Overclocking Profiles Per Game & Power Limits Unlock For R4 17 K-Series

WELCOME EVERYBODY TO MY GUIDE ON HOW TO SET CUSTOM OVERCLOCK PROFILES & PAIRING TO GAMES/APPS IN YOUR ALIENWARE R4 17 WITH A K-SERIE CPU

* I would like to start by explaining the reasons why I developed this tool.

1. I own an Alienware R4 17 which has an overclock-able CPU, and after re-pasting it with LM I realized that it is a very good & highly overclock-able chip, but there were a few things that really bothered me when overclocking. the first thing was that when overclocking by either using the Bios or Alienware OC Controls, the fans will run at a minimum of 2300-2500rpm at all time, even if your Notebook is idling or browsing the web or doing very light tasks. The fan noise was annoying specially when readying an online article or typing an essay for my classes.... Alright, the second reason is because Alienware will be releasing a New Command Center which will allow you to set overclocking profiles to your games & apps, which I got excited for since that's what I needed in order to not have to be turning the overclocks on & off when I play a game and exit it.... but thennnnnn, Alienware confirmed that, that new software won't to coming to older or current Alienware systems, and that pissed me off because it's just a marketing strategy to make us the consumers upgrade to their new systems... And lastly i tried using XTU's App Profile Setting Tool but it doesn't work do to some Bios restrictions...... so to solve the issues, I developed my own tool! well, something like that lol.

Purpose of this tool:

• Set custom Core Clock speeds without even opening Intel Extreme Utility
• Set custom Power Limits 1 & 2 Without affecting fan speed "Bios set min speed of fan to 2300rpm when Power Limit 1 Exceeds 45W but this tool with get around that."
• Set Custom under-volts without opening Intel Extreme Utility
• Set custom Profile Paring to Games & Apps
• A BIG FU*K YOU to the Alienware Software developer who decided to not support our system on purpose"He stated it on a Twitch livestream"
• GETTING RID OF THAT ANNOYING FAN NOISE WHEN OVERCLOCKED AND BROWSING THE WEB OR DOING LIGHT TASKS!!

SUPPORTED PLATFORMS:

• Alienware R4 17 with Intel i7-6820hk
• Alienware R4 17 with Intel i7-7820hk
• Alienware R3 15 with Intel i7-7820hk
• I Don't own an Alieware Desktop but if requested I still can create a version for it "Maybe"

THERE IS GOING TO BE "3" OPTIONS FOR OVERCLOCKING AND IT IS YOUR CHOICE, 1. IS A FIXED OVERCLOCK WHICH YOUR SYSTEM WILL USE ON ALL OCCASIONS. OR 2.CUSTOM PROFILES TO PAIR WITH INDIVIDUAL GAMES AND APPS. OR 3. MACRO-KEYS SHORCUTS FOR INDIVIDUAL PROFILES.

OPTION 1: STEPS

1. It will be necessary to have full control of the power limits so the bios won't overwrite any custom settings. And to do that, boot into bios > CPU Performance Mode > Enable < Core Over Clocking Level > Customization < Power Limit 1 > 0 < Power Limit 2 > 0 < Save & Reboot

2. Download & Install Intel Extreme Utility: https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/24075/Intel-Extreme-Tuning-Utility-Intel-XTU-

3. Once installed, head to Windows Services, find "XTU3SERVICE" and set its startup to "Automatic". Reason for that it's so any overclock will stick after rebooting your system.



4. For the tool to be able to apply Overclock without asking for Administrator permissions the following has to be done, otherwise you'll run into permission problems .

