Random Crashes During Gaming, MB going? Win 10 error?

[hecyra81]

I built a computer a few years ago that, despite all parts being compatible and decent for gaming, has never seemed to work right. (Initially just slower processing than expected). Recently, it's been crashing while playing most games (7 Days to Die, Dark and Light, XCOM 2, Hearts of Iron 4, Path of Exile) and went from crashing after an hour or so of playing, to now after only a few minutes. I have tried everything I could think of and could find after a lot of research. Here are the computer specs and a list of what I've tried so far. If anyone has any ideas or can pinpoint the problem, I would greatly appreciate it!

Specs:
Maximus VII Hero MB (which I'm starting to suspect is the problem)
Intel core i7 4790K
Gigabyte GTX 980ti
16g Corsair Vengeance DDR3 ram
EVGA 650W psu
2TB sata HD
Huge case, lots of fans and cooling, running dual monitors. I have not overclocked the system.
Running Windows 10 64 bit, upgraded during the free thing from Windows 7

I also have a very similar computer (different MB, G1.Sniper Z87) with the same chipset that I've been swapping parts out of to try and nail the problem.
Tried so far:
Blowing out what minimal dust had accumulated
Running several virus checkers
One at a time, switching the following components - heatsink, PSU, CPU, ram, GPU (swapped for my reliable gtx 660, fixed drivers accordingly each time)
Ran memory test, no red flags
Reset CMOS battery
Fresh install of Windows 10 recently
Checked and updated drivers
Checked and updated Windows
reset the BIOS to default
Updated the BIOS to latest stable build
Redid thermal paste
Checked the dump files and tried to understand them.

Here is the dump file:
WHEA_UNCORRECTABLE_ERROR (124)
A fatal hardware error has occurred. Parameter 1 identifies the type of error
source that reported the error. Parameter 2 holds the address of the
WHEA_ERROR_RECORD structure that describes the error conditon.
Arguments:
Arg1: 0000000000000000, Machine Check Exception
Arg2: ffff9983c6d51028, Address of the WHEA_ERROR_RECORD structure.
Arg3: 00000000be000000, High order 32-bits of the MCi_STATUS value.
Arg4: 0000000000800400, Low order 32-bits of the MCi_STATUS value.

Debugging Details:
------------------

TRIAGER: Could not open triage file : e:\dump_analysis\program\triage\modclass.ini, error 2

BUGCHECK_STR: 0x124_GenuineIntel

DEFAULT_BUCKET_ID: WIN8_DRIVER_FAULT

PROCESS_NAME: 7DaysToDie.exe

CURRENT_IRQL: f

STACK_TEXT:
ffffdd80`4c7abbe8 fffff801`71250520 : 00000000`00000124 00000000`00000000 ffff9983`c6d51028 00000000`be000000 : nt!KeBugCheckEx
ffffdd80`4c7abbf0 fffff805`321514ba : ffff9983`c6d51028 ffff9983`c5bd91c0 ffff9983`c5bd91c0 ffff9983`c5bd91c0 : hal!HalBugCheckSystem+0xd0
ffffdd80`4c7abc30 fffff801`7155ba41 : ffff9983`c6d51028 00000000`00000000 ffff9983`c5bd91c0 ffff9983`c5bd91c0 : PSHED!PshedBugCheckSystem+0xa
ffffdd80`4c7abc60 fffff801`71251c60 : 00000000`00000728 00000000`00000001 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 : nt!WheaReportHwError+0x261
ffffdd80`4c7abcc0 fffff801`71251fc0 : 00000000`00000010 ffff9983`c5bd9210 ffffdd80`4c7abe68 00000000`00000001 : hal!HalpMcaReportError+0x50
ffffdd80`4c7abe10 fffff801`71251eae : ffff9983`c58e6c30 00000000`00000001 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 : hal!HalpMceHandlerCore+0xe0
ffffdd80`4c7abe60 fffff801`712520f2 : 00000000`00000008 00000000`00000001 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 : hal!HalpMceHandler+0xda
ffffdd80`4c7abea0 fffff801`71252390 : ffff9983`c58e6c30 ffffdd80`4c7ac0d0 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 : hal!HalpMceHandlerWithRendezvous+0xce
ffffdd80`4c7abed0 fffff801`7145493b : 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 : hal!HalHandleMcheck+0x40
ffffdd80`4c7abf00 fffff801`714545ff : 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 : nt!KxMcheckAbort+0x7b
ffffdd80`4c7ac040 00007ff7`b56a0778 : 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 : nt!KiMcheckAbort+0x1bf
00000000`00cfedb0 00000000`00000000 : 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 : 0x7ff7`b56a0778


