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i7 Overclocking for Beginners
IMPORTANT: This guide is only for Bloomfield, i.e. LGA1366, based i7s. For Lynnfield, i.e., LGA1156, based i7s or i5s you can use this guide, but be warned that the procedure may be slightly different due to the different hardware. Alternatively you can wait until I write my dedicated i5 overclocking guide when I get some i5 hardware to experiment with.
Hi everybody,
After Overclocking my i7 920 D0 to 3.8 GHz I thought I would start a guide on how to overclock the i7 920 D0. This will involve lots of use of the "Edit" function, and please if anything is wrong or want to add anything to this please don't hestiate to post a reply. Consider this a work in progress.
If anyone has any experience with other i7 revisions and feel that the process is so different as to justify a new section please reply.
Nightkhaos
Jargon File
There are a few concepts you will need to understand for overclocking, here I list them and explain what they are:
- BCLK or Base Clock is the Base clock the motherboard runs at. This is defined by the model of CPU, and by default is set to 133 MHz for the i7 920 D0, for a total speed of 2.66 GHz.
- CPU Multiplier: This is a function of SpeedStep, the Intel technology that underclocks your CPU when it is under low load. In order to change the current frequency that the CPU is running at the computer will change the multiplier. The multiplier with run at 20 for the i7 920 D0 when the CPU is running at full speed.
- Intel TubroBoost this function gives an extra boost of speed to the processor, by changing the maximum multiplier from 20 to 21.
- Vcore voltage: this is the voltage which the motherboard supplies to the CPU rails. You will need to adjust this if the CPU is taking to much power to maintain destinct logic levels. (i.e. it will become unstable)
- DRAM voltage: this is the voltage suppiled by the motherboard to the DDR3 RAM.
- RAM Multiplier: this is the muiltiper of the RAM from the baseclock.
- Memory Timings: without defining these your RAM will run at stock or some artibratory value defined by the motherboard. You will need to adjust them to match the specifications given to on your RAM, for example my RAM, Patorit Viper CL8, has times of 8-8-8-24.
- PCIe clock. This should be set manually to ensure that the graphics cards and other PCIe devices function normally. It is the clock at which the PCIe slot operates under.
The Theory
The theory behind overclocking is rather simple. You increase the base clock and multiplier until the speed of your CPU is running at the desired point.
The are a few things to consider however, the RAM is affected by the base clock as well, so you must make sure it is running as close its designed timings, frequency and voltage. You computer will also have trouble under load if there is not enough voltage, so you will need to increase the voltage to Vcore if you cannot get the machine stable.
Thermal output: an aftermarket cooler is a must when overclocking because the stock cooler that comes with the CPU is not only loud, it is not very efficent. Your cooler, be it water or air, will determine how much you can overclock your CPU. The better your cooler, the more you can push your chip, because the temperatures will be lower. I will explain this more in detail later.
Software
In order to begin it is recommend you have the latest drivers. What we require is a stress testing application. I generally use OCCT, but there are other applications, all which have their advantages and disadvantages. I like OCCT because of it's ease of use, and the wealth of information it provides.
I also run CoreTemp so that I do not have to have my moniter on to check the status of the temperatures (I have a G15, which CoreTemp supports).
My friends and I have developed a full proof testing method, and we call it POST, Boot, Prime, or PBP. There are three stages of stablity:
- POST - The computer boots but is unable to start an operating system.
- Boot - The computer is able to get into the operating system
- Prime - the computer can run fully loaded on 8 threads (for an i7) for an extended period of time.
The goal is to get Prime stable, because that means your computer will not be pushed to breaking point. My friend once got his system boot stable so that he could run GTA IV on a Core 2 Duo. He was able to play for about two hours then he would need to turn his computer off for about an hour or leave it idle to let it cool down!
Hardware
Your motherboard is key to any overclocking operation. It needs to be robust enough to handle the abuse, and configurable enough to allow you to overclock the system. I personally recommend the Gigabyte X58-UD5, but also worth considering are the ASUS Rampage II Deluxe, and the ASUS P6T Deluxe V2. Even a ASUS Rampage Gene will work well, if you're pushed for space. All I can really say is shop around, read reviews, and find one that best suits your needs.
Secondary, but just as important, is the processor. The i7 920 D0 is recommended at the moment because it is the cheapest of the i7 range, and handles well over a wide temperature range. However it is reaching it's EOL, so when this happens we will need to find another i7 to work with.
Then there is your RAM. I recommend you get CL7 or CL8 RAM at around or above 1600MHz. From the information I have read there is a little point getting faster RAM, however there is no harm in it, apart from to your bank balance.
Cooling
Keeping your CPU and RAM cool is the most important factor. The RAM, if set to stock, the manufacturer's defined times, shouldn't need active cooling, however the CPU will.
If you can afford it you can go watercooling. The advantage to this is due the mechanics of a watercooling loop it is possible to cool the CPU to a level lower than the ambient tempeture of the case.
Air on the other cannot get the tempeature any cooler than ambeint. This is especially important if you live in a hot country or use your computer in a hot boiler room.
If the CPU gets too hot, it will ceese to function properly, and will trigger a thermal tilt-bit, which will immediately shut down your computer, or worse, the chip will melt and become permanently damaged.
I will not give you suggests for cooling as this comes down to personal preferance, budget, and sometimes the clearance provided by the case.
Don't be afarid to ask questions when it comes to cooling. For example in order to fit my heatsink in my case I needed to remove the 220mm fan from the case, and it still functions prefectly.
Procedure
Right now we have the preparation underway, I will assume you have a working system with the desired cooling and components. I will also assume you have installed an appropriate version of Windows, and OCCT.
Please understand that as I go through the BIOS you may find your BIOS is slightly different.
First off there is a we bit of maths. To start, get the timing and recommend frequency settings for your RAM. Say you bought Patriot Viper CL8 RAM , as I did, then your documentation would say your times are 8-8-8-24 and the RAM runs at 1600MHz.
http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/4623/my008pa400.jpg
Now RAM is quite confusing in that lower the numbers means lower latency, but for stability and speed you actually want that number to be higher, i.e. higher latency. Not to high however, as then your cannot do enough operations. To fast, and your RAM may become unstable at high clocks, to slow, and your RAM will take to long to do memory operations. I find the best balance to be CL8 RAM.
The price is usually a good indicator of which RAM is better, but only if you stick to the same brand. And remember, this is only a rule of thumb.
