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OC help request Extreme 7+ 6700K

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UTRockHound View Drop Down
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    Posted: 05 Apr 2016 at 11:02pm
I am rank amateur at overclocking and need help to not break things.  Here is my build:

CPU - i7 6700K Skylake
MB - ASRock Extreme 7+
BIOS - 2.50
GPU - NVIDIA Quadro M4000
PSU - Corsiar HX850i Plus Platinum
Cooler - Corsair H110i GT
Case - Coolermaster HAF XB EVO
Storage - 2 x Samsung 512GB 950 pro M.2 NVMe  OS and apps on one, docs on the other
HDD - 1x750GB, 2X500GB  all 7500rpm
Optical - LG Internal SATA 14X Multi Blue-ray Disc Rewriter
OS - Windows 10 Pro 64-bit

Memory - 2 sets
Corsair Vengeance LPX DDR4 2x16GB | 32GB 3200MHz 16.18.18.36 1.35v
Corsair Vengeance LPX DDR4 2x16GB | 32GB 2400MHz 14.16.16.31 1.20v

 I first installed the 3200MHz and had posting problems but had not set the XMP profile.  I switched to the 2400MHz and posted easier but would have crashes. 

Yesterday I set the XMP profile on the 2400MHz and OC of the CPU.  I set all cores to 47 and set the offset voltage to 150volts.  Saved and rebooted and posted no problem.  I ran RealBench v2.43 and it passed the stress test and the highest CPU temp I saw was 73 C.  I ran the benchmark test but did not know how to read or save the results.  My uneducated guess is that I was having problems with the RAM because I had not set the XMP profile.  It seems to be quite stable now and I would like to try the faster 3200MHz kit.  I followed this Tek Syndicate video to get the settings. https://youtu.be/cozpvScErkA
They teased the 3200MHz RAM earlier in the video but used a different kit for some reason.  The ASRock MB part starts at 27:10 minutes. 

What do I need to do to get the 3200MHz kit going?  I can shut down and install it, clear the CMOS and boot into the UEFI and then what?  Do I change the offset voltage?  I hear that with the liquid cooler I can go up to 1.42 volt on the RAM but I don't know how to do that.  There a lots and lots of settings in the OC tweaker and I don't know which to not touch and which to set to what.

I have been all over this forum for the last week and like the civil tone and willingness to help out.  I'm a bit surprised that there is not more action here given the ASRock boards M.2 slots and PCIe slots seemed like a no brainer when I was shopping parts. 

Forgot to mention that I'm not a gamer but my kids are.  I do photo and video editing and also work with large raster datasets in ArcGIS and seismic software.  These processes like speed.  I don't want to run on the edge of disaster but can monitor temps etc to keep the system as fast as reasonable without toasting components. 

Thanks in advance for any advice.

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parsec View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote parsec Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 Apr 2016 at 12:18pm
A good and common over clocking technique is working on one thing at a time, and then move on to the next.

Since your CPU OC seems good, then you can move to the memory, which you are ready to do.

You could do this in two general ways, either one is fine and up to you.

First, you are aware of the ability to save UEFI/BIOS profiles that our board has, right? At the bottom of the main OC Tweaker screen.

If you haven't done so already, save your CPU OC settings in a profile. If you update the UEFI, any saved profiles will be removed, so be prepared for that. Clearing the UEFI won't remove your profiles.

Back to your memory, the two methods. After installing the 3200 speed memory, and clearing the UEFI, start the PC which will prompt you to go into the UEFI. Do so and at this point you can choose to either:

Keep the CPU at stock settings and apply the XMP profile.

Load your CPU OC settings with the profile, restart the PC into the UEFI, and apply the XMP profile.

But before you start, since you may be using the 3200 memory for the first time, just let it run at its default speed, likely 2133, for a test and/or some burn in time for the memory. Make sure it can boot into Windows at the default speed. Use it for a while, run a benchmark or stress test, even if using stock CPU settings, just to work out the memory for a while. Check the memory's actual timings and voltage with something like CPU-Z or HWiNFO64, just to see if they match the specs.

CPU-Z can show you the basic XMP settings in the SPD tab, like this:



If the 3200 memory works fine at its default speed (2133), then go into the UEFI and enable the XMP profile in DRAM Configuration. You'll need to Save and Exit the UEFI before those settings are applied. The board may shut off and start again when you Save and Exit after setting the XMP profile, that's Ok. You then will see if the PC boots with the memory at 3200 for the first time.

