ASUS ROG STRIX Z370-F + i7-8700K (New to Intel, need help setting up and OC)

[pnd]

Hi everyone,

I just upgraded from a Ryzen setup that I was getting help for in this thread: THIS, to this new Intel setup, before my plan to buy a GTX 1080 Ti also comes into play. I never really did seem to get happy with the performance on my Ryzen setup, so that is why I decided on going for the change.

I must admit, the BIOS in this ROG motherboard is really overwhelming to me, and there is so many terms I have never heard about. My goal here is to set to most important parameters in the BIOS, get a stable CPU overclock (around 5GHz?) and get my RAM up to speed.

Where I am at:
Now when I installed it all, everything booted up perfectly. I enabled XMP profile, it did a lot of changes for me and now my RAM were running 3200 MHz, along with, I think, some CPU overclocking. Then I decided to update the BIOS to latest version for good measure. However after doing that, XMP profile is no longer working. Computer won't boot at all with it, and I must clear cmos with jumpers on board to get anything on my screen again.

So really, I have no idea how to start, and would really appreciate some help.

Specs:
Motherboard: ROG STRIX Z370-F GAMING
CPU: Intel Core i7-8700K
CPU Cooler: NZXT Kraken x62 v2
RAM: Corsair Vengeance LED CMU16GX4M2C3200C16R (2 x 8 GB)
Graphics: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 1060 Aorus Xtreme 6GB
PSU: EVGA 650 GQ
Monitor: ASUS ROG Swift PG279Q @ 1440p 144hz

 

[EarthDog]

Well, it makes sense you lost xmp settings when you flashed the bios.... you put a brand new bios on. It doesnt save settings.

Reset cmos/bios and try enabling xmp again.

As far as overclocking intel, its easy. Cpu multiplier and voltage is all that is needed out of the gate. Keep temps under 90c under stress test loads. Maybe start with 1.275V and see how high that takes you. Remember, cpu or memory, one at a time.

 

[pnd]

Well, it makes sense you lost xmp settings when you flashed the bios.... you put a brand new bios on. It doesnt save settings.

Reset cmos/bios and try enabling xmp again.

As far as overclocking intel, its easy. Cpu multiplier and voltage is all that is needed out of the gate. Keep temps under 90c under stress test loads. Maybe start with 1.275V and see how high that takes you. Remember, cpu or memory, one at a time.

Sounds good that overclocking is easy, I'll do that as soon as I get the RAM right.

I'm sorry I didn't write it clear enough, but I did enable the XMP profile again. The problem is that the XMP profile is not working anymore since the BIOS update. After enabling XMP, it won't boot until I reset cmos. So they must have changed something regarding XMP. So I really have no idea how to get my RAM working now.

 

[Johan45]

How did you flash the BIOS ? Use F5 and reset the BIOS to defaults, then use ASUS EZflash in the tools menu to flash the same BIOS again. You'll need a flash drive formatted in FAT32 and the latest BIOS file from ASUS unzipped and on the stick

 

[pnd]

How did you flash the BIOS ? Use F5 and reset the BIOS to defaults, then use ASUS EZflash in the tools menu to flash the same BIOS again. You'll need a flash drive formatted in FAT32 and the latest BIOS file from ASUS unzipped and on the stick

I did it over the Internet, from the EZ Flash utility in BIOS. Is that a bad idea?

So I should download the BIOS file off asus.com and put on a flash drive and try from there instead? I can do that as soon as I get home.

 

[EarthDog]

Reset CMOS again so everything is at stock, then reflash your bios and try again.
Edit: from a file in usb not through the internet.

I think i have a z370-f here in a pile to review.... i may be able to get it on the test bed in a couple of days if things arent working out.

 

[Johan45]

Yes do that instead, I am not a fan of internet based BIOS updates. Not one little bit!

 

[pnd]

Alright update.

Reflashed BIOS. Did not work.
Took out the RAM and put back in, it worked again.
Got the RAM running at 3200 MHz seemingly stable.

So I started looking at my CPU. Something is really weird about my CPU temperatures. They are all over the place. In idle, CAM says 40 degrees, but it takes jumps up to 50+ for a milisecond the whole time. Under load (Prime95) it goes to 75 degrees, and climbs to 80ish slowly. But it starts jumping all over the place to 100 degrees and stuff. My windows keeps giving me warnings that my CPU temperature is crazy temperatures, like 1000 degrees even.

I monitored all temperatures in HWMonitor and saw that it is one of the cores that does all the jumping. No clue why.

It stopped happening and was stable temperature wise, but then out of nowhere it reoccured. So it seems sporadic. What could be up?

 

[EarthDog]

1. Whwn you say u got it running at 3200, that means xmp, yes?
2. Quick jumps are normal.
3. P95 temps behavior seems normal.

Did you overclock your cpu? What does cpuz say voltage is? Please be forthcoming, concise, and clear with the info.

The cam software may not be reading things right... its meh at best. Try coretemp for cpu temps....

