Can't save my OC setting upon restart using XTU

[SmartOne_2000]

I have a new Asus z690-based motherboard with a new i9-13900K CPU and 128GB DDR4 3600MHz ram (XMP).

I installed XTU and noticed it says the watchdog timer is not present. Further net searches say tt won't save my OC settings upon reboot until that timer fi enabled. Instead, it reverts to stock settings which is frustrating taht I have to re-enter my settings everyt ime I boot.

How do I fix this?

Thanks!

[SmartOne_2000]

Device manager (under View --> Hidden Devices --> System Devices shows the Intel WDT.

[Alberto_R_Intel]

SmartOne_2000, Thank you for posting in the Intel® Communities Support.

For this scenario, it is important to mention that when you have found settings that result in a successful overclock and a stable system, you can save the profile in Intel® XTU to have a known working configuration. This can be useful when replicating different tests and for keeping successful tests.

To save a profile:

• Head to the Profiles tab and click Save. You will be able to name your shapes and organize them.

To load a saved profile:

1. Visit the Profiles tab and select the one you would like to load.
2. Click the Show Values button to preload the settings (changed values appear in yellow).
3. Click Apply to use those settings.

If after following those steps the problem remains, in the link below, you will find "Common Issues and Resolutions for Intel® Extreme Tuning Utility" with troubleshooting steps recommended to try to fix this problem:

https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/articles/000005774/processors/processor-utilities-and-programs.html

If necessary, please try to uninstall and reinstall the tool again following the instructions in the next links:

https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/articles/000032459/processors/processor-utilities-and-programs.html

https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/download/17881/intel-extreme-tuning-utility-intel-xtu.html?wapkw=xtu

If the issue remains after that, then we will do further research on this matter, for us to be able to do that, please attach the SSU report so we can verify further details about the components in your platform, check all the options in the report including the one that says "3rd party software logs":

https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/25293/Intel-System-Support-Utility-for-Windows-?product=91600

Any questions, please let me know.

Regards,

Albert R.

Intel Customer Support Technician

[SmartOne_2000]

Hi ... Thanks for the response!

As part of my quest to reduce my i9-13900K power consumption, I have been under-volting the processor using XTU and testing it out using Cinebench R23. So far, the best (and final configuration) is:

2P-cores @ 6 GHz ==> Saved correctly in my Asus z690-based BIOS and read correctly by XTU on system restart.

4P-cores @ 5.8GHz ==> Saved correctly in my Asus z690-based BIOS and read correctly by XTU on system restart.

All P-cores at 5.5 GHz ==> Saved correctly in my Asus z690-based BIOS and read correctly by XTU on system restart.

All E-cores at 4.4 GHz ==> Saved correctly in my Asus z690-based BIOS and read correctly by XTU on system restart.

Vcore offset at -0.05volts ==> Offset can't be saved in my BIOS and XTU reads 0.000v on restart!

Checking the VRM offset in BIOS also reads 0.00 volts.

Why can't XTU save this offset in my BIOS?

Thanks!

David

[Alberto_R_Intel]

Hi SmartOne_2000, You are very welcome, thank you very much for providing that information and the picture.

In this case, it is essential to note that altering clock frequency or voltage may damage or reduce the useful life of the processor and other system components, and may reduce system stability and performance. Product warranties may not apply if the processor is operated beyond its specifications. 

Still, we will do further research on this matter to try to find a possible solution for this scenario. Please provide the SSU report so we can check further details about the components in your platform:

https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/25293/Intel-System-Support-Utility-for-Windows-?product=91600

Regards,

Albert R.

Intel Customer Support Technician

[SmartOne_2000]

Albert ... please see the attachment for the SSU logs.

In regards to damaging the processor, I'm under-volting to cut down on its power dissipation, so no damage could occur when its running on a lower voltage, though well within its specifications.

The warning on running slightly beyond the nominal frequency is warranted, for sure. As long as the processor is adequately cooled, it will run just fine, I believe. Similar to those recent overclockers (at Intel labs !) who run the processor at 9 GHz immersed  liquid nitrogen at -90C, but not to that extreme.

[EternalStudent07]

I understand that was a boilerplate lawyer statement, but I've never heard of lower speeds and voltage damaging a part permanently.  Is that actually possible?

Sure, it might not function correctly if you tell it to run out of spec with lower than usual frequencies or voltage, but if you then reset everything to defaults it should boot and function normally again.  Right?

[SmartOne_2000]

Yes, it should. Running at lower the spec'd values will not power up the device, in case of voltage. Harder to run clocks lower than spec since these are internally generated. They start off with a  base 100MHz clock (which is internal) and multiply it internally via a Phase-Locked Loop multiplier (PLL) to say 5 GHz, factor of 50.

