Good overclocking guide for i7 Series

[notshy]

I know this thread is kinda old, but I have a question. I followed your settings since I have the same MB/cpu. I have it set to 19x190 (a total of 3.61 ghz) and my idle temps are ~ 50-55. Is this a good idle temperature for these settings?I have the Scythe Mugen revB cooler. These temps seem too high for an idle temp, so should I tune the OC down a little bit?

Thanks!

No worries - idle in Windows or in OSX? My temps in Win are approx 5-7C cooler than in OSX because of not having full speed stepping in OSX.

My idle temps with my zalman quite cooler are around 40-45C so that does seem a touch high. What voltages are you using? DVID (variable) or a fixed voltage?

I thought the Scythe would only give lower temps than my Zalman as mine is supposed to be a quiet one.

What case cooling do you have? I've got a rear exhaust fan and also a side and front fans on v low rotation to get some airflow through the case.

Age old question but how much thermal paste did you use? Have you tried re-seating your CPU cooler? I've used something called Articlean before to remove old thermal paste when applying new stuff.

Let me know and I'll see if I can help

 

[cpukid]

The temps are in OSX, I have;t measured them in OSX. I believe I'm using fixed voltage, as I haven't changed it. I'm also on FC BIOS if that would make any difference.

As for case cooling, I have the scythe with a 140mm fan on it, I have a 140mm on top, a rear 120mm, and a 120mm on the door of the case blowing out. I used enough thermal paste to cover the CPU pretty thinly when spread out all over it. I have tried re-seating the CPU cooler as well. I used to use arctic Silver 5, but I then re-applied the cooler completely and used the paste that came with the cpu cooler.

Do you think the voltages has anything to do with it?

Thanks again!

 

[notshy]

The temps are in OSX, I have;t measured them in OSX. I believe I'm using fixed voltage, as I haven't changed it. I'm also on FC BIOS if that would make any difference.

As for case cooling, I have the scythe with a 140mm fan on it, I have a 140mm on top, a rear 120mm, and a 120mm on the door of the case blowing out. I used enough thermal paste to cover the CPU pretty thinly when spread out all over it. I have tried re-seating the CPU cooler as well. I used to use arctic Silver 5, but I then re-applied the cooler completely and used the paste that came with the cpu cooler.

Do you think the voltages has anything to do with it?

Thanks again!

Voltages = heat !!!

I'm running my 3.8 Ghz with load line calibration off, normal setting on the CPU VCore and then adding voltage via DVID up to a total of 1.25v.

I've found that this gives me the same stability as setting 1.25v on the Vcore and I was recommended to use the DVID to lower temps.

 

[cpukid]

The temps are in OSX, I have;t measured them in OSX. I believe I'm using fixed voltage, as I haven't changed it. I'm also on FC BIOS if that would make any difference.

As for case cooling, I have the scythe with a 140mm fan on it, I have a 140mm on top, a rear 120mm, and a 120mm on the door of the case blowing out. I used enough thermal paste to cover the CPU pretty thinly when spread out all over it. I have tried re-seating the CPU cooler as well. I used to use arctic Silver 5, but I then re-applied the cooler completely and used the paste that came with the cpu cooler.

Do you think the voltages has anything to do with it?

Thanks again!

Voltages = heat !!!

I'm running my 3.8 Ghz with load line calibration off, normal setting on the CPU VCore and then adding voltage via DVID up to a total of 1.25v.

I've found that this gives me the same stability as setting 1.25v on the Vcore and I was recommended to use the DVID to lower temps.

Hmm. Ok well I went into my BIOS to try to change the voltage, but my DVID isn't available. the option is there, but it's in blue letters, and has an X to the left of it. I can't select it in the BIOS. How do I make it tweakable?

Oh, and my voltage settings were set to 1.26 on the VCore lol, so that might explain why. Right now I have it set ~ 1.9. How do I enable the DVID to be tweaked so I can get it like yours?

 

[notshy]

The temps are in OSX, I have;t measured them in OSX. I believe I'm using fixed voltage, as I haven't changed it. I'm also on FC BIOS if that would make any difference.

As for case cooling, I have the scythe with a 140mm fan on it, I have a 140mm on top, a rear 120mm, and a 120mm on the door of the case blowing out. I used enough thermal paste to cover the CPU pretty thinly when spread out all over it. I have tried re-seating the CPU cooler as well. I used to use arctic Silver 5, but I then re-applied the cooler completely and used the paste that came with the cpu cooler.

Do you think the voltages has anything to do with it?

Thanks again!

Voltages = heat !!!

I'm running my 3.8 Ghz with load line calibration off, normal setting on the CPU VCore and then adding voltage via DVID up to a total of 1.25v.

