There seem to be many theories on whether to use LLC or not. This question has also been augmented with the inclusion of different levels of LLC on modern boards. I've had chips in which I need LLC enabled to achieve stability, and I've have chips(my 2500k) that don't seem to like it very much.
This post is also meant to help those Sandybridge users who are encountering the 0x124 / 0x101 BSOD. This method, after trying all the others to no avail, has alleviated the problem for me. Again, this has simply been my experience with LLC and my attempt to explain the reasons why I believe it helps stability.
This is an excerpt from a post I made to a thread involving BSODs on a 2500k:
"I noticed I was BSODing when gaming and when Idle/browsing the internet, NOT when stress testing. With this observation, I came to the conclusion that my system was BSODing when the multiplier was rasied to MAX but the processor wasn't quite at full load. I don't think the mobo was supplying enough power to the proc under light to moderate load scenarios. When LLC is on ultra, the core voltage increases with processor load, being at the highest when the system is at full load. When LLC is not on, or on a lower setting, the processor pumps the most volts into the processor before full load. So when you find that you're proc is stable @ 1.35v full load and LLC is on ultra, during light loading it will still be running at the overclocked speed but with less volts going into it causing instability. LLC being lower gives to a cushion to fall on in a sense, for example, if your proc is stable @ 1.35v full load(accounting for vdroop) and LLC is off, before it hits full load the volts are going to be around 1.37 or so. Therefore the unstable area when the processor is at a moderate load disappears."
I REALLY hope that made sense. I might have to reword some of this stuff later.
This is simply a theory of mine.
I hope that helps some people in their quest for stability!
This post is also meant to help those Sandybridge users who are encountering the 0x124 / 0x101 BSOD. This method, after trying all the others to no avail, has alleviated the problem for me. Again, this has simply been my experience with LLC and my attempt to explain the reasons why I believe it helps stability.
This is an excerpt from a post I made to a thread involving BSODs on a 2500k:
"I noticed I was BSODing when gaming and when Idle/browsing the internet, NOT when stress testing. With this observation, I came to the conclusion that my system was BSODing when the multiplier was rasied to MAX but the processor wasn't quite at full load. I don't think the mobo was supplying enough power to the proc under light to moderate load scenarios. When LLC is on ultra, the core voltage increases with processor load, being at the highest when the system is at full load. When LLC is not on, or on a lower setting, the processor pumps the most volts into the processor before full load. So when you find that you're proc is stable @ 1.35v full load and LLC is on ultra, during light loading it will still be running at the overclocked speed but with less volts going into it causing instability. LLC being lower gives to a cushion to fall on in a sense, for example, if your proc is stable @ 1.35v full load(accounting for vdroop) and LLC is off, before it hits full load the volts are going to be around 1.37 or so. Therefore the unstable area when the processor is at a moderate load disappears."
I REALLY hope that made sense. I might have to reword some of this stuff later.
This is simply a theory of mine.
I hope that helps some people in their quest for stability!
