Bad Overclock or Bad Board? trying to avoid RMA

[GrabYa8Plus1]

Hi All

Got a new X58 1366 platform as early Xmas present and have been trying to resolve an irritating memory error during the whole of December and now into the New Year!

Now its time for forum advise i think...

Setup as follows

i7 950 - OC to 3520mhz so far..

Asus Sabertooth

3*2 Gig Corsair Dom GT 1866 - OC 1600mhz 1T 7-8-7-20 tested at 8-9-8-24 as well.

Corsair H50

Now this is my first overclock and build with the X58 1366 platform but i have been overclocking with 775 both Abit P35 + Q6600 and Rampage extreme X48 + Q9550 for the past few years and encountered zero issues with overclocking in practice and in theory but im not a full expert. On all builds im not out for records but a full 24/7 usage with 100% stability.

Now to the memory error;

My Bios settings are pretty standard for overclocking on this platform from what i have read so far e.g.

C1E - disabled

Executable bit - Disabled

Spread Spectrums - Disabled

Intel turbo - Disabled

Load Line Calibration - Enabled

Cpu - 1.17500

Pll - 1.88

QPI - 1.30000 tested all the way to 1.50000

IOH - 1.10 - using 1 GTX 480

Ram - 1.65

Remaining V. on auto

bclk - 160 x 22 multi - idle temp 38c Max temp 59c prime95.

memory at 1600mhz and uncore frequency set to double.

In Win7 64bit page file is set to 1024mb.

latest bios 0603

I'm aiming for the 4ghz mark with ram at 1600mhz but tight as i can timings e.g. 77714

Now blue screens occurred with a lower QPI than 1.35ish and upon restart only 4 out of 6 gig would be shown in task manager - only a shutdown and power on/off at psu would correct memory shown. This error has halted my OC process up to 4ghz as i need to resolve this as soon as poss before pushing the cpu any further.

Ive read around forums as this issue has cropped up with this mobo/ram combination for other people as well. So far Ive reseated ram, tightened cpu cooler, tested individual sticks in memtest 86, prime 95 and intel burn test. All sticks seems fine and where ran individually overnight on prime and memtest.

Testing the full 6gig i have done same runs in all 3 tests overnight and no errors have turned up.

then I found some threads about QPI voltage required for different ram speeds/quantities so i began testing from 1.3v, with all settings as above, onwards. The systems feels more stable as now no blue screens occur, instead occasional restarts will now show the 4gig not full 6gig - power off in same manner resolves this though.

As far as i can tell no variables indicate when/how this is happening.

Everytime this error happens I power of psu, reboot then check 6 gig is shown, reboot to the bios then up the QPI by 1 notch - reboot to desktop. I am doing this notch by notch QPI increase to gain the lowest voltage required but the problem is still ongoing. This effort to gain stability and stamp out the error occurring hasn't changed much since the blue screens have stopped however I am now at 1.5V on the QPI. Im now starting to wonder where the safe point is in terms of max (or relevant to my OC) QPI voltage. Or what to start testing next?

please through some testing ideas my way and feel free to get me to clarify anything I may have not explained in enough detail.

I have spoken to one tech support geez at yoyo tech (where i got the board) but he was useless. Ive since read up on yoyo tech and there customer service is apparently awful.. the last thing i want to do is pay to RMA the board and the people at yoyo tech not be able to replicate the infrequent error and send it me back.

Thanks to anyone who has taken time to read through this giant post and thanks to anyone who replies.

been reading and watching OC3d for about a year now - fully impressed, but this is 1st time post - hopefully will get this sorted then move on up to 4ghz

Tom

 

[tinytomlogan]

I doubt you will get that 14 sub timing. Slacken the ram off and work on the CPU first.

Get the cpu happy then start the ram.

You need a 20 multiplier and wang the BCLK up.

You will need more CPU volts but QPI isnt a problem till you head past 1750mhz on the ram tbh.

 

[GrabYa8Plus1]

Cool...Nice one for the quick reply, and you reckon your a busy man. Ha. kidding of course.

Right well il leave the timings at stock and focus on the cpu heading to 4ghz with previous voltages while increasing the cpu v. I suppose I felt my overclock is being put on hold till this problem is corrected with the memory. You think uping the cpu now and following with the ram is the way to go then sorted, il get cracking.

77714 was a pretty tight target but will find out eventually what the sticks can manage at 1600mhz.

So should 3*2 gig @ 1600 really need a QPI of around 1.5v, i know what voltages work for one person will not be needed by someone else but roughly? As long as 1.5v isnt ringing your alarm bells than that fine.

Thanks Tom

Tom

 

[tinytomlogan]

1.5 and 1.55 is what most will need for 2000mhz. I very much doubt youll get 777-14 tbh but good luck on trying for it.

Deffo work on the CPU put the ram timings to stock and keep it around 1600 ish.

Everey time you change the bclk the ram will change so keep an eye.

At 200 bclk you will get 1600 perfectly though and thats why I said do the CPU first, get that stable at 4ghz then tweak the rest.

 

[GrabYa8Plus1]

1.5 and 1.55 is what most will need for 2000mhz. I very much doubt youll get 777-14 tbh but good luck on trying for it.

Deffo work on the CPU put the ram timings to stock and keep it around 1600 ish.

Everey time you change the bclk the ram will change so keep an eye.

At 200 bclk you will get 1600 perfectly though and thats why I said do the CPU first, get that stable at 4ghz then tweak the rest.

Ok will stick to trying to get 898-24 or better still 787-20 - I put my order in at overclockers.co.uk after watching your 950 and sabertooth reviews - was kicking myself when later on i saw how highly you rate mushkin. oh well. Tangent.

Yep No worries starting at 170 x 20 - 3.6ghz and working up using intel burn test (keeping my ram low and on target to hit 1600 @ 200bclk).

Dropped Qpi slightly to 1.35v.

Already mentioned how impressed i am with videos and OC3d website - am triple impressed with the forums response now as well - especially with sandybridge and your crimbo competiton keeping you busy.

Tom

 

[mezmir]

I'm going to be following all these sabertooth builds for tips, hope you get all the kinks worked out

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