I7 920 overclocking w/ EX58-Extreme - Where to start?

[asmallrabbit]

Hello, I actually have had my system since last year, and I made a couple of attempts to OC it then but I couldn't get it to work properly and so just left it stock as it's been more then good enough for the games I was playing.

Now I want to try and OC it again instead of building a new system as apart from a couple upgrades I don't want to build a new one when a bit of OCing will suffice for another year probably.

So I've got an i7 920 - rev C0
EX58-Extreme
Thermalright Ultra 120
6GB (3x2) Patriot PC3-12800 (1600MHZ)

I'm not looking for anything crazy since I'm running at stock right now and I have no complaints. 3.6-3.8GHZ would be more then enough.

Here are my current BIOS settings:

[B]Advanced CPU Features:[/B]
CPU Clock Ratio ................................ [20x]
Intel(R) Turbo Boost Tech .................. [Enabled]
CPU Cores Enabled ............................ [All]
CPU Multi Threading .......................... [Enabled]
CPU Enhanced Halt (C1E) ................... [Enabled]
C3/C6/C7 State Support .................... [Enabled]
CPU Thermal Monitor ......................... [Enabled]
CPU EIST Function ............................ [Enabled]
Virtualization Technology ................... [Disabled] 
Bi-Directional PROCHOT ..................... [Enabled]
 
 
[B]Uncore & QPI Features:[/B]
QPI Link Speed .............................. [Auto]
Uncore Frequency .......................... [Auto]
Isonchronous Frequency ................. [Enabled]
 
 
[B]Standard Clock Control:[/B]
Base Clock (BCLK) Control ................ [Disabled]
BCLK Frequency (MHz) .....................[133]
PCI Express Frequency (MHz) ........... [Auto]
 
C.I.A.2 [Disabled]
 
[B]Advanced Clock Control:[/B]
CPU Clock Drive ..............................[800mV]
PCI Express Clock Drive ................... [900mV]
CPU Clock Skew ............................. [0ps]
IOH Clock Skew ............................. [0ps]
 
 
[B]Advanced DRAM Features:[/B]
Performance Enhance ...................... [Turbo]
Extreme Memory Profile (X.M.P) ......... [Disabled] (If set to profile1 it correctly sets my RAM values, should I use that?)
System Memory Multiplier (SPD) ........ [AUTO]
DRAM Timing Selectable (SPD) .......... [Auto]
 
[B]Channel A + B + C[/B]
 
[B]Channel A Timing Settings:[/B]
##Channel A Standard Timing Control##
CAS Latency Time ......................7
tRCD ........................................7
tRP ..........................................7
tRAS .......................................20
 
##Channel A Advanced Timing Control##
tRC ........................................ [Auto]
tRRD ....................................... [Auto]
tWTR ...................................... [Auto]
tWR ........................................ [Auto]
tWTP .......................................[Auto]
tWL ........................................ [Auto]
tRFC ....................................... [Auto]
tRTP ....................................... [Auto]
tFAW ...................................... [Auto]
Command Rate (CMD) ................ [Auto]
 
##Channel A Misc Timing Control##
Round Trip Latency ...................[Auto]
 
B2B CAS Delay ..........................[Auto]
 
 
[B]Advanced Voltage Control:[/B]
 
[B]CPU[/B]
Load Line Calibration ................. [Disabled]
CPU Vcore ...............................1.225V [Auto]
QPI/VTT Voltage 1.150v ............1.175V [Auto]
CPU PLL 1.800v ........................1.800V [Auto]
 
[B]MCH/ICH[/B]
PCIE 1.500v ...........................[Auto]
QPI PLL 1.100v .......................[Auto]
IOH Core 1.100v .....................[Auto]
ICH I/O 1.500v .......................[Auto]
ICH Core 1.1v ........................[Auto]
 
[B]DRAM[/B]
DRAM Voltage 1.500v ..............[Auto]
DRAM Termination 0.750v [AUTO]
Ch-A Data VRef. 0.750v [AUTO]
Ch-B Data VRef. 0.750v [AUTO]
Ch-C Data VRef. 0.750v [AUTO]
Ch-A Address VRef. 0.750v [AUTO]
Ch-B Address VRef. 0.750v [AUTO]
Ch-C Address VRef. 0.750v [AUTO]

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: I7 920 overclocking w/ EX58-Extreme - Where to start?

