i7-2600k presumed dead, no idea why..

[Durzel]

I suspect my retail i7-2600k CPU has died...

Basic configuration is as follows:

• ASUS Maximus IV Extreme
• Intel Core™ i7-2600K CPU (8M Cache, 3.40 GHz)
• 8GB G.skill Ripjaws-X F3-17600CL9D-8GBXLD
• Antec Signature 850W PSU
• Noctua NH-D14 heatsink/fan

Built this system shortly after buying it and it had been running without issue for a couple of months. The only overclocked component in the system was the graphics cards - 2 x ASUS 6950s (flashed to 6970) running a known-good overclock. Everything else is running at its default "optimal settings" BIOS configuration.

One day I was using it without issue, switched it off as normal to get some food. Shortly afterwards I tried booting it up again and it wouldn't POST. Q-code LCD on the motherboard just said 00. It initially shows 00, then shutdown then start up again, after that it would show 00 forever with the fans spinning but no POST or beeps.

Thinking perhaps the motherboard had died I removed it and got it replaced under the Sandybridge recall program. I received the new B3 board back from ASUS last Friday, rebuilt PC and tried switching it on and was surprised to find it doing exactly the same thing as the old board.

Things I have tried/eliminated:

• Graphics cards - neither are installed, PC doesn't get as far as even acknowledging with beeps that there is no video
• Memory - PC does the same thing whether memory is installed or not, does not acknowledge if no memory is installed at all
• Motherboard - it is conceivable that I received a DOA B3 motherboard from ASUS, but for it to behave in exactly the same way as the old (presumed defective) board is a bit too coincidental?
• Loosened the heatsink screws slightly (maybe too tight?)
• Removed motherboard completely from case and tried running it on a cardboard box (assuming mobo was grounding on case) - same result.
• On original board I tried switching BIOSes, clearing CMOS, etc. On new board (which of course has a fresh CMOS/BIOS) it behaves the same way.

I have also tried another old Enermax 550W PSU - unfortunately it was designed for P4s so only has a 20-pin ATX power connector, and 4-pin instead of 8-pin extra power. Despite this when trying to use it the PC behaves exactly the same way - 00 on Q-code LCD, no POST, no beeps. I'm fairly confident therefore that the Antec PSU isn't faulty.

When I removed the CPU to RMA the original motherboard I checked it and did not notice any unusual marks on the CPU or bent pins in the socket. I am very meticulous about building PCs so I would be surprised if I had caused damage through installation.

Is it possible for a CPU to just randomly die? I've never had an Intel CPU fail on me out of the blue, especially one that is barely 2 months old.

Would appreciate any help/assistance anyone could provide.

[aussie-revhead]

I had a 2600K die too, its away for rma now.

[Durzel]

Seems so strange for it to just die.

Having said that the only things that are even installed currently is the motherboard, CPU and PSU. Everything else is uninstalled. By definition therefore one of those three components must be faulty. The motherboard could have been DOA from ASUS, but it seems unlikely it would do exactly the same thing as the pre-B3 revision did. The PSU could be faulty but the Enermax one (which admittedly was designed for P4 systems and only has 20-pin ATX and 4-pin 12V instead of 24-pin/8-pin) does the same thing. Which leaves the CPU.....

[Falkentyne]

RMA the CPU and your problems are solved...

[Dumo]

Post code reader "00" on Asus P67 board means CPU dead. RMA to Intel

http://www.intel.com/support/9089.htm

[Durzel]

Post code reader "00" on Asus P67 board means CPU dead. RMA to Intel

http://www.intel.com/support/9089.htm

Out of interest how is it that you know this? Is it based on personal experience or information on the 'net somewhere? The M4E manual says LCD code 00 is "Unused".

Incidentally though you are correct - tested the CPU in two known working P67 systems earlier today, neither would POST with the CPU installed. CPU is 100% dead.

[Dumo]

Out of interest how is it that you know this? Is it based on personal experience or information on the 'net somewhere? The M4E manual says LCD code 00 is "Unused".

Incidentally though you are correct - tested the CPU in two known working P67 systems earlier today, neither would POST with the CPU installed. CPU is 100% dead.

Same thing happened to me. Same board (mine is B3), same cpu and same symptom but probly different cause

The only thing that stuck on me was bios gave warning about over voltage from psu a few times bfore post code reader went 00 at boot up

You are the 4th. peep that experienced "00" that I know with MIVE

I tried about 60+ 2600Ks with different P67 boards mostly with subzero and this thing only happened on my highest binning chip on this particular board.

http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/...0&postcount=99

[firebane]

I had 3 2600Ks that had bad memory controllers right out of the box :S It was a bit odd.

[Dumo]

I had 3 2600Ks that had bad memory controllers right out of the box :S It was a bit odd.

What's the symptoms firebane? Can it boot up?

[PolRoger]

The only thing that stuck on me was bios gave warning about over voltage from psu a few times bfore post code reader went 00 at boot up

Can you elaborate on this... what kind of overvoltage warning from the BIOS with regards to your psu?

[Dumo]

Can you elaborate on this... what kind of overvoltage warning from the BIOS with regards to your psu?

It happened when I turn on board and hit del to go to bios. Its different with over voltage error warning when we did'nt put ignore on vore reading in bios

[aussie-revhead]

Same thing happened to me. Same board (mine is B3), same cpu and same symptom but probly different cause

The only thing that stuck on me was bios gave warning about over voltage from psu a few times bfore post code reader went 00 at boot up

You are the 4th. peep that experienced "00" that I know with MIVE

I tried about 60+ 2600Ks with different P67 boards mostly with subzero and this thing only happened on my highest binning chip on this particular board.

http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/...0&postcount=99

I noticed that my voltages in turboV have weird spikes and drops resulting in intermittant warnings for all sorts of weird things like cpu pll is 5v or dram voltage is 3v or 0.00 etc , all obviously impossible but is this common? Both of my P8P67 Evo's and my rampage III Gene all do this.

[Dumo]

I use the other board for my good 2600K

MIVE B3 went on for early retirement

[firebane]

What's the symptoms firebane? Can it boot up?

Ya they booted up and were able to even install Windows but would get corruption and huge memory dumps and errors.

And when I tried to run Memtest on it the program just froze.

[Dumo]

Ya they booted up and were able to even install Windows but would get corruption and huge memory dumps and errors.

And when I tried to run Memtest on it the program just froze.

Your 2600Ks are fine
Just check your rams

The cpu will not post and will stuck @ 00 post code if its dead

[firebane]

Your 2600Ks are fine
Just check your rams

The cpu will not post and will stuck @ 00 post code if its dead

2 different PSUs,
1 other type of memory
1 other type of board

Even the supplier we bought them from came to the same conslusion.

2600K has the memory controller on chip which had failed.