Need help overclocking i7 920

[Tsumi]

My system specs are in my signature. The most relevant parts being the i7 920 and the motherboard is the MSI Big Bang Xpower. The memory is Patriot Viper II Sector 7 24gb 1333 1.65v.

I cannot for some reason seem to get my system completely stable. Here are my settings:

BCLK: 200 mhz
EIST: Disabled
C1E: Disabled
Multipler: 21
RAM multiplier: 4 (1600 mhz)
Vcore: 1.3
PLL: 1.88
QPI: 1.3
RAM: 1.5v
IOH: Auto
Vcore Vdroop: Low Vdroop
QPI Vdroop: Low Vdroop
QPI speed: Full-speed
QPI Frequency: Auto (7200 mhz)
RAM timings: 9-9-9-24

With these settings and QPI at 1.25v, it was stable with P95 small FFT for 2 hours, and 7.5 hours of LinX using max memory (approximately 13 passes). However, as soon as I start P95 large FFT, it would BSOD, usually within 20 minutes with error code 124. The memory I'm pretty certain is stable, it passed 200% of HCI Memtest. Online guides tell me the QPI or the IOH, but I have tested combinations of the IOH from Auto to 1.2v, and QPI from 1.2v to 1.35v. At 1.35v, the system won't even post, and tells me that the overclock failed.

Can anyone give me any recommendations as to what to try next? I have tried running the QPI vdroop at both Low and High (high being default).

 

[Arcus]

4.2Ghz is at the higher end of 920 overclocks imo and some chips just won't be stable at that frequency. Are you 100% stable at 20x multiplier? If you are stable at 20x200 but not 21x200 that would narrow it down to the processor. Could bump the Vcore to 1.35v and try stress testing. If it still isn't 100% at 1.35Vcore I would turn the multiplier down to 20 and reduce the Vcore to its lowest stable voltage.

I couldn't get mine 100% stable at [email protected] but is rock solid at [email protected] and i didn't think it was worth putting any more voltage on it for 200mhz increase.

 

[Tsumi]

Well, it's strange because I was able to stress it for 7 and a half hours using LinX with full memory usage, and 2 hours using P95 small FFT. That tells me that the core should be stable, but for some reason the Uncore/IMC is unstable.

 

[Momo]

go with 4.0 if it's stable for you. The difference isnt worth the trouble.

Updte your sig too, if it aint stable it don't belong in there, heh

 

[Tsumi]

go with 4.0 if it's stable for you. The difference isnt worth the trouble.

Updte your sig too, if it aint stable it don't belong in there, heh

Well, it is stable now

After giving my poor computer a break (it was stress testing for nearly 2 days straight) I ran large FFT again, and it gave me a 101 error, which meant too low vcore. Upped the vcore to 1.312, it is now almost 2 hours stable into large FFT.

Now, time to see how low I can bring down the other voltages, and see if I can tighten the timings on the RAM a bit. You know, just cause I can