Overclocking shuts down computer

andos24

Honorable
Aug 19, 2013
52
0
10,630
Hey guys a while back (a month or so?) I tried to overclock my computer using this video: http:// and after i'd try to restart my computer after saving the changes, my bios would say something along the lines "the last bios settings could not load, revert to old settings." So it wouldn't overclock like it should have in the video. I tried lowering the ghz and it'd still do the same thing. As well as increasing/decreasing the volts. Then I tried MSI's built in OC genie and it worked, however it only OC'd it to 4.0. After a couple more tries my computer wouldn't turn on anymore. After plugging in the power and pressing the power button, the fans and lights would turn on for a brief second and then go off and after that there would be no response from pressing the power button until I would take out the power plug and plug it back in. So at this point I thought my motherboard was dead. After not touching it for a couple of hours I pressed the power button just out of hope and it did turn on, so after it turned on I haven't touched overclocking at all. Later down the line I noticed some things wrong with my 3.0 ports (the speeds weren't right) and so now I'm going to RMA my motherboard. My question is, what was wrong with my attempt to OC my computer? I was thinking maybe I didn't have enough psu to do it but I'm not entirely sure.

Computer Specs:
Motherboard: MSI z87 g45
CPU: Intel i5 4670k with Coolermaster hyper 212 evo
GPU: Evga gtx 760
PSU: Corsair cx600m
RAM: Corsair Vengeance 8gb (4gb x2)
And I also have 4 120m fans.
 
Solution
Well you are going about it backwards.... idea is to start small and work ya way up not the other way around. And 4.6 on a Hyper 212 is asking a bit too much..... the CX series PSU might hold ya back a bit too. I am by no means an overclocking fanatic .... getting the highest OCs takes weeks of effort and that's not something I wanna put my life into..... I enjoy it .... for a weekend tops and then I'm done.

I wrote this my Asus users and other forum folks who are novices addressing the primary issues and "step by step". No it won't get you your max OC but neither will the 212 and PSU. You'll have to make adjustments for MSI Board. I was planning on makin a MSI version on my last build I did for someone but he didn't wanna leave...
The Corsair "C" anything are questionable PSUs .... but that isn't likely your problem. try a more gradual approach. I would guess your OS is corrupted and will require a reinstall. The turning on and off could have done more damage than anything else.

When a OC fails, the PC will start and then restart. This is normal. Let it happen. Turning it off in the middle of a restart can make things boinky and you will have to clear CMOS. Shutting down during the boot process can also corrupt the OS.

I'd suggest clearing CMOS then restoring all BIOS settings to default, then try a Windows repair.
 

andos24

Honorable
Aug 19, 2013
52
0
10,630
After the last incident, I did do a complete reinstall and after just trying to OC it to 4.6 then to 4.4, it's still crashing and keeps reverting to default BIOS settings to run.
 
Well you are going about it backwards.... idea is to start small and work ya way up not the other way around. And 4.6 on a Hyper 212 is asking a bit too much..... the CX series PSU might hold ya back a bit too. I am by no means an overclocking fanatic .... getting the highest OCs takes weeks of effort and that's not something I wanna put my life into..... I enjoy it .... for a weekend tops and then I'm done.

I wrote this my Asus users and other forum folks who are novices addressing the primary issues and "step by step". No it won't get you your max OC but neither will the 212 and PSU. You'll have to make adjustments for MSI Board. I was planning on makin a MSI version on my last build I did for someone but he didn't wanna leave it here long enough to make the effort.

I think once ya adjust VCCIN you will have better luck.

Cut 'n Paste follows:

=========================================

This is my personal "Minimalists Guide to Haswell Overclocking on Asus Boards". I don't have the patience to invest 100 of hours but I admire those who do. Using this method, most can knock it off in a weekend.

