Help me overclock my i7-950 to 4ghz

[jay05]

I'm trying to overclock my i7 950 to 4ghz stable. I got it to 3.8ghz stable with HT on but my temps are reaching pretty high. My max temp was 81/79/78/76 degrees using Real Temp Sensor Test (prime95).
What am I doing wrong to have temps so high?
Picture below

Here is my computer specs:

i7-950
H70 Stock fans pushing air out of case.
P6X58D Premium
G Skill PI 3X2gb CL 6
EVGA GTX 470 SC
Antec 902
Antec TruePower 750W


BIOS

Ai Overclock Tuner - Manual
CPU Ratio Setting - 21
Intel (R) SpeedStep (TM) Tech - Disabled
Intel (R) Turbo Mode Tech - Enabled
BCLK Frequency - 181
PCIE Fequency - 100
DRAM Frequency - DDR3 - 1451MHz

DRAM CAS# Latency - 6 DRAM Clock
DRAM RAS# to CAS# Delay - 8 DRAM Clock
DRAM RAS# PRE Time - 6 DRAM Clock
DRAM RAS# ACT Time - 20 DRAM Clock

CPU Voltage 1.20000v
CPU PLL Voltage - Auto
QPI/DRAM Voltage - Auto
IOH Voltage - Auto
IOH PCIE Voltage - Auto
ICH Voltage - Auto
ICH Voltage - Auto

DRAM Bus Voltage - 1.64v
DRAM DATA REF Voltage on CHA - Auto
DRAM CTRL REF Voltage on CHA - Auto
DRAM DATA REF Voltage on CHB - Auto
DRAM CTRL REF Voltage on CHB - Auto
DRAM DATA REF Voltage on CHC - Auto
DRAM CTRL REF Voltage on CHC - Auto

Load-Line Calibration - Enabled
CPU Differential Amplitude - Auto
CPU Clock Skew - Auto
CPU Spread Spectrum - Auto
IOH Clock Skew - Auto
PCIE Spread Spectrum - Auto

C1E Support.................. = [Disabled]
Hardware Prefetcher.......... = [Enabled]
Adjacent Cache Line Prefetch. = [Enabled]
Intel(r) Virtualization Tech. = [Disabled]
CPU TM Function.............. = [Disabled]
Execute Disable Bit.......... = [Enabled]
Intel(r) HT Technology....... = [Enabled]
Active Processor Cores....... = [All]
A20M......................... = [Disabled]
Intel(r) SpeedStep(tm) Tech.. = [Disabled]
Intel(r) C-STATE Tech........ = [Disabled]

 

[kovaxo]

you doing nothing wrong
3 Choice
-Lower your multiplier and run FSBCRAM 1:1
-Get an Pro Water cooling and do what you doing even push farther
-Buy an i7-980X if you like insane performance

btw you got nice Cooler(H70) are you sure you have installed Both fans ?!

 

[jay05]

you doing nothing wrong
3 Choice
-Lower your multiplier and run FSBCRAM 1:1
-Get an Pro Water cooling and do what you doing even push farther
-Buy an i7-980X if you like insane performance

btw you got nice Cooler(H70) are you sure you have installed Both fans ?!

I have the Antec tricool fan at max blowing air out of the case and the stock corsair fan blowing air into the H70 radiator. Should I try using stock fans for both?

 

[kovaxo]

i didnt get the point but
are you sure your H70 fasn installed like this

 

[kovaxo]

I have the Antec tricool fan at max blowing air out of the case and the stock corsair fan blowing air into the H70 radiator. Should I try using stock fans for both?

oh i got ur point my bad , and that wrong , let the fastest fan to blow the air into the radiator and the another one blowing air out of case

 

[jay05]

oh i got ur point my bad , and that wrong , let the fastest fan to blow the air into the radiator and the another one blowing air out of case

The picture you provided is a push pull configuration with the air going into the case as an intake? right?
I have the corsair stock fan blowing air into the radiator and the antec tricool fan blowing air out of the case at max setting.

I've read a lot of people getting 4ghz pretty easy at mid 70 degrees at full load with HT on. My problem is heat. I've already hit 81 degrees at full load at 1.2 volts. I will be trying 1.25 volts with 190 BCLK = higher temps. I've read that it's not good to go over 80 degrees for the cpu.

