Computer freezes - maybe faulty processor?

[ollyfinck]

I've been having a whole load of problems with my computer crashing or freezing. A few days ago my pc would just switch off for no reason while playing games. Despite this, I continued to try and play on it and it kept turning off, which probably wasn't the best idea as I discovered that my processor was overheating. Max temp is 61.1°C and I once got to 70°C. So I bought the cooler master hyper tx3 evo - overheating problem solved. But now when I play games, instead of it turning off the computer just freezes. However, it stays switched on. I monitored my temperature while doing this and it was 51°C so it can't be overheating. When I hold the power button to turn it off, and then try and turn it back on, it doesn't. It takes quite a while before I can actually turn it on again. As I type this, it is still frozen after about half an hour. Do you think that I might have damaged my processor while trying to play games while it was overheating, and that this has caused a new problem? Or is it something else? I could do with replacing such an outdated processor anyway so I don't mind buying a new one.

Since I could do with a new cpu (probably i5-7600k), should I just do it and it will probably be fixed? Getting that cpu will require a new motherboard too so that's another potential cause gone.

My pc- https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/user/FinNick519/saved/ZYwBD3 (+ the new cooler)

I have tried ram checks, SFC /scannow, disk error checking. I'm completely lost. Any help would be much appreciated.

Link to pcpartpicker post - https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/forums/topic/241826-computer-freezes-in-games-and-i-dont-think-its-overheating

Could the new cooler be the problem? Do I need to update the bios when I add this?

 

[Kasper Jorgensen]

A freezing computer is often caused by ram problems. I know you said you checked your ram but how did you test? If not done already get memtest86+ and put it on a USB stick, then boot from USB and let it run for at least 8 passes.

 

[The Paladin]

Questions;

1. is your CPU overclocked ? if so turn it off
2. are you using XMP with your 1866 Ram ? since its likely, try turning it off in bios to see if it work better.

 

[ollyfinck]

A freezing computer is often caused by ram problems. I know you said you checked your ram but how did you test? If not done already get memtest86+ and put it on a USB stick, then boot from USB and let it run for at least 8 passes.

For my ram test I used the Windows Memory Diagnostic (mdsched.exe). Is this memtest a lot better?

 

[ollyfinck]

Questions;

1. is your CPU overclocked ? if so turn it off
2. are you using XMP with your 1866 Ram ? since its likely, try turning it off in bios to see if it work better.

It's not overclocked, and I'm not sure about XMP. I'll check.

 

[ollyfinck]

Questions;

1. is your CPU overclocked ? if so turn it off
2. are you using XMP with your 1866 Ram ? since its likely, try turning it off in bios to see if it work better.

XMP is intel only, I am amd.

 

[Kasper Jorgensen]

Yes, memtest86 is better, Windows diagnostic is pretty useless compared.

 

[ollyfinck]

By 8 passes do you mean that it has to reach 100% and pass 8 times? If so, this will take forever. At least I'm going to bed soon.

 

[Kasper Jorgensen]

Only if it doesn't show errors in an earlier pass, but yes, 8 passes is considered to be needed as sometimes the ram are not showing any errors until they are tortured long enough.

 

[mdd1963]

A freezing computer can indeed be caused by RAM or even hard drive issues, but, one that turns itself off while gaming ?

Check thermals/temps...and if ok...

Install a known good PSU of sufficient wattage...

 

[ollyfinck]

Only if it doesn't show errors in an earlier pass, but yes, 8 passes is considered to be needed as sometimes the ram are not showing any errors until they are tortured long enough.

I don't really have time for 8 passed but I managed 7 over almost 17 hours, all passes. So the ram must be fine.

 

[ollyfinck]

A freezing computer can indeed be caused by RAM or even hard drive issues, but, one that turns itself off while gaming ?

Check thermals/temps...and if ok...

Install a known good PSU of sufficient wattage...

I don't think that it's specifically while gaming, just under intense load. Temps are fine, and my psu is 150w above the estimated wattage of my pc. Is that enough?

 

[Kasper Jorgensen]

Only if it doesn't show errors in an earlier pass, but yes, 8 passes is considered to be needed as sometimes the ram are not showing any errors until they are tortured long enough.

I don't really have time for 8 passed but I managed 7 over almost 17 hours, all passes. So the ram must be fine.

We can then rule out the ram issue.

I have read your initial post again..

-Your temps seems fine as they are. Not sure how hot that CPU is supposed to run but 51 degrees seems very fine and should not cause freeze or shutdown because of overheating.
-I think it's time to try a different approach as your problem could be caused by almost all of the components. Try removing one of your hard drives, try with only 1 ram stick, try a different GPU if possible or test your GPU at a friends computer.

 

[ollyfinck]

Only if it doesn't show errors in an earlier pass, but yes, 8 passes is considered to be needed as sometimes the ram are not showing any errors until they are tortured long enough.

I don't really have time for 8 passed but I managed 7 over almost 17 hours, all passes. So the ram must be fine.

We can then rule out the ram issue.

I have read your initial post again..

