Please check my overclocking method

sgtstaine

sgtstaine

sgtstaine

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Hello, I'm about to do my first overclock of an i7 3770k CPU, with an Asus P8Z77-V Pro board. I am using a Corsair H100 cooler. I have read everything I can find, and would appreciate someone checking my method before I start:

  1. Download Intel Burn Test, Prime 95, Intel ID, Hardware Monitor and Real Temp.
  2. Boot into BIOS.
  3. Make sure all settings are correct:
    a) Change AI Overclock tuner to M.M.P.
    b) Turbo Ratio to Manual
    c) EPU Power Saving mode to Disabled (can I leave this enabled for when leaving the computer idle?)
    d) CPU Ratio to Auto
    e) CPU Current Capability max out to 140%
    f) CPU Power Thermal Control to 140
    g) CPU Voltage to Manual Mode.​
  4. Increase CPU multiplier from 35 to 40 (first change).
  5. Boot into Windows. Run Intel Burn Test.
  6. If system is stable and temps are OK (below 80 degrees C), boot into BIOS and increase multiplier by 1.
  7. If temps are OK (below 80 degrees C), but system is not stable, boot into BIOS and increase CPU Voltage.
  8. Repeat steps 5 to 7 until max frequency is reached. Keep voltage below 1.3V (?) and temps below 80 degrees C (?)
  9. Run Prime 95 for 24 hours to do final stress test.

I am running Windows 7 64 bit, off of a Crucial M4 SSD. 16gb Corsair Vengence memory and a GTX 680 GPU. I would love to reach an 4.5 to 4.7ghz OC, but understand that my chip may not be up to it with a closed-loop cooler.

Any comments or tips would be much appreciated,

Thanks
 
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Well you could go direct to 45x multiplier and 1.3V

if your computer is stable you could start dropping the voltage to 1.29v - 1.28v keep dropping until you find that your system is not stable anymore...when you find this number just add 0.01v and keep it.

if it is not stable you need to add voltage.. go direct to 1.35v and start dropping from there, If your 3770k doesn't do 4.5Ghz with 1.35V i would try lower clocks.

My [email protected] is Stable at 1.28V, but I leave it at 1.29V to be safer.
 
Drangueos said:
Well you could go direct to 45x multiplier and 1.3V

if your computer is stable you could start dropping the voltage to 1.29v - 1.28v keep dropping until you find that your system is not stable anymore...when you find this number just add 0.01v and keep it.

if it is not stable you need to add voltage.. go direct to 1.35v and start dropping from there, If your 3770k doesn't do 4.5Ghz with 1.35V i would try lower clocks.

My [email protected] is Stable at 1.28V, but I leave it at 1.29V to be safer.
Click to expand...

Isn't that cheating? In that a voltage of 1.35v could potentially damage the processor?
 
One more thing when running burning in tests like prime or intel burn expect your CPU to reach temperatures that why will never reach on regular use.

If running this programs you get less than 90C you are ok.
 
You have the right idea..

The safe vcore for Sandy/ivy is 1.4v if i recall but it is best to keep below 1.3 if you can.. (i tend to run 4.5ghz @ 1.3v and 4.7Ghz @ 1.36v)

CPU-Z is also a vital part of this process as that will tell you your vcore when idle and it'll change when under load. From there you can see Vdroop (where the voltage drop, 1.3 idle to 1.25v under load for example). This will help you set your LLC (load line calibration level.

Stress testing wise i think 24 hours is too much. Some people swear by 8 hours but all i do is 30 minutes of prime and an hour on games, or an hour of Prime and 30 miunutes IBT if you can't be bothered to game. :)
 
Doomedspeed said:
Stress testing wise i think 24 hours is too much. Some people swear by 8 hours but all i do is 30 minutes of prime and an hour on games, or an hour of Prime and 30 miunutes IBT if you can't be bothered to game. :)
Click to expand...

24 is too much for sure.

I would do 2 hours max, usually prime fails on the first 30 minutes, but I already saw it failling after 6 hours.
The best stability test is use the pc.

My 3770k can boot at 1.26v, I can use the computer, play games, run prime for 2 hours but if I use Internet Explorer my system crashs, so you cannot always trust prime or inter burn.
 
Doomedspeed said:
You have the right idea..

The safe vcore for Sandy/ivy is 1.4v if i recall but it is best to keep below 1.3 if you can.. (i tend to run 4.5ghz @ 1.3v and 4.7Ghz @ 1.36v)

CPU-Z is also a vital part of this process as that will tell you your vcore when idle and it'll change when under load. From there you can see Vdroop (where the voltage drop, 1.3 idle to 1.25v under load for example). This will help you set your LLC (load line calibration level.

Stress testing wise i think 24 hours is too much. Some people swear by 8 hours but all i do is 30 minutes of prime and an hour on games, or an hour of Prime and 30 miunutes IBT if you can't be bothered to game. :)
Click to expand...

Thanks. Do I need to set the LLC before I begin? Or can I leave it at Auto? And if not, what should it be set at?
 
sgtstaine said:
Thanks. Do I need to set the LLC before I begin? Or can I leave it at Auto? And if not, what should it be set at?
Click to expand...

Its best too set it first.

ill try and advice you though i don't know what options you have.. Some have levels 1-10, some have; low medium, high and extreme and others have levels 1-5.... Which one is yours? :D

What LLC does is control the vdroop so the lowest LLC will mean the vcore drops under load. The highest LLC level will mea the vcore increases under load so it's improtant to have the right one..

