Question Z790 AORUS ELITE AX with i9-13900KF - - - is my issue caused by CPU degradation ?

[AUMolloy]

Hi all,

I've been dealing with persistent crashing and BSODs on my Aftershock prebuilt PC for the past couple of months. The system was recently sent in for repair, and Aftershock claims they replaced the CPU. Unfortunately, the same issues continue, and I’m beginning to suspect a possible link to the Intel 13th/14th Gen CPU instability/degradation issues that have been circulating.

Here’s a breakdown of what’s been happening:

14th May

• PC set up and played several games without issue.

15th May

• While idle, system crashed with BugCheck 0x7E. Minidump generated.
• Later played games without issues.

16th May

• KCD II caused a freeze + DPC_WATCHDOG_VIOLATION BSOD.
• Other games ran fine.

17th May

• KCD II failed once, then ran okay.
• Multiple crashes began across other games (VRAM-related messages in Space Marine 2).
• Another DPC_WATCHDOG_VIOLATION occurred.

18th May

• No games would launch.
• Updated BIOS (includes microcode fix for Intel instability), but issues persist.

Software Changes:

• Updated/reinstalled NVIDIA drivers (via app, web, DDU)
• Tried older drivers
• Uninstalled NVIDIA HD Audio
• Copied and set permissions for nvlddmkm.sys
• Power settings maxed in Windows and NVIDIA Control Panel
• Disabled Re-sizeable BAR and XMP
• Reset overclocking to default
• Underclocked GPU
• Fresh Windows install
• Registry tweaks (Timeout Delay Recovery)

Hardware Changes:

• Reseated GPU, RAM, and all cables
• Replaced the RAM completely
• Cleaned all parts of dust

I’m wondering if the replacement CPU is still affected by the Intel degradation issues or if the CPU possibly wasn’t replaced at all.

Does this sound like CPU degradation, or could it be GPU/driver-related?

Do you have any steps I haven’t tried that you’d recommend to stabilise the system (even at reduced performance)?

Thanks in advance for any help or insight!

 

[AUMolloy]

Minidumps - Prior to CPU Replacement:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1UlVWNMykkPgukn3nnhoznRhc_qoqW8kb/view?usp=drive_link

Minidumps 12-03-2025.zip

drive.google.com

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ScLnBWZyaRUMtd65iiEehf3RqCvr-75d/view?usp=drive_link

Minidumps - Post CPU Replacement:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1lZoZqZBiNVhCUQIkEmKiyZoTr4ApwDDQ/view?usp=drive_link

 

[geofelt]

"Power settings maxed" suggests that you may have inadvertently implemented overclocking.

Try setting windows to balanced normal.

 

[threebills11]

Is the chip overclocked?Or ram? lot od BSOD's happen when the chip has an unbalanced OC

 

[AUMolloy]

"Power settings maxed" suggests that you may have inadvertently implemented overclocking.

Try setting windows to balanced normal.

The BIOS is at its default settings, though I have played with it to attempt to set the CPU back to original specs. I may be messing it up though.

By Windows to Balanced Normal, do you mean the 'Balanced' power plan? If so I've tried this as well. 🙁

Is the chip overclocked?Or ram? lot od BSOD's happen when the chip has an unbalanced OC

XMP and re-sizeable bar have both been on and off without success. The default MOBO/BIOS settings are also used, though I believe this overclocks the CPU by default?