Is my i7 13700k screwed?

[Alex J]

Hi, and thanks for reading. As the title says I was wondering if anyone could give me some help. My 13700k has been working fine since I got it about a year ago, but recently I've been met with some random BSOD and can't seem to figure out the cause.

I have my CPU on complete stock settings with XMP enabled for my RAM. When I do an OCCT test, I used the settings below. I get a message saying "CPU+RAM - 3 errors found on physical core #2"

OCCT test settings
Data set:Large
Mode:Normal,
Load type:Steady
Instruction set: avx2
Thread settings:Auto

I have also tried memtest86 to test my RAM with XMP enabled and have done 2 passes with no errors with my ram

Do I possibly have one of the unfortunate Intel CPUs that have been degraded due to the poor voltage supplied or oxidization issue?

Specs
CPU: i7 13700k stock settings
RAM: Corsair 4000Mhz CMK32GX4M2G4000C19
GPU: MSI 4070ti
MOBO: Gigabyte z690 UD DDR4, Bios version f29, I updated my MOBO as soon as the newer versions released
Windows 11 Pro: 23H2

 

[Alex J]

Did you try OCCT with the ram at stock to see what the results there were?

Have you looked in windows event viewer to see if Windows is logging WHEA errors being recovered regularly?

Thanks for your input. I'm currently running another OCCT test again, but without XMP enabled on my RAM. I'll update after the test to see if I get any errors again.

As to the windows event logger. This is a screen shot below, as to be honest I'm not too sure what I'm looking at LOL.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1850515364595003903

 

[Alex J]

Do you get access violation errors in Chrome or Edge?

Do apps/games crash?

Have you experienced file corruption, especially when zippng?

Thanks for your reply

I haven't noticed any violation errors in Chrome.

Some games have been crashing at random such as BFV, BO6, and some other FPS games.

I haven't noticed any corruption when unzipping files.

 

[Alex J]

You could also download and run the Intel Processor Diagnostic Tool and see if it reports anything (although I've found it to be generally useless in the past).

Intel® Processor Diagnostic Tool

This download record installs the Intel® Processor Diagnostic Tool release 4.1.9.41, which is compatible with multiprocessor systems.

www.intel.com

Thanks, I'll give that a go after I've finished the OCCT test with xmp off.

 

[Alex J]

You could also download and run the Intel Processor Diagnostic Tool and see if it reports anything (although I've found it to be generally useless in the past).

Intel® Processor Diagnostic Tool

This download record installs the Intel® Processor Diagnostic Tool release 4.1.9.41, which is compatible with multiprocessor systems.

www.intel.com

I completed the intel diagnostic tool with a pass on everything. I also got no errors when doing the OCCT test again with XMP turned off.
I looked through the event logger and saw no WHEA-logger errors too.
Would this indicate that it's more of a RAM or MOBO issue I'm having?

Thanks

 

[Alex J]

Okay good to know. Thanks for your help I'll keep XMP of for a while and see if I get any BSOD or any crashes.

 

[Alex J]

Hwinfo does whea errors too. You can enable xmp but run at ~3800. Assuming the problem can be reproduced in Oct you should know if you are in the clear.

So can i just enable the XMP profile but then just change the RAM frequency manually to 3800, and I won't need to touch timings or anything?

 

[Alex J]

Did you verify stability when you initially set it up? It could be IMC degradation if for example VCCSA is set too high on auto.

unfortunately, I didn't do any testing when I bought the parts I just left everything on default and enabled XMP, and since it worked fine I didn't bother. A bit stupid of me TBH LOL

Also, my MOBO doesn't seem to have a VCCSA sensor to check the voltages in HWINFO64

 

[Alex J]

I'd still do a short run without XMP and see if the BSODs go away - how often were they occurring, will you know soon?

If you do enable XMP Intel lists the max stock speed as 3200mhz so you could just run that?

The BSOD aren't occurring that frequently, probably about 2-3 times max a month.
Now that I think about it, they have only really been occurring since I updated my BIOS the the latest version.
Which is supposedly the final version of the intel voltage fix according to the BIOS update description.

 

[Alex J]

Think that might be under SA VID, at least it is on my z690.

Edit: Oh it says that's the requested voltage not the supplied voltage... check BIOS?

I checked in my BIOS, and it gives me the option to manually change the VCCSA voltage but doesn't show any current values.
I think my MOBO is too low-end to have such a sensor, unfortunately.
I've set my RAM to 3800Mhz with XMP enabled instead of 4000Mhz, and I'm going to test with OCCT again to see if I get any errors.

Thanks for your help it's been much appreciated.

 

[Alex J]

Should be fine as long as the voltage is good. If it errors you can drop it further. Without xmp it was running at 2133?

Yeah 2133 was default without xmp enabled.
Going to give OCCT another try in the morning and see if I get the same errors.