1. Stop using AIDA, Prime 95 or anything else like that. Download RoG Real Bench, HWiNFO64 and Intel ETU.

http://rog.asus.com/forum/showthread.php?43233-Realbench-v2-Discussion-Thread-Download-Links
http://www.hwinfo.com/download.php
http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/motherboards/desktop-motherboards/desktop-boards-software-extreme-tuning-utility.html


Usage of testing and monitoring programs:

When you open Real Bench, move both windows to left side of screen. Open HWiNFO64, run "sensors only", you will get a pop up asking whether to disable reading the Asus EC chip, click "Disable this sensor". Move the HWiNFO64 window to upper right hand corner of screen. Stretch bottom of window to full screen height. Make the following changes:

-Right Click on "System" right at the top, select hide.
-In the next section, hide the last 4 lines starting "Core CPU Thermal Throttling" (if you watch temps, this is useless)
-Skip over the next section and Hide the section after that (section includes CPU Package thru DRAM Power)
-Now the whole reasons we did that was so you could see everything you wanna see at same time. You should be able to see Vcore 0, 1 and 2 at -the bottom of the window. If not hide a few more lines. Save and Quit will save your edits.


2. I am going to assume that you want your PC to power down and reduce voltages when not needed so for this we'll use Adaptive settings. Adaptive will throw an extra 0.10 to 0.13 volts at your CPU. Again, I would NOT use P95 or AIDA on this setting without constant attention.

3. After setting BIOS to defaults, Input the following settings and then right click on them to add them to your favorites page. This will allow you to access all the settings you need to without bouncing all over the BIOS:

AI Overclock Tuner = Auto
1-Core Ratio Limit = 42 (all others should automatically change with Sync all cores selected above)
Max. CPU Cache Ratio = Auto
Min. CPU Cache Ratio = Auto
Fully Manual Mode = Disabled
Core Voltage = Adaptive
Additional Turbo Mode CPU Core Voltage = 1.200
Core Cache Voltage = Adaptive
Additional Turbo Mode CPU Cache Voltage = Auto
Eventual CPU Input Voltage = 1.90
DRAM Voltage = Auto

I'd suggest taking a screen shot (F12) of the favorites page when ya have successfully passed the stress tests.

4. Open Real Bench, select Benchmark Tab Check only the last box. Open HWiNFO64, run "sensors only" as described above. Start Real Bench and don't touch mouse till finished. Observe voltages and temps. If you can get thru these 2 minutes, your close.

5. Then try checking all 4 boxes and run again NOTE: During the 3rd test Open CL will send AVX instructions to CPU; pay close attention to Vcores as they will spike as described above. If passes.....

6. Switch to the Stress Test Tab and select the amount of RAM you have in your system and 2 hours..... (Note: If you plan on raising cache and / or RAM after a run, I will usually save the two hours and skip this step until I have Multiplier / Cache and RAM speed at my targets.

7. If at any point you fail, up Core Voltage to 1.225 (+0.025)...Always watch temps and stop tests if you reach temperatures of concern (> 85C in my book). Record the following:

42/A/A/Auto - Shorthand for 42 Multiplier / Auto Max. Cache / Auto Min, Cache / Auto DRAM setting
Actual RAM Speed - i.e. 1600
Ambient = Room Temperature
Coolant Temp at Idle = Requires a sensor
Idle Core Temps Before Test on Each Core = i.e. 25, 26, 24, 22
Average Core Temps for Each Core During Test = i.e. 59.6, 58.2, 52.7, 49.4
Max Core Temps During Test on Each Core = i.e. 65, 62, 59, 54
Settings you input in BIOS for VCore, VCC Ring (Cache), VCCIN (Eventual), DRAM i.e. 1.2000, Auto, 1.900, Auto
Actual Readings in BIOS for VCore, VCC Ring, VCCIN, DRAM i.e. 1.040, 1.122, NA, 1.671
Actual Readings in HWiNFO64 for VCore, VCC Ring, VCCIN, DRAM i.e. 1.296, NA, 1.920, 1.681
Highest Voltage Reading on any Core During each of the 4 Benchmarks, i.e. Image Ed. 1.200 / Encoding 1.216 / Open CL 1.296 / Multitask 1.248

7. If at any point you fail, up Core Voltage to 1.250 (+0.025). If ya fail again, go another notch (1.275) but I'd stop there.

