Help gettin stable 4ghz oc?

[mindlogiczero]

ok so another user on overclock.net forums has the same motherboard and cpu as me, so he's been trying to help me oc my cpu to 4ghz. i cannot seem to get it stable, within 1:40-1:50 running linx with max memory it errors and stops.

ive been using higher vcore then him because i was going to work my way down to see what the lowest vcore i could use that was stable.

heres some pictures of his settings then ill post what i used, so maybe you can help me figure out what to try.

http://img13.imageshack.us/i/dscf3757o.jpg/
http://img841.imageshack.us/i/dscf3758.jpg/
http://img237.imageshack.us/i/dscf3760.jpg/
http://img210.imageshack.us/i/dscf3762v.jpg/
http://img185.imageshack.us/i/dscf3763.jpg/
http://img830.imageshack.us/i/linxmaxtemp.jpg/

i used same exact settings but i used, 1.38v on dram due to me having 1.35v ram (when i enter 1.35v to switchs to 1.38), and thats not the culprit because when i reset bios to stock and ram to 1.38 it ran linx fine.

i also use 1.32v vcore, 1.30v cpu vtt, everything else is identical. after that i tried "high vdroop", 1.35v vcore, 1.32v vtt and after loading windows i opened linx and bsod'd. after that i reset bios and still kept bsoding after starting the computer with default settings. after clearing cmos it's working again, so thats where i am at the moment.


my specs are,
intel i7 860 cpu
msi p55 gd80 motherboard
g.skill eco series 1600mhz ram

 

[RJR]

What are your CPU core load temps? What cooler?
What memory multiplier are you using?

 

[mindlogiczero]

on stock settings 28-32c idle / 48-50c load.

what the oc vcore, i got 38-42c idle / and reached 78-80c then linx errors and stops and goes back to idle temps.

thermalright silver arrow is the cooler, and not sure what you mean by memory multiplier, but im using memory ratio 4. same settings for memory as picture minus memory voltage mines lower.

 

[RJR]

Well, it's not obvious but it wants something.

Try to keep your LOAD vcore in the 1.32-1.33v range and run prime95, small fft first.
If that passes (even a half hour) then try BLEND. If blend fails it's most likely your ram holding you back, if small fft's fail it's the processor.

You may also want to try playing with your VTT voltage. I've had it both ways where it wanted more or sometimes even less.

It's getting late and I can't type worth a damn so I'm hitting the sack, let me know how it goes.

 

[mindlogiczero]

what do you mean by "load" vcore? and so i should remain with 1.32vcore and just keep working on diff cpu vtt's? ive been using vtt 1.3v what would you try?


i dont know anything about overclocking, i will try that on prime sometime tomorrow to see if it helps narrow down to which culprit it is.

 

[d1rtyju1c3]

I am running an i7 860@4ghz 10hrs prime95 stable with vcore 1.29v and vtt 1.19v
the max safe vtt is 1.21v and vcore is 1.35v according to Microsoft. Anything over max safe voltages on an i7 can cook the CPU and socket from what Ive read online. Dont run the memory over the rated speed until you have a stable CPU overclock. Also I left PCH and PLL voltage on auto as they made my system less stable. The PLL voltage in lamens terms helps control the voltage fluctuation of the vcore while the cpu is under a load but to much PLL voltage can cause instability. I hope this helps. [:bohleyk:1]

 

[mindlogiczero]

so my vtt might have been too high? can i use 1.19v or is cpu vtt not really universal?

memory is only running at its intended settings, however when over clocing it goes to 1500mhz something, vs the 1600mhz.

 

[d1rtyju1c3]

I would set the vtt to 1.19v and leave the memory alone.

 

[d1rtyju1c3]

Also is there an option on the MSI boards to turn off turbo boost? If there is turn it off.

 

[mindlogiczero]

yea its off, its usually at this section, http://img13.imageshack.us/i/dscf3757o.jpg/
but when you turn a certain setting off it dissapears.

i will try vtt 1.19v, pll auto tomorrow with 1.32v vcore. if it is stable then ill work my way down in vcore.

what do your temps look like?

on stock settings i get 28-32c idle, 48-50c load which i thought was really good but, when i ran linx (on the unstable 4ghz oc) i reached 78c-80c within 1:40-1:50.

 

[d1rtyju1c3]

34c-36c idle and 72c-75c load.

 

[mindlogiczero]

yea with pll auto, vtt 1.19 = instant bsod.

 

[d1rtyju1c3]

You might try lowering the QPI clock I cant remember what mine is set at. I will look at the pics some more and see if I can find anything else.

 

[mindlogiczero]

qpi ratio? if thats what you mean 16 is the lowest.

 

[d1rtyju1c3]

I will try to get back to you in the morning Im tired and cant think.
It may just be the batch. I wouldnt try to push it to hard. If you can get a good 3.8ghz clock with safe temps and voltage I would leave it alone. I have seen people get 4.3ghz on air out of the 860 with just over the rated max voltage and I have yet to hit that so just remember not all CPU's overclock the same.

Remember
Dont go much over 1.35v vcore and 1.21v vtt

 

[d1rtyju1c3]

One other question it might sound stupid are you using a 4 or 8 pin cpu connector?
Stupid question I know.

 

[mindlogiczero]

really id be happpy with just a stable 3.4 or 3.5. but wouldnt know what volts.

 

[mindlogiczero]

One other question it might sound stupid are you using a 4 or 8 pin cpu connector?
Stupid question I know.

8pin

 

[d1rtyju1c3]

ok.
Also if you didnt know the vtt voltage is you QPI/FSB voltage just making sure because you asked if it was universal.
Be back in the morning.

 

[d1rtyju1c3]

You should be able to get a stable 3.4-3.5ghz clock with vcore set to 1.23v or lower and everything else on auto.

 

[mindlogiczero]

You should be able to get a stable 3.4-3.5ghz clock with vcore set to 1.23v or lower and everything else on auto.

i will try it tomorrow, thanks.

 

[d1rtyju1c3]

No problem. let me know how it goes.

 

[RJR]

what do you mean by "load" vcore? and so i should remain with 1.32vcore and just keep working on diff cpu vtt's? ive been using vtt 1.3v what would you try?

The load vcore can be determined by having CPU-Z open when you run your stress testing and seeing what it reads. Depending on your MB and BIOS it could drop or even raise when under load.

The 1.21v VTT limit was revised by Intel a couple of months ago so you don't have to worry about that, the Absolute max is now 1.4v so your safe.

I never even bother to change my QPI to 16x unless I'm over 4.5 Ghz, it always stays on 18x but either way it shouldn't matter for what your doing.

 

[d1rtyju1c3]

Where did you read it was revised.

 

[RJR]

The Intel data sheet on the processor.