Program for Undervolting i7 870

[icraft]

I know how to undervolt, done it before, but never on an intel. What programs do you guys (and girls) recommend? On stock clocks.

 

[leo2kp]

BIOS.

 

[icraft]

True, duh. 😛

 

[nukemaster]

BIOS.

A big +1 to this.

What board do you have, Most allow you to use an offset to push the voltage down at every level at once(my offset is - 0.08750v).

My i5 750 idles at 0.8 volts and load(all cores with Prime95 at 1.04 ). I have no control over the Turbo setting that pushes it to 1.20-122(but with those kinds of loads, it has been no issue anyway)

 

[icraft]

Hm, I have the stock intel x51(?) board that came with my xps 8100, cant find my multipliers or anything. Well, is this intel? 😛

EDIT: How can I tell who my mobo manufacturer is?

 

[nukemaster]

Dell tends to lock out those options to avoid users messing things up. I do not think you will find a good way to undervolt it(software can be hit and miss.).

 

[icraft]

I've heard of people hitting about 1.2 vcore and I think I'm at about 1.3 or so. The reason I am doing this is to get temps down untill I get my new cooler. I was hitting 80C under light gaming, in dual-core mode now.

 

[nukemaster]

I must have a lucky chip. While it is an i5. It undervolts like a dream

You can also see the current and idle power use in the images(because the UPS supports monitoring in HWmon)
All cores Prime95 1.04 volts
1 core Prime95 1.17(but it gets to 1.20-1.22 depending on load)

I do not think 80 will kill it or anything, but if you have some bolts and an old 775 heatsink, you can bolt it on
Bolted LGA 755 heatsink It actually worked well
The final heatsink with some gentle fan thinning.

Again, with the locked bios, I think you will just have to live with it until you get your new heatsink. What did you get anyway?

 

[icraft]

Dark knight II http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835233029

Also, there is a BIOS update from 2010 for my PC, might it do something? I would have no idea how to do it though. :\

 

[nukemaster]

Well that cooler should have plenty of cooling power for your cpu.

I would contact Dell directly to see if you can or can not adjust voltage before updating the bios(chances are they made it so you can not).

 

[icraft]

Yeah, I got it so I can use it in the PC I plan to build in a year or two. (If they dont move to lga 1294 or whatever) I'll email them, hope that have better CS than some other companies.

EDIT: Whhaaatt? "spentshells selected this answer as the solution April 10, 2013 1:40:49 PM" How'd that happen?

 

[icraft]

New, similar, question. Could I flash a gigabyte etc BIOS and use it for voltage and overclocking? I'm running 71 under full load at 1.26 volts, I have a good bit of room.

 

[nukemaster]

The bios has to be made for the board. Flashing an improper bios will will actually make the board no longer even work.

Your temps are not going to kill the cpu, so just use it as is would by my suggestion. A little extra heat vs killing the system.

The best answer thing may be a bug, any users even not the poster can select an answer, you can remove it if you wish.

 

[icraft]

I know the temps are fine, and I know you can brick it. I wish it had a dual bios like the hd 7950. My temps are so good I want to do an oc on stock volts but I have the retarded bios. Speed fan has a clock option, but it's software and doesn't support Intel mobos.

Also, he has the answer for good. Oh well. No offence to him, but this isn't solved yet.

 

[nukemaster]

I can remove it for you if you wish.

I do not see any good options to be honest.

The problem is dell has custom boards made by third parties. Some HP boards have been just Asus boards in the past that may have had a chance, but these dell boards are just not sold under other names that I can see.

Back in the day, bios hackers used to make custom bios files for boards without overclocking, but it seems to not be done any more.

This is an older guide to using RMclock to undervolt. I am not 100% sure if it even works with newer cpus as the software does not seem to get updates anymore.

http://forum.notebookreview.com/hardware-components-aftermarket-upgrades/235824-undervolting-guide.html

 

[icraft]

I can remove it for you if you wish.

I do not see any good options to be honest.

The problem is dell has custom boards made by third parties. Some HP boards have been just Asus boards in the past that may have had a chance, but these dell boards are just not sold under other names that I can see.

Back in the day, bios hackers used to make custom bios files for boards without overclocking, but it seems to not be done any more.

This is an older guide to using RMclock to undervolt. I am not 100% sure if it even works with newer cpus as the software does not seem to get updates anymore.

http://forum.notebookreview.com/hardware-components-aftermarket-upgrades/235824-undervolting-guide.html

Eh, I'll deal with it. Thanks!

 

[nukemaster]

Sorry I could not offer better news....

 

[icraft]

Sorry I could not offer better news....

I might use RMclock, I have an "old" i7 anyway. And really, don't feel bad. You've been the most helpful person on any forum yet!

 

[nukemaster]

I try.

I have an "old" i7 in one system too (920)

 

[icraft]

Ok, can't wait to see how it does! I think 71c is a fine temp for full load, do you? I've had people saying that I need an even better heatsink. :\

 

[nukemaster]

If it is the I7 870, I am sure it gets at least that hot on the stock cooler.

The closest thing I have is an I5 750 and it is under-volted for all it will give(-0.08750).

You are within the Intel specs so I think you should be alright.

 

[icraft]

Ok, I'll try RM, but I can't now. Had a windows 7 reinstall issue D:

 

[icraft]

Any luck? I messed up my HDD. *sigh* It'll take a while to fix.

 

[icraft]

From another forum.

No, it is not.
On air, it's impossible. The Laws of Thermodynamics prevent it..

The fan blows the aimbient temperature to fins which are getting warmed up by the CPU. How on earth would you get temperature below the ambient temperature by doing this?

Don't trust your sensors if they are showing that, they are 100% wrong.

Moving air can absorb more heat than stagnant air. That said, they may be wrong, how would I recalibrate that?
Also, I suspect my vcore is 1.3, been creeping up from 1.24 for a few days now. What the crap?

 

[nukemaster]

It is a general FACT that you can not go below ambient temps even with water cooling. These sensors are made to be accurate enough to save the cpu from high heat(and they can vary from cpu to cpu as well), but Intel did not design them to be that accurate at lower temps(MB sensors are no better.).

MB sensor shows 17c as the lowest, but the room the system is in was never that cold.

Compressor/phase change/ect can, but those are another story all together.

When you say any luck, are you asking me if RMclock works with my setup? I can give it a try when i get a chance.