Hello Gurus! I'm experiencing quite strange of an issue. When I overclock my CPU (Haswell i5) to a level I know it to be stable at (can run benchmarks or games without issues), after a while I get a BSOD and a reboot. This happens even if I'm only at the Windows desktop doing nothing. Plus it seems it takes, more or less, a certain amount of time after Windows startup before it happens. Any ideas and suggestions for remedies are welcome! What the hell is going on?
you need more cpuv, probably ~0.005v should be enough. Idk if you have now 1.20v then 1.205v or 1.210v.. Also keep cache freq. and its voltage at default for now, until you find a stable OC.
Thanks for your input! I'm already using 1.380 V for 4.4 GHz. Mind you I tried everything else but increasing the Vcore. I initially used 1.400 volts to get a stable overclock so yeah, that could be it. Cache voltage and ratio are at default. BTW, what do you think of the the Vcore required? I haven't yet seen anyone having to use such a high voltage to reach a stable overclock, is it still safe?
Hm looks like it needs a lot of voltage.. Try higher SVID input voltage first, default auto is 1.79v. ~1.90 - 1.95v and then test lower cpuv.. In Digi+ set VRM to optimized use Load line calibration - LLC6 or LLC7 cpu current 120 or 130% But I have to warn you higher LLC and higher cpu power current will heat more.. Also it could also stabilize those crashes and typical 0x124 bsod. First try LLC5 and cpu current power 120%, then 130%, then move to LLC6 with cpu power 110-120%. btw, LLC6, cpu current 120-130% is at least 4-7C hotter on the core compared to LLC5.. And in main AI Tuner/tweaker OC tab go to "cpu section" (below digi+) and disable VR fault management. ** once in a while reset bios to optimized default and then reapply OC, idk after 15-20 failed OC attempts. Sometimes it can go a bit off and your old OC won't be stable no matter what until you rested bios to defaults.
What's the error code in the bsod? Perhaps the bsod isn't vcore related and another setting needs adjusted or a faulty piece of hardware... cause that's a lot voltage for that clock and you say you're still crashing even just when at the desktop.
Are you using any power saving features? Anyway I'd up the vcore and go with more aggressive llc. Actually, you're vcore is pretty high already, what are you cooling that cpu with?
Thanks for everyones thoughts! Maximum load temp (with Vcore 1.375 and a couple of benchmark runs) is around 75 degrees celsius. That shouldn't be bad right? I'm using Zalman CNPS10X Performa cooler. I have also increased CPU Input voltage to 1.9-2.1 v and tried increasing the load-line calibration, CPU current capability and CPU thermal range to their maximum values. Plus, disabled EPU power-saving from BIOS and the VR fault management as suggested, along with some other settings. I can post a more comprehensive list too later, at work atm. I'm also beginning to think it can't be voltage related as even idle desktop may cause the crash. Additionally it seems it takes more or less a fixed time for the crash to happen, regardless of what I'm doing. Can't recall the error code though, will check it later. Power saving features was my first thought too, but they should be disabled. Or what do I actually need to do to disable power saving completely? I have set the Windows power management setting to "best performance" or something like that, not sure what's the English term as I'm using Finnish Windows. Anything else needed? I have reverted back to default clocks, but would surely like to be able to overclock too. Have never had an issue like this before (oc's either crash more or less instantly or remain stable). Using newest drivers, BIOS and all Windows updates too. Oh, using Win 7 64-bit BTW. edit: was NOT using the newest BIOS as there was a newer one released December 2013. Just reset BIOS and flashed it, gonna try overclocking... keeping fingers crossed
Thanks again, will try this as soon as I get home. Now that I think about it, I haven't reset BIOS settings even after flashing it... ahem. And I SURELY have more than 20 system crashes...
Situation update: reset the BIOS settings and also updated to newest BIOS (1707 x64). Gave overclocking another go and still no success, same problem persists. The error code associated to the crash is 0x124. I'll probably have to admit that my chip just can't handle 4.4 GHz. The extreme Vcore needed to get it running would back that up I suppose. Darn. Reverting again back to defaults and will do some stress testing with stock clocks just to make sure the problem isn't elsewhere. I hope I can reach stable 4.2 - 4.3 GHz if 4.4 is the borderline. Ah well, guess you can't have everything... Any further ideas still appreciated of course, so please keep posting! I'll also update the thread if anything significant happens (like my cpu blows up or I throw my pc out the window in frustration...
Sorry to say this, but it looks like a crappy chip. I think you can keep balanced powerplan, it should be fine as long as it has enough volts.. Are you using cpu offset or adaptive or fixed voltage? Also there is one value called system agent - Vccsa, default is usually 0.808 - 0.816v, a little higher offset can help by stability. Ie 0.010- 0.050v+, its mostly when you OC system ram or in general if you have weaker memory controller.. Can you post your AI tweaker UEFI screen (all settings, inc. digi+) and cpu power screen (advanced menu/cpu config/cpu power management, next tab from AI tweaker), maybe we're missing something. I did notice one thing by me though with the latest bios 1707, C-package can make a total system freeze, c-states c3, c6, c7 are ok as long as i keep that c-package alone at auto (which is also disabled).. I use to have that enabled too older bios 1504 (Enabled activated C2 package), but for that I had to use higher LLC and higher cpu current. Atm Im testing lower LLC and now with it off I can get away with LLC4 and cpu current 120%. btw what batch is it? CostaRica?
@-Tj- using a fixed Vcore when overclocking (adaptive with stock clocks). I'll post the screens tomorrow, must get some sleep now... I already reverted the settings, but I can recall what I have used. Haven't the foggiest about the batch tbh, but I'll also post the CPU info screen from BIOS. Or a snapshot from CPU-Z. Thanks for your effort. I was thinking about the C states myself but am pretty noob with them so glad you brought it up.
Will post the screenshots tonight, have been busy with other things recently... I did in the meantime try overclocking with Ai Suite 3 disabled just to rule it out as a cause of instability. It turns out my system was actually less stable without Ai Suite which is pretty interesting as such. Apparently it did some tinkering in the background to try and keep my pc alive when oc'ed but eventually it, too, failed... But like said, posting the screens tonight. And that's the last of it for me unless a fix is found, have already spent too much my (and you fellow Gurus) time on this. Gladly the performance boost from oc is nominal at best, the Haswell i5 is pretty beefy as it is and can run my games nicely in conjunction with my SLI setup.
Hello again, I'm not going to post the screenshots after all, my e-mail isn't working so I can't get the photos from my phone. Plus they look like crap and I can't get screen captures from BIOS with Win 7 (that I know of). The most important settings have already been discussed so chances are slim anything would come up with the other settings. Thanks for your support everyone!
btw you can make screens in uefi Just plugin in usb stick while in uefi and then press F12, it will save .bpm screen Also Ai suite3 is bad and hard to get rid off.. I wouldn't OC through that.
Didn't know the screenshot thing, thanks for that too! I didn't OC from Ai Suite, used BIOS for overclocking. That's why I tried disabling Ai Suite but like said it, interestingly, made things worse. However, case closed on this one. Even if I could get my oc working it would probably require extreme settings and that's not what I want. Once more, thanks for your effort! Better luck with my next CPU I hope.