Some RAM has a feature called Extreme Memory Profile (XMP), that automatically sets the RAM to the relevant latency and speed. Now you may be thinking "that's great why don't we just use that?" Well to understand this we must first understand multipliers and the base clock.
Your computer has a base clock, which both the RAM and CPU's clocks are driven off. In order to get that final number, i.e. 1600MHz RAM or 2.66GHz (2660MHz) the modules have a multiplier, which multiplies that clock by a given factor.
As I said earlier, by default the maximum multiplier is set to 20, for the Core i7 920 D0, and the base clock runs at 133MHz. This results in a speed of 2660MHz.
Now the RAM applies the same method. To get 1600MHz for the RAM a multiplier of 12 is applied, resulting in 1596MHz.
Now in order to overclock, we will be increasing the base clock. This means, if XMP was enabled, and the multiplier of 12 continued to be applied when you set the base clock to 200MHz, then the RAM would be running at 2400MHz, which could be damaging the the module. For this reason, to be on the safe side and ensure that the modules don't get damaged, we will manually define the memory timings and multiplier.
There is another danger related to RAM, and that is voltage. Please make sure you set the DRAM voltage manually as well as you could damage the module if you leave it on automatic.
So now, it is time to plan your set a goal for your overclock. Bare in mind that your cooling plays a very important factor. You cannot get 4.0GHz on every cooling system. I would start at a figure you know is obtainable, say 3.0GHz, and work up from there until you find a temperature range you are happy with.
At the moment you have your RAM speed, and desired clock speed. Let us assume you have 1600MHz RAM and want to achieve 3GHz. What you want to do is take your desired CPU clock and divide it by 20 (or the multipler for your relevent CPU), the maximum multiplier:
3000 / 20 = 150
So this will be your base clock. Now then, we need to work out the required multiplier for your RAM. The multiplier unfortunately has to be an integer, so you will either have to get a multiplier of 10, and run your RAM at 1500MHz or a multiplier of 11 and run it at 1650. Some motherboards, like mine, only support even integers, further restricting your ability.
So that's the math, let's get in there and do it shall we?
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i7 Overclocking for Beginners
Entering the BIOS
Most X58 boards I have worked with require you to press Delete on the keyboard while the system POSTs in order to access the BIOS.
Depending on your hardware it may take a minute to bring up the BIOS screen. Once this happens you should be greeted with a screen like the one below (click to enlarge).
http://img193.imageshack.us/img193/824/dscf1117.th.jpg
Please excuse the image. Unfortunately it is not possible to post a screenshot from within BIOS. I had to make do with a makeshift tripod (read, pile of books) and careful alignment of the camera.
In my BIOS we continue into the MB Intelligent Tweaker (MIT) in order to change the settings, which looks something like below (click to enlarge).
http://img198.imageshack.us/img198/8...cf1118g.th.jpg
For my set-up I have chosen the following:
3.8 GHz with a multiplier of 19 to allow exactly 1600MHz with a multiplier of 8 for the RAM, which means a base clock of 200 MHz.
Depending on what you have decided on your will go through a different procedure.
First, go into Advanced CPU Features. Now the first thing we want to do is disable TurboBoost. This is because TurboBoost does not play that well with overclocking most of the time and all it does is changes the maximum multiplier to your CPUs multipler + 1. Some motherboards, like the Asus P6T Deluxe, implement Turbo via charging your multipler directly (i.e. you set it to 21 instead of 20 for the i7 920 D0), and with the particular board it is safe to leave Turbo on. See below (click to enlarge).
http://img373.imageshack.us/img373/49/dscf1122.th.jpg
Now then, while you're in here you can also change the multiplier if you have opted to do so. See below (click to enlarge).
http://img73.imageshack.us/img73/8326/dscf1121.th.jpg
Next, press the Esc key to return to the top menu, and scroll down to Base Clock(BCLK) Control and then modify the BCLK Frequency (MHz) to the desired value. See below (click to enlarge).
http://img188.imageshack.us/img188/2...cf1123a.th.jpg
http://img380.imageshack.us/img380/7538/dscf1126.th.jpg
Now go into Advanced Clock Control and modify the value for the PCIe clock. This is to ensure that it is running at the correct value following all the other changes we have made. You should change this value to 100MHz. See below (click to enlarge).
http://img338.imageshack.us/img338/3267/dscf1131.th.jpg
Go back into the MIT menu and then make sure Extreme Memory Profile(X.M.P.) is disabled and change DRAM Timing Selectable (SPD) to Manual. Then using the settings provided for your RAM set the CAS, tRCD, tRP, tRAS and Command Rate. If you haven't been given a Command Rate it is usually safe to set it to 2. Remember you need to set it for all channels and set it the same for all channels for maximum efficiency. See below (click to enlarge).
http://img354.imageshack.us/img354/1576/dscf1132.th.jpg
As you can see I have set mine to 8-8-8-24 with a command rate of 2.
Next you will set the memory multiplier. I have done this through Advanced DRAM Features but you can change it on the MIT screen as well if you chose. See below (click to enlarge).
http://img373.imageshack.us/img373/7421/dscf1134.th.jpg
Finally there are the Vcore and DRAM Voltages. I also recommend you enable Load-Line Calibration as it reduces Vdroop (the drop in the Vcore voltage under load), however it is not required. See below (click to enlarge).
http://img397.imageshack.us/img397/4796/dscf1135.th.jpg
First, set your DRAM voltage to as close to, but not exceeding, the voltage recommend to you in the documentation for the RAM. For my RAM this was 1.65 Volts. My machine also warned me by highlighting in red when I was going over this limit because going over this limit is likely to damage the memory contorller on my i7, see below (click to enlarge).
http://img521.imageshack.us/img521/7586/dscf1137.th.jpg
Ideally you want to set the voltage of Vcore as low as possible. Start a 1.20 volts, and if the stability testing stages fail, you will need to come back and increase the voltage. I have mine running at 1.25 volts.
Now you are ready to commit the changes and try booting in. Press F10 to save your changes and restart the system.
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i7 Overclocking for Beginners
POST, Boot, Prime
Now that you have committed the changes your computer will commit them and now attempt to boot the system. If all goes well you should see the system POSTing , and Windows will begin to boot, such as below (click to enlarge).
http://img231.imageshack.us/img231/2548/dscf1141.th.jpg
This is the first stage. If this stage fails it can be for one of two reasons, lack of Vcore voltage, or the CPU running too hot.
