Does the constant crash when overclocking?
Does the constant crash when overclocking?
Hello everyone! I understand my CPU is quite old and it tends to cause bottlenecks, but I still wanted to find out why I keep experiencing constant crashes after a small overclock, even though my temperatures are normal. Also, I’m not very experienced with overclocking.
My current configuration is as follows:
i7 4790k
AMD RX 6700 XT
4x8GB Corsair Vengeance 1333MHz (rated 2400MHz)
MoBo ASUS Maximus Ranger VII
PSU Corsair CX750 Bronze
I use Arctic MX 4 for thermal paste
CPU Cooler Coolermaster 212 EVO
I’ve experimented with many different builds, but I can’t consistently hit 4.5GHz without occasional crashes. The most stable setting I’ve found is:
- Core Multiplier at 45 (for 4.5GHz)
- RAM speed at 2666MHz
- Voltage set to adaptive with a plus sign
- Cache voltage also adaptive with a plus sign
With these adjustments, when running stress tests on the CPU and GPU, I reach a peak temperature of around 72°C, which is actually quite high. The stress test completed without issues for about 30 minutes, but crashes still occur occasionally. Games that demand a lot of resources will eventually cause problems too.
When trying to manually set the voltage, I’ve tried various configurations, but no matter what I do, crashes still happen during stress tests.
Anyone have any advice or tips? What might I be doing wrong?
Thanks for your response! I purchased this PC at a very affordable price because my friend upgraded everything and sold it to me. Right now, buying more components isn't an option for me due to budget constraints. I'm just trying to maximize performance with what I have, but frequent crashes—even at low temperatures—are holding me back. Upgrading to 4.5 or 4.6 GHz makes a noticeable difference, boosting performance by about 10 FPS in modern games, which is important since I only intend to play at 1080p. I remember this CPU was highly overclocked in the past, but being stuck at its factory turbo speed is disappointing. With 4.5 GHz I don't expect any overheating issues, and the voltage I'm using seems adequate (1.28V), though it still causes crashes.
If you receive an outdated setup from another person, begin by applying the default BIOS settings for RAM. Ensure the correct specifications are set before proceeding. Verify stability at factory settings; otherwise, consider upgrading your power supply to meet the required wattage and improve cooling performance. Cleaning the cooling system thoroughly is essential if it hasn’t been done previously. Conduct a comprehensive maintenance check. For systems with custom water loops, thoroughly clean them and inspect for any leaks or signs of corrosion.
Once you’re confident everything functions properly, confirm adequate cooling and power supply for the intended overclock. Be aware that attempting an overclock on an older system can be risky, so understand the potential consequences. Investigate proper overclocking methods and assess whether your motherboard’s VRMs can support the required voltage. Running a high-temperature VRM (such as 110°C) might not impact the CPU or VRMs but could harm other components.
Decide whether overclocking is necessary. If problems arise, address them before proceeding. For instance, running a 4790K at 1.3V for all voltages can damage the CPU. Research safe overclocking practices and verify compatibility with your hardware. The following data will be useful.
Historical Binning Statistics
Devil's Canyon
All Core SSE Frequency
All Core AVX2 Frequency
BIOS Vcore
% Capable
4790K
4.60GHz
Not Tested
1.296V
100%
4790K
4.70GHz
Not Tested
1.312V
Top 96%
4.80GHz
Not Tested
1.328V
Top 68%
4.90GHz
Not Tested
1.344V
Top 22%
5.00GHz
Not Tested
1.360V
Top 3%
It appears that attempts at 4.5 or 4.6 GHz with a 1.28V Vcore may be problematic, though all CPUs in the same category previously achieved 4.5–4.6GHz. The BIOS Vcore was 1.296V, indicating stable temperatures during the initial test. Always monitor VRM temperatures as well.
Proceed cautiously when overclocking. Study thoroughly, test each frequency individually, and note the required Vcore levels. This process will guide you toward an optimal maximum overclock. Be mindful of potential issues such as excessive temperatures, unstable voltages, or component failure.
If the CPU has been overclocked for many years, it may lose effectiveness and struggle to maintain stability. Proceed with caution, conduct extensive research, and treat this as a project requiring patience and precision. Starting at 4.80GHz is advisable if your system appears stable. Beginning at 4.5GHz is acceptable, but if stability remains elusive, further overclocking research is necessary. Adjust the target frequency gradually and retest after each change to identify the best setting.
4790k requires a significant voltage to maintain stability. I set it between 4.6 to 4.8 at roughly 1.35 to 1.4 volts using a 360 mm liquid cooler, but temperatures remained high. My laptop still functions if you check my setup—overclocked to 4.2 GHz, it occasionally crashes even with adaptive/automatic voltage settings. Trying 1.215 to 1.25 volts might improve stability. If that causes overheating, adjust the VCC voltage too. Motherboard specs may use different terms for core voltages. Enabling XMP could help with RAM timing consistency. People are correct about needing a new platform; quad-core CPUs aren’t ideal anymore, and even overclocked ones struggle with performance in demanding games like Cyberpunk.
Everyone, thank you for your ideas! It turns out the problem isn’t what I expected. A friend shared that Win11 was causing performance issues with a very recent build (i9 12th gen, amd 6800) and that switching back to Win10 fixed everything.
I installed Win10 and tested many games using my old OC profile (4.4GHz). I saw a big improvement—around 10fps overall, and some games like Dota even showed 60fps more.
I thought maybe Win11 was affecting my setup, so I tried 4.5GHz with a different setting and ran another test with Prime. It worked really well. Then I went to 4.6GHz and 1.38v, and it performed exceptionally.
It seems Win11 isn’t working well with my custom build, but I’m satisfied so far. Even running Witcher 3 next gen (dx11) at ultra with 90fps was a success!
Windows 11 includes security settings that may lower performance. Disabling Bitdefender will also impact speed on Windows 11. In any case, Windows 10 and 11 perform similarly for a 10900k.
Have you explored Windows 10 LTSC? It's the most efficient version of Windows 10 available. From the booting shutdown process to launching programs, it lacks bloatware and other unnecessary elements.