BSOD/Freezing @ Win Boot Logo when -ve Offset used!

[apocalypzez]

I am having this very weird issue wherein using the slightest of -ve offset will freeze the PC during windows startup. I've had the EXACT same issue with my previous board, i.e., P8Z77 WS, which I sold after RMA because of this being one of the issue. Now, with MVF I'm having the same issue. I'd really like to use the offset voltage as this gives the system to idle down and save power when I'm not fully using. 98% of the time is Windows Boot Logo pops up as per norm, and the animation gets stuck and have to reset the system. Only twice, I think, I've seen BSOD. Today the stop error was 1E but I've seen a D something. Sorry I don't exactly remember this.

I've tried several clock type but at any given setting, if you add any sort of value above 0.010, the issue reoccurs.

Case1: NON-OC
All clock settings and voltage settings to default/auto, I boot windows everything is fine. Now I run AI Suite and drop the default 1.180 (1.208 in CPUz), to 1.0000, prime95 stable for 6 hours. Calculate the difference 1.2-1.0=0.20, and I go to bios set a negative offset of 0.15/0.10 both gives me startup freeze.
Side note: default voltage for CPU at default values were 0.9000 to 1.10000 on previous boards.

Case 2: OC @ 4.6
Multi set to 46, my CPU stables for 3-6 hours P95 with 1.285/1.295 vcore. But auto sets it 1.45, despite the LLC being Auto (haven't tried regular), so, again, when I set a negative offset to match what I need - system craps out.

What I tried or didn't:
FIRST AND FOREMOST, GOT A NEW MOTHERBOARD, didn't fix
I have done bios update to recent version, I think it's 0804.
I haven't done any bios reset or something like that, but I'm pretty sure that bios isn't corrupted.
-ve offset min to reasonable max, none works at stock clock or OC clocks.

All I've had with this series 7 is issues. I'm trying to setup a system since Feb 2012. Seriously, I am really missing my X58 system, which did exactly what it said it would do! Anyways, if someone could help me here, please!!!

[Retired]

vccsa?.........

[apocalypzez]

VCSSA @ auto (0.95x/0.94x), VCCIO @ auto (tried this @ 1.150) and CPU PLL @ auto. What values do u suggest for VCSSA?? Also why do you think I need to change VCSSA at stock settings?? Clearly, 1.200/1.180 for my CPU at stock settings are way high. Manually changing it to 1.00 got me stable for 6 hours so why isn't -ve offset working for me (in two different boards)?? It's not that I'm applying crazy values just via simple calculations.

I should probably add this as well, when I first got the P8Z77 WS board, -ve offset, whenever I required, worked like a charm. Then I burnt my CPU (i7 3770K) and I claimed a new one from Intel Tuning Program. Since then, I've had series unfortunate events :'(

[Retired]

that crossed my mind, when you told that win freezes at boot (vccsa)..

The offset thing i know nothing about, never used it..

[HiVizMan]

I suspect that your new CPU is not able to boot into OS with anything but the default voltages. Not all CPU's are the same as you are aware.

Now I am confused with one aspect, you say you wish to do negative offset to save on power. I fully agree with saving on power usage on my systems when not being used. What I do is simply to leave enabled all the Intel power saving modes and to use the 100 BCLK/Strap for my offset over clocking @4.5GHz on load. That way I get my CPU to throttle down to 12x and have a very low voltage during that period of throttle down. But get the full power of my over-clock when I need it for stress situations on my rig. Even when I was on defaults, negative strap does not for me change the lower range of my throttled down voltage. It is the same regardless if I use positive or negative. Have you noticed a different behaviour?

[apocalypzez]

HiVizMan wrote:
I suspect that your new CPU is not able to boot into OS with anything but the default voltages. Not all CPU's are the same as you are aware.

Now I am confused with one aspect, you say you wish to do negative offset to save on power. I fully agree with saving on power usage on my systems when not being used. What I do is simply to leave enabled all the Intel power saving modes and to use the 100 BCLK/Strap for my offset over clocking @4.5GHz on load. That way I get my CPU to throttle down to 12x and have a very low voltage during that period of throttle down. But get the full power of my over-clock when I need it for stress situations on my rig. Even when I was on defaults, negative strap does not for me change the lower range of my throttled down voltage. It is the same regardless if I use positive or negative. Have you noticed a different behaviour?

Throttling down the CPU to x16 at fixed voltage works fine for me. But throttling down the CPU to x16 with dynamic voltage doesn't work.
Here's an example from my HTPC:

Idle at x16 with 0.888 vcore: http://img440.imageshack.us/img440/3170/4ghzidle.png

Load P95 for 7 hours with 1.08 vcore (I.e. with -ve 0.1xx): http://img221.imageshack.us/img221/1648/4ghzload7hrs.png

So on the second pic the default vcore was 1.1xx and I applied a -ve offset of 0.1xx so the load is not more than 1.0 vcore but the idle is less than 1.00 vcore. I'm not trying to achieve anything rather just testing for it to WORK. I could constantly ignore this error and set a manual vcore but that's not the point.

Even a ASROCK Z77E-ITX board ($170) can handle this so why can't a ($460) MVF or ($400) P8Z77 WS handle the negative offset???

[Purelife]

just saying
maybe I'm reading this thread wrong , but to me your trying to under volt your cpu using - offset when it is not required for your cpu and it is not stable so your upset ?
wondering if a [- offset ] would work on the cheap board you mentioned , if it was overvolted in the first place and the - offset would bring it back down to normal maybe.
-use + offset to balance out the vcore needs at idle , do you really care if it's at 1.1v as long as it's stable [I don't], cut back on LLC for a lower vcore when at 4.6 if it's too high.
-also not sure why your at 85c when only at 4.0 , what's your temp. at 4.6 ? is that why you want to under volt , high temps ?
-also remember unless your using a meter like a fluke , software voltage reading are only guide lines and should never be quoted as fact.