ASUS BIOS terms & general help

[kenhikage]

Hello all. I just built my first computer and am attempting to overclock now. I've read this guide from Master's Lair and started on this guide from Tom's Hardware, but I've gotten confused about all the different terms motherboard suppliers use. Specifically I'm trying to decipher this for my ASUS mobo:

(LGA1156 CPU Maximum/absolute Maximum voltage by Intel: Vcore= 1.40/[strike]1.55[/strike]1.40, Vtt= 1.155/[strike]1.21[/strike]1.40, Vram= 1.575/[strike]1.65[/strike]1.80, PLL= 1.89/1.98) with PCH=1.10

I'm pretty worried about frying anything on this computer, as it cost me my bonus plus two months' pocket money. I already changed a few things according to the Master's Lair guide and found stability, but I'm currently running at a lower frequency than the factory settings. I tried going back to the default BIOS settings for now (as I have two BIOS ROMs), but my bootloader wouldn't start when I did so. I also tried the clear CMOS button on the back, but it didn't help.

Obviously I'm a complete newbie; please help. Oh, and I have searched around for these answers, but no one seems to have my exact setup, and, as I said, I'm worried about ruining anything.

[Edit] Forgot to mention that I am using the i7's original fan. It seems to do the trick, but it's quite loud. I expect that it limits my OCing for now.

 

[kenhikage]

I've gotten confused about all the different terms motherboard suppliers use.

Okay, tell me if I've gotten this straight,

Intel's term= ASUS's term; purpose
Vcore= CPU Voltage; obvious
Vtt= QPI/DRAM Voltage; voltage of the integrated memory controller, L3 cache
Vram= DRAM Bus Voltage; obvious
PLL= CPU PLL Voltage; ??? Something to do with keeping various components in phase?
PCH= ICH; voltage of the southbridge

 

[kenhikage]

Well, I've gotten no responses so far. So, I re-read the Tom's Hardware OC guide and it made a lot more sense at 10:00 am than it did at 2:30 am. Based on the above assumed definitions I adjusted my settings to just under what the guide defines as maximums. Now, after testing with Prime95, I've achieved stability at 4009 MHz, which is better than I expected with the stock CPU fan.

Using Core Temp I monitor the highest core and it is staying in the 35º~37º realm. During Prime95's TortureTest the highest core hovered at 83º~85º.

 

[Leaps-from-Shadows]

Those definitions are basically correct.

The PLL is what I call the "multiplier controller/generator" as it takes the base system clock as input and then outputs the CPU's much higher internal clock. Adjusting the voltage you feed the PLL can help with stability.

 

[kenhikage]

Those definitions are basically correct.

The PLL is what I call the "multiplier controller/generator" as it takes the base system clock as input and then outputs the CPU's much higher internal clock. Adjusting the voltage you feed the PLL can help with stability.

Okay, thanks for the confirmation. That takes a load off of my mind.

What is the "base system clock," or, rather, where is it located? I assume the "CPU's internal clock" refers to the CPU voltage. Or are you talking about the CPU frequency that is ultimately achieved by overclocking, e.g. my 4009 MHz rate as compared to the 3.2 GHz factory rate?

Sorry about being so pedantic. It's hard for me to differentiate industry lingo(s) from people's personal descriptions.

 

[Leaps-from-Shadows]

Base system clock is whatever Intel calls the clock that everything in the system is based off of. I don't know what it's called on those processors -- QPI or NB maybe?

The CPU internal clock is the speed that the CPU operates at in MHz or GHz. In the case of the 970, that would be 3.2GHz or 3.46GHz with Turbo Boost ... or whatever you overclock it to.

 

[kenhikage]

Oh really? I'm afraid I've mixed up QPI and BCLK. I'll have to do some more reading.

Thanks for the help, Leaps.

 

[Leaps-from-Shadows]

I just looked at a review of the board that showed the BIOS, and apparently they do call it BCLK.

That's what they call it for my Sandy Bridge chip, but I thought older Intel chips called it something else. Sorry.

 

[kenhikage]

Okay cool. Now that I think about it, it makes sense. BCLK: base clock.

Don`t start me on different chipsets. That`s way over my head.

 

[kenhikage]

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