The XMP profile data will change things that are necessary for the memory to operate at 3200. That includes timings, DRAM voltage, System Agent voltage (VCCSA) and VCCIO voltage. You can see those voltages in the H/W Monitoring screen, and in some monitoring programs like HWiNFO64. You may find as I did that the value you set in the UEFI is not what you actually get according to the monitoring programs, and even what the UEFI itself reads as the voltage.

But before you Save and Exit, there is one option you will need to set yourself. At or near the very bottom of the DRAM Configuration screen look for the MRC Fast Boot option. Set it to Disabled if it is set to anything else.

Setting MRC Fast Boot to Disabled will cause what is called "memory training" to occur whenever the PC goes through the POST process, which happens on every cold start or restart. This will cause the POST time interval to increase, and overall start up time to be longer. The difference may not be more than 10 seconds, and may depend on the amount of memory being used.

What memory training actually does I cannot easily explain. All we need to know is that it helps memory achieve higher speeds. You may not even need to cause memory training to happen when running the memory at its rated XMP speed. I'm suggesting it as insurance in this case, and it won't hurt anything except cost you some time when the PC starts up. You can always turn it off by setting MRC Fast Boot to Enabled and see what happens. It may be nothing but a waste of a little time, but if it saves you the grief of the memory not passing POST, IMO it is worth it.

When I really began to OC my memory, meaning beyond its rated XMP speed (3200), I found that in order to run it at 3600 (meaning it boots and runs Windows) I had to keep MRC Fast Boot set to Disabled. I didn't spend much time tuning the 3600 speed, meaning increasing the DRAM voltage, among others, so I might be able to enable MRC Fast Boot again at 3600 if I tweak a bit.

Regarding all the other memory settings and options. They are almost endless, right? To run your memory at 3200, you should not need to modify any of them. Just knowing what each option does, and how it relates to others (and there are relationships and rules) is not simple to learn, it is almost a black art  Wacko. For example, even if I know what the ODT (On Die Termination resistor) values are, what is the point of changing their values, and in what way (more or less) for what purpose? Only memory over clocking enthusiasts bother dealing with these options. Again, over clocking memory means beyond their rated XMP speed.

See how using the XMP profile goes and if that is Ok and you are done, that's fine.

You mentioned monitoring temperatures, do you mean of the CPU or memory? My memory has temperature sensors that are shown by the HWiNFO64 program. It does not run hot at all, a few degrees above room temperature while typing this. Any idea if your memory can provide temperature readings?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote UTRockHound Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 Apr 2016 at 1:05pm
parsec,  Thanks for the very detailed explanation and advise.  I'll go through it several times before beginning.  I can save the settings that are currently stable with the 2400MHz memory.  I used the 3200MHz ram on initial build and had all kinds of trouble posting.  I had to put the MB on the box and slowly add components, then got it back in the case and managed to load up everything.  Any time I had to restart it would not post unless I unplugged all the USB headers and the front panel header, clear the CMOS, unplug and replug the power cable.  I could get it running then plug the USB headers etc back in.  I tried to load the Corsair Link software and it would crash the system every time.  I think that it's not going to work at stock CPU and RAM settings.  If I can install, clear the CMOS, then load the CPU overclock settings, I can probably proceed to set the XMP profile.

I had changed the offset voltage to 150, should I put it back to Auto?  I'm beat so will have to digest your post more tomorrow before trying the 3200MHz ram.  Thanks again!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote parsec Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Apr 2016 at 1:19pm
Corsair Link software is notorious for its poor operation. I would avoid it like the plague.

Check Corsair's forums for Link software issues and updates. You'll see what I mean.

It uses a USB interface for its communication between the PSU, etc, and the software, correct? You're having problems with USB devices as soon as you install it, right? All that was missing from your information is the poor reputation of Corsair Link software.

The PC is not crashing the Link software, the Link software is crashing the PC. The things you must do to get the PC operating again are much more than is normal.

IMO, it is ruining your build experience. Ignore it for quite a while at least. When the PC is stable, then dare to try it again. If it's all back to square zero again, give up on it.

When I was using Corsair's AIO CLC coolers, the built in fan speed control was always having problems. I simply did not use it, connected PWM fans to the mother board for the CPU cooler, and that worked fine.

Stock CPU and DRAM settings should work fine, mine certainly do. If the PC crashes at stock settings with the Link software, what do you think it will do with potentially unstable/less stable OC setting? Ouch

Try setting the offset voltage back to Auto, and see what happens. A setting is wrong only if it does not work. Wink

I had some problems with my G.SKILL 3200 memory in our board. Simply enabling the XMP profile did not seem to work. I had to use the DRAM Tweaker feature in the DRAM Configuration screen, to populate the timings it can work with. That fixed my problems with the 3200 memory.
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