CPU-Z thinks that my system is OC'ed?

dav3evans · 18 Feb 2013 at 16:12

Hey guys,

I had a little dabble with overclocking a while back, whilst being guided by a friend, but it all seemed unsuccessful/problematic so I just left it, but was hoping that someone could explain the following for me..

According to the BIOS, it looks to be running at 3.4GHz (Stock):

But using CPU-Z, based on the information in the clocks core section it looks like it's actually running at 4.2GHz:

My main thoughts are that I'm just being a uneducated in the area, but if anyone could clarify that'd be great.

Cheers!

Dave.

Doomedspeed · 18 Feb 2013 at 16:14

Have you checked your settings in the BIOS?

What is your multiplier set at?

Those volts look stock to me.

dav3evans · 18 Feb 2013 at 16:18

This is sort of what is confusing me, in the BIOS it's 34, in CPUz it says 42.. Have changed the first picture to show ^

Doomedspeed · 18 Feb 2013 at 16:19

Ahh, Turbo Boost, that may be your issue.

Try setting that to disabled.

dav3evans · 18 Feb 2013 at 16:20

Would that potentially be the reason why everything seems to say 3.4GHz except for CPUz that says 4.2GHz?

Will try to disable and reboot.

dav3evans · 18 Feb 2013 at 16:24

Aha! CPUz looks how I would expect it to now:

I assume this means that it starts up at 3.4GHz, but has the potential to boost itself to 4.2GHz when needed? Guessing I would need to keep that turbo boost off if I wanted to attempt any overclocking..

Doomedspeed · 18 Feb 2013 at 16:25

Hmm.. Turbo boost should only take it upto 3.8Ghz..

Worth a try though, It will only take off whatever overclock is apparent.

It shouldn't make a difference but try getting the latest version of CPU-z too..

http://www.cpuid.com/softwares/cpu-z/versions-history.html

yashiro · 18 Feb 2013 at 16:26

Check using another tool like Realtemp or Coretemp too.

You shouldn't have any issues with Turbo On though. It's usually only disabled when people are overclocking so they have absolute control over core speeds.

Doomedspeed · 18 Feb 2013 at 16:27

dav3evans said:
Aha! CPUz looks how I would expect it to now:

I assume this means that it starts up at 3.4GHz, but has the potential to boost itself to 4.2GHz when needed? Guessing I would need to keep that turbo boost off if I wanted to attempt any overclocking..

Good to see it's right agian..

It's best to turn turbo boost and power saving features (speedstep) off when overclocking. Just up the multiplier and the Vcore to suit.

Nice to see another Loughborough Man too.

dav3evans · 18 Feb 2013 at 16:33

Ahh didn't spot that you were from Loughborough as well :cool:

As a means to test this fabled "OC Genie" thing that I have on my motherboard as well, it came back with the following results, which look similar to how it did with Turboboost on (updated to latest CPU-Z as well)

Out of interest, does Windows and the BIOS etc.. usually pick up overclocking changes? As I've never messed with it to any great length I've never known.

Doomedspeed · 18 Feb 2013 at 16:41

THe BIOS is normally where overclocking changes take place, should that should pick up on it and CPU-Z is a really good tool for monitoring it in windows.

I wouldn't use the OC genie, the voltage you have looks very high for the overclock you have.. (1.38 Maximum). I managed 4.2 quite easily at 1.2V and 4.5 at 1.3 (under load)..

dav3evans · 18 Feb 2013 at 16:46

I turned it off and have set everything back as it was. Though I just ran an update for the BIOS and now the turbo boost setting has disappeared! =/

Looking at CPUz I've just noticed that my RAM seems to be running slower than I was expecting. I'm sure it's suppoed to be 1600MHz...

Doomedspeed · 18 Feb 2013 at 16:57

Ohh.. Common problem that RAM speed. Firstly make sure your RAM is 1600Mhz..

I think you way you do it, is manually set the speed to 800mhz (dual channel). Don't do this until someone else says so though, as i don't know much about it..

Trying to help.

dav3evans · 18 Feb 2013 at 17:00

It's odd as it states that the max bandwidth is also 10700 (667MHz)

I have changed the options in the BIOS though to 1600MHz manually but CPUz doesn't pick that up.

Having ran geekbench it comes back saying the RAM is at 799MHz, so the assumption is that as it's dual channel, each one runs at "half the speed" to attain the full 1600MHz?

Doomedspeed · 18 Feb 2013 at 17:01

dav3evans said:
It's odd as it states that the max bandwidth is also 10700 (667MHz)

I have changed the options in the BIOS though to 1600MHz manually but CPUz doesn't pick that up.

Having ran geekbench it comes back saying the RAM is at 799MHz, so the assumption is that as it's dual channel, each one runs at "half the speed" to attain the full 1600MHz?

So geekbench is saying 800Mhz (ish)? Thats what it should be

Not sure what CPU-Z is playing at though.

dav3evans · 18 Feb 2013 at 17:03

Very strange:

greenbrucelee · 19 Feb 2013 at 15:16

if your cpu bus speed is 1333MHz then it will only use 1333MHz RAM which will show in cpu-z as 667 (667 x 2 is 1333). If you put RAM in that is faster than 1333MHz you need to manually change to that speed in the BIOS. You either select XMP if your RAM has support for it or you change it to that speed.

Then cpu-z should show the correct speed.

Try resetting BIOS optimised defaults then change the ram to what it is then cpu-z should show everything correctly.