vcore value

sinisterk

Junior Member
Nov 3, 2005
11
0
0
Hi guys,

New to the community.

Just 3 quick questions -

1. my vcore is set to 1.425 in bios but in CPU-Z it shows up as 1.456. This value changes every few seconds when the cpu is idle by +/- 0.05 volts. When under 100% load it stays on 1.456. What's going on here? Normal? I have a Seasonic S12 430W which is suppose to be pretty good. Rest of pc spec is in sig.

2. To go past 1.4 vcore I had to update my bios to the latest beta version. Otherwise even though I can select higher values in bios, it always shows in CPU-Z as 1.40. This is some kind of locking? Anyother fix? not too comfortable with running beta bios. Oh i noticed the HTT was locked too at 300 max.

3. My cpu cooler is a XP-90 with the recommended Panaflo 92mm low rpm fan. I get 55 under 100% load @ 1.456 vcore and around 40 in idle. Why is it so high? I thought XP-90 was suppose to be good. Room temp is around mid 20. Anything I can do to improve the cooling without having to purcase entire new HSF?? Case is a Lian-Li PC65B Plus.

Thanks for your time so far and a thank you in advance.


 

imported_Deez

Member
Aug 17, 2005
60
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0
I had heard asus had problems with voltage droop, but I thought that was under load. I could also be compleley wrong on that one. However you are right about the heat. What thermal past did you use and did you use enough? It should be a nice even thin layer.
 

Gamingphreek

Lifer
Mar 31, 2003
11,679
0
81
Well Asus boards generally overvolt...perhaps for more stability.

As for it not changing, jeez i dunno. You are changing all this in the BIOS correct. If so, why dont you check the voltages in the BIOS as well. You could just have a bad sensor.

-Kevin

 

sinisterk

Junior Member
Nov 3, 2005
11
0
0
Thanx for the reply.

I just used the stuff that came with the XP-90. Not sure if i used enough...think so. I just reversed the direction of the fan so now its exhausting the heat from the heatsink rather than injecting cool air. but no diff in temp...

The vcore limit was fixed by updating to a beta version of bios. But I was hoping there was another way, dont really want to runt he beta.

So the changes in vcore is more mobo than PSU? I've seen the same thing on a non-overclocked P4 (1 of the recent chip) with Gigabyte Mobo. The PSU for that was a 430 Thermaltake.



 

interchange

Diamond Member
Oct 10, 1999
8,023
2,873
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I'm not really sure how CPU-Z measures your V-Core, but I would guess it's not terribly accurate.
 

Leper Messiah

Banned
Dec 13, 2004
7,973
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#1, there isn't really too much wrong with running a beta bios, I've been running one for about 2 months now with my X2, and its been fine.


And temps wise, for an X2, thats right about where it should be with that vcore. I dunno what those other guys are talking about, since thats a good .15 over voltage. I run about 50C at 1.36vcore with a TT bigtyphoon loaded.
 

Gamingphreek

Lifer
Mar 31, 2003
11,679
0
81
I too have been running a beta, more specifically modded BIOS, since i got my board. Just make sure you trust where you get it. In your case it is fine since it is from the manf.

As for the X2 temps. With a XP-90 and a Panaflo you should be getting better temps. TT's are horrible and have poor build quality. Take a look at the base on those HSF's, unnacceptable. Not to mention all their sound measurements must be taken from like a mile away to get the results they do. You should have it lower. What do you have in the line of case fans and what is their configuration? Also change the fan back around. The XP-90 is meant to blow onto the HS.

-Kevin
 

sinisterk

Junior Member
Nov 3, 2005
11
0
0
Thanx Gamingphreek,

I have 3 case fans, 1x120mm intake at front (SilenX LED), 2x 80mm exhaust top (stock) and back (SilenX LED).
Also have a blower that came with the case - Lian-Li PC65B Plus. This extends over all the PIC slots aimed at the gfx card. could be in or out take, didnt check.
PSU is a Seasonic S12 which has a sinlge 120mm fan at bottom exhausting heat out the back.

Any improvement suggestions are welcome.
I will flip the fan on the cpu again when i get home.

thanks,
 

Gamingphreek

Lifer
Mar 31, 2003
11,679
0
81
Originally posted by: sinisterk
Thanx Gamingphreek,

I have 3 case fans, 1x120mm intake at front (SilenX LED), 2x 80mm exhaust top (stock) and back (SilenX LED).
Also have a blower that came with the case - Lian-Li PC65B Plus. This extends over all the PIC slots aimed at the gfx card. could be in or out take, didnt check.
PSU is a Seasonic S12 which has a sinlge 120mm fan at bottom exhausting heat out the back.