-Your temps seems fine as they are. Not sure how hot that CPU is supposed to run but 51 degrees seems very fine and should not cause freeze or shutdown because of overheating.
-I think it's time to try a different approach as your problem could be caused by almost all of the components. Try removing one of your hard drives, try with only 1 ram stick, try a different GPU if possible or test your GPU at a friends computer.

I did disk error checking on the ssd, and I can do that on the hdd as well, although since the hdd doesn't store the os I wouldn't have thought that that would cause the whole computer to stop. Ram appears to be ok but I can still try with one stick if nescessary. So that leaves Gpu mobo cpu and psu.

 

[ollyfinck]

Earlier I was testing if it would work playing games, and it did for a while before it turned off because the cpu overheated. It wasn't the screen freezing issue I have originally posted about - this is definitely down to the processor overheating. I'm beginning to think that the screen freeze was a one-off (it happened more than once but you know what I mean.) I am able to order a new i5-7600k and ASUS Z170 M-E D3 right now, which should definitely stop the overheating issue as the maximum temp is much higher, and it's a newer design. I might just do that. I was planning to upgrade the cpu and mobo soon anyway. Should I do it? If the problem still persists then at least they can be ruled out, and it was a necessary upgrade anyway.

 

[Kasper Jorgensen]

You should get a Z270 board instead. The Z170 will not work with that CPU until you update the bios and in ordre to do that you will need a Skylake CPU. Besides the Z270 doesn't cost much more. Also if you can afford, get a I7-7700K instead or wait for the new Coffee Lake.

 

[ollyfinck]

You should get a Z270 board instead. The Z170 will not work with that CPU until you update the bios and in ordre to do that you will need a Skylake CPU. Besides the Z270 doesn't cost much more. Also if you can afford, get a I7-7700K instead or wait for the new Coffee Lake.

But those motherboards aren't compatible with my ram

 

[Kasper Jorgensen]

The Z170 are also not compatible with your ram. You would need the DDR3-L that can run at the lower voltage used by these chipsets, normal DDR3 ram will not work. Also again, the Z170 is useless unless you have a Skylake CPU to update the BIOS.
If you are upgrading anyway you will really need to get new DDR4 RAM as well.

 

[ollyfinck]

The processor and mobo should be compatible according to this. If I need to update the bios then there is a feature that enables you to update the bios from inside the bios, so they should be compatible. I would get the other if my ram would fit in it. Is this ok then?

 

[ollyfinck]

The Z170 are also not compatible with your ram. You would need the DDR3-L that can run at the lower voltage used by these chipsets, normal DDR3 ram will not work. Also again, the Z170 is useless unless you have a Skylake CPU to update the BIOS.
If you are upgrading anyway you will really need to get new DDR4 RAM as well.

Can I just lower the voltage or the clock speed myself to reach these requirements?

 

[Kasper Jorgensen]

It is possible but not certain it will work, you will also loose some performance doing so. Buying a K CPU and Z series mobo tells me you wanna overclock so saving a bit on the ram is not really helpful here. Do you even have access to a Skylake CPU to upgrade the bios on the Z170 Mobo?
I would save up a bit more and get the RAM you need for this system, it's just to uncertain that things will work properly and stable the other way.

 

[Kasper Jorgensen]

The processor and mobo should be compatible according to this. If I need to update the bios then there is a feature that enables you to update the bios from inside the bios, so they should be compatible. I would get the other if my ram would fit in it. Is this ok then?

You cannot get into the BIOS without a working CPU and the 7600K will not work without an updated BIOS. Don't expect the BIOS to be updated already when you buy a new Mobo. These BIOS updates came out after the Kaby Lake CPU were released and by that time motherboard manufactures already discontinued the Z170 chipset to make boards with Z270 instead.

 

[ollyfinck]

It is possible but not certain it will work, you will also loose some performance doing so. Buying a K CPU and Z series mobo tells me you wanna overclock so saving a bit on the ram is not really helpful here. Do you even have access to a Skylake CPU to upgrade the bios on the Z170 Mobo?
I would save up a bit more and get the RAM you need for this system, it's just to uncertain that things will work properly and stable the other way.

I can buy them, but I'm just thinking of every other option before spending some more money. But if I have to then I have to.

Also this would fix the problem with updating the bios without a skylake, right? It's a feature of the motherboard.

 

[Kasper Jorgensen]

It's a feature of all motherboards and also the recommended method to update BIOS from within the BIOS. You just seems to neglect the fact that you cannot get into the BIOS without a working CPU. Z series motherboards CANNOT update BIOS without a working CPU.

 

[ollyfinck]

It's a feature of all motherboards and also the recommended method to update BIOS from within the BIOS. You just seems to neglect the fact that you cannot get into the BIOS without a working CPU. Z series motherboards CANNOT update BIOS without a working CPU.

Oh. Sorry, didn't realise. Might just go with the i5-6600k instead then. I'm not sacrificing too much performance.
Checking on pcpartpicker shows that buying the 6600k instead with lower voltage ram as well removes all potential compatability issues. Shall I go for that then?