Death throes of a CPU?

Mobius · Post by **Mobius** » Sun Jul 18, 2004 11:54 pm

Asus A7V133 with T-Bird 1.0 and Radeon R8500 combo.

This core has been in the box since early 2001. It's been a nice runner too - running constantly at 1470 MHz for over 3 years. Pure copper Volcano 7+ on it. CPU runs around 38-42 C depending on load.

Here's my symptoms over the weekend.

1) Plugging a DVD-Writer into a spare IDE cable operates perfectly, and when removing it the machine refuses to boot several times in a row.

2) Normal boot results in video card crash - but back of card (over GPU) remains cool to the touch. The Crystal Orb (Copper) cooler fan is running slowly, but the card is running stock @ 275/275.

3) Booting at 1000-1200 MHz results in ocassional successes. Booting at 1400 often results in a complete Post Failure (Monitor doesn't even power up) followed by alternating high/low bleeps - which indicates CPU not mounted correctly, no CPU or Damaged CPU. I know it's seated properly.

4) Power Supply rear fan rattles a bit. Prolly that one is running slow.

5) Once system is up and running - 3D apps run properly - and XP doesn't crash.

Seems to me the whole system is collapsing. Ion Migration has been slowly killing the core - the constant overclocking has basically done for the GFx card, or the power supply is acting up. Or all three - wouldn't suprise me.

It's working now - but for how much longer I wonder? At least the HDDs are probably safe from the CPU/Mobo/GFx blowing up, but not if the PSU goes west.

Really struggling with a Northwood 3.0 or AMD 64 3000+ decision. Had such a good run from the Athlon. Until AMD64 I would've gone P4 - but now I'm torn. Think PowerNow might swing me towards the 3000+.

Flatlander · Post by **Flatlander** » Mon Jul 19, 2004 6:01 am

throes

Have you tried running memtest or Prime 95?

MD-2389 · Post by **MD-2389** » Mon Jul 19, 2004 12:30 pm

It could be either the motherboard or processor dude. Stick the chip into another system and see if it still happens.

Mobius · Post by **Mobius** » Mon Jul 19, 2004 2:31 pm

Yes, I realised "Throes" as soon as I posted.

More Woes too - this time the my 19" Viewsonic died. LMFAO.

Swapped out GFx card - no change.

The system hangs booting into safe mode - stalls at MUP.SYS - and I've seen this before when things have been bad.

I'm pretty confident it's the CPU now - and no real way to test it - because who the hell has an Athlon motherboard these days???

*sigh*

Mr. Perfect · Post by **Mr. Perfect** » Mon Jul 19, 2004 5:23 pm

OCing fucks up your hardware, mkay?

STRESSTEST · Post by **STRESSTEST** » Mon Jul 19, 2004 5:31 pm

Mr. Perfect wrote:OCing ****s up your hardware, mkay?

x2

Want me to chagne the tilte of this thraed so you dont apere to speel liek warlook?

Top Wop · Post by **Top Wop** » Mon Jul 19, 2004 5:51 pm

Id suggest the AMD 64 series of chips. Aside from increase in performance, it would enable you to (obviously) run an os and software thats 64 bit enabled.

CritterB · Post by **CritterB** » Mon Jul 19, 2004 8:01 pm

I had an old Thunderbird 1200. I ran that thing hard at 1333 (was a good oc at the time) for a long time. After it was at that speed for so long it would no longer boot at its regular speed of 1200. I also could not change any of the bios settings or it would not boot. It was basically dying and woulod only run at the one axact speed that it had been running at for a logn time. It also started to get a little unstable. I got a new one and of course I have an athlon xp 2400 mobiel that I am running at 2300 mhz rock solid with a volcano 12 cooler. So yea, o/cing shortened the life of my old tbird but it was the best when I got it and it lasted a few years and now I am o/cing again. Go figure.

My guess is it's time for a new cpu.

DCrazy · Post by **DCrazy** » Mon Jul 19, 2004 8:44 pm

I don't think Mobi is aware that he can edit it himself.

Mobius · Post by **Mobius** » Mon Jul 19, 2004 10:18 pm

Indeed I was not aware I could edit the thread title! COOL!

Yeah - I'm leaning towards AMD 64 - but right now I'm just going to put this Duron 1600 into the machine. It costs like $40 - and I haven't paid for it yet.

Time to wait for a rebuild: PCI-Xpress, SATA RAID, DDR2...

Oh - and overclocking is SWEET!

Look at it this way: My budget processor (at purchase) ran at the same speed as a core that cost more than twice what I paid. It ran this way - 50% overclocked for more than 3 years - and now it owes me precisely DICK.

If anything, I am amazed it lasted so long - and is a tribute to the wonderful manufacturing capability of AMD and also a complete and utter vindication of Overclocking.

Given that CPU cores are valueless after 3 years - your NON-overclocked CPU is worth NOTHING - and my AMZINGLY OVERCLOCKED AND THRASHED CPU is also worth NOTHING. The fact I can replace it now for $40 is all the argument anyone EVER needs to overclock the living crap out of every single component.

DCrazy · Post by **DCrazy** » Mon Jul 19, 2004 10:47 pm

What, that by the time it gets fried it will be cheap enough to replace? Interesting theory...

STRESSTEST · Post by **STRESSTEST** » Mon Jul 19, 2004 10:49 pm

Vindicator · Post by **Vindicator** » Tue Jul 20, 2004 1:19 am

Mobius wrote:Oh - and overclocking is SWEET!

Look at it this way: My budget processor (at purchase) ran at the same speed as a core that cost more than twice what I paid. It ran this way - 50% overclocked for more than 3 years - and now it owes me precisely DICK.

My $43 processor (xp1700 tbred-b) runs at 2.2ghz. O/Cing saved me a lot of money

Flatlander · Post by **Flatlander** » Tue Jul 20, 2004 6:05 am

omfglol wtf is that thing Stress?

Vertigo · Post by **Vertigo** » Tue Jul 20, 2004 7:32 am

Vindicator wrote:
Mobius wrote:Oh - and overclocking is SWEET!

Look at it this way: My budget processor (at purchase) ran at the same speed as a core that cost more than twice what I paid. It ran this way - 50% overclocked for more than 3 years - and now it owes me precisely DICK.
My $43 processor (xp1700 tbred-b) runs at 2.2ghz. O/Cing saved me a lot of money

I can attest to that !

(Altho mine is running at a stable 2.47GHz instead

)

KompresZor · Post by **KompresZor** » Tue Jul 20, 2004 9:43 am

omg!! Stress that pic is friggin awesome

Top Gun · Post by **Top Gun** » Tue Jul 20, 2004 11:19 am

Flatlander wrote:omfglol wtf is that thing Stress?

I believe it's a meerkat, like Timon in the Lion King movies

. They're social, ground-dwelling animals. I've seen them at the Philadelphia Zoo; they're funny things to watch

.

Yes, this was completely off-topic. Sue me

.