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Dirty O/C I7 960 @ 4GHZ?

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Altecice

New Member
Joined
Mar 4, 2012
Hey OCS

This is my first post here but I am usually on Techsupportforum.

But I feel this forum will know more about my issue I am having, My problem is I have had my computer built and working 100% stable for about 6 months now and I have managed to overclock my I7 960 to 4GHZ stable but I feel the v core and other such things may be a bit high. I essentially winged it to 4ghz and I think its producing too much heat and it may be a 'dirty' Overclock.

PC specs:

Motherboard: Asus Rampage Extreme III
CPU: Intel I7 960 @ 4GHZ (Liquid cooled)
RAM: 12GB Corsair Dominator GT @ 1926MHZ (1866 stock)
GPU: Two Nvidia geforce 480gtx in SLI (stock speeds but wouldnt mind OCing)
PSU: 1250W Enermax Revolution

As I said my old rig (q6600) was very easy to overclock but I have had no experience of I series overclocking so I am looking for some advice, check my settings make sure i am not doing anything wrong.

I would like to push it maybe a bit more to something like 4.5GHZ But my temps are:

Desktop:35 Degrees
Stress testing:67 Degrees (i think my V core is too high)

I hear I7's are good up to 80 degrees under load but that seems a tad to hot for me.

EDITED: added my bios info according to the template.

Code:
Target CPU Frequency 4000MHz
Target DRAM Frequency1925MHz

LN2 Mode: Disabled***
QPI Loadline Calibration: Enabled***

Sync Mode [Enabled]
AI Overclock Tuner [Manual]
OC From CPU level Up [i7-crazy-3.85g]
CPU Ratio Setting {25.0]
CPU Turbo Power Limit [Disabled]

>CPU Configuration----------------------------
CPU Ratio Setting [25.0]
C1E Support [disabled]
Hardware Prefetcher [Enabled]
Adjacent Cache Line Prefetcher [Enabled]
Intel(R) Virtualiyation Tech [Enabled]
CPU TM Function [enabled]
Execute Disable Bit [Enabled]
Intel(R) HT Technology [Enabled]
Active Processor Cores [All]
A20M [Disabled]
Intel(R) SpeedStep(TM) Tech [disabled]
Intel(R) C-STATE Tech [disabled]
C State package limit setting (not in my bios)
----------------------------------------------

BCLK Frequency [160]
PCIE Frequency [100]
DRAM Frequency [1925]
UCLK Frequency [auto]
QPI Link Data Rate [auto]

Memory Configuration Protect [Disabled]

>DRAM Timing Control--------------------------
CAS# Latency 9 [9]
RAS# to CAS# Delay 9 [auto]
RAS# PRE Time 9 [auto]
RAS# ACT Time 24 [auto]
RAS# to RAS# Delay 7 [auto]
REF Cycle Time 98 [auto]
WRITE Recovery Time 14 [auto]
READ to PRE Time 8 [auto]
FOUR ACT WIN Time 28 [auto]
Back-To-BackCAS# Delay 0 [Auto]

Timing Mode 2N [auto]
Round Trip Latency on CHA 64 [AUTO]
Round Trip Latency on CHB 65 [AUTO]
Round Trip Latency on CHC 65 [AUTO]

WRITE To READ Delay(DD) 6 [Auto]
WRITE To READ Delay(DR) 6 [Auto]
WRITE To READ Delay(SR) 19 [Auto]
READ To WRITE Delay(DD) 10 [Auto]
READ To WRITE Delay(DR) 10 [Auto]
READ To WRITE Delay(SR) 10 [Auto]
READ To READ Delay(DD) 7 [Auto]
READ To READ Delay(DR) 6 [Auto]
READ To READ Delay(SR) 4 [Auto]
WRITE To WRITE Delay(DD) 7 [Auto]
WRITE To WRITE Delay(DR) 7 [Auto]
WRITE To WRITE Delay(SR) 4 [Auto]
----------------------------------------------

CPU Differential Amplitude [Auto]
CPU Clock Skew [Auto]
IOH Clock Skew [Auto]
------------ Extreme Engine Digi+ ------------
Digi+ PWR Mode [T-Balanced]
PWR Volt. Control [Auto]
Load-Line Calibration [auto]
CPU Voltege OCP [Enabled]
CPU PWM Frequency [auto]

Extreme OV [Disabled]
Extreme OC [Auto]

CPU Voltage 1.429 [auto]
CPU PLL Voltage 1.812 [Auto]
QPI/DRAM Core Voltage 1.442 [1.48125]
DRAM Bus Voltage 1.654 [Auto]

>DRAM REF Voltages----------------------------
DRAM DATA REF Voltage on CHA [Auto]
DRAM CTRL REF Voltage on CHA [Auto]
DRAM DATA REF Voltage on CHB [Auto]
DRAM CTRL REF Voltage on CHB [Auto]
DRAM DATA REF Voltage on CHC [Auto]
DRAM CTRL REF Voltage on CHC [Auto]
----------------------------------------------

IOH Voltage 1.244 [Auto]
IOH PCIE Voltage 1.508 [Auto]

ICH Voltage 1.111 [Auto]
ICH PCIE Voltage [Auto]

---------- Spread Spectrum Control -----------
CPU Spread Spectrum [auto]
DRAM Spread Spectrum [auto]
---------

But any help is good help.