Now, if you set the multiplier factor or base clock higher than Intel's specs, you may run the risk of damaging the CPU. More likely for voltages, since it involves blowing up CPU transistors. Motherboard vendors seem to give users so many voltage and frequency options, some of which could damage the CPU, if not reduce its lifetime, if used incorrectly.

[Alberto_R_Intel]

SmartOne_2000, Thank you very much for providing the SSU report.

Just to clarify, yes, you do have the option when using an unlocked processor, such as the i9-13900K, to alter the voltage on it, but for warranty purposes and for the proper functionality of the system, it is always recommneded to use the processor at stock configuration with the default BIOS settings.

We will now do further research on this matter to verify if there is a possible solution for the Intel® XTU issue. As soon as I get any updates, I will post all the details on this thread.

Regards,

Albert R.

Intel Customer Support Technician

[SmartOne_2000]

Albert ... a clarification of what I said may be needed here. As I said before, changing the voltage offset in XTU doesn't write this offset in my Asus based BIOS. This offset is also a volatile value that is lost upon PC restart and needs to be manually re-entered all the time in XTU.

Other XTU parameters I've worked (e.g. CPU clock multiplication ratios) with are written in BIOS upon saving them in XTU and read correctly on XTU restart. And by no means do I imply that all other parameters I've not had a chance to work with are correctly written in XTU.

But if I manually change this offset in BIOS, orwhat I believe to be the offset to the best of my knowledge (and save my settings), XTU shows it as 0.000v upon restart. It seems it can't access that parameter correctly.

Hope this helps!

[SmartOne_2000]

Thank you, Albert. What response time frames are we thinking of here?

-David

[Alberto_R_Intel]

Hello SmartOne_2000, I just received an update on this matter.

While we are still working on this scenario, we just wanted to check:

-Could you please provide Intel® XTU logs and WDT logs along with the WDT driver version?

-Are you able to set a positive voltage offset and see it saved in BIOS and then reflected in Intel® XTU? 

-Is undervolt protection enabled in BIOS?

Regards,

Albert R.

Intel Customer Support Technician

[SmartOne_2000]

1. XTU logs provided. Where do I get the WDT log files?

2.WDT version see below:

3. Setting a positive offset in XTU doesn't reflect in the bios upon saving, but manually setting a voltage offset in BIOS is seen by the XTU menu.

4. Undervolt protection is DISABLED in BIOS. If enabled, no changes to XTU settings are permitted. A bunch of errors results when saving in XTU if the UV protection is enabled.

[Alberto_R_Intel]

SmartOne_2000, Thank you very much for confirming those details, sharing the picture and the logs.

We will continue working on this matter. I will double-check on how to get the WDT log files and provide all the details as soon as possible.

Regards,

Albert R.

Intel Customer Support Technician

[NICI]

Hi Alberto,

i have the same issue regarding the XTU tool. If i reboot after shutdown the undervolting is set back to 0. My system runs on a MSI MPG Z790i with a 13700 KF chip. In my case watchdog present is true and  i ticked the box in advanced options to restore tuning after reboot. There is an error message showing when i reboot and restart XTU. I have to post it later.

[SmartOne_2000]

Hey Nici... does your bios have the ability to enable or disable the watchdog timer (WDT)? If so, can you please post a pic of this bios option?

I ask because the other sources have said the WDT, being enabled, is critical for XTU to directly write its settings in bios.

Thanks,

David

[NICI]

Hi David,

searched through all bios settings. Couldn't find a WDT setting so far. Maybe it's labeled differently.

XTU now seems to have saved the undervolting option. Can't say why.

I put XTU in the autostart folder to boot up with the start of windows.

I disabled the undervoltage protection in the bios settings.

I disabled Core Isolation in Windows security settings.

Best,

Nici

[NICI]

Hi again,

now i get the error message back. Made a screenshot.

[SmartOne_2000]

Hi Nici ... the screenshot above only happens to me if XTU is abruptly closed due to the PC locking up or restarting due to some error. I'm under-volting, so I get lots of BSODs (blue screens of death) when stress testing using Cinebench R23. After rebooting the PC, I get that same screenshot you've shown, letting me know Windows never properly closed down the application due to the BSOD.

[NICI]

Hi David,

strange thing is that windows shuts down properly. When i boot up again, the error message pops up.

I stresstested my undervolting settings as well and never got a BSOD. So i assume the undervolting should be stable.

[SmartOne_2000]

That's a bummer, for sure. I stress-tested using Cinebench R23 (30 minutes) and OCCT (complex, medium, and large datasets) and pass just fine. The moment I run their small dataset, I fail. Same for Prime95. Small FFTs fail but medium and large pass. Also, the small datasets sit in cache and heat up my CPU to beyond 100C in both programs. The others don't.

Does your undervolt pass these small dataset tests?