Z170-A achieving elevated Vcore levels on a 6700K setup
Z170-A achieving elevated Vcore levels on a 6700K setup
I'm adjusting my i7 6700k overclock on a Z170-A motherboard using the EZ Tuning tool to see what benchmark values I can reach before manually tweaking. The board offers three tuning profiles, each showing higher than expected Vcore readings.
TPU 1: 4100 MHz; 100 BLCK; 1.344v Offset mode.
EZ Tune: 4532 MHz; 103 BLCK; 1.456v Offset mode
TPU 2: 4600 MHz; 100 BLCK; 1.488v Offset mode
Several discussions suggest exceeding 1.4V is problematic. One user reported stable 4500Mhz at 1.26v. I attempted to match those settings but faced instability above 4100MHz with voltages near 1.344V or higher.
Could it be the board, the CPU, or both? Running at 1.4V seems to maintain stability, while lower voltages cause issues. Currently I'm at 4532MHz with 1.4v and stable operation, but performance drops significantly if I reduce voltage.
We can reach the details at your convenience, and I’m ready to assist with the specifics, but before I confirm you should comfortably handle 4.5Ghz manually without any auto tools, please outline what you need listed.
Thank you for the assistance!
Additional details:
Mobo Firmware Version 3802 (Latest)
Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO
Intake fans: 2 on front, 1 on side, 1 on base
Exhaust: 1 on back, 1 on top
2x 8GB 1200MHz (DDR4-2400 / PC4-19200) Channels A1 & B1 (Slots 1 & 3)
Currently reviewing the manual.
Planning to install Memtest86 to verify.
Shift your memory into slots 2 and 4, as indicated here, before proceeding with any other actions. These are the designated DIMM locations by INTENT, suitable for all DDR4 dual channel consumer boards that feature four DIMM slots when two are active.
ASUS has updated the naming and suggested placement for a single DIMM slot on its X570 dual channel boards, but the recommendation remains consistent: stick to slots 2 and 4 for a two DIMM setup. The only variation lies in positioning for a single DIMM slot, where ASUS advises choosing the slot nearest the edge of the motherboard instead of the one adjacent to the CPU.
For all other dual channel boards, irrespective of how the DIMM slots are labeled, the correct configuration is as shown below. There are no exceptions—this applies universally for any dual channel board using four DIMM slots.
Once memory is placed in these slots, consider performing a hard reset and then re-enabling D.O.C.P., along with resetting any custom settings you previously set.
BIOS Hard Reset Steps
Power down the system, turn off the power supply unit, and disconnect the PSU cable from either the wall outlet or the power supply itself.
Remove the motherboard's CMOS battery for five minutes. In certain scenarios, it might be necessary to detach the graphics card to access the CMOS battery.
While waiting, press the power button on the case for 30 seconds. After the five minutes have elapsed, reinstall the CMOS battery, ensuring you orient it correctly as it came out.
If you removed the graphics card during this process, you can reinstall it now, but be sure to reconnect any power cables and your display cable as well.
Reconnect the power supply cable, turn the PSU back on, and power on the system. It should display the POST screen with options to enter CMOS/BIOS setup. Enter the BIOS setup program and adjust the boot settings for either the Windows boot manager or legacy systems, depending on where your operating system is installed.
Save your changes and exit. If the system successfully POSTs and boots, you can proceed further—this includes returning to the BIOS and configuring any additional custom settings such as Memory XMP profiles, fan profiles, or other specific configurations that may have been lost during the reset.
In certain situations, after resetting the BIOS, it might be necessary to load the Optimal or Default values and then save your settings to ensure the hardware tables can be reset in the boot manager.
It is also advisable, when attempting a hard reset, to try using a different display type—many systems fail due to displayport configurations. Consider using HDMI if you have no display or visual access, or lack signal messages.
I will reset the RAM and share the outcomes. It’s 1AM now, so it’ll have to wait until tomorrow.
Thanks again for the thorough instructions. It’s helpful to follow each step carefully, even though I’m not a total novice. I might just be able to cause some issues.
Tomorrow evening I plan to share screenshots of my full BIOS settings. Clearly, no two CPU and motherboard setups are identical, even when they match exactly, but it should provide a solid foundation to start adjusting your own setup. It might come close to being accurate, though I’d prefer to conduct all suggested tests first and then refine based on your specific outcomes. My Hero VIII/6700k configuration is quite similar to your 6700k/Z170-A.
Most configurations should align, with the main differences limited to a few minor aspects.
At best it offers something to review and compare against, helping you gauge if you’re on the right track for any given setting.
Result summary
Start Time of Test
2020-01-17 20:20:00
Duration Recorded
Elapsed Time
0:34:36
Memory Range Checked
0x0 - 4AF000000 (19184MB)
CPU Mode
Parallel (All CPUs)
ECC Polling
Active
Passed Tests
16/16 (100%)
Failed Tests
Test 0 [Address test, walking ones, 1 CPU]
3/3 (100%)
Test 1 [Address test, own address, 1 CPU]
2/2 (100%)
Test 2 [Address test, own address]
2/2 (100%)
Test 3 [Moving inversions, ones & zeroes]
1/1 (100%)
Test 4 [Moving inversions, 8-bit pattern]
1/1 (100%)
Test 5 [Moving inversions, random pattern]
1/1 (100%)
Test 6 [Block move, 64-byte blocks]
1/1 (100%)
Test 7 [Moving inversions, 32-bit pattern]
1/1 (100%)
Test 8 [Random number sequence]
1/1 (100%)
Test 9 [Modulo 20, ones & zeros]
1/1 (100%)
Test 10 [Bit fade test, 2 patterns, 1 CPU]
1/1 (100%)
Test 13 [Hammer test]
So, did you perform Memtest with four complete cycles through all 11 tests? (Eleven because tests 11 and 12 are only available in the paid version.) Or was it just one full pass of the complete battery? Here are my settings, which could be useful for reaching a suitable configuration or for long-term use. These images will enlarge when you click on them. If you need a BIOS screen that's missing, just let me know and I'll share it.
Yes, I ran it just for 1 pass to get a quick result then ran the full 4 passes later.
Test Start Time
2020-01-18 00:07:43
Elapsed Time
3:01:46
Memory Range Tested
0x0 - 4AF000000 (19184MB)
CPU Selection Mode
Parallel (All CPUs)
ECC Polling
Enabled
# Tests Passed
48/48 (100%)
Thanks for the screenshots, I tweaked my BIOS based on those suggestions.
Right now I've set my system to 4.53GHz @ 1.37V. Running stable and passed RealBench running for 2 hours. I tried clocking the next step up to 4.63GHz but couldn't get the system stable, even with voltage up to 1.40. I'm hesitant to go any higher due to claims of anything over 1.4V being unsafe. I still feel like something is wrong because I'm still
seeing
other
people
getting speeds like 4.7G @ 1.35v on the same motherboard.
I have heard different opinions on voltage. Some say flat out that for Skylake, anything over 1.4v starts to become unsafe. Others say there's no voltage rule, just as long as your temperature is in a safe range. What's your take on it?