Help with i7-950 & DDR3 2000 settings in BIOS

[Agro]

I have an Intel i7-950 3.06GHz, ASUS P6X58D-e motherboard, Kingston HyperX DDR3 2000 memory, Corsair HX850 power supply and an eVGA GTX 570 video card. I have all of this in an Asus 1200 case and a Cooler Master Hyper 212+ CPU fan w/ the additional CPU fan installed too.

I am not (yet) interested in super overclocking this setup. Initially I wanted to get it setup so that my memory is clocked properly and my CPU is as close to stock clocked. I knew that with the good cooling setup that I have, I figured I should be able to overclock it at least a bit without any fear of stability/damage, but I don't have any desire to live on the edge if you get my meaning.

So I have read on many forums, read articles, etc. I am still at a loss.
I was referred to this forum post: http://vip.asus.com/forum/view.aspx..._id=1&model=P6T+Deluxe&page=1&SLanguage=en-us
It seems pretty informational. I was looking at those numbers and it doesn't seem possible to get my system setup exactly perfect. But that's not a problem. The chart for "Overclockings for Core i7 950" I at the least can do the 4th from the top where every setting is Green. My Memory is still set at DDR3-1600 (slower than I paid for) but my CPU is 3.20GHz. I was looking at the one where the BCLK was 143 and my memory was DDR3-2002, but my CPU is 3.43GHz. Do you think I should follow this? Does anyone have any recommendations?

Another guy said:
The easiest way is to set Ai Overclock Tuner to [X.M.P.], which sets initial values for:
- BCLK [143]
- CPU Ratio Setting (CPU multiplier) [21]
- DRAM Frequency [DDR3-2002]
- DRAM timings according to the the XMP profile stored in the memory modules
- DRAM Voltage [1.65V] according to the XMP profile
- QPI/DRAM Core Voltage

I wasn't able to get this setup perfectly. I don't even know what to put for QPI/DRAM Core Voltage anyhow.
Also, the detected memory timings aren't the same as what is on Kingston's website.

Any help is appreciated.

 

[redduc900]

I didn't read the thread, but yes... you'll need a BCLK of at least 143 to hit DDR3-2000 w/ the x14 DRAM multiplier (143 x 14 = 2002). Disable XMP Profile, and manually adjust the four primary timings (leave all sub-timings on Auto) and DRAM voltage to what the RAM is rated to run at. And to hit 1000MHz DRAM frequency, you'll need to supply a substantial amount of VTT (QPI/DRAM Core Voltage), probably in the neighborhood of 1.45-1.55V, depending on the number of DIMM slots populated and the amount of RAM installed. Asus boards for whatever reason normally require more VTT than others at the same DRAM frequency.

 

[Agro]

I didn't read the thread, but yes... you'll need a BCLK of at least 143 to hit DDR3-2000 w/ the x14 DRAM multiplier (143 x 14 = 2002). Disable XMP Profile, and manually adjust the four primary timings (leave all sub-timings on Auto) and DRAM voltage to what the RAM is rated to run at. And to hit 1000MHz DRAM frequency, you'll need to supply a substantial amount of VTT (QPI/DRAM Core Voltage), probably in the neighborhood of 1.45-1.55V, depending on the number of DIMM slots populated and the amount of RAM installed. Asus boards for whatever reason normally require more VTT than others at the same DRAM frequency.

Thank you!
So my search will continue to try to find some info on where people set the QPI/DRAM Core Voltage at and have similar setup to mine. In the ASUS BIOS it shows red and I dont want to destroy something.

To get my memory to the DDR3-2002 my CPU would be about 3.43GHz. I need to find out if that is safe and stable for the 950. I dont want to be OC'ing knowing this is pushing the limit and the life of my hardware is short now. I just have no experience here, so it's just paranoia

 

[Agro]

redduc900,
I get frequent 0x00000124 BSOD when OCCT burn in. I was told by someone that the CPU vcore and QPI dram volts must be within 0.5 of each other. Is this true? What about the QPI volts being so high. ASUS bios reports it as red as soon as I get to 1.35 I think. To go to 1.45 or 1.55 is in the red a lot. Is this BS? Kingston doesnt really give any info other than that at 2000MHZ and 1866MHZ it is 1.65v for the regular DRAM voltage

 

[redduc900]

