# Overclock voltage question



## Schotzy (Jan 4, 2009)

I built my first computer about a year ago. I used an Intel q9550 cpu, a gigabyte ep45-ud3p motherboard, 4 gigs of 1066 RAM, a evga gtx 275 superclocked graphics card, a corsair 850 tx power supply, a 640 western digital hard drive, and a NZXT Tempest case with 6 fans.

I have been very happy with this computer. I have had no problems, and it has done everything I need it to do. I do some gaming and video converting. I primarily play Napoleon: Total War.

I have never overclocked my cpu before. I decided to try it last week. I got to about 3.4 ghz before my temps started to get close to 70 degrees celsius. I wanted to get higher so I went back to the stock clock speed. I read that a lower cpu vcore decreases heat so I started lowering it to see how low I could go. My previous overclocking had been at the stock voltage of 1.2375. I got the voltage to .950 volts stable. I thought it was really low and that something was wrong, but I ran prime 95 for many hours and it was stable. 

I started to overclock my cpu from .950 volts, increasing the vcore whenever I got the BSOD. I am now running my q9550 at 3.83 ghz at about 1.17 volts. I have run prime 95 for a while and it says it is stable. My max temps are still only at about 61 degrees at full load. My lowest temps at stock clock speeds was about 34 degrees.

I was wondering if this is normal or if I might have a problem. I don't want to damage anything.


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## greenbrucelee (Apr 24, 2007)

you shouldn't be going over 60 degrees c. You can cause damage to undervolt the cpu.

How long have you ran prime for? it should be 6 hours+


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## Schotzy (Jan 4, 2009)

I ran Prime 95 for about 4 hours with no problems. I have read in lots of different places that undervolting the cpu doesn't cause damage, it only causes the computer to fail to boot. Is that true? I am probably going to back off on the overclock a little to make sure my temps don't get over 60.


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## greenbrucelee (Apr 24, 2007)

if your using good equipment for cooling you can undervolt the cpu but with normal equipment it isn't a good idea because most people cant afford the equipment associated with undervolting a psu i.e nitorgen cooling.

chancing undervolting on air is nit wise, whislt it can be managed on water cooling it is still a risk.


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## llacrossedude7 (Jul 31, 2009)

Undervolting then overclocking on top of that is not good. You could easily fry your CPU or your board because there is not enough power to support your overclock (I've seen it happen before). If I was you I would run stock voltages and run the chip at 3.0-3.2Ghz. Plus if you don't have adequate cooling this cause even more problems down the road. Like greenbrucelee said it can be done but it's not recommended unless you have high-end cooling i.e. phase changer, liquid nitrogen, liquid helium, dry ice,... Even then high-end hard core overclockers burn through hundreds of chips just to achieve .05Mhz higher than someone else. Anyways you get the idea.


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