If your CPU is experiencing random intermittent errors when placed under heavy load, it's possible that your CPU isn't defective at all -- maybe it simply isn't being cooled properly. Here are some things that you can check: Is your CPU fan plugged in? Is it relatively dust-free? Does the fan actually spin (and spin at the proper speed) when the power is on? Is the heat sink seated properly on the CPU? Is there thermal grease between the CPU and the heat sink? Does your case have adequate ventilation? If everything seems fine, then you may want to rerun the kernel compile tests with an open case. Let the kernel compile go for about five minutes and then put your hand inside the running machine and touch the outside metal casing of the power supply to ground yourself. Then, carefully test the temperature of the heat sink with the tip of your finger. If it's unusually hot, then it's very possible that your heatsink/fan combo just isn't adequate for your particular CPU. In that case, upgrade your system's cooling hardware -- hopefully, your CPU hasn't sustained any permanent damage and is still functional