Thanks,
Altec

Ohh sorry i forgot to add that in. I am currently using a Thermaltake Bigwater760I.
 
Last edited:
I doubt if anyone is going to download a 14MB RAR file and extract it just to view your current BIOS settings. Here's a BIOS template for the RIIIE that you can fill out w/ all of your current settings at 4.0GHz (replace the settings in the template w/ your own)...
Code:
Target CPU Frequency		2666MHz
Target DRAM Frequency		1603MHz

LN2 Mode:			Disabled***
QPI Loadline Calibration:	Enabled***

Sync Mode			[Enabled]
AI Overclock Tuner		[Manual]
OC From CPU level Up		[Auto]
CPU Ratio Setting		[20.0]
CPU Turbo Power Limit		[Disabled]

>CPU Configuration----------------------------
CPU Ratio Setting		[20.0]
C1E Support			[Enabled]
Hardware Prefetcher		[Enabled]
Adjacent Cache Line Prefetcher	[Enabled]
Intel(R) Virtualiyation Tech	[Enabled]
CPU TM Function			[Disabled]
Execute Disable Bit		[Enabled]
Intel(R) HT Technology		[Enabled]
Active Processor Cores		[All]
A20M				[Disabled]
Intel(R) SpeedStep(TM) Tech	[Enabled]
Intel(R) C-STATE Tech		[Enabled]
C State package limit setting	[Auto]
----------------------------------------------

BCLK Frequency			[133]
PCIE Frequency			[100]
DRAM Frequency			[1603]
UCLK Frequency			[3209]
QPI Link Data Rate		[AUTO]

Memory Configuration Protect	[Disabled]

>DRAM Timing Control--------------------------
CAS# Latency		      9	[9]
RAS# to CAS# Delay	      9	[9]
RAS# PRE Time		      9	[9]
RAS# ACT Time		     24	[24]
RAS# to RAS# Delay	      6	[AUTO]
REF Cycle Time		     110	[110]
WRITE Recovery Time	     15	[15]
READ to PRE Time	      9	[9]
FOUR ACT WIN Time	     31	[31]
Back-To-BackCAS# Delay	      0	[Auto]

Timing Mode		     1N	[1N]
Round Trip Latency on CHA    	[AUTO]
Round Trip Latency on CHB    	[AUTO]
Round Trip Latency on CHC    	[AUTO]

WRITE To READ Delay(DD)	      8	[Auto]
WRITE To READ Delay(DR)	      8	[Auto]
WRITE To READ Delay(SR)	     18	[Auto]
READ To WRITE Delay(DD)	      7	[Auto]
READ To WRITE Delay(DR)	      7	[Auto]
READ To WRITE Delay(SR)	      7	[Auto]
READ To READ Delay(DD)	      7	[Auto]
READ To READ Delay(DR)	      6	[Auto]
READ To READ Delay(SR)	      4	[Auto]
WRITE To WRITE Delay(DD)      8	[Auto]
WRITE To WRITE Delay(DR)      8	[Auto]
WRITE To WRITE Delay(SR)     18	[Auto]
----------------------------------------------

CPU Differential Amplitude	[Auto]
CPU Clock Skew			[Auto]
IOH Clock Skew			[Auto]
------------ Extreme Engine Digi+ ------------
Digi+ PWR Mode			[T-Balanced]
PWR Volt. Control		[Auto]
Load-Line Calibration		[Full]
CPU Voltege OCP			[Enabled]
CPU PWM Frequency		[1000kHz]

Extreme OV			[Disabled]
Extreme OC			[Auto]

CPU Voltage		1.250	[1.25000]
CPU PLL Voltage 	1.812	[Auto]
QPI/DRAM Core Voltage	1.350	[1.35000]
DRAM Bus Voltage	1.654	[Auto]

>DRAM REF Voltages----------------------------
DRAM DATA REF Voltage on CHA	[Auto]
DRAM CTRL REF Voltage on CHA	[Auto]
DRAM DATA REF Voltage on CHB	[Auto]
DRAM CTRL REF Voltage on CHB	[Auto]
DRAM DATA REF Voltage on CHC	[Auto]
DRAM CTRL REF Voltage on CHC	[Auto]
----------------------------------------------

IOH Voltage		1.244	[Auto]
IOH PCIE Voltage	1.508	[Auto]

ICH Voltage		1.111	[Auto]
ICH PCIE Voltage		[Auto]

---------- Spread Spectrum Control -----------
CPU Spread Spectrum		[Disabled]
DRAM Spread Spectrum		[Disabled]
 
First thing I would do is run that RAM at stock speeds... its more likely to cause you instability going forward and will not give you much of any performance improvement.
 
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