STACK_COMMAND: kb

FOLLOWUP_NAME: MachineOwner

MODULE_NAME: GenuineIntel

IMAGE_NAME: GenuineIntel

DEBUG_FLR_IMAGE_TIMESTAMP: 0

FAILURE_BUCKET_ID: X64_0x124_GenuineIntel_PROCESSOR_MAE

BUCKET_ID: X64_0x124_GenuineIntel_PROCESSOR_MAE

Followup: MachineOwner

If anyone can pinpoint what I've missed and help me fix this I would greatly appreciate it!

 

[Vic 40]

See you have the latest "stable" bios,but you might want to try the beta as well. With "Asus USB Bios Flashback" could you still return to the older version afaik.
When switching parts did you switch from the other build (Z87) to this one (Z97) or the other way round? If all parts where swapped from Z87 to Z97 except motherboard and nothing changes then you might be right about the motherboard.
Which EVGA psu?

Kinda wonder what you mean when saying "crashing"? Does it just shutdown or bluescreen or freeze ...

 

[hecyra81]

Ok I will try the beta build and see if that helps, thanks. I switched parts between both computers then ran both playing the same game until the issue computer (Z97) crashed again. Usually, the system will hang, freeze and go to either white or blue screen and the sound will do the same - one long, monotonous tone. Then the blue error screen and automatic restart. After the latest stable BIOS update, and using the gtx 660 that I know works perfectly, games are now crashing after only a couple minutes of play, but are just locking up and I have to physically shut down and restart the system.

 

[Peter Martin]

so if you've swapped ram and video and all that, maybe it's your motherboard

 

[Vic 40]

Tested in the second pcie slot as well?

 

[hecyra81]

I was afraid of that. It's the LGA1150 chipset, which doesn't seem to be available any longer, so I'd have to replace the MB, CPU, and ram. Keep hoping that I just missed something and someone could point it out for that 'AHA!' moment, but am probably going to have to replace stuff then. I do appreciate the input.

Yes, also tested different slots. Also tried my two 660s in SLI, just for fun.

 

[Vic 40]

Cheapest option for a new motherboard would be this,
https://pcpartpicker.com/product/tV648d/asrock-motherboard-h87wsadl
no overclocking,but with turboboost would you still have a goood cpu.Can look at used as well of course.Or switch this system into the Z87 one and update that.

 

[hecyra81]

Thanks Vic 40! The Z87 system is mine, and the Z97 is my husband's, so I'm trying to keep both going so we can game together hehe. I appreciate the link to a board that will work and will try to find it on the Canadian site as a replacement if the other things suggested here so far don't work.

 

[Vic 40]

In Canada try and see if the shop linked in the next still can order this motehrboard,
https://ca.pcpartpicker.com/product/GMp323/gigabyte-motherboard-gaz97hd3p

 

[hecyra81]

Okay, just put an older motherboard and CPU, and ram, in the rig (everything is compatible and checked) and it's still doing the same freeze/reset thing! The only thing that is the same in the entire computer, at this point, is the hard drive, DVD rom, and the case itself. Could a bad hard drive cause just games to lock up and reset the computer? Or the case?

Well, tested the case by swapping it out AND bought a new hard drive. There is nothing in the computer now that is original. Everything has been swapped out. It is different computer entirely. It is also still freezing and rebooting itself. I can only conclude that it has been possessed.

 

[Vic 40]

Test the hdd with the appropriate tool from it's maker,see what it has to say.

 

[Peter Martin]

time to start testing components.

test RAM - Memtest86
test CPU - Prime95
test GPU - Futuremark
test PSU - OCCT