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Trying to understand voltages for Sandybridge and programs...

GregI

GregI

GregI

Associate
Joined
10 Dec 2007
Posts
1,870
I think I have messed up. I have tried to follow some guides but I get lost.

So I have a 2500k and a P67A-UD4. These are some screenshots I will try to explain. I have core temp for monitoring, cpu-z and intel burn test for stressing. I first tried a basic 36 core multiplier with stress. Can anyone explain why CPU-Z shows 1.068 v? Off screen CPU-Z shows 3600 Mhz as it should do as I set it in BIOS, but why is Core Temp showing 3309? Isn't that stock? And why 1.3210v? I understand that the VID is the initial voltage needed to start the PC? This should be lower right to guarantee longer life of the CPU, I think.

http://img853.imageshack.us/img853/3509/sam0313.jpg

Here is the next expert camera shot I took...

http://img94.imageshack.us/img94/6199/sam0314x.jpg

That shows the 3600 overclock. I think I did set 1.200 V as I wanted to see how low I could go for temps, DRAM voltage also shows 1.548 v when I set it to 1.500 in the voltage options....

Now onto some settings

http://img863.imageshack.us/img863/6942/sam0315w.jpg

Everything there is correct besides the low clock ratio right?

I followed those enabled/disabled stuff from a guide.

Next screenshot...

http://img715.imageshack.us/img715/8057/sam0316m.jpg

Now where on earth is it pulling 1.305 from when I stuck it to 1.200 v (what showed on the previous screen). You can also see the 1.500 RAM voltage I set which I mentioned before.

I then set the clock ratio to 41 (changed nothing else) and the vcore went up to 1.340v. Why the increase?

http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/5444/sam0317l.jpg

I then booted into Windows, CPU-Z shows the correct overclock of 4100 but still 1.068v and Core Temp is still a mess. Notice how in first shot it shows 827 x 4 then after a clock ratio change it shows 100 x 33.

http://img824.imageshack.us/img824/6001/sam0318v.jpg

If anyone can read and understand what to fix, I salute you.
 
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OK. I selected "fail safe defaults" and set the XMP profile. I had Disabled and Profile1.

I set the multiplier to 45 and booted. It would not boot (constant BIOS reboot). I took off the XMP profile and it booted up to Windows but the clocks seem to be screwed up and running at stock speeds.
 
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OK an update. I can run XMP profile but not at 45. The board will allow Windows to boot at 41 and it sets the vcore auto as instructed. I also enabled all the power saving features.
 
I can only boot at a 43 multiplier. Anything more on Auto fails. The 43 just completed a 15 burn test at a stress level of High so can't see why simply booting into Windows at 45 would be a trouble. Anyone got screenies to show me? :)

modez, I looked at that guide. One thing stood out from initial reading. "and a the usual 1.65V of DRAM Voltage". Now I look here at the sticky and it states "Memory - Intel recommend 1.50v plus/minus 5% which means 1.60v is the ideal safe maximum". Now if they can't get RAM voltage right (by being over the safe maximum), I heavily doubt trusting that guide with more complex stuff about voltage on the CPU.
 
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I have set everything to Auto again. The core voltage reported in BIOS is 1.320 and this is completely stable at 4.3 Ghz. I cannot boot with any voltage when the multiplier is over 43.
 
Maybe. I just don't understand how I can be 100% rock solid at 4.3 Ghz but not even get past a boot screen at 4.5 Ghz. You would think the OS would boot up and even BSOD to tell me I have reached the limit.
 
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Thanks for the suggestions. I will try tomorrow (tired of it just now).

Just so I have it clear in my head, whatever the vcore in the BIOS states (see second pic I linked of 1.200) this is what is used for stability? How is the vcore then calculated when my cpu is idle and drops down to 1.6 Ghz?
 
See for the PLL do you mean 1.760? My board has that auto at 1.800. OcUK says not to exceed 1.9v so should be OK there. My VTT is 1.050 v. Maybe this is why I can't do 45?

Out of curiosity I have been lowering my voltage to actually see how low I can go with 43. I have core voltage now at about 1.275 and it completed intel burn test (15 tests at high). My temps never went over 52c.

I also have Load-Line Calibration enabled. Should I disable this?
 
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I will disable it then and lower the voltage slightly. Having a fully stable overclock of 4.3Ghz with temps not exceeding 50c is pretty darn good for me. Will leave my Q6600 at 3ghz in the dust.
 
Disabled it, nothing. :(

I also tried a voltage of 1.212 and got a BSOD on Windows startup. Atleast I know the motherboard is setting correct voltages now. :P

Edit - Running a burn test with 1.248. Seems stable atm and no load temps over 49c. :)
 
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I just ran Prime95 for about 10 hours (4.3 Ghz) at like a 1.286 voltage (the vcore shown when you boot into BIOS). Does anyone think I should go lower to find the minimum stable I can or is this fine? I must be like really close to instability. Probably around 1.270 or something right would be when BSOD's would set in.
 
I got my PSU sorted (long story) and CPU-Z reports correct voltages now, my idle voltage is 1.260. Under load the voltage drops down to either 1.224 or 1.212....

I have Load Line Calibration disabled as recommended and Turbo Boost disabled. I also swear I saw CPU-Z report a 1.360 voltage for half a second.
 
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The official Gigabyte F3 BIOS only has LLC as Enabled or Disabled. I need to go Beta for Level options. Looking at that graph, having my vcore at 1.26 and load of 1.212 seems within the ballpark.

1Day, I settled on 4.1 Ghz.
 
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