Anyone ever RMA an Intel processor?

[Crashed]

I recently upgraded from a Core i7-12700K to a Core i9-13900K and started having all sorts of weird stability issues. No amount of tweaking would resolve it, until I tested in Prime95 and found the fifth P-core was having errors.

After this discovery, I promptly started the process of requesting a RMA from Intel as I had gone past the return period for Newegg.

Wondering if anyone else has had any warranty experiences with an Intel processor.

[Agent]

Not quite the same, but I have mismatching versions of Corsair Vegance RAM. Both are C18 3600 MHz, but one is ver 3.34 while the other is ver 5.30.

This caused me to get stutter in games, after downclocking the modules to 2666 it seems to be more stable.

[Crashed]

Originally posted by Bezos:

Not quite the same, but I have mismatching versions of Corsair Vegance RAM. Both are C18 3600 MHz, but one is ver 3.34 while the other is ver 5.30.

This caused me to get stutter in games, after downclocking the modules to 2666 it seems to be more stable.

Disabling XMP was one of the things I tried to get my CPU stable, but once I found P-Core #5 was consistently crashing I disabled it in BIOS and started the warranty request. When I have to send it back, luckily I haven't yet sold my 12700K since it will act as a backup, even if I don't get as good performance in the latest games like Forspoken which seems to scale to many cores, including E-cores.

[Agent]

Originally posted by Crashed:

Originally posted by Bezos:

Not quite the same, but I have mismatching versions of Corsair Vegance RAM. Both are C18 3600 MHz, but one is ver 3.34 while the other is ver 5.30.

This caused me to get stutter in games, after downclocking the modules to 2666 it seems to be more stable.

Disabling XMP was one of the things I tried to get my CPU stable, but once I found P-Core #5 was consistently crashing I disabled it in BIOS and started the warranty request. When I have to send it back, luckily I haven't yet sold my 12700K since it will act as a backup, even if I don't get as good performance in the latest games like Forspoken which seems to scale to many cores, including E-cores.

Not sure if you've got it, but does Mount & Blade Bannerlord also scale for E cores? I know it does regular cores and makes use of hyperthreading.

[Crashed]

Originally posted by Bezos:

Originally posted by Crashed:

Disabling XMP was one of the things I tried to get my CPU stable, but once I found P-Core #5 was consistently crashing I disabled it in BIOS and started the warranty request. When I have to send it back, luckily I haven't yet sold my 12700K since it will act as a backup, even if I don't get as good performance in the latest games like Forspoken which seems to scale to many cores, including E-cores.

Not sure if you've got it, but does Mount & Blade Bannerlord also scale for E cores? I know it does regular cores and makes use of hyperthreading.

Haven't played enough to tell. At first I was thinking my Z690 motherboard was just rejecting the beast of a CPU but Prime95 pinpointed the issue.

Currently running with just that core shut off in BIOS to stop the BSODs and browser crashes (which frequently take down the "infamous" Steam WebHelper).

At first I blamed the crashes on Twitter because the first crashes I experienced were when browsing Elon's Twitter and figured it was either Chrome Dev being grumpy or Twitter falling apart and taking down browser tabs.

[Agent]

Originally posted by Crashed:

Originally posted by Bezos:

Not sure if you've got it, but does Mount & Blade Bannerlord also scale for E cores? I know it does regular cores and makes use of hyperthreading.

Haven't played enough to tell. At first I was thinking my Z690 motherboard was just rejecting the beast of a CPU but Prime95 pinpointed the issue.

Currently running with just that core shut off in BIOS to stop the BSODs and browser crashes (which frequently take down the "infamous" Steam WebHelper).

At first I blamed the crashes on Twitter because the first crashes I experienced were when browsing Elon's Twitter and figured it was either Chrome Dev being grumpy or Twitter falling apart and taking down browser tabs.

Sounds good. Hopefully your replacement doesn't have the same problem.

[Bad 💀 Motha]

> Update to latest BIOS

> Update Intel Chipset Driver INF

> Perform any pending Windows Updates

> Disable XMP for now.

