# Core i5 2500K overclock



## dipsta (Dec 4, 2011)

Hey guys i was wondering if you can help, i am currently on an Asrock extreme 4 gen 3 motherboard, and have the overclock set to auto 4.8... i am happy enough at the stablity running prime for 12 hours with no crashes, but don't really understand the manual overclock settings, can someone please look at my screenshot and advise.. thanks

i am trying to keep the same clock but lower the vcore slightly what do i need to do to the other settings please note everything in the bios pretty much is set to yes.. i will reboot take pics with my phone and repost the bios settings.. thanks.


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## dipsta (Dec 4, 2011)

heres the motherboard settings


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## radrok (Dec 4, 2011)

You should set the OC method to manual and set your multiplier same as what you had on AUTO OC settings then start decreasing the Vcore slightly and boot to Windows, make some stability test run and rinse n repeat until you can find the point at which you can't boot Windows anymore, when you've found that go back to the last setting that was stable and call it a day 
Just don't touch the BCLK, it isn't worth to on Sandy Bridge.


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## dipsta (Dec 4, 2011)

cheers mate what about all the other 10 odd voltage settings? pll etc,,, should i touch those?


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## radrok (Dec 4, 2011)

No don't touch them, you won't need anything different than Vcore to overclock a multiplier unlocked CPU that's why it is so easy to 
The only voltage setting you might need is the VDDQ (Ram Voltage) if you want to achieve lower latencies or higher clocks on your memory but just don't go over 1.65v, anyway memory overclocking on Sandy is not worthy to, the memory controller is already fast on its own


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## dipsta (Dec 4, 2011)

happy days i have used prime 95 for small ffts , do you suggest anything else? i.e occt?


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## radrok (Dec 4, 2011)

If you really want to be sure your rig is stable use linX, I've yet to see something that stresses my CPU so much as that.
Intel Burn Test (IBT) is good too I think that is based on linX so either way use one of them and you'll be sure your system is stable just use atleast High or Very High settings


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## dipsta (Dec 4, 2011)

cheers mate... well before u toldd me what to do i did use occt for an hour with no issues at 1.362v@4800 which seems okay i'll try linX how do you know when an error has occured?


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## radrok (Dec 4, 2011)

IBT will automatically tell you if your system is not stable because calculations did not give back correct results, this is if you are missing a bit of voltage.
If the CPU is more instable you are going to have a BlueScreen with a stop exception that should be: Stop 0x00000101 "A clock interrupt was not received on a secondary processor within the allocated time interval" 
This is the most common, what you should read is Stop 0x00000101 : "Gief more Vcore "


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## dipsta (Dec 4, 2011)

ok mate i did a 10k test which finished in 4 mins without any errors now running a 20k test! :0) i think ive sussed it, how far and for how long should i go


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## dipsta (Dec 4, 2011)

bloody vdroop is dropping this to 1.272 at times which is far too low im guessing for 4800... any ideas? LLC to level 5?


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## radrok (Dec 4, 2011)

Usually 5 pass at maximum memory is enough to say your system is stable, it all depends on you... there are some people that will say "oh no you must atleast run it for one day to know if it is really stable" but in reality if your cpu does 5-10 pass of IBT no application will ever make your CPU crash because IBT puts so much stress on your CPU that regular workload will never match.


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## dipsta (Dec 4, 2011)

right fella that is great thankyou for all your useful help, i shall post back and let you know how i get on, currently on 20k, 5 passes complete... gonna got for the big one now! temps at 63 max, so thats all good, and my vcore at 1.362max, drops to 1.272 lowest under load, but o crashes thus far! :0)....


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## dipsta (Dec 4, 2011)

radrok said:


> Usually 5 pass at maximum memory is enough to say your system is stable, it all depends on you... there are some people that will say "oh no you must atleast run it for one day to know if it is really stable" but in reality if your cpu does 5-10 pass of IBT no application will ever make your CPU crash because IBT puts so much stress on your CPU that regular workload will never match.



probably a bit of a noob question fella what is IBT?


