Encounter numerous WHEA 17 issues while employing ROG PCI-E riser with PCI-E Gen4 interface.
Encounter numerous WHEA 17 issues while employing ROG PCI-E riser with PCI-E Gen4 interface.
The issue began after upgrading my PC a few months ago. I installed a water-cooling system for my Gigabyte 3090 Turbo, but it became too noisy. Later, I discovered it wasn’t compatible with my motherboard, so I purchased a PCI-E riser for the GPU. However, under heavy usage—like gaming—the system would crash unexpectedly. It would power off abruptly (causing a sudden black screen and turned-off RGB lights) or freeze (screen paused, effects stopped, no response to mouse or keyboard). While it doesn’t always happen, it occurs frequently.
During troubleshooting, I noticed numerous WHEA code 17 errors in the system logs, showing corrected hardware issues. The problem seemed linked to a PCI Express Root Port Error. After adjusting the BIOS settings to set the PCI-E speed to Gen 3, the errors disappeared, and crashes stopped. I suspect the riser might be faulty. The product page I bought on Taobao mentioned it supports both Gen 3 and Gen 4, but when searching for the link, no official details existed for Gen 4. It appears this could be the cause.
ROG had this product, possibly not available in retail stores. A forum member shared similar experiences, and here’s a relevant link: https://rog-forum.asus.com/t5/previous-f...m-p/879502.
My setup details:
- OS: Windows 11 Enterprise 22H2
- CPU: Intel i9-12900K
- Motherboard: ROG Z690-I WIFI
- GPU: Modified Gigabyte 3090 Turbo (unchanged BIOS)
- RAM: Kingston FURY 32GB DDR5 5200
- Power Supply: Seasonic Focus GX1000
If you need more help, feel free to ask.
It seems the problem might be that they shipped you a Gen 3 instead of the Gen 4. Because it's difficult to confirm the difference, I suggest checking for any labels on the cable that might provide hints. Also, consider purchasing another cable from a retailer offering returns and see if this one resolves the issues—don’t return it if it doesn’t. The link you provided only mentions Gen 3 speeds.
Sounds to me like it's a Gen 3 riser cable, either they didn't ship you the right one or it's a little sham that they pull. This is a very common issue with riser cables, if you want to run at Gen 4 you'll need to purchase a Gen 4 riser. I'd say get one from a reputable vendor/site this time.
It's about the backplate. The water cooling kit I purchased comes with a backplate featuring fins. It's thicker than the original design. Since it's an ITX motherboard, there are SSD armors available, and it sits very close to the PCIE slot. Installing the GPU becomes difficult due to this thickness. I've attached a picture for reference. This is the condition with the original backplate. There are SSD armors positioned under my CPU cooler, making it extremely tight. XD Update: I'm struggling to locate spots for my second CPU cooler fan. Update: I might switch to a white AIO kit just to avoid looking like an artwork killer. Photo 2 shows the PCIE riser setup. Edited May 22, 2023 by Flynnoct
Thank you! I'll reach out to the seller and verify the technical specifications of the cable.