Question about Overclocking my 2600k

[Sungaisu]

Ok so like a few others - I'm new to the Intel scene, brought in with promises of fancy parties and confetti with the new Sandy Bridges.

I do a lot of video rendering, and a good amount of in-game recording usually at 1920x1080, so figuring that getting a 2600k and OC'ing it would be a great idea for me, but I don't know how to do it manually so I let ASUS OC for me.

Now when I first did this - It took it to 4.6GHz just fine on my old 400w Corsair, since then I've upgraded my video card and in turn upgraded my PSU to a 600w Corsair. I assumed that with the upgrade of PSU would mean more power at my disposal but apparently not? I figured I could at least push 5.0 if not 4.8 with the new PSU and my H70 doing the cooling, but when I would mess with the CPU Voltage or take the multiplier to 49/50 it would just BSOD during the windows loading screen.

Now I've seen other people push their 2600k's to 4.8GHz with an H70 just fine. But even if I adjust my CPU voltage just up .05v it freaks out and stops working.

Now I trust the automatic overclocking to find a stable speed and I'm enjoying 4.6GHz very much but I'm just confused why I can't go past that. When I moved the multiplier up to 56 (figuring it would top out at some point and just say "Nope this is as far as you can go") but instead it kept going to 5.8GHz (Picture) but the instant I tried running something CPU intensive it would freeze and BSOD as I expected.

I don't want to go overboard with it as I want to keep this CPU for as long as possible - but if It's possible for me to push it a bit further I'd like to know how. Plus it would be fun to say I have a 5GHz i7, haha.

Edit for more info:
Pictures of TurboV
Voltages - Multiplier

Further PC Specs in Signature.

 

[QuiteSufficient]

Hello Sungaisu....

Try this:

Reset BIOS to factory defaults in every way.

Go into advanced, go CPU Configuration, change the multiplier to 50.

Leave EVERY other setting on Auto. See if it will boot. Do not use the utility.

If it will boot and run fine (most likely at 1.55v or something, do not stress test it). Restart, load into the BIOS, scroll down and under voltages go to Manual Voltage. Start at 1.475, keep going down in steps from there. Stress test at each step.

This is how Ive had the most luck with getting 5.0+

 

[Sungaisu]

Alright I'll have to give that a shot - but it didn't like it when I increased it just .05v last time. but I'll reset everything and try again.

 

[Tiporaro]

Now I've seen other people push their 2600k's to 4.8GHz with an H70 just fine. But even if I adjust my CPU voltage just up .05v it freaks out and stops working.

Getting 4.8 with a h70 shouldn't be too bad, unless you're really unlucky with your chip. However, my question is when you say you raise your voltage .05 it freaks out. When and how did you raise your voltage? When it was at the lower automated oc? Or when you trying to get 4.8+? Glancing at those screenshots, it looks like you have it set to 1.27V...some chips will require a decent push in voltage to get 4.8+, probably at least mid to hgh 1.3's.

Now I trust the automatic overclocking to find a stable speed and I'm enjoying 4.6GHz very much but I'm just confused why I can't go past that. When I moved the multiplier up to 56 (figuring it would top out at some point and just say "Nope this is as far as you can go") but instead it kept going to 5.8GHz (Picture) but the instant I tried running something CPU intensive it would freeze and BSOD as I expected.

While the automatic oc is definitely better than in years past, I wouldn't really trust that oc to find a stable speed towards the higher end. Once you're looking at ~5ghz, there's going to be considerable more tweaking to get it stable. So if you're using the basic settings from the automatic oc and just bumping the multiplier, that could be part of the issue. What voltages have you tried? What temps are you getting in windows (use coretemp or realtemp if you haven't already)? Have you adjusted other settings like LLC or PLL overvoltage?

I don't want to go overboard with it as I want to keep this CPU for as long as possible - but if It's possible for me to push it a bit further I'd like to know how. Plus it would be fun to say I have a 5GHz i7, haha.

While there are many running at the 5ghz, I believe most except for maybe a lucky few with really tolerant chips have to push over 1.4v to get that stable. What voltage levels will actually cause degradation with the 1155 cpus isn't really known yet, as they've been out a few months and there really hasn't been enough time to tell. There's plenty of speculation, but I'd say as rough guidelines the majority has a viewpoint that up to 1.4v should be pretty safe regardless, and low 1.4s probably/hopefully will be safe. Most people wouldn't go towards 1.5 without caution and appreciating the risks, and 1.6 is suicide voltages for the sake of saying you hit a certain clock without much concern for whether the chip gets fried.

With that all said, once you get your bios settings in order, you should be able to tag 4.8 while staying in the safe zone, and get 5.0 if you're willing to push a little farther. Granted, there are such things as just poor oc'ing chips, but I wouldn't give up hope yet

Edit: also get CPU-z to get real time readings of your voltages in windows. I also keep wondering what you mean when you say it doesn't like when you bump the voltage .05 - does it boot still or what is different?

Also, I just looked at one of those bios screen again and it looks like you have your bclk set at 103 (probably as a result of the automated oc). When you're trying to find a stable oc it's probably better to have this at standard 100 and just play with multiplier. Use the bclk to find tune afterwards, once you've got to your max multiplier.

 

[Sungaisu]

Like I've mentioned before I'm really new to the overclocking game so I'm not quite sure what to look for in things. But I'm willing to learn.

The 103 BCLK was from the Auto-OC, Was never sure of what it is so I just kept it there, and the .05v I was talking about was in the actual bios screen. I was trying to get it to around 1.3~1.35ish since I hear that's a good voltage to be at for these chips to not really push it hard.

As for my temps I haven't gone into it as far with CoreTemp, but I'll definitely have to do that - I've just been going off of ASUS's little "Monitoring" tool but I don't trust it.

Edit: ASUS told me my CPU was at 29c idle - Core Temp tells me 37c. Now perhaps I'm just being a bit naive about this but shouldn't an H70 do a bit better than 37c at idle? I'm coming from being with AMD for a very long time so is this a normal temperature for an Mild OC for this chip?

 

[tnt3k]

In the EFI Bios
Go to Advanced Menu
Go to Ai Overclocking Menu

>>>Set Ai OC Tuner -------- Manual
>>>BLCK Freq should always be 100
>>>Turbo Ratio ------- By All Cores
>>>Set the Core speed as Desired (I did 47)
>>>Internal PLL -------- Enabled
>>>Memory Freq ------Auto or if you have better than 1333MHz speed, make that selection
>>> EPU Power switching------- Enabled
>>> EPU Setting --------- Auto

Go in the CPU Power Management

>>>Set CPU Ratio as Desired --------- (I did 47)
>>>Enhanced Speed Step ------ Enabled
>>> Turbo mode ------ Enabled
All other modes ------- AUTO
ESC back to the Ai OC Tuner

Digi+VRM

>>>Load Line Calibration ----- Ultra High
>>>VRM ----- AUTO
>>> Phase ----- Extreme
>>>Duty Cycle ---- T.Probe
>>>CPU Capability ------ 100%
>>>CPU Voltage ------ Offset
Offset Mode Sign ----- +
CPU Offset ------ As Desired (Mine is 0.050 for 1.4v max max shown in CPUZ)

ALL else is set to AUTO

as i found in another thread. exact same as mine.

 

[Tiporaro]

Have you looked at/tried the settings on the first page of http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1578110 ? It's at least good starting point.

 

[Sungaisu]

Have you looked at/tried the settings on the first page of http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1578110 ? It's at least good starting point.

I tried reading through it - but when I found the page it was late and decided my time was better spent sleeping. I'll read through this now and spend some more time tweaking with this lil chip.