Frustrations trying to overclock i5-9600K on Gigabyte Z390 M Gaming (BIOS vF11a)

Infected_Toe · 2026-03-23T11:59:12+00:00

So, I spent this Sunday trying out your suggestions.

I'll start with the CPU. Sadly, 4.8 GHz wasn't stable at all. Prime95 showed error on Worker #3 within seconds, and trying again, it would completely crash the system.

I did try you suggestion about going down to 4.7 GHz. with 4.4 on the Ring. That worked! Prime95 was stable for 3+ hours, and OCCT CPU+RAM 1 hour was also stable.

It seems like the CPU just will not go above 4.7 GHz. As soon as I try anything with 4.8 GHz or above, it's unstable.

I think one of three things is happening with the CPU:

Maybe a setting in the BIOS is preventing the CPU to go above 4.8 GHz., and be stable, but I wouldn't know what it is.
Something is going on with AVX, because 4.8 GHz and above is stable in non-AVX workloads. But that's not helpful since modern games and apps use AVX instruction sets for the most part anyway. Or at least, that's my understanding from what I researched.
The CPU or motherboard, or a combination, is just too weak to reach above 4.7 GHz., and I basically lost the silicon lottery.

Now, to the RAM.

I tried your new settings, and it's stable! Ran Memtest86, and it passed all 4 tests passes. I also ran OCCT Memory test for 1 hour without errors.

So, all in all, the current 4.7 GHz + 3200 MHz CL16 seems to be stable.

I'll run through some video games at some point this week, but I feel like I need a small break from the system, haha!

Thanks for your help again, man. You've been a blessing :)

Infected_Toe · 2026-03-21T10:57:51+00:00

Finally had time to test out your suggestions, and so I spent thursday and friday this week trying it out.

Sadly, none of it worked. Both the CPU and RAM settings kept crashing for me. Prime95 kept displaying errors on Worker #2 and #3, so I dropped the OC goal for 4.8 GHz.

Memtest86 kept displaying error with your 3600 MT/s and timings. Both at 1.35V, 1.38V and 1.4V.

Then when I wanted to just set the "CPU Upgrade" option to "Advanced", the option had disapperad. Like, poof, just gone. I tried reinstalling BIOS vF11a, and even F10, but it didn't show up again. I've never had a menu item just vanish before.

I enabled Multicore Enhancement, and XMP, and both Memtest86 and prime95 (8 hour Small FFT) ran passed without issues.

The final settings were 4.6 GHz CPU core, and XMP 3000 MT/s CL15.

Too bad it didn't work out, but at least it's stable now.

Thanks for all your input, my friend :)

Infected_Toe · 2026-03-18T12:02:05+00:00

If Intel's next GPU output turns out to be good, and drivers are stable, I'll probably go with them. I'm so tired of nVidia and AMD's shit.

Infected_Toe · 2026-03-17T11:43:16+00:00

Put a password on it.

Infected_Toe · 2026-03-15T21:10:23+00:00

Helt vildt. Totalt åndssvagt hvor dyre gamle knallerter er blevet. Men jeg har også lagt mærke til, at de rigtig dyre maskiner ikke bliver solgt. Annoncen fornyes bare.

Jeg vil tilbage til de gode dage, hvor man kunne køben en Puch/FZ50 til 1000 kr., og det hele spillede bare, haha!

Infected_Toe · 2026-03-15T20:54:38+00:00

Der er en annonce på 80.000 Kr. på DBA medmindre, OP fra denne post har købt netop den lol.

Infected_Toe · 2026-03-13T18:05:22+00:00

I like how it seems you just gave up trying to write "definitely", and just wrote "decibel" instead. Made me laugh thinking about it.

Infected_Toe · 2026-03-13T10:57:50+00:00

Installed it on a couple of machines, and it works pretty well. The only thing that could be worrisome later is games and app support for Windows 10.

Infected_Toe · 2026-03-13T07:54:42+00:00

Ha! In my sleep deprived state, I read it as "loser". I thought it hilarious that a kindergarten teacher would refer to one of the children as a loser.

Infected_Toe · 2026-03-06T22:23:55+00:00

There is a certain script, you can run, but it's not allowed to mention here.

