Question:

I have resorted to using Lasso to set the CPU Affinity for all processes to cores 0-9 and 11-31, excluding Core 10. This has improved the situation, but some applications still fail, and I suspect Lasso is not able to enforce the restriction for all processes.

I have two questions for the experts in this community:

QUESTION 1:

Is there a better way to prevent any process from using CPU Core 10, other than using Lasso? Are there any drawbacks or risks of using Lasso to set the CPU Affinity for all processes?

QUESTION 2:

I have contacted Intel’s RMA service via email three days ago, but I have not received any response or confirmation. Is there a faster way to reach Intel and initiate the RMA process? What are the steps and requirements for the RMA process? I use this PC for my work, and I cannot afford to be without it for a long time.

System Information:

• Windows 11 Pro
• ASRock Z790 TAICHI Intel LGA1700
• i9-13900K, 3000 Mhz, 24 Core(s), 32 Logical Processor(s)
• 64GB Ram
• Nvidia RTX 4090
• SAMSUNG 980 PRO SSD 2TB PCIe NVMe Gen 4
• EKWB Cooling on GPU and CPU (water temp never gets above 38C)

I

appreciate any help or guidance from this community. Thank you for your time and attention.”

Answer:

You have a faulty i9-13900K CPU that causes program failures when using CPU Core 10. You have tried using Lasso to set the CPU Affinity for all processes to avoid using Core 10, but some applications still fail. You have also contacted Intel’s RMA service via email, but have not received any reply. You have two questions for the experts in this community:

QUESTION 1: Is there a better way to prevent any process from using CPU Core 10, other than using Lasso? Are there any drawbacks or risks of using Lasso to set the CPU Affinity for all processes?

Lasso is a third-party software that allows you to control the CPU Affinity for each process on your system. It can be useful for optimizing the performance and power consumption of your CPU, especially if you have a multi-core processor. However, it is not a perfect solution for dealing with a faulty CPU core, and it may have some drawbacks or risks, such as:

• Lasso may not be able to restrict all processes to the cores you specify, especially if they are system processes or services that run in the background. Some processes may override the CPU Affinity settings or spawn new processes that use the default CPU Affinity. This may cause some applications to fail or crash unexpectedly.
• Lasso may interfere with the normal operation of your system, such as the Windows scheduler, the power management, or the thermal control. This may result in instability, performance degradation, or overheating of your CPU. Lasso may also conflict with other software that tries to modify the CPU Affinity, such as games or benchmarks.
• Lasso may not be compatible with some applications or features of your system, such as the Hyper-Threading, the Turbo Boost, or the Virtualization. This may cause some applications to malfunction or perform poorly. Lasso may also affect the security or reliability of your system, such as the Windows Defender, the System Restore, or the BitLocker.

Therefore, using Lasso to set the CPU Affinity for all processes is not a recommended or permanent solution for dealing with a faulty CPU core. It is only a temporary workaround that may or may not work for some applications. A better way to prevent any process from using CPU Core 10 is to disable it at the system level, either through the BIOS settings or the Windows settings. This will ensure that no process can use Core 10, regardless of the software or the CPU Affinity settings. However, this will also reduce the number of available cores for your system, and may affect the performance or functionality of some applications that rely on multi-core processing.

To disable CPU Core 10 through the BIOS settings, you need to access the BIOS menu when you boot up your PC, and look for the option to enable or disable individual CPU cores. The exact steps may vary depending on your motherboard model and BIOS version, but you can refer to the user manual or the online support for more details. You may need to reboot your PC for the changes to take effect.

To disable CPU Core 10 through the Windows settings, you need to open the System Configuration window by pressing the Windows key + R, and typing msconfig in the Run dialog box. Then, go to the Boot tab, and click on the Advanced options button. Check the box for Number of processors, and select the number of cores you want to enable, excluding Core 10. For example, if you have a 32-core CPU, you can select 31 cores. Click OK, and then Apply. You may need to restart your PC for the changes to take effect.

QUESTION 2: I have contacted Intel’s RMA service via email three days ago, but I have not received any response or confirmation. Is there a faster way to reach Intel and initiate the RMA process? What are the steps and requirements for the RMA process? I use this PC for my work, and I cannot afford to be without it for a long time.

Intel’s RMA service is the process of returning a defective Intel product for a replacement or a refund, under the warranty terms and conditions. If you have a faulty i9-13900K CPU, you may be eligible for an RMA, depending on the date of purchase, the proof of purchase, and the serial number of the product. You can check your warranty status and coverage here:

To initiate the RMA process, you need to contact Intel’s customer support and provide them with the necessary information and documentation. You can contact Intel’s customer support through different methods, such as phone, chat, email, or online forms. The contact information may vary depending on your region, but you can find the relevant links here:

Email is one of the methods to contact Intel’s customer support, but it may not be the fastest or the most effective way. Email may take longer to receive a reply, and it may not be able to handle complex or urgent issues. Email may also be affected by spam filters, network issues, or human errors. Therefore, if you have not received any response or confirmation from Intel’s customer support via email after three days, you may want to try another method, such as phone or chat. Phone and chat are more direct and interactive ways to communicate with Intel’s customer support, and they may be able to resolve your issue faster and more efficiently. Phone and chat are also available during standard business hours, from Monday to Friday, 7 AM to 5 PM PST.

The steps and requirements for the RMA process may vary depending on the product type, the warranty type, and the region, but they generally follow this procedure:

• Contact Intel’s customer support and request an RMA. Provide them with the product information, the problem description, the troubleshooting steps, and the proof of purchase. You may need to answer some questions or perform some tests to verify the product defect and the warranty eligibility.
• If your RMA request is approved, you will receive an RMA number and instructions to complete the RMA. You will need to ship the defective product (CPU and HSF) to Intel, following the packaging and shipping guidelines. You will also need to include a copy of the proof of purchase and the RMA number in the package. You will be responsible for the shipping cost and the risk of loss or damage during transit.
• Once Intel receives and inspects your product, they will ship you the replacement product, or issue you a refund, depending on the warranty type and the product availability. The replacement product may be new, refurbished, or equivalent. The refund amount may be based on the current market value or the original purchase price, depending on the warranty type and the product condition. Intel will cover the shipping cost and the risk of loss or damage during transit for the replacement or the refund product.
• The RMA process may take about 10 business days to complete, from the date you ship the defective product to the date you receive the replacement or the refund product. However, this may vary depending on the product type, the warranty type, the region, and the shipping method. You can track the status of your RMA here:

You can find more information and details about the RMA process here:

We

hope this article has answered your questions and helped you understand the RMA process better. If you have any further questions or concerns, please feel free to contact Intel’s customer support again. Thank you for choosing Intel products and services.