A 0x00000124 error code is normally a good indication of not enough VTT (QPI/DRAM Core Voltage). The rule of thumb is to keep no more than a 0.5V differential between VTT and DRAM voltage. So for example w/ the current DRAM voltage at 1.65V, VTT should be no less than 1.15V (1.65 - 1.15 = 0.5). If you were to raise the VTT to 1.45V w/ DRAM voltage still at 1.65V, the difference is 0.2V which falls within the guideline. Intel's "absolute maximum" VTT voltage spec. for the i7-900 series is 1.35V, which is why any value higher than that shows up as red in your BIOS. But like I mentioned above, if you want to run 6GB or more of RAM at DDR3-2000 or higher on an Asus board, you're going to have to supply more than the 1.35V max. spec. In fact the DDR3-2000 XMP profile on some boards sets the VTT as high as 1.6V.

 

[Woomack]

@Agro
I haven't seen P6X58D-E running with 2000+ triple channel ram and VTT under 1.55V. A lot depends from cpu but at least all that I was testing ( about 7 cpus and 5 memory kits ) couldn't run stable under 1.55-1.58V VTT.
I couldn't run any memory kit with XMP settings on this board. Latest bios added some compatibility but it's almost no difference.

Asus boards for whatever reason normally require more VTT than others at the same DRAM frequency.

Here I have to agree. I need about 0.05-0.08V more than on GB UD4 board for the same clocks.

For stable 2000+ on P6X58D-E have to set VTT 1.55+ and IOH 1.3V+ but if your memory controller is good then maybe less. Good is to set some timings manually because bios is sometimes setting weird values like RTL 0.

 

[Agro]

woomack/Redduc900,
I have read as well that the benefit from 2000mhz vs 1600mhz is nill. It may be easier on everything to just run at 1600mhz, or even 1866mhz? Sure I paid extra for the memory, but if the % of perf increase isnt there and its difficult on the hardware to do it, then I won't bother.

 

[redduc900]

I wouldn't exactly say the benefit of running the RAM at 1000MHz compared to 800MHz is nil, but since you're obviously uncomfortable w/ setting the VTT higher than 1.35V, you can always run it slower w/ tighter timings. How much RAM do you have BTW, and what are their rated timings at 1000MHz?

 

[Agro]

I currently have 6GB (3 x 2GB). The Kingston data sheet shows (http://www.valueram.com/datasheets/KHX2000C9AD3T1FK3_6GX.pdf

Each module kit has been tested
to run at DDR3-2000MHz at a low latency timing of 9-10-9 at 1.65V. The SPDs are programmed to JEDEC standard
latency DDR3-1333MHz timing of 9-9-9 at 1.5V.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820104178

Their data sheet just shows the 9-10-9 and the 9-9-9, but I read 9-10-9-27 (fro 2000 and 1866) somewhere else, I just can't find that at the moment.

I did just find this thread on overclockers.net where guys had problems with instability if QPI less than 1.5-1.6 area. and suggestions were to run the ram slightly slower with better timings.
http://www.overclock.net/intel-motherboards/662236-asus-p6x58d-premium-e-thread-430.html

**** EDIT 3:55pm PST 1/11/11
I returned my DDR3-2000 cas-9 for some DDR3-1600 cas-6. I got 12GB vs 6GB for only $30 more. Win-win. I'll see how this goes.

 

[Uconnball83]

I know this thread is old but I just assembled a new machine and I'm not understand why y'all are needing to set your qpi so high? Setup as follows: i7 980 stock @ 3.33ghz, corsair dominator gt drr3 (3x4GB) 2000 @ 2133mhz on an asus rampage iii formula. Now I am only running that memory at 2133 because the bios originally recognizes it at 1066mhz and I don't feel like running 1866mhz although I know the performance difference is not much I am just stubborn but I'm doing this with a dram voltage of 1.73 and a qpi voltage of 1.23 I am confused while y'all are up in the 1.4's? Mind you I'm running the timings for 2000mhz and 1n so what's the deal?

 

[Woomack]

i7 980 ( Gulftown )= other IMC than i7 920/930/950 ( Bloomfield ) , simply better thats why all have to use 1.4V+ to set 2000+ on X58 with older cpu series and ASUS boards usually need some more to keep it stable.
My brother is now running i7 950 + RE3 with 6x ADATA 2000 and max memory clock to make it stable is 1600 with QPI ~1.35V while all these sticks can easily pass 2300 on other, new chipsets.