Did I get a defective 720BE? what should I do? please help!

[beef1218]

Hi!
It is my first time to do OC after I built my first desktop.
CPU: PhenomII x3 720BE. (default 200MHz x 14 = 2.8GHz)
mobo: ECS 790GX, which should be good OC ability according to this review: http://www.guru3d.com/article/ecs-a790gxmad3-socket-am3-ddr3-motherboard-review/1
Heatsink: Sunbeam CR-CCTF 120 mm Core-Contact Freezer CPU Cooler W/TX-2
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835207004
RAM: G-Skill DDR3 2x2G.
GPU: HSI HD4850 512M
PSU: OCZ 550W

I used the AMD overdrive 3.02 following the instructions.
I only increased the multiplier to 16 (3.2GHz), with the CPU voltage unchanged (1.325V). Then run the Small FFT test in Prime95. The system just shut down after 10 mins! I was monitoring the temperature, the core temperature was only 31C when it shut down!

I then ran the same test with everything in default setting. (200MHz x 14 = 2.8 GHz) However, the system still shut down after 10 mins!

Did I get a defective CPU? How can I make sure it is the CPU's problem?
Can I RMA it to newegg with this reason?

Please help me, thank you very much!

 

[megamanx00]

No, I don't think it was the CPU. May be a PSU problem, or could be a memory problem. So, it shuts down after running prime 95 for 10 minutes huh? Try downloading and running memtest. If you have the Linux Distro Ubuntuu it's on the disk. You can also find it on may other popular distros. If not, then just google memtext, download it (the CD ISO, not the floppy unless you want to use a floppy), and follow the instructions to make a bootable CD.

 

[beef1218]

Thank you megamanx00. I will try that tonight.

 

[ill b ben]

i doubt its the psu aint that a dual rail with 25 amps both?. And no if it runs perfect on default settings its not defective. So trying running prime or w/e on stock settings.

And i would highly recommend using the BIOS instead of software to overclock ur cpu since i think its the software that makes it unstable. There are tons of ''How to OC'' here on this site check em out and u might learn a thing or two

Goodluck with ur OC

 

[beef1218]

Thank you all for your help.
After I reset the BIOS setting and clicked the "reset CMOS" button. I didn't encounter shutting down anymore. I now have OC it to 3.7GHz with 1.50V, have been running prime95 test 30mins without error. I will let it run all night to further test the stability.

Just one more question: should I disable the setting in BIOS which allows the CPU to lower its frequency when it's not in use?

 

[ill b ben]

Well first of i know very little of OC on a AMD chipset but seeing that 1.325v is ur reference voltage aint 1.5v rather high?

and secondly most people inted to turn it off (benching maybe? seeing as it needs 0.0001 sec to adjust it speed or w/e) I my self always leave it on seeing as i also browse the web often thus not needing that much horse power

 

[evongugg]

Just one more question: should I disable the setting in BIOS which allows the CPU to lower its frequency when it's not in use?

I turn it off. It can generate errors in Prime95. Test your computer with Prime95 to see if you get errors with it on.