The second stage is logging into Windows. Again, if your computer fails to do this it is because of one of two reasons.
I will explain how to address these problems later on in the troubleshooting/FAQ section. But first, the stability tests.
Start up OCCT. You should be greeted with something similar to the following.
http://img22.imageshack.us/img22/1699/image1vje.png
Monitor to the temperatures for a few minutes. What you are looking for is temperature creep. You should also make sure the figures are reasonable. Anything below 45 degrees when idle should be good enough.
To explain, your cooling equipment is capable of dissipating heat, however if your processor is producing more heat than your equipment can dissipate, there will be a build up of heat, resulting in a slow, consistent rise in temperature.
When you are confident that the temperature is not creeping, now it is time to place a load test.
Set the test time to Infinite, and change the Test Mode to Large Data Set, then press the ON button.
Ideally you should keep this running for about six hours to ensure that the system is stable, but you will get a good idea within the first few minutes of how the system will behave. Please check your power settings don't tell the computer to turn off after a certain period otherwise your computer will turn itself off before it can complete the tests.
When you press the OFF button to signify that you have completed the operation you will be presented with various graphs. See below, click to enlarge.
You CPU should only run at about 80-85 degrees maximum. If you CPU is running hotter than this your risk it becoming thermally understable. Remember, there is an automatic cut off if the CPU achieves over 100 degrees. I recommend watching the CPU temps for the first hour or so and if it goes over 90, STOP.
http://img198.imageshack.us/img198/8...h23cpu1.th.png
http://img14.imageshack.us/img14/403...23vcore.th.png
There ya go, that's it, you have completed the overclocking operation. Now it is unlikely to be clean sailing all the way, so below you will find out troubleshooting pointers.
Troubleshooting/FAQ
My computer doesn't POST or boot into Windows, why is this?
Provided you have set your memory timings correct, there are two likely culprits, cooling or Vcore voltage. Unfortunately it is quite hard to tell between the two without sticking a temperature probe on the CPU yourself. The best thing to do will be raise the Vcore voltage to see if that fixes the issue. In most cases this will be the problem as thermal issues, particularly if you have a modest overclock, should surface when your system is at stock.
When starting the load tests on OCCT, it starts the tests and then suddenly will have a Blue Screen of Death (BSOD), but my temperatures are reasonable when idle, why is this?
This is a classic case of having Vcore set to low. Notice on the graph above how it starts around 1.2 volts and then drops to 1.17 when load begins to be applied? This is because as the CPU gets loaded more, it uses more energy, so you will have a slight voltage drop. Simply increase the Vcore voltage and that should fix the issue.
When starting the load tests on OCCT, it will run perfectly well for about two of three hours and then suddenly fail with a BSOD, why is this?
This is a classic case of temperature creep. Before going off and buying a new cooler, I recommend checking that the heatsink or water block is properly set against the CPU, and that it is conducting properly. Temperature creep is an annoying problem is that your system can appear stable for long periods of time, and then suddenly fail. If your system continues to persist on this behaviour, reduce your overclock slightly or improve your cooling equipment.
Improving your cooling need not cost a lot of money. There are some methods you can try, replacing the thermal compound, lapping the CPU or block, replacing the fan on the cooler with a better one. All which can be done for less than £20.
Why do we overclock? Intel surely tested these CPUs and worked out their maximum performance?
Yes they did, however they set it to a safe level to ensure that no one would have any problems with the CPU. The reason is that every batch, and even different CPUs within the same batch, may perform slightly differently depending on circumstances. You cannot be assured that you can get 4.0GHz out of every chip. And there is a certain kudos that comes with having an overclocked system.
My friend has pretty much the same setup as me, and has managed to overclock his system to X GHz, but when I replicate his setup my computer won't remain stable, why is this?
The environment, and even the equipment itself, will have slight differences that mean you cannot get the same performance out of every chip. The chips were not built with this in mind, so do not expect them to behave exactly the same when overclocked.
Won't this reduce the usable life of the CPU?
In short yes. But first let us consider this, if you are overclocking your system you are most likely trying to get the maximum performance possible out of your CPU for your games. This means that you want to be able to run the latest games, and you will likely replace your CPU in the next 5 years.
Overclocking means you can put that replacement off another one or two years. And even through your CPU, which in theory should run pretty much the same for the next 10 to 20 years, will have it's usable life reduced to say 7 to 15 years, you will find that in the long run you will save money as you do not need to replace hardware as often.
I have been recommended another stress testing/temperature monitering application, what should I do?
OCCT is not the best at stress testing and temperature monitoring, but is the easiest to use in my opinion, and it does do what it's supposed to do, that is help you overclock, very well. But you want to push your system to the limit you are better off using a temperature monitoring application like CoreTemp or Everest and a stress tester like Linpack (or LinX), or even manually starting 8 threads worth of Prime95. It is also important to note that OCCT also has a Linpack testing mode, which as I understand it runs the same tests as Intel's Linpack.
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i7 Overclocking for Beginners
I think I am done, but if there is something I have missed or I didn't explain very well don't hesitate to tell me in a reply or personal message.
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Re: i7 Overclocking for Beginners
Quote:
Originally Posted by
nightkhaos
[SIZE="1"] 220mm fan .[/i]
Typo ? Otherwise very good guide so far !
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Re: i7 Overclocking for Beginners
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Phage
Typo ? Otherwise very good guide so far !
Nope. My case came with a 22cm side intake fan. 'Twas a frelling huge fan. But I have worded it more clearly.
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Re: i7 Overclocking for Beginners
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Re: i7 Overclocking for Beginners
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Phage
A 22cm Fan ?!.....:o
Yep, see? It's really a 23cm fan, but it's an odd shape, and the actual blades are 22 cm. Now... :offtopic:
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Re: i7 Overclocking for Beginners
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Phage
A 22cm Fan ?!.....:o
it's actually officially 23cm.
The Cosmos is famous for it... you could put in onto a Blackhawk, but a Blackhawk wouldn't have enough power to turn it ;)
http://www.coolermaster.com/products...detail&id=3947
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Re: i7 Overclocking for Beginners
Agent has added some "spare" posts for you kaos.. so you can carry on with your excellent stuff and add more :)
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Re: i7 Overclocking for Beginners
Right so got a bit done tonight. Managed to get up to the stability tests, but I better call it a night.
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Re: i7 Overclocking for Beginners
Other guides I've seen are confusing, too much technical jargon, etc. This is the clearest one I've seen yet. Excellent work.
