclk after you used up the multi's.


The only downside is you will never have windows report your correct speed.
Well, all other programs will, but windows itself wont, because windows doesnt recognize cpu multi's higher then your cpu's stock.

Example.. if your cpu is a 10x100 = 1ghz EE cpu.... even if you did 40x100 = 4000, windows will say ur running 1ghz.. lol.... it does pick up the bclk reading tho, which is kinda funny.


Basha it comes down to this.. how long do you expect to use your cpu?
For me, i like them to last as long as possible because i give them out to my friends or family after i upgrade.
So I tend to say i use realistic voltages at all times, because, once again... i like to give nice stuff and not soon to be broken stuff.
(unfortunately gillbot will tell you he has yet to receive something that isnt slightly broken from me... )

Ive killed 2 gulfy's.... both which were A0, and have had a B0 and a B1.
The B0 is still running strong, shows no signs of degredation at all. And its owner right now is very happy with it.
The B1 i am on right now, and its also shown no degradation since... i believe last year November. :X (oh man this 990X had a very long run.)

It boils down to this.. is those extra few 100ghz which u probably wont even see, really worth a few years into life on that cpu?
Do you even care?

 

[Baasha]

yes, because we have an unlocked QPI, unlocked Ram divider, unlocked multi, unlocked MT/s selector even.

There is nothing locked with our cpu, so pushing the bclk to its limits and stressing the IMC along with the board is absolutely pointless on a EE cpu.

Also using the bclk @ or near stock gives better overall latency. This is from everyone i talked to at GooC.

So your just best off using those multi's and then very fine tuning with bclk after you used up the multi's.


The only downside is you will never have windows report your correct speed.
Well, all other programs will, but windows itself wont, because windows doesnt recognize cpu multi's higher then your cpu's stock.

Example.. if your cpu is a 10x100 = 1ghz EE cpu.... even if you did 40x100 = 4000, windows will say ur running 1ghz.. lol.... it does pick up the bclk reading tho, which is kinda funny.


Basha it comes down to this.. how long do you expect to use your cpu?
For me, i like them to last as long as possible because i give them out to my friends or family after i upgrade.
So I tend to say i use realistic voltages at all times, because, once again... i like to give nice stuff and not soon to be broken stuff.
(unfortunately gillbot will tell you he has yet to receive something that isnt slightly broken from me... )

Ive killed 2 gulfy's.... both which were A0, and have had a B0 and a B1.
The B0 is still running strong, shows no signs of degredation at all. And its owner right now is very happy with it.
The B1 i am on right now, and its also shown no degradation since... i believe last year November. :X (oh man this 990X had a very long run.)

It boils down to this.. is those extra few 100ghz which u probably wont even see, really worth a few years into life on that cpu?
Do you even care?

Aigo, thanks for the informative post.

I intend to keep this build (and my cpu ) for several years. I am planning to get Ivy Bridge next year but even then, I will keep this 990X build as my second rig. So, bottom line is I want to keep the CPU for many years functioning at its prime. Obviously, the 'safest' method is not to OC at all but spending $1k+ on a CPU and not OC'ing it is like getting a Ferrari to drive around the city. I want to have fun but within limits.

With that in mind, what do you recommend?

I just tried 133x35 (instead of 135x33) and Cinebench crashed and I got a BSOD with 0x101 bug-check code. That was with v-core of 1.33v and QPI/DRAM of 1.30v.

I am now doing 133x33 (4.41GHz) with 1.29v v-core and 1.30v QPI/DRAM and Cinebench ran fine. I still need to install some games and play them as well as start doing some rendering etc. I am honestly a bit nervous to keep running OCCT and Prime95 each time I tweak the settings because that kind of repetitive stress on the CPU is really bad isn't it?

 

[AdamK47]

Make sure to add your results to the list in the 990X overclocking thread.

http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2144124

 

[AdamK47]

Also using the bclk @ or near stock gives better overall latency. This is from everyone i talked to at GooC.

Did not know that. I'll have to play with it later.

 

[Diogenes2]

Make sure to add your results to the list in the 990X overclocking thread.

http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2144124

Add ?


Good thing he has a 990x to do all that complex math ..

 

[aigomorla]

I am now doing 133x33 (4.41GHz) with 1.29v v-core and 1.30v QPI/DRAM and Cinebench ran fine. I still need to install some games and play them as well as start doing some rendering etc. I am honestly a bit nervous to keep running OCCT and Prime95 each time I tweak the settings because that kind of repetitive stress on the CPU is really bad isn't it?

nah not if your keeping respectable voltages and heat levels.

Remember these guys are technically Xeon's so they can take operation stress to some degree.

Its just when you go crazy.

Its like Crack.. sure when u smoke it.. you fly.. and fly high you do.. but like crack.. when you come down, your gonna crash hard..

So do you want crack or just a red bull? To me, i think i'll take extra strong coffee..

 

[Castiel]

Could you post a screenshot of your cinebench run at your highest overclock? I want to compare