Question Symptoms of a dying motherboard?

[Sarinahq]

Hello tomshardware users! Apologies for a wall of text in advance but I want to try to be as descriptive as possible.

Firstly, ever since Windows went from 1809 to newer versions, I’ve had issues with HID compliant headset crashing my entire PC (either blue screen or a complete hang). Eventually, I have pinpointed it to that as it never happened without my headset or with a headset only using the jack.

Sometimes, it would go away for a long time and so I would go back to USB/wireless but for the last month, this seems to be occurring so often I practically crash 10min into any somewhat demanding game, therefore i was forced into only using jack.

It was fine that way for a while but lately (past week or so) I’ve been noticing my keyboard (sometimes mouse too) not being detected at boot and I’d have to replug it.

Since a couple of days ago I also no longer can change the LED of my nzxt kraken x62 cooler even though the app still has the option to, the cooler simply doesn’t change colour. Sometimes it boots up with no LED, sometimes it does. It’s irrelevant but I figured it might be useful.

I ran a memtest which showed no issues, my PSU is fairly new. Also ran the standard sfc scan, chkdsk - also no issues. Ran a drive test, no failure shown.

Don’t have any blue screens right now unfortunately, but it was almost always ntoskrnl exe (so not very telling). Most crashes are hangs rather than blue screens.

Also, i tried to update windows today and the install keeps failing.

My specs are:

I7 8700k not overclocked
MSI PC PRO z370
MSI Gaming Trio 1080Ti
Corsair RM850x or 750x
Hyperx Predator 2x8gb ram
Samsung SSD 970 EVO plus 500gb

Thank you, any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Ralston18]

This:

"Also, i tried to update windows today and the install keeps failing. " Any error messages or codes?

= = = =

Look in Reliability History and Event Viewer. Either one or both may be capturing some related error codes etc.

Clicking any given error entry may provide more detail about what occurred. That detail may or may not be helpful.

Reliability History uses a timeline format that often proves helpful with respect to showing when the problems may have started.

Also look in Update History for any failed or problem updates.

= = = =

And try other known working headsets on your computer.

Try your headset on another known working computer.

Determine if the problem follows the headset or stays with your computer.

Especially if you are using any sort of adapters for the headset/microphone connections. Possibly an intermittent short has developed.

 

[Sarinahq]

This:

"Also, i tried to update windows today and the install keeps failing. " Any error messages or codes?

= = = =

Look in Reliability History and Event Viewer. Either one or both may be capturing some related error codes etc.

Clicking any given error entry may provide more detail about what occurred. That detail may or may not be helpful.

Reliability History uses a timeline format that often proves helpful with respect to showing when the problems may have started.

Also look in Update History for any failed or problem updates.

= = = =

And try other known working headsets on your computer.

Try your headset on another known working computer.

Determine if the problem follows the headset or stays with your computer.

Especially if you are using any sort of adapters for the headset/microphone connections. Possibly an intermittent short has developed.

Hey, the update happened now and there is nothing in the event viewer/reliability history.

As I said, my PC worked fine until now using jack/no headset and both of my headsets actually work fine on other PCs, while no headset works properly long term on mine.

The reason why I’m posting this is because now I get blue screens/hangs even without the headset plugged in at all and my motherboard is struggling to detect hardware [keyboard, cooler LED controller(?)]

I have the option to order a motherboard to test it and return it if the problem persists - would you say it’s a good choice?

 

[Sarinahq]

I have just had a crash - not sure if it was a Blue Screen because all my peripherals (including monitors) got disconnected in the process.

After rebooting, event viewer had a bugcheck but dump file did not get created.

 

[Endre]

Hello tomshardware users! Apologies for a wall of text in advance but I want to try to be as descriptive as possible.

Firstly, ever since Windows went from 1809 to newer versions, I’ve had issues with HID compliant headset crashing my entire PC (either blue screen or a complete hang). Eventually, I have pinpointed it to that as it never happened without my headset or with a headset only using the jack.

Sometimes, it would go away for a long time and so I would go back to USB/wireless but for the last month, this seems to be occurring so often I practically crash 10min into any somewhat demanding game, therefore i was forced into only using jack.

