Overclocking Alienware m17x R3 problem.

Hello

I've got a problem with oc'ing my cpu speed.
I want to oc is because I'd like 2 power management plans, high performance and balanced performance.
The reason for that is because I'd like to extend my life of the CPU/ laptop itself.
And mostcertainly the temperature of the cpu and its cores. That kinda concerns me because on balanced it reaches a maximum of 65/70 degrees when gaming (gta IV example) But the core speed is 2.0 Ghz, which isn't enough.
Now when I put high performance, it's 2.8 Ghz and runs everything smooth, but the maximum temperature is going to 75/80 degrees.
Now what I want, is that I have 2.2 or 2.4 Ghz on my balanced profile and keep the 2.8 on High. The problem I'm having is that I can take on any speed going from 800 Mhz to 2000 Mhz (everything between is possible) But between 2000 MHZ and 2800 MHZ is everything out of reach.
I can't take a 2200 or 2400 Mhz, because balanced profile CPU has it's speed on 99% = 2.0 Ghz and of course High performance has got it 100% which is 2.8 Ghz.
I've tried going into my bios (A08) and adjusting BCLK, bus clock frequency.
And even though the max freq. = 110, it's unable to change above 100.32.
Whenever I try to save something like above 100.32, maybe 104.
And I accept and choose Immeadetly change.
My screen flikkers and won't do anything and shows colors untill I manually reboot the system.
Permanent (reboot) just automatically changes it back to 99.80 bclk frequency.

I want this to be above 2.0 ghz and below 2.8 ghz for balanced profile to save temperature and yet get some performance for small games (gta iv, minecraft,...) and use high profile for BF3 and get the full 2.8 ghz to run it fine, but it does get hot.
So I think I also need to adjust multiplier, but I don't know anything of that.

I'm very sorry for this incredibly bad writen text, but I hope you understand what I mean, if it's not clear I can retype it and add screenshots I just want this to be fixed.

Any help is really appreciated.
specs: i7 2630 qm @ 2.00 ghz max turbo 2.9ghz.
6gb ram 1333 mhz
nvidia gtx 560m 1.5 gb gddr5
and win7 x64
My knowledge of these bios and overclocking isn't much. Just sayin'

ty
N1tr0x337

 

You've pretty much done all you can do. Turboboost has very little control as to when, how long, and what frequencies it jumps to, and the only "overclocking" you can do is push the BCLK. Different processors are going to be able to push different BCLK limits, just how the nature of them is.

Now, you can push your 560m a good bit. Use MSI Afterburner or NVIDIA Inspector, and try increase of 10%, 20%, etc.

Most games shouldn't be to CPU intensive, but your CPU is what it is, the lowest available option. I's try OCing the GPU first, and need be buy a new CPU if you need more processing power.

 

Hmm, ye but I'd just like to get it at 2.4 Ghz. Because 2.8 Ghz is too high at temperature and 2.0 Ghz is too low at performance.
So there's nothing I can do?
Well thanks anyway for the help.

N1tr0x337

 

You shouldn't have any temperature problem with stock clocks. I have a 2860QM, which is 2.5 stock with Turboboost to 3.6, and my temperatures are fine. What CPU temps are you getting that you are afraid of?

 

the default turbo is much better than anything else you can do to overclock a non-XM processor. I'd just let turbo do its work

You cannot set the CPU to 2.4ghz manually because you can only overclock the BCLK to a max of about 5% (so about 105) and you have NO control over the multipliers

i agree with you, there is no fear for a 2630qm running at 2.8ghz. in my experience, you will only run at that speed if you are using one core and then it will be short lived. Most of the time, windows likes to distribute work amongst its cores. it perfers to run 3 cores at 20% each compared to one core @ 100%...so with 3 cores running, a 2630 will be running around 2.4ghz. (The advertised maximum speed of 2.6ghz with 3 cores running cannot be maintained after the short interval of the turbo unless you boost the turbo tdp manually via a tool like XTU) OP has nothing to worry about.

 

^^ You could set the multiplier to 24 on throttlestop, so the highest it will go to is 2.4Ghz on turbo boost, goes for any sandy bridge.

Pointless since the 2630qm still automatically drops turbo after 30 or however much seconds unless you allow it to turbo forever - then throttlestop is useful

 

There's no point. With 8 threads fully stressed, the 2630qm will run at ~2.4ghz

 

Nitro I'm gonna be selling my 2820QM once I get my 2960XM in, if interested just PM me.

 

I'd like to sell my 2860QM, but I'd need it if I need to do anything with my warranty. Do you not have a warranty on yours?

 

Well, first off thanks for your help and I'm gonna leave it as it is.
reply to Blink_c, I'm having temperatures while gaming of maximum 80 C degrees
But then again that's the maximum I'm getting now, and it's probably average 73 or somthing. (sources: Speedfan and Core temp).
This is the temperature my Core reaches, core 1 to be precise, the other 3 run about 75 max.
And besides my CPU runs a max of 65 so far because I adjust fans that they work at 65 degrees CPU and runs at 100% speed.
Might this be bad for my fan? I'm hoping not.
And about your 2820 QM, I'd maybe be interested in buying it, but I wouldn't have the money atm (I'm student and it's school so atm I'm not working, only in vacations.) and besides I wouldn't know how to install it on an alienware laptop.
I would be able to do it inside a desktop cuz I had one and I 'build' it myself, but this alienware is to complicated for me to mess up. Wouldn't want it for me to break or not be screwed back good.
Thx anyway.

N1tr0x337

 

Those temps are fine, you have nothing to worry about. Glad I could help where I could.