Voltage issues with Core i7 920 @ 4.2Ghz

Hi everyone, when I first built my system last year, my core i7 920 @ 4.2 required about 1.3v to be stable. After I would update my bios every so often, the core i7 would require more and more voltage to be stable. I'm now up to 1.4Ghz after 3 bios updates within the past year for it to be stable. I know, it's on the edge of ridiculous, but I'm keeping watch of the temps and it rarely ever goes over 80C. I'm reading that other people are feeding it 1.3Ghz and it's stable for them, so why not me? Thanks in advance!

specs:
- EVGA 758 X58 3-Way SLI Motherboard
- Intel Core i7 920 oc'd @ 4.2GHz
- Nvidia EVGA GTX 295 For The Win Edition
- Antec 1200 Computer Case
- Corsair Dominator-GT 6GB DDR3 RAM @ 1600mhz
- Cooler Master V8 CPU Cooler
- OCZ Vertex 2 SSD
- VelociRaptor 300GB 10k RPM SATA HDD
- Antec 850W Continuous PSU

Why are you updating the bios?
I would go back to the first bios you used and see if the vcore requirement goes back down.

Bobnova said:

Why are you updating the bios?
I would go back to the first bios you used and see if the vcore requirement goes back down.

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Well the updates have fixed quite a few things for the POST. It's an EVGA motherboard and a pretty good one, so I'd feel cheated if I have to feed my cpu more voltage than others because I spent a little extra money on mine. If no one has any other ideas as to why this is happening, I will try moving back to my original bios version. But can someone shed some light on this?

The reason i suggest reverting is that unless EVGA has released a bunch of garbage bioses in a row (seems unlikely), your cpu is slowly dying.

Bobnova said:

The reason i suggest reverting is that unless EVGA has released a bunch of garbage bioses in a row (seems unlikely), your cpu is slowly dying.

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I just reverted back to the original bios version I had when I built this computer, and no change. It still requires 1.4v. I don't know if my cpu is dieing. You could be right, but in the beginning I haven't overvolted it or done anything stupid with it. Also, if I set it to its default speeds, it doesn't require anymore volts than it needed from the very beginning. If it's dieing, I'd think it would require more voltage at its original speed too.

YayInternet said:

I just reverted back to the original bios version I had when I built this computer, and no change. It still requires 1.4v. I don't know if my cpu is dieing. You could be right, but in the beginning I haven't overvolted it or done anything stupid with it. Also, if I set it to its default speeds, it doesn't require anymore volts than it needed from the very beginning. If it's dieing, I'd think it would require more voltage at its original speed too.

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Try posting bios specs for a closer look...i dont think its your bios update...but who knows
By the way do you have a D0 or C0 chip?

Killador said:

Try posting bios specs for a closer look...i dont think its your bios update...but who knows
By the way do you have a D0 or C0 chip?

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I have the D0 chip. Everything I have in the bios is set to stock voltages/speeds except the Vcore and the speed of the cpu. The RAM isn't overclocked. But I just thought of something and now realizing how stupid this may have been. But all those times I updated the bios, I think the system was still overclocked while flashing. Could this have screwed with my cpu?

What ram voltage are you running?
Does your bios have a page where it shows the current actual voltages?

Bobnova said:

What ram voltage are you running?
Does your bios have a page where it shows the current actual voltages?

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Ok here are all the current voltages while in the bios.

VCC: 3.4V
CPU Vcore: 1.36V
Dimm Voltage: 1.5V
CPU VTT: 1.19V
IOH Vcore: 1.08V
VCC: 5V
+12V: 11.96V
3VSB: 3.31V
VBat: 3.21V

Given, many of those readings are irrelevant to my problem (I'd assume), but I think the Vcore is only at 1.36V because I'm only in the bios. In CPUID Hardware Monitor, all the voltages are the same except the Vcore. It shows 1.39V while the OS is up and running.

YayInternet said:

Ok here are all the current voltages while in the bios.

VCC: 3.4V
CPU Vcore: 1.36V
Dimm Voltage: 1.5V
CPU VTT: 1.19V
IOH Vcore: 1.08V
VCC: 5V
+12V: 11.96V
3VSB: 3.31V
VBat: 3.21V

Given, many of those readings are irrelevant to my problem (I'd assume), but I think the Vcore is only at 1.36V because I'm only in the bios. In CPUID Hardware Monitor, all the voltages are the same except the Vcore. It shows 1.39V while the OS is up and running.

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Did you download CPUID version 1.55? Try reducing your vcore to 1.32v instead if you are running exactly 4.0GHz. I run 4.2GHz (turbo) on a D0 with that voltage... but i have it set as 20x200 with turbo enabled. Also, you can try running load line calibration as some say that can help stablize the vdroop without endagering anything...i still haven't tried it myself. your VDIMM must be at 1.65v and set the CPU VTT and IOH to auto for now. Fine tune these with an OC guide later...

Killador said:

Did you download CPUID version 1.55? Try reducing your vcore to 1.32v instead if you are running exactly 4.0GHz. I run 4.2GHz (turbo) on a D0 with that voltage... but i have it set as 20x200 with turbo enabled. Also, you can try running load line calibration as some say that can help stablize the vdroop without endagering anything...i still haven't tried it myself. your VDIMM must be at 1.65v and set the CPU VTT and IOH to auto for now. Fine tune these with an OC guide later...

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The latest version of CPUID on their website is 1.16, so that's what I'm running right now. Also, I too have mine running at 4.0Ghz, but have the turbo boosting it up to 21x, making it 4.2ghz like yours. I've also tried setting the VDIMM to 1.65v and tried lowering the Vcore voltage, but had no success. I've also tried tweaking the CPU VTT and IOH a very little bit. Also no success with that, so I set everythin g back to auto and left the Vcore at 1.4v.

YayInternet said:

The latest version of CPUID on their website is 1.16, so that's what I'm running right now. Also, I too have mine running at 4.0Ghz, but have the turbo boosting it up to 21x, making it 4.2ghz like yours. I've also tried setting the VDIMM to 1.65v and tried lowering the Vcore voltage, but had no success. I've also tried tweaking the CPU VTT and IOH a very little bit. Also no success with that, so I set everythin g back to auto and left the Vcore at 1.4v.

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Click HERE to download CPUID 1.55

Killador said:

Click HERE to download CPUID 1.55

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Oh thanks for that, didn't know you meant CPU-Z. While doing some short stress testing on my CPU, the voltage fluctuates between 1.364v - 1.388v with the max temp being 81C in Core0. Does anyone else get temps around that while stress testing?