Degenerating overclock of a pentium 4 2.8C

[PhoenixOrion]

I assembled intel box back in 2004 using 2.8C northwood. Ran 24/7 at 3.5Ghz. Year 2005, I can only run it at 3.4Ghz prime stable. This year 2006, I can only run it at 3.2Ghz prime stable. Been running the box almost 24/7 since 2004.

Just wondering if this is normal.

Do I expect to be able to run it only at 3.0Ghz prime stable in year 2007 and so on?

 

[isp]

Seems odd to me, because I had a 2.8 for about 2 years and it ran 3500 with no problem. Maybe if you are pushing a lot of volts through it though....are you?

 

[PhoenixOrion]

3.5ghz @ 1.6v, 3.4ghz and 3.2ghz @ stock 1.52v. same components, no upgrades for the entire x years.

 

[Cooler]

it might not be able to handle that voltage anymore. You could try to get cidemill and have fun ocing it.

 

[Mogadon]

Have you done a clean install of your OS since you've been running this system, it may be a simple software issue that's making you system unstable.

 

[PhoenixOrion]

clean OS install happened last year. that's when ran it at 3.4ghz stock vcore. it's just recently this year that i can't get that 3.4 at prime stable for several days.....so i currently have it on 3.2

 

[Mogadon]

How about heat issues, have you cleaned out your case and fans with canned air?

 

[PhoenixOrion]

used up one can of Endust one day last week. thermalright sp-94 with a 92mm tornado great job on temps since june 2004 till current. all other components/entire case is well ventilated in a room maintained at 24C by floor heating during winter and convective air conditioning during the summer.

 

[Mogadon]

Have you changed any other components in the system?

It seems to me that you've done pretty much everything you can to discount outside influences. It may be that your CPU is gradually 'dying' and this is a result of that. I really don't have the knowledge to make any informed comments about whether that is a possibility or what to do about it.

As far as I understand it the transistors in the CPU will have a shorter lifespan at higher voltages so you may be 'losing' transistors and hence your overclock is losing it's potency, that's just pure specualtion though and may be total bullshit, someone with more technical knowledge can give you a better informed hypothesis.

 

[Duvie]

Dont forget that the mobo when overvolting and overclocking the fsb takes a beating...It could as easily be your mobo then the cpu.....My 2.4c I ran at 1.58v at 3.5ghz for over 1 year and sold it to a guy who still is running it at that speed 1 year later....

One thing I noticed frpm testing is that the board may have issues delivering that type of vcore (overvolting) I noticed over time the voltages changed a bit....fluctuated more, etc...The power supply was still top notch and later moved on to run my A64 3000+ system...

Lot of issues....1,6v is not much of a strain on a 1.5-1.525v standard chip as long as it was kept cool..under 60c and preferably in the low 50's would be ideal...

 

[PhoenixOrion]

yea, i kept temps very controlled. i didn't go aggressive on the voltages coz i wanted this system for a good minimum 5 years, or longer would be better.

the only thing i haven't played around is switching power supplies (for better amps) and see if i can go back again to that 3.5ghz prime stable.

 

[PhoenixOrion]

Originally posted by: Mogadon
Have you changed any other components in the system?

No hardware changes inside the box. Only change is a new monitor.

 

[JAG87]

cheap dried thermal paste?