i5 2500k z68 extreme 3 gen3 OC

I have overclocked my last two computers, I am somewhat familiar with the process but this mobo and bios is all new to me. I was reading some guides that reccomend turning off or on certain settings and that come with warnings about certain settings but to possibly maybe ignore certain settings on certain mobos because it might cause damage. I am not dealing with that guessing game, I am not experienced enough to and don't have enough money to risk computer parts. Is there a guide anywhere of how to overclock with this specific mobo? I know a lot of people use this mobo but what settings are optimal? I can only find other mobos with different terminology.

Specs:
i5 2500k
z68 extreme 3 gen 3
8 gb gskill 1.25 volt RAM
128 SSD
1tb HDD
SLI 560ti
Coolermaster 212

Check out the Gen3 thread over at XS...

**Official** Asrock Z68 Gen3 Extreme7 & Extreme4 thread
http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums...-Asrock-Z68-Gen3-Extreme7-amp-Extreme4-thread

I am testing mine at 4.5Ghz right now. Link

redduc900 said:

Check out the Gen3 thread over at XS...

**Official** Asrock Z68 Gen3 Extreme7 & Extreme4 thread
http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums...-Asrock-Z68-Gen3-Extreme7-amp-Extreme4-thread

Click to expand...

Thanks but that wasn't any help, it was mostly mobo-porn pics and circle jerking with some guys posting screens of their bios saying their computer no longer works. Is there no guide anywhere out there? I tried to OC with their settings but my computer crashed, OCing used to be so much more simple before all these other settings. There are like 20 settings I can change, some people say I have to change them or my computer will die others say don't change them or it will die.

So that wasn't any help. Why isn't there a specific guide, a list of things to do? All I can find are some people claiming what other people claim will ruin your computer will actually stop it from being ruined.

I tried to OC using the hodge podge of random settings other people have tried and my computer wouldn't boot. I had to pull out a graphics card and then I got no power at all. Tried to clear cmos and still got no power. The computer just decided to turn on for some reason with cmos cleared. Not sure if I fried my mobo or something is messed up. Overclocking is the most stressful thing I have done probably. There goes my life savings.

Anyways, is there not an easy way to do this? It was so much easier with AMD, you do a list of things and it doesn't **** up, you don't do that and it might **** up.

With this 2500k you do this it might **** up, you dont do this it might **** up. Just seems like a very unstable system.

I have it at 4ghz right now stable, best I can get I think.

My specs. Notice my hardware so it might change with your setup, though the i5 and i7 OC aren't much different. I feel guilty in posting this but WTH...

Computer hardware:
i7 2600k
Asrock Extreme3 Gen3 Z68 mobo
Rosewill value series 600W (lol)
Cooler master hyper 212+
G skill sniper 8GB DDR3 1600mhz
ATI Radeon 5770

Load optimized-Default
CPU ratio-manual-42x
Internal PLL overvoltage-enabled
Intel Speedstep-enabled
Turbo boost power- manual (Edit: Remember to set to manual-if set to auto and turbo boost kicks in it resets your multiplier but not your voltages so you won't POST)
Short Duration power limit-200 (Edit: Higher or lower depending on PSU and OC hertz)
Long duration power limit-200 (Edit: Higher or lower depending on PSU and OC hertz)
Long duration maintained-1s
Additional turbo-auto
Core current limit-200
Host clock-100
spread spectrum-disabled

Power saving-off
CPU core- Offset mode- 1.28 v
Offset voltage-+0.050
CPU load line calibration -lvl. 4
(Now all 4 settings here are auto but I'm typing out here the voltages set at auto)
DRAM voltage- 1.5 (I'll OC later)
PCH voltage- 1.059v
CPU PLL voltage- 1.832v
VTT voltage-1.051

CPU C3-Disable (Edit: NOT optional-disable for max stability)
CPU C6-Disable (Edit: NOT optional-disable for max stability)
Intel Virtualization Technology- Enable
No execute memory protection-Disable (No idea, my brother did this for me...)

You can go lower on your PLL and offset voltage to save power, extend life, etc. Keep testing until you fail the stress test or POSTing. LLC on the Asrock- lvl 2 is 0 vdroop, but that mainly depends on your PSU quality and rails so might be different from yours. My PSU, as above, sucks **** so yeah...

Remember, you can always go higher or lower if you want. Keep on testing to find your sweet spot of the perfect balance between stability, power saving, and performance.

This guide was specifically written for Sandy Bridge, all you need to get started is in there.

You should be able to run 4.5 Ghz easily with around 1.3 vcore

Brolloks said:

This guide was specifically written for Sandy Bridge, all you need to get started is in there.

You should be able to run 4.5 Ghz easily with around 1.3 vcore

Click to expand...

The problem with that guide is that it doesn't have the same options as my mobo does so I do not know what the critical options to change are.

List all your options in the bios voltage and OC screens like Mphaker and I will tell you exactly what to do.

This guy from the other forum has the same settings as me except he has a 2600k and HT while I have a 2500k.

http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums...reme4-thread&p=4921284&viewfull=1#post4921284

So what specific questions do you have from what he posted?, he has his at 4.5 Ghz, have you tried his settings...best way is to start low and work your way upwards changing just v-core and multi.

I can't get mine past 4.1ghz, it just keeps blue screening or the power won't even turn on.

What is your v-core ? Do you have PLL overvoltage disabled, C-States disabled, what is your RAM running at, the baseclock?

Make sure Core current limit is 300 and spread spectrum is disabled too

RAM is all default, PLL I think is disabled I think. Not sure what the vcore is at.

Your v-core is probably too low

Is vcore called CPU core voltage? He has his at offset -.04

Yes, change it from offset mode to Fixed mode, then set it to 1.3v

I set it to 1.3v, exited and saved and then I got a black screen. I turned off the computer after several minutes and the computer would not power on. I tried several more times and no power would turn on.

I removed one of my graphics cards, removed the SLI bridge as well, put the cmos jumper in the clr position and then pressed the power button. Nothing turned on, no light on the mobo nothing at all was on. I tried again, same thing. I remove the cmos jumper and the power immediately turns on but the monitor stays asleep and I get no POST or any errors. I then tried again to clear the cmos but I accidently dropped the jumper.

I then spend the next 10 minutes looking for it, remove the opposite side panel and find it between the panel rail and the backplate. I try to get to it but it falls down in a crack. I then have to remove all the cords from my PC and then remove the bottom panel to dig the jumper out.

I put the jumper back onto normal and plug everything back in, it powers on just fine with bios returned to default.

What bios do you have?, just run one card until you get your CPU stable...looks like those 560i's are part if the root cause

Brolloks said:

What bios do you have?, just run one card until you get your CPU stable...looks like those 560i's are part if the root cause

Click to expand...

Can I just pull of the SLI bridge? Was getting SLI a bad idea? I read up on it a lot and it seemed like the best choice for the money.

What do you mean what bios do I have? I don't know I have the one from the screenshot.