For me (on a gigabyte board) it's level 4 (out of 10)..

I know that pretty simular to high on other boards.

What you want to aim for is the vocre being the same when idle and when under load. :D (exactly the same is very hard so the closer the better, i've managed to get 1.34 idle and 1.356 (or something) under load. :D
 
Doomedspeed said:
Its best too set it first.

ill try and advice you though i don't know what options you have.. Some have levels 1-10, some have; low medium, high and extreme and others have levels 1-5.... Which one is yours? :D

What LLC does is control the vdroop so the lowest LLC will mean the vcore drops under load. The highest LLC level will mea the vcore increases under load so it's improtant to have the right one..

For me (on a gigabyte board) it's level 4 (out of 10)..

I know that pretty simular to high on other boards.

What you want to aim for is the vocre being the same when idle and when under load. :D (exactly the same is very hard so the closer the better, i've managed to get 1.34 idle and 1.356 (or something) under load. :D
Click to expand...

I have Regular, Medium, High, Ultra High and Extreme (in percentage increments from 0% to 100%).

I'm not sure I understand. So the LLC controls how much the voltage across the cores drops when the CPU is not under load? Why would you want the vcore to drop under load? Surely that leads to an unstable system?
 
sgtstaine said:
I have Regular, Medium, High, Ultra High and Extreme (in percentage increments from 0% to 100%).

I'm not sure I understand. So the LLC controls how much the voltage across the cores drops when the CPU is not under load? Why would you want the vcore to drop under load? Surely that leads to an unstable system?
Click to expand...

I'd go with high..

Ill try and explain it more simply..

With no LLC, when idle your voltage will be 1.30V (lets say) but under 100% load (prime95) the voltage will drop to 1.26V (this could lead to a BSOD).

With the right amount of LLC (high, maybe) when idle your voltage will be 1.30 and when under load your voltage will be 1.30 (or as close to that) aswell.. That is ideal.

I couldn't find a level on mine to get it the same (level 3 goes from 1.34 idle to 1.33 load and crashed whereas level 4 goes from 1.34 idle to 1.35 load and is stable).

The LLC control the voltage when under load (basically). :D
 
Doomedspeed said:
I'd go with high..

Ill try and explain it more simply..

With no LLC, when idle your voltage will be 1.30V (lets say) but under 100% load (prime95) the voltage will drop to 1.26V (this could lead to a BSOD).

With the right amount of LLC (high, maybe) when idle your voltage will be 1.30 and when under load your voltage will be 1.30 (or as close to that) aswell.. That is ideal.

I couldn't find a level on mine to get it the same (level 3 goes from 1.34 idle to 1.33 load and crashed whereas level 4 goes from 1.34 idle to 1.35 load and is stable).

The LLC control the voltage when under load (basically). :D
Click to expand...

In that case why would I not set it at ultra or extreme? Would this result in an voltage increase? (and the associated temp risks?)
 
yes!!!

loadline calibration will add another chunk of cpu voltage to your 1.3v

why not use offset cpu voltage so that cpu downclocks in speed/volts at idle?

try high llc
bclk to 100
cpu multi to 45x
cpu v offset +0.015
vccio or might be labelled as vccsa (whatever one is at stock 1.05v) set to 1.08v

enable all power saving and intel speedstep

anything under 80c or if you cant achieve that between 80c-85c is fine for cpu cores,and anything below 1.4v cpu voltage is ok
leave all turbo ratio's on auto

I only do 5 runs ibt,then test for stability later with playing games/normal useage
 
I took advice form wazza on offset voltage, he knows what he's talking about. :D

It didn't work for me, i needed a much higher overall voltage to get it to stay stable in offset, so i went for fixed..

Either way is good, i just prefer fixed. :D

And yes, High/extreme could also be used. :)
 
Doomedspeed said:
I took advice form wazza on offset voltage, he knows what he's talking about. :D

It didn't work for me, i needed a much higher overall voltage to get it to stay stable in offset, so i went for fixed..

Either way is good, i just prefer fixed. :D

And yes, High/extreme could also be used. :)
Click to expand...

Yeah, for me offset didn't work either... well actually it did.. but instead of 1.29V I need 1.33V to be stable.

So I'm running 1.29v 24/7
 
Even when I was a more extreme overclocker I would keep fixed voltage.

I still remember when I soldered a resistor to get more volts on my Asus A7V or A7V133 to get my Athlon Thunderbird from 800mhz to the magical 1Ghz. :)
 
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wazza300 said:
yes!!!

loadline calibration will add another chunk of cpu voltage to your 1.3v

why not use offset cpu voltage so that cpu downclocks in speed/volts at idle?

try high llc
bclk to 100
cpu multi to 45x
cpu v offset +0.015
vccio or might be labelled as vccsa (whatever one is at stock 1.05v) set to 1.08v

enable all power saving and intel speedstep

anything under 80c or if you cant achieve that between 80c-85c is fine for cpu cores,and anything below 1.4v cpu voltage is ok
leave all turbo ratio's on auto

I only do 5 runs ibt,then test for stability later with playing games/normal useage
Click to expand...

I thought vccio was for RAM and vccsa was for if i'm changing the bclk?

Thanks for your help, I'm going to give it a go this weekend :)
 
overall load voltage(while stressed,look in cpu-z)

default cpu voltage plus llc plus offset = total load voltage so be carefull howmuch llc and offset you use

its labelled as vccio or its linked to vccsa on some boards so you look for whatever one out of the two is at 1.05v and set to 1.08v for 16gb of memory
 
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