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How to Overclock Intel xeon x5680 on ASUS P6T Deluxe v1

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MuHcOw

Member
Joined
Jul 19, 2013
[Reboot] How to Overclock Intel Xeon x5680 (x5690) on ASUS P6T Deluxe v1

Hi guys, first post :sn:
Well - I've been thinking about overclocking my good old x5680 for quite a while now. It has served me well over the years and I hope it will keep on doing so in the future.
I don't want to break anything and to me stability is more important than speed. But I do like speed!!! Like it a lot :D - Just don't want to kill anything. I have a water cooler installed, so I know I can push the CPU a bit harder that the standard 3.3GHz.

The thing is, that I don't know where/how to begin - And that's where you guys come in.

Specs:
Intel xeon x5680
ASUS P6T Deluxe v1
24GB Kingston KVR13N9S8H/4
Seasonic SS-860XP^2 PSU
Water cooler

Hope you can help me!

[Final edit]
Here are my "final" BIOS settings.
CPU Ratio Setting (Multiplier): x21
BCLK Frequency: 210
DRAM Frequency: DDR3-1263MHz (normal 1333MHz)
UCLK Frequency: 2526MHz (x2 DRAM)
CPU Voltage (vcore): 1.38125V
CPU PLL Voltage: 1.80V
QPI/DRAM Core Voltage: 1.27500V

[Ultra final edit] - After I started this thread my username has been changed from "Dead_Donkey" to "MuHcOw".
Also I have added more RAM (48GB in total) to my old P6T motherboard, but that's another story.
https://www.overclockers.com/forums/showthread.php/789056-ASUS-P6T-Deluxe-v1-with-48GB-RAM-WORKING!

[The even more final edit] - The above overclock have been working without any issues at all for a very long time!! - But now I have gotten hold of two Xeon x5690 CPUs... :cool: ...And I just HAVE to try them out.
So I'm "rebooting" this thread - Hope that's OKAY !!

I made a spreadsheet to help locate "sweet spots"... Maybe you can put it to good use if you have a CPU/MB that resembles mine. Please see attachment.
View attachment ASUS_P6T_Deluxe_v1_OC_Sheet.xls
 
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Very nice guide !!! Very nice indeed.
I do have one question. What would be a good BCLK and multiplier for me to start with for my x5680? - I don't know what is "reasonable" here, but on the other hand I don't think 3333 x1 would work very well (and I don't know why I think that).
 
Well work up from the stock base clock is where it says to start, right? Or if you are isolating first, then just keep it around stock or below to find out the limit of your BCLK). So if stock is 3 Ghz and you are 100x30, lower to 25 and push the bclk up in increments of 25. (numbers are off, but you should get the drift). :)
 
I may have misunderstood something (probably have) but I'm trying to isolate the BCLK and I think the guide told me to start at BCLK=200 and a low multiplier and see if it works.
I can start trying at 200, no problems. I'm just not sure it's high enough?? - This is a different CPU than the one described in the guide.

200 x15 = 3000 (less than 3333)

And THANK YOU for the worryingly fast reply :)
 
That is the point when running iso tests... you do not want the clockspeed to be a factor since you are testing the BCLK limit. So in order to accomplish this, you need to lower the CPU multiplier and memory multipliers so they are running at stock or lower for this testing.

You bclk range is quite limited, really. Much over 200-225 BCLK is gravy. So I would test starting around 180 and raise it in 10 Mhz increments until it wont boot. Then you know, at these settings, you have hit the limit.
 
Okay - Apparently my limit is 220 x12 (x12 being the lowest possible setting available).
Next step is to isolate the BCLK from the memory - It doesn't seem that I'll be able to do that. I only have a list of "available" frequencies to choose from. My guess is that I should keep it equal to or lower than 1333. Setting it to "Auto" will probably do just that (only guessing here).

(edit)
My computer freezes ones in a while when idling at 220 x12 - Boots, but then freezes.. So I think I have to lower it a bit!! :sly:
 
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You probably need lower bclk. I read around x58 boards top out at 225 or so. Mine won't even boot at 200. 196 freezes once I start priming.

I have i7 920
Asus p6t deluxe v1
191x21

You have uncore and dram frequencies showing instead of multipliers on that board. Just pick lowst ones. That's what it means to isolate...you have them so low that they're sure to work no matter what.
 
BCLK 210 x12 - Haven't frozen on me yet (idling). Should I run "Prime95" at this point to check stability? Or should I increase the multiplier to get back near stock speed at 3.333GHz??
Even though @EarthDog linked to a very nice guide, I feel it's somewhat hard to make it fit my ASUS P6T Deluxe V1. I'm not able to connect the dots yet anyway :)

Step 1
Isolate the bclock from the CPU: I HAVE (I think) found the highest usable BCLK (210 when idle).
Isolate the bclock from the memory: Doesn't seem I can do this because I have frequencies shown instead of multipliers.
Bclock voltages: Can't I just leave them on "auto"?
Testing for highest stable bclock frequency: Isn't this what I did at the first step (except running prime95)? Also in this step I'm told to raise BCLK by ~10MHz, but that would put it back to 220 where it isn't stable.. :confused:
Maximum safe CPU VTT: Leave on Auto??

