I7 920 overclocking BSOD's thoughts?

[ahnilated]

I am looking for some thoughts/tips on why I am getting random BSOD's with my current setup. If someone has done overclocking on a setup like this I would like to see what your settings are. I have done a lot of reading on overclocking these processors and put at least 100 hours into this to no avail. Now to really complicate things I have 2 of the exact same systems 1 is running Linux 24/7 and doing Seti with no issues at the same settings. I have run Prime 95 for over 24 hrs on the Windows based system with no errors/warnings. The drivers on the windows based system are all the latest and I keep them up to date.


System Components:
Full tower case (many air mods for better flow and sound deadening) (cables zip tied down)
Thermalright Ultra 120 extreme (2 fans in push/pull) (max temps 72C under full load)
Asus P6T Deluxe V2
Intel i7 920 D stepping
Asus 8800 GTX at factory settings (waiting for a Nvidia 3XX upgrade)
Cooler Master UCP 1100 Watt Power supply
6 X Noiseblocker S series 120mm fans (2 on front of case, 2 on back of case, 2 on CPU)

Bios Information
Version: 0704
Build Date: 11/12/09

Processor
Type: Intel Core i7 920
Speed: 4000MHz

System Memory: 6136MB (3x2G Corsair, 7-7-7-20 1.65volt)

Ai Tweaker (if not listed, setting is auto or default)

Ai Overclock Tuner Manual
CPU Ratio Setting 20.0
Intel ® SpeedStep ™ Tech Disabled
BCLK Frequency 200
PCIE Frequency 100
DRAM Frequency DDR3-1603MHz
UCLK Frequency 3208MHz
QPI Link Data Rate 7128MT/s
DRAM Timing Control
DRAM CAS# Latency 7 DRAM Clock
DRAM RAS# to CAS# Delay 7 DRAM Clock
DRAM RAS# PRE Time 7 DRAM Clock
DRAM RAS# to RAS# Delay 20 DRAM Clock
CPU Voltage 1.30
CPU PLL Voltage 1.90
QPI/DRAM Core Voltage 1.35
DRAM Bus Voltage 1.66 (memory requires 1.65)
CPU Differential Amplitude 1000mV

Configure advanced CPU settings
CPU Ratio setting 20.0
C1E Support Disabled
Hardware Prefetcher Enabled
Adjacent Cache Line Prefetch Enabled
Intel Virtualization Tech Disabled
CPU TM Function Enabled
Execute Disable Bit Enabled
Intel HT Technology Enabled
Active Processor Cores All
A20M Disabled
Intel SpeedStep Tech Disabled
Intel C-STATE Tech Disabled

 

[overshocked]

Read my thread here.
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/forum2.php?config=tomshardwareus.inc&cat=29&post=256021&page=1&p=1&sondage=0&owntopic=1&trash=0&trash_post=0&print=0&numreponse=0&quote_only=0&new=0&nojs=0
It has alot of useful info on bsod's:
IF the BSOD code is 0x00000124 then raising the Vcore and/or the VTT will solve it.

 

[ahnilated]

There is no VTT adjustment in the bios that I have seen in an Asus P6T deluxe V2 motherboard. There is only a QPI/DRAM Core Voltage.

 

[wrecker_42]

QPI/DRAM is the same as vtt, its just asus call it QPI/DRAM
i have the asus rampage extreme same layout as p6t
i am currently running at 3.8 no probs
u can try to put your QPI/DRAM (vtt) to 2.20 2.00 is the auto setting
i hope this info helps

 

[ahnilated]

That can't be possible. My motherboard only allows 1.70 as the max without any jumper changes. Anything above 1.40 shows red in the bios for the level.

 

[wrecker_42]

sorry my bad i meant 1.2
but same goes QPI/DRAM = vtt

 

[ahnilated]

Well currently it is testing at 1.40. I have tested it up to 1.375 before and same result. We shall see what happens at 1.40.