Try these for 3.8Ghz

Advanced CPU Features:
CPU Clock Ratio ................................ [20x]  << Set x19
Intel(R) Turbo Boost Tech .................. [Enabled]  << Disabled
CPU Cores Enabled ............................ [All]
CPU Multi Threading .......................... [Enabled]
CPU Enhanced Halt (C1E) ................... [Enabled]  << Disabled
C3/C6/C7 State Support .................... [Enabled]
CPU Thermal Monitor ......................... [Enabled]
CPU EIST Function ............................ [Enabled]  << Disabled
Virtualization Technology ................... [Disabled] 
Bi-Directional PROCHOT ..................... [Enabled]
 
 
Uncore & QPI Features:
QPI Link Speed .............................. [Auto]  << Set x36
Uncore Frequency .......................... [Auto]  << Set 16-18 (Always 2 x ram multi or above)
Isonchronous Frequency ................. [Enabled]
 
 
Standard Clock Control:
Base Clock (BCLK) Control ................ [Disabled]  << Enabled
BCLK Frequency (MHz) ..................... 200
PCI Express Frequency (MHz) ........... [Auto] 100
 
C.I.A.2 [Disabled]
 
Advanced Clock Control:
CPU Clock Drive ..............................[800mV]
PCI Express Clock Drive ................... [900mV]
CPU Clock Skew ............................. [0ps]
IOH Clock Skew ............................. [0ps]
 
 
Advanced DRAM Features:
Performance Enhance ...................... [Turbo] << Extreme may be best
Extreme Memory Profile (X.M.P) ......... [Disabled] 
System Memory Multiplier (SPD) ........ [AUTO] x8
DRAM Timing Selectable (SPD) .......... [Auto]  Manual/Expert
 
Channel A + B + C
 
Channel A Timing Settings:
##Channel A Standard Timing Control##
CAS Latency Time ......................8
tRCD .......................................8
tRP .........................................8 
tRAS .......................................20/24

^^ If your ram is rated 999-24 use that ^^
 
##Channel A Advanced Timing Control##
tRC ........................................ [Auto]
tRRD ....................................... [Auto]
tWTR ...................................... [Auto]
tWR ........................................ [Auto]
tWTP .......................................[Auto]
tWL ........................................ [Auto]
tRFC ....................................... [Auto]
tRTP ....................................... [Auto]
tFAW ...................................... [Auto]
Command Rate (CMD) ................ 1T
 
##Channel A Misc Timing Control##
Round Trip Latency ...................[Auto]
 
B2B CAS Delay ..........................[Auto]
 
 
Advanced Voltage Control:
 
CPU
Load Line Calibration ................. [Disabled]  Enabled or Level 1
CPU Vcore ...............................1.225V [Auto]  1.225-1.385 all up to your CPU, you may need more or less
QPI/VTT Voltage 1.150v ............1.175V [Auto] 1.25-1.4
CPU PLL 1.800v ........................1.800V [Auto] 1.8
 
MCH/ICH
PCIE 1.500v ...........................[Auto]
QPI PLL 1.100v .......................[Auto]
IOH Core 1.100v .....................[Auto] Auto may be fine or try 1.14-1.2
ICH I/O 1.500v .......................[Auto]
ICH Core 1.1v ........................[Auto]
 
DRAM
DRAM Voltage 1.500v ..............[Auto]  Set 1.64-1.66
DRAM Termination 0.750v [AUTO]
Ch-A Data VRef. 0.750v [AUTO]
Ch-B Data VRef. 0.750v [AUTO]
Ch-C Data VRef. 0.750v [AUTO]
Ch-A Address VRef. 0.750v [AUTO]
Ch-B Address VRef. 0.750v [AUTO]
Ch-C Address VRef. 0.750v [AUTO]

[asmallrabbit]

Re: I7 920 overclocking w/ EX58-Extreme - Where to start?

