(Another) CPU degradation Thread

ChrissyT88

ChrissyT88

ChrissyT88

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Sorry for another degradation thread, but i think i may be experiencing something similar to Vertigo1. I've had a Q6600 since last July which is showing signs of being unstable. When i first got the processor, i clocked it to 3.3 Ghz with a vcore of about 1.35-1.37 i think (VID 1.325). I had quite a few stability issues a few months later and concluded that it probably wasnt all that stable, so using LinX (Linpack stress tester) i got it stable using 1.4v vcore. It has sat at this setting since late november or early december.

Recently has shown signs that i cannot hold the clock - i have been getting a few BSODs, so last night i ran the OCCT large memory stress test for an hour, and it passed fine, as did a 3hr run of memtest, but LinX would not run stably. I have bumped the vcore up a few notches (from reading around, vcore is the likely suspect for Linpack failures) and will see if this improves things. I'll also try and run a long prime lend test. However, i do think its strange that it can no longer hold the clock. It has been running Folding@home for at least 6 hours a day since December, and when its on its at 100% load and has shown no signs of instability (temps also never get above about 59C). What are people's opinions - does it look like the chip is dying?

I've noted my BIOS settings in case there is something obvious i should change. Im not that experienced at overclocking, but from reading around my settings seemed fine:

ASUS P5Q Deluxe Motherboard
Q6600: 367x9
vCore: 1.4000
PLL: 1.52
FSB Termination: 1.24
NB: 1.20
Memory: 1104 Mhz (Corsair Dominator pc8500 RAM), 5-5-5-15 timings, PL of 8, everything other timing on AUTO
Memory Voltage: 2.12

Everything else (Southbridge, GTL etc has been left on AUTO). As i say, it seemed fine until a few days ago, but now is a little flakey...

Cheers, any help is appreciated. If it would be easier to have this in the other thread, i'll close the thread and move it, but i dont want to clog up Vertigo's thread!
 
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Try running memtest to see if the memory is shot.

I've not ever heard of a Q6600 dying from anything less than insane volts with LN2....on a normal clock I guarantee your chip is not degraded.
 
Do some research into 'Electromigration', which occurs much more rapidly at higher voltages. If this is your problem then you will be trapped in a vicious circle of needing higher voltages to keep a stable clock which will speed up the degradation till the chip is dead for good
 
Thanks gurusan - i ran memtest a few days ago for three passes and did not find any memory errors. I realise that three passes is not ideal, and I will try again this evening and try downclocking the memory to see of that helps at all.

Caracus - i am aware of the problems of electromigration. However, i do find it surprising that it would happen so quickly with voltages that are relatively modest compared with those other users on here are using. For now i have dropped the clock (have work to do!) and will continue testing later on.

Thanks for the replies.
 
This is the first thing I've heard of a 65nm CPU suffering from degradation :o at less than 1.4V as well. Very strange.
 
Yep strange for such a low voltage, i ran mine for ages on 1.5vcore at 3.8ghz, without issue, only recently dropped down to 3.6ghz at 1.4 vcore for daily use, as 3.8ghz was only showing gains in benchmarking.
 
Are you sure the instability isn't due to the fact that we've gone from snowy and cold to quite pleasant and sunny in the space of about 4 days?
 
I dont think so - as i mentioned, CPU temperatures dont get abive 60C despite many hours of operation, and are more typically around 55-56 (unfortunately, the quad is remotely flat, so there is quite a difference between the cores, but the other two are typically at 49-51). It will run the OCCT stress test/OCCT Linpack where the cores get to well over 70C without the PC crashing, until the cores get to 80 when OCCT shuts itself down. I guess the memory could be overheating, but airflow through the case is good. Im open to suggestions if the heat could be affecting the system in another way...?

I thought it could be the northbridge/chipset overheating, but Everest reports a motherboard temperature of 31C at the moment, which isnt too hot.
 
It has a TRUE with a 120mm Noctua fan. The case is a Lian-Li a17 with a two front 120mm Xilence fans, a 120mm Xilence fan as the exhaust and a 140mm yate loon fan in the roof of the case as an intake.
 
Mmm... had a bit of time to have a play today. For the past few days i downclocked it to 3Ghz and dropped the memory to just over 1000MHz, and everything has been right as rain. I fired up the PC today with the processor at 3.3Ghz, 1.4 volts as before, but lowered the meory clock and it ran through 10 loops on LinX, reaching a peak of 78C with no crashes, no computational errors. I rebooted and increased the memory clock to 1104 (as it was before) and ran the linpack test again, 10 loops, peak of 79C and no crashes/computational errors. At the weekend, it wouldnt complete more than 2 lopps of linpack at these settings...

The only thing that has changed is the location. I'm back from uni for the holidays and my room here is a bit bigger and cooler, and of course the weather is a little less hot. I am therefore forced to conclude that this has all been an issue with temps...? Im not sure what other peoples opinions of this are - during normal operation, the processor never reches temps higher than 58/59C and the case is well ventilated. I'll run a few loops of memtest, although it has previously passed three with no problems... Mmm...
 
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