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Re: i7 Overclocking for Beginners
Agreed. This is a fantastic guide, thank you very much for your efforts!
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Re: i7 Overclocking for Beginners
Right, I think that is all. Please, advice, suggestions, comments! :)
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Re: i7 Overclocking for Beginners
I've found Intels own Linpack (or LinX if you like a GUI :)) test much better than OCCT. It seems to show failures quicker, and shows failures even when OCCT and Prime hasn't. Not to mention it seems to get the CPU hotter by a few deg :D
Worth considering :)
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Re: i7 Overclocking for Beginners
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Re: i7 Overclocking for Beginners
Excellent thread and really useful - I've made it a sticky so that it gets the profile it deserves.
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Re: i7 Overclocking for Beginners
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Agent
I've found Intels own Linpack (or LinX if you like a GUI :)) test much better than OCCT. It seems to show failures quicker, and shows failures even when OCCT and Prime hasn't. Not to mention it seems to get the CPU hotter by a few deg :D
Worth considering :)
I know, but this is just a beginners guide. Usually you only need an extensive test if you are attempting to push your CPU to the very limits of it's design. Maybe we add this to the Troubleshooting/FAQ as an option for people who want to be absolutely sure their system is stable?
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Re: i7 Overclocking for Beginners
Quote:
Originally Posted by
peterb
Excellent thread and really useful - I've made it a sticky so that it gets the profile it deserves.
Thank you! :D
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Re: i7 Overclocking for Beginners
Epic work of genius :bowdown:
Seeing as I just invested in i7 :p
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Re: i7 Overclocking for Beginners
Quote:
Originally Posted by
0iD
Epic work of genius :bowdown:
Seeing as I just invested in i7 :p
that should save Agent getting loads of phone calls ;)
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Re: i7 Overclocking for Beginners
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Zak33
that should save Agent getting loads of phone calls ;)
Instead he is likely to add me as an MSN contact and IM me every chance he gets.
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Re: i7 Overclocking for Beginners
Quote:
Originally Posted by
nightkhaos
Instead he is likely to add me as an MSN contact and IM me every chance he gets.
I keep MSN and the forums firmly separate :D
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Re: i7 Overclocking for Beginners
Quote:
Originally Posted by
nightkhaos
Instead he is likely to add me as an MSN contact and IM me every chance he gets.
Now there's an idea.... :D
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Agent
I keep MSN and the forums firmly separate :D
Agent doesn't want me declaring my undying love for him on MSN...ever
It's the terms of the restraining order y'see.
http://media.bigoo.ws/content/gif/smiles/smiles_407.gif
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Re: i7 Overclocking for Beginners
Agent, You must have a Tardus or something because you seem post before someone else has after they have posted.
Oh and thanks to whoever game me that Avatar!
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Re: i7 Overclocking for Beginners
0iD's work, agreed by us all... fully deserved :)
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Re: i7 Overclocking for Beginners
OiD, next time you happen to take a peak at the BIOS for your CPU, can you please see if the multipier is 20? If Intel works it the same way as they did the Core 2s, you'll find that your multipler will be higher and the base clock will still be 133MHz. I just wanna check this before I ammend the guide to reflect this.
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Re: i7 Overclocking for Beginners
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Re: i7 Overclocking for Beginners
Nice post, very useful to someone who isnt too sure on OCing :)
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Re: i7 Overclocking for Beginners
A good idiots guide to OC'ing...This will help with some friends of mine OC their PCs as I'm rubbish translating the BIOS stuff.
Much thanks... :)
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Re: i7 Overclocking for Beginners
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Andi-C
A good idiots guide to OC'ing...This will help with some friends of mine OC their PCs as I'm rubbish translating the BIOS stuff.
Much thanks... :)
You're welcome... BTW, what is a TURE... I've heard of a TRUE heatsink, but not a TURE...
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Re: i7 Overclocking for Beginners
Quote:
Originally Posted by
nightkhaos
what is a TURE...
A badly spelled heatsink :p
Nice to see someone's typo's are as bad as mine :D
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Re: i7 Overclocking for Beginners
Quote:
Originally Posted by
0iD
A badly spelled heatsink :p
I guessed, I was just trying to save him the embarrassment, cause then it could make up some fake HeatSink called a ThermalUltra Really Extreme and then "replace it" with a TRUE a few days latter. ;)
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Re: i7 Overclocking for Beginners
About time mate, well done.i knnow most of this stuff anyway has i have had a i7 literely a couple of months after it was launched.
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Re: i7 Overclocking for Beginners
Quote:
Originally Posted by
j.o.s.h.1408
About time mate, well done.i knnow most of this stuff anyway has i have had a i7 literely a couple of months after it was launched.
... and yet your i7 is still at stock, unless you forgot to upgrade "My System". :inquisiti
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Re: i7 Overclocking for Beginners
Quote:
Originally Posted by
nightkhaos
I guessed, I was just trying to save him the embarrassment, cause then it could make up some fake HeatSink called a ThermalUltra Really Extreme and then "replace it" with a TRUE a few days latter. ;)
DOH !... Yes, dyslexic me & a crap spell check :embarrassed:
Please excuse me & my typing :rolleyes: lol
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Re: i7 Overclocking for Beginners
Very nice guide.
I have just OC'ed my PC, which isnt an i7 but, I did anyway.
I am hoping to get an i7 CPU or similar just before christmas or after, so this guide will get some use, and you will get pm spammed with some questions from me xD (Be warned)
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Re: i7 Overclocking for Beginners
Quote:
Originally Posted by
nightkhaos
... and yet your i7 is still at stock, unless you forgot to upgrade "My System". :inquisiti
yea i forgot to update my system lol and im runing my cpy at around 3.3/3.4ghz. i only increased the BLCK to from 230 to 260 i think. i need better faster ram to go higher to near 4ghz :) using the TRUE cooler to cool my baby down :bowdown:
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Re: i7 Overclocking for Beginners
Quote:
Originally Posted by
j.o.s.h.1408
yea i forgot to update my system lol and im runing my cpy at around 3.3/3.4ghz. i only increased the BLCK to from 230 to 260 i think.
I think you mean from 133 to 160. :) Assuming you left TubroBoost on that would mean a speed of 3.36 GHz (21 multiplier). Which with a decent motherboard you should be achieving at on or below 1.2 volts.