Any improvement suggestions are welcome.
I will flip the fan on the cpu again when i get home.

thanks,

Well, i would (personally) take one of the top exhausts out and close up the hole. Then i would sell those SilenX fans and replace them with Yate-Loon or Nexus.

THe PCI blower probably creates a lot of noise. You may want to see how everything runs with it out.

Your PSU is one of the best :thumbsup:

Hope i helped!

-Kevin
 

sinisterk

Junior Member
Nov 3, 2005
11
0
0
thanks again Gamingphreak ;),

Why close off the top opening? Hot air are collected at the top right?

What's the take on SilenX fans? Lots of talk around these as fakes and crappy but there is nothing bad interms of reviews...

I will change the fans back to stock (i think they are loud but should move more air) to compare the diff.

GamingPhreak I see you have the logitech z640. :) me too. But there's a hiss from all the speakers even when there is no source. Do you get that too? Any fix for this? I've read its cos of the decoder console which is not properly shielded.

:eek: sorry for side tracking.
 

SamzAthlon

Member
Jul 15, 2005
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0
71
Originally posted by: interchange
I'm not really sure how CPU-Z measures your V-Core, but I would guess it's not terribly accurate.

Its normal for cpu-z to show alternating voltage. Its more accurate.
 

sinisterk

Junior Member
Nov 3, 2005
11
0
0
Originally posted by: SamzAthlon
Originally posted by: interchange
I'm not really sure how CPU-Z measures your V-Core, but I would guess it's not terribly accurate.

Its normal for cpu-z to show alternating voltage. Its more accurate.

its normal to show the variations but is the variations normal?
 

PingSpike

Lifer
Feb 25, 2004
21,751
595
126
My asrock board does the same thing with voltage, so did my last abit and the shuttle I had before it. As long as its stable I actually don't think its something to be concerned about.

Regarding the heat...55c load is a bit toasty, but nothing I'd really worry about. I'd use AS5 over the goop that came with it though, that may be the problem. Stock heatsinks and their crummy thermal pads often give me load temps of around 50c at stock settings, I know thats not a totally relevant comparison but there was an overclocking thread on here awhile ago that brought up the point that the temp sensors are really inaccurate anyway so don't worry so much about them.
 

sinisterk

Junior Member
Nov 3, 2005
11
0
0
Thanks to everyone that replied.

Just figured out what IHS is :)

Should i remove the IHS? Would that give me better cooling? Also incase I didnt mention already, the mobo temo is reported to be 39c under load. is this okay?

Finally, I jut discovered that the idle temp is around 39 - 41 but once its under load it goes to 57c (@ 1.45v). Is such a large deviation normal?
 

AlabamaCajun

Member
Mar 11, 2005
126
0
0
Setting your VCore below 1.435 (Bios setting) is reecomended until you can correct the heat problem. Those XP90s or notorious for having heat problems as most of the heat is carried by the center heat pipe. Get a TT Big Typhoon. As for high Mobo temps, you may want to do what I do. I have a 80mm pusher fan connected to a 45 deg fan duct mod connected to one of those 80mm extender pipes that come in some cases for CPU air inlet. I have the fan blow right on the SB, NB and RAM. Some people remove the IHS but I don't think it yields enough advantage to warrant the risk of pulling the die off the chip carrier. I'm at about the limit on my TT103 fanless with a 3700 at 45 deg and 1.425Vcore. Both of these TTcoolers have 6 heatpipes positioned as close to the center as possible.
 

Gamingphreek

Lifer
Mar 31, 2003
11,679
0
81
Originally posted by: sinisterk
Thanks to everyone that replied.

Just figured out what IHS is :)

Should i remove the IHS? Would that give me better cooling? Also incase I didnt mention already, the mobo temo is reported to be 39c under load. is this okay?

Finally, I jut discovered that the idle temp is around 39 - 41 but once its under load it goes to 57c (@ 1.45v). Is such a large deviation normal?

No leave the heatspreader on.

Take off the XP-90 and clean off the CPU. Reapply the thermal grease and put everything back on.

Those XP90s or notorious for having heat problems as most of the heat is carried by the center heat pipe.

