6700k unstable overclock
6700k unstable overclock
Hello
I have tried to overclock my i7 6700k and I can´t get it stable no matter what.I have set the core clock to 4.3 GHz and voltage goes up to 1.375v with adaptive voltage, but even this isn´t fully stable.
I notice the instability when I boot up my system it boots for a second or a few, but then turns off and reboots. I have had the error overclocking failed on bootup while having higher clocks and I´ve always dialed the overclock down.This current 1.375v has not given me any blue screens, but it has the same bootup issue as the earlier higher OCs.
I also can´t set the voltage manually from the Bios. When I manually set it to for example 1.350 v and turn all power saving options off HWmonitor reports well over 1.4v voltages. I can only set a voltage by setting it to adaptive and even then the computer seems to add about +0.035v to the maximum combined voltage of the desired and offset voltage. I´ve red all the guides about OC´ing a Skylake CPU with Asus motherboards and tried all the suggestions, but nothing has helped.
My motherboard feeds a lot of juice to my CPU even at default bios settings. 1.385v and I have even seen higher. Is it normal or could it be related to my issue?
Many of you might think that the PSU is not powerful enough to run the system, but the highest power draw from the wall which I have recorded is 650 Watts. That leaves a 200 Watt headroom so I think power should not be an issue. If you think that the reason is the lack of power, could you explain in detail why do you think so?
(Not trying to deny it, but just don´t understand how it could be an issue if my system power draw peaks only at 650 W under max load)
I have all the latest drivers so they should not be an issue either.
UPDATE: I used to have an overclock of 4.7 GHz on my 2 cores and 4.6 GHz by AI suite 3 5 - way optimization. I had this OC when I built my system in the beginning of the year, but after some bios updates I lost it and could not get even close to these results with AI suite 3 or manually. I had very little knowledge of overclocking at them time and thought that this will give me the best safe OC possible. I do not know the voltage it set to me and I only monitored the temps using Ai suite 3 which gives very inaccurate results.
Summary of questions:
1. What might be the reason I can´t get a stable OC?
2. Why can´t I manually set the CPU voltage?
3. Is my default voltage normal for this processor?
Thank you in advance to anyone who is willing to help and give suggestions!
PS: Is there a way to display my Specs other than copying them in the signature, or do you have a better solution to automatically display them in all my posts and comments? Update: Apparently I can´t fit all my Specs on the signature
My specs
(CPU - 6700k)
(CPU Cooler- Noctua NH-D15)
(Motherboard - Asus Z170 Pro Gaming)
(RAM - G.Skill RipJaws DDR4-3000 DIMM CL15-16-16-35 2x8GB)
(GPUs - 2x SLI MSI 980 Ti Gaming 6G)
(PSU - EVGA 850W Supernova 850 G2 Gold)
(Case - Fractal Define S)
(SSD - Samsung Evo 500GB)
(HDD - SEAGATE Barracuda Desktop 4TB 5900RPM)
(Case Fans - 2 x 140mm Noctua NF-A14 FLX, 2x 140mm Noctua
NF-A14 PWM, 1 x stock Fractal case fan)
Specs are in brackets because they are easier to read on the profile page. Can I display the specs on the profile page or have them attached to all my posts/comments?
I had already tried before. The problem isn't with the voltage, but with the instability.
My CPU is definitely not working well. A friend set up something similar and when we compare our results, I noticed clear signs of a CPU issue. It consumes too much voltage unpredictably, and the temps are excessively high for the cooling setup I have. To prevent temperatures from rising too much above 70°C, I need to run benchmarks with all fans at full speed. My friend can do the same tests using his cooler at around half speed and still maintains lower temps.
My main goal was to find out what’s causing these problems. Was it the motherboard or the CPU? I tried setting the voltage down to its minimum manually.
Have you looked into various 6700k reviews online? Even if the systems aren't identical, these insights can provide useful guidance and approximate settings. Likewise, for the motherboard? Just to gauge your position—can you find a method within the BIOS to attempt an overclock? Asus tends to be reliable in offering this feature. If the power supply unit is a concern, consider removing one of the 980Ti units and then try overclocking. Would it be more stable? It might just be that you've been unlucky with the silicon selection—your CPU may not be very suitable for overclocking.
Jim90:
Have you looked into some 6700k reviews online? Even if the systems aren't identical, they can still provide useful guidance and approximate settings. Likewise for the motherboard? Just to gauge your position—are there any ways within the BIOS to attempt a self-overclock? Asus tends to be reliable in offering this. If the power supply was a concern, consider removing one of the 980Ti units and then try overclocking. Would that make it more stable? It might just be that you've been unlucky with the silicon selection—your CPU may not be very good at overclocking. Asus overclocking tools in Bios or Ai Suite 3 give poor results, often with excessively high voltages. I've searched online and tried similar clocks/voltages, but when stability fails, I increase the voltage. I'll attempt to remove the GPU later if I have more time and don't need to use the PC as much. Can it be done to disable the second GPU without taking it out to save time?
You're right about the Ai Suite using high voltages for auto overclocking, though it still provides a fast CPU check. I rely on Asus BIOS profiles to turn on or off HDD+SSD setups for different boot settings, but I'm uncertain about PCIe combinations.
Jim90 shares his experience about using high voltages for auto overclocking and mentions checking the CPU quickly. He uses Asus BIOS profiles to manage HDD+SSD combinations but is unsure about PCIe setups. He followed advice from a forum thread and still faces issues, such as system reboots after booting and problems with the red DRAM LED on his motherboard, possibly indicating memory-related problems.
Hello and sorry for not responding to my own post for a while
I attempted to remove one GPU and now have a new 1300W PSU, but the problems continue.
I've reached out to Asus customer support, but their responses were not very useful and mostly pointed the fault at the PSU. They also seemed hesitant when I learned my motherboard was purchased from another EU country. According to Asus, their warranty doesn't apply to products bought outside the EU, even within the same region. Hope this helps someone planning a purchase abroad to avoid some extra costs.
I've also contacted Intel and Gskills regarding the matter. I trust they'll be more supportive than Asus.
My specific RAM Model: http://www.gskill.com/en/product/f4-3000c15d-16gvrb
Geraltofskylake has shared his experience regarding system issues. He is currently facing instability and is working on troubleshooting by using default settings to identify the problems. He reports consistently high CPU voltage, exceeding 1.4v at the default configuration, which causes the processor to overheat when running Prime95. He identifies several problems contributing to the instability: the PC shuts down completely but leaves a blank screen until manually closed, the task bar fails to disappear during fullscreen video playback, and the Start Menu becomes erratic with flickering images. He suspects the issue may lie with the motherboard or CPU and plans to test further or replace faulty components. Until then, he avoids overclocking.
Skidushe suggests checking the BIOS updates and resetting defaults if necessary. He advises entering Advanced mode, clicking on the AI tweaker tab, and following specific instructions provided in the links. He also shares a guide with recommended settings for CPU core voltage and core ratio adjustments to ensure stability. He recommends setting the core voltage manually to 1.35V and adjusting the core ratio accordingly, while noting that this value should be suitable for a 4.4GHz processor. He emphasizes running stress tests using Prime95 and consulting the Intel temperature guide for further guidance. Skidushe also mentions clearing CMOS on the motherboard as a potential solution to the shutdown problem.