i5 2500K - New at overclocking - Can I get some feedback plz?

[RevolverOcelot]

So, I bought this PC in 2011. Mostly for gaming (and for work & school, which means I do need to run a virtual machine for Linux. Mentioned this because some OC guides says to turn off a some features "because unless you're gonna run a virtual machine you won't need them. But I do need)

I have
i5 2500K
8GB 1333 RAM
Z68 Extreme 4 Gen3 MB
GTX 970 4GB

Not using Stock Cooler, no idea anyway which one I got way back)

Not sure if I can post the guide I'm following here (it's from KennyPark from overclock.net)

I would like to OC because I'm hoping to squeeze out a few more FPS, since it's my CPU seems to the bottleneck. (I get around 45FPS on Battlefield V wheter I play of low or medium). At this point even a few FPS gains would be interesting

Current settings:

CPU Mulitplayer: 36
Offset +0.005v
Turbo Boost +0.004v

Running Prime95
Not getting any errors

But Realtemp peaked at 85... (During Prime95)

So If I set CPU Multiplayer to 37, it's going to go over 85?

 

[EarthDog]

You've got a guide what have you tried already? Just 36x with some offset voltage? What cooler, exactly, do you have?

Here is ours: https://www.overclockers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=693613

If you dont touch voltage, temps wont go up much just one multiplier.

 

[RevolverOcelot]

I'll check it right away. Can you check RAM timings in CPU-Z? Or some other way?

Temp is now (idling) at 29 / 1600Mhz / Load around 5%

Meanwhile (in case that's usefull)

These are results from Prime95 stress test:

[Dec 19 13:38] Worker starting
[Dec 19 13:38] Beginning a continuous self-test on your computer.
[Dec 19 13:38] Please read stress.txt. Choose Test/Stop to end this test.
[Dec 19 13:38] Test 1, 76000 Lucas-Lehmer iterations of M4028769 using AVX FFT length 200K, Pass1=640, Pass2=320, clm=1.
[Dec 19 13:42] Test 2, 76000 Lucas-Lehmer iterations of M3978767 using AVX FFT length 200K, Pass1=640, Pass2=320, clm=1.
[Dec 19 13:44] Self-test 200K passed!
[Dec 19 13:44] Test 1, 3200000 Lucas-Lehmer iterations of M172031 using AVX FFT length 8K, Pass1=128, Pass2=64, clm=2.
[Dec 19 13:48] Test 2, 3200000 Lucas-Lehmer iterations of M163839 using AVX FFT length 8K, Pass1=128, Pass2=64, clm=2.
[Dec 19 13:50] Self-test 8K passed!
[Dec 19 13:50] Test 1, 68000 Lucas-Lehmer iterations of M4818591 using AVX FFT length 240K, Pass1=320, Pass2=768, clm=2.
[Dec 19 13:53] Test 2, 68000 Lucas-Lehmer iterations of M4718593 using AVX FFT length 240K, Pass1=320, Pass2=768, clm=2.
[Dec 19 13:56] Self-test 240K passed!
[Dec 19 13:56] Test 1, 1800000 Lucas-Lehmer iterations of M250519 using AVX FFT length 12K, Pass1=256, Pass2=48, clm=1.
[Dec 19 13:59] Test 2, 1800000 Lucas-Lehmer iterations of M245759 using AVX FFT length 12K, Pass1=256, Pass2=48, clm=1.
[Dec 19 14:01] Test 3, 1800000 Lucas-Lehmer iterations of M245281 using AVX FFT length 12K, Pass1=256, Pass2=48, clm=1.
[Dec 19 14:03] Self-test 12K passed!
[Dec 19 14:03] Test 1, 52000 Lucas-Lehmer iterations of M5705025 using AVX FFT length 288K, Pass1=384, Pass2=768, clm=2.
[Dec 19 14:06] Test 2, 52000 Lucas-Lehmer iterations of M5605023 using AVX FFT length 288K, Pass1=384, Pass2=768, clm=2.
[Dec 19 14:10] Self-test 288K passed!
[Dec 19 14:10] Test 1, 1400000 Lucas-Lehmer iterations of M339487 using AVX FFT length 16K, Pass1=256, Pass2=64, clm=1.
[Dec 19 14:14] Test 2, 1400000 Lucas-Lehmer iterations of M335393 using AVX FFT length 16K, Pass1=256, Pass2=64, clm=1.
[Dec 19 14:16] Self-test 16K passed!
[Dec 19 14:16] Test 1, 44000 Lucas-Lehmer iterations of M6684673 using AVX FFT length 336K, Pass1=448, Pass2=768, clm=2.
[Dec 19 14:18] Test 2, 44000 Lucas-Lehmer iterations of M6684671 using AVX FFT length 336K, Pass1=448, Pass2=768, clm=2.
[Dec 19 14:20] Test 3, 52000 Lucas-Lehmer iterations of M6225921 using AVX FFT length 336K, Pass1=448, Pass2=768, clm=2.
[Dec 19 14:25] Self-test 336K passed!
[Dec 19 14:25] Test 1, 1100000 Lucas-Lehmer iterations of M420217 using AVX FFT length 20K, Pass1=320, Pass2=64, clm=1.
[Dec 19 14:28] Test 2, 1100000 Lucas-Lehmer iterations of M409601 using AVX FFT length 20K, Pass1=320, Pass2=64, clm=1.
[Dec 19 14:30] Torture Test completed 17 tests in 52 minutes - 0 errors, 0 warnings.
[Dec 19 14:30] Worker stopped.

