Overclocking QX9770

[jchiumenti]

Hi all,
I'm working with user JohnVM on the rig shown here:
http://forums.anandtech.com/me...=2170367&enterthread=y

We're both pretty new to 'real' overclocking, and I was hoping some of the gurus on this board could answer a couple questions.
First off, to recap, the system is:
QX9770 stepping C1.
Evga 790i ultra sli mobo.
8 gigs of Corsair DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800).
9800 GX2 video card.

Currently I'm at 4.4Ghz in Vista64 at 400x11. I've had to up the core voltage to 1.7875V to get it stable at this speed. Even after reading the sticky Anandtech guide, I don't fully understand when to up the other voltages- they're all Auto for now.
Is it normal to need this much V to get this high stable? If I up other voltages can I bring core V down and stay stable at 4.4GHz? (Note I'm using VapoChill LS, so core temps are under 50C under stress - Prime95).
I also haven't been very successful at setting the RAM speeds and voltages. The mobo says it can do 2000MHz DDR3, but the highest I've gotten the memory is 1600MHz for both the RAM and FSB. How can I get the RAM to run at 2000MHz if the FSB is only 1600MHz? My attempts to set this have failed to post.
Also, is there a bug in SuperPi 1.5 with Vista64? My computer seems to be running fine right now in Vista, and is stable and pretty chilly even under Prime95, but when I try to run superpi, it simply crashes halfway through about half the time. Is this a sign of instability on my comp (even though everything else appears fine) or is it just a bug?

Finally, could anyone link me to some other guides for overclocking this stuff, or maybe a link to someone successful at overclocking a QX9770 w/ DDR3? The anandtech guide was helpful, but I still know embarassing little about this stuff, and I'd like to learn as much as I can.
Thanks in advance,
Justin

 

[Owls]

wait.. 4.4GHz at 1.7v?

Oh dear god... :laugh:

Seems you are running a vapochill unit. If using a vapo at that voltage and it's not stable then it wont get any better by upping the voltage. In fact you're probably going to fry the chip that it wont be stable even at stock speed/volts.

Finally, I'd like to add this. Sorry if it's a flame but it has to be done, how could you spend thousands of dollars on equipment and not research what you ultimately wanted to do with it? Your post just screams of "more money than sense". Welcome to the wild and unpredictable world of overclocking.

 

[OCGuy]

Holy Vcore Batman!


1.7v in a 45nm? A $1500 45nm? Woah!

 

[jchiumenti]

Can I fry the chip with high voltages even without overheating it? I've seen up to about 70C in my tests, but I think it's always auto-shutoff at that point. Is there a way to test for having broken the chip, or would it just be sporadic errors/instability?

 

[Tweakin]

Originally posted by: jchiumenti
Can I fry the chip with high voltages even without overheating it? I've seen up to about 70C in my tests, but I think it's always auto-shutoff at that point. Is there a way to test for having broken the chip, or would it just be sporadic errors/instability?

You bet you can! With that kind of voltage you are looking at a really short life span on the cpu. I wouldn't be supprised if damage has not already been done. By the way, Welcome to the forums.

 

[Owls]

Originally posted by: jchiumenti
Can I fry the chip with high voltages even without overheating it? I've seen up to about 70C in my tests, but I think it's always auto-shutoff at that point. Is there a way to test for having broken the chip, or would it just be sporadic errors/instability?

Yes, through electromigration. Even on my crappy Xeon E3110 (E8400) I don't dare go past 1.45v. Here you are with a $1500 chip doing something much worse.

This deserves an epic fail.

 

[lopri]

It's probably the 790i's vDroop. I'd venture to guess it's probably somewhere around ~0.15V. So his real vCore may be something like 1.55V.

 

[bryanW1995]

TURN THAT THING DOWN TO STOCK VCORE AND RESET ALL BIOS SETTINGS TO DEFAULT. READ THIS AND START OVER:

http://forums.anandtech.com/me...=2057083&enterthread=y

 

[Owls]

Originally posted by: lopri
It's probably the 790i's vDroop. I'd venture to guess it's probably somewhere around ~0.15V. So his real vCore may be something like 1.55V.

vdroop on 780i/790i is not that bad. 1.5v in bios gives me 1.45v actual under load.

 

[GuitarDaddy]

Wow! I don't even know where to start

1. 4.4ghz is a monster overclock and you will probably never get it stable, even with a QX9770 on phase

2. That vcore is beyond insane, and squarely in the realm of stupidity. If you haven't killed that sweet chip already, you will soon. Volts are what kills CPU's not heat, these days chips are built with thermal protection mechanisims that will shut it down if the temps get to high so it's pretty hard to kill one with heat. But insanes volts like that will kill one QUICK.