I'm not home atm so I can't try these settings right now, but one thing i notice is that you suggest the clock multiplier to be 19x. I don't believe i can change that as it is locked at 20 iirc.

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: I7 920 overclocking w/ EX58-Extreme - Where to start?

You can change it to 12-21, just disable turbo and you can set 19 for sure!

[asmallrabbit]

Re: I7 920 overclocking w/ EX58-Extreme - Where to start?

Thanks a bunch this worked! What is my next step as far as figuring out how stable it is and if anything needs to be adjusted?

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: I7 920 overclocking w/ EX58-Extreme - Where to start?

Nice to see you had initial success!

Testing and tweaking!! Many tools are posted here, I'd start with memtest86+ 4.1, then move onto Prime95

http://forums.tweaktown.com/f69/latest-overclocking-programs-system-info-benchmarking-stability-tools-30530/

If you run into issue let us know how and what, and give your full settings you are using and we will advise back

FYI >>
BSOD Error codes and what they mean:
0X00000050 << Incorrect Memory Timing/Freq or Uncore Multi
0X00000124 << Incorrect QPI/Vtt Voltage (To Much/Not Enough)
0X00000101 << Not enough Vcore Voltage

[asmallrabbit]

Re: I7 920 overclocking w/ EX58-Extreme - Where to start?

Are the tests for those pre-setup or should I run them under certain parameters? I won't be able to run them until later today when I'm home so I want to check beforehand :)

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: I7 920 overclocking w/ EX58-Extreme - Where to start?

Run them whenever, then adjust BIOS as needed to gain stability.

To save time, if you don't crash and just get errors, you can adjust things in windows as you test with easytune to save you from rebooting all the time.

[wazza300]

Re: I7 920 overclocking w/ EX58-Extreme - Where to start?

the latest easytune lets you adjust voltges without locking up your pc as ive tested it on my board,should work for the extreme mb too

[asmallrabbit]

Re: I7 920 overclocking w/ EX58-Extreme - Where to start?

Memtest finished with no errors, moving on to prime95

One thing i do notice when booting up now is that it seems like after it powers on it waits for a bit, theres a click and then it boots as normal. I'm not sure if that means anything. I know when I was at stock settings it did not do that.

[wazza300]

Re: I7 920 overclocking w/ EX58-Extreme - Where to start?

Memtest finished with no errors, moving on to prime95

One thing i do notice when booting up now is that it seems like after it powers on it waits for a bit, theres a click and then it boots as normal. I'm not sure if that means anything. I know when I was at stock settings it did not do that.

do you have any c states enabled? its normal i think its one of the relays storing power then you hear a click as it launches full power to the cpu,my board does it sometimes

[asmallrabbit]

Re: I7 920 overclocking w/ EX58-Extreme - Where to start?

prime95 for one hour, balanced test, no errors. Should I run for longer or move to something else?

[wazza300]

Re: I7 920 overclocking w/ EX58-Extreme - Where to start?

its up to you,some suggest 2+ hours but i think you would see errors early on if something wasnt right

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: I7 920 overclocking w/ EX58-Extreme - Where to start?

That's normal, it double checks the settings before it boots is why that happens.

I'd test 6-12 hours at least with prime, and or then test with LinX 10-20 runs with full memory selected. If you run LinX watch your temps as this gets much hotter than Prime95

[asmallrabbit]

Re: I7 920 overclocking w/ EX58-Extreme - Where to start?

Is it safe to leave prime running if I am not there to watch it in case of temperatures getting too high or anything? For the hour that I ran it the temps peaked around 84C but it didn't seem to cause any problems. This seems incredibly hot to me for having a thermalright cooler with double fans on it and a fan on the side of my case blowing cool air in, in addition to the extreme board.