P55 Classified 200 SLI OC guide

Hello My name is Michael,
I was directed here by deadlysyn. This is a real nice forum and website. I'm a real noob when it come to overclocking. Does any one use the P55 Classified 200 for a MB? I'm looking for a noobs guide to OC this motherboard. My rig details are listed below. I have bios A70 installed for my MB and I'm using the dummy OC feature in the bios to OC at the current 3367.37Mhz. I'm running on air so I cannot go too crazy with the OCing.

1.SPARKLE COMPUTER CORP Gold Class GW-EPS1250DA 1250W ATX12V / EPS12V 80 PLUS GOLD Certified Modular Active PFC Power Supply.

2. EVGA 160-LF-E659-KR LGA 1156 Intel P55 Classified 200 SLI Extended ATX Intel Motherboard.

3.EVGA 015-P3-1480-AR GeForce GTX 480 (Fermi) 1536MB 384-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video.

4.Intel Core i7-860 Lynnfield 2.8GHz LGA 1156 95W Quad-Core Processor BX80605I7860.

5.Crucial Ballistix Tracer 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory w/ Red LEDs Model BL2KIT25664TR1608.

6.Thermaltake Element V Black Edition VL200K1W2Z Black SECC / Plastic ATX Full Tower Computer Case.

7.Sony Optiarc 24X DVD/CD Rewritable Drive Black SATA Model AD-7240S-0B - OEM.

8.Microsoft Windows 7 Professional 64-bit 1-Pack for System Builders - OEM

9.NVIDIA 3D Vision Glasses Kit w/ Limited Edition Avatar 3D Stereo Glasses Model 942107010007001.

10.Acer GD235HZbid Black/orange 23.6" 2ms Widescreen 1080p 120Hz 3D-Ready LCD Monitor.

11.SAMSUNG XL2370-1 Charcoal Gray 23" 2ms Full HD HDMI LED Backlight LCD Monitor Slim Design 250 cd/m2 DC 5,000,000:1(1000:1)

you got a good Air Cooler?the 860 is very Hot to go over 3,8Ghz i will send you an approximate Bios attitude for Testing.I have the same Board with 760.
Settings for 3,6Ghz :

CPU Configuration:
Turn off for testing Speedstep,Turbo and C-State.
Dummy OC: Disabled
CPU Multiplier Setting:22
Clockgen Switch Mode: Disabled
CPU Frequency:164 = CPU Multiplier 22*164=3,6Ghz
PCIE Frequency:100
QPI Frequency:the low value
MCH Strap:1600Mhz
VDropp Control:with VDroop
Bootup CPU Vcore:1,3V for Testing
Eventual " " :1,3V
Bootup CPU Vtt: 1,2V
Eventual " " : 1,2V
PCH: 1,05V
Pll: 1,8V

You go up with the CPU Frequency the Ram goes also highly so go into the Memory Configure
and set the Ram down with the divisors.
your Ram ist 1600 you must see that he is running even with 1600 or you have a good OC Ram makes the more.
Testing with Prime for stable.

I have the Zalman CNPS9900A not sure if this is a good fan for over clocking. I know that my case only supports fans with a total size of 155mm in height. I will give this bios settings a try today.

PC wouldn't boot up with settings listed below or I'm doing someting incorrectly. Also not able to change my CPU Multiplier from [21] I have tried over and over using the enter key or number keys.

Ace. said:

you got a good Air Cooler?the 860 is very Hot to go over 3,8Ghz i will send you an approximate Bios attitude for Testing.I have the same Board with 760.
Settings for 3,6Ghz :

CPU Configuration:
Turn off for testing Speedstep,Turbo and C-State.
Dummy OC: Disabled
CPU Multiplier Setting:22
Clockgen Switch Mode: Disabled
CPU Frequency:164 = CPU Multiplier 22*164=3,6Ghz
PCIE Frequency:100
QPI Frequency:the low value
MCH Strap:1600Mhz
VDropp Control:with VDroop
Bootup CPU Vcore:1,3V for Testing
Eventual " " :1,3V
Bootup CPU Vtt: 1,2V
Eventual " " : 1,2V
PCH: 1,05V
Pll: 1,8V

You go up with the CPU Frequency the Ram goes also highly so go into the Memory Configure
and set the Ram down with the divisors.
your Ram ist 1600 you must see that he is running even with 1600 or you have a good OC Ram makes the more.
Testing with Prime for stable.

