I've been having quite a few issues with my computer recently. :
SPECS:
i7 8700k
z370 aorus gaming 5
2x8gb DDR4-3200 corsair
Asus dual GTX1070 08g
win10-64 installed on samsung ssd 850 evo 500gb
corsair cx750m psu
evo 212 cooler
I built this from scratch, all new parts, except for some old HDs that are used for storage in March 2018.
Issues:
-My computer would not boot in dual channel mode since I noticed that it was in single channel mode in June or July (XMP enabled, RAM in slots 4+3 or 2+1), would only boot in single channel mode (3+1). Inserting the chips in different channels would cause the BIOS to not load. HOWEVER, today, after removing my GPU and checking the CPU for bent pins(see below), it now boots in dual channel mode in slots 2+1, and HWiNFO64 displays 'dual-channel' under 'mode'.
-For the past several months, I have been getting frequent blue screens on startup, with fairly random error messages. (kmode exception not handled, irq not less or equal, kernel security check failure etc). There does not seem to be any pattern to this, it occurred approximately 25% of the time on startup, but a reset usually causes it to boot fine afterwards. (I was not overclocking). Bluescreens after startup are extremely rare.
-I ran intel processor diagnostic tool 3 days ago, it passed all tests.
-yesterday my computer did a hard power off (no blue screen) while playing the witcher 3 on max settings. I have been playing this game for the past month on max with no issues previously. I turned it back on, ran speedfan, and ran witcher 3 again. Speedfan showed no issues with temps, (cores mid 30s, GPU at 50), but I had another hard power off after a few minutes of playing. I left the computer off for 30 min, started it again, played witcher 3 for a couple hours on ultra settings without issues. I can think of nothing that would have precipitated this-- no new software, no new hardware, no power outages etc.
-Today my computer would not turn on at all. I would power on, it would putter a bit, some of the leds would come on, but nothing. the led code panel on the board showed nothing. I tried 5 or six times, same results. Worried that it might be a PSU issue, I removed one ram chip, removed all HDs except for the SSD with the OS, removed all USB devices, tried again, same result. I removed the CPU, checked for bent pins, seemed all fine (though I don't have a magnifying glass, and my camera or my photo-taking skills aren't really up to snuff, so who can be sure?), so I reinstalled the CPU and removed my GPU, and it powered up ).
-I turned off turbo, turned off XMP, and set memory to enhanced stability modes, then ran UserBenchmark. Results as expected. I turned on XMP, kept enhanced stability mode, installed the second RAM chip so that we're in dual-channel mode (2+1)-- RAM now performing as it should in dual channel mode, CPU at low end (because turbo is off). (I'm typing this now with no GPU, both ram chips in dual channel, usb devices and all HDs plugged in).
-I restarted, turned turbo on, overclocked to 4.7 via 'cpu upgrade' in the bios, ran a benchmark, (again, with no GPU) and got screen tearing and a freeze. Power off, power on, turned off OC, kept turbo on. Ran Intel processor diagnostic tool, got screen tearing and a hard freeze on prime number test. Had to power off. I am pretty sure if I run the tool again I'll get a freeze, but I'll post this first, then update.
-running chkdsk and sfc /scannow does not fix anything, though it occasionally finds corrupt files?
UPDATE: a second run of the intel processor diagnostic tool caused a hard freeze, the following text was on the screen at the time:
module math_primenum.exe completed - pass
module viscollisions.exe completed - pass
UPDATE 2: now works with GPU plugged in, still getting freezes with intel processor diag tool. and UserBenchmark ARGH WHAT IS GOING ON!!
UPDATE 3::
I replaced the PSU to no effect. I realized that the problem was two-fold:
1) The majority of the problems were caused by the evo 212 CPU cooler. If you stand the case upright, the cooler sits at a 90degree angle from the board, and from the ground and puts uneven pressure on the CPU causing issues with dual channel mode and random crashes. No amount of tinkering with the tightness of the cooler screws both enables dual channel mode AND eliminates crashes under load. I have the case sitting flat on the ground now, rather than upright, so that the cooler sits upright on the chip, and this has eliminated the crashes and the failure to boot in dual channel mode. I do not recommend this cooler.
2) there was a faulty Type4 connector from the PSU to one of the secondary HDs that was preventing power on.