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Re: i7 Overclocking for Beginners
Apologies if this has already been mentioned, but, as a suggestion, would it be useful to put in a note about uncore frequencies?
From what I remember, the uncore multiplier must always have at least a 2:1 ratio to the memory multiplier.
This is a good thread I found:
http://rampantspeculation.com/forums...ad.php?p=33913
AFAIK, motherboards adjust the uncore multiplier automatically to keep the 2:1 ratio, but it might still be worth mentioning.
Thanks again for such an excellent guide!
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Re: i7 Overclocking for Beginners
Quote:
Originally Posted by
AD-15
Apologies if this has already been mentioned, but, as a suggestion, would it be useful to put in a note about uncore frequencies?
From what I remember, the uncore multiplier must always have at least a 2:1 ratio to the memory multiplier.
This is a good thread I found:
http://rampantspeculation.com/forums...ad.php?p=33913
AFAIK, motherboards adjust the uncore multiplier automatically to keep the 2:1 ratio, but it might still be worth mentioning.
Thanks again for such an excellent guide!
I considered it, but I felt it was too advanced for a "beginners guide". As you said, most motherboards do adjust it automagically to maintain the required ratio. I might add a bit to the FAQ about it later on... reads guide and attempts to digest and translate then shakes head... as always the ability for people not to write in plain English when writing overclocking guides astonishes me. It's almost as bad as trying to read Legal English.
I did not consider it an issue, but it might be a troubleshooting point, after all, if someone is unfortunate to get a board where the auto setting on Uncore doesn't maintain at least 2:1, then they'll need to fix it won't they?
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Re: i7 Overclocking for Beginners
I have recently discovered that I omitted enabling LLC, which can help with Vdroop. I have added a small mention about it into the guide.
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Re: i7 Overclocking for Beginners
Right I have made a few minor ammendments to fix a few things I had not clarified properly, like for example the Asus P6T Deluxe V2 allows you to "force" TubroBoost on thus increasing you multipler by 1. I also need to add a blurb about Uncore, which I have yet to do.
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Re: i7 Overclocking for Beginners
This is a hell of a task night, respect :p
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Re: i7 Overclocking for Beginners
Hey guys can I request an ammendment to the title of this thread? (Is that possible?)
Can we change the name to i7 (Bloomfield) Overclocking Guide so that people do not get confused with the Lynnfield chips when they come out?
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Re: i7 Overclocking for Beginners
cool, very very useful, just about to build an i7 next week.
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Re: i7 Overclocking for Beginners
Ahh just want I needed for when I get a new Corei7 system real soon. Many thanks
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Re: i7 Overclocking for Beginners
Another grateful user wanting to thank nightkhaos for this thread. Very helpful. After some hard times i have been able to get my i7 fully up and running. Using this thread I have been able to hit a 4ghz stable overclock using 200x20 blck/multi.
Thank you.
McstylisT
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Re: i7 Overclocking for Beginners
Nice post. :)
Regarding the pci-e clock, how do you know what value to set that at or should it always be 100mhz as you mentioned?
I'm thinking of upgrading my PC as I'm running an e6700 and 8800gtx atm.
I was looking at an i7 950 but the 920 is much cheaper and if using your guide I can overlock to past the 950 stock speed I'll be happy.
I'm still a bit scared at the thought of it all though. :)
I'm looking at the i7 920, 6gb of 1600 corsair xms3 and the p6t deluxe v2, the cpu cooler I'm looking at is the coolIT domino closed loop watercooler.
Does that sound a good system for an OC?
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Re: i7 Overclocking for Beginners
Quote:
Originally Posted by
rsmarsha
Nice post. :)
Regarding the pci-e clock, how do you know what value to set that at or should it always be 100mhz as you mentioned?
I'm thinking of upgrading my PC as I'm running an e6700 and 8800gtx atm.
I was looking at an i7 950 but the 920 is much cheaper and if using your guide I can overlock to past the 950 stock speed I'll be happy.
I'm still a bit scared at the thought of it all though. :)
I'm looking at the i7 920, 6gb of 1600 corsair xms3 and the p6t deluxe v2, the cpu cooler I'm looking at is the coolIT domino closed loop watercooler.
Does that sound a good system for an OC?
The reason I set PCIe to 100MHz is that is the standard for PCIe buses, and unfortunately some of the older systems, Core 2, used to droop slightly. Call it force of habit.
Yes that system you mentioned seems fine, except instead of the CoolIT I would get a Corsair H50.
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Re: i7 Overclocking for Beginners
Note about turboboost and cstates
not having i7 I cannot test this, it's all theory
Turboboost increases the multiplier by one but only with cstates off
What cstates does is that when something is loading some of the cores but not all of them it shuts down the unused cores and thruver increases the multiplier on the used ones.
(actual cores not the virtual cores)
So if only one core is active it can shut down the other 3 and boost the remaining one by 4. (x20, +1 for turbo mode, +1 per shutdown core = x24 multiplier)
However this jump when overclocking can resault in instability, so dissableing cstates when overclocking with turbo mode on is generally seen as best.
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Re: i7 Overclocking for Beginners
thanks for the guide, after having a read through this i've managed to squeeze a few more MHz out of my i7. fantastic guide for anyone looking to OC
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Re: i7 Overclocking for Beginners
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Re: i7 Overclocking for Beginners
Great guide, I shall be putting into practice the teachings when I get the final few bits for my new i7 920 build this week. Tidy nice
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Re: i7 Overclocking for Beginners
thank you was most helpful this guide... now i got my SSD and W7 on the way, im thinking about an upgrade ^_^ or maybe waiting for the next big thing. Decisions decisions... :crazy:
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Re: i7 Overclocking for Beginners
The time has arrived, I'm in the process of ordering the new pc.
I've gone for the 920 (to overclock, hopefully past the 960 speed) and the Asus P6T Deluxe V2 as it was one of the boards mentioned in this guide.
I've asked the place I'm ordering the pc from if their 920's are DO rather than CO stepping, so will wait to find out.
When I get it I'll be installing my copy of windows 7 and trying the overclock. I initially want to get it to beat the 960 as I said therefore saving myself a good bit of cash and getting the same speed out of my 920.
I'll be reading and going through this guide very carefully.
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Re: i7 Overclocking for Beginners
Got the new PC. :)
Attempting the overclock in the next day or so.
I have a domino watercooler on the cpu, was going to go for 3.2ghz, do you guys reckon I should try for 3.5ghz instead? Or just go for 3.2?