Click to expand...

DxTrEm3Fx said:

PC wouldn't boot up with settings listed below or I'm doing someting incorrectly. Also not able to change my CPU Multiplier from [21] I have tried over and over using the enter key or number keys.

Click to expand...

Auto OC off? +- for change Multi!Ram Setings Correct?Ram runs with Mhz??
Test it with 1,25Vcore and 1,25VTT.
can you make Pictures from your Bios Settings plz.

Here we go pictures of my bios. I have it running at 3.4Ghz. I had the boot voltage incorrect it was too low. No matter what I do I cannot change the Multiplier to [22]. You have to hold down shift key at the + to increase the Muilti. I decreased it all the way and then increased it and it will not pass [21]. As you can see on the CPU page the Ratio status: unlocked settings of min [9] and max [21]. I believe this is keeping it at [21]. Ok the memory page. If I change the DRAM freq to 1600 it will put my target freq over 1900 so I left it at 1333Mhz and that gives me a target freq of 1644Mhz. So how should I test it with Prime95. And what test should I run with Prime95 I have never used it.

The Bios Settinges ok with + and - you can change the Multi so Test it with Prime download here http://www.softpedia.com/get/Others/Home-Education/Prime95.shtml
Start Prime Custom and Run FFT's in place so test it 2h and look at the Temps.
Prime crash set Vcore one step higher and VTT.Start with 1,3Vcore works so you can go higher with BCLK or lower with Vcore when 3,6Ghz is enough for you.

Thanks ACE for your help I will run Prime95 for 2 hrs and adjust accordingly. I have downloaded Prime95 and set up a PrimeNet account.

Ace. said:

The Bios Settinges ok with + and - you can change the Multi so Test it with Prime download here http://www.softpedia.com/get/Others/Home-Education/Prime95.shtml
Start Prime Custom and Run FFT's in place so test it 2h and look at the Temps.
Prime crash set Vcore one step higher and VTT.Start with 1,3Vcore works so you can go higher with BCLK or lower with Vcore when 3,6Ghz is enough for you.

Click to expand...

You should download Prime directly from mersenne.org, since both x86 and x64 versions are available. Downloading from an outside source like Softpedia normally offers only the x86 version for download. And there's no reason to set up a PrimeNet account, since you're going to be using it strictly for stability testing.

http://www.mersenne.org/freesoft/

And you might want to check out this thread over at the EVGA P55 forum...

Guide To Overclocking I7 860 to 4.0 Ghz On a EVGA P55 FTW 200
http://www.evga.com/forums/tm.aspx?m=391201

... and also this sticky:

EVGA P55 Overclocking Guide
http://www.evga.com/forums/tm.aspx?m=20029

Hi Michael! Welcome to the OC community.

Thanks for all of the info. I have read the EVGA P55 Overclocking Guide on that forum.
But this other post is really nice
" Overclocking I7 860 to 4.0 Ghz On a EVGA P55 FTW 200". My biggest problem is cooling now. I just finished my Prime95 testing and my CPU was running at 62°c for 2hrs . Too Hot to OC anymore Im not sure what the max temp is on my CPU. I did download the CPU datasheet from Intel and cannot locate any temperature Min and Max's on the data sheet.

redduc900 said:

You should download Prime directly from mersenne.org, since both x86 and x64 versions are available. Downloading from an outside source like Softpedia normally offers only the x86 version for download. And there's no reason to set up a PrimeNet account, since you're going to be using it strictly for stability testing.

http://www.mersenne.org/freesoft/

And you might want to check out this thread over at the EVGA P55 forum...

