Phenom 9950 Stability Issue

Hyper_Eye · Posted: Sat Nov 22, 2008 8:07 pm Post subject: Phenom 9950 Stability Issue

I have been running an ASUS M2N32-SLI Deluxe with an Athlon 64 X2 6000+ for some time now. I received a Phenom 9950BE 125W CPU yesterday and I was hoping it would be a simple drop-in. When I put the new CPU in the machine Gentoo became completely unstable. Components of KDE randomly crash. When I compile a large application like wine I get random internal compiler error's (segfault - signal 11). This usually points to memory issues but I know the memory isn't the problem because putting the old CPU back in resolves the issues. It looks like this CPU causes instability. The question is whether it is causing instability in combination with my hardware or with Gentoo (and Linux in a more broad sense.) On the ASUS forum I found that people are using this CPU with this mobo successfully. I have found, though, that similar issues occur when compiling large applications in Gentoo for other users of Phenom CPU's. What I have not found is a solution. Some have recommended setting makeopts to "-j1". That would at best allow me to compile. It isn't going to stabilize everything else. Does anyone know of a solution to these issues?
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NeddySeagoon · Posted: Sat Nov 22, 2008 8:33 pm Post subject:

Hyper_Eye,

Two things ... getting the power in and the heat out.

What PSU do you have and what are its ratings per voltage?

The CPU is actually powered by the 12v from the PSU, so it needs about 12 Amps, just for that, when its working hard compiling.
The motherboard has an on board switched mode PSU to step down the 12v from the PSU.

Overheating due to using too much thermal paste is also a cause of random segfaults.
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Computer users fall into two groups:-
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Hyper_Eye · Posted: Sat Nov 22, 2008 9:01 pm Post subject:

I currently am using an OCZ GameXStream 600W: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817341001

I used the stock HSF and it has a thermal pad on it. I have some Artic Silver 5 but scraping those pads off tends to be a major pain so I figured what the hell (although the thermal pad on my old HSF caused the 6000+ to become attach to the HSF and when I removed the HSF from the board the CPU came with it without lifting the socket arm.)
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szczerb · Posted: Sat Nov 22, 2008 9:23 pm Post subject:

A paste could do the same (sucking the CPU out of the socket) so don't worry.

Maybe you have a pair of graphic monsters in SLI?

Also how much can it give on all four +12V combined? (it's not in the specs)

NeddySeagoon · Posted: Sat Nov 22, 2008 9:23 pm Post subject:

Hyper_Eye,

That PSU can provide 18A on each 12v rail, so thats plenty.
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NeddySeagoon

Computer users fall into two groups:-
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szczerb · Posted: Sat Nov 22, 2008 9:26 pm Post subject:

Well it can give up to 18A on a single rail at a time but we have no idea how much +12 total (4 rails * 12V * 18A == 864W which tells as only that those four rails with their amperage seem to be a commercial crap ;])

Monkeh · Veteran Joined: 06 Aug 2005 Posts: 1656 Location: England

szczerb · Posted: Sat Nov 22, 2008 10:23 pm Post subject:

I dug a bit deeper and found the chart:
http://www.ocztechnology.com/drivers/GameXstream_600W_chart.jpg

580W is a maximum combined power for +12 +5 and +3.3
+5 and +3.3 can take up to 155W
So this leaves +12V with 425W max power

So yes, it should be plenty and probably the mobo's power section is to blame.

BTW Note that the max power is not the value that the PSU can give constantly. On some chinese crap (no offense to the Chinese here...) the real power is half the max at best and the damn thing will fry within seconds of putting some real load on it.

Hyper_Eye · Posted: Sat Nov 22, 2008 10:37 pm Post subject:

I went through a few really good benchmarks and stress tests on that PSU as well as many reviews and all of them were good reviews. So, I don't think the quality of the PSU is bad but I understand the legitimacy of the question as to how much power it can put out. From everything I have read this PSU should handle the 9950BE fine. I have a single 9800 GTX+ in the machine and I don't use SLI since games under wine and cedega don't take advantage of it and I haven't found a native game yet that doesn't just hum along on this machine.

I think I might consider getting an M3A79-T Deluxe to replace my M2N32-SLI. I may also upgrade to DDR2 1066. I'm thinking maybe a 4gig pair of G.SKILL memory. I would rather use the CPU now but if I have no choice but to make some more upgrades I guess that's just what I am going to have to do. I will say that others have reported their systems running stable with the 9950BE and the M2N32-SLI but they were all running 1066 memory and Windows.
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NeddySeagoon · Posted: Sat Nov 22, 2008 10:47 pm Post subject:

szczerb,

Every in PC PSU I've ever seen, the sum of the limits for the rails is greater taht the overall rating.
Its a design feature - these PSUs have a single main converter and separate stabilisers on each supply.
The overall max power is set by the main converter but you can mix and match within the limits of the stabilisers.

Oh, its common for the -5v and -12v to be very poorly regulated as they are not used in a modern PC.
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NeddySeagoon

Computer users fall into two groups:-
those that do backups
those that have never had a hard drive fail.

Monkeh · Veteran Joined: 06 Aug 2005 Posts: 1656 Location: England

Hyper_Eye · Posted: Sat Nov 22, 2008 11:27 pm Post subject:

szczerb · Posted: Sat Nov 22, 2008 11:39 pm Post subject:

I never meat to imply that OCZ PSU's are crap ;] I just wanted to explain the issue on a "better" example.

Also I know that the all PSU's can't handle as much +12V as the sum of all rails. But here the sum of those rails is 144% of the whole 600W output and the limit for all rails is not given. I certainly wouldn't buy a PSU whose manufacturer decides not to share such a vital information. That is why I called it "commercial crap" - commercial as in advertisement (my english got a bit rusty as I didn't have a chance to have a decent conversation for some time now, so I can't find a better word).

BTW I'm using GoodRam sticks on several machines now and, while affordable, they seem to be very high quality. Two sets which 667MHz are working 800MHz with poor to none air flow (and of course no heatsinks) and are rock stable. Although I think it's a polish brand and I don't know if it's available worldwide.

Monkeh · Veteran Joined: 06 Aug 2005 Posts: 1656 Location: England

szczerb · Posted: Sun Nov 23, 2008 12:12 am Post subject:

Well, then it is not clear enough for me.

If there was a box with 580W on the right of the 155W box and another box with 580W underneath those two, then it would be clear that +12V rails can give 580W and +3.3 with +5 can give up to 155W but all three together they can't give more then 580W.

Monkeh · Veteran Joined: 06 Aug 2005 Posts: 1656 Location: England

Jorgo · Posted: Sun Nov 23, 2008 10:11 am Post subject:

Which BIOS version do you have on your board? Latest version on Asus website is 2101
Phenom CPUs are supported from Bios version 1903 an higher.
Are you sure you have the 125W 9950? There is another model with 140W, wich will definatly not work on any of Asus M2N32- Models
Btw.: The CPU ist not listed as supported by your board, but there are some people using this combo without problems
http://support.asus.com/cpusupport/cpusupport.aspx?SLanguage=en-en&model=M2N32-SLI%20Deluxe

Hyper_Eye · Posted: Sun Nov 23, 2008 10:42 am Post subject:

Monkeh · Veteran Joined: 06 Aug 2005 Posts: 1656 Location: England

It could just be that some users are lucky, as I doubt the RAM has anything to do with it. The CPU isn't listed as supported, probably for a reason.

szczerb · Posted: Sun Nov 23, 2008 12:12 pm Post subject:

They might have a different revision of the same model, which might have a better power section. Although it would be a weird coincidence if they all had the stronger one and you the weaker one.