8. Once you pass, it's time to consider cache voltage. Some are content to leave at Auto (39) as it affects very, very few applications (skip to step 9 if this is you), others try and get as close as they can to the CPU Multiplier. If you want cache up, go to 42/42/42/Auto. If ya fail, bring up cache voltage in same 0.025 increments.

Settings will look like this when starting:

Max. CPU Cache Ratio = 42
Min. CPU Cache Ratio = 42
Additional Turbo Mode CPU Cache Voltage = 1.200

9. Once stable, it's now time to get ya RAM up to its rated 2133, 2400 or whatever. Change 1st setting above to XMP

AI Overclock Tuner = XMP

Referring back to step 6, this is the point I normally do the 2 hour test when I am "done" with a given multiplier. So run the 2 hour test here, followed by an 8 hour test w/ Intel ETU.

10. If ya fail.... up ya voltages as per above..... as long as things don't get too hot.....see limits below. If ya pass, it's time to see if we can lower temps and voltages. I dunno if it matters what order ya do it in but I did VCCIN 1st till I failed then bumped up till I got lowest stable setting. Then did VCCring (Cache Voltage Setting in BIOS) till I got lowest stable setting....and finally VID (BIOS CPU Voltage setting) last. I leaped in "half" amounts.

For example.... Default VCCIn is reportedly less than 1.8 .... so if 1.9 worked, i went "half way" to 1.85 .... if 1.85 failed, I went halfway between known good and bad to 1.875 ....same deal with VID and VCCring.

11. With the 42 series if tests complete, "rinse and repeat" with steps 3 thru 10 after moving up to CPU Multiplier to 43, then 44 or as high as you are willing to go. At 46 multiplier I found 1.9 VCCIN to be inadequate.... this is the one voltage I found that going too high or too low is problematic (other than heat and maximum upset voltage limits of course). I went to 1.98 (last yellow setting) and it was too low..... 2.08 was too high. 2.04 worked for me w/ 46 multiplier,

12. These are my settings to give ya an idea of luck I had .... your mileage will vary. Asterisked ones are those I didn't go back and try and get better temps / voltages.

42/42/42/XMP (2400) *
VCore 1.200
VCC Ring 1.200
VCCIN (Ev) 1.880
DRAM 1.700
Avg Max Core Temp = 59.0C (28.0C Ambient)

43/43/43/XMP (2400) *
VCore 1.225
VCC Ring 1.225
VCCIN (Ev) 1.880
DRAM 1.700
Avg Max Core Temp = 56.5C (27.4C Ambient)

44/44/44/XMP (2400) *
VCore 1.260
VCC Ring 1.260
VCCIN (Ev) 1.880
DRAM 1.700
Avg Max Core Temp = 59.0C (24.5C Ambient)

45/45/45/XMP (2400)
VCore 1.325
VCC Ring 1.325
VCCIN (Ev) 1.880
DRAM 1.700 *
Avg Max Core Temp = 63.0C (22.9C Ambient)


46/43/43/XMP (2400)
VCore 1.385
VCC Ring 1.385
VCCIN (Ev) 2.020
DRAM 1.700
Avg Max Core Temp = 69.0C (23.0C Ambient)

46/46/46/XMP (2400)
VCore 1.385
VCC Ring 1.410
VCCIN (Ev) 2.040
DRAM 1.70
Avg Max Core Temp = 72.0C (24.4C Ambient)


13. As for cooling / heat / voltage concerns

Here's Asus recommendations:

A very good air cooler is required for voltage levels above 1.15V.
1.20V-1.23V requires use of closed loop water coolers.
At 1.24V-1.275V dual or triple radiator water cooling solutions are advised.

