M17X R4 3720QM CPU Overclocking

Hi everyone, I just got my computer today and got through installing my own upgrades and overclocking the 680M just fine. It is a well thought out machine that is easy to work on. However, it does have some quirks that I am already encountering, such as fan control...but I have a specific issue that I am wondering how others are dealing with. I bought the 3720QM purely for its overclockability as provided in the BIOS. However, after maxing out all of the multipliers, I am having trouble fine tuning my voltage offset. I am also unsure what short and long duration parameters in the BIOS do.

Right now my problem is that the CPU throttles whenever I try to run Intel Burn Test or Prime blend, so I don't have a way to know where I stand in regards to stability and voltage setting. How is everyone else verifying their stability and fine tuning their voltage?

 

what are your multi's set at...and what temps are you hitting with prime95?

Long and short durations have to do with the voltage...during the short phase, the system allows a 55w tdp so the turbo runs higher...but after that duration, you'll hit the long duration where your cpu goes back to 45w...which is the spec. So if you're testing this, what you'll see is a short burst of say upper 3's ghz, but then after the duration is over, your ghz will drop down.

This is as per Intel turbo boost 2.0 specs

 

Ok that makes sense then...the throttling I am speaking of brings my system down to 45W TDP exactly....that sucks...but thanks for the explanation...

 

There is a way around this though...but you have to keep an eye on your temps

Download XTU (intel extreme tuning utility)

Set the Max turbo tdp to 57w...it will only use about 52w but you have to set it to 57w. Your cpu turbo will stay high forever now

 

Thanks for this...but I am having trouble getting XTU to run...some other people are complaining about this on the Intel support board.

 

i have the same cpu 3720qm. no issues running XTU on my R4. i've already tried the oc with 57w. ran the cpu stress test in XTU... two of the cores hit max temp 92.. that's with all 4 cores running at 100%

 

XTU ran on my computer but it doesn't anymore. The XTU windows service is apparently broken and its happened to others as well.

 

are you talking about clicking it, but XTU window doesn't pop up? that happened once.. i reinstalled.. and hasn't happened again.

 

No, the splash comes up and hangs there indefinitely. Intel XTU windows service isn't able to be started. Others here ( DX79TO extreme series XTU tuning utility cant run) are having the same problem.

 

what version of XTU are you using? I've heard that the newer versions don't work as well...but version 2.1 (which is what i have) works fine

 

Did you do a repaste, or is this stock?

 

I have been using the newest one, released in April/12. Its version 3.something. Version 2.1 does not support Ivy Bridge/H77.

 

Download ThrottleStop 5: Downloads open it - click TPL - if Package power limit is unlocked follow this guide: http://forum.notebookreview.com/ali...top-4-10-alienware-m17x-r3-qm-proccesors.html
If you're using XTU 3.1, look for IOCBIOS2 instead of IOCBIOS step 6 of the guide.
Step 9) Open ThrottleStop - click TPL - look for the default maximum short term turbo power limit (W) and set long term turbo power limit (W) with the same value repeat this in the bios, also set Long Duration TimeWindow to 56.
This when requested will keep turbo running all the time.
Watch your temps.

 

arctic silver

 

Thanks for this, I will try this workaround if no solution becomes availble soon for XTU.

 

Hi, I reinstalled my system to get XTU to work. I set my short and long TDP's both to much more than needed (250W) and increase core current limit to 150a and I am still getting the throttling to 45W eventually when running Intel Burn Test. I guess XTU is not overriding the TDP successfully, but its settings are confirmed when looking at BIOS.