Overclocking an i7 960 to 4.2Ghz

francky · 28 Jun 2011 at 09:36

Morning Guys

Not sure if any of you have had much experience getting a i7 960 to 4.2ghz, but I was after some advice.

Im currently sitting on a very stable 4Ghz at 1.3v, with peak temps hitting about 79 degrees under prime, but if I move up to 4.2Ghz (200x21) I have to bump up the voltages all the way to 1.375v to get stability......the problem im having is that peak temps are hitting 90 degrees, which is FAR to high and scares me.

Im using a H70 on a push and pull exhausting out the back of a 600T Case, and wondered if anyone else had got to 4.2ghz on this chip using a H70 and what your temps were/are?

Specs are in my sig.

Cheers

paradigm · 28 Jun 2011 at 09:45

Which voltages are you increasing, and (if you don't increase voltages) which errors are you getting thrown up, what BSOD numbers etc?

My 920 will do 4.1GHz fine, but 4.2GHz takes a heck of a lot more voltage, just as you're seeing.

francky · 28 Jun 2011 at 09:58

The voltages I am increasing are mainly the Vcore up and up, when it gets to 1.375 it seems to be stable, but mega hot, so I dont actually run prime for that long as seeing it hit 90c scares me and thats only 10c under tjmax.

Anything lower than 1.375 I get BSOD with 00124 error after about 5 mins....but I cant say that 1.375 is even stable as I cant run it for too long because of heat.

paradigm · 28 Jun 2011 at 10:10

I'd be weary of just upping and upping vcore unless you know that vcore is the problem.

BSOD codes for overclocking
0x101 = increase vcore
0x124 = increase/decrease vcore or QPI/VTT...have to test to see which one it is
0x0A = unstable RAM/IMC, increase QPI first, if that doesn't work increase vcore
0x1E = increase vcore
0x3B = increase vcore
0x3D = increase vcore
0xD1 = QPI/VTT, increase/decrease as necessary
0x9C = QPI/VTT most likely, but increasing vcore has helped in some instances
0x50 = RAM timings/Frequency or uncore multi unstable, increase RAM voltage or adjust QPI/VTT, or lower uncore if you're higher than 2x
0x109 = Not enough or too Much memory voltage
0x116 = Low IOH (NB) voltage, GPU issue (most common when running multi-GPU/overclocking GPU)

francky · 28 Jun 2011 at 10:18

Ok, I was just having a go last night for about 1/2 hour before bed, so didnt have loads of time to play about.

I was just seeing if the Vcore could stablise it, but the heat got exccessive.

Going by the above 0x124 code maybe try leaving it at 1.35 and upping the QPI/VTT?

These 960's run HOT at relativley lowish volts.

setter · 28 Jun 2011 at 18:24

Along with vcore, ive found qpi to be pretty important when clocking my 920, for vcore i need 1.3125, qpi,1.3325. 21x200, when i was testing with prime, bsods were solved by raising qpi, worker threads stopping was cured by raising vcore

francky · 28 Jun 2011 at 18:29

Thanks for the help...still trying and getting all kinds of BSOD and tweaking based on the codes given above....determined to get this 4.2 stable

francky · 28 Jun 2011 at 19:10

Seem to have cracked it.....upped the CPU VTT and slightly lowered Vcore and its running stable so far......general temps are 78-79c...but sometimes it does peak up to 85-89c...im happy though as in real life situations, you'll never run that high.