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[OFFICIAL] MSI Big Bang XPower II owners club & overclocking thread

131K views 983 replies 127 participants last post by  tristanvash38_8856 
#1 ·
700

Hello guys,

After looking around, I haven't found a thread dedicated to this great motherboard. I have started this as:

a) an owners club thread
b) a database for overclocking achievements.

I have yet to start overclocking with my board (paired with an i7-3960X). I will try to keep the thread updated, and welcome all MSI Big Bang XPower II owners/users!

MEMBERS LIST IS IN POST #2!

BIOS UPDATES ARE IN POST #3!
 
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#3 ·
#5 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by MarvinDessica View Post

I'm curious and maybe you can answer for me. With all those slots together how would one go about filling them up with video cards? I would think of watercooling blocks but wouldn't there be lots of overlap going on?
The orientation is PCI-E slots 1/3/5/7 for a quad-SLI / CrossFire setup.

EDIT: I assume this isn't a troll post and that you did not intend to ask about filling up all 7 PCI-E lanes...
 
#6 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by kulbida View Post

The orientation is PCI-E slots 1/3/5/7 for a quad-SLI / CrossFire setup.
EDIT: I assume this isn't a troll post and that you did not intend to ask about filling up all 7 PCI-E lanes...
I was actually being serious. I'm still getting into what you can/can't do with a PC these days as I haven't had one since 06 and finally built one last year.
 
#7 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by MarvinDessica View Post

I was actually being serious. I'm still getting into what you can/can't do with a PC these days as I haven't had one since 06 and finally built one last year.
Oh nice. Ok well the current max SLI/CrossFire setups utilize four cards, in what is referred to as a "quad" setup. In most scenarios this is really overkill and just a big power consumption issue. Some benchmarking/software will utilize the power of 4 cards, but 99% of enthusiasts use 1 to 2 cards.

You can still use the other slots for things like sound cards, USB/1394 cards, etc.
 
#8 ·
I have this board with a xeon 8 core ES cpu this is a locked cpu and I have been trying to use base clock ratio, and whatever settings I have been using I'm not able to boot into windows.

Previously I have x58 mb (Gigabyte) and changed to x79 and there are so many settings then can be changed in the bios software diffirent from x58, is there anybody that could help me because I want to overclock this cpu but i'm not able to get it work no matter what voltage or setting I have been changing.
 
#12 ·
Would love to see more pics from owners. Especially if anyone has removed those awful heat sinks. I'm noodling on a build for this summer with a lot of copper parts, and this board would show it off better than a RIVE.
 
#13 ·
Hopefully this summer I'll have the cash to get in this club. I've got the 3930K, now all I need is a board to put it in ^_^
 
#14 ·
Thought I'd come here and show you guys my Build log.
smile.gif
 
#15 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by cpachris View Post

Would love to see more pics from owners. Especially if anyone has removed those awful heat sinks. I'm noodling on a build for this summer with a lot of copper parts, and this board would show it off better than a RIVE.
Here is one from my build log, as I was leak testing. Doesn't that RAM just look the part on that board
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450
 
#16 ·
I finally got ahold of one of these. I have the HeatKiller 3.0 cpu block mounted atop a new i7-3930K and am about to mount the XSPC mobo blocks. Bye-bye mini-gatling gun, mini-grenade and bullet clip! Looks a litle plain(er) but still quite a beauty. I have a 4 pack of Mushkin 2133 Redline Ridgeback ready to mount, too.

I'm still trying to decide whether to use a pair of my GTX 590's or a pair of my GTX 680's. All 4 cards have EVGA/Swiftech full cover blocks.

The rest of the cooling is a Thermochill PA 120.3 and a Thermochill TA 120.2, both wi/Thermochill shrouds and a total of 10 Yate-Loon fans on the rads, until my Scythe-GT's arrive,

All powered by my a Swiftech MCP35X2 Pump-White, an iandh Stealth reservoir, Red Danger Den 1/2" x 3/4" tubing and Monsoon Free Center compressions. All in my MountainMods U2-UFO with an e-atx mobo try and a horizontal brace. 2 Crucial M4's, 256GB each and a pair of WD 1TB RE 3's.

All powered by my Enermax MaxRevo 1350 Watt psu.
 
#17 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by kzinti1 View Post

and am about to mount the XSPC mobo blocks. Bye-bye mini-gatling gun, mini-grenade and bullet clip! Looks a litle plain(er) but still quite a beauty.
Is it a full cover block or what? I don't really get how just a southbridge block would work if you have graphics cards covering it?
 
#18 ·
#19 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by kzinti1 View Post

I finally got ahold of one of these. I have the HeatKiller 3.0 cpu block mounted atop a new i7-3930K and am about to mount the XSPC mobo blocks. Bye-bye mini-gatling gun, mini-grenade and bullet clip! Looks a litle plain(er) but still quite a beauty. I have a 4 pack of Mushkin 2133 Redline Ridgeback ready to mount, too.
I'm still trying to decide whether to use a pair of my GTX 590's or a pair of my GTX 680's. All 4 cards have EVGA/Swiftech full cover blocks.
The rest of the cooling is a Thermochill PA 120.3 and a Thermochill TA 120.2, both wi/Thermochill shrouds and a total of 10 Yate-Loon fans on the rads, until my Scythe-GT's arrive,
All powered by my a Swiftech MCP35X2 Pump-White, an iandh Stealth reservoir, Red Danger Den 1/2" x 3/4" tubing and Monsoon Free Center compressions. All in my MountainMods U2-UFO with an e-atx mobo try and a horizontal brace. 2 Crucial M4's, 256GB each and a pair of WD 1TB RE 3's.
All powered by my Enermax MaxRevo 1350 Watt psu.
Just so you know, the XSPC blocks for this board apparently aren't compatible with 1/2" ID compression fittings. You may need different tubing/fittings, bro...