I don't have any optional fans installed. Just the 2 X120 mm fans blowing air into the case from the front, 200mm fan on top blowing air out and the H70 blowing air out the back.

Any advice on why my cpu is so hot?

 

[RJR]

Re-seat your heatsink and check to make sure that the heatsink and CPU are perfectly flat in both directions.

What is your load vcore, since you have LLC enabled, it may be going up a bit?

Also leaving most of your voltages on Auto and upping the bclk that far is not a really good idea. It would be much better if you set them to their default values and then increased if needed so you have some control over the voltages.

 

[jay05]

Re-seat your heatsink and check to make sure that the heatsink and CPU are perfectly flat in both directions.

What is your load vcore, since you have LLC enabled, it may be going up a bit?

Also leaving most of your voltages on Auto and upping the bclk that far is not a really good idea. It would be much better if you set them to their default values and then increased if needed so you have some control over the voltages.

Thanks for your advice. I've been using this guide to overclock to 4ghz.

http://www.clunk.org.uk/forums/overclocking/22106-core-i7-overclocking-guide-beginners.html

Let me know if you know of better settings for the voltages.

 

[kovaxo]

Yea Auto voltage not a good idea at all , beside try to do what i told you above
and double check that you placed gel very well.....

 

[jay05]

I put my AS5 like this video. I made a vertical line on the cpu with the AS5 and then spread it with a business card.
Am I putting it on wrong?

 

[jay05]

Am I suppose to screw the h70 pump into the back plate as tight as possible? I tightened it enough so that it wouldn't move when I shake it. I thought it would break the mobo if I tighten it as hard as possible. Thanks for your response.

 

[kovaxo]

maybe that heat its just fine and the main problem is room temp

 

[jay05]

My room temp is 68f/20c.

I reseated the H70 with a thin layer of AS5 and the results seem to be better at 3.8ghz.
Minimum at 37/32/37/33
Maximum at 67/65/65/62

I tried overclocking to 4ghz, but my computer wouldn't boot (Blank screen) and I have to restart it using the power button. (Holding it and then pressing it 5 seconds later. Reset button doesn't work. I get the "Overclock failed" error and I have to push F1 to enter the bios. Should I increase the cpu voltage by 1 ("+") and try again? And the if it fails increase QPI by 1 ("+") and so on?

Thank you for your help!

BIOS

Ai Overclock Tuner - Manual
CPU Ratio Setting - 21
Intel (R) SpeedStep (TM) Tech - Enabled
Intel (R) Turbo Mode Tech - Enabled
BCLK Frequency - 190
PCIE Fequency - 100
DRAM Frequency - DDR3 - 1528MHz

DRAM CAS# Latency - 6 DRAM Clock
DRAM RAS# to CAS# Delay - 8 DRAM Clock
DRAM RAS# PRE Time - 6 DRAM Clock
DRAM RAS# ACT Time - 20 DRAM Clock

CPU Voltage 1.30000v
CPU PLL Voltage - 1.8
QPI/DRAM Voltage - 1.35
IOH Voltage - 1.2
IOH PCIE Voltage - Auto
ICH Voltage - Auto
ICH Voltage - Auto

DRAM Bus Voltage - 1.64v
DRAM DATA REF Voltage on CHA - Auto
DRAM CTRL REF Voltage on CHA - Auto
DRAM DATA REF Voltage on CHB - Auto
DRAM CTRL REF Voltage on CHB - Auto
DRAM DATA REF Voltage on CHC - Auto
DRAM CTRL REF Voltage on CHC - Auto

Load-Line Calibration - Enabled
CPU Differential Amplitude - Auto
CPU Clock Skew - Auto
CPU Spread Spectrum - Auto
IOH Clock Skew - Auto
PCIE Spread Spectrum - Auto

C1E Support.................. = [Disabled]
Hardware Prefetcher.......... = [Enabled]
Adjacent Cache Line Prefetch. = [Enabled]
Intel(r) Virtualization Tech. = [Disabled]
CPU TM Function.............. = [Disabled]
Execute Disable Bit.......... = [Enabled]
Intel(r) HT Technology....... = [Enabled]
Active Processor Cores....... = [All]
A20M......................... = [Disabled]
Intel(r) SpeedStep(tm) Tech.. = [Disabled]
Intel(r) C-STATE Tech........ = [Disabled]

 

[Hard Line]

1 thing that sticks out... disable spread spectrum it causes instability when overclocking.... it is designed to reduce emi.. which needs to be shut off..

