CPU melt-down, what to do?

[maniac5999]

Or there's some sort of incompatibility with that part and the rest of the system.

Have you updated the mobo to the latest BIOS release? You need P1.30 or higher if I'm not mistaken for the PhII 940. (Some Kumas will run with 1.20 or 1.10...)

I think that I'm on 1.60, I flashed the newest BIOS right before installing the 940

 

[Idontcare]

For what it's worth, I bought the CPU from Newegg, and appear to have abided by their RMA rules: http://www.newegg.com/HelpInfo/ReturnPolicy.aspx

I agree, it appears Newegg's CPU return policy expressly only excludes CPU's that exhibit visible physical damage:

The following conditions are not acceptable for return, and will result in the merchandise being returned to you:

• Any CPU that is physically damaged
• Improper installation of CPU fans and/or improper clocking may cause CPUs to chip. CPUs that are chipped, burnt or have bent/broken pins are considered physically damaged and cannot be returned for refund or replacement. Physical damage includes (but is not limited to) improper handling and any other type of damage sustained by irregular use.

This is one reason why I personally avoid Newegg's Open-Box items because there is no assurance that you aren't buying someone else's bought and returned CPU that was abused in some suicide OC runs and so on for a weekend of cheap thrills.

 

[Avalon]

Is the IHS on the CPU flat? If it has a sufficiently large convex or concave spot in a vital area, it won't make good contact with your cooler, and will run hot.

Don't know what else to tell you. Something weird is going on if you're getting a couple in a row with the same issue. That doesn't typically happen unless something else is wrong, regardless of whether or not you stick your old Kuma chip back in and it works fine.

 

[maniac5999]

I really think that it was the batch of P2 940 chips from Newegg. I just bought the 830, and initial indications are that it's stable at 3.5Ghz, which is more than I expected. I never really pushed the reference clock, (everything I had before was a BE) but it seems that I can get it to 250 if I really try. Right now I'm at 3.5ghz and 1.35v, running OCCT, and at 52*. With the 940 I would IDLE at 60* at 3ghz and 1.4v.

 

[bononos]

I agree, it appears Newegg's CPU return policy expressly only excludes CPU's that exhibit visible physical damage:

This is one reason why I personally avoid Newegg's Open-Box items because there is no assurance that you aren't buying someone else's bought and returned CPU that was abused in some suicide OC runs and so on for a weekend of cheap thrills.

Would retailers in their returns policy expressly disallow returns which were overclocked if it were somehow possible to detect such a thing? I think they would if they could. If you avoid newegg open box stuff, do you also avoid stuff in FS/T? Stuff on enthusiast forums are more likely to be fiddled with compared to newegg which could be returns because some newbie didn't install drivers properly or something.

 

[daveybrat]

I would take the Phenom II 840 cpu at 3.2GHz over the 2.8GHz 830 chip. It'll run cooler at 95 watts and should be plenty for most games.

 

[Idontcare]

Would retailers in their returns policy expressly disallow returns which were overclocked if it were somehow possible to detect such a thing? I think they would if they could.

Wear and tear (degradation) on electrical components is detectable, its just not worth the expense and time required to investigate each and every return for it when the subsequent customer who is going to buy it as an open-box item (or reboxed and reshelved if you are a Best Buy shopper) has no way of detecting it themselves.

Its the same with clothing returns...you could wear clothes and then return them, the evidence that you wore the clothes will be there in terms of dna left on the clothing (skin, hair, etc) or if you have the clothing laundered then the chemical evidence of the laundering will also be present, but since the subsequent customers don't have easy/common access to that technology the store accepting the returns isn't about to go to the expense of employing it in their returns acceptance process.

The technology that is available to subsequent customers is that of the organic ocular type (their eyes), as such the presence of physical damage is the only metric that the etailer/retailer need care about.

Remember, in the end its all about making money.

If you avoid newegg open box stuff, do you also avoid stuff in FS/T? Stuff on enthusiast forums are more likely to be fiddled with compared to newegg which could be returns because some newbie didn't install drivers properly or something.

Yes I do.

Understand I'm not attempting to argue that everyone else should be as wary as I am. But plenty of people have posted in this very forum after having bought open-box items to lament that they think it was returned in the first place because the item was half-dead (walking wounded or some such) and those consumers experience buyer's remorse the likes of which I intend to avoid at all times even if it means paying consistently higher prices for retail unopened items at all times.

At least when you purchase stuff here in our FS/T forums there is a human connection that involves trust and history on part of both parties. That counts for something.

 

[maniac5999]

I would take the Phenom II 840 cpu at 3.2GHz over the 2.8GHz 830 chip. It'll run cooler at 95 watts and should be plenty for most games.

Actually, they're both 95W parts.

I bought the 830 last night, and to be honest, I'm really happy that I did. After a bit of testing at and below stock, I dropped the HT mult. from 9 to 8, set the clock to 250, and it booted right up at 3.5ghz. It just completed a 6 hour OCCT run at 1.35v, and never hit 53*. Interestingly, in addition to being multiplyer locked, the chip appears to be voltage locked too. It won't let me select a voltage higher than 1.35v, which is slightly disappointing, as the silicon itself seems to still have a lot left in it. I'm not too distraught, however, as I'm sort of suprised that my board didn't become the limiting factor before this. Both the Kuma and the 940 had problems going above 241. (of course even without the voltage limitation, I would be stuck around this point, the board won't even post at 260 with the CPU at 2ghz)

I'm really amazed by this P2 830 deal. A 3.5ghz Deneb for $50? Yes please! From my understanding, Propus chips don't normally go past 3.8-3.9, and the L3 is more important than the 10% faster clocks 90% of the time.

This really could be the best deal out there. Microcenter is currently selling an AM3 board for $30 (after MIR) and you can pick up a couple of GB of DDR3 for $20, and have the heart of a pretty decent computer for $100.

Oh, and for everyone who kept telling me that I was wrong and the mobo was the problem, I TOLD YOU SO!!!!!! :biggrin::biggrin::awe::biggrin:

 

[Plimogz]

A 3.5ghz Deneb for $50?

That is a great deal.

the chip appears to be voltage locked too.

I hate to sound like a broken record, but this being down to the CPU sounds highly unlikely.

Oh, and for everyone who kept telling me that I was wrong and the mobo was the problem, I TOLD YOU SO!!!!!!

Glad you solved it.

 

[Ben90]

It won't let me select a voltage higher than 1.35v

Oh, and for everyone who kept telling me that I was wrong and the mobo was the problem, I TOLD YOU SO!!!!!! :biggrin::biggrin::awe::biggrin:

The irony.