Initial Overclocking Experience – System Issues Arise
Initial Overclocking Experience – System Issues Arise
You're facing some tricky issues here. After trying overclocking a few years ago, you misinterpreted the multiplier settings and ended up running your CPU at an unrealistically high frequency. Now, whenever you power off and restart, the system briefly powers on, then restarts after a couple of seconds. I suspect your motherboard has dual BIOS support, which might explain the behavior—older BIOS versions can sometimes revert to newer ones when the system boots.
For the past year or so, you've settled on standard speeds because overclocking didn't deliver the results you hoped for. You're considering upgrading to an i9-9900K, which is a big jump in performance. Before making the switch, it's wise to check if flashing the BIOS will update both your current and new CPU models. Intel has addressed some security concerns in newer generations, and Aorus has improved their UEFI support for higher-end chips.
If you decide to proceed, ensure you back up your settings before flashing. Also, be cautious about power interruptions—brief shutdowns can sometimes cause instability, especially with older hardware. If you're concerned about damage, consider testing the system in a controlled environment first. This situation isn't impossible, but it does require careful planning.
You adjusted the CPU multiplier to 450 by modifying BIOS settings, but the system experienced instability. The recommended fix was to reset the CMOS, which would restore all BIOS configurations to their original state. Disconnecting the computer from power and removing the battery for a short time can also resolve issues. Updating the BIOS ensures you have the latest security patches without needing to manually update each version. Placing an i9-9900K on the ITX Z390 Aorus Pro WiFi board and attempting an overclock is not advisable, as the board’s power delivery will likely fail under such demands.
As mentioned, reinitialize your CMOS. Search online for your motherboard model and look for “reset CMOS” or try pulling the power and unplugging it. I’m cautious about using the board designed for a 9900k—it can draw a lot of current, and the VRM might struggle. A quick web search suggests it should work, but I’d want more thorough research. Avoid pushing overclocking too much. The 9900k is tough to exceed beyond its stock limits, and even with a 4.7 core turbo, it’s still solid. TL;DR: If you intend heavy CPU usage for long periods, confirm your VRM can handle it and ensure cooling is adequate for both normal and overclocked runs.
Thanks for the support! I’ll search for ways to reset the CMOS on my board. My setup includes an H80i V2 cooling an i5-9600k, and I’m planning to upgrade fans to ML120s for the 9900k. I’m not aiming for overclocking and want to reach around 5.0GHz. I prefer the ITX size since mobility is important for work travel, and a compact PC that fits in a duffel bag is ideal. There are concerns about VRM stability, so I’m wondering if switching boards might be better. Would it be worth considering an AMD option or moving to a 10th-gen i7/i9? I’m trying to balance the cost of keeping my current hardware versus replacing it with something new.
H80i V2 is a thick radiator 120mm AIO. It should be fine for the i9-9900K? Only questionable doubt is surface area of the radiator, and able to dissipate the heat quick enough. What case are you housing this system in? As for the VRMs, if the i9-9900K is Turbo Boosting in short bursts to 5.0 GHz it is fine. Even doing a 4.4 ~ 4.6 (?) GHz all-core overclock will be fine...? ... don't quote me on this, though. Once you start pushing the frequency + voltage up, the 6-phase 40A VRMs, how close together they are, and the heatsink that is one there, will have a hard time. Referencing Buildzoid: Mild all-core overclock on the i9-9900K, you are pushing 150A of current, and the VRMs are going to be generating about 21.5W of heat... Starting to push the limit of the heatsink. Push for a even higher all-core overclock on the i9-9900K, and you are pushing 180A of current, and the VRMs will be generating ~30W of heat. That VRM heatsink won't be able to handle that find out heat output, not without active cooling / airflow. A 10th Gen i9 will generate even more heat from the CPU and VRM. The 10th Gen compatible motherboards are EVEN more beefed up this time around. Some of the budget Z490 boards can't even handle a 10th Gen i9 at STOCK; the CPU will throttle frequency. If you need the high per-core frequency, Intel is still the way to go. If the workloads you do favors high core / thread count, AMD Ryzen is the way to go.
The setup involves a cooler master Elite 130 with an upside-down PSU positioned right over the board, functioning as an exhaust fan. This creates very limited airflow around the VRM. As discussed earlier, I plan to run optimization tasks using finite element models, which can take more than six hours. To maintain performance, the CPU should be capable of sustained multi-core boost operation. It appears any further overclocking on this i9 would be impractical. The current discussion centers on whether an i9 or an i7 would deliver the desired performance improvement.
Would you think about a different ITX enclosure? The Cooler Master Elite 130 features a cube-style build, whereas the Fractal Design Nano S offers a more classic design but expands cooling possibilities. Measurements for the Elite 130 are 8.2" x 9.4" x 15.7", while the Nano S measures 12.99" x 7.99" x 15.75". Would you like examples of software you’ll be using? Are all six cores on your i5-9600K fully engaged at 100%? From what you mentioned, it seems you prefer configurations with more cores and threads, which aligns better with AMD Ryzen processors. The Ryzen 3600X provides six cores and twelve threads, the 3700X has eight cores and thirty-six threads, the 3900X offers twelve cores and thirty-five threads, and the 3950X delivers thirty-two cores and twenty-four threads. The i7-9700K increases core count but retains the same thread count as the i5-9600K. The 9th Gen Intel chips were unusual for adding Hyperthreading to the i7s, but later models removed it and moved to the 10th Gen. If your current i5-9600K is running at full capacity with all six cores at 100% for over six hours, it likely doesn’t meet the 95W limit. It would probably be capped at around 4.6 GHz across all cores or up to 4.3 GHz when using five or six cores, according to Intel’s specifications.
I invested much time in selecting this project initially. I actually preferred an SG13, but it was unavailable when I bought my components a few years back. I favor the form factor of this board and would be reluctant to upgrade to something larger right now. I shared a screenshot showing the core behavior after running an optimization process. It runs on Rhino 6 with Grasshopper using the Galapagos evolutionary solver, which is expected to be the most demanding workload. I’ll also use other structural analysis tools such as SAP2000 for large models and work with big files in Revit. You’re right—it will reach around 4.29GHz at its maximum under turbo. Without hyperthreading on the i7, the i9 seems like a better upgrade if I want to stay on my current system. The main question remains: will the thermal performance be acceptable without any significant overclocking? The price for an i9 is roughly $700, while a new AM4 X570 ITX board and a comparable 3800X will likely cost about $850. I’m not sure what the B550 options look like for the ITX space—maybe it would be wiser to switch platforms altogether. It feels odd to me since I just acquired this board a year ago, and Intel had to change the socket! Should I wait for Zen3?
The non-K version of the i9-9900 remains viable but may have limited support and performance over time.