I think that I am going to go ahead and get the Noctua air cooler and OC my CPU to 4.0 GHZ. -- Do I need to upgrade my RAM at this point? I have 6 GB of DDR3@1066. Do I need to get DDR3@1600? I will eventually end up upgrading to Ivy Bridge around this time next year. Thanks eveyone for the help!

what's your mobo?and what multies does it have for RAM?

Can get my 920 to run @ 4.2 but it's too hot (cooling is h50 in push / pull and HT off) running at 4.0 with nice voltages and temps. Think it's my chip. Gonna retry when I buy a new HAF case.Also ram is Corsair Vengence @ 1600mhz.Pete Walsh.

Okay guys, I've bought a new CPU cooler(can't remember the name, but is was $40 bucks and it does the job very nicely--Running at 70-75 Celcius under MAX load at 3.9GHZ at 1.39375 volts).So far I have upped my voltage on my Vcore to 1.39375 volts.I also raised the QPI link voltage to 1.2.--(Note that I am using the EVGA X58 SLI LE Mobo)I am stable so far at 3.9GHZ. My CPU multiplier is at 20 and my Base clock is at 195. Whenever I attempt to go any higher I cannot stay stable, any ideas? I am using 3 2GB sticks of G-Skill [email protected] also need help with timings and RAM voltages and RAM multipliers and frequencies etc etc. I have NEVER even touched anything to do with RAM. (I don't even know what timings are..) Thanks for the help,

What is your RAM actually running at? Use CPU-Z and look on the memory tab. If you're OCing the RAM that's probably the source of your instability. The whole point of higher speed RAM like 1600, 2000 etc is that it allows you to crank up the FSB to OC the CPU without pushing the RAM past its rated speed.I question the temperature you're reporting too - I am over 70C on my i7 860 @ 4GHz under maximum load and that's with a well-reviewed cooler and Hyperthreading off. 50C seems pretty unlikely to me given that the 9xx chips run hotter than my 8xx does... What are you using to load the CPU to "max" and what are you using to read the temperatures.

What is your RAM actually running at? Use CPU-Z and look on the memory tab. If you're OCing the RAM that's probably the source of your instability. The whole point of higher speed RAM like 1600, 2000 etc is that it allows you to crank up the FSB to OC the CPU without pushing the RAM past its rated speed.I question the temperature you're reporting too - I am over 70C on my i7 860 @ 4GHz under maximum load and that's with a well-reviewed cooler and Hyperthreading off. 50C seems pretty unlikely to me given that the 9xx chips run hotter than my 8xx does... What are you using to load the CPU to "max" and what are you using to read the temperatures.

Correction-- I run at 75 Celsius at max load using Prime95.--I am using a temperature "gauge/screen" thingy on my mobo that displays the CPU temp. It's the EVGA X58 SLI LE mobo. Here's a picture of CPUz--taking a look at my RAM.

Them voltages seem high to me, I bumped qpi upto 1.3 and run fsb at 200 with multi of 21 to get 4.2 with core at 1.3, this is on my I7 950 which is basically the same processor.Also running H50 with twin fans.

Correction-- I run at 75 Celsius at max load using Prime95.--I am using a temperature "gauge/screen" thingy on my mobo that displays the CPU temp. It's the EVGA X58 SLI LE mobo. Here's a picture of CPUz--taking a look at my RAM.

Ok, couple things here:1. If you really have RAM that's only rated at 1066, you're running it 490MHz (245MHz in terms of the FSB) over its rated speed right now. If that's really the case, I'm nearly positive that's the source of your instability. Show me the CPU-Z SPD page for your RAM and I'll know for sure...2. 11-11-11 is super slow/loose timings - not sure what's going on there, but I'll bet they aren't running at their actual specs.3. See what CoreTemp shows for your CPU temp - motherboard temp things are notoriously inaccurate. You'll see only two programs recommended on OCing forums - CoreTemp and RealTemp. Both read the CPU's internal core temperature sensors directly at the hardware level.http://www.alcpu.com/CoreTemp/http://www.techpowerup.com/realtemp/