EDIT: On a side note, the rest of your rig sounds killer! Especially if you go with the dual 680s over the 590s
thumb.gif

Also, I added you to the club.
 
#20 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by kulbida View Post

Just so you know, the XSPC blocks for this board apparently aren't compatible with 1/2" ID compression fittings. You may need different tubing/fittings, bro...
EDIT: On a side note, the rest of your rig sounds killer! Especially if you go with the dual 680s over the 590s
thumb.gif

Also, I added you to the club.
Thanks. But I still don't have any idea why the 1/2" x 3/4" compressions I already have mounted on this block set aren't compatible. I don't think they'll be in the way of the top videocard since barbs would also be in the way if that were so. They won't interfere with the cpu block either. I e-mailed XSPC and asked what the problem is, but of course they haven't responded. Just sticking a statement of non-compatability onto a product description with no explanation of what they're talking about makes no sense whatsoever.

I really wanted to use my GTX 590's since they have more use of 2 x16 lanes than the 680's. On my present board, the 1st 590 runs 2 cores at x16 and the other card runs its 2 cores as x8. Opening up the second lane would mean all 4 cores running in Quad SLi at x16 per core.

I picked up an i7-3770K to use with my sig rig and was planning to use the 680's on that board. I'm just holding off watercooling that computer until I get the MSI off and running.

I was mounting the 1st waterblock on a 590 and ran out of Prolimatech PK-1 while greasing down the 1st gpu on that card. Stopped me in my tracks until I get a new order in. A 30 gram tube this time. I'm going to need it.

Hopefully the T.I.M. will get here by Wednesday, latest.

I also need to get some angled adaptors for my compressions but won't know which ones until I get all the components mounted. I want to use a snake to connect the cpu to the chipset block so I also have to find the correct risers.
 
#21 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by kzinti1 View Post

Quote: Originally Posted by kulbida Just so you know, the XSPC blocks for this board apparently aren't compatible with 1/2" ID compression fittings. You may need different tubing/fittings, bro... EDIT: On a side note, the rest of your rig sounds killer! Especially if you go with the dual 680s over the 590s Also, I added you to the club. Thanks. But I still don't have any idea why the 1/2" x 3/4" compressions I already have mounted on this block set aren't compatible. I don't think they'll be in the way of the top videocard since barbs would also be in the way if that were so. They won't interfere with the cpu block either. I e-mailed XSPC and asked what the problem is, but of course they haven't responded. Just sticking a statement of non-compatability onto a product description with no explanation of what they're talking about makes no sense whatsoever. I really wanted to use my GTX 590's since they have more use of 2 x16 lanes than the 680's. On my present board, the 1st 590 runs 2 cores at x16 and the other card runs its 2 cores as x8. Opening up the second lane would mean all 4 cores running in Quad SLi at x16 per core. I picked up an i7-3770K to use with my sig rig and was planning to use the 680's on that board. I'm just holding off watercooling that computer until I get the MSI off and running. I was mounting the 1st waterblock on a 590 and ran out of Prolimatech PK-1 while greasing down the 1st gpu on that card. Stopped me in my tracks until I get a new order in. A 30 gram tube this time. I'm going to need it. Hopefully the T.I.M. will get here by Wednesday, latest. I also need to get some angled adaptors for my compressions but won't know which ones until I get all the components mounted. I want to use a snake to connect the cpu to the chipset block so I also have to find the correct risers.
Cool, let me know how it goes and how they perform. I may grab these for my board if they cool good. I am having a bit of trouble OCing my 3960X at a decent clock. Hoping better VRM cooling will do the trick.

Sent from my GT-I9100M using Tapatalk
 
#24 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cele303 View Post

Another owner joining the club with 3930K, 4.6GHz 24/7 settings, sometimes 4.8GHz for short duration, works great for 2 months and no complaints about motherboard so far
468
Ok, now I'm choked. You are running your 3930K at 4.6GHz @ 1.32v. My 3960X is pulling 1.36v at STOCK SPEEDS, ***?!?

My voltage settings must be messed by default. I recently reverted to stock settings. I should go fix this A.S.A.P.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Royal Tee View Post

party.gif


Add me please....
Added
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#25 ·
I was asked via PM to share my 24/7 settings so here they are if anyone else reads this thread wondering about overclock...

I find 4.6 best overclock with my chip but I can run 4.8 just fine with cpu vcore up to 1.36v in bios and pll overvoltage enabled, everything else is the same

LLC Level 1 is best setting for me, 4.6GHz 1.33V bios, windows idle 1.328V and load 1.336V (cpu-z readings), 4.8GHz 1.36V bios, windows idle 1.360V and load 1.368V

450

450

450

450

535
 
#26 ·
So is the board really that great or should I just go with the GD65 to boost my MSI collection?
Don't get me wrong I am attached to my GD45 and it's a flat out beast with minimal BIOS updates....but it's show time folks
thumb.gif
:!
I don't want another MSI board that has a thousand BIOS updates a year...and from the MSI forum count it'll still be getting updates like the P67A-GD65(B3)
rolleyes.gif
 
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