My Sandy Bridge build is up and running but I have a few concerns

[xstalkrx]

i7 2600k, ASUS P8P67 PRO, sli 560 gtx twin frozr, acer 120 hz gd235hz, 8GB 1600 GSKILL Ripjaws 9-9-9-27


1) When I open up the NVIDIA control panel and click on "change resolution", 60hz is the only option for refresh rate. I have a 120hz monitor connected via dual link dvi cable. Why does it only allow 60hz in this option field.?

2) In the BIOS, I allowed the computer to "auto tune" and its saying I have a target turbo mode at 4.4mghz so I am assuming that it overclocked to 4.4mghz. However, if I wanted to push it further, what are acceptable cpu temps and is cpu-z the best program for monitoring? Is there something built into windows 7 that would allow me to monitor?

 

[LePhuronn]

As far as I know, 120Hz monitor is for 3D, whereby you'd need 2 60Hz streams. You're still only refreshing at 60Hz, but you're doing it twice, hence you'll only get the 60Hz option.

For CPU temps, don't go higher than 75 degrees under load absolute maximum. With half-decent cooling, a Sandy Bridge CPU shouldn't hit 70 degrees under load even on some serious overclocks.

There's nothing in Windows you can use to monitor your CPU during overclock, and really you wouldn't want to anyway - CPU-Z, HWMonitor, RealTemp and CoreTemp are the ones that people use to monitor. Stress testing is usually done with Prime96, Intel BurnTest and LinX.

 

[xstalkrx]

As far as I know, 120Hz monitor is for 3D, whereby you'd need 2 60Hz streams. You're still only refreshing at 60Hz, but you're doing it twice, hence you'll only get the 60Hz option.

For CPU temps, don't go higher than 75 degrees under load absolute maximum. With half-decent cooling, a Sandy Bridge CPU shouldn't hit 70 degrees under load even on some serious overclocks.

There's nothing in Windows you can use to monitor your CPU during overclock, and really you wouldn't want to anyway - CPU-Z, HWMonitor, RealTemp and CoreTemp are the ones that people use to monitor. Stress testing is usually done with Prime96, Intel BurnTest and LinX.

OK with CPUID I am at 67 degrees on processor and my video cards are at 67 degrees and 70 degrees while playing crysis maxed out on 1920x1080. I am on stock cooling and it looks like the processor is clocked at 4.4 ghz.

In the nvidia control panel I was just able to create a custom resolution setting of 1920x1080 at 120hz progressive refresh rate. I also had the option of selecting "interlaced". Which should I pick?

 

[LePhuronn]

Great temps for that overlook on stock cooling.

For your monitor, if you're not doing 3D you're fine at 60Hz. Don't have any experience with it I'm afraid.

 

[xstalkrx]

Great temps for that overlook on stock cooling.

For your monitor, if you're not doing 3D you're fine at 60Hz. Don't have any experience with it I'm afraid.

Thanks very much. What is the best way to confirm that the CPU is performing at that speed? The only thing I have to go by is in the BIOS where it says "target turbo frequency 4.4 ghz."

 

[LePhuronn]

CPU-Z will tell you everything

 

[xstalkrx]

CPU-Z will tell you everything

As I sit here typing this with no applications running CPUZ is showing my core speed at 1648mhz and multiplier x16. Also, it shows my memory at 842mhz and its supposed to be at 1600.

What the hell.

 

[LePhuronn]

It's fine don't worry. It's called SpeedStep and will downclock your system when it's idle to save power. Give it something to do, like Prime95 run, and you'll see those clocks jump back up.

 

[Mousemonkey]

As I sit here typing this with no applications running CPUZ is showing my core speed at 1648mhz and multiplier x16. Also, it shows my memory at 842mhz and its supposed to be at 1600.

What the hell.

The RAM should be running in dual channel mode so it's 842mhz x 2 = 1684mhz.

 

[xstalkrx]

thank you both for helping a helpless noob

 

[LePhuronn]

Our pleasure, we all have to start at the beginning at some point.

 

[xstalkrx]

Our pleasure, we all have to start at the beginning at some point.

I just ran prime 95 for the first time and within 2 minutes my CPU was up to 90 degress celsius! I stopped the test immediately. I know that 90 is high for a CPU but is it normal to get that high in prime? Anything alarming here? Surely I would not have wanted to run this test for hours on end like I read about on some overclocking forums?

 

[LePhuronn]

That's too high. Are you using the stock cooler? Make sure it's properly seated and can't move around, but even for the stock cooler that's high. I think 4.4GHz might be a bit too much for the stock cooler.

Before I say anything else, do you want to overclock? It can be easy, it can be tricky and there's a lot if info to come if you want it.

 

[xstalkrx]

That's too high. Are you using the stock cooler? Make sure it's properly seated and can't move around, but even for the stock cooler that's high. I think 4.4GHz might be a bit too much for the stock cooler.

Before I say anything else, do you want to overclock? It can be easy, it can be tricky and there's a lot if info to come if you want it.

Well I was under the impression that I could get around 4.7-4.9 on stock cooler but perhaps I am wrong. Yes, I am def interested in OC'ing which is why I let the P8P67 Pro motherboard automatically OC everything for me. My motherboard pushed the CPU to 4.4 ghz on its own. But yea...I guess I need to know how to do things manually.