The version on your Corssir RAM doesn't matter, this equals a slight revision from the production factory. As long as the freq + timings + voltage match up then shouldn't be a problem. Try installing the RAM so the new ones are in slots 1 & 3. Overall if you feel RAM is your stability issue, test each module individually with XMP enabled using USB Bootable MemTest. Or use Windows Memory Diagnostic (5 passes + Extended)

If you still have issues it could be a power related issue with your Motherboard where the motherboard might not suitable for an i9

[Crashed]

Originally posted by Bad 💀 Motha:

> Update to latest BIOS

> Update Intel Chipset Driver INF

> Perform any pending Windows Updates

> Disable XMP for now.

The version on your Corssir RAM doesn't matter, this equals a slight revision from the production factory. As long as the freq + timings + voltage match up then shouldn't be a problem. Try installing the RAM so the new ones are in slots 1 & 3. Overall if you feel RAM is your stability issue, test each module individually with XMP enabled using USB Bootable MemTest. Or use Windows Memory Diagnostic (5 passes + Extended)

If you still have issues it could be a power related issue with your Motherboard where the motherboard might not suitable for an i9

I had tried everything, but the 5th P-core kept failing on Prime95 Small FFTs within a couple minutes.
Disabling just that one core would solve all stability, and the motherboard is in fact compatible with the CPU.
MemTest86+ showed no memory errors, and right now my PC is running stable on my older 12700K processor while I wait for the shipping label to send back the CPU then wait for the replacement to arrive.

[Illusion of Progress]

I haven't, but it sounds like you've taken the steps to rule out variables and isolate what is very likely the issue.

If it is a faulty core, then I have no reason to believe they'd refuse an RMA on it if you haven't violated any warranty terms. CPUs (seem to) seldom have faults, but they still can and do, and if it's as apparent as you're describing, then it should be rather clear cut to determine for them I would think.

I personally wouldn't worry much about it (but maybe that's me).

[MoonC A T]

In my experience, CPU is one of the last things to go, so no.

[Crashed]

Originally posted by MoonC A T:

In my experience, CPU is one of the last things to go, so no.

It's brand new and was having issues since shortly after installation.

[🦜Cloud Boy🦜]

If possible, try installing that CPU to a different PC, just to make sure that it's the CPU what is faulty, before sending to RMA.

[Set-115689]

Intel has a diagnostic utility but it might be out of date?

You could try loosening the cooler a little bit then re-tightening it to get a different pressure profile. Probably won't make a difference.

The pins on the mainboard ok? Any bent?

Latest intel me drivers from mainboard website?

Mainboard model?

[Crashed]

Originally posted by 🦜Cloud Boy🦜:

If possible, try installing that CPU to a different PC, just to make sure that it's the CPU what is faulty, before sending to RMA.

I didn't have another motherboard but had the CPU that was previously in the system. That thing runs rock solid.

Originally posted by Set-115689:

Intel has a diagnostic utility but it might be out of date?

You could try loosening the cooler a little bit then re-tightening it to get a different pressure profile. Probably won't make a difference.

The pins on the mainboard ok? Any bent?

Latest intel me drivers from mainboard website?

Mainboard model?

Intel diagnostic utility passed.
Removing cooler, reapplying thermal paste, and reattached did nothing. Crashes occurred even when the CPU wasn't under load.
Pins on motherboard are fine.
Latest Intel ME drivers installed.
Gigabyte Z690 UD AX DDR4 with latest BIOS, CPU is validated by the manufacturer.

[Missing Spartan]

Just FYI to OP if you turned on XMP you voided your warrenty. so might not want to mention that. Although since it's a faulty core i dont think they would refuse it.

[Crashed]

Originally posted by Missing Spartan:

Just FYI to OP if you turned on XMP you voided your warrenty[sic]. so might not want to mention that. Although since it's a faulty core i dont think they would refuse it.

They never asked. And anything to do with memory worked perfectly, I had even run multiple MemTest86+ tests with zero error.

I just got the RMA label today.