Is it my CPU or my Motherboards VRM

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JimF_35

JimF_35

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I have a old i7 990X that I had overclocked to 4.7 GHz at around 1.5 Volts Vcore with max temps of 95c. It ran fine for about a year but now it is unstable.

First I backed the oc down to 4.2 GHz but it was still unstable so I turned off Hyperthreading and the system seems stable but I can not put the oc much over 4.2 GHz without it going unstable again. This is also running 1.55 Volts to keep stable. :(

I have since been checking the Vcore voltages under load and I noticed that under idle it hovers between 1.49 and 1.51 and under idle it drops way back to 1.37. I would expect the voltage to go up under load not down. I have Voltagedroop turned off and Turbo turned on. Let me know if you need any other info so that I can decide weather to get a new MoBo or a CPU.

Thanks.
 
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Would that be 'Antec' (a reputable company), or some knockoff brand?

I'd reseat the cooler and apply new thermal paste - it might have dried out after this long.

What temp is it running at?
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JimF_35

JimF_35

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EVGA x58 MoBo
990x CPU at 4.2 GHz 1.55 V
6 GB 16000 XMP RAM 830 MHz 9-9-9-24 at 1.66 Volts and QPI voltage at 1.4 Volts
900 W Antech Power Supply

Custom 280 mm Alpha Cool Water Cooling system CPU only. GPUs on Air.

 
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Powerbolt

Powerbolt

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95c is a little hot. I can't believe you ran it like that for so long. That's also a pretty high core voltage you're running. Max core voltages for that particular chip are around ~1.4V with some having success at around ~1.45V. Temperature thresholds are also not far off at ~100-110c as well.

As had been suggested, try re-seat the cooler, and putting some new paste on. I wouldn't be surprised if you half fried your chip from pushing it so hard for a prolonged amount of time. In any case, it certainly didn't do it any favors.
 
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JimF_35

JimF_35

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"95c is a little hot"

That was under Prime 95. It averaged around 83 or so under normal loads.

As for the PSU, I was thinking the same thing that it could be it too but my instabilities seem to only be with the CPU not the RAM or Hard Drive or GPUs. I would think that if it was the PSU I would be seeing problems with other devices but I think the PSU has multiple rails though. I will have to look into it. Here are the specs...

http://www.kitguru.net/components/power-supplies/zardon/antec-high-current-gamer-900w-power-supply-review/
 
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JimF_35

JimF_35

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Yes it is a hot sucker. Its TJMax is 101c so I did not worry too much about it. I have had it up to its TJmax trying to get 5 GHz out of it but to get 5 GHz out of these old CPUs you need at least 1.6 V and I settled on 4.7 GHz because that is what most 990x owners run theirs at. It could be the fact of me trying to get in the 5 GHz club that I damaged it then and it just took a year for it to show up. My gut is telling me that it is the CPU but I guess I am just in denial.
 
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