 

[Leaps-from-Shadows]

The stock Intel cooler sucks for overclocking, especially for the 2600K with Hyperthreading enabled. I don't go over 4.0GHz on my 2500K with the stock cooler, and I don't have Hyperthreading.

If you want to overclock, you need an aftermarket cooler. If you don't want to spend much, the CoolerMaster Hyper 212 Plus is $30 and performs great. You should be able to overclock to the CPU's multiplier wall with that cooler.

Oh, and in case you didn't know, each individual Sandy Bridge CPU has a multiplier that it cannot go past. This is called its "multiplier wall" and no amount of voltage or cooling will allow it to go beyond that. You already know that your CPU can do 44x, but it may be able to go higher ... perhaps as high as 50x or more.

For an everyday overclock, keep the voltage below 1.35v or 1.4v at the absolute maximum. Temps should be kept below 75ºC during Prime95 load.

 

[xstalkrx]

The stock Intel cooler sucks for overclocking, especially for the 2600K with Hyperthreading enabled. I don't go over 4.0GHz on my 2500K with the stock cooler, and I don't have Hyperthreading.

If you want to overclock, you need an aftermarket cooler. If you don't want to spend much, the CoolerMaster Hyper 212 Plus is $30 and performs great. You should be able to overclock to the CPU's multiplier wall with that cooler.

Oh, and in case you didn't know, each individual Sandy Bridge CPU has a multiplier that it cannot go past. This is called its "multiplier wall" and no amount of voltage or cooling will allow it to go beyond that. You already know that your CPU can do 44x, but it may be able to go higher ... perhaps as high as 50x or more.

For an everyday overclock, keep the voltage below 1.35v or 1.4v at the absolute maximum. Temps should be kept below 75ºC during Prime95 load.

I'm wondering if its going to fit the p8p67pro board because of those blue, wave-like heatsinks surrounding the cpu

 

[Leaps-from-Shadows]

I will easily clear those. However, if you have extra-tall memory in the first RAM slot, it may not clear that.

 

[xstalkrx]

Let me make sure I have this straight...

I am going to use the Cooler Master Hyper 212 Plus. After it is installed I will go into the BIOS and ONLY touch the multiplier. I can start at x45 and then run Prime to make sure of two things. 1) the temps aren't getting above 75 celsius and 2) the OC is stable.

I am assuming that Prime will throw some sort of disclaimer out there at me if it runs across some kind of error caused by instability?

If there is instability, this is the time to bump the vcore up slightly right? I am assuming that increasing the vcore power will cause a bit more heat which will have to be monitored closely during future prime runs.

Any other BIOS settings I should be looking to alter or is the multiplier and vcore all that should be necessary to push this system to 4.5 - 5.0 ghz?

 

[LePhuronn]

Vcore and multiplier, anything else will cause instability (thanks Intel).

Get yourself up to the speed you want and when you're stable (which is generally 12 hours or more on Prime95 with no errors) save those settings as a BIOS profile and then try ti bring your voltage back down - less voltage, less heat.

It takes a while to get it right, but it's fun and worth it. Good luck!

 

[xstalkrx]

Very cool.

So, I can just jack the multiplier to like 47 right off the bat and if its stable in prime for 12 hours then I'm good. If its NOT stable and prime gives me errors, then I should bump the vcore up.

In what increments should I be increasing the vcore? Does increasing the vcore also clock my processor up slightly?

Also, my Gskill 8GB 1600 ram is timed at 9-9-9-24. Would it be worth decreasing the timings? Would this be a tough task?

 

[Kralnor]

Very cool.

So, I can just jack the multiplier to like 47 right off the bat and if its stable in prime for 12 hours then I'm good. If its NOT stable and prime gives me errors, then I should bump the vcore up.

In what increments should I be increasing the vcore? Does increasing the vcore also clock my processor up slightly?

Also, my Gskill 8GB 1600 ram is timed at 9-9-9-24. Would it be worth decreasing the timings? Would this be a tough task?

Increasing the vcore won't affect the clock speed, it will only provide more power, which in turn leads to more heat generation.

As long as the FSB isn't being changed, I don't think decreasing memory timings will affect your ability to OC.

I could be wrong on these points as I've been out of OC'ing for a while, so feel free to correct me.

 

[Kralnor]

Can't edit my last post, but I just realized this architecture uses QPI instead of FSB, so disregard that comment.

 

[xstalkrx]

Increasing the vcore won't affect the clock speed, it will only provide more power, which in turn leads to more heat generation.

As long as the FSB isn't being changed, I don't think decreasing memory timings will affect your ability to OC.

I could be wrong on these points as I've been out of OC'ing for a while, so feel free to correct me.

In what increments should vcore be increased?

 

[RetiredChief]

On your interlaced question, noninerlaced is better than interlaced.
Brief description, using the "old TV" with 525 (US) lines. The data was fed starting at the top and went to lines 1, 3, 5 ect to the bottom, then the trace started at the top and filled in all the even numbered lines. this was interlaced, noninterlaced started at the top and filled in each row 1, then 2, then 3 ect.

Not sure that this is relevant with "Digital" flat panels.

 

[Deleted member 362816]

Using a v10 and h50 at the overclock of 4.5ghz i was running high 60-70 under load.