Did I break my CPU?

I've gone through three motherboards. The first was fine for three weeks and then the fan header died and performance was screwy, too. I RMA'ed it and the second had the same issue. The third, also, which I got today, but that has another issue, too, (HSF bracket is broken, so I have to return it anyways :/), but I was able to test it with the HSF mounted on it without the clips so it was even. Anyways, by this point, I doubt it is my mobo. So, that likely leaves RAM or CPU...

I say this because all the SANDRA benchmarks are terribly low (CPU and memory). Memory bandwidth is reduced to around 1600 MB/s on an i865G. It is recorded as around 2000 MB/s if I run Memtest. This is reflected in games - Morrowind stuttered where it did not before. 3D Mark 2001 is 7100 on a P4 2.6C with a R9800 Pro (No AA, AF, default settings). However, the Shader aspect of 3D Mark runs at full speed, at 100-ish fps, suggesting that the GPU is fully functioning.

With the motherboard probably eliminated...any thoughts?

Any help at all is REALLY appreciated...

I'm just guessing here but maybe it's possible that the motherboard is being damaged in transit to you, I only say this because you've had problems with 3 motherboards. I always thought that a cpu either worked or it didn't, never thought that there was an inbetween area where it can kinda work. So, these are just my thoughts hopefully someone else can help you. I'd say try to find someone's computer you can test your processor and ram in. Although i assume there is no one, maybe you can go to a store and try a computer there?

I think about the 2nd motherboard I got I would be pulling my hair out already and definitely the 3rd. :eek:

I can't do that, unfortunately, testing in another comp...I'm at college, right now...

And, HELL YES, my hair is being pulled. I'm so frustrated...

I thought, too, that CPU was either all or nothing...but I don't know.

...could my failure to remove arctic cermanique between mobos result in processor throttling and cause all of this?

Any ideas? Or am I just an idiot?

Re: CPU working or not working....totally.

Couple of months ago I got a 3ghz rig that randomly rebooted. Sometimes a few times per hour and sometimes not at all in a day. Thought initially it was the blaster virus. Discovered, instead, when you turned off hyperthreading, everything worked fine. So, we replaced the CPU, enabled hyperthreading, and the problem went away. So, a CPU can sorta not work without it failing completely.