3.2 Is fading, need advice, please...

[JenBell]

Hi...People

Need help. My 3.2Ghz is OCed to 3.84 and was working fine until 24hours ago. XP started crashing and stuff. I thought it was because of all the software I has been adding and removing had screwed the core xp files up or something.
Its actually the cpu itself. I ran prime to check and it failed instantly. I upped the vcore to a scary 1.67v and everything is back to normal.
Is this normal to see this degrade in cpu so quickly. I has been only a month since I bought it.
The vcore hoovers at 1.66 when idle and drops to 1.6v when under load. Cpu temps are roughly the same as before so nothing to write on that.

Is there something I can do to fix it or something, please someone help me. I do not want to keep the vcore at 1.67v.

I think I need to start saving for a new cpu, this time I might go for a pressy but I am soooo emotionally attached to my current cpu, its like family.

Thanks

 

[KrisMCool]

Prime failures do not only point to the CPU; it could also be your RAM. Either way, those failures don't mean that your hardware is necessarily faulty. It's more likely that you're running the hardware too far out of spec (RAM timings too tight, vdimm too low, vcore too low, etc.) Your PSU, if not up to the task, can also cause errors, especially on an OC'd rig.

Point is, your CPU probably isn't dying. Possibly degrading. 1.67v vcore isn't scary either; you're still safe. However, more recent Northwoods don't seem to benefit from increased vcore the way older ones do (my 3.0C is an example, doesn't like vcore over 1.65v).

BTW, you mentioned adding and removing a lot of software. This may contribute to OS instability.

P.S. My 3.0C degraded slightly the first week I had it, at least in terms of highest attainable OC. But she's been rock solid since at settings in sig.

 

[PHILIP1193]

drop down to stock speed or summit like 3.4Ghz and see how u go with stock voltage again!

Phil

 

[JenBell]

Thanks for the replies. I took the ram to my friends house who has a very similar setup, better watercooling setup. We got the ram running @ 265 with 1:1 and standard timings, vdimm was kept at 2.8v. I know its not the ram for sure. I then thought it could be the psu, so I removed almost all the additonal hardware and still nothing. The mobo is fine...I'll risk my life on that. It must be the cpu. Even in his setup we could only get stable when 1.67v vcore was set in the bios. We both have the same mobo Max3 un-modded.
His 3.2 is on another beast all together though, his new cpu is running at 4.2Ghz with no probs and a vcore of 1.6...I offered him money for his cpu but he is not interested.

Ok, so its the cpu and mine is dying and I know some people say 1.67v is not scary and on waterccoling up to 1.7v is ok, and have seen people running it at this thing for some time. I just sorry I know its gonna sound stupid, I was kind of attached to seeing mbm showing 1.62 when idle, it like a part of windows, sorry get very attached to certain things. Maybe I need to get a boyfriend and get over this OCing thing I got going.

Ok, so thanks and if u think of anything else, let me know...

 

[KrisMCool]

Everyone seems to have their own little tricks, some based on experience and some on superstition. Mine is the latter I guess, but it appears to do the trick. Every once in a while, I'll get an odd error. I'll leave the vcore where it's at but back off FSB 2-3MHz. Do a few quick tests, and if everything looks OK, let her run that way for 1-2 days. Then bump FSB back up and retest. Sounds a little flaky, but seems to work (if only in my mind ).

If I make any major system changes or remount the CPU, I'll drop her back to default vcore and a much lower OC. Then retest for the highest stable OC on default vcore. Then gradually bump FSB by no more than 5 and vcore only as necessary to refind max stable OC, stopping at whatever vcore limit I've set for myself. I've read many posts where folks throw the vcore up to the level they're comfortable with, and raise the FSB up to a high level right off the bat. If that works for you, great. But it makes more sense to me that since you know you're stressing your components, gradual OCing may not put "as much" stress on the system. Just a thought.

Don't drop the habit (OC)!

 

[dolph]

I think that is a way good volatge! I have gone up to 1.8v at times to get to that level!!!

 

[diehrd]

sorry get very attached to certain things. Maybe I need to get a boyfriend and get over this OCing thing I got going.


Awwwww well we here at the site consider you are #1 girl...So dont worry about 1.62 being gone as long as ya remember us here ...

 

[Falkentyne]

Jenbell,
What was your voltage at before you started crashing?

1.67v *is* too high on air. You will do nothing except speed the degradation along even more. Trust me-- it took me losing overclock 3 chips (the 4th only lost about 75 mhz) to learn my lesson here.

You will eventually start getting crashes here, too.

What you should do is reduce the voltage to 1.625 or 1.60v, and then find out what your stable speed is, even if it's only 3700 mhz.

What was your voltage originally, at 3.84 ?