Overclocking a I7 920 over 3.6ghz

[Chaingunchris]

my dad wants to take his Bloomfield chip up higher with a hyper 212 evo and I think he needs the nzxt kraken X41 that I have to do that. I'll update this with his cpu Z picture when I get the chance. I'm familiar with overclocking newer chips. I have a 4790k overclocked to 4.7ghz for God sake. But I don't know how to do it for these old chips. I want to help him. Should he download Asus AI Suite and let that overlock it? If so what. Version is compatible with a p6t motherboard? I'm basically clueless when it comes to these old chips. I want to help my dad. Here are his specs.
Intel core i7 920 OC to 3.6ghz
Cooler master hyper 212 evo
2 Asus r9 280x's
Corsair vengeance LP memory. (9-9-9-24 I believe) running at 1.5ghz
1000 watt evga super nova power supply.
Asus p6T motherboard
The thing is, I want to help, but I don't know how to do it.
Since these new cpu demanding games are coming out like doom and fallout 4. He want to make sure he's ready. And I want to help but I don't know how, so here I am asking how do I overclock a Bloomfield chip?

 

[ahnilated]

There are numerous articles out about overclocking the i7 920. I currently have mine at 3.8GHz (1.20v) and it has been there for 3 yrs. Depending on the silicon lottery chip you got you may not get much more than that. I would never advocate overclocking via software, I would do it all in the bios by bumping up the multiplier and then testing.

 

[CompuTronix]

Chaingunchris,

First thing first. Run CPU-Z to identify whether your i7 920 is Stepping Revision "C0" or "D0".

The D0 was the 2nd release of the i7 920, which was a better overclocker. Most of those could reach 4.0 GHz at less than 1.4 Vcore.

Like the 45 nanometer Core 2 Q9xxx, the 45 nanometer i7 9xx and i5 7xx share similar overclocking limitations such as Vcore and temperatures.

Keep in mind that although the i7 920 is a 130 Watt processor, it's actually easier to cool than your 88 Watt 4790K. This is due to a relatively large die size (263 sq mm) and a soldered Integrated Heat Spreader (IHS) compared to the much smaller 22 nanometer die size (160 sq mm) with thermal compound between the die and IHS of your i7 4790K. This gives the i7 920 greater surface area in contact with the IHS and better heat dissipation characteristics.

The i7 920 has a locked multiplier at 20, but is easy to overclock simply by increasing the Base Clock (BCLK) from 133 to 200, and the Vcore to 1.375, which is the maximum recommended core voltage, so don't exceed 1.400 Vcore on 45 nanometer processors. Intel's Tcase Thermal Specification for the i7 920 is 68C, which most people don't know is CPU temperature, NOT Core temperature. The equivalent Core temperature is 73C, so don't exceed mid 70's.

Here's a quick tutorial:

Intel desktop processors have thermal sensors for each Core, plus a sensor for the entire processor, so a Quad Core has five sensors. Heat originates within the Cores where Digital sensors measure Core temperatures. A single Analog sensor under the Cores measures overall CPU temperature.

Core temperature is 5C higher than CPU temperature due to sensor location. Intel's Thermal Specification is "Tcase", which is CPU temperature, not Core Temperature. Tcase for the popular i7 920 is 68C: Intel Product Information - http://ark.intel.com/products/37147/Intel-Core-i7-920-Processor-8M-Cache-2_66-GHz-4_80-GTs-Intel-QPI

Tcase + 5 makes the corresponding Core temperature 73C.

The relationship between Core temperature and CPU temperature is not in the Thermal Specifications; it's only found in a few engineering documents. If you'd like to learn more about your processor temperatures, then please read this Tom’s Sticky: Intel Temperature Guide - http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/id-1800828/intel-temperature-guide.html

Aslo, here's a helpful link which features the Asus P6T Deluxe: Intel Core i7-920 Overclocking Guide - http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/cpu/display/core-i7-920-overclocking.html

CT

 

[Chaingunchris]

Chaingunchris,

First thing first. Run CPU-Z to identify whether your i7 920 is Stepping Revision "C0" or "D0".

The D0 was the 2nd release of the i7 920, which was a better overclocker. Most of those could reach 4.0 GHz at less than 1.4 Vcore.