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5. Search for powershell, shift-right click, run as administrator and run: Set-ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned Type "A" and press Enter



6. Download the the corresponding zip file according to your CPU and un-zip in this location "C:\"

Intel i7-7820hk: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1bkdWqAknjfLNoClB1fXkSTKpDuN5Hwj9/view?usp=sharing

Intel i7-6820hk: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1EPw4Loh47evaepavGZD3xugqJSZy7bEd/view?usp=sharing

7. Once downloaded, Place the un-zipped "Overclock Folder" in this location "C:\"



8. Now we have to use Task Scheduler to do the hard and most important part. We almost done so hang in there! Follow this steps:

1. We create a basic task:

2. "When The Computer Starts" :

3. "Start a program" > next <

4. Browse for "OC Service.exe" inside Overclock folder:

5. Click > finish <

6. Look for the task and click > Properties < :

7. Apply the following settings:

8. Click > Trigger < Tab :

9. Apply the following settings:

10. Apply the following settings:

11. Applythe following settings:

12. Click > Okey < and type your password when prompted so you can give the task "Admin privileges" :


OKEY NOW THE FUN PART!

To set your overclocks or undervolts you have do the following:

• Go the folder you un-zipped "C:\Overclock" and open Settings.ps1
• -t -id 48 -v 45 means Power Limit 1 = 45W
  
• -t -id 47 -v 60 means Power Limit 2 = 60W
  
• -t -id 29 -v 39 means 1 Active Core = 3.9Ghz
  
• -t -id 30 -v 38 means 2 Active Cores = 3.8Ghz
  
• -t -id 31 -v 36 means 3 Active Cores = 3.6Ghz
  
• -t -id 32 -v 35 means 4 Active Cores = 3.5Ghz
  
• -t -id 76 -v 36 means Cache Frequencie = 3.6Ghz
  
• -t -id 79 -v 0 means Offset Voltage = 0

So, to Adjust your own frequencies/Voltage and Power Limits just change the numbers in purple:


once you do that just run OC Service.exe "It's located in the same folder" and the changes will be applied, and if everything was done right, it will stick even after rebooting.

Another good thing is that none of the changes will be reset when the system goes to sleep, XTU had that issue in which the power limits will reset after reboot, sleep and hibernate. with this method, that problem is solved.


OPTION 2. PROFILE PAIRING

Download the following zip file according to your CPU and un-zip it in this location "C:\"

Intel i7-7820hk: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1SN654tggterOnfNMtaEHg5WntBp4p_Z3/view?usp=sharing
Intel i7-6820hk: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1kfWUA6Xn6kUtJPMDalcT9kDLaKSHMQGD/view?usp=sharing

Unzip file in this location "C:\" :

Inside the OC-Profiles folder there is going to be five other folders that are already to be setup by you with your custom overclock and settings, in every folder there is a Settings.ps1 file which you can open and change the core clock and power " As shown above"

Once you have edited a "Settings.ps1" head to Alienware Command Center:


Click > Create New Game Mode < and link the game/app.exe file

Then: Pair the "OC Service.exe" from the chosen Profile folder and start the game using the shortcut that was automatically created in the desktop, and there you have your app-paired profile.


Open Shortcut in desktop:

After all that your custom OC will start along with your game/app

OPTION 3:

With the use of Command Center "Alienware TactX" we can assign any Overclock profile to any of the macro keys, for an easier overclock switch between desired profile for different ocassions.

Just follow the picture guide:




AND YOU'RE DONE!

NOTE: If power limits resets when Notebook goes to Sleep Mode when you close the lid, do the following, and after all this you will have a good overcloked machine.

 

Nice but I think Throttlestop does all of this already no? (with none of the steps to grant your app permission as well I believe)

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

 

Unfortunately no, Throttlestop only let you control the frequencies and voltages but not the power limits which is the most important thing to sustain a high clock speed for long, try changing the power limits with throttlestop and you will see, it was only possible was with bios K1.0.8 with XTU service running in the background. but after that bios is not longer possible.

 

Ah ok thanks, I'm just not sure why there is a need for you to be able to change them dynamically from within Windows. I mean one quick change in BIOS and it's completely unlocked forever

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

 

Congrats mate !
Setting an XTU profile on the macro keys is brillant.

Thanks for tour post and your time !

