QUOTE(aj9027 @ Aug 1 2011, 02:32 PM)

So I got my new chip and voila.. Turns out this chip does die from not be operated for extended periods of time. That is the only thing I can think of. Hope this saves someone else time.
I'm sure there is a more "logical" explanation but I have had a similar thing happen to me. I had a DuoX2 GS chip that was sitting in the package for a couple years, and I dunno what happened to it but it never boot right. Maybe it was my soldering, I dunno.....