Potential CPU degredation ?

momo56 · 7 Feb 2011 at 18:31

So i got an i7 920 d0. Its been stable 24/7 PRIME95 and 20 instandces of linx and IBT for the past few months apart from the past week ever since I started using photoshop. Now I keep getting blue screens randomly regardless of using photoshop or not. The solution was to increase the voltages up an increment in the bios. (Rampage 2 extreme).

So the question is how come I have to increase voltages all of a sudden to get a previously stable overclock to work. Is my processor moments away from dying ?

SupermotoMX · 7 Feb 2011 at 20:37

what power supply do you have? its possible it isnt giving everything enough juice

momo56 · 7 Feb 2011 at 21:28

1000W coolermaster realpower pro, about 2 and a half years old now, I doubt thats the issue.

MikeHiow · 7 Feb 2011 at 22:25

It would be useful if you could supply the information from the Bluescreens.

You can get a program called 'Bluescreen Viewer' I think it is that makes the process a little easier.

OLDPHART · 8 Feb 2011 at 00:56

Just a thought does Photoshop use a lot memory, might be worth testing your memory with memtest one stick at a time.

Orcvader · 8 Feb 2011 at 01:25

Also what is your overclock settings?

momo56 · 8 Feb 2011 at 02:03

4.2 ghz HT, 2000mhz ram 8-8-8-24

cpu voltage: 1.449 v
Pll: 1.9~
QPI: 1.6v

Max temp runnin prime 95 and furmark was 76 degrees on the highest core. (4870x2, i7, r2e mobo and ram block all in a single loop hence why I ran furmark and prime simultaneously)

Done mem test and ram was perfectly fine

I know these are stupid voltages, but I saw on xs forums how peoples i7's were at much higher voltages so I figured why not, since Ill be upgrading in a year/half year time anyway.

Im just wondering if the need to use higher voltages to get previous stable overclocks means the chip will die some time soon ?

opethdisciple · 8 Feb 2011 at 12:00

ok, there here lies your problem:

'I know these are stupid voltages, but I saw on xs forums how peoples i7's were at much higher voltages so I figured why not, since Ill be upgrading in a year/half year time anyway. '

I admit, iv never overclcoked a core i7 before, but if it was mine, I would:

1. Stay within intel safe margins regarding voltage and heat
2. Probably back the overclock down to 4Ghz

But also it could be your ram.......

Yes, incrementally creeping up the voltages will cook the cpu. The only answer your have left, if you want the chip to be usable, is backing down the overclock, 4.2Ghz - 4Ghz - 3.8Ghz etc etc etc this will be the only way to stop the cpu from degrading.

Imo ANY blue screens is bad news. If your blue screening and you now as you put it "using silly voltages" then I would start there with trying to find the source of the problem.