Occasional stops, I'm struggling to figure this out.
Occasional stops, I'm struggling to figure this out.
Hello everyone, I truly believe you can assist me as I'm facing a difficult situation. My computer is completely non-functional, and despite my efforts, it remains unresponsive. I recently acquired the following components: Intel Core i5 13600K with a Noctua cooler, Corsair DDR4 Vengeance LPX 2x16GB 3600 (CMK32GX4M2D3600C18) on the motherboard list, Asus ROG STRIX Z690-A gaming GPU with Wi-Fi (flashed BIOS, version 2103), and I upgraded my PSU to 750W, added a GTX 1070, and installed SSDs. After setting everything up, the motherboard features two 8-pin CPU connectors, but my PSU only has one. The manual suggests connecting both 8-pin cables if possible. However, I've found conflicting advice online. Could this be related to the Intel 13th generation? Once Windows 11 was installed, everything worked perfectly for a day before suddenly freezing. I couldn't power it off normally; only the power cable could be removed. Initially, I thought it might be a coincidence, but subsequent freezes persisted, making me suspect hardware issues. After booting Windows and playing games, another freeze occurred. I tried swapping the DDR4 sticks, ran MemTest, and both sticks froze during testing. I discovered the 3600MHz kit exceeded the processor's maximum speed of 3200MHz. I adjusted the BIOS settings to 3200MHz with XMP, and the tests passed. Still, a freeze happened during Windows startup and gaming. I checked my SSD using Samsung Magician and confirmed it was fine. The CPU appeared normal after removing the cooler and reinstalling the chipset. It booted into Windows, but a random freeze occurred afterward. I ran Intel diagnostics and everything passed. Cinebench benchmarks also completed without issues. Now I'm uncertain what to do next. My mind is racing: - The MemTest failures point to a hardware fault, possibly related to the motherboard or RAM. - If it was a Windows glitch, I should have been able to shut it down with the power button. - The missing 8-pin cable seems unlikely since the system handled benchmarks. - The SSD health was intact, ruling out storage problems. - I suspect the CPU might be fine, but I need further testing. I'm running out of options and don't have another motherboard or CPU to test. My thoughts are: this could be a combination of factors, and I need expert guidance. Thank you all for your help!
I’d verify whether your RAM model appears in the board manufacturer’s QVL based on your processor. It’s less frequent with Intel, but I’ve faced several issues with RAM instability in Ryzen systems, which seems to be increasing. It’s worth checking. Regarding the question, YES—if your SKU isn’t listed, it might indicate a compatibility or stability problem.
I applied XMP to lower it to 3200mhz, but I can experiment further. I'll keep you posted.
So far, nothing has worked. I've adjusted several settings and then opted for a complete Windows 10 reinstall. There was some optimism because I managed to install software and play Dying Light 2 without issues for around 20 minutes. Then another freeze occurred. I'm not sure what to do next. Yes, I looked in the event viewer. With the most recent crash, there were no errors before the freeze...
Consider testing various components and connections. Reset BIOS by running it briefly and turning on each feature individually. Apply BIOS patches. Unplug unused devices. Re-seat RAM and cards. Reset the CPU by rebuilding the board. RAM performance may be lower now; power issues could also affect it, though PSU should handle most fluctuations.
I purchased the MMO new and instantly updated the BIOS without starting up. I had to confirm the BIOS was up-to-date, otherwise the 13th generation CPU wouldn't function.