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## dipsta (Dec 4, 2011)

intel burn test.. got it... lol sorry having a blonde moment! ... i have been using LinX 5 passes max memory all passed at 1.362V


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## radrok (Dec 4, 2011)

Then congratulations, your system is stable  1.362V seems much better than the 1.4V you had before, lower temps and such


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## erocker (Dec 4, 2011)

These are the settings I use 24/7. I suggest you se the bios for your overclocking. Turbo isn't necessary either.














idle:





load:


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## dipsta (Dec 4, 2011)

brilliant mate, thanks i'll pop them in and give them a shot :0)


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## erocker (Dec 4, 2011)

You will probablly want to change load line callibration to 4, maybe 3.


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## Anusha (Dec 4, 2011)

radrok said:


> IBT will automatically tell you if your system is not stable because calculations did not give back correct results, this is if you are missing a bit of voltage.
> If the CPU is more instable you are going to have a BlueScreen with a stop exception that should be: Stop 0x00000101 "A clock interrupt was not received on a secondary processor within the allocated time interval"
> This is the most common, what you should read is Stop 0x00000101 : "Gief more Vcore "


A small correction. 

It is not the common BSOD code. most common due to unstable overclock is code 124, which means the CPU Vcore is too low in SB. (in previous platforms it can mean low VTT as well) especially, the BSODs when idle is infuriating. The only way I could fix it was by not using LLC, which means the Vcore is actually higher under smaller load. 

Clock interrupt on secondary processor... is a bug commonly found in Asrock z68 extreme 4 (not sure on gen3). It happens only when u use the IGP. Goes away when u use a dedicated GPU. Increasing IGP voltage a tad might fix it. Couldn't test if it fixed on mine. I get that BSOD when running off the IGP.


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## dipsta (Dec 5, 2011)

Thanks guys currently still testing,
i managed to get stable at 0.05+ offset voltage at 4.8ghz max 67degrees c with 20 passes on max mem on LINX, and i'm now trying 0.065 @5.0ghz, 
just a quicky what is Gt frequency? it is currently sat at 110-0 and the slider goes up to 3000 thanks in advance :0)


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## cadaveca (Dec 5, 2011)

That's the IGP.


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## dipsta (Dec 5, 2011)

what difference will this make should i increase it? like i say its sat at 1100... thus far..


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## cadaveca (Dec 5, 2011)

Do you use onboard graphics or a discrete card? If you use onboard, could boost performance slightly, if you use dedicated VGA card, adjusting it will offer you nothing.


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## dipsta (Dec 5, 2011)

right sorry, i have got it, its for the onboard graphics which i am not using, thus it can stay where it is... thank you.. :0)


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## Anusha (Dec 5, 2011)

It gives faster rendering times if you use QuickSync


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## dipsta (Dec 6, 2011)

right guys, i have a stable 4.8ghz clock, and have run a 5 pass test which completed with no errors of linx @5.0ghz... 





i have most settings on auto in the bios, but have set the vcore to voltage offset +1.125 with llc on auto..if i drop it any lower i get errors on LinX.. max temps 71 on 1 core... other than that all seems good. Do you think this all is okay. I am happy to run at this 24/7, but i am going to do more tests overnight to see how i get on. I also updated the motherboard bios to 1.12 which seems to have helped. 

Thanks again in advance.
max voltage i can see in windows is 1.376, usually 1.368,! :00


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## dipsta (Dec 6, 2011)

vantage score
http://3dmark.com/3dmv/3708402

18028
cpu score 25960 :0)


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## Anusha (Dec 6, 2011)

If that's all the Vcore you need to run it at 5Ghz that's a wonder chip. Mine needs close to that to run @4.5 (but mine's a 2600k)


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## dipsta (Dec 6, 2011)

well its 2 am and i have an early start tomorrow as i think im going to get a asus 6950 direct cu II in the morrow :0) sick of my msi r5850 grrrr


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## Ozpa (Dec 19, 2011)

Sorry for offtopic (kind of), but could anyone explain LLC (Load Line Calibration) to me? I only know it helps in stability when ocing, but when and how do you need to tweak it? You raise the level when ... ? Or are there preferred levels when clocking above a certain speed?


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