Overclocking stability fails for no reason?

[PCAardvark]

Hi all,
I have a new PC I've recently built. I'm running an I7 5820K (3.3ghz) on an MSI gaming X99- ACK with corsair vengeance 2800 DDR4 ram. The ram comes at 2133 when stock obviously, so I used the XMP profile to get the actual 2800. Using the XMP boosted the base clock, which I've heard destabilizes the system a lot more than just adjusting the multiplier... Anyways. XMP profile in, base clock goes up to 133.6 (I believe, could be off by a number or two), putting the CPU around 3.6ghz. Minor OC on the cpu and I'm getting the 2800 off the DDR4 ram.

I stress tested with prime95, CPU temp max after an hour was 61 degrees C, rest of the system floats around 40-43. I noticed some performance improvements with the OC (placebo maybe, but still, I saw them), and used the XMP profile for about a month. Yesterday when I booted up the PC it doesnt even post, black screens, turns off, cycles back on, and I get a message that says "the overclock settings have failed." I reset the BIOS, everything works fine, go back into the BIOS, reload the XMP profile, save and reboot, and immediately get the black screen and the same message.

Any thoughts as to why a stable overclock would suddenly fail, and any ideas on how to tweak this so its working?

Thanks!

 

[ingtar33]

I have some ideas, but i'm not sure you'll like hearing them.

1) the cpu was damaged by bad power, and no longer is stable at those settings
2) the motherboard was damaged by bad power, and no longer is stable at those settings
3) the ram was damaged by bad power, and no longer is stable at those settings

some thoughts. this could be fixed simply by adding a little more vcore and maybe adding a little more voltage to your dram. If you're lucky this is the case. If it can't be stabilized by adding more voltage then i'd say it likely something is failing.

my first bet would be the motherboard.

so i would contact the retailer and see what the process is for an exchange (it's clearly under warranty)

NO MATTER what the reason this is happening, i would replace your power supply. Whenever i see issues that could be power supply related i replace my power supply. as bad power supplies can start fires and destroy every electronic component in your pc (which is everything).

 

[PCAardvark]

I have some ideas, but i'm not sure you'll like hearing them.

1) the cpu was damaged by bad power, and no longer is stable at those settings
2) the motherboard was damaged by bad power, and no longer is stable at those settings
3) the ram was damaged by bad power, and no longer is stable at those settings

some thoughts. this could be fixed simply by adding a little more vcore and maybe adding a little more voltage to your dram. If you're lucky this is the case. If it can't be stabilized by adding more voltage then i'd say it likely something is failing.

my first bet would be the motherboard.

so i would contact the retailer and see what the process is for an exchange (it's clearly under warranty)

NO MATTER what the reason this is happening, i would replace your power supply. Whenever i see issues that could be power supply related i replace my power supply. as bad power supplies can start fires and destroy every electronic component in your pc (which is everything).

I bumped the DRAM voltage from 1.20 to 1.25, and its totally stable again. I've seen a number of people on the forums say this increases stability dramatically. How bizarre that the XMP profile doesn't have it do that by default.

Would you still recommend replacing the power supply? It is a Corsair RM850, still under warranty. Not sure how I'd explained to them that it's bad, since I can get the system stable.

Thanks!

 

[ingtar33]

yeah. you don't know if something got damaged or not. my rule of thumb is if it's possible the psu damaged something replace it or return it.

i've probably replaced a number of perfectly good psus over the years. i just don't see the "reward" of keeping a questionable peice of hardware like a power supply as worth the "risk". In the end a new psu is $100; a new cpu, motherboard, ram and video card would add up to 600 or more depending on what you had, and that's not counting potential fire damage or data loss.