I began my initial overclock and noticed a temperature of 100°C for the i7-4790k...
I began my initial overclock and noticed a temperature of 100°C for the i7-4790k...
I've just begun following this guide: http://lifehacker.com/a-beginners-introd...pr-5580998
I reached the first step, which was adjusting my CPU ratio in BIOS by one level (changing from AUTO to 45).
Then I executed a basic stress test with LinX and CPUID reported a MAX CPU package temperature of 100°C.
That’s definitely too high for a 4.5GHz OC processor. My CPU is equipped with a CoolerMaster Hyper 212 EVO cooler.
For context, the room temperature inside my case is 27°C, and the CPU temperatures at idle range from 32 to 36°C.
1. The Hyper 212 is a "great budget cooler", but the emphasis is on that middle word.
2. That's way way way too hot for anything.
3. The auto overclocking features are intended to work 99% of the time which means that if you have an 'average CPU", it will have higher voltages than 'average" because it has to work for that 49% of CPUs that are below average.
4. Haswell had a lower Turbo boost so we tarted with 42 CPU multiplier with DC, you'd normally start OCing at 45
We created a "Minimalist Overclocking Guide" for folks we built boxes for Haswel chips ... Devil's Canyon's process is very similar. It's not intended to get you the best Ocs, it's intended to get you a pretty good OC in a weekend of effort.
Look at overclock.net's Devils Canon guide for differences
http://www.overclock.net/t/1490324/the-i...wners-club
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This is my personal "Minimalists Guide to Haswell Overclocking on Asus Boards". I don't have the patience to invest 100 of hours but I admire those who do. Using this method, most can knock it off in a weekend.
1. Stop using AIDA, Prime 95 or anything else like that. Download RoG Real Bench, HWiNFO64 and Intel ETU.
http://rog.asus.com/forum/showthread.php...load-Links
http://www.hwinfo.com/download.php
http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/m...ility.html
Usage of testing and monitoring programs:
When you open Real Bench, move both windows to left side of screen. Open HWiNFO64, run "sensors only", you will get a pop up asking whether to disable reading the Asus EC chip, click "Disable this sensor". Move the HWiNFO64 window to upper right hand corner of screen. Stretch bottom of window to full screen height. Make the following changes:
-Right Click on "System" right at the top, select hide.
-In the next section, hide the last 4 lines starting "Core CPU Thermal Throttling" (if you watch temps, this is useless)
-Skip over the next section and Hide the section after that (section includes CPU Package thru DRAM Power)
-Now the whole reasons we did that was so you could see everything you wanna see at same time. You should be able to see Vcore 0, 1 and 2 at -the bottom of the window. If not hide a few more lines. Save and Quit will save your edits.
2. I am going to assume that you want your PC to power down and reduce voltages when not needed so for this we'll use Adaptive settings. Adaptive will throw an extra 0.10 to 0.13 volts at your CPU when AVX instructions are present. Again, I would NOT use P95 or AIDA on this setting without constant attention.
3. After setting BIOS to defaults, Input the following settings and then right click on them to add them to your favorites page. This will allow you to access all the settings you need to without bouncing all over the BIOS:
AI Overclock Tuner = Auto
1-Core Ratio Limit = 42 (all others should automatically change with Sync all cores selected above)
Max. CPU Cache Ratio = Auto
Min. CPU Cache Ratio = Auto
Fully Manual Mode = Disabled
Core Voltage = Adaptive
Additional Turbo Mode CPU Core Voltage = 1.200
Core Cache Voltage = Adaptive
Additional Turbo Mode CPU Cache Voltage = Auto
Eventual CPU Input Voltage = 1.90
DRAM Voltage = Auto
I'd suggest taking a screen shot (F12) of the favorites page when ya have successfully passed the stress tests.
4. Open Real Bench, select Benchmark Tab Check only the last box. Open HWiNFO64, run "sensors only" as described above. Start Real Bench and don't touch mouse till finished. Observe voltages and temps. If you can get thru these 2 minutes, your close.