 

Or you can use batch file without running services in the background. Batch file can also be assigned to any TactX button. Example:

Code:

set xtupath="c:\Program Files (x86)\Intel\Intel(R) Extreme Tuning Utility\Client\XtuCLI.exe"

REM Start XTU service
net start XTU3SERVICE

REM Give XTU some time to start
ping 127.0.0.1 -n 2 > nul

REM your settings

REM Turbo Boost Power Max (PL1)
%xtupath% -t -id 48 -v 100,000
REM Turbo Boost Short Power Max (PL2)
%xtupath% -t -id 47 -v 100,000
REM Turbo Boost Power Time Window
%xtupath% -t -id 66 -v 96
REM Processor Core IccMax
%xtupath% -t -id 102 -v 255,750
REM Cache IccMax
%xtupath% -t -id 106 -v 255,750

REM Give XTU some time before stopping
ping 127.0.0.1 -n 2 > nul

REM Stop XTU service
net stop XTU3SERVICE

 

That's True! I created another thread that makes it easy for people to understand: http://forum.notebookreview.com/thr...-keys-tool-for-r4-17-r3-15-with-k-cpu.813397/
I made it that way so it can be easier for the non-experience to do it, but great feedback

 

Thanks! Here is a second thread that explains better how to do it: http://forum.notebookreview.com/thr...-keys-tool-for-r4-17-r3-15-with-k-cpu.813397/

 

I have had been able to run most games at 4.4GHz clocks, but when it comes to BF1, the game crashes always. I had been looking for a solution like the one OP has provided for quite some time now. XTU's Profile Switcher tries to say it does that exactly but due to many shortcomings/design choces, it sadly cannot do that. So if i wanted to run at 4.4GHz and forgot to downclock to 4.0 when i start playing BF1, I *WILL* crash in the middle of a game. So, that is one scenario.

Regards

 

Since every CPU is a bit different you might have to add a bit more voltage to the offset, +15 should be good.

But I created this other thread in which you can just switch overclocks between games with not problems, and it's very stable: http://forum.notebookreview.com/thr...-keys-tool-for-r4-17-r3-15-with-k-cpu.813397/

You could give it a try on your free time

 

Will repeat the request. Post the source code of the tool somewhere, please.

 

XTU is buggy as hell. I tried to use it for like 6 months then gave up and learned how to use Throttlestop instead. The settings in XTU don't stick properly and got randomly reset for me. Also some of the settings it provides just don't work whereas in Throttlestop they work everytime 100% (and you have a lot more settings to be able to tweak)

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

 

Hm, how do you change PL1\PL2 and IccMax in TS?

 

Probably on older bios version

 

I was on older versions (1.0.5, 1.0.8, 1.1.8) too, didn't work well either. Maybe he sets it in bios itself.

 

Throttlestop powerlimit control stopped working after bios 1.0.8 because on that revision Dell added the support for their overclocking software "OC Controls" which is 100% based on XTU sdk

 

They added OC software support in v1.1.6, but again, even v1.0.5 wasn't working with TS well.

 

Exactly, i set it once in BIOS and never have to touch it again

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An old thread and would like to ask (will be doing google searches after I post this)

1) do we know how the BIOS in non-performance mode locks PL1=45W and PL2=90W and you cannot change it from Windows no matter what?

2) Has Intel published libraries and an API for messing with all those settings ? (overclock profiles, fan profiles and curves, foldback or normal throttles etc)

3) Has Dell published the API for controlling the fans ?

 

1. Not sure I understand the question but no, it just locks those values from being changed
2. Not as far as I'm aware, @Papusan may know
3. Nope Alienware have not done this recently unfortunately. You can override this with using Fan Control within HWINFO but I found it was dangerously buggy when I tried over a year ago. Not tried it since though!

 

Not what I know. Ask the OEM. They have the dialog with Intel.

 

I have since learned that the CPU has many instructions and registers to set power profiles all documented in the manuals, that the Dell BIOS implements various power policies that are difficult/impossible to overcome. I suspect fan control would be implemented by some peripheral controller.

 

i think the fans are controlled completely by the EC sensor. when you disable the EC sensor, it does not report the fan speeds anymore in HWINFO.