How is a HS notorious for having heat problems!?! The TT Big typhoon is far inferior to any Thermalright cooler. Dont even consider getting a TT.

-Kevin
 

lopri

Elite Member
Jul 27, 2002
13,310
687
126
What's wrong with Big Typhoon? (Yeah and there is nothing wrong with XP90, either)
 

Gamingphreek

Lifer
Mar 31, 2003
11,679
0
81
Originally posted by: lopri
What's wrong with Big Typhoon? (Yeah and there is nothing wrong with XP90, either)

Very poor build quality. Look at the base of the unit, look how poorly the heatpipes are soldered.

-Kevin
 

BonzaiDuck

Lifer
Jun 30, 2004
16,053
1,681
126
You guys should be posting this stuff in "Cases and Cooling," but it started out as a discussion of voltage fluctuation, and I suppose it dovetails.

The TT Typhoon comes stock with a fan that doesn't spin past 1,300 rpm. But you can find many fans that spin in a range above that and below 2,900, without any serious noise in a closed case. Also, the Typhoon is a pretty heavy chunk of metal.

We've been able to compare thermal resistances for the ThermalRight SI-120, Scythe Ninja, CNPS-9500 [Zalman], the Typhoon and several others. The SI-120 and the Ninja are neck-and-neck -- with the Ninja only slightly outperforming the SI-120 at "high" fan rpm, and the SI-120 outperforming the Ninja at "low" (950) rpm.

And there's nothing wrong with last year's XP-90, XP-90C or XP-120, either.

Now about the voltage issue. I will not be the final word in this. I've noticed through two successive processors, and two revisions of the same mobo that a manual voltage setting in BIOS shows a "flat-line" voltage for VCORE at CPU idle, while at load it "droops" and dances around a value close to the BIOS setting.

Bumping up the BIOS setting also bumps up both the idle "flat-line" and the load "average" VCORE. I could speculate that this is a result of heat affecting voltage -- and I've seen it on just about every system I've either built or worked with in recent years with a variety of power supplies and motherboards and processors. But with a PowerStream 520, I've got ample juice for all the equipment in the box. There is only a 5.5C temperature spread between idle and load for my Prescott. I have implemented several low-tech cooling solutions (Mosfet sinks, mobo ducting, etc.) which assure that even at 80F room my OC"d system with the FSB at 1,000 Mhz won't heat up past 43C even when running PRIME95 or S & M.

It's interesting that while Intel specified a "maximum" 1.55V limit printed on their retail box for the Northwood, the Prescott retail box shows a "range" between the 1.35V minimum and 1.42V.
 

sinisterk

Junior Member
Nov 3, 2005
11
0
0
BonzaiDuck, do you have any suggestions for me? As you can see the difference between my idle and load is more than 16c!!! Its got me worries and obviously affecting my OC'ing. I am downunder in Oz so it gonna get pretty hot very soon!

Can alway go for a bigger and meaner cooler or water cooling but I am more interested in why my XP-90 + Panaflo is performing much poorer than others have reported? :(

At the moment it is 2400 @ 1.456 (cpu-z shows ~1.488) prime stable (12 hrs).
 

sinisterk

Junior Member
Nov 3, 2005
11
0
0
BonzaiDuck, do you have any suggestions for me? As you can see the difference between my idle and load is more than 16c!!! Its got me worries and obviously affecting my OC'ing. I am downunder in Oz so it gonna get pretty hot very soon!

Can alway go for a bigger and meaner cooler or water cooling but I am more interested in why my XP-90 + Panaflo is performing much poorer than others have reported?

At the moment it is 2400 @ 1.456 (cpu-z shows ~1.488) prime stable (12 hrs).
 
Nov 8, 2005
88
0
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just my 2 cents but i have a asus MOBO and a X2 3800 @ 2.66 1.5v. the voltage moves around quit a bit anywhere from 1.47-1.52. sometimes it freeks me out but seems to be running fine. as for the temps my x2 is about 36 idle and 49-50 100%load with 2 primes running. i have a coolermaster hyper 6+ on it with AS5 and it seems to be working pretty good.
 

kwarkers

Banned
Nov 2, 2005
232
0
0
hey sinisterk, have you disabled "cool and quiet" and have you adjusted your CPU offset voltage, because some of the Asus mobos have this cpu offset voltage which adds 100mV or 200mV.