5. Then try checking all 4 boxes and run again NOTE: During the 3rd test Open CL will send AVX instructions to CPU; pay close attention to Vcores as they will spike as described above. If passes.....
6. Switch to the Stress Test Tab and select the amount of RAM you have in your system and 2 hours..... (Note: If you plan on raising cache and / or RAM after a run, I will usually save the two hours and skip this step until I have Multiplier / Cache and RAM speed at my targets.
7. If at any point you fail, up Core Voltage to 1.225 (+0.025)...Always watch temps and stop tests if you reach temperatures of concern (> 85C in my book). Record the following:
42/A/A/Auto - Shorthand for 42 Multiplier / Auto Max. Cache / Auto Min, Cache / Auto DRAM setting
Actual RAM Speed - i.e. 1600
Ambient = Room Temperature
Coolant Temp at Idle = Requires a sensor
Idle Core Temps Before Test on Each Core = i.e. 25, 26, 24, 22
Average Core Temps for Each Core During Test = i.e. 59.6, 58.2, 52.7, 49.4
Max Core Temps During Test on Each Core = i.e. 65, 62, 59, 54
Settings you input in BIOS for VCore, VCC Ring (Cache), VCCIN (Eventual), DRAM i.e. 1.2000, Auto, 1.900, Auto
Actual Readings in BIOS for VCore, VCC Ring, VCCIN, DRAM i.e. 1.040, 1.122, NA, 1.671
Actual Readings in HWiNFO64 for VCore, VCC Ring, VCCIN, DRAM i.e. 1.296, NA, 1.920, 1.681
Highest Voltage Reading on any Core During each of the 4 Benchmarks, i.e. Image Ed. 1.200 / Encoding 1.216 / Open CL 1.296 / Multitask 1.248
7. If at any point you fail, up Core Voltage to 1.250 (+0.025). If ya fail again, go another notch (1.275) but I'd stop there.
8. Once you pass, it's time to consider cache voltage. Some are content to leave at Auto (39) as it affects very, very few applications (skip to step 9 if this is you), others try and get as close as they can to the CPU Multiplier. If you want cache up, go to 42/42/42/Auto. If ya fail, bring up cache voltage in same 0.025 increments.
Settings will look like this when starting:
Max. CPU Cache Ratio = 42
Min. CPU Cache Ratio = 42
Additional Turbo Mode CPU Cache Voltage = 1.200
9. Once stable, it's now time to get ya RAM up to its rated 2133, 2400 or whatever. Change 1st setting above to XMP
AI Overclock Tuner = XMP
Referring back to step 6, this is the point I normally do the 2 hour test when I am "done" with a given multiplier. So run the 2 hour test here, followed by an 8 hour test w/ Intel ETU.
10. If ya fail.... up ya voltages as per above..... as long as things don't get too hot.....see limits below. If ya pass, it's time to see if we can lower temps and voltages. I dunno if it matters what order ya do it in but I did VCCIN 1st till I failed then bumped up till I got lowest stable setting. Then did VCCring (Cache Voltage Setting in BIOS) till I got lowest stable setting....and finally VID (BIOS CPU Voltage setting) last. I leaped in "half" amounts.
For example.... Default VCCIn is reportedly less than 1.8 .... so if 1.9 worked, i went "half way" to 1.85 .... if 1.85 failed, I went halfway between known good and bad to 1.875 ....same deal with VID and VCCring.
11. With the 42 series if tests complete, "rinse and repeat" with steps 3 thru 10 after moving up to CPU Multiplier to 43, then 44 or as high as you are willing to go. At 46 multiplier I found 1.9 VCCIN to be inadequate.... this is the one voltage I found that going too high or too low is problematic (other than heat and maximum upset voltage limits of course). I went to 1.98 (last yellow setting) and it was too low..... 2.08 was too high. 2.04 worked for me w/ 46 multiplier,
12. These are my settings to give ya an idea of luck I had .... your mileage will vary. Asterisked ones are those I didn't go back and try and get better temps / voltages.