Guide To Overclocking I7 860 to 4.0 Ghz On a EVGA P55 FTW 200
http://www.evga.com/forums/tm.aspx?m=391201

... and also this sticky:

EVGA P55 Overclocking Guide
http://www.evga.com/forums/tm.aspx?m=20029

Click to expand...

Intel only lists Tcase max. of 67.2C, w/ the TJ Max as set by Real Temp at 99C, so keeping a Distance to TJ Max ≥ 15-20C = no > 80-85C core temp's.

Hello guys, I would like to post here since I have the same mobo and processor, and having similar problems.
I also posted at evga forums but I'm not getting much help there, I see people get much more help here. Gonna copy paste my post from there over here ;
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Just days ago I became the owner of a P55 Classified 200.
Before I had a Gigabyte P55A-UD3R and started to OC on that board and I'm still a noob at this, so I came here to ask for help.
On the Gigabyte I reached about 3,7 GHz stable on my i7 860 with max temp. of 80C(176F) but with room temp. of about 30C(86F) !
Now on the EVGA I'm on 3,487GHz reaching the same temperatures with 23C(73,4F) ambient, so a significant decrease of room temp than before!!!

When I try increasing the BLCK to reach 3,8GHz I can't even boot into W7.
My cooler is the Zalman CNPS10X Quiet, running at max RPMS' with it's adapter which is about 1300/1400RPM.
RAM : 4GB G.Skill F3-16000CL9-2GBRH 2000MHz

My case is a Coolermaster 690 II Advanced with a 140mm front intake fan, a 120mm on the back and another 140mm on top, both of them pushing air outside the case, I also think I did a pretty good cabling job so air circulation should be adequate.

I thought that I could hit 4GHz on air since I moved to a monster mobo like this and with the ambient temps going down significantly, but it's like even worse than before. Any help?






When I raise the blck by a little to get around 3,7/3,8GHz (also I lower the frequency divider to 2:10 from 2:12 because I would go way over my 2000MHz then) I get this BSOD on W7 boot

anyone knows what it is related to?

TY

Hey guys....make sure you check out the 3 Step guide here as well (linked in my sig)....it should help you out a bit

@ MP7
QPI Frequency put on the low value and MCH Strap to 1600Mhz
Clockgen Switch Mode disable.Set the ram down for Testing 2:10 or 2:8.
I think fpr 3,8Ghz you need more Vcore test it with 1,325.
And watch the Temps!

Ace. said:

@ MP7
QPI Frequency put on the low value and MCH Strap to 1600Mhz
Clockgen Switch Mode disable.Set the ram down for Testing 2:10 or 2:8.
I think fpr 3,8Ghz you need more Vcore test it with 1,325.
And watch the Temps!

Click to expand...

Yes I know about setting QPI to lower value and clockgen switch mode to disable.(already done that after I took the screenies in my testings afterwards)
So I set MCH strap to 1600MHz as you said and voila! I finally booted
Vcore is at 1,3250V and mem 1800MHz(2:10).
Didnt even try stability testing because I can see the temps at 80-82 in the first seconds of stress testing, but what's important for me is that I finally booted succesfully, that's what kept me worried, in the close future I will move to some better air cooling(NH-D14) or water which I'm planning for some time now.

So it seems the secreat was in MCH Strap

Danke Ace

Thanks everyone for your help. I'm OC to a good 3.6 Ghz which seems to be running fine. I don't think I need to go too much higher just want a good gaming rig speeds.

Ok I've pushed it to 3.8Ghz

Not good, I'm not satisfied, with the NH-D14 I thought I could reach 4GHz, maybe some settings are still wrong?

Where are you for Vcore?

To be honest, some 860s are just bears. I've been through two. One topped out (for reasonable 24/7 use) at 3.8, the other at 4.0. Both were water cooled with a semi-overkill CPU dedicated loop.

Basically, be very happy you're at 3.8 and hope for the best. We'll try to get you there. FWIW, the one that was stable at 4.0 did so at ~1.32Vcore loaded.