Also try 20x200 that will out your ram at 1:1 ration with cpu. also remember you have turbo on.. which is making the cpu hit 22x190 (4180) under load.

example: 3.8ghz 200x19 1.15v vcore QPI 7.2GT/s 3800 uncore QPI v= 1.375 ( you may also have to increase ioh and ich core depending on your chip and board..( do not just jump into these settings. start at your default and manually set all clocks to default and push as far as you can while keeping temps under control. if you need more voltage add 1 notch a ta time till you get stable and progress slowly. remember to watch your temps and I would not go over 1.4v ( intel spec is 1.375v) for vcore. check out the informative guide in the sticky and then come back if you have any questions..

 

[jay05]

1 thing that sticks out... disable spread spectrum it causes instability when overclocking.... it is designed to reduce emi.. which needs to be shut off..

Also try 20x200 that will out your ram at 1:1 ration with cpu. also remember you have turbo on.. which is making the cpu hit 22x190 (4180) under load.

example: 3.8ghz 200x19 1.15v vcore QPI 7.2GT/s 3800 uncore QPI v= 1.375 ( you may also have to increase ioh and ich core depending on your chip and board..( do not just jump into these settings. start at your default and manually set all clocks to default and push as far as you can while keeping temps under control. if you need more voltage add 1 notch a ta time till you get stable and progress slowly. remember to watch your temps and I would not go over 1.4v ( intel spec is 1.375v) for vcore. check out the informative guide in the sticky and then come back if you have any questions..

Thanks, I will try those settings but I've read that odd numbers work better. But it doesn't hurt to try.

I got stable with 21X191 but I had to set my RAM timing to auto. If I set my RAM timing to the manufacturer's timing (6 8 6 20 1.6v) then it won't boot up.
Here is my bios below.

BIOS

Ai Overclock Tuner - Manual
CPU Ratio Setting - 21
Intel (R) SpeedStep (TM) Tech - Enabled
Intel (R) Turbo Mode Tech - Enabled
BCLK Frequency - 191
PCIE Fequency - 100
DRAM Frequency - DDR3 - 1528MHz

DRAM CAS# Latency - Auto
DRAM RAS# to CAS# Delay - Auto
DRAM RAS# PRE Time - Auto
DRAM RAS# ACT Time - Auto

CPU Voltage 1.25000v
CPU PLL Voltage - 1.8
QPI/DRAM Voltage - 1.35
IOH Voltage - 1.18
IOH PCIE Voltage - Auto
ICH Voltage - Auto
ICH Voltage - Auto

DRAM Bus Voltage - 1.60v
DRAM DATA REF Voltage on CHA - Auto
DRAM CTRL REF Voltage on CHA - Auto
DRAM DATA REF Voltage on CHB - Auto
DRAM CTRL REF Voltage on CHB - Auto
DRAM DATA REF Voltage on CHC - Auto
DRAM CTRL REF Voltage on CHC - Auto

Load-Line Calibration - Enabled
CPU Differential Amplitude - Auto
CPU Clock Skew - Auto
CPU Spread Spectrum - Disabled
IOH Clock Skew - Auto
PCIE Spread Spectrum - Disabled

C1E Support.................. = [Disabled]
Hardware Prefetcher.......... = [Enabled]
Adjacent Cache Line Prefetch. = [Enabled]
Intel(r) Virtualization Tech. = [Disabled]
CPU TM Function.............. = [Disabled]
Execute Disable Bit.......... = [Enabled]
Intel(r) HT Technology....... = [Enabled]
Active Processor Cores....... = [All]
A20M......................... = [Disabled]
Intel(r) SpeedStep(tm) Tech.. = [Enabled]
Intel(r) C-STATE Tech........ = [Disabled]

 

[jay05]

So when I set the multiplier to 23x, I'm able to boot into windows with the manufacturer's RAM timings of 6-8-6-20 and achieve 4ghz with HT on. I reached 70 degrees, barely, for a second. Here are my results. Can you guys see anything that I can improve on?

 

[jay05]

Best answer selected by jay05.