42/42/42/XMP (2400)
*
VCore 1.200
VCC Ring 1.200
VCCIN (Ev) 1.880
DRAM 1.700
Avg Max Core Temp = 59.0C (28.0C Ambient)
43/43/43/XMP (2400)
*
VCore 1.225
VCC Ring 1.225
VCCIN (Ev) 1.880
DRAM 1.700
Avg Max Core Temp = 56.5C (27.4C Ambient)
44/44/44/XMP (2400)
*
VCore 1.260
VCC Ring 1.260
VCCIN (Ev) 1.880
DRAM 1.700
Avg Max Core Temp = 59.0C (24.5C Ambient)
45/45/45/XMP (2400)
VCore 1.325
VCC Ring 1.325
VCCIN (Ev) 1.880
DRAM 1.700 *
Avg Max Core Temp = 63.0C (22.9C Ambient)
46/43/43/XMP (2400)
VCore 1.385
VCC Ring 1.385
VCCIN (Ev) 2.020
DRAM 1.700
Avg Max Core Temp = 69.0C (23.0C Ambient)
46/46/46/XMP (2400)
VCore 1.385
VCC Ring 1.410
VCCIN (Ev) 2.040
DRAM 1.70
Avg Max Core Temp = 72.0C (24.4C Ambient)
13. As for cooling / heat / voltage concerns
Here's Asus recommendations:
My thinking is:
Up to 1.200v = Very Good Air Cooler (Hyper 212)
Up to 1.250v = Best Air Coolers (Phanteks PH-TC14-PE, Silver Arrow or Noctua DH14) ....... Dual 140mm CLC / AIO Cooler w/ 1500 rpm fans (Corsair H110)
Up to 1.275v = Extreme Speed Dual Fan CLC / AIO w/ 2700 rpm fans (too noisy for most folks)
Up to 1.287v = Best air coolers (Cryorig R1 / Noctua DH-15)
Up to 1.300v = Swifteh H240-X
Up to 1.325v = Custom Loop w/ 15C Delta T (3 x 120mm / 140mm) *
Up to 1.400 = Custom Loop w/ 10C Delta T (5 x 140mm or 6 x 120mm) *
* At this level having the GPU(s) also under water is assumed
Also, if you are not running AVX, you can add as much as 0.10 to all those voltages.
14. NEVER WALK AWAY from your machine while stress testing until you are sure that temps have stabilized.
Be AWARE if test uses multiple instruction sets like Real Bench who throws out its hardest load voltage wise with the 3rd test in the Benchmark but the 4th test results in higher temps.
Remember some AVX instructions are present during RoG Real Bench type loads which will raise VCores by 0.10 to 0.13 for short periods.
I would not suggest running Prime 95 w/ AVX under adaptive under above conditions.
15. Having 4 sticks of memory will hinder ya OCs a bit.
16. If ya want the best OCs ya machine can get, this is not the guide to use. If ya wanna get it done over the weekend in between taking work home, course work, Honey-Do Lists, Daddy Taxi and other life demands, this may get it done in a weekend
.
WORD OF WARNING: Some of us are having problems with the BIOS clock freezing and a suspected cause is the use the saving, loading and backing up of OC profiles in the Tools section of the BIOS. I would avoid use of that feature until such time as the cause is confirmed or a fix is available.
Additionally, I recently played a highly CPU-intensive title and the temperatures stayed at 66°C. Also, I'm using an MSI motherboard, which means it will take some time to convert all the ASUS details.
I've adjusted power saving, set voltage to 1.25 and multiplier to 46. I'm currently gaming without stressing over tests, temps are at a maximum of 71°C and nothing has failed so far. I'm trying to get comfortable with this setup while playing a CPU-intensive game. I might need a better cooler but I'm confused by all the technical details about overclocking. I just want a steady, moderate clock for smooth gaming, not pushing it too hard. Am I on the right path?