OCing 6600K using Z170i MOBO – Voltage Problem
OCing 6600K using Z170i MOBO – Voltage Problem
Hi guys,
I'm not new to overclocking but I've run into a bit of an issue that I can't seem to fix by myself. So here I am!
So yesterday I finished my verifying stress test on Aida64 which lasted 24 hours at 4.8Ghz at 1.325v, temps were around the 75s at max during the test. As far as I'm concerned, that's a good OC.
I then, this morning decided to update my BIOS as I only got this motherboard a couple days ago (I know I should have done this before OC but I'm an idiot sometimes). I knew what settings I used for my OC so set them back to what they were, went to stress test again and I got BSODs which I thought was strange. So I double checked CPU-Z and my voltage is sitting at 1.312 and bouncing to 1.328 even at idle. Nothing I do in BIOS will allow me to set my voltage to 1.325 anymore. I've disabled speedstep, and enabled over-voltage in bios and it still wont work. I also have my power management settings in Windows set to High Performance.
Any help with this would be greatly appreciated!
Reece
Well first of all Aida64 isn't ideal for stress testing. The best software after gaming would be an Intel burn test; use it when overclocking.
Newer BIOS versions aren't always optimal. I recently updated mine to the latest and faced some problems, so I had to revert.
Open Bios and reset all settings to defaults or simply restart it. Begin by setting only voltage and frequency, leaving other parameters for later. Assign your manual voltage to 1.300v and 4.6GHZ. Perform a stress test using Intel burn test for 10-15 minutes at full speed. Then check if the system remains stable and review temperature readings—adjust clock or voltage if necessary.
Wasting time with long stress tests isn't worthwhile; run the CPU under load for about 10-15 minutes, which should suffice for this stage. If you succeed, it doesn't guarantee stability. I usually play casual games to verify stability, which works well for me.
It's also important to verify your VCore using HWmonitor in Windows. Sometimes voltage drops under heavy load compared to what you set in Bios occur. Then you'll need to fine-tune your LLC settings.
Makentox :
First things first, Aida64 isn't ideal for stress testing. The best software after gaming would be an Intel burn test; use it only when overclocking.
The latest BIOS versions aren't always optimal, I recently updated to the newest one but faced some problems, so I had to revert.
Open BIOS and reset all settings to defaults or just restart BIOS. Begin with voltage and frequency only, keep other settings for later. Set manual voltage to 1.300v and 4.6GHZ, perform a stress test using Intel burn test for 10-15 minutes at max. Then check if the system remains stable and review temperature readings—adjust clock or voltage if needed.
Running stress tests for days isn't necessary; a short CPU stress around 10-15 minutes should suffice for this phase. If you pass, it doesn’t guarantee stability, so I usually play casual games to verify.
Also important is checking your Vcore with HWmonitor in Windows; sometimes voltage drops under heavy load compared to what’s set in BIOS. This may require adjusting your LLC settings.
I’m sure you’re experiencing V Drop. Could you explain more about LLC for me? Thanks a lot for your response.
I did some research on LLC and what the settings in my Asus BIOS mean. I tried different LLC levels, thinking that higher levels would reduce the vdroop from my overridden vcore setting. I had vcore set to 1.35 with a multiplier of 48. At level 7, the voltage fluctuates between 1.28 and 1.33, but during idle loads my vcore stays close to what I manually adjusted, though not quite there. Under stress testing, the vdroop remains, suggesting my vcore reaches a maximum of 1.32. This is really frustrating. If I set it to 1.35, I want it to stay at that value!
Try Intel burn test instead of AIDA64, keep the 0.020v drop, and adjust back power to balanced just in case. This setup works well for laptops and only boosts performance when needed. Let Intel speedstep function.
Avoid changing any other BIOS settings besides LLC, voltage, and frequency. If you made changes and can’t recall them, reset the BIOS.
Just experiment with these settings until a stable OC appears. Other BIOS options have little effect on OC and are too complex for a first attempt.
My personal recommendation: keep voltage under 1.400v and temperature at 80°C for daily use. You’re okay hitting 90°C during stress tests, but normal operation won’t reach that level.
What do you think?
Makentox suggests trying Intel burn test instead of AIDA64, using a 0.020v vdrop, and setting the back power to balanced. It mentions that high performance is less important now and only useful for laptops. The user should enable Intel speedstep and avoid changing other BIOS settings unless necessary. They recommend testing at around 1.400v and 80C for daily use, noting that stress tests can reach higher temps without affecting normal operation. The author shares personal experience with a Haswell chip, stating no benefit from LLC settings, and prefers a Corsair H100i cooling setup with a pull configuration. They plan to continue testing and will report results. They also ask if staying below 1.4v and 90°C under load makes a 5GHz OC worthwhile.
Reece OBrien:
My vcore is at 1.4v and LLC at level 7, but under load I’m not even reaching 1.3v. Am I missing something?
On HWMonitor it still shows an LLC offset of +0.00 despite my BIOS settings. Can you take a screenshot of the HWmonitor section while I’m running IBT?
I need very high voltage, possibly a custom water loop or delid, to get stable 5GHZ. Even then, it might not be reliable. 4.8 volts is ideal for continuous use; anything higher requires hitting 1.400V. I’ve disabled the CPU and can run 5GHZ stably at around +1.490v, which is outside my comfort zone even though my temp stays near 85°C on this voltage during IBT. Right now, for everyday use I’m at 4.8 at 1.376v.
Windows voltage readings aren’t accurate—they only reflect what’s shown on the motherboard with a voltmeter.
HWMonitor will always display an LLC offset of +0.00.
Here’s a guide with statistics from other users who achieved similar results.
http://www.overclock.net/t/1570313/skyla...statistics
Makentox :
Reece OBrien :
Okay so I have my vcore set to 1.4v and LLC set to level 7 and under load I'm not even hitting 1.3v. Am I missing something?
On HWMonitor it says my LLC offset is +0.00 still despite my settings in BIOS
Can u make a screenshot of HWmonitor under voltages" section while IBT is active?
You need very high voltage, custom water loop or delid to achieve 5GHZ and still it may not be stable. 4.8 is perfect spot for 24/7 for anything higher you need to pass 1.400V. I have delided CPU and can run 5GHZ stable at +-1.490v, which is uncomfortable zone for me even tho my temperature barely hit 85C on this voltage during IBT. Right now for daily use i have 4.8 at 1.376v
Also voltage reading in windows are not exactly what real voltage is, real voltage can be only read directly on motherboard using voltmeter.
Hwmonitor will always show LLC +0.00
Here is a guide with statistic of what other people could achieve. http://www.overclock.net/t/1570313/skyla...statistics
Of course, here is a screenshot;
http://
This is with vcore set to 1.4 and the max vcore on HWMonitor was when it was idle.
Thanks again for your replies.