Temps or Vcore, what'll kill my CPU?

[deadken]

Hi, I have O/C'd quite a bit, but I have to admit I like lower Vcores then some other people do. I have a Athlon XP 2400+ CPU that I usually run at 2338Mhz @ 1.725Vcore (according to CPU-Z 11.5*204FSB). When I was Memtesting some Ram I just bought, I forgot to lower the Multi and was running around 2.4Ghz in Memtest.

So, I decided to see what the CPU could do stable in Windows ('Stable' to me means 8+hrs of P95 w/F@H running also). I have been able to boot and run in Windows @2400Mhz (218x11) @ 1.8Vcore. But, P95 failed after 6mins. I upped the Vcore to 1.825 and P95 failed after 51mins. I have upped the Vcore to 1.85 and was running fine for a while when the PC Froze. I still have room to go, but am wondering how long can I expect a CPU that was meant to run at less then 1.7 run at about 1.9?

I also know that people often say that Temps Kill not Volts. I am running a Shuttle AN35N Ultra Mobo with a ThemalRight SLK-900-U HS and a Zalman 92MM Fan. I use an Antec SLK3700AMB Case with a 120MM Fan in the sidepanel (blowing onto the CPU HSF). The CPU was at 49C when at 1.825 and full load after almost an hour.

So, will my CPU die after a few months at such a high Vcore? I was happy with 2338Mhz, and I ran that PC w/Folding@Home 24/7/365 for months with no problems. I don't need to kill my 'Family Rig' CPU for a whopping 62Mhz gain.

Thanks in advance for your help. I am sorry for writing such a long post, but I wanted to give all the info that I thought would be needed.

 

[CheesePoofs]

I think volts, temps, and age will kill a CPU. Depends on the situation.

Running prime95 and folding@home at the same time to test stability isn't really a good idea. You should pick one or the other, otherwise you get both programs constantly fighting for CPU time, with the end result being that neither gets as much CPU time as they should, so you get lower temps and a worse stability test.

 

[Extraordinary Cow]

Nice OC, the most I can get out of mine is about 2150MHz. I think both kills, you increase temp with more volts I think. Your CPU shouldn't die too soon, my friend does a similar thing with his VCore and it has been stable for about a year, with about a 20% OC. (on a pentium though)

 

[AnandThenMan]

The AthlonXP seems pretty tough when it comes to overvolting it. I have a rig that I'm running an XP1800+@2.2 with 1.85 volts (actual voltage is nearly 1.9) and it has been running that way for about 2 years straight with no problems. Anything much over 1.9 is probably getting dangerous though. Considering what I paid for the chip I'm not too worried if I fry the thing.

 

[deadken]

Originally posted by: CheesePoofs
....Running prime95 and folding@home at the same time to test stability isn't really a good idea. You should pick one or the other, otherwise you get both programs constantly fighting for CPU time......

Oh... My understanding of F@H is that it just picks up any unused Clock cycles. When your PC is idle, it pushes the load up to %100, when not, it still takes whatever it can to bring the load up to %100. When gaming, F@H steps to the background and doesn't really interfere at all. I figured that if there were any unused clock cycles by P95, then F@H would take them. I don't entirely disagree with you though, since my experience has been that F@H still makes 'decent' progress on its Work Unit(s) while P95 is running. I guess I will start running P95 alone to test for stability.

Anyway, thanks for all of the opinions so far. I can't figure out why when I voted for 'I don't know' my poll results don't show any votes for it yet. I hope that the results aren't screwed up. Please, keep the info coming! Thanks!

 

[CheesePoofs]

F@H is suppossed to pick up unused clock cycles, but its not perfect, and it ends up eating a little bit into prime's CPU time. Check your max load temps while running just Prime and while running Prime and F@H. The second one should be lower.

 

[imported_Kensai]

Everything kills your CPU, even normal use. It strains the silion everytime itransistors switch from on to off, etc.
Votlage will kill your CPU faster than the temps will if the temps are still acceptable.

 

[deadken]

Originally posted by: Kensai
....Votlage will kill your CPU faster than the temps will if the temps are still acceptable.

I understand that given all things being equal the one with the higher volts will probably die first. I was curious to see if guys who run 1.9+ Vcore get any kind of longevity on those CPU's.

