Cooling and Fans

[haxs101]

I'm looking to get my I7 930 to 4.0ghz. As of right now I'm sitting at 3.6 ghz (in turbo mode). I'm using a Tunic Tower 120 extreme to cool it. I can't get past 3.6ghz without problems (Not going to windows desktop). I'm using AS5 as the paste for the heatsink/cpu. I'm using all the fans in my CM Storm Sniper case. Would I need to buy some more case fans, or get a better cooler (Which I think mine is fine for my I7). I was thinking about buying a H50 watercooling set to cool my I7 with. This cooler is disapointing me. Before I got my I7 I used it on my Phenom ii x4 920 (stock - 2.8ghz) I overclocked it to 3.7ghz perfectly with it. I don't care about sound of any fans/cooling devices you guys suggest.

Thanks, Xion.

Specs:

Intel I7 930 @ 3.6ghz
Single ATI Sapphire 5870.
P6X58D-E asus motherboard.
1TB HDD
Tunic Tower 120 Extreme Cooler, on high.
CM Storm Sniper.
All case fans on High.

 

[Lmeow]

Why can't you push it further? Temperatures right now Prime 95 full load?

 

[MU_Engineer]

I'm looking to get my I7 930 to 4.0ghz. As of right now I'm sitting at 3.6 ghz (in turbo mode). I'm using a Tunic Tower 120 extreme to cool it. I can't get past 3.6ghz without problems (Not going to windows desktop). I'm using AS5 as the paste for the heatsink/cpu. I'm using all the fans in my CM Storm Sniper case. Would I need to buy some more case fans, or get a better cooler (Which I think mine is fine for my I7). I was thinking about buying a H50 watercooling set to cool my I7 with. This cooler is disapointing me. Before I got my I7 I used it on my Phenom ii x4 920 (stock - 2.8ghz) I overclocked it to 3.7ghz perfectly with it. I don't care about sound of any fans/cooling devices you guys suggest.

Thanks, Xion.

Specs:

Intel I7 930 @ 3.6ghz
Single ATI Sapphire 5870.
P6X58D-E asus motherboard.
1TB HDD
Tunic Tower 120 Extreme Cooler, on high.
CM Storm Sniper.
All case fans on High.

You didn't tell us bus speeds, temps, or voltages, so we can't tell what might be limiting your overclock. If the CPU temp is much above 60 C full-load, you may benefit from a more-powerful cooling setup. But you may not be giving the CPU enough volts to hit 4.0 GHz, you may not be giving the chipset enough volts, you may be overly overclocking the RAM and it throws off errors that causes Windows to not boot...any number of things can be limiting your overclock. Also, overclocking a CPU is really luck of the draw. You may be doing everything right and the CPU simply won't go past 3.6 GHz while your buddy may be able to get his i7 930 to 4.1 GHz. That happens due to variability in the manufacturing of CPUs and the luck of the draw in which one ends up in your hands.

 

[haxs101]

You didn't tell us bus speeds, temps, or voltages, so we can't tell what might be limiting your overclock. If the CPU temp is much above 60 C full-load, you may benefit from a more-powerful cooling setup. But you may not be giving the CPU enough volts to hit 4.0 GHz, you may not be giving the chipset enough volts, you may be overly overclocking the RAM and it throws off errors that causes Windows to not boot...any number of things can be limiting your overclock. Also, overclocking a CPU is really luck of the draw. You may be doing everything right and the CPU simply won't go past 3.6 GHz while your buddy may be able to get his i7 930 to 4.1 GHz. That happens due to variability in the manufacturing of CPUs and the luck of the draw in which one ends up in your hands.

Sorry about that, I wasn't on my computer, I was on my work computer.

This is information from CPU-Z:

Core speed: 3606.0 MHz
Multiplier: X 22.0
Bus Speed: 163.9 MHz
QPL Link: 2950.5
Core Voltage: 1.264 V

 

[MU_Engineer]

67 C is a bit warm. I'd probably say you've pushed your CPU as much as you can without dropping a lot of coin on a good water-cooling setup (not an H50, a real loop with a 2x120 mm or better radiator.)

 

[haxs101]

Also at 100% load for 30mins, it got up to 67c. Which I don't think is bad at all.

 

[JackNaylorPE]

Still not enough data.

What RAM are you using ? DDR3-1600 ? What is RAM speed at ?

Have you run memtest+ on the RAM at that speed ?

What are CPU temps under Prime 95 ?

Read this before next post:

http://vip.asus.com/forum/view.aspx?id=20081220191040237&board_id=1&model=P6T+Deluxe&page=1&SLanguage=en-us

 

[haxs101]

Still not enough data.

What RAM are you using ? DDR3-1600 ? What is RAM speed at ?

Have you run memtest+ on the RAM at that speed ?

What are CPU temps under Prime 95 ?

Read this before next post:

http://vip.asus.com/forum/view.aspx?id=20081220191040237&board_id=1&model=P6T+Deluxe&page=1&SLanguage=en-us

CORSAIR XMS3 6GB
DDR3 - 1600
DRAM Frequency at 491.8
and 6-6-6-18 timings

 

[MU_Engineer]

CORSAIR XMS3 6GB
DDR3 - 1600
DRAM Frequency at 491.8
and 6-6-6-18 timings

A DRAM frequency of 491.8 means you're running the RAM at DDR3-1967 speeds with those tight timings. I'd drop the memory multiplier a notch to DDR3-1333, which would leave your RAM running at a near-stock DDR3-1640.

