# Loadline Calibration. Enable or Disable?



## technicks (Apr 18, 2009)

I have a question regarding Loadline Calibration. I have read some stuff about it and some people claim that enabling this can be harmful for 45nm cpu's.



> Leave loadline calibration disabled.
> 
> Intel specced the voltage droop so load changes do not force the processor voltage too high.
> 
> ...



But there are also people who think more lightly about it.



> As he explained the loadline is just a way to make it appear better. In reality loadline will allow a lower idle voltage, however it will be spiking between transitions.
> 
> Now with the 65nm chips this is fine, but with the 45nm ones its been debated.
> 
> ...





While overclocking my Q9550 i had some difficulties figuring out the correct voltages for my mobo. This was because i read the story above so i kept Loadline Calibration disabled.

Atm these are my settings so far are Prime stable. But i will be running it true the night to test further. But i am very happy with the voltages i have set atm. Auto voltage on this board are crazy.

CPU: 1.275v
CPU PLL 1.56v
NB voltage: 1.41v ( when set at auto in bios it's 1.63v)
Memory: 2.02v  5-5-5-15
FSB: 1.36v
SB voltage: 1.05
SB 1.5v: 1.5v
Loadline Calibration Enabled







Now the thing is that if i disable Loadline Calibration the mobo goes crazy and i can get a stable overclock out of it without upping the voltages to insane levels. Which i have seen many people on the net do it. 
Yesterday i read some post about a guy who put 1.8v on the nb to get his cpu to 4Ghz with stock mobo cooling.

The option supposed to counter vDrop and vDroop when enabled. And for me it seems to work out pretty nice.

But should i believe the stories floating around and disable or keep it enabled and have a much happier overclocking adventure?


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## erocker (Apr 18, 2009)

For everyday use and 24/7 settings I have it enabled.  I've never seen a voltage spike in OCCT this way.  When I want to overclock the balls off of it, I disable it to be on the safe side.


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## FilipM (Apr 18, 2009)

I run disabled  24/7 and even though the chip needs more vid in bios, actual voltage is lower in windows than before at a given speed, so making the cpu run cooler. + that puts less stress on the VRM, which will "probably" make your mobo live longer. 

So my settings for 3910Mhz (460 x 8.5) are: Voltage in bios 1.37500, voltage in idle cpu-z - 1.312, under load 1.296 to 1.312


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## technicks (Apr 18, 2009)

@ erocker. Did you do the pencil mod on your board? And if so did it help?


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## erocker (Apr 18, 2009)

No, I don't get V-Droop.


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## technicks (Apr 18, 2009)

But the thing is that at lower oc speeds i can get it stable when disabled but when i want to go higher towards 4Ghz i cant.
And as you can see my temps at full load are pretty good to. So would it hurt to leave it enabled while trying to get 4Ghz +?


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## erocker (Apr 18, 2009)

Try setting the NB voltage to read 1.45v. 

*Actually, I just looked at Everest and it's set to 1.47 in there...


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## Josh81 (Apr 19, 2009)

technicks said:


> But the thing is that at lower oc speeds i can get it stable when disabled but when i want to go higher towards 4Ghz i cant.
> And as you can see my temps at full load are pretty good to. So would it hurt to leave it enabled while trying to get 4Ghz +?



mine is enabled and i'm at 4 GHZ stable

1.264 voltage idle/1.248 voltage full load



edit jeez 1.42 NB voltage? mine is only 1.3


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## technicks (Apr 19, 2009)

Thats nice,  but not all boards are the same
And like i said auto setting for the nb sets 1.63 for 3.6Ghz. And you say stable but for how long did you run Prime?
For me its stable when i get no errors for lets say 8 hours.

Atm i am at 3.8 Prime stable for about 2 hours now. With loadline calibration disabled.


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## silkstone (Apr 19, 2009)

I just did a pencil mod for v-droop on mine, i was getting .2v difference between idle and load before that. now it sits quietly at 1.4-1.42v with no spikes.

How high were the pikes the people were talking about? if it spikes up to 1.6v then it shouldn't even be a problem, any higher (2v) then you'd be looking at dead chips


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## RadeonX2 (Apr 19, 2009)

I had my board pencil modded too. The vcore doesn't drop nor increase anymore. I don't have a loadline cal. option in my bios obviously coz my board is old. I have a question though, does high FSB Termination can kill a processor? I had mine set to 1.6v my Q6600 @ 3.6GHz


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## technicks (Apr 19, 2009)

Yeah every voltage set to high can kill something as you know.Try to get it stable with lowering it. I have my FSB Termination voltage set at 1.38v. I found out that i could lower it from 1.46v to 1.38v and still have a stable oc at 3.6Ghz.
I also did the pencil mod yesterday and Vdroop (set 1.2750 in bios and reads 1.256 in CPUZ) is still there but does not drops any further anymore. I think i have to get a softer pencil and clean it and try again. Maybe it gets better then.


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## Josh81 (Apr 19, 2009)

technicks said:


> Thats nice,  but not all boards are the same
> And like i said auto setting for the nb sets 1.63 for 3.6Ghz. And you say stable but for how long did you run Prime?
> For me its stable when i get no errors for lets say 8 hours.
> 
> Atm i am at 3.8 Prime stable for about 2 hours now. With loadline calibration disabled.



not sure if you were talking to me but..


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## technicks (Apr 19, 2009)

Question. When the Prime95 app stops working, no error. Just stops. I this a problem with Windows 7 or does it also mean the oc is not stable?


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## FilipM (Apr 19, 2009)

Yep, that isnt stable at all then, it happens on every OS


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## technicks (Apr 19, 2009)

I just don't want to put more then 1.4v on the cpu core. So i won't try any more then 4Ghz.
And to be honest i don't think i can get 4Ghz stable. Or the chip needs to much juice or it's the mobo that is holding me back.

I have seen many people with Quads who use a Maximus board and complain about the high voltages they have to set. 

Thats why i want to try the Gigabyte GA-EP45T-UD3P and see if that board will get me better clocks. Maybe i will just buy it to try it out and if i don't get any stability on this chip i will sell the GigaByte again.


Btw Josh can you get 4Ghz with Loadline Calibration disabled? Could you check and see if it makes a difference in voltages you have to set?


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## Josh81 (Apr 19, 2009)

technicks said:


> I just don't want to put more then 1.4v on the cpu core. So i won't try any more then 4Ghz.
> And to be honest i don't think i can get 4Ghz stable. Or the chip needs to much juice or it's the mobo that is holding me back.
> 
> I have seen many people with Quads who use a Maximus board and complain about the high voltages they have to set.
> ...


i turned it off when i first got the chip, and my voltage was 1.12 V full load, i was still able to boot but it was unstable


i'd rather not tweak it right now, i have it just the way i want it, lol


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## technicks (Apr 19, 2009)

Ok. I understand. Btw, your chip only needs very low voltage. Have you tried it on other boards then the one you have now? I'm curious to see how mine performs in a P45 board.


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## Josh81 (Apr 20, 2009)

technicks said:


> Ok. I understand. Btw, your chip only needs very low voltage. Have you tried it on other boards then the one you have now? I'm curious to see how mine performs in a P45 board.



Nope, just got the q9550 and ud3r recently


Btw you're gonna hate me for this, but I'm currently 2 hours into a prime95 session and I dropped my voltage to 1.23


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