First-timer tips for overclocking i7 2600k

[casiophreak]

Hey guys, I know it's already a bit late to get 2600k, but I managed to get one anyway.

So here's the thing, I am trying to overclock it to 4.5 Ghz, but I can't get it stable (BSOD on 20 minutes mark of Prime95) even with 1.4 v, and I am kinda hesitant to push more voltage into it. I already set LLC to medium (3/7) and enabled internal CPU PLL overvoltage. Some questions:

1. Should I, or rather, is it safe pushing more voltage to get it stable in 4.5?
2. Any fine tuning that I miss besides LLC and CPU PLL?

Specs:
Mobo: Gigabyte GA-Z77x-D3H
CPU: i7 2600k
CPU Cooler: Deepcool Lucifer v2
RAM: V-GEN 8 GB (single)

 

[blazeaglory]

I think prime 95 is designed to push your system to the limits and most people will get the BSOD after a while on P95. I could be wrong but I thought it was designed to push your system to the breaking point so you know where it is.

Try using real world benchmarks like 3dmark or actual games to check stability. It could be stable 99.9% but on Prime it will crash eventually. I mean when you going to actually ever run your comp at %100 for 20 minuets at those temps?

 

[casiophreak]

I think prime 95 is designed to push your system to the limits and most people will get the BSOD after a while on P95. I could be wrong but I thought it was designed to push your system to the breaking point so you know where it is.

Try using real world benchmarks like 3dmark or actual games to check stability. It could be stable 99.9% but on Prime it will crash eventually. I mean when you going to actually ever run your comp at %100 for 20 minuets at those temps?

Thanks for the kind reply. Noted though, will try to use 3dmark.
It's just that as this is my first time overclocking, people always recommend stress testing in P95 for 12 hours or so for stability, and it's a bummer to see my cpu couldn't even last for half an hour

 

[okcnaline]

It's a 5 year old CPU; most likely you won't be able to push it to 4.5Ghz anyways. Perhaps lower your expectations?

 

[Maebius]

If you have LLC on medium, under load what's your actual voltage?
On my ASUS motherboard (for 2500K) I had LLC set at high since under load it dropped too much and got BSOD.
Also for your RAM, don't do XMP before finding a stable CPU overclock... back in the days, for over 4.6GhZ I had to setup the ram voltage and timings manualy as Prime would crash.

 

[casiophreak]

It's a 5 year old CPU; most likely you won't be able to push it to 4.5Ghz anyways. Perhaps lower your expectations?

I guess so, should aim for 4.3 max

If you have LLC on medium, under load what's your actual voltage?
On my ASUS motherboard (for 2500K) I had LLC set at high since under load it dropped too much and got BSOD.
Also for your RAM, don't do XMP before finding a stable CPU overclock... back in the days, for over 4.6GhZ I had to setup the ram voltage and timings manualy as Prime would crash.

I don't quite remember, but if I'm not mistaken the voltage dropped quite a bit. Maybe should try extreme LLC. And yes not even touching RAM

 

[blazeaglory]

It's a 5 year old CPU; most likely you won't be able to push it to 4.5Ghz anyways. Perhaps lower your expectations?

People push older CPUs over 4.5 ghz all day. There are people getting 4.7to 4.9ghz off of the 2600k.

 

[nikoli707]

what version of prime are you using? you should use 26.6 as later versions are going to load up avx which will give higher than realisitic temps and load.

you should be able to get to 4.3ghz without even toughing anyting, svid will automatically up the voltage for you. you should start there and use p95 26.6 and hwmonitor/aida64 to monitor your load vcore. if you want to push further you can try dynamic vcore to add a tiny bit 0.01-0.03v vcore.... or just manually start at 1.30v and move up from there. llc shouldn't really be necessary unless you are bsoding during load changes.

you really shouldn't go much past 1.35v underload, not the peak vcore overshoot during load changes. my 2600k has been at 4.6ghz for over 5 years on the same 1.368v... though i did recently massively upgrade my cooling solution.

http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/id-1800828/intel-temperature-guide.html

 

[okcnaline]

It's a 5 year old CPU; most likely you won't be able to push it to 4.5Ghz anyways. Perhaps lower your expectations?

People push older CPUs over 4.5 ghz all day. There are people getting 4.7to 4.9ghz off of the 2600k.

Answer is, when can you get 4.7 Ghz off an i7-2600K? 4.5 Ghz isn't stable for OP right now after the chip's been released for 5 years.

 

[blazeaglory]

It's a 5 year old CPU; most likely you won't be able to push it to 4.5Ghz anyways. Perhaps lower your expectations?

People push older CPUs over 4.5 ghz all day. There are people getting 4.7to 4.9ghz off of the 2600k.

Answer is, when can you get 4.7 Ghz off an i7-2600K? 4.5 Ghz isn't stable for OP right now after the chip's been released for 5 years.

You know exactly what I meant and saying "lower your expectations" isnt a decent answer. 5 years is not old for these newer gen Intel chips. If taken care of properly they will run for DECADES possibly even centuries and millennia. Long past you or I have expired

Maybe the OPs chip cant go past 4.5, thats possible but a quick google search will show many OC 4.7 2600k.

 

[okcnaline]

You know exactly what I meant and saying "lower your expectations" isnt a decent answer. 5 years is not old for these newer gen Intel chips. If taken care of properly they will run for DECADES possibly even centuries and millennia. Long past you or I have expired

Maybe the OPs chip cant go past 4.5, thats possible but a quick google search will show many OC 4.7 2600k.

I see a whole bunch of 4.7 Ghz OCs. From 2012 to 2015.

 

[nikoli707]

all 2500k/2600k are 5.0ghz capable, nobody will argue that. but at what vcore? you really shouldn't go past 1.38v on sandy bridge if you want it to last. ofc we can push 1.50v as long as we keep it under 90c, but that isn't realistic. most sandy bridge chips will top out at 4.4-4.6ghz using recommended 1.35v. if you have a high quality z68/z77 you can probably push 0.1ghz higher than most just because of stability. my 2600k wont go past 4.6ghz without dramatic vcore increases that just are not worth 0.05v for 0.1ghz.

 

[blazeaglory]

You know exactly what I meant and saying "lower your expectations" isnt a decent answer. 5 years is not old for these newer gen Intel chips. If taken care of properly they will run for DECADES possibly even centuries and millennia. Long past you or I have expired

Maybe the OPs chip cant go past 4.5, thats possible but a quick google search will show many OC 4.7 2600k.

I see a whole bunch of 4.7 Ghz OCs. From 2012 to 2015.

And? You're saying 2 years somehow negates the fact? Seriously? LOL