3. What the F$$k do you need such a highly clocked machine for? Are you going for world records or something? And if so you need better than a vapochill LS, you at very least need a multi stage cascade cooling system or an LN2 or DICE setup, and expect to kill a few CPU's in the process.

 

[Idontcare]

4.4GHz is NOT a monster overclock on Phase for a Yorkfield, it's actually pretty pathetic.

I ran my Kentsfield QX6700 B3 at 4GHz on phase for months and months, rock stable 100% loaded.

@jchiumenti - you've overloaded your vapoLS unit. When the evap temps (watch the vapochill LCD) goes above -20C you have pumped more Watts into the vaporphase system than the condensor can evict...all your liquid refrigerant is then gas (no liquid) and your CPU temps are frightenly high.

You will burn up your VapoLS and your CPU.

This is seriously stupid mistakes to be making on your part. Please dear god slow the f down and read some fricken how-to threads on XS forums and here at AT.

I tried to help your buddy John but he ignored all my posts plus no response to PM's. If you are guys are serious and not just being serious tools then I would have not problems helping you. But right now you both are making my "idiot radar" go to 11 so hopefully you come to some senses before giving vaporphase cooling or QX9770 chips a bad name just because your both clueless.

Yoxxy is also an experienced vapoLS user on these forums. He'd gladly help anyone out who asks for help.

 

[jchiumenti]

I do a specific type of daytrading that requires me to get this as fast as possible.
Not going for records but pretty happy with the 9.454s 1M superpi I got .
So what's the max vcore for this chip, 1.45-1.5?
How can I test if I've fried this already? Superpi is crashing sometimes, but Prime95 is running fine.
What I don't understand is, if this is the max vcore for this chip, how are the crazy overclockers getting up to 4.8+ GHz? And what would LN2 accomplish, since, at this voltage, phase change has no problem keeping it very cold?

 

[OCGuy]

The "crazy overclockers" generally are going for records, meaning they arent using chips that they NEED to run a computer 24/7. They can afford to lose a few. Most people cant afford to blow a $1500 cpu.

Am I smelling a late april fools joke?

 

[Idontcare]

Originally posted by: jchiumenti
I do a specific type of daytrading that requires me to get this as fast as possible.
Not going for records but pretty happy with the 9.454s 1M superpi I got .
So what's the max vcore for this chip, 1.45-1.5?How can I test if I've fried this already? Superpi is crashing sometimes, but Prime95 is running fine.
What I don't understand is, if this is the max vcore for this chip, how are the crazy overclockers getting up to 4.8+ GHz? And what would LN2 accomplish, since, at this voltage, phase change has no problem keeping it very cold?

At -20C IF you aren't overloading your vapoLS the max Vcore I'd recommend shoving down a Yorkfield is 1.5V.

Understand that your vaporphase is NOT keeping your chip cold because you are overloading your phasecooler. VapoLS is a piss-poor HSF for air-cooling, which is about all its doing for you when your chip is running at 50-70C at those volts.

At -20C with <1.5V you should hit 4.8GHz easy. If I can 4GHz with a crappy heat-monster B3 65nm Kentsfield then hitting 5GHz with a 45nm Yorkfield ought to be a walk in the park (on phase cooling).

 

[MarcVenice]

Two words: Suicide Run

 

[byronm]

Money to burn?

 

[GuitarDaddy]

Originally posted by: Idontcare
4.4GHz is NOT a monster overclock on Phase for a Yorkfield, it's actually pretty pathetic.

Yeah, I didn't frame my statement in the right context. For extreme overclocking using exotic cooling where stability means it will complete a benchmark before it craps itself then 4.4 is pathetic, 5+ghz is where it's at.

But for what this guy is trying to do (completely stable for 24/7 use) I stand by my statement. I'm an infrequent poster and long time lurker over at XS and I've seen some crazy o/c's on Yorkie quads but I've yet to see one proven prime stable for 12/24hrs any higher than 4.2ghz.

 

[Rubycon]

Originally posted by: jchiumenti
I do a specific type of daytrading that requires me to get this as fast as possible.

Ok with a statement like that you lose credibility. Sorry.

