Core i7 Overclocking Guide For Beginners

[Clunk]

Is it the motherboards that need to use different cpu voltages? I just followed the guide for 3.8 and everything worked perfectly.

It's a combination of the CPU and motherboard, that's why we say that every combination is slightly different and that it's hard to get the correct settings for everyone, every time

[cwbills]

Hey Clunk! Thanks for this awesome guide. I just ran Burn Test on the stock settings last night and I'm stable. Probably go at the 3.6GHz range this weekend on air cooling (see below).

Did you ever add the part about speeding up the RAM settings?

Thanks!

EDIT: Signature didn't post, but here are the specs...

System specs:
ASUS P6T Deluxe V2
Intel Core i7 920 (D0 stepping) with Noctua NH-U12P 120mm Cooler
Corsair XMS Dominator 6GB (TR3X6G1600C9)
XFX Radeon HD 4890 1 GB (HD-489A-ZDFC) x 2
Seagate Barracuda 7200.12 750 GB (ST3750528AS)
Seagate Barracuda 7200.12 1 TB (ST31000528AS)
Samsung 22X DVD RW (SH-S223B) x 2
PC Power & Cooling Silencer 910W (PPCS910)
Thermaltake Element S
Windows 7 (64 bit)

[Clunk]

Hey Clunk! Thanks for this awesome guide. I just ran Burn Test on the stock settings last night and I'm stable. Probably go at the 3.6GHz range this weekend on air cooling (see below).

Did you ever add the part about speeding up the RAM settings?

Thanks!

EDIT: Signature didn't post, but here are the specs...

System specs:
ASUS P6T Deluxe V2
Intel Core i7 920 (D0 stepping) with Noctua NH-U12P 120mm Cooler
Corsair XMS Dominator 6GB (TR3X6G1600C9)
XFX Radeon HD 4890 1 GB (HD-489A-ZDFC) x 2
Seagate Barracuda 7200.12 750 GB (ST3750528AS)
Seagate Barracuda 7200.12 1 TB (ST31000528AS)
Samsung 22X DVD RW (SH-S223B) x 2
PC Power & Cooling Silencer 910W (PPCS910)
Thermaltake Element S
Windows 7 (64 bit)

Welcome to the forums

The memory section will be up very soon, in the meantime, just post here with any questions you may have about that.

Please click on the small green link in my sig to add you specs to your profile

[cwbills]

All set on the system specs. I did a quick overclock this morning:

BLCK to 145
CPU to 1.1v
DRAM to 1.64v
DRAM timing to 8-8-8-20-1T
Everything else like your guide

Got a stable 3.04GHz and ran Intel Burn while walking the dog - no errors! Leaving it sit running today while at work. Figured I'd let the CPU "learn" its new settings and maybe go up to 3.3-3.6GHz tonight.

Just wondering about my RAM timings. Corsair says they are rated to 9-9-9-24 at 1.65v. Do I set that and would I keep it at 1T or 2T?

And I'd like to get the RAM around 1600MHz if possible. Would I need to up the QPI and/or anything else?

[WILSON]

2T is just more stable that 1T so try both with memtest and see if you pass. I always use 1T if my ram is underclocked like now and i use 2T if my ram is overclocked.

[cwbills]

Do you have the same RAM sticks?

I don't know much about RAM timing, but is 8-8-8-20 faster than 9-9-9-24?

[Clunk]

All set on the system specs. I did a quick overclock this morning:

BLCK to 145
CPU to 1.1v
DRAM to 1.64v
DRAM timing to 8-8-8-20-1T
Everything else like your guide

Got a stable 3.04GHz and ran Intel Burn while walking the dog - no errors! Leaving it sit running today while at work. Figured I'd let the CPU "learn" its new settings and maybe go up to 3.3-3.6GHz tonight.

Just wondering about my RAM timings. Corsair says they are rated to 9-9-9-24 at 1.65v. Do I set that and would I keep it at 1T or 2T?

And I'd like to get the RAM around 1600MHz if possible. Would I need to up the QPI and/or anything else?

Seems like you are doing ok then

Just set the memory to whatever it's rated for. It will often tell you on the label or on the manufacturers website, it should tell you if they are 1T or 2T as well.

Don't get too worried about running the RAM at 1600MHz, you need to get your CPU where you want it first as that's where all the performance is. The RAM can follow later.

[WILSON]

Mine are cas 8 yours are cas 9 so almost and yes if you tighten up the timings from 9.9.9.24-8.8.8.20 then its faster . Use everest to bench you ram and you will see the difference in performance with each setting you choose. Tighter timings with lower mhz will probable bench the same as looser timings and higher mhz.
ie 9.9.9.24 1600mhz and 8.8.8.20 1440mhz will probably give the same result .

[WILSON]

cwbills these are yours and i think they are rated for 2T.
http://www.corsair.com/_datasheets/TR3X6G1600C9.pdf

[cwbills]

Up'd the OC to 3.4GHz. Burn test was good with BLCK @ 160. Check the CPU-Z Validator in my signature.

I put 8-8-8-24 by mistake and the rig did NOT like that. Put it back to 8-8-8-20 and it was alright at ~1280MHz.


WILSON:
Thanks for the timing answer. To get to your ~3.8GHz, you just adjusted the CPU voltage to 1.28V? Did you do anything else different from the guide?

Your ~3.8GHz is my goal.

EDIT: Got the BLCK up to 180 and the CPU to 1.2v. Ran fine, but the temps were 77-81C at full stress. Idle temps down to 48-50C. Are those too high for "stress temps"? Might back it down to BLCK 172 for 3.6 GHz...