 

[wingman99]

It would not be normal Prime95 100c temperatures if your running stock default BIOS settings with XMP.

 

[Johan45]

One thing to make sure of is that you don't have multiple programs calling the SuperI/O for info. Only use one type of monitoring software and if you have AISuite installed it's know to cause some weird issues.

 

[pnd]

Thank you for your replies.

1. Whwn you say u got it running at 3200, that means xmp, yes?
2. Quick jumps are normal.
3. P95 temps behavior seems normal.

Did you overclock your cpu? What does cpuz say voltage is? Please be forthcoming, concise, and clear with the info.

The cam software may not be reading things right... its meh at best. Try coretemp for cpu temps....

It was XMP yes, also works setting it manually, just tested that out for good measure. It was with a bit of CPU overclock i got the weird behavior yes. However, I'll be more concise and I'll go more slow and one thing at a time. Sorry I am so new to this

It would not be normal Prime95 100c temperatures if your running stock default BIOS settings with XMP.

Yeah it seemed weird. But that behaviour stopped. Like it was calibrating itself or something. CAM even has this notification. So it kinda smells like wrong readings.

One thing to make sure of is that you don't have multiple programs calling the SuperI/O for info. Only use one type of monitoring software and if you have AISuite installed it's know to cause some weird issues.

That might have been the case. I will make sure only to use HWMonitor in the future.


So status so far.
This is what it looks like with only XMP enabled.


This is what BIOS sets for XMP:


One pass in Memtest without any issues:


Can you guys confirm that everything looks ok to start pushing CPU?

If yes, my first question is if I need to move the CPU overvolt header, or is that for extreme overclocking?

 

[wingman99]

Your fine to overclock the processor. At 81c for core temperature you have up to 90c for a safe range in stress testing. The processor will throttle at 100c Tjmax. With prime95 I can see your running FMA3 =AVX. you can lower the Processor utilization speed in turn temperature by disabling AVX in prime95 with this command CpuSupportsAVX=0 in the prime95 folder adding to local.txt.

 

[EarthDog]

To be clear I said that the P95 temp BEHAVIOR is normal, not necessarily the temps themselves being OK for whatever clockspeed and voltage you are running. P95 starts off, and then an iteration in testing utilizes those instruction sets and gets things cooking. Than the next iteration may or may not so temperatures will vary in that testing.

No, you do not need to touch that jumper.

I don't see a point in disabling the AVX instructions personally (what if something you do on your PC uses it for example??), but, whatever floats your boat.

 

[Johan45]

I don't see a point in disabling the AVX instructions personally (what if something you do on your PC uses it for example??), but, whatever floats your boat.

Yeah, it's like do I want it mostly stable or sort of stable.

 

[wingman99]

Well from my testing the utilization speed of the processor with AVX disabled prime95 is still a little grater then RealBench v2.56 with AVX. On my PC CPU package watts, Prime95 AVX disabled 113watts, RealBenche v2.56v with AVX 95 watts. So prime95 with AVX disabled is higher speed utilization without using the processor AVX extensions. If you want to test the AVX extensions also test with RealBench v.256 after prime95 with AVX disabled. So to sum it up the processor transistors are turning on and off faster with Prime95 AVX disabled compared to RealBench with AVX. However, the AVX extension transistors are not in use with Prime95 AVX disabled.

Usually when you test with Prime95 AVX disabled programs that use AVX will run the processor at a lower speed utilization and the AVX transistors usually can keep up with normal work like blender AVX or Gaming AVX. If you just run RealBench for stability you could just be on the edge of stability since it really not a stress test, it's real world work.

If you delid or don't mind running at a lower clock speed prime95 FMA3 is fine.

 

[EarthDog]

Sounds confusing to me, not to mention someone new (know your audience)...

Its really not that complicated.

Run small fft for cpu, blend to include memory for a few hours each. Or run realbench alone for a few hours, or aida64 stress test the same. 6 of one half dozen of the other. For my simple uses (gaming, some encoding, pic and movie editing, any of those three worked.

Now surely you have a different anecdote, but why edot txt files ise different programs etc, sounds like more effort and time than is needed.

To each their own though. No wrong way to eat a Reese's!!

 

[wingman99]

I don't see a point in disabling the AVX instructions personally (what if something you do on your PC uses it for example??), but, whatever floats your boat.

That post was part for OP and @ Earhdog.

It is complicated, folks that run Prime95 FMA3 is increased watts in turn heat compared to most other tests. Folks can and do overclock higher on other tests most of the time do to lower watts in turn heat. With Prime95 AVX disable it will usually stress test better than RealBench test with AVX.

 

[EarthDog]

It isnt that complicated thougb. Just pick one is my advice. Ive been all over the map personally.

If aida64 works for a users uses, cool.. same with p95, or occt, or........op can do whatevs.

 

[wingman99]

I'm just being too technical because the OP already at 81c at stock 4.3GHz running Prime95 FMA3. It will be nice to see how far he can push it with Prim95 FMA3.