My thinking is:

Up to 1.200v = Very Good Air Cooler (Hyper 212)
Up to 1.250v = Best Air Coolers (Phanteks PH-TC14-PE, Silver Arrow or Noctua DH14) ....... Dual 140mm CLC / AIO Cooler w/ 1500 rpm fans (Corsair H110)
Up to 1.275v = Extreme Speed Dual Fan CLC / AIO w/ 2700 rpm fans (too noisy for most folks)
Up to 1.325v = Custom Loop w/ 15C Delta T (3 x 120mm / 140mm) *
Up to 1.400 = Custom Loop w/ 10C Delta T (5 x 140mm or 6 x 120mm) *

* At this level having the GPU(s) also under water is assumed

Also, if you are not running AVX, you can add as much as 0.10 to all those voltages.

14. NEVER WALK AWAY from your machine while stress testing until you are sure that temps have stabilized.
Be AWARE if test uses multiple instruction sets like Real Bench who throws out its hardest load voltage wise with the 3rd test in the Benchmark but the 4th test results in higher temps.

Remember some AVX instructions are present during RoG Real Bench type loads which will raise VCores by 0.10 to 0.13 for short periods.
I would not suggest running Prime 95 w/ AVX under adaptive under above conditions.

15. Having 4 sticks of memory will hinder ya OCs a bit.

16. If ya want the best OCs ya machine can get, this is not the guide to use. If ya wanna get it done over the weekend in between taking work home, course work, Honey-Do Lists, Daddy Taxi and other life demands, this may get it done in a weekend :) .

WORD OF WARNING: Some of us are having problems with the BIOS clock freezing and a suspected cause is the use the saving, loading and backing up of OC profiles in the Tools section of the BIOS. I would avoid use of that feature until such time as the cause is confirmed or a fix is available.





 
Solution
@andos24

Here's the best advice I can give you regarding overclocking your CPU, you start out low and work up, you do not jump out of the gate to a multiplier overclock that you have an absolutely zero idea your system can even handle, just because it worked for Bill does not mean it will work for Bob.

A total system failure shutdown, and possibly and auto reboot, and shutdown, means your BIOS settings are completely wrong, you need to do a hard clear of the CMOS and start over, and in most cases once your up and running in the operating system, (on default BIOS settings), remove and reinstall your graphics drivers as you've surely corrupted them.

First of all almost every overclocking guide on the net are to put in simple terms, useless, some of the video guides barely can do a You Tube video much less guide you in overclocking, and unfortunately some of the written guides are just as bad.

Some users that got their original information from those guides, swear by them, because they just don't know any better.

Too many guides are written by guys longing to return to the old days of overclocking wanting to tweak everything they possibly can tweak.

In that process, they tweak things they should have just left alone and they would have successfully reached their overclocks 100% rock solid stable.

Just because new CPUs brought new voltage tweaks on the scene that motherboards could take advantage of, doesn't mean you should have messed with them, but most think because they're there they must be tweaked, and in doing so you create your own instability and overclock wall.

We all know what the slang for KISS means Right? (Keep It Simple Stupid)

So why are so many determined to complicate a raised multiplier CPU overclock, and beat their chests like they've accomplished something?

Because the guides lead them in that direction, if you learn to overclock from bad information that becomes your overclock foundation.

Overclocking base knowledge is very important, because if you have that as a foundation under you, you do not need a guide to overclock your CPU.

BIOS settings have a lot to do with how far you'll get with your CPU overclock, just one BIOS setting set wrong, can throw a wrench in your overclocking gears, and everything you try from that point ends in the same results.

My best advice is to use this experience as a learning step, and your next step, invest time in learning what you're doing before continuing on.

If not, then manually set the CPU voltage, and also manually set the DRAM slot voltage to your module specifications!

Leave the rest of the voltages on Auto, so the motherboard can do what it was designed to do and take care of them, once you take the motherboards ability away from controlling those additional voltages under operating system load, you'd better be 100% correct with the manual voltages you set in, or it's crash city, once again, for you.

You're only going to get so far with an EVO cooler anyway, you have to control your load temperatures, because that will be an overclocking limiter.

IMO you really need to learn a lot more about overclocking before you continue down that road, but that's up to you, it is after all, your hardware.