Thanks again for all of the info!

 

[deadken]

Anyone else care to comment?

 

[Corporate Thug]

combo of volts and temps but i think its more volts

 

[stevty2889]

Too much voltage will kill it the fastest. The thermal protection built in to the P4's and the A64's makes it much more diffucult to kill them with temps, as they will throttle or shut themselves down when the temps start to get too high.

 

[DAPUNISHER]

You are thinking correctly, forget all that extra juice for such a small mhz increase. As far as what will kill it fastest, I have read others state electromigration is a big factor

Electromigration is actually not a function of current, but a function of current density. It is also accelerated by elevated temperature.

lots of other nasty little things

 

[SynthDude2001]

Not to hijack the thread (too badly at least ) - but how do I know if my CPU is dying, as opposed to something else?

Lately I've been having lots of instances in which the computer will shut down (fans remain spinning) but then immediately reboot. It's not a Windows BSOD either. Also, sometimes it seems to be just a hard freeze (or at least, I don't wait long enough for it to do anything else).

I'm thinking this could be either my CPU or PSU, or possibly the motherboard.

Background info: System is an Athlon XP 1700+ @ 2400MHz on an Abit NF7-S 2.0...Was running at 219x11 (11-2-2-2) for the longest time, but I set it back to an even 200x12 a while back. Since the crashing/shutting down started, I've lowered my CPU to stock (1466MHz, 133x11, mem timings by SPD), and I've still gotten a few, although less.

Thanks in advance.

Edit: The system was built in August 2003 and my normal Vcore was 1.875, and I've had absolutely no problems up to this point. Voltage is at stock 1.50 right now as well.

 

[dug777]

lol mem controller

stop hoping for a fix and get a FX-55 rig now :|

 

[SynthDude2001]

Originally posted by: dug777
lol mem controller

stop hoping for a fix and get a FX-55 rig now :|

Stop trying to spend my money for me (before I'm even positive that my current rig is dead) :laugh:

 

[dug777]

Originally posted by: SynthDude2001

Originally posted by: dug777
lol mem controller

stop hoping for a fix and get a FX-55 rig now :|

Stop trying to spend my money for me (before I'm even positive that my current rig is dead) :laugh:

You poll made me ROFL, you are so an OT creature by habit

 

[SynthDude2001]

Originally posted by: dug777

Originally posted by: SynthDude2001

Originally posted by: dug777
lol mem controller

stop hoping for a fix and get a FX-55 rig now :|

Stop trying to spend my money for me (before I'm even positive that my current rig is dead) :laugh:

You poll made me ROFL, you are so an OT creature by habit

That I am, but you do realize this wasn't originally my thread, right?

 

[dug777]

Originally posted by: SynthDude2001

Originally posted by: dug777

Originally posted by: SynthDude2001

Originally posted by: dug777
lol mem controller

stop hoping for a fix and get a FX-55 rig now :|

Stop trying to spend my money for me (before I'm even positive that my current rig is dead) :laugh:

You poll made me ROFL, you are so an OT creature by habit

That I am, but you do realize this wasn't originally my thread, right?

right after i posted it

but i figured it was rather too late by then to EDIT

 

[DAPUNISHER]

You fvckin' ATOT nefs! The random shutdowns and hard freezes are probably the PSU starting to bonk. Obviously if you have another compatable PSU, CPU, board, full system it is time to start eliminating the usual suspects. If you don't then get your sorry ass back to OT where all single system goobers belong j/k

 

[SynthDude2001]

Originally posted by: DAPUNISHER
You fvckin' ATOT nefs! The random shutdowns and hard freezes are probably the PSU starting to bonk. Obviously if you have another compatable PSU, CPU, board, full system it is time to start eliminating the usual suspects. If you don't then get your sorry ass back to OT where all single system goobers belong j/k

I tried to keep it to a minimum, I really did.

I've been thinking about getting a new PSU anyway (mine is as old as the rest of the system)...so it would probably be worthwhile to go ahead and order that now and see if it helps? I don't have any spare parts lying around, and I'd have a hard time convincing my brother (who lives across campus) to let me use his PSU.

Thanks for the input.