Like the 45 nanometer Core 2 Q9xxx, the 45 nanometer i7 9xx and i5 7xx share similar overclocking limitations such as Vcore and temperatures.

Keep in mind that although the i7 920 is a 130 Watt processor, it's actually easier to cool than your 88 Watt 4790K. This is due to a relatively large die size (263 sq mm) and a soldered Integrated Heat Spreader (IHS) compared to the much smaller 22 nanometer die size (160 sq mm) with thermal compound between the die and IHS of your i7 4790K. This gives the i7 920 greater surface area in contact with the IHS and better heat dissipation characteristics.

The i7 920 has a locked multiplier at 20, but is easy to overclock simply by increasing the Base Clock (BCLK) from 133 to 200, and the Vcore to 1.375, which is the maximum recommended core voltage, so don't exceed 1.400 Vcore on 45 nanometer processors. Intel's Tcase Thermal Specification for the i7 920 is 68C, which most people don't know is CPU temperature, NOT Core temperature. The equivalent Core temperature is 73C, so don't exceed mid 70's.

Here's a quick tutorial:

Intel desktop processors have thermal sensors for each Core, plus a sensor for the entire processor, so a Quad Core has five sensors. Heat originates within the Cores where Digital sensors measure Core temperatures. A single Analog sensor under the Cores measures overall CPU temperature.

Core temperature is 5C higher than CPU temperature due to sensor location. Intel's Thermal Specification is "Tcase", which is CPU temperature, not Core Temperature. Tcase for the popular i7 920 is 68C: Intel Product Information - http://ark.intel.com/products/37147/Intel-Core-i7-920-Processor-8M-Cache-2_66-GHz-4_80-GTs-Intel-QPI

Tcase + 5 makes the corresponding Core temperature 73C.

The relationship between Core temperature and CPU temperature is not in the Thermal Specifications; it's only found in a few engineering documents. If you'd like to learn more about your processor temperatures, then please read this Tom’s Sticky: Intel Temperature Guide - http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/id-1800828/intel-temperature-guide.html

Aslo, here's a helpful link which features the Asus P6T Deluxe: Intel Core i7-920 Overclocking Guide - http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/cpu/display/core-i7-920-overclocking.html

CT

ok ill find out if his chip is a D0 or a C0

 

[Chaingunchris]

unfortunately, my dads chip is a C0 so how should i approach this?

 

[CompuTronix]

Many of the C0 processors will top out at 3.8, but you never know if yours might be capable of reaching 4.0 until you try.

If you set BCLK @ 200 and Vcore @ 1.400 in BIOS, then boot into Windows and don't get a blue screen, then run Prime95 Small FFT's for initially just 20 to 30 minutes while usning Real Temp to monitor your core temperatures.

If that goes well, than proceed with stability testing and Vcore optimizations as you would for any current processor. Read the Guides I linked to you.

 

[Chaingunchris]

Many of the C0 processors will top out at 3.8, but you never know if yours might be capable of reaching 4.0 until you try.

If you set BCLK @ 200 and Vcore @ 1.400 in BIOS, then boot into Windows and don't get a blue screen, then run Prime95 Small FFT's for initially just 20 to 30 minutes while usning Real Temp to monitor your core temperatures.

If that goes well, than proceed with stability testing and Vcore optimizations as you would for any current processor. Read the Guides I linked to you.

But that's a very old chip, it would heat up so fast if you ran prime 95 on it. I don't want to fry it. Well as I said before. He may be upgrading his cooler, so.

 

[CompuTronix]

Back in the days when the i7 920 C0 and D0 were released, the high-end air coolers were comparable to today's mid-range Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO. My nephew is currently running my former i7 920 C0 rig on my old Asus P6T Deluxe at 4.0 with 1.4 Vcore using a Xigmatek HDT S1283, which is very similar to the 212 EVO.

His Core temperatures are in the mid 70's with Prime95 Small FFT's, just as they were when I owned that rig, so you don't need to be concerned about "frying" your dad's processor. Intel processors automatically "Throttle" at 100C for thermal protection so they don't self-destruct.

If you're using the 212 EVO and your ambient temperature isn't unusually high, then I'm confidant your Core temperatures will be in the mid 70's with 1.4 Vcore and 4.0 GHz. If you only need 1.375 or 1.350 to get it stable, then your Core temperatures will decrease accordingly.