First Things First - N00B Alert

ShaunB-91

New member
Okay I've just been reading the OC3D overclocking guide and noticed something that is aimed at me. My whole BIOS is just set to auto since I have no idea about any of that stuff to do with the CPU, so it seems it would be wise for me to manually set the volts instead of leaving on auto.

What should my standard volts be going into my CPU? I can see it says to overclock, to up it each time by 0.05v but what should my base absolute standard be?

I think I'm going to give it an overclock but I'll wait until I fit a better cooler than the Intel Reference one first, plus add some more fans to my case since at the moment it's pretty much an enclosed box. Not much airflow getting in at all I would think.

This is what I was reading: http://www.overclock3d.net/reviews/cpu_mainboard/gigabyte_z77_overclocking_guide/9
 
easiest way too see is reset the bios to standard, boot up into bios, and check the voltage page and look at cpu, it'll read like 1.04v(yours might be different) which will be your VID, this is the current voltage required to run your cpu stock

dial this voltage in and test for stability, then proceed to overclock from there, im sure this is right, its the method i use, im sure ill be corrected if not
 
I'll give that a go, but everything was auto to start (I could be wrong in that the voltage might not be on auto but everything else is and I haven't touched anything) but if it is auto by default, what do I do then? O.o
 
after a bios reset and first boot into bios, the auto setting doesn't kick in, so it shows true VID, this is what ive read, whether its accurate i dont know, but i haven't had issues using this method
 
I'll have a look, maybe the volts isn't on auto then. I just know I haven't changed nothing in the CPU department. It's like entering hell, I keep away from that stuff!
 
I'll have a look, maybe the volts isn't on auto then. I just know I haven't changed nothing in the CPU department. It's like entering hell, I keep away from that stuff!

you could always use the dial in volts then tweak multi technique,

reset bios
cpu volts @1.25
cpu multi @44
RAM, enter timings manually, speed at 1600 or even 1333
cache/uncore @ auto
vrin @ 1.7

boot into windows, if it doesnt boot into windows you need more cpu volts, but if it boots, stress test using AIDA, dont use prime or linx.

then tweak as required, BUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! watch the heat
 
All the info is in the video mate........

I'll try give it a watch in a bit then. :)

Edit: Just started watching, hmm interesting about the RAM maybe causing games to stutter, might help me in BF4? It has only done it a couple of times but you never know!

Edit: Okay I've reached the 20min mark in the video were it then goes into overclocking after testing the stock CPU settings, great video as usual Tom. That'll allow me to get my system running at it's best stock settings this weekend, and then once I get round to getting a H100i I'll then carry on and overclock!
 
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Okay just set my BIOS so going to download OCCT now.

My VCore was reading 1.40v (on the status panel) but 1.31v on the actual adjuster? I've just set it to 1.00v anyway so we'll see how we go.

Only other thing is I couldn't find the VCore Loadline Calibration option anywhere, would it be called something else?

Okay just ran the Linpak for one hour and was stable at 1.00V. Have I got it configured right btw? There has been a couple of times were the CPU usage and temps dropped right down before picking up again, is that normal?

Edit: Just realised I have an 11.5% overclock, must be on auto!

Edit: Just ran CPU OCCT for 30mins also, doesn't seem to use as many resources?
 

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need to check AVX, and make sure its using all your RAM

and that small overclock is the Turbo mode, thats fine
 
I saw you said "Auto", so while we're on the subject here's a few things.
Firstly, you'll want to type in the default voltages for everything so that there's less things being monitored by the motherboard. That's because the "Auto" feature essentially gives the board the entitlement to set whatever voltages it feels fit, and that's not necessarily a good thing. By typing in the values you're regaining some control over the overclock.
Also, I'm pretty sure there's a version of Coretemp that shows the VID voltage, nonetheless just use the BIOS.
 
I saw you said "Auto", so while we're on the subject here's a few things.
Firstly, you'll want to type in the default voltages for everything so that there's less things being monitored by the motherboard. That's because the "Auto" feature essentially gives the board the entitlement to set whatever voltages it feels fit, and that's not necessarily a good thing. By typing in the values you're regaining some control over the overclock.
Also, I'm pretty sure there's a version of Coretemp that shows the VID voltage, nonetheless just use the BIOS.

I've already manually set the values now, just followed Tom's guide, I can still drop the volts further though but haven't gotten around to do it, not used the PC in weeks. I'll pick it up again soon and find my lowest stable base, I want to get a H100i or leave it a bit longer and do it fully water-cooled so I'll have to get that sorted before hand.
 
I'm just here to add, that Shaun, you didn't need to put 'noob alert' in the thread title :P we know buddy, we know ;)

hehe, had to. sorry
 
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