OC Intel i7 2600K

[duceduc]

Hello. I have been running an Intel i7 2600K for over 2 years and it's time to unleash more power to it. This is my first time at OC. Here are my hardware.

CPU: Intel i7 Core 2600K
MB: Asus p8Z77-Pro (bios updated to latest firm 2104)
RAM: Patriot Sector 5, 9-9-9-24 (4x4GB) Using 2 sticks only
Cooling: Corsair H20
Power: Antec 650W

Monitor Software
CPU-z
realtemp
Aida64

I started to clocked at 45 but am not able to boot into Windows at any cpu voltage settings. The highest I've set was 1.36v. So I drop to 44 and cpu voltage at 1.315. At this stage, I am able to boot and do my daily task without BSOD. However, If I stress test it (prime95,cinebench), it would fail. I've tried adding more cpu voltage in bios manually, but it isn't helping. It bsod after a minute of stress test.

Here is my question. If I change the cpu voltage in bios, will I see the same voltage setting in cpu-z under core voltage? I have changed a cpu voltage range of 1.25-1.36; however, cpu-z core voltage reads 1.280 under load. When it's at idle, the voltage is .984. I have enabled LLC and disable it, but I get the same reading. It seems what ever number I change in bios, it's not showing in cpu-z.

Here is a twist. When I run any stress test program as mentioned above, I get a voltage reading of 1.280. However, if I run my program (photoshop, lightroom) or any program, I see the voltage spike to my set voltage in bios. That is 1.315. Is this normal?

[Chike]

Re: OC Intel i7 2600K

Does the ring/QPI/cache whatever it is called on those CPUs is the same as the CPU?
You may need to change that voltage, and maybe Vsa too, howeer with Vsa you must be very careful, not much more is allowed and most do not touch it.

Not sure about voltage spikes, it could be droop, as the stress consume much more power than normal applications.
On Z77 and 4670k board my vcore does not drop but the CPU is clocked down when it exceeds it power plan (power or current)

Voltage limits and/or settings may be different than you have with this CPU so I can't really help.
Best search for guides, I'm sue there are plenty of them around.

[duceduc]

Re: OC Intel i7 2600K

Thanks for the reply. I need to make a correction. It seems I was wrong about the voltage reading the same as my set cpu voltage in bios of 1.315. It's not from that. I have since changed my voltage to 1.29 and it still reads either 1.28 or 1.315 depending on the software I use to test with.

Also, if I have set a manual vcore in bios, reading in cpu-z for the core voltage would be close to what I have set, correct? When the pc is at idle, it shows 0.984v. Where is it taking/getting those readings from?

I do not understand what you are referring to about ring/QPI/cache.

[Chike]

Re: OC Intel i7 2600K

I don't know about the differences in vcore reading, mine are never as I set it in BIOS but not off by that much. 1.28 might be right as the actual vcore applied may differ from what you set in BIOS

With C-States enabled, the CPU automatically lower voltages when possible to save power, that's normal. Also with balanced o power saver power plans in windows the CPU frequency will be lowered to minimum when Idle.

I simply do not know what name is it QPI or Ring with this processor.
Maybe you post a screen capture of HWMonitor or HWiNFO it will be clearer. For HWiNFO you can remove [system], [S.M.A.RT] hard drives etc. from the layout.

Just keep in mind that not all CPUs can do 4.5,4.4 or even 4.3GHz. I got mine AVX stable at 4.3GHz, temps are too high for FMA3, and 4.4 I cannot get it AVX stable as temps are getting too high.
Try to get 4.2GHz stable, then see if you can go higher.

[duceduc]

Re: OC Intel i7 2600K

I've figured out why bios don't save my vcore voltage. It was the bios itself that was faulty/corrupted. I didn't want to reflash since my last attempt (different board) failed. I tried first a reset of cmos. That did it. I am able to see the manual changes of voltage when I monitor it on cpu-z. This has been an agonized 3 days. Changing all kinds of voltage and other settings in bios and thinking it was affecting my cpu whereas it wasn't at all.

Here is my update. I am running at 44 atm. I didn't do a long haul stress test as some suggest it's not necessary and it will just torture your cpu to death. So, I downloaded a few test programs and ran all of them (cinebench,realbench). It passed the over load tests. However, my pc froze during the night when I left it on with my usual windows program background running. The only programs running where two opened IE browsers streaming movies. The next morning when I view my pc, it froze. It froze when my malware program started it's daily scan.

Since my vcore is set to an offset. Would the windows freezing was cause by the under load voltage being too low? I have stress test with those software mentioned above and all pasted.

OC: 44
vcore: offset with -.70 [idle: .928v; under load: 1.305v]
temps: lows: 29-33; highs: 68-71

[Chike]

Re: OC Intel i7 2600K

FlashPlayer is know to crash unstable systems even after passing nightly Prime95 blend.