i7 920 overclocking thread

[Extreme Newbie]

What kind of temps are you getting when you stress test?
Can you post a screen shot of CPU-Z and Real temp? If you have not touched any of the other settings in the BIOS then the CPU will automatically lower its speed when you are at idle. (Unless you set the power options in Vista to run 100% )

[MegaFlop]

Hi, this is my 1st post.
I just started to overclock my new Ci7 920 rig:

ASUS P6T Deluxe OC/Palm
3x2GB Corsair Dominator DDR3-1600Mhz
Core i7 920
Cooler: Cooler Master V8

Until now, the best stable configuration I found, with HT on, is 3.8GHz with:

19 x 200MHz
CPU 3800MHz (19x), DRAM 1600MHz (8x), Uncore 3200MHz (16x), QPI 3600MHz (18x)

CPU = 1.28125 v
QPI = 1.33750 v
CPU PLL = 1.88 v
DRAM = 1.60 v

CPU Differencial Amplitude = 700mV

all other settings on [Auto].


After running a few hours of Prime95 the maximum temperature reached by the hottest core was 82ºC. Strangely or not, Core4 is consistently around 6ºC-9ºC colder than the other 3 cores ?! That happens both in Idle and in full load.

Yesterday, I decided to run the LinX application. Configured with the maximum memory available, in 64.bit mode, 10 successfully test passes took the hottest core to reach 88ºC !! Too high don't you think? Even with one of top-rated air coolers: CM V8.

I tried to lower the CPU and QPI voltages but I didn't manage to get it stable, got random BSODs when running Prime95 and LinX. So, I think my current voltages are the mininum I could find for a 19x200 overclock.

Reading this long thread, I notice there are several guys apparently reaching higher OC with lower voltages and less heat. I guess I have a bad chip, unfortunately

I'd appreciate if any of you could help me find a way to improve my overclocking. I tried to raise BCLK to 205, raising 1 or 2 notches the Vcore and Vqpi but the system BSODed after a few minutes with Prime.

I wonder if raising the IOH and ICH voltages or delaying the CPU clock might help.

Looking forward for your suggestions.

Thanks!!

[{core2duo}werd]

have any of you tried using the nehalem tech demo? when i run it at stock it uses about 80% of my CPU, but when i run it overclocked it only uses about 40% of my CPU, and i get the same frame rates. odd i thought.

[Yomny]

@Yorg, everything seems fine and the reason for the high temps is that you're using Large FTT's .. i beleive in prime it actually says in the description "maximum heat". Your idle temps look perfectly normal and your voltages look normal too for the OC you have. What i normally do is underclock the CPU using a small multiplier. Try and boot at 190 bclk and put the cpu vtt, qpi pll, cpu pll on auto settings. Once you boot check your ElEET application and look at what voltages your board used to boot at that blck and then run prime blend to make sure the NB, ram... are stable. Restart go into bios and set the voltages you saw in ELEET manually, as long as they're in a safe range. This time in bios set the cpu multi higher in order to get 3.8 or so and raise the vcore accordingly. then since you already tested the NB. ram by running blend prime now you're going to use prime small.. not too much heat and only tests your cpu. You should be able to run a 3.8 with 1.32vcore or less. Running prime large is like running LINX which is pretty harsh on your cpu, no other application or programs is ever going to push it like that. let me know how it goes

Yorg another thing you could try is running a higher bclk like 200 and running a multi of 19. I've read in many different places that the 20 multiplier stresses the memory controller alot and requires more vcore.. dont know if its true or not.. but its worth a shot. Im personally running 19*200 bclk and i use 1.25vcore for my 3.8 prime and LinX stable.

[ChristianEx]

Originally Posted by Extreme Newbie

What kind of temps are you getting when you stress test?
Can you post a screen shot of CPU-Z and Real temp? If you have not touched any of the other settings in the BIOS then the CPU will automatically lower its speed when you are at idle. (Unless you set the power options in Vista to run 100% )

I'll do so tomorrow for you. Running a bit late for work right now.

But in until then, the temps I remember:

Max core temp with Prime95: 65C (reached 3 hours after test startet, tested for 6 hours)
Max core temp with Everest: 58C
Max core temp with OCCT: 56C
Ambient temps were a bit higher then usual today, 25C. The winter is quite cold so guess the heaters are affecting the watercooler.
Anyways, I noticed that Prime95 got higher temps then the others, any reason for why that is? More stress to the system then the others?

I'll come back with pics of everest summary of temps and real temp when I test again tomorrow. Hopefully with an ambient temp of 22-23C witch it usually is.

I might overclock it a bit more as well, but I'm not going to push it as far as I can anyway - not that it should be any danger. But feel more comfy at a 24/7 mild OC.

And also, I do feel like I'm getting a bit high temps. The CPU temp haven't went over 50C, but the core temps are a bit high I feel. I'm going to remove the thermal pase and reply new and mount the waterblock again and see If it helps.

Edit:

Here are some pics with temps from RealTemp and Everest Ultimate after 30 min stress run.
Ambient temp were between 21-22C.
And a pic with Prime95 after running Everest.

Took out the CPU cooler and CPU and cleaned them and added some new thermal paste, seems to have helpet keeping the temps 2-3C lower.

I might overclock it a bit more today.

[FearlessLdr88]

Update:
I had it a bit over 4Ghz for a while just surfing the web, but I played CS for a while, probably an hour and it locked up and gave me a 124 BSoD Stop error >_<

Soo... I tried this:

CPU Ratio @ 19x
BCLK @ 211
PCIE @ 100 (Default)

QPI @ Auto (CPU-Z Says 3.8)
CPU Volt @ 1.4

CoreTemp says all 4 Cores are between 40-45C

However.. DRAM & UCLK are at Auto. When I mouse over them DRAM says "For Locked cpu only 800/1066 Work" Is that where the 940//965 come in because they are unlocked or can I do something to unlock mine?

Then UCLK says it must be double the DRAM. when I boot up the POST says my RAM is running at ~1300mhz, so should I leave those settings alone cause I'd lower the speeds?

Currently at 4005.1Mhz. Gonna let it chill over night.

P.S. I tried playing Crysis and my battery backup started beeping... Any idears? Should I just plug into an outlet?

[TFL Replica]

Between the 3 initial models only 965 is unlocked.
A 4GHz+ i7 running off a battery? Blasphemy, give it some outlet power.

[FearlessLdr88]

Lol. There's an outlet somewhere around here. XD

Could that be the source of my problems? Or is it OC'ed too much still

[TFL Replica]

Originally Posted by FearlessLdr88

Lol. There's an outlet somewhere around here. XD

Could that be the source of my problems? Or is it OC'ed too much still

If you're haven't experienced any stability issues then there's nothing to worry about. Core i7 sees your battery and says:Omnomnom...

[speedy2721]

Right now I am linx stable at 3.3ghz with turbo mode and HT enabled with 1.1125V in bios,1.088V idle 1.056V load in windows. I don't really want to go higher since I am using stock cooler so I am going to see how low of voltage I can use to get stable with what I am at now.