Ive hit a wall on my i7 overclock... need suggestions please

[KnishofDeath]

First specs...

Core i7 920
EVGA X58 Mobo
3x 2gb Corsair Dominator DDR3 1600mhz (tested with memtest)
Noctua U-12P

After being frustrated for a couple hours I flashed the bios to
the latest version hoping for an improvement... None whatsoever.

Let me say first thing, overclocking in the BIOS I could not
even pull anything over 200mhz. The machine would just not boot,
or would set off some sort of alarm that I could not figure out how to
disable and still wouldnt boot. It was NOT a temp alarm. The overall
CPU temperature never got over 30 degrees Celsius and the core temp
stayed under 51 degrees.

I had a little more luck using EVGA's E-Leet utility I managed to get it
to 3.4ghz with the ram starting clock ALL the way down. The ram runs
at 1600mhz just fine with a stock or just barely above stock clock.

Voltages:

Cpu core voltage 1.45
Dimm Voltage 1.65
Qpi was set anywhere from 1.375 to 1.5

The biggest mystery to me is why anything over 145 with a x20
multiplier in the bios WILL NOT BOOT, and not even that is stable.

I also tried lower the multiplier all the way down to x14, the highest base clock I could manage to boot on was 165 @x14

As I mentioned, I hit 3.46ghz with memory set at 2:6 using E-Leet.

I did not test it for stability as that wasn't entirely reliable. I managed to get a clock of 3.26ghz with memory @ 2:6 and ran prime 95 for a couple hours this evening with no problems. Obviously I will need to run it more, but it was just preliminary. I also wanted to find out if there is just something I haven't tried or if my chip just has NO headroom. Any help is appreciated thanx.

Current clock speed using E-Leet is 2895.7mhz X21 multiplier on core #0 (turbo mode is on) DRAM is @ 827mhz @ 2:12

sorry that was a typo, it was actually 1.45

 

[tritonj]

get your vcore up, 1.045 is a bit low

 

[shagvirus]

i used this template.but my cpu needed 1.28vcore

My Template for 3.8 Ghz and Memory at 1600 Mhz 8-8-8-24-74-1T - Stable
* Frequency Control
* CPU Clock Ratio ( 19X )
* CPU Host Frequency (Mhz) ( 200 )
* MCH Strap ( Auto )
* CPU Uncore Frequency (Mhz) ( 16X )
* Spread Spectrum ( Disabled )
* PCIE Frequency (Mhz) ( 100 )

* Memory Feature
* Memory Control Setting (Enabled )
* Memory Frequency ( 2:8 )
* Channel Interleave Setting ( 6 Way )
* Rank Interleave Setting ( 4 Way )
* Memory Low Gap ( Auto )
* tCL Setting ( 8 )
* tRCD Setting ( 8 )
* tRP Setting ( 8 )
* tRAS Setting ( 24 )
* tRFC Setting ( 74 )
* Command Rate ( 1T )
* Voltage Control
* EVGA VDroop Control ( without VDroop )
* CPU VCore ( 1.2375 )
* CPU VTT Voltage ( +200 )
* CPU PLL VCore Auto (1.800)
* DIMM Voltage ( 1.65 )
* DIMM DQ Vref ( +0 )
* QPI PLL VCore ( auto ) ~1.100
* IOH VCore ( auto ) ~1.100
* IOH/ICH I/O Voltage ( auto ) ~1.500
* ICH VCore ( auto ) ~1.050
* PWM Frequency ( 800 )
* CPU Feature
* Intel SpeedStep ( Disabled )
* Turbo Mode Function ( Disabled )
* CxE Function ( Disabled )
* Execute Disable Bit ( Disabled )
* Virtualization Technology ( Disabled )
* Intel HT Technology ( Enabled ) - I run Disabled for cooler Temps
* Active Processor Cores ( All )
* QPI Control Settings ( Enabled )
* QPI Link Fast Mode ( Enabled )
* QPI Frequency Selection ( 4.8 GT )

If I run "with vDroop" require vCore @ 1.3125v

 

[KnishofDeath]

here are some pics to help show where I am at....
I still do not understand why I am unable to recreate the mild success ive had using just the bios.

 

[shagvirus]

were you overclocking at all when you updated the bios?
after bios update did you load the defaults?
have you tried the dummy oc and see what settings are in eleet?

did you try that template above?

 

[KnishofDeath]

thanx for all your help, I tried using some of your suggestions this morning and this was the outcome

 

[auceny]

1.04 was a super low vcore voltage. i have my 920 at 4.0 using a vcore of 1.35xxx