When you overclock a computer, it is best to try to isolate ONE particular subsystem at a time to find the limits, so you're not in this situation of not knowing what's not overclocking properly. Drop multipliers on parts you do not intend to overclock to keep them at roughly stock speeds while you isolate one particular part. I'd probably go about that like this:

1. Find out how much you can increase your Bclk before the chipset won't overclock any more. Drop the memory mulitiplier to keep the RAM at about DDR3-1600 speeds and drop the CPU multiplier to keep the CPU around its stock 2.80 GHz.

2. Find out how much you can overclock your RAM before it won't overclock any more. Keep the memory divider at DDR3-1600 speeds so you overclock the RAM but drop the CPU multiplier as needed to keep the CPU speed around 2.80 GHz.

3. Finally, see how far the CPU will overclock before you run out of Bclk. Adjust memory dividers as needed to keep the RAM below its absolute maximum overclocked speed.

 

[haxs101]

A DRAM frequency of 491.8 means you're running the RAM at DDR3-1967 speeds with those tight timings. I'd drop the memory multiplier a notch to DDR3-1333, which would leave your RAM running at a near-stock DDR3-1640.

When you overclock a computer, it is best to try to isolate ONE particular subsystem at a time to find the limits, so you're not in this situation of not knowing what's not overclocking properly. Drop multipliers on parts you do not intend to overclock to keep them at roughly stock speeds while you isolate one particular part. I'd probably go about that like this:

1. Find out how much you can increase your Bclk before the chipset won't overclock any more. Drop the memory mulitiplier to keep the RAM at about DDR3-1600 speeds and drop the CPU multiplier to keep the CPU around its stock 2.80 GHz.

2. Find out how much you can overclock your RAM before it won't overclock any more. Keep the memory divider at DDR3-1600 speeds so you overclock the RAM but drop the CPU multiplier as needed to keep the CPU speed around 2.80 GHz.

3. Finally, see how far the CPU will overclock before you run out of Bclk. Adjust memory dividers as needed to keep the RAM below its absolute maximum overclocked speed.

Amazing, thanks that all worked, its at 4.0ghz now! It booted up fine and the temps are great! One last question, in CPU-Z it says 4.0ghz, but in the system tab and other apps. It says 2.8ghz. Isn't that cause of the turbo boost?

Memory is at: as of now:
728Mhz
9-9-9-24

 

[flaminggerbil]

It always says the stock speed on the system tab.

 

[haxs101]

It always says the stock speed on the system tab.

I'm running windows 7 ultimate 64bit
and it says stock speed, and right next to it 3.8ghz.
But in cpu-z it says 4.0ghz

 

[flaminggerbil]

Oops, you're right! Forgot it shows the current speed next to it.
No idea then, mine's showing the correct speed.


Surely you'll want to disable turbo boost when running at that speed though?

 

[haxs101]

Oops, you're right! Forgot it shows the current speed next to it.
No idea then, mine's showing the correct speed.


Surely you'll want to disable turbo boost when running at that speed though?

To be honest I have no idea, I'm not an expert in overclocking with Intel. Is it a good idea disable this then since I'm at 4.0ghz?

 

[flaminggerbil]

On second thoughts ignore me, I'm obviously too tired to be posting, if you're already running at x22 cpu multi then Turboboost shouldnt do anything.

All it does is increase the multiplier on one core, but as it's already at the maximum possible for that chip it's fine. Dont think it would hurt to disable it though.

 

[haxs101]

Best answer selected by haxs101.

 

[MU_Engineer]

Amazing, thanks that all worked, its at 4.0ghz now! It booted up fine and the temps are great! One last question, in CPU-Z it says 4.0ghz, but in the system tab and other apps. It says 2.8ghz. Isn't that cause of the turbo boost?

Memory is at: as of now:
728Mhz
9-9-9-24

The most likely reason is says "2.8 GHz" in the System tab is because those applications are simply reading the CPU's self-identification string using the CPUID function instead of actually looking at the CPU's actual operating frequency. Many Intel CPUs will have an ID string that has the stock frequency embedded in it, such as what's returned for my laptop:

model name : Intel (R) Core (TM)2 CPU T7250 @ 2.00 GHz

That string remains the same, regardless if the CPU is idling along at 800 MHz or any of the other intermediate speeds. I bet that is the case with your Core i7 as well; I don't have an i7 so I can't tell you.

 

[haxs101]

The most likely reason is says "2.8 GHz" in the System tab is because those applications are simply reading the CPU's self-identification string using the CPUID function instead of actually looking at the CPU's actual operating frequency. Many Intel CPUs will have an ID string that has the stock frequency embedded in it, such as what's returned for my laptop:

model name : Intel (R) Core (TM)2 CPU T7250 @ 2.00 GHz

That string remains the same, regardless if the CPU is idling along at 800 MHz or any of the other intermediate speeds. I bet that is the case with your Core i7 as well; I don't have an i7 so I can't tell you.

I was talking about why does it say 3.8ghz, when in CPU-Z it says 4.0ghz? I know why it says 2.8ghz.