Ryzen 9 5950x Asus Rog Crosshair viii Hero model
Ryzen 9 5950x Asus Rog Crosshair viii Hero model
I understand... With a single stick of 16GB at 2133MHz I couldn't even set up Windows. Right now I'm using a 3700x and have already emailed AMD support. I was thinking about replacing the CPU tomorrow, but you don’t think there’s a problem with it? Most BSOD messages point to memory issues, and since my sticks and friends’ systems work without crashes at normal speeds, it seems like the memory controller might be the issue. I’m not an expert in this area... Oh, by the way, I never used the 4266MHz 8GB stick on XMP profile—I forgot about that. We didn’t even reach that point because it crashed at stock speeds.
Three factors manage memory, and figuring out which one causes trouble can be tricky. CPU, motherboard, or RAM. Because you've tested a few different memory options, CPU and board are likely the next suspects. You're on the right track—expecting XMP to work with older stock RAM isn't realistic.
Today I’m talking about Bambozle, the person we discussed. Last Thursday and Friday we tried to understand the bluescreens he was experiencing. When he received the 5950X, he visited my place because he struggled with flashing the BIOS—since the CPU is newer than the motherboard. As someone who mainly uses Intel hardware, I haven’t really worked with AMD much since the 3870x2 era, and I’ve been part of the ATI and Blue & Green communities. On Thursday, he considered getting a new motherboard just to test it out. I suggested going for a CPU upgrade as a possible solution. We exchanged the motherboard, reinstalled Windows again, and encountered a bluescreen during both the installation and Microsoft Account setup. After the setup, another issue appeared. We checked his RAM in my PC; XMP settings worked without problems, and HCI Memtest passed several times. My own four sticks ran smoothly in his system, but when I tried gaming for 10 to 15 minutes, crashes occurred. From what I’ve learned, after switching to the 3700X, the system has been stable. This makes me think about a few points: his RAM modules seem fine, the motherboard is functioning properly, and the main concern is either a faulty CPU or that the chip might be discontinued soon due to weak support. I’d say replacing the CPU would help rule out some possibilities, but it’s hard to find one right now—just like with the new GPUs, availability is an issue.
I've only noticed two processors getting returned for this problem with the 5000 series, as they're brand new and many 3000 series units are coming back for similar issues. I think sending the 5950 back to AMD would be a good idea, hoping another one is in better shape. You did a solid job with the diagnostics so far—please keep us updated!
We were quite optimistic it would be just a motherboard problem, but as many people know, Asus is famous for their durable motherboards. We decided to proceed with replacing the chip instead. We wondered if the GPU was the cause—Bambozle had experienced issues with its recent GPUs, like the sudden failure of the 1080 EK and the RTX 2080ti blackouts with high fan speeds. We also considered the power supply, though it seems unlikely given the frequent BSODs. We’ll find out soon, and hopefully we’ll get a replacement when the retailer restocks. Fingers crossed!
Alright, Thor is definitely a high-performance PSU. Those blue error screens would look like a failed overclock. IRQL usually points to CPU overload issues. The rest of the problems seem related to memory instability. Getting an RMA for the CPU might be wise. Unfortunately, the store doesn’t have any in stock. If you’re focused on gaming, swapping it in for a 5800X would work great—it’ll run smoothly. I don’t think games will need 16 threads anytime soon.