Overclock Bricked PC
Overclock Bricked PC
System Specs have been adjusted over time. Previously, I maintained an OC of 4.8GHz on my CPU and a factory setting on my GPU, both performing well without issues. Recently, after increasing the CPU voltage to 5GHz during stress testing, the system remained stable initially but later experienced crashes when launching programs or shortly afterward. I tried raising the voltage incrementally up to 1.36V, but the problems persisted. Eventually, I reset the BIOS to defaults and shorted the CMOS pins for ten seconds without resolving the crashes. Temperatures stayed below 80°C during operation. I’m concerned something may have been damaged and need assistance resolving this.
I wouldn't say for certain it's the CPU—it could very well be the motherboard VRM. I might check for any damage or burnt marks.
I actually received a free 8600K and Gigabyte board from someone who insisted it was 5GHz. It got a bit damaged but still worked on auto voltage at 4.8. It also gave off an odd smell for a while.
The problem appears to be fixed. Programs now run smoothly and I have successfully launched several games without any issues. The steps I followed show no signs of damage on the motherboard.
I searched online for a comparable issue and found that an OC might risk Windows, but I hadn’t heard about restoring Windows via a restore point. I considered it and tried using a restore point before starting overclocking, though I couldn’t begin because Windows Explorer kept crashing.
I accessed the start menu, held Shift, and selected restart in power options, which let me restore Windows from there.
Some programs needed reinstallation, such as Google Chrome, which now works with Microsoft Edge.
It wasn't the unsuccessful original concept that caused the issue, but the crash that followed.