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Re: i7 Overclocking for Beginners
Quote:
Originally Posted by
rsmarsha
Got the new PC. :)
Attempting the overclock in the next day or so.
I have a domino watercooler on the cpu, was going to go for 3.2ghz, do you guys reckon I should try for 3.5ghz instead? Or just go for 3.2?
With a Domino I would expect 3.6GHz easily. ;)
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Re: i7 Overclocking for Beginners
Do you think I'd have to up it's setting? It's currently on the lowest fan setting without an OC.
It's my first OC so I'm a bit nevous. :O_o1:
I have the p6t deluxe v2 mobo. It has an in windows utility to do the overclocking, but I'm thinking I might be better doing it myself in the bios using your guide.
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Re: i7 Overclocking for Beginners
Quote:
Originally Posted by
rsmarsha
Do you think I'd have to up it's setting? It's currently on the lowest fan setting without an OC.
It's my first OC so I'm a bit nevous. :O_o1:
I have the p6t deluxe v2 mobo. It has an in windows utility to do the overclocking, but I'm thinking I might be better doing it myself in the bios using your guide.
You will need it on the medium setting at least.
Don't worry about being nervous I was too. Just take it slow... move up to 3, the 3.2.
I'm confident enough to go to 3.6 off the bat, but I understand that that's cause I have experience.
You will be better off to do it in BIOS as you have greater freedom.
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Re: i7 Overclocking for Beginners
Thanks for the info. :)
My RAM is corsair XMS3 1600 which has timings of 9-9-9-24, I notice you recommend 8-8-8-24 ram. Is the RAM I have still ok?
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Re: i7 Overclocking for Beginners
Quote:
Originally Posted by
rsmarsha
Thanks for the info. :)
My RAM is corsair XMS3 1600 which has timings of 9-9-9-24, I notice you recommend 8-8-8-24 ram. Is the RAM I have still ok?
It's fine! Seriously, RAM isn't important. The reason I recommend CL 8 is because it was, at the time of writing, best performance per pound, and also was a decent spec. Faster RAM is good, but not a requriement for Overclocking.
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Re: i7 Overclocking for Beginners
I can't see to find my ram command rate atm on the p6t deluxe v2. :(
There is a hell of a lot of ram settings, lol.
I've also noticed when i first loaded up occt that my cpu keeps underclocking itself to 1.7.
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Re: i7 Overclocking for Beginners
I think I have the command rate the next one down after CAS latency, tRCD,tRP,tRAS. The next one is RAS to RAS delay, is that the same as command rate?
Is there a program to see what my ram's set at? I can't see to find the RAM multiplier, though I do have an option to set RAM frequency, there is a 1604 option there. Should I set that?
Sorry for all the questions but as my board isn't the one in the guide it's a bit confusing for me. :)
I'm currently at 3.2 btw with domino on middle mode (adjusts fan as it needs to), turbo boost is still on though so it's moving it up to 3.4 a lot on OCCT. 20 mins into an OCCT test and max temp recorded is 68 degree's on coretemp.
Turned turbo boost off and max cpu temp atm is 72 degree's with the domino on low speed. I set the ram to 1604 as I said above at 1.65v, cpu v is 1.2.
Temp drops down to low 60's max at 3.2 with domino on middle settings.
I also tried at 3g and max is 58 degree's.
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Re: i7 Overclocking for Beginners
Quote:
Originally Posted by
rsmarsha
I think I have the command rate the next one down after CAS latency, tRCD,tRP,tRAS. The next one is RAS to RAS delay, is that the same as command rate?
Is there a program to see what my ram's set at? I can't see to find the RAM multiplier, though I do have an option to set RAM frequency, there is a 1604 option there. Should I set that?
Sorry for all the questions but as my board isn't the one in the guide it's a bit confusing for me. :)
I'm currently at 3.2 btw with domino on middle mode (adjusts fan as it needs to), turbo boost is still on though so it's moving it up to 3.4 a lot on OCCT. 20 mins into an OCCT test and max temp recorded is 68 degree's on coretemp.
Turned turbo boost off and max cpu temp atm is 72 degree's with the domino on low speed. I set the ram to 1604 as I said above at 1.65v, cpu v is 1.2.
Temp drops down to low 60's max at 3.2 with domino on middle settings.
I also tried at 3g and max is 58 degree's.
Sorry for the late reply. CPU-Z should be able to help you with RAM timings to check them. You'll want to turn Tubroboost off because it can cause stability problems at high overclocks. Those temps look fine, you don't want to exceed 80, but if you're below 70 that's even better.
RAM timings on the P6T? Hmm. I have a friend who has a P6T who may be able to shed some light on this, I'll get some info off him later, unless someone else wants to interject?
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Re: i7 Overclocking for Beginners
Thanks, had any news on this yet? Want to make sure my settings are right. :)
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Re: i7 Overclocking for Beginners
Quote:
Originally Posted by
rsmarsha
Thanks, had any news on this yet? Want to make sure my settings are right. :)
Okay. Got it. Row to Row Delay, or tRRD, is not the command rate, as far as I can tell.
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Re: i7 Overclocking for Beginners
rsmarsha. I aplogise that I have been so busy as to help you directly and quickly with this.
Anyways, tRRD or to Row to Row Delay is not the command rate, and I recommend you reset that to default/auto.
In the P6T BIOS the Command Rate option is called DRAM Timing Mode (under AI Tweaker--> DRAM Timing Control). I had to ask my friend cmndr_andi to have a look at his BIOS because he has a P6T Deluxe V2.
The RAM timings, normally listed in the form X-X-X-XX are tCAS, tRCD, tRP, tRAS respectively.
The memory controler for the i7 is capable of handling 1T command rate, but 2T tends to be way more stable.
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Re: i7 Overclocking for Beginners
Thanks, I'll adjust that tonight.
You don't have to apologise, the fact your willing to answer my questions at all is great. :)
If I could work out how to give thanks to a post here I would do. ;)
I also couldn't find the multiplier for the RAM instead there was a setting to set the actual RAM speed, I'm assuming that the setting in question actually changes the multiplier depending on what you set the RAM speed to. I set it to 1604, I can't remember the name of the setting I'll have a look tonight and post it here.
I need to install CPU-Z to check the RAM and will do so after I set the above settings correctly. I believe CPU-Z will show me the command rate so I can verify it's working.