 

[EarthDog]

In CPUz you can check memory timings, yes. Check the SPD tab for what the stick is rated for while the memory tab shows you what the system is running them at (you could just hit the tab and see that too).

Idle temperatures are laregely irrelevant. So is what was copied from P95.


Follow our guide... Let us know what question you may have after reading it (twice!) and trying to apply it.

 

[RevolverOcelot]

In CPUz you can check memory timings, yes. Check the SPD tab for what the stick is rated for while the memory tab shows you what the system is running them at (you could just hit the tab and see that too).

Idle temperatures are laregely irrelevant. So is what was copied from P95.


Follow our guide... Let us know what question you may have after reading it (twice!) and trying to apply it.

I've read, it's pretty much the same from the looks. Main differences are yours starts at 45 already, other one recommends starting low and building up from there. Not sure if need to overclock all the way to 4,5 though?

Some I don't really get like "Load Line Calibration" which I can't set to "50". It's just Level 1,2,3,4,5

Speedstop is on. Some guides say turn it on, other turn it off. Looked deeper it to. Turning it off is more stable but uses more power? Is that correct? Stability seems preferable I guess.

Some screems from BIOS










So best turn Speedstep off?

Can't seem to locate "Go to CPU features turn off C5 C1 "

 

[EarthDog]

These things will do 4.5 GHz in their sleep. This is overclockers.com, not just slightly above stock.com and all. hehe!

Disable the C states and speedstep. Those can be enabled after you get a stable overclock if you choose. You'll have to dig down and find these things as I do not have that BIOS to look myself.

Regarding the LLC stuff.. the guide specifically says............. "4 Find Load Line Calibration, or LLC. Set it to 50%. If it is in levels, 5/10 or 3/5. "

If you don't have 50% you have the levels as you already described. The point of LLC is stop minimize/eliminate vdroop (core voltage sag from idle to load). So set it to wherever you don't see vdroop. YOu can see voltage in CPUz.



I dont understand what guide you are using that is telling you to start below stock (boost) speeds, LOL.... follow our guide.

 

[RevolverOcelot]

Yeah, I'm paying attention to but I'm not sure my cooler can handle 4,5? It's not stock, but I don't how good it is (or still is as it's almost 9 years old)

 

[RevolverOcelot]

Prime95 test setting are custom and Advanced/SUM Imputs Error Checking and Advanced/Round off Checking are enabled

 

[EarthDog]

Just run small fft or blend...no need for custom anything.

 

[trents]

One piece of information you have not provided us is load temp. Download and install HWMonitor and have it open while you run Prime95 stress tests. After letting the stress test run for at least 20 minutes, capture an image of HWMonitor and attach with a post. Since you don't recall what aftermarket cooler you installed this is all the more important.

 

[EarthDog]

He did...first post.

But Realtemp peaked at 85... (During Prime95)

 

[trents]

Missed that.

 

[RevolverOcelot]

One piece of information you have not provided us is load temp. Download and install HWMonitor and have it open while you run Prime95 stress tests. After letting the stress test run for at least 20 minutes, capture an image of HWMonitor and attach with a post. Since you don't recall what aftermarket cooler you installed this is all the more important.

Opened up my case. It's a Scythe Mugen 3 SCMG-3000

Power supply XFX Core 650W (in case that's relevant)

- - - Auto-Merged Double Post - - -

One piece of information you have not provided us is load temp. Download and install HWMonitor and have it open while you run Prime95 stress tests. After letting the stress test run for at least 20 minutes, capture an image of HWMonitor and attach with a post. Since you don't recall what aftermarket cooler you installed this is all the more important.

Just checked (removed some dust) and it's a Scythe Mugen 3 SCMG-3000

 

[RevolverOcelot]

HWMonitor During Prime95

 

[EarthDog]

1.4V... wow... makes sense. Why not set it back to 1.3V and see how far it goes. 1.4V is 4.5GHz+ clocks. What does CPUz say your load voltage is? That program has a lot of information which can be confusing at times (VID/Vcore, etc). You may also want to remount your cooler and reapply thermal paste to make sure everything is mounted properly.

 

[RevolverOcelot]

 

[EarthDog]

So it seems 1.34V is what the load voltage is. That is way high for the clocks... so just push up the multiplier and do 5 min tests in P95 using small FFT. If it passes, great.