 

[pocketcow]

You could very well need to go higher than that. I am running a similar setup with a 920 d0 at 4ghz with ddr3-2000 and i have my qpi/dram at 1.5v and my cpu at 1.3v with a 800mv calibration. cpu pll is 1.8 and ioh is 1.26. ich is 1.1 and the pcie settings are both at 1.5v. dram is set to 1.62v.

Those voltages are dialed in completely and are as low as i can get and still run prime95 for 24 hours on all cores. (I don't use hyperthreading either) Temps run about 65c with air cooling. I can post screen shots if necessary as well.

Don't give up on this. These things are almost always voltage. Don't be afraid to go out of intel's so called spec either. Keep your qpi/dram voltage within .5v of your dram voltage and you should be ok. As long as you can keep your hardware sufficiently cooled, you are usually ok.

 

[ahnilated]

Well now it didn't get the 124 error it got the 01E error. This is like trying to hit a moving target.

 

[overshocked]

try raising the qpi a little see if that helps. At least were finally getting somewhere.

 

[ahnilated]

I will, I am waiting for a new processor heat sink to show up tomorrow. I got a True copper Ultra-120 extreme to make sure I won't cause cpu issues. I don't want to switch to water cooling so I can't really think of a better heat sink.

 

[ahnilated]

I have the QPI at 1.525 currently and it got a 0X000000D1 error over night.

 

[ahnilated]

I have the new heat sink installed temps are now running from 60-64C under full load. We will see if this changes the errors at all. I am very doubtful but I like the temps more and it will be interesting to see what they level out at after the thermal paste has dried.

 

[overshocked]

Sounds like your almost at the limit for this cpu man.

 

[ahnilated]

So you have no more suggestions?

 

[ahnilated]

I have bumped the processor down to 3.8G and the CPU voltage down to 1.22 and no errors so far after 3 days. I am going to see how low I can get voltages while keeping it 100% stable.

 

[frag85]

I came across this thread trying to find some evidence backing up how my hardware performs/crashes with different configurations and have some information that could be of help. Your issue sounds the same as how my chip acts so I'd be willing to bet its your QPI PLL. For my chip+mobo over 190mhz BCLK I need at least 1.2v QPI PLL.

As far as QPI PLL goes, I can set any combination of voltages with vCore from 1.2-1.4v, QPI/Vtt from 1.2-1.45, IOH from 1.1-1.3 and still get 0x134 errors till QPI PLL gets bumped up. the 0x134 errors occur sooner (less than 2 hours) when QPI/Vtt is <1.3v or >1.38v and my QPI frequency jumps around in CPU-Z and/or CPU-Tweaker as well. When I bump up QPI PLL to >1.2v the QPI frequency is stable, prime blend test will run 24/7 with no 0x124 BSOD's, and I no longer have Source engine games crash.

For 4.2ghz (200x21) i use:
1.2875vCore (1.264v in windows under load)
1.7 CPU PLL
1.32v QPI/Vtt
1.26v QPI PLL
1.64vDIMM
1.24v IOH

For my hardware this will last a whole week of Prime small/large/blend, LinX, and GPU stress testing running.

ICH you can try 1.14-1.2v, or even going lower to say 1.05v have even helped in some cases but generally changing your ICH isn't needed unless you are runng 3-4 video cards or a ton of hard drives drives. I have 5 hard drives and I am still fine with 1.05v ICH.

So try 1.3-1.34v QPI with 1.2-1.3v QPI PLL.

Also, here are some Hardware BSOD codes:
0X00000124 = QPI/Vtt Voltage, can be too much or not enough, (1.5v sounds like too much)
0X00000050 = Memory Timing/Freq or Uncore Multi, ram voltage
0X00000101 = low vCore
0x00000116 = low IOH voltage, GPU issue
0x000000xx = i7 D0's, cpu vCore
(i got these from Lsdmeasap over at tweaktown)