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Re: i7 Overclocking for Beginners
Ok here is my CPU-Z output. :)
I'm a bit concerned about the frequency, I have 1600 ram and in the mobo settings is set to 1604.
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/33301/ram.png
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/33301/ram2.png
Shouldn't the 749 be 1600?
Also in the CPU tab what does QPI link mean? It's at 3598.
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Re: i7 Overclocking for Beginners
Quote:
Originally Posted by
rsmarsha
Ok here is my CPU-Z output. :)
I'm a bit concerned about the frequency, I have 1600 ram and in the mobo settings is set to 1604.
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/33301/ram.png
Shouldn't the 749 be 1600?
Also in the CPU tab what does QPI link mean? It's at 3598.
It's fine. The freq reported by CPU-Z is half the actual (the hint is in the name, DOUBLE DATA RATE). Your QPI is also fine, it's just the current freq of the link. It goes up under load conditions. :)
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Re: i7 Overclocking for Beginners
Ah thanks, so I shouldn't be trying for 800?
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Re: i7 Overclocking for Beginners
Quote:
Originally Posted by
rsmarsha
Ah thanks, so I shouldn't be trying for 800?
Pah. Sorry, I totally forgot about this post. Yes, you should be trying for 800MHz according to CPU-Z. But expect some variance.
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Re: i7 Overclocking for Beginners
Anyone got any experience overclocking an i7 920 with a scythe mugen 2 cooler? I was hoping to reach atleast 3.6 on it, but my temps at stock seem far too high to even think about overclocking.
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Re: i7 Overclocking for Beginners
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Hazzwald
Anyone got any experience overclocking an i7 920 with a scythe mugen 2 cooler? I was hoping to reach atleast 3.6 on it, but my temps at stock seem far too high to even think about overclocking.
Make sure the cooler is fitted properly and you have decent airflow through the case ?
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Re: i7 Overclocking for Beginners
Tried a couple of resits, and the case is well ventilated, maybe it needs lapping? Was just wondering if anyone had managed 3.6+ on a scythe mugen 2
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Re: i7 Overclocking for Beginners
Hey
I bought my i7 rig today, exactly the same parts to whats in the guide.
I basically followed them word for word and its worked pretty well!
I am currently stress testing it using Prime95 at 3.8ghz and memory at full 1600mhz. The Vcore does drop a bit to 1.18 when under load and I thought this would kill the system but it doesnt!
Temperatures (when I just have 2 quiet case fans on) 39 Idle and 68 Full load
Temperatures (when I just have 2 quiet case fans on as well as another 120mm side fan) 35 Idle and 60 Full load
I do have the Thermalright Ultra-120 Extreme heatsink/fan as well.
Many thanks to your guide and I still cant beleive it worked first time. Im wondering if I could drop the vcore lower to get temps down, might aswell give it a shot!
PS: my 1st go at overclocking :P
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Re: i7 Overclocking for Beginners
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Re: i7 Overclocking for Beginners
Wow, excellent guide dude.
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Re: i7 Overclocking for Beginners
In reference to my earlier posts in this topic a while ago. I have refreshed my motherboard bios and had to redo my OC settings. I noticed that when I redid my RAM settings I've set the voltage to 1.65 which is in the red, is this correct?
I have started getting blue screens now and again, not sure it's related to my OC settings but I ran a memory diag in windows and it says there are memory problems. Any ideas?
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Re: i7 Overclocking for Beginners
I did a memtest86 test on each ram chip in turn and on the 3rd had an error. I ran it again to make sure and the next time on boot it said overclocking failed so I loaded defaults and the test ran fine.
I then reclocked the RAM and ran it on each chip, all were fine but a few times had overclocking failed on boot.
base clock 155
multiplier 20
cpu voltage 1.2
dram 1554 (can't get it to 1600 without playing with the base clock more).
dram voltage 1.65
timings 9-9-9-24 with timing control of 2
I'm going to have to wait and see if I get a blue screen again, if I do i think trying with no OC on is the next step. If the RAM does cause a bluescreen again then there must be a fault with the RAM that lets it run at the motherboard's default of 1066 but not it's actual rating of 1600.
Any other suggestions?
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Re: i7 Overclocking for Beginners
Quote:
Originally Posted by
rsmarsha
In reference to my earlier posts in this topic a while ago. I have refreshed my motherboard bios and had to redo my OC settings. I noticed that when I redid my RAM settings I've set the voltage to 1.65 which is in the red, is this correct?
I have started getting blue screens now and again, not sure it's related to my OC settings but I ran a memory diag in windows and it says there are memory problems. Any ideas?
Hey dude. Based upon the given voltages it is likely there is an issue with your RAM that is unrelated to to the overclocking. I recommend running the tool memtest86 at stock, and then at overclocked settings, to check the RAM.
If it fails the test at stock, the RAM is faulty and needs replacing. If it fails the test at just overclocked, then the issue is related to the binning of the RAM. This means that the RAM is just not capable of running stable at your current settings. You will need to reduce the RAM clock speed.
Finally, it it passes in both instances, you can rule out the RAM as the issue.
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Re: i7 Overclocking for Beginners
I have run memtest multiple times and it seems to fail when cold, odd I know. It fails the first pass on one stick and then is fine on future passes.
Going to run a from cold test with all sticks in soon.
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Re: i7 Overclocking for Beginners
Firstly, thanks to nightkhaos for an excellent write up on how to OC. Must admit, I have in the past OC'd up a couple of hundred Mhz (literally 200Mhz) on older chips but have never really felt confident in giving the CPU a real kick.
Anyway, I have a Core i7 920 and 6GB (3x2GB) Corsair Dominator, Triple DDR3 PC3-(1866), CAS 9-9-9-24, DHX, XMP, DF, 1.65V. These are mounted onto an Asus P6X58D Premium motherboard.
I've read through all of the information and when coming to OC my own CPU I see there was XMP, DOCP and Manual. I was a little concerned about what voltages everything would be running at if using full manual as they all still showed as Auto (and I know certain configs push the V up) so decided on using the DOCP option as this seemed to give me much more visual information to use.
I would be very grateful for information on whether using DOCP would be detrimental or beneficial to my OC.
Anyway, as I have RAM capable of 1866Mhz, I, after trying different variables settled for the following settings.
DOCP at 1805Mhz Profile
Multiplier - x20
Base Clock -170 giving a CPU speed of 3.4GHz (I'm happy with 3.4)
I opted to go for 1704Mhz on the RAM options as opposed to 1805Mhz in the interim. Didn't want to push anything too far to start with.
