Clock speed won't change with 10700K

[Nocheese4u]

Heyo! No matter what I try, I am unable to make Intel XTU change my clock speed of my i7-10700K. The program has been run as admin, I have closed other potentially interfering programs like Argus Monitor (for temperature and hardware monitor and case fan control) and MSI Afterburner (for GPU monitor and GPU fan). I have also tried to install older versions of XTU and switch modes from and to power saver and balanced. The reference clock is also greyed out for whatever reason. My specs are below:

Windows 10, up to date with all updates

Motherboard: MSI PRO Z490-A PRO (BIOS up to date with version 7C75v2E)

CPU: i7 10700K

GPU: GTX 1070 Dual OC

RAM: 32GB DDR4 3600MHz (XMP1 enabled in BIOS)

[Jean_Intel]

Hello Nocheese4u,

Thank you for posting on the Intel️® communities. I am sorry to hear that you are experiencing issues with the Intel XTU.

I will proceed to check the issue internally and post back soon with more details. 

Best regards, 

Jean O.  

Intel Customer Support Technician

[Nocheese4u]

Hello, I am still waiting for an update to my issue. It seems a bit annoying that I purchased an unlocked CPU and I am unable to change the clocks. It seems like I wasted extra money for a feature I can not use.

There was an update to XTU, now 7.10.0.65 and it appears my changes work as they should mostly. Making the change in compact view does not work, but making the change in advanced tuning > performance active-core tuning adjusts it. There is a fluctuation of about 300MHz or less on clock changes (example, changing "1 active core" to 25x for 2.5GHz will make most cores run at 25x but some at 22x to 27x. This is worked around by changing all cores to same multiplier OR changing "1 active core" as it will be the lowest value and force all values to match. So to lower the clock speed, I change "1 active core" section. It's the opposite to raise the clocks, you would use "8 active core" for raising clocks in order to have all cores run at the same clock speed - which is what I want).

My voltage seems to auto adjust since I have Core Voltage Mode to adaptive, but is there a sheet or some reference that shows the recommended minimum voltages at each 100MHz clock for my CPU? That way I can possibly lower my voltages slightly and in turn, have less heat and longer CPU lifespan.

Also "Reference Clock" is still greyed out and stuck to 100 MHz, I am unsure what this is for or how to unlock this.

Thanks!

[Hugo_Intel]

Hello Nocheese4u

Thank you for your patience. 

I am glad to hear that you were able to resolve your issue by updating the Intel® Extreme Tuning Utility (Intel® XTU) to the latest version. 

In regards to your questions about the recommended minimum voltages at each 100Mhz, we wouldn't be able to provide advice on the matter as changing voltages and frequencies on the processor may void the processor's warranty, however, this guide contains important information about voltages and frequencies and you might find it helpful. 

As for the locked options on Intel XTU like the reference clock you can follow the troubleshooting outlined in this article, however, You may see grayed-out controls in the advanced tuning area. These controls are locked by their manufacturer. More advanced versions of these components may unlock these controls and allow you to change these settings. If you would like to change the value of a locked control, please contact the manufacturer and inquire about unlocked parts, specially targeted for overclocking and tuning. 

In addition, it is important to check that the correct BCLK (Base Clock) OC is enabled. Some older motherboards don't come with an external BCLK (B-clock), which could cause this issue. Please check if an "external" BCLK is available on this motherboard with your manufacturer. In case the motherboard has an enabled external BCLK, please try installing the Intel Management Engine driver for your motherboard's manufacturer website.

Best Regards,

Hugo O.

Intel Customer Support Technician.

[Jean_Intel]

Hello Nocheese4u,

I hope you are doing fine.

Were you able to check the previous post?

Let us know if you still need assistance.

Best regards, 

Jean O.  

Intel Customer Support Technician

[Jean_Intel]

Hello Nocheese4u,

I hope you are doing fine.

I have not heard back from you. So I will close this thread. If you need any additional information, submit a new question, as this thread will no longer be monitored.

Best regards.

Jean O.

Intel Customer Support Technician.