Ok, couple things here:1. If you really have RAM that's only rated at 1066, you're running it 490MHz (245MHz in terms of the FSB) over its rated speed right now. If that's really the case, I'm nearly positive that's the source of your instability. Show me the CPU-Z SPD page for your RAM and I'll know for sure...2. 11-11-11 is super slow/loose timings - not sure what's going on there, but I'll bet they aren't running at their actual specs.3. See what CoreTemp shows for your CPU temp - motherboard temp things are notoriously inaccurate. You'll see only two programs recommended on OCing forums - CoreTemp and RealTemp. Both read the CPU's internal core temperature sensors directly at the hardware level.http://www.alcpu.com/CoreTemp/http://www.techpowerup.com/realtemp/

Maybe the board is loosening the timings to try and compensate the massive OC in MHz

Ok, couple things here:1. If you really have RAM that's only rated at 1066, you're running it 490MHz (245MHz in terms of the FSB) over its rated speed right now. If that's really the case, I'm nearly positive that's the source of your instability. Show me the CPU-Z SPD page for your RAM and I'll know for sure...2. 11-11-11 is super slow/loose timings - not sure what's going on there, but I'll bet they aren't running at their actual specs.3. See what CoreTemp shows for your CPU temp - motherboard temp things are notoriously inaccurate. You'll see only two programs recommended on OCing forums - CoreTemp and RealTemp. Both read the CPU's internal core temperature sensors directly at the hardware level.http://www.alcpu.com/CoreTemp/http://www.techpowerup.com/realtemp/

Okay, now I have installed the Core Temp and I am running at about 48 on idle. Under max load on Prime95 I am heating up to about 90.--I need to go into my bios and run the fan speed up, that will solve this issue because I leave it low for the sake of noise. Here's a photo of my SPD page:And Ryan this is to you-- Thanks SO much for all of the help, you have no idea how much it means...Best Regards,

Ok, couple things here:1. If you really have RAM that's only rated at 1066, you're running it 490MHz (245MHz in terms of the FSB) over its rated speed right now. If that's really the case, I'm nearly positive that's the source of your instability. Show me the CPU-Z SPD page for your RAM and I'll know for sure...2. 11-11-11 is super slow/loose timings - not sure what's going on there, but I'll bet they aren't running at their actual specs.3. See what CoreTemp shows for your CPU temp - motherboard temp things are notoriously inaccurate. You'll see only two programs recommended on OCing forums - CoreTemp and RealTemp. Both read the CPU's internal core temperature sensors directly at the hardware level.http://www.alcpu.com/CoreTemp/http://www.techpowerup.com/realtemp/

--And if my RAM really is completely horrible for OC'ing, what RAM could you recommend to me. (Honestly I am a bit of a NOOB at OC'ing, I have no idea what timings on RAM.......)

--And if my RAM really is completely horrible for OC'ing, what RAM could you recommend to me. (Honestly I am a bit of a NOOB at OC'ing, I have no idea what timings on RAM.......)

errrm, your RAM is much faster than what you told us :( it's rated 1600MHz 7-8-7-24, so that is not the problemWhat's your CPU vtt set to?

errrm, your RAM is much faster than what you told us :( it's rated 1600MHz 7-8-7-24, so that is not the problemWhat's your CPU vtt set to?

It's on AUTO.

It's on AUTO.

try 1.35V

try 1.35V

THANKS SO MUCH!!!!! So far, I am stable at 4.0GHHZ now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THANK YOU!!!!:):):):)Thanks so much for the help guys,

THANKS SO MUCH!!!!! So far, I am stable at 4.0GHHZ now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THANK YOU!!!!:):):):)Thanks so much for the help guys,

Don't settle there, try lowering your Vcore and Vtt to the minimum needed for stability. You'll reduce your temps, noise and chip wearand set your RAM to 1600 7-8-7-24