Did I just kill my new i7?

[FreyG]

Hey all, posting this to see if I could get some help on some apparent overclocking problems I have had, bear with me a bit though as I type this I am a bit...frusterated/freaked out.

So I just built my system two days ago, nothing really new to me I have built many systems in the past, all went well...cept for the wifi card...that's another story though.

So today I figured I would try my hand at overclocking, something I actually have never done before but I had researched and looked at overshocked's guide on how to do so, so I figured it could be fun.

So the process I used was up the BCLK by 10mhz each time, see if I could get into windows, if I could, then I could start stress testing it, every time that failed I would up the cpu core voltage by .025.

I got upto 190 before windows would crash, so I continually upped the cpu core until it would start (Which was somewhere around 1.225 I don't remember exactly) Then I would start my usage of prime95 and stress it. I had the core up to 1.35, which I had read is perfectly acceptable up to 1.375 or even 1.550. My temps I believe at the highest got upto 76C, which yes it is high but also I have read this is still well within temps the i7 can get to. So it had been running for probably 20-30 minutes and all the sudden it shuts off. It had done this before while stress testing it however I now cannot get it back on, I occasionally get a very brief (maybe a fraction of a second) of power and then nothing. Could anyone help me out here I saved up to do this for a loooong time and I cannot afford to have anything be permanently damaged...and yes I know this is a risk of overclocking, but still I really wanted this to work and I thought it would be fun, which it was...till it broke. But anyone please help me out here I would greatly appreciate it! Here are the specs

Intel i7 920 @3.8ghz...briefly
Asrock x58 Extreme
6gb Corsair XMS3 @ 7-7-7-20
500GB Samsung F3
750W Antec Truepower New
Sapphire Radeon 5870
Cooler Master CM-690
Scythe Mugen 2 using Arctic Silver 5

If you need any other info at all just let me know, I gotta get this working or else I am out a lot of money here =\ Thanks all!

 

[moomooman]

Have you tried clearing the CMOS settings?

If you refer to your mainboard manual there should be a jumper to change which will clear all your settings, in particular your overclock settings, it may, possibly get it booting again.

Incidentally, from what I've seen, the I7 bios allows for automatic overclocking on the fly, which I would figure is safer than manually inputting settings.

 

[FreyG]

Yes I did try clearing out the CMOS, both on the button on the back panel and by using the jumper, still nothing, I know manual overclocking isn't without it's risks but I was following some rather clear instructions and was in ranges that from everything I have read is still rather acceptable.

Well needless to say this may be the last time I overclock, though I doubt I'll hold myself to that, prolly just last time I overclock that high.

 

[MaDMagik]

Have a look here: http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/forum/page-262730_13_0.html

Disassemble your machine and start from scratch following jsc`s advice

 

[FreyG]

Following that I get the same results with only the power supply plugged into the motherboard and nothing else, and I checked there was nothing at all else installed I get the exact same results, fraction of a second of power then nothing. So I am back to my original assessment that either I killed the CPU or somehow I killed either the motherboard or the PSU

 

[FreyG]

Well, I just concluded that it was not my CPU that died on me, it has to be either the Motherboard or the Power Supply, I just got a replacement CPU and no change, and unfortunately I don't have any way of testing either of these components out on another machine because everyone I live with has macs (Awful I know). Anyone have any idea what other component would be causing this?

 

[AsAnAtheist]

Interesting story. I have a couple of questions, I will give the results depending on the questions.

1. Did you build your system? If yes go on with question 2.

2. Did you use ESD protection? If no, go on the question 3.

3. Did you use the studs provided with or supplied by you for the motherboard? If yes go on to question 4.


It's most likely your motherboard, the new CPU canceled out the CPU. The power supply can be checked on another desktop, if not; run to your nearest electronics store and get a watt monitor (checks if your computer is drawing power). Shouldnt cost over $40 and is very helpful for future issues/setups. I know the syste doesnt boot for long but should be enough to get a reading. Good luck

 

[RetiredChief]

Beter than a watt meter. Get a PSU tester (approx $20). alwas a good idea to test new psu's before installing ( for next time your replace a PSU). These testers are not a definative test as they normally do not test under a nominal to high load condition, but the best that an average person can get within a reasonal price. Best option ofcoarse is to replace PSU (ie borrow one).
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16899705003

It is possible that the power supply on the MB was damaged do to current. This is the circuit that converts the +12 V (From PSU) to the 1.xx voltage for the CPU.

To determine if PSU or MB is a little like the chicken or the egg came first. The PSU could be defective, or the PSU is not getting the "I'm OK" signal from the MB.

 

[notty22]

You popped your motherboard.

 

[mindless728]

You popped your motherboard.

and you used your crystal ball to figure this out did you

though aside, i would find someone with either a decent desktop or since everyone has mac's, find someone with a mac pro and test your PSU on their system

 

[FreyG]

Well unfortunately the newest mac desktop is an old g5, which would be enough to test the motherboard...if it didn't use a 22 pin atx connector (I didn't even know the existed) However I am fairly certain it is the PSU but I am just going to go ahead and RMA both the PSU and Motherboard, I just wanted to figure out what happened to see if it is something I did or just an unfortunate series of events.

 

[AsAnAtheist]

Yeah it's better to just RMA them. Shame though I was having fun when figuring out what was wrong with your system :/

 

[FreyG]

Yeah it's better to just RMA them. Shame though I was having fun when figuring out what was wrong with your system :/

Sorry, I would have loved to figure out what was wrong with it as well, if I hadn't just moved and left everything at home, I would have had plenty of stuff to test everything with, but here...macs and laptops, it's a sad sight which I was hoping to improve haha. But anyways last thing I can say is before I boxed up the PSU I plugged it in again and it gave me some wierd hissing noise I guess you could call it, not sure if that is normal or not but maybe that'll help out, not sure really, but I am just looking forward to get this up and running again, I'd like to play a game that was made sometime in the last three years haha.