Overclocking the i7 920

madindehead · 24 Sep 2009 at 21:41

DIABLO said:
Yeah no wonder it was crapping out

To be honest, I'm surprised it even BOOTED at 3.8GHz with that voltage! Haha.

Btw, what's a safe QPI voltage? I have my system running @ 4GHz now, with 1.325V on the core, and 1.64V on my RAM, and QPI set at 1.36V. That sound ok?

Going to have to leave this for tonight. Time for work sadly. Will continue to overclock tomorrow afternoon from around 2ish.

DIABLO · 24 Sep 2009 at 21:44

Max reccomended by intel for the cores and QPI is 1.35v

Speed · 24 Sep 2009 at 21:46

I read this and found it very helpful as I'm using a UD5:

http://lakesidepc.com/Core.i7.920.oc.4G.2008.12.12_ENG.pdf

DIABLO · 24 Sep 2009 at 21:49

Only firm rule when overclocking the i7 is do not have more 0.50v difference between the QPI and RAM voltages else damage can occur.

Speed · 24 Sep 2009 at 21:49

DIABLO said:
Only firm rule when overclocking the i7 is do not have more 0.50v difference between the QPI and RAM voltages else damage can occur.

Really? Not heard that before. What's the reason?

*Runs to check his isn't over 0.50v difference* LOL

DIABLO · 24 Sep 2009 at 22:16

I hav'nt looked detail of it, it's just something i've read numerous times on forums.

madindehead · 25 Sep 2009 at 01:17

DIABLO said:
Only firm rule when overclocking the i7 is do not have more 0.50v difference between the QPI and RAM voltages else damage can occur.

If this is the case, then you can surely set QPI voltage to 1.6V then, esp as most RAM runs at around 1.5-1.65V. I have mine running at 1.64V. But if max recomended QPI voltage is around 1.375V or so, then that 0.5V rule can't be massively important.

DIABLO · 25 Sep 2009 at 08:47

The difference between 1.65v and 1.35v is 0.3v. Think you got your decimal point in the wrong place.

madindehead · 25 Sep 2009 at 09:10

DIABLO said:
The difference between 1.65v and 1.35v is 0.3v. Think you got your decimal point in the wrong place.

You are right. Ignore me. Posted that late, was not thinking at all. Lol.

Dysfunctional · 25 Sep 2009 at 11:53

Thanks for the settings Diablo, i still can't get my pc to run a stable overclock at 4ghz, the fastest i can get it to run stable is using easytune6 and letting it overclock my system to 3.2GHZ wwhich is really dissapointing...I must have been sold a dud!

madindehead · 25 Sep 2009 at 13:16

Only overclocking to 3.2Ghz? Ouch mate. Make sure you set those voltages properly. Don't do what I did mate. I thought I had a crap chip too, but I was doing wrong voltages (1.13V instead of 1.3V on Vcore). Even a bad chip should surely be able to make 3.6GHz + I would have thought?

Keep trying mate. Don't give up.

Anyway. Today is stress testing day for me.

madindehead · 25 Sep 2009 at 13:31

What would be the best combination of programs to run to test my i7 @ 4GHz?

There was a good post the other day, about what to run, but I can't find it anymore sadly =(

Edit: So, I just run 50 cycles of LinX. CPU passed at 4GHz, in 14 mins 50 seconds.

Temps not going over 80C on CPU. That is with the side of my case off for now (just in case anything goes wrong). Need to tidy up the cabling, and close it back up, but hopefully it shouldn't change much. Don't have any real airflow into the case on the side when the side isn't on, and room temp, is around 22C.

Idling at around 40-45C currently.

Those temps sound ok?

Dysfunctional · 25 Sep 2009 at 15:01

madindehead, i wish that were the case mate, i have gone over the temps more than once,but still no success, even with the bios's sent to me by ocuk didn't work?

DIABLO · 25 Sep 2009 at 15:09

The temps are very fine. Linx doe'snt really work the QPI or RAM just the cores themselves so something like Prime95 on blend would test that.

madindehead · 25 Sep 2009 at 15:10

If you bought the overclocked bundle from OC themselves, I would be very VERY surprised it doesn't work. They aren't the kind of people to send you a dud setup. I thought the guys there said not to fiddle with settings if they clocked it for you, but to send them a webnote etc?

madindehead · 25 Sep 2009 at 15:13

DIABLO said:
The temps are very fine. Linx doe'snt really work the QPI or RAM just the cores themselves so something like Prime95 on blend would test that.

Cool cool. I will run a nice long Prime95 blend soon. Just need to find something to so while it does that...

madindehead · 25 Sep 2009 at 16:54

One hour into Prime95 blend, and all well so far. Temps maxing around 83C. All sound good?

Dysfunctional · 25 Sep 2009 at 17:14

madindehead, did you use the exact same settings as Diablo?

What is your memory running at the moment?

Please psot your bios settings if possible, I wanna try gert thie heap of mine sorted out this weekend...hopefully

madindehead · 25 Sep 2009 at 17:25

I used Diablo's settings to begin with, but then I plugged in the settings I had calculated using the Nehalem Calc application:

http://icrontic.com/downloads/nehalem-overclocking-calculator

Pretty sweet little app.

As for voltages, I have Vram set to 1.64V, VQPI at 1.36V, Vcore at 1.325V.

I'll try and post some screenies later if I can.

Dysfunctional · 25 Sep 2009 at 17:37

Cheers appreciate it!