[SOLVED] Desktop Blue Screened with Kernel Security Check Error then won't boot after

IridescentCheese

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So I was using my desktop playing a video game, I paused the game then I went downstairs to do something. When I went back to my room I saw my PC with a BSOD saying "Kernel Security Check Error", at first I waited for it to restart but didn't go anywhere so I forced the desktop to shutdown. I turned it back on and it booted as usual, after I went downstairs again to do something. When I came back the desktop screen is frozen, the mouse and keyboard is not responding and when I tried pressing caps lock or num lock keys the light indicators are not responding.

I decided to force shutdown the PC again then turn it back on and this time it won't boot, its stuck at black screen. Luckily my motherboard has an "EZ Debug LED" that has three LED lights to indicate whether the issue is in the CPU, RAM, or GPU. The LED lights indicate the problem to be the CPU and RAM(both the LED lights are turning on and off repeatedly).

This is not the first time that I encountered an issue like this in my desktop. Back then when this happens I would open my PC remove the CPU from the socket and place it back, same thing with the RAM and GPU I would unplug and plug back the components. Usually it works and the desktop boots up properly, but this time it didn't work regardless if I did it to all three components(removing and plugging back).

CPU: i5-6600k
RAM: 2x 8gb Kingston HyperX
GPU: Asus Strix GTX 1070
Motherboard: MSI Z170-A PC MATE
OS: Windows 10 Pro

Thanks in advance :)
 

IridescentCheese

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You have a 3 year warranty on the motherboard, and there are several reports of hanging at boot time, and outright refusal to boot, along with an assortment of other issues.

Some of these problems can be resolved with a BIOS update but, if you are still under warranty on the board, I'd recommend RMA-ing it back to MSI and getting a replacement MB.
Not sure if I can go with that, I live here in Philippines and I bought the product from an authorized seller of computer parts. Looking at my reciept I bought the motherboard July 10, 2016, and the expiration of warranty is July 10, 2017. Not sure what to do at this point, plus my Windows 10 is an OEM product replacing my motherboard would be problematic for me
 
OK...the dealer warranty expired already, but the MSI warranty is still in effect for a few more months, leaving you with a foreclosing opportunity, and the problem of what to do about the OEM Win10.

I have read that there may be work-arounds to the matter of the Win10, but don't have personal experience implementing them. Perhaps another member will have a better suggestion for you, on that count.

Have you tried removing the RAM and switching DIMM positions, or making a boot attempt with only 1 DIMM installed?
 

IridescentCheese

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OK...the dealer warranty expired already, but the MSI warranty is still in effect for a few more months, leaving you with a foreclosing opportunity, and the problem of what to do about the OEM Win10.

I have read that there may be work-arounds to the matter of the Win10, but don't have personal experience implementing them. Perhaps another member will have a better suggestion for you, on that count.

Have you tried removing the RAM and switching DIMM positions, or making a boot attempt with only 1 DIMM installed?
I tried removing one ram leaving me 8gb of RAM. It sort of booted but this time there is a display on my monitor its says:

"CPU or Memory Card changed ! ! ! Please enter Setup to configure your system.
Press F1 to run setup.
Press F2 to load default values and continue"

But this is better than nothing, what do I do now? Thanks.

Edit: So after that "CPU or Memory changed.." display I turned off my PC thinking that the same thing will appear later. To make sure the same thing will happen, I turned it back on but it booted to Windows 10! But of course I am left with 8gb of RAM. I might test it again plugging all the RAM back.

EDIT 2: I plugged back the other RAM back to its DIMM slot going back to 16gb total. The same issue happened, it won't boot and the Debug LED lights are indicating the CPU and RAM. So I removed the last RAM I plugged in now back to 8gb RAM and it booted again to Windows 10!

What could this mean?
 
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IridescentCheese

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Looks like a defective DIMM to me.

Run it with 8GB until you can get a replacement pair of DIMMs.
What do you mean by replacing DIMMS? Also my usual slot placement of RAMs are the second DIMM slot and fourth DIMM slot(from left to right). My mobo has four DIMM slots so this means that my RAMs are one slot apart. When I removed a RAM from the fourth slot thats when my desktop booted fine, but when I tired plugging it back thats when the issue happens. Does that mean that the fourth DIMM slot is the issue? Because of it is then maybe I can just plug then removed RAM to other DIMM slots avoiding the fourth slot. I don't wanna waste the other 8gb of its usable.
 
OK...so we're running into a conflict of terms.

I'm using DIMM (Dual Inline Memory Module) to refer to what you are calling the RAM. Neither is incorrect, but the differing use is causing confusion. The DIMM slot, or socket, is where you install the DIMM, or RAM.