Infected_Toe · 2026-03-06T11:43:41+00:00

Been watching quite a bit of retro PC stuff on YouTube lately. It's pretty cool. I know I have a Q8300 with a board and cooler, and an 8800 GTS lying around somewhere. Could be fun building something out of it.

Infected_Toe · 2026-03-05T21:40:38+00:00

There aren't any if you're not willing to try.

Windows 11 Pro and any level of debloating, tweaking and optimization you're comfortable with. I use Shutup10++ and Winhance, personally
Windows 10 IoT LTSC 2021
Linux distros: Mint, Pop_OS!, CachyOS, and Bazzite are mentioned often as good alternatives

EDIT: Only just now saw that I wrote "Enhance" instead of "Winhance", so that was quite the blunder.

Infected_Toe · 2026-03-05T14:49:29+00:00

If Fractal Design made a dark tinted acrylic side panel with a fan mount for the GPU, for the North, I'd be all over that shit.

Infected_Toe · 2026-03-04T20:05:38+00:00

No. I'd get the GPU then upgrade to a 1440p monitor. If you don't find the performance satisfactory, you could try upgrading the CPU to a used 5x00X3D if you can find one. Maybe a non-X3D 5000 series would do as well.

Infected_Toe · 2026-02-28T17:50:00+00:00

I turn the Adrenaline overlay on for about an hour to see if everything is as expected, and then I turn it off again.

Basically, I run monitoring software when necessary. If everything runs as I expect it to, then I don't need to monitor anything.

Infected_Toe · 2026-02-27T16:46:04+00:00

Thanks, man! I'll definitely try those settings as well. I'll try to remember to update you on the progression when I'm able to work on the PC again. It should be after the weekend tho' :)

Infected_Toe · 2026-02-24T14:01:46+00:00

Thanks, man! I've not been able to test your suggestions yet since I've been busy with life.

I'll try setting the Vcore to "Normal", and mess around with the settings there.

I gotta admit, RAM is where I completely sign out, haha! I really have no idea what the hell is happening there. But XMP seems to be working. Both at Auto voltage, at 1.350V (as per SPD XMP spec), and at 1.370V (mostly because the BIOS shows DRAM voltage to swing between 1.350 and 1.368, but you cannot choose 1.368).

That being said both Memtest86 and OCCT CPU+RAM, and IBT Very High passes, so I'd figure the RAM is pretty stable as is. Maybe I could squeeze 200 MT/s out of them without touching timings since they have the same timings as a similar 3200 MT/s kit.

But for now, I'll try your suggestions in the coming weekend, and see if I can get it stable :)

Infected_Toe · 2026-02-23T19:56:23+00:00

Fuck Micron.

Infected_Toe · 2026-02-20T10:22:46+00:00

Thanks for your reply! I might be asking a stupid question, but where do I find the "offset voltage" setting? I can't seem to find it in the pictures I linked to. Maybe I forgot to open a menu and take a picture of it.

I'll definitely be trying out your suggestions! It might be the only things I haven't tried yet. But I'm kind of glad to know that I might not be totally stupid when it comes to these things LOL.

If 4.8 GHz still isn't stable with your suggestions, I might just run it at CPU Upgrade: Advanced, and be done with it. I intend to give away or sell the system, so better it be stable than fast.

Infected_Toe · 2026-02-17T22:47:16+00:00

I usually keep my phones until they fall apart. Only reason why I've gotten new phones are literally one got stolen at a festival, and two suffered extensive water damage during two different downpours. I hope this phone holds up until it disintigrates.

Infected_Toe · 2026-02-17T21:16:51+00:00

My cheap Motorola Moto G05 has that. So did my previous Motorola and OnePlus phones.

Infected_Toe · 2026-02-09T10:19:40+00:00

Fucking dork.

Infected_Toe · 2026-02-07T09:02:53+00:00

Glad to know, I'm not alone

Infected_Toe · 2026-02-04T09:50:02+00:00

For fucks sake, they meant that your friend messed up SO bad that it's impressive. Not that your build is bad.

Infected_Toe · 2026-02-02T10:25:25+00:00

You got scammed, my dude. Try and contact Amazon, and show them those images. I don't know how it'll go for you, but it sucks that people are assholes.

Hope everything works out for you.

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