I've found that this gives me the same stability as setting 1.25v on the Vcore and I was recommended to use the DVID to lower temps.

Hmm. Ok well I went into my BIOS to try to change the voltage, but my DVID isn't available. the option is there, but it's in blue letters, and has an X to the left of it. I can't select it in the BIOS. How do I make it tweakable?

Oh, and my voltage settings were set to 1.26 on the VCore lol, so that might explain why. Right now I have it set ~ 1.9. How do I enable the DVID to be tweaked so I can get it like yours?

Set the VCORE to "NORMAL" and then DVID will be available to you.

 

[cpukid]

Thanks! I got the DVID set. Normal voltage was 1.16250, so I set the DVID to +.0875 giving it a total of 1.25v. However, My temps still remain about the same, and fluctuate often, up to 56. It also seems to have higher 100% load temps under prime95. Before It averaged around 70-75 after about 10 minutes of running, but now it immediately goes up to 70.

 

[notshy]

Thanks! I got the DVID set. Normal voltage was 1.16250, so I set the DVID to +.0875 giving it a total of 1.25v. However, My temps still remain about the same, and fluctuate often, up to 56. It also seems to have higher 100% load temps under prime95. Before It averaged around 70-75 after about 10 minutes of running, but now it immediately goes up to 70.

Hmmm - that's odd that it shoots straight up. I can get 3.8Ghz out of my processor at 1.25v so you might be able lower your DVID down a touch and find a stable setting for 3.6 Ghz.

Do you have all of the C states enabled or on auto or off? What QPI/VTT have you got?

 

[cpukid]

Thanks! I got the DVID set. Normal voltage was 1.16250, so I set the DVID to +.0875 giving it a total of 1.25v. However, My temps still remain about the same, and fluctuate often, up to 56. It also seems to have higher 100% load temps under prime95. Before It averaged around 70-75 after about 10 minutes of running, but now it immediately goes up to 70.

Hmmm - that's odd that it shoots straight up. I can get 3.8Ghz out of my processor at 1.25v so you might be able lower your DVID down a touch and find a stable setting for 3.6 Ghz.

Do you have all of the C states enabled or on auto or off? What QPI/VTT have you got?

Ok, after running my computer for a few minutes, the temps seem to have cooled down into the upper 40's (around 46-47), so that's improvement.

I went into my BIOS and put my DVID down to ~.078v.

I'm not exactly sure what you mean by C-states, but by looking I assume you mean the CH-A,B,C Data Ref and the CH-A,B,C Address VRef. If so, all of those are set to [AUTO], which is .750.

Also, my QPI/VTT is set to [AUTO], at 1.175v

 

[notshy]

Thanks! I got the DVID set. Normal voltage was 1.16250, so I set the DVID to +.0875 giving it a total of 1.25v. However, My temps still remain about the same, and fluctuate often, up to 56. It also seems to have higher 100% load temps under prime95. Before It averaged around 70-75 after about 10 minutes of running, but now it immediately goes up to 70.

Hmmm - that's odd that it shoots straight up. I can get 3.8Ghz out of my processor at 1.25v so you might be able lower your DVID down a touch and find a stable setting for 3.6 Ghz.

Do you have all of the C states enabled or on auto or off? What QPI/VTT have you got?

Ok, after running my computer for a few minutes, the temps seem to have cooled down into the upper 40's (around 46-47), so that's improvement.

I went into my BIOS and put my DVID down to ~.078v.

I'm not exactly sure what you mean by C-states, but by looking I assume you mean the CH-A,B,C Data Ref and the CH-A,B,C Address VRef. If so, all of those are set to [AUTO], which is .750.

Also, my QPI/VTT is set to [AUTO], at 1.175v

Have you run many sustained periods of CPU stress? I.e. prime95 for a long period like 18-24 hours?

Sorry - Intel power management settings / Advanced CPU Features

CPU Clock Ratio ..............................
Intel(R) Turbo Boost Tech ....................
CPU Cores Enabled ............................ All
CPU Multi Threading ..........................
CPU Enhanced Halt (C1E) ......................
C3/C6/C7 State Support .......................
CPU Thermal Monitor ..........................
CPU EIST Function ............................

 

[cpukid]

I've run Prime95 for long periods of time, but not since I overclocked. I'll do that tonight and leave it all day tomorrow.Also, in my BIOS settings, all of the CPU features like hyperthreading and turbo boost are enabled.

Here's a screenshot of my About This Mac and my iStat Menus temp (with MS Word, Safari, iChat, and iTunes open)

Also, here's a SS of prime95 running after about a half hour:

I haven't seen a temperature above 77, and that's with Windows 7 running via parallels, and all the programs from above running simultaneously!

I have gotten great results with your helps, thanks a lot man! I'll keep the post updated with temps after a long time of running Prime95