I obviously haven't made it to Step 2 yet :D

(edit)
WAIT - Think I understand SOME of it now!! - Keep at stock speeds - Failed at doing that - No... I don't understand :shrug:
 
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It's a long process doing it according to the guide. I did it the wrong way and it was wicked faster :D I deserve a scolding for it.

I would just keep maximum multi on mine, 21. I would increase bclk to like 150, then 160, then 180, sort of jumping many steps over. Then prime. I followed couple reviews for voltages just or reference and stayed on lower end always, increasing if necessary.

Prime testing, small fft fail, usually vcore, large fft increase qpi/dram. <---This is what Asus calls VTT.

If you stick with lower ram and uncore frequencies, it's easier to overclock because you'll mostly need to play with vcore only and keep vtt stock 1.2volts. you usually have to increase vtt when you get to higher ram(over1333) and uncore higher than 2666. Then you have to start increasing Vtt. Also getting to high baseclock needs vtt increased. That's why getting like over 180bclk you need to work it.

I got mine HT off:
167x21 vcore 1.125
175x21 vcore 1.184
184x21 vcore 1.218(at this point, vtt needs to get increased just due to qpi link getting faster, even if ram and uncorw is slow)
191x21 vcore 1.3

Hope this may help in some weird way.

I can post some pix of bios at those settings if you want to have a look just for reference. It's a i7 920 could, so you will have to deviate somewhat and also each board is somewhat different too.

don't leave things like vcore, vtt, pll, dram voltages on auto. On mine things that I wasn't familiar with, I kept at lowest allowed and it worked fine, but try to stay away from Auto when overcloxking
 
Prime testing, small fft fail, usually vcore, large fft increase qpi/dram. <---This is what Asus calls VTT.
I have an option in BIOS called "QPI/DRAM Core Voltage" - Is this the one you are talking about (VTT)??

Okay I won't be using AUTO then :)

And yes, please do (if you have the time) post an image of your BIOS settings. :thup:
 
Another thing is to search around what kind of clocks people are getting at what voltages, just for reference. Each chop is different, but ballpark is still close enough. If you get her stable at, say...175x21 for example at 1.25 vcore, try lowering it until she starts bsod soon into stress's testing. Then increase vcore 3 noths higher and that usaly gives you a lot longer stress run., But if still crashes, but like after 6 hours, give her a couple more notches and then she should pass.

Then if youd like, try faster ram/uncore multi and begin playing with VTT voltage...same way.
 
Here's my 3.86GHz setting. HT off.(less voltage and less heat that way, but I can enable hyperthreading and my vcore will have to be 1.231)
View attachment 196218

Here's 4ghz, note the jump of vcore. Now it's 1.3volts. also see how qpi/dram core voltage...VTT is still 1.275 because if you look at ram, it's still close to the previous setting and I decreased uncore frequency one notch down. Next step was 3254 uncore and would require an increase for VTT voktage. After 3200uncore, I need bigger vtt steps increase. Therefore I bumped it down one notch after increasing bclk to 191 and kept qpi/dram(vtt) the same
View attachment 196219

Any voktages below I keep auto because they have something to do with ram and I don't know how to mess with them. Having it on auto hasn't given me trouble.
View attachment 196220

this is for reference only because you have a different chip, but motherboard is same, so just have a look just for reference
 
If you’ve nailed 200bclk then I would shoot 200x21 with maybe 1.35 vcore and maybe 1.35vtt or maybe more.. or less lol.You can always work at lowering voltages all around later heh.. When I used my x5690 I liked 200x21 1.325vcore,1.375vtt or maybe it was 1.39vtt.. mems at 800mhz 6-6-6-20 1t 1T.
 
Donkey(sorry

Like freeagent says, you can just shoot for the moon and have generous voltages to see how she does. If she's stable you can start lowering things one by one to get her into more reasonable voltage range.
 
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Maybe a bit optimistic.. I think my voltages are fine.. each cpu is different, some have abilities others do not, it’s the luck of the draw in the silicon lottery :D I will feed a cpu what she needs to play nice, as long as she keeps her cool, tho I don’t mind a bit of heat.
 
If it was me, I'd go for like 3.8ghz and then upwards. *"Every"* chip can take that and this way, you'll see how voltage curve begins to increase rapidly(it's a bonus that will let you know where sanity vcore is)
 
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