In this case, it appears that the RAM that you removed is defective. However, if placing it into a slot other than the one it is in when your machine won't boot makes it possible to boot the machine, then you may be dealing with a defective DIMM slot.

On the other hand, if the machine simply refuses to run with that RAM in any slot, you're looking at bad RAM.

Out of curiosity, are you over-clocking the computer?

If so, return the clocking levels to their normal settings and try things again.
 

IridescentCheese

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OK...so we're running into a conflict of terms.

I'm using DIMM (Dual Inline Memory Module) to refer to what you are calling the RAM. Neither is incorrect, but the differing use is causing confusion. The DIMM slot, or socket, is where you install the DIMM, or RAM.

In this case, it appears that the RAM that you removed is defective. However, if placing it into a slot other than the one it is in when your machine won't boot makes it possible to boot the machine, then you may be dealing with a defective DIMM slot.

On the other hand, if the machine simply refuses to run with that RAM in any slot, you're looking at bad RAM.

Out of curiosity, are you over-clocking the computer?

If so, return the clocking levels to their normal settings and try things again.
It worked! I switched the RAM that used to be in the fourth slot to the first slot instead. After that the "CPU or Memory Changed..." display appeared again. I turned off my PC and turned it back on and booted as usual, after that my RAM is back 16gb.

So we can be sure that we are dealing with a bad DIMM slot? Particularly in the fourth slot.
 

IridescentCheese

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OK...so we're running into a conflict of terms.

I'm using DIMM (Dual Inline Memory Module) to refer to what you are calling the RAM. Neither is incorrect, but the differing use is causing confusion. The DIMM slot, or socket, is where you install the DIMM, or RAM.

In this case, it appears that the RAM that you removed is defective. However, if placing it into a slot other than the one it is in when your machine won't boot makes it possible to boot the machine, then you may be dealing with a defective DIMM slot.

On the other hand, if the machine simply refuses to run with that RAM in any slot, you're looking at bad RAM.

Out of curiosity, are you over-clocking the computer?

If so, return the clocking levels to their normal settings and try things again.
It worked! I switched the RAM that used to be in the fourth slot to the first slot instead. After that the "CPU or Memory Changed..." display appeared again. I turned off my PC and turned it back on and booted as usual, after that my RAM is back 16gb.

So we can be sure that we are dealing with a bad DIMM slot? Particularly in the fourth slot.
 
OK...that's normal boot behaviour after memory has been fiddled with.

Hey, it could just be quirky memory modules...difference in timings, etc.

Did you buy the memory as a matched pair?

The only thing we really know is that it works, now.

Run it for a while and see how it goes; and, I guess, don't go downstairs when the computer is running.
 

IridescentCheese

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OK...that's normal boot behaviour after memory has been fiddled with.

Hey, it could just be quirky memory modules...difference in timings, etc.

Did you buy the memory as a matched pair?

The only thing we really know is that it works, now.

Run it for a while and see how it goes; and, I guess, don't go downstairs when the computer is running.
OK...that's normal boot behaviour after memory has been fiddled with.

Hey, it could just be quirky memory modules...difference in timings, etc.

Did you buy the memory as a matched pair?

The only thing we really know is that it works, now.

Run it for a while and see how it goes; and, I guess, don't go downstairs when the computer is running.
I did purchase the RAM as a pair, bought it on the same dealer I bought my motherboard. I didn't do any overclocking though, although my GPU has a software for overclocking but I don't think thats relevant.

For now I'll use it like before and continue gaming. If nothing happened for a few days then the part where I switch RAM slots is the solution. I'll keep an eye on my desktop, thanks for the help :)
 

IridescentCheese

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I did purchase the RAM as a pair, bought it on the same dealer I bought my motherboard. I didn't do any overclocking though, although my GPU has a software for overclocking but I don't think thats relevant.

For now I'll use it like before and continue gaming. If nothing happened for a few days then the part where I switch RAM slots is the solution. I'll keep an eye on my desktop, thanks for the help :)
Ok so it happened again, no BSOD this time but the usual desktop freezing with the keyboard unresponsive.
It refuses to boot again and the usual suspects in the debug LEDs are CPU and RAM.

I removed the RAM from the first DIMM slot, this is the RAM that was plugged in the fourth slot which I thought to be faulty. After removing it and booting my PC the usual "CPU or Memory Changed..." appeared I just turned off my PC and turned it on again then it booted properly.

Its probably the RAM that is faulty at this point.
What do you think? Just to be sure.