Go ahead and run at 1.7Vcore. I don't care if you can cool to cryogenic temps it's going to die quickly. 1.45Vcore should be your max. If you cannot get it stable, lower your speed. Simple as that. Ebay the chip and buy another. It will be less expensive. Also try the 9650 to save $$$. Mine does 4.5GHz on air at 1.4Volts but will err out at 72C VCORE. Not all chips are the same and if yours is erring at 4.4GHz with freon then it's a poor overclocker, your mounting needs to be checked, your charge is insufficient or your evaporator load is too high or a combination of all of the above. VCORE is like money (that if you throw enough of it at the problem it goes away) only up to a point! 1.7V is like U.S. Govt. spending territory there.

EDIT:

Saw this on the blog:

Also, to anyone else who tries to run this Vapochill phase change cooling system: do not try to turn it on with your case on it's side. Stand your case up vertically first. We tried with the case on it's side at first and I've never heard a computer make a worse noise, plus the whole case shook (if you did this with normal hdd's spinning it really could just horribly break them too due to the crazy huge vibrations) -- it literally sounded like a lawn mower (perhaps half as loud though), and we thought we had broken everything. We turned the case vertically and things seem okay (no more awful noise/vibrations at all, runs fairly cool actually), but I strongly advise nobody else attempt to try it.

RTFM! (Read The Friendly Manual)

You should NEVER run a hermetic system in ANY position other than the manufacturer defines. The sound you heard was oil slugging and you may have damaged the compressor valves. This will hurt efficiency greatly.

 

[Owls]

The OP had so many epic fails in a row this thread should be stickied "HOW TO NOT OVERCLOCK EVEN IF YOU ARE RICH OR STUPID (AND BOTH)"

 

[karpodiem]

This individual has money to burn that many of you would be envious of, and he has earned it on his own. That's all I'll say of this matter.

Haters will always hate though

 

[Markfw]

Originally posted by: karpodiem
This individual has money to burn that many of you would be envious of, and he has earned it on his own. That's all I'll say of this matter.

Haters will always hate though

I probably have more than he does, but that doesn't excuse doing OC'ing things that seem foolish. Ever heard the saying "this person has more money than brains" ? Not that it applies here, but look at the number of educated people that have a VERY different opinion. How much money this guy has, says nothing about his OC'ing ability, and has no place in this thread.

Back to topic please...

 

[OCGuy]

It doesnt take YOUR money. Last time I checked all it takes is average credit and the ability to type 16 digits and an expiration date at checkout. That doesnt prove anything.

 

[Owls]

Originally posted by: karpodiem
This individual has money to burn that many of you would be envious of, and he has earned it on his own. That's all I'll say of this matter.

Haters will always hate though

We hate on this guy like we hate people buying Enzos and crashing them.

We don't care how you got it but how you use it.

 

[Idontcare]

These guys aren't idiots and they aren't "more money than brains"...what they are is absurdly impatient and ridiculously enthusiastic. I think what gets people's ire here is the bravado that comes into, perhaps misunderstood by the poor medium that text is.

Speaking from experience I know how impatient one can get when you feel like the only thing standing between you and untold riches is you getting an uber fast computer system pulled together. Since untold riches are right around the corner, today's budget is infinite as tomorrow's paychecks will be 10's of multiples higher.

I've been there in that mindset, and when you get into that mindset and you've bought the best hardware money can buy (I was there in Nov'06 with my $1500 QX6700 and my $1k raid-0 irams, and my $500 striker extreme, etc etc) then all of sudden you get to rushing things that never should be rushed and frustrated over things that ordinarily wouldn't bother you.

So I ask you guys please cut these two guys just a little slack. Yes they do appear to be ignorant noobs but we all were at one time, maybe just a ton poorer so it hurts all the more to see premium hardware abused so eagerly

Justin and John - your enthusiasm is to be admired, your impatience is to be understood, but you need to calm down just a tad or else you'll end up with a heap of half-working parts in 2 weeks. I burned up my striker board and an EVGA i680 board not knowing crap about what I was doing with my vapoLS...its hard to take an extra day when it means delaying your future money making machine (trust me I know) but that's the best advice I feel I can give you.

 

[aigomorla]

*Sigh*


This is why i told your pal via PM's to build 2 machines from the start.

1. SuperPI is not Buggy. If its Buggy most likely your system is buggy.

2. I killed a wolfdale @ 1.57Vcore. It only took about a month. 1.7 and your asking for it.

3. Extremely Triple and Quadruple *sigh* @ turning on your vapo sideways. Definitely RTFM.

4. Id give dell a call right now and have them express you a business machine. From the looks and sound of things, this rig isnt going to be up and stable for a while.

Originally posted by: karpodiem
This individual has money to burn that many of you would be envious of, and he has earned it on his own. That's all I'll say of this matter.

Haters will always hate though

LOL! you joined the forum just to say this?