Something is terribly broken - but what?
Something is terribly broken - but what?
Hello, I’ve faced some unusual problems with my PC recently. It’s been slowly losing performance over time, eventually reaching a nearly non-functional condition. My system is a 9900k, 1080 Ti, 32GB RAM, powered by a 1200W Corsair PSU, with custom water cooling managed by an Aquaero setup. The Z370 Aorus Gaming 7 is controlled via software. Initially, it would freeze during games, forcing me to restart by holding a specific button. There were no minidumps or BSODs, just frequent lockups or occasional reboots. Over time, crashes became more common, even when browsing or watching videos. Audio and mouse functioned temporarily, but the window manager wouldn’t respond and everything would freeze. Eventually, I had to enter the boot menu, solve a pin issue, and it would lock up again. Safe mode always worked, letting me regain control. I’ve tried reinstalling Windows, replacing RAM, PSU, adding an M.2 drive, unplugging other drives, updating BIOS, and moving from Windows 10 to 11. At this point, it seems the issue lies with the mainboard or CPU. If that’s the case, upgrading to a 12700k with a new board would be the next step. Any suggestions from others would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.
I examine the window logger, navigating to the system settings to uncover any anomalies. All unexpected crashes are logged and could offer clues about the issue.
If reinstalling GPU drivers using DDU doesn’t resolve the problem, and the log shows no driver crashes while Windows reports none, the GPU seems okay—other factors are likely involved.
When HWinfo64 confirms normal CPU, motherboard temps, and clocks, overheating isn’t the cause.
If the system remains responsive but suddenly crashes under load, it points to RAM or SSD issues. Running memtest on RAM can reveal sudden failures.
If the machine stalls only when under stress—like drawing power from the PSU—it suggests a faulty PSU. If the crash isn’t tied to power consumption, the PSU is probably fine.
Try reinstalling Windows; if that fails, the motherboard might be the culprit. Have you checked anything else? I’ve tried several approaches and found most issues. Let me know your results.
It’s worth mentioning that if the system’s performance is normal otherwise and there aren’t unusually high voltages or temperatures, yet it stops abruptly without any crash logs, the issue might lie with the motherboard or power supply unit. You can verify the socket connections on the motherboard, but if your setup has operated smoothly for a long time and now fails, it’s likely not that simple.
Thanks for your feedback! It seems the issue isn’t related to the PSU, RAM, or GPU. The difference between new and old RAM doesn’t matter, and the new PSU didn’t help either. Reinstalling Windows on a brand-new SSD also didn’t resolve the problem. Integrated graphics also fail when the GPU (and its drivers) aren’t connected. The Event Viewer logs are vague and don’t offer any useful guidance. I haven’t checked the pins because the system is a sealed hard drive enclosure, which previously worked without issues. It started malfunctioning gradually over about a year.
Consider repositioning the CPU within the socket. It’s possible a faulty pin connection is disrupting performance. If that doesn’t resolve the issue, the CPU and motherboard might be the problem. Apologies if this wasn’t clear.
Someone else might be facing similar strange problems—there was a faulty CPU, but the mainboard kept working, so they decided to replace it anyway.