I also dropped the DRAM Voltage down to 1.64v as it was sat at 1.66v and giving me the warnings of possible damage.
So, I would be grateful for opinions on this configuration as to whether it's perfectly fine, could be tweaked somewhat more or whether I've royally ballsed it up :D.
I ran Prime 95 for 1hr 30 mins just to see if it would flag anything up and it ran fine. Screenshots below.
This is the CPU/Voltage/Temps under Prime 95 load
http://ipc.smugmug.com/photos/880878081_EPrKm-O.jpg
http://ipc.smugmug.com/photos/880903609_229mU-XL.jpg
http://ipc.smugmug.com/photos/880878137_h8oLB-XL.jpg
Thanks for looking.
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Re: i7 Overclocking for Beginners
I'd say 1.66v would be fine - due to fluctuations on the actual voltage and such but obviously if you want to be save then 1.64v is absolutely fine. Your overclock looks solid to me - even got yourself a nice Vcore there for 3.4GHz.
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Re: i7 Overclocking for Beginners
Cheers Terbinator.
I'll probably look at bumping the memory up to 1805Mhz as it's rated 1866 so shouldn't be an issue I hope.
Just going back a bit. Any reason why I wouldn't use DOCP? Also, would it be possible for me to run the RAM at 8-8-8-24 or should I leave well alone at 9-9-9-24 as that's what it's rated at.
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Re: i7 Overclocking for Beginners
Tbh, you'd get more performance from overclocking the processor than the RAM, obviously if you want every bit of performance then you'd overclock both to the max and find the lowest timings for the RAM. If you've got time to spare then you could try overclocking the RAM but I find it much more tedious than overclocking the processor. Make sure to run stress tests on the RAM such as memtest or a blend test to check the RAM as your system may boot up and appear to run fine but it'll randomly blue screen on you or programs will have errors and data may even get corrupted.
When stress testing for long periods make sure to have a fan on the northbridge as it gets very toasty after a few hours. Just out of interest though, what cooler/cooling are you using? Air cooling or watercooling?
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Re: i7 Overclocking for Beginners
Hi Ulti,
Well as you can see, I have the CPU at 3.4ghz and the Ram is actually under it's maximum capability of 1866 so I'm hoping there'll be no problem there. The system certainly seems to be very stable. The Prime 95 test I ran was a blend test however I have downloaded memtest to check the RAM specifically.
With regards to the timings. It's really just an enquiry really.. I'm sure running at 9-9-9-24 is going to be fine and there's not much benefit in trying to tighten them up to 8-8-8-24.
With regards to cooling, I'm using a Prolimatech Megahalems SuperSix with a 120mm Gentle Typhoon on it. I believe nightkhaos is also using the same cooler with his 920 @ 3.8Ghz so I'm sure it'll be fine. 66c was the CPU totally under load. At idle, it's around 31 - 34 and playing Bad Company 2 a little earlier, it didn't break 51c.
Appreciate the reply and advice.
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Re: i7 Overclocking for Beginners
thanks for this has really helped me tonight :D
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Re: i7 Overclocking for Beginners
cheers , something's there forgot :)
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Re: i7 Overclocking for Beginners
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Sparhawk
Cheers Terbinator.
I'll probably look at bumping the memory up to 1805Mhz as it's rated 1866 so shouldn't be an issue I hope.
Just going back a bit. Any reason why I wouldn't use DOCP? Also, would it be possible for me to run the RAM at 8-8-8-24 or should I leave well alone at 9-9-9-24 as that's what it's rated at.
On the i7 architecture intel are now running something similar (albeit enhanced) to AMD's hypertransport system. Roughly this means the data is shunted around the PC in a different way and the speed and latency of your RAM now have far less of an effect on overall data speed across the bus. Ultimately, faster (or lower in the case of latency) is always better, but the impact of you dropping your latency settings would be negligable (not like the good old days where it had a big impact) for performance and would quite likely cause instability in your system.
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Re: i7 Overclocking for Beginners
Hi. sorry to bump this thread but how do u calculate the ram speed?
i have a 1600mhz ram and set my bckl to 181
the OP did not state how to find the result:
Quote:
So this will be your base clock. Now then, we need to work out the required multiplier for your RAM. The multiplier unfortunately has to be an integer, so you will either have to get a multiplier of 10, and run your RAM at 1500MHz or a multiplier of 11 and run it at 1650. Some motherboards, like mine, only support even integers, further restricting your ability.
So that's the math, let's get in there and do it shall we?
i understand how to get the desired cpu clock speed based on the multiplier of 20/21 if turbo mode is on but what about ram?
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Re: i7 Overclocking for Beginners
Quote:
Originally Posted by
j.o.s.h.1408
Hi. sorry to bump this thread but how do u calculate the ram speed?
i have a 1600mhz ram and set my bckl to 181
the OP did not state how to find the result:
i understand how to get the desired cpu clock speed based on the multiplier of 20/21 if turbo mode is on but what about ram?
Ram multi for 1366/1156 is only up to x6(x12) AFAIK so just pick which multiplier is closest;
181*6 = 1086/2172(DDR)
181*5 = 925/1810(DDR)
181*4 = 724/1448(DDR)
181*3 = 543/1086(DDR)
181*2 = 362/724(DDR)
:)
Edit: You could always just stick your BCLK to 160 and have a x5/10 multiplier. ;)
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Re: i7 Overclocking for Beginners
This is cool! I'm glad i found this. I have always wanted to learn how to overclock.
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Re: i7 Overclocking for Beginners
Quote:
Alternatively you can wait until I write my dedicated i5 overclocking guide when I get some i5 hardware to experiment with.
How's that i5 dedicated overclocking guide coming along?
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Re: i7 Overclocking for Beginners
Is there a thread like this for Ivy Bridge or Sandy Bridge CPUs?
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Re: i7 Overclocking for Beginners
thankyou for the guide. Been a great help trying to help my friend overclock his i7.
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Re: i7 Overclocking for Beginners
Nice guide for beginner like me.
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Re: i7 Overclocking for Beginners
Thanks for the awesome guide! I'm currently using a 5 yr old Intel i7 920 DO with no overclock because I have not needed an OC.
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Re: i7 Overclocking for Beginners
Nice guide, never OC'ed a CPU before, only GPU, and the first time was yesterday, and I was amazed by the results. Will look into CPU over clocking a little more.