SPECS:
i7 8700k
z370 aorus gaming 5
2x8gb DDR4-3200 corsair
Asus dual GTX1070 08g
win10-64 installed on samsung ssd 850 evo 500gb
corsair cx750m psu
evo 212 cooler
I built this from scratch, all new parts, except for some old HDs that are used for storage in March 2018.
Issues:
-My computer would not boot in dual channel mode since I noticed that it was in single channel mode in June or July (XMP enabled, RAM in slots 4+3 or 2+1), would only boot in single channel mode (3+1). Inserting the chips in different channels would cause the BIOS to not load. HOWEVER, today, after removing my GPU and checking the CPU for bent pins(see below), it now boots in dual channel mode in slots 2+1, and HWiNFO64 displays 'dual-channel' under 'mode'.
-For the past several months, I have been getting frequent blue screens on startup, with fairly random error messages. (kmode exception not handled, irq not less or equal, kernel security check failure etc). There does not seem to be any pattern to this, it occurred approximately 25% of the time on startup, but a reset usually causes it to boot fine afterwards. (I was not overclocking). Bluescreens after startup are extremely rare.
-I ran intel processor diagnostic tool 3 days ago, it passed all tests.
-yesterday my computer did a hard power off (no blue screen) while playing the witcher 3 on max settings. I have been playing this game for the past month on max with no issues previously. I turned it back on, ran speedfan, and ran witcher 3 again. Speedfan showed no issues with temps, (cores mid 30s, GPU at 50), but I had another hard power off after a few minutes of playing. I left the computer off for 30 min, started it again, played witcher 3 for a couple hours on ultra settings without issues. I can think of nothing that would have precipitated this-- no new software, no new hardware, no power outages etc.
-Today my computer would not turn on at all. I would power on, it would putter a bit, some of the leds would come on, but nothing. the led code panel on the board showed nothing. I tried 5 or six times, same results. Worried that it might be a PSU issue, I removed one ram chip, removed all HDs except for the SSD with the OS, removed all USB devices, tried again, same result. I removed the CPU, checked for bent pins, seemed all fine (though I don't have a magnifying glass, and my camera or my photo-taking skills aren't really up to snuff, so who can be sure?), so I reinstalled the CPU and removed my GPU, and it powered up ).
-I turned off turbo, turned off XMP, and set memory to enhanced stability modes, then ran UserBenchmark. Results as expected. I turned on XMP, kept enhanced stability mode, installed the second RAM chip so that we're in dual-channel mode (2+1)-- RAM now performing as it should in dual channel mode, CPU at low end (because turbo is off). (I'm typing this now with no GPU, both ram chips in dual channel, usb devices and all HDs plugged in).
-I restarted, turned turbo on, overclocked to 4.7 via 'cpu upgrade' in the bios, ran a benchmark, (again, with no GPU) and got screen tearing and a freeze. Power off, power on, turned off OC, kept turbo on. Ran Intel processor diagnostic tool, got screen tearing and a hard freeze on prime number test. Had to power off. I am pretty sure if I run the tool again I'll get a freeze, but I'll post this first, then update.
-running chkdsk and sfc /scannow does not fix anything, though it occasionally finds corrupt files?
UPDATE: a second run of the intel processor diagnostic tool caused a hard freeze, the following text was on the screen at the time:
module math_primenum.exe completed - pass
module viscollisions.exe completed - pass
UPDATE 2: now works with GPU plugged in, still getting freezes with intel processor diag tool. and UserBenchmark ARGH WHAT IS GOING ON!!
UPDATE 3::
I replaced the PSU to no effect. I realized that the problem was two-fold:
1) The majority of the problems were caused by the evo 212 CPU cooler. If you stand the case upright, the cooler sits at a 90degree angle from the board, and from the ground and puts uneven pressure on the CPU causing issues with dual channel mode and random crashes. No amount of tinkering with the tightness of the cooler screws both enables dual channel mode AND eliminates crashes under load. I have the case sitting flat on the ground now, rather than upright, so that the cooler sits upright on the chip, and this has eliminated the crashes and the failure to boot in dual channel mode. I do not recommend this cooler.
2) there was a faulty Type4 connector from the PSU to one of the secondary HDs that was preventing power on.