Z170 Extrem7+ Non-K OC Bios

Ryan275 wrote: Hi! Could anyone tell me which is the best Bios version for non-K OC? Is it true that Bios 3.0 removed the SKY OC function? I am running BIOS 3.0 but since I am newbie, I can not tell if SKY OC is disable or not. Is there any note that I have to be awared of if I have to downgrade from BIOS 3.0? Thanks, Ryan

Your thread's title includes Z170 Extreme7+, which is the board you seem to have.

As can be seen on this board's UEFI/BIOS download page, the Sky OC feature was removed in version 2.60:

http://www.asrock.com/mb/Intel/Z170%20Extreme7+/?cat=Download&os=BIOS

The way updates like the one in version 2.60 are usually designed (by Intel), cause them to be permanent. Which means that changing to a different UEFI version will not give you the Sky OC feature back again.

Do you know what UEFI/BIOS version came with your board from the factory? That version is printed on a sticker that is on the UEFI/BIOS chips. Those chips are at the very bottom of the board, approximately in the middle. The board is labeled with "BIOS A" and "BIOS B" next to the chips.

Depending upon the UEFI/BIOS version that came with the board, I could describe a method for recovering the Sky OC feature with the correct UEFI version. It involves some work that may not be something you would want to try. We need to know the UEFI/BIOS version that came with your board first. There is another method, but it involves changing the BIOS chips in the board, which you would need to buy.

To answer your question, version 2.50 may be the best for the Sky OC function. But as I said above, simply flashing to this version will most likely not give you the Sky OC feature.

Sky OC is not an option or feature that is enabled or disabled in the UEFI. The ability to OC via the BCLK instead of the core multipliers is simply available or not, the only way to tell it is there is if it works.

You mentioned being a newbie. Using Sky OC is not something that someone that is not already very familiar with over clocking should be trying to use. Sky OC also has several drawbacks/side affects, such as not being able to use CPU power saving options, or monitor the CPU VCore accurately. I can't really advocate its use by anyone.

You can change (downgrade) to an earlier UEFI version without any special instructions. Just know that like any UEFI update, all the options will be set to their default values, and any saved profiles will be deleted.

Ryan275 wrote: Hi parsec! Thank you for your detail answers. My board was shipped with UEFI 1.8 on both chip A and B. I did an update to 3.0. I have another question: Is it related to the Intel Management Engine that would allow me or not to use the OC features. The Intel ME version 11.0.0.1168 came together with the UEFI 1.8. Currently, it is 11.0.0.1180 on UEFI 3.0 Please advice me on how to do next.. Thank you.

Just to be sure, since you updated to 3.00, the Non-K OC feature is dead and gone. The Sky OC BIOS version is no longer available.

Regarding the IME software, any version of the IME software will allow you to OC a Skylake 'K' type processor.

I'm not sure you understand what the point of the Sky OC, Non-K OC BIOS version was.

The only Skylake processors that can be overclocked are the 'K' type processors, such as an i7-6700K, and must be used in a Z170 board.

The Sky OC BIOS was a special BIOS that allowed non-K Skylake processors to be over clocked in a different way than usual. This feature was removed due to complaints from Intel.

You do NOT need the Sky OC BIOS to over clock any Skylake 'K' type processor. Any BIOS version for your board will allow you to OC a Skylake 'K' CPU.