It was fine that way for a while but lately (past week or so) I’ve been noticing my keyboard (sometimes mouse too) not being detected at boot and I’d have to replug it.

Since a couple of days ago I also no longer can change the LED of my nzxt kraken x62 cooler even though the app still has the option to, the cooler simply doesn’t change colour. Sometimes it boots up with no LED, sometimes it does. It’s irrelevant but I figured it might be useful.

I ran a memtest which showed no issues, my PSU is fairly new. Also ran the standard sfc scan, chkdsk - also no issues. Ran a drive test, no failure shown.

Don’t have any blue screens right now unfortunately, but it was almost always ntoskrnl exe (so not very telling). Most crashes are hangs rather than blue screens.

Also, i tried to update windows today and the install keeps failing.

My specs are:

I7 8700k not overclocked
MSI PC PRO z370
MSI Gaming Trio 1080Ti
Corsair RM850x or 750x
Hyperx Predator 2x8gb ram
Samsung SSD 970 EVO plus 500gb

Thank you, any help would be greatly appreciated.

Hello!

In order to solve the mystery, you must take certain steps, progressively:

1. Check your PC for viruses.
2. Re-install Windows clean.
3. Check the functionality, performance & temperatures of your parts (CPU, memory, drives, GPU).

Etc.

 

[Sarinahq]

Those are the steps I’ve done first and repeatedly.
No viruses, reocurrs even after reinstalls. Temperatures are fine and I said, part passed every possible test - GPU, CPU benchmarks, memtest, drive check up

 

[Endre]

Those are the steps I’ve done first and repeatedly.
No viruses, reocurrs even after reinstalls. Temperatures are fine and I said, part passed every possible test - GPU, CPU benchmarks, memtest, drive check up

Hello!

Did you also re-install Windows clean (formatting the drive at setup)?

 

[Sarinahq]

Hello!

Did you also re-install Windows clean (formatting the drive at setup)?

Hello,

yes, I have. I have a windows installer on my usb so I never go without reinstalling if an issue (re)occurs.

Thank you

 

[Ralston18]

Going back a bit: "my PSU is fairly new." How new?

How old is that Corsair RM850x (noted you also mentioned "or" 750x)?

Did you change PSUs? E.g., from 750x to 850x or vice versa? Either way, did you mix and match any of the provided cables? Or use any modular cables from other sources.

All in all I suspect a faltering/failing PSU which can happen even if the PSU is new.

"the last month, this seems to be occurring so often I practically crash 10min into any somewhat demanding game, therefore i was forced into only using jack. "

Could be that under certain load conditions the PSU is unable to provide power somewhere and as a result the build crashes.

Before returning the motherboard is it possible to install another known working PSU with the same or higher wattage - just to test?

 

[Sarinahq]

Going back a bit: "my PSU is fairly new." How new?

How old is that Corsair RM850x (noted you also mentioned "or" 750x)?

Did you change PSUs? E.g., from 750x to 850x or vice versa? Either way, did you mix and match any of the provided cables? Or use any modular cables from other sources.

All in all I suspect a faltering/failing PSU which can happen even if the PSU is new.

"the last month, this seems to be occurring so often I practically crash 10min into any somewhat demanding game, therefore i was forced into only using jack. "

Could be that under certain load conditions the PSU is unable to provide power somewhere and as a result the build crashes.

Before returning the motherboard is it possible to install another known working PSU with the same or higher wattage - just to test?

Hey again!

Well, the thing is - the headset problem specifically pre-dates me getting a new PSU and the problem never (mostly with the headset) really went away.

I used to have corsair cx 550, because back when I bought the setup, my budget was somewhat limited so I resorted to this cheaper version and then I swapped to RMx series, specifically 750. I just wasn’t sure if it was 750 or 850 as I wasn’t at the PC in the time of writing this post

Also, never mixed any cables, in fact, I gave the old psu to my friend after his blew up and his computer works perfectly fine! This was about a year ago or so, maybe a year and a couple of months.

Is there any psu/motherboard advice you’d have for me in the terms of which product to get? I am a bit lost regarding PC parts and all.