Is my CPU new or used?

[phanna]

Hey, I'm looking at buying a athlon x2 socket 939 cpu to overclock, and I've been looking at some on ebay. I don't want to buy a used processor. Many of the auctions state that the cpus are new, and I'm looking at an OEM one here. Is there any way to verify this via software or something visual? Please help me out, thanks!

 

[Mango1970]

By software?? uhhh not that I know of. Generally if it's a "reputable" retailer and the package comes boxed and SEALED it's a pretty good indicator. I mean I guess they could shrink wrap one and make it look new but thus far what I've bought on Ebay (x2-4800 and X2-3800) were both from an online ebay store and both were great deals and both were "new" or as new as they come.

Unless the CPU is physically damageed then there are no concerns. Generally all the larger sellers and even most of the others have a "DOA" policy so it's not in their best interest to send you something that is crap. Folks on Ebay work hard on keeping their positive feedback going so again it's not in their interest to screw ONE to then lose say a hundred possible future clients.

However be careful when you see too good to be true sales and folks that have like 10 positive feedbacks for like 10 cent items... that's a total scam... and most of the accounts are registerd in China or Macau or whatever.

 

[phanna]

basically what im worried about is since this is an oem cpu, i thought maybe it was bought by the guy, tested for OCing, did bad, and now hes claiming its new. All im wondering is if there is some store in the cpu that can be accessed by software that shows how much time its been run or something like that, so i can tell if it was used or not.

 

[stevty2889]

Originally posted by: phanna
basically what im worried about is since this is an oem cpu, i thought maybe it was bought by the guy, tested for OCing, did bad, and now hes claiming its new. All im wondering is if there is some store in the cpu that can be accessed by software that shows how much time its been run or something like that, so i can tell if it was used or not.

There really isn't anyway to tell. You would have to look at the CPU, see if you notice anything like scuffing, or signs that it already thermal paste on it. There is no software that will tell you if a cpu has been used or not.

 

[lopri]

Originally posted by: phanna
Hey, I'm looking at buying a athlon x2 socket 939 cpu to overclock, and I've been looking at some on ebay. I don't want to buy a used processor. Many of the auctions state that the cpus are new, and I'm looking at an OEM one here. Is there any way to verify this via software or something visual? Please help me out, thanks!

If the seller deals hundreds of CPUs, then most likely new. But when a regular Joe says an OEM CPU is new, I automatically click the "Back" icon on the browser.

 

[SparkyJJO]

I recently bought an opteron 165 off ebay from average Joe that he said was brand new. It was a retail box though so it was pretty obvious. Do OEM CPUs come with some sort of seal?

 

[Ricemarine]

Originally posted by: SparkyJJO
I recently bought an opteron 165 off ebay from average Joe that he said was brand new. It was a retail box though so it was pretty obvious. Do OEM CPUs come with some sort of seal?

Nopee...
Just the cpu in a small plastic box with antistatic foam underneath to protect the pins, in a white box (usually)...

You can never tell.
That's why you buy CPU's when they're hot .

 

[phanna]

Oh well, I snagged it. If it works out and its not a scam, it should overclock pretty well I'll post the info when I get it.

 

[Kwint Sommer]

Originally posted by: phanna
basically what im worried about is since this is an oem cpu, i thought maybe it was bought by the guy, tested for OCing, did bad, and now hes claiming its new. All im wondering is if there is some store in the cpu that can be accessed by software that shows how much time its been run or something like that, so i can tell if it was used or not.

Technically if all he did was a simple OCing test it is new. As a rule of thumb, assume that any recently released CPUs being sold on ebay in small quantity are bad OCers.

There's no reason to have permanent data storage in the CPU, it has a form of RAM but that is cleared when it losses power and frankly there's no reason to store usage data in the CPU. It doesn't serve a purpose and would add a fair measure of both technical challenge and cost to the CPU.