Solved Random reboots, error reporting calls it BSOD, next gen hardware

[BotenRedWolf]

Contacted ASUS, used this thread and my video, got an RMA on the card that acts like a total douche canoe. We'll see how that goes.

Box cooler does refer to the stock one, the one that was in the box with the CPU.

Since the MB has already been replaced, I can't see two boards both having bad PCIe slots/controllers.

 

[essenbe]

Well, I had to order 4 Asus boards before I got one without bent CPU pins. That's the first thing I check. None of them ever had a CPU put in them. So, based on that, I don't find 2 boards with bad PCIe slots totally out of the question.

Running one card at a time, there should be little if any difference between them. They should show the same performance, no matter which slot they are in.

The Intel stock cooler is not very efficient, especially on a Haswell CPU.

 

[BotenRedWolf]

Another thing just dawned on me, and I don't recall if I mentioned it before. When it's on a "bad boot", malfunctioning, the sound in games will be crackly, like if a speaker wire had a loose connection or was being manhandled. Does that scream anything in particular?

 

[essenbe]

Another thing just dawned on me, and I don't recall if I mentioned it before. When it's on a "bad boot", malfunctioning, the sound in games will be crackly, like if a speaker wire had a loose connection or was being manhandled. Does that scream anything in particular?

It doesn't scream anything, but it suggests graphics card or drivers. Many times when the graphics drivers crash, you also get audio problems.

 

[BotenRedWolf]

Okay, I just got done dealing with some crashes and decided to methodically test each video card. Didn't need to. BOTH... failed their first boot.

Sounds like ANOTHER RMA on the motherboard? You said something about needing four once for bent pins. I wonder if whatever's causing my problem is something else, but something that could have just been shitty luck on two boards so far?

Also, I've done two clean Windows installs since the last post...

 

[essenbe]

I thought you RMA'd one of the cards. It could be a bad board, I really don't know. The board is one of the things we can't check. We just have to go by the process of elimination. If you do RMA it, I'll give you some advice. When you remove the CPU, take a good light and magnifying glass and check the CPU pins very close. If there are bent pins, they are going to say user damage and charge you to repair it. If there are no pins, take several good pictures where you can see the pins very well. And if the S# is on the front, take a picture where you can see the pins and S#. Just for insurance. There has been more than 1 case where there were no bent pins, but they say there are and try to charge you. You should take pictures of anything you RMA to anyone.

 

[BotenRedWolf]

I did RMA a card, but I didn't send it in yet, I might end up cancelling the RMA, because I thought about it again, my GTX650 or 670 or whatever the hell it was I had before was doing the same damn thing as these cards. Thinking critically, that should eliminate the video cards.

 

[essenbe]

Probably so. It's a logical assumption.

 

[BotenRedWolf]

So I just got off a chat with Amazon, they're sending me a third board. I do have to apologize however, to anyone interested in the board; if my next one fails too, Amazon may pull it from their site, according to the employee I chatted with.

 

[essenbe]

Good job. You can't beat Amazon.

 

[BotenRedWolf]

Well, I'll be damned. Always thought quality control was better, especially at a company like ASUS. Third motherboard turned out to be the charm. Works like a dream. Going on 20+ reboots without a problem. Scoring almost 8700 in Fire Strike ( NVIDIA GeForce GTX 760 video card benchmark result - Intel Core i5-4590 Processor,ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC. Z97-A ). Just to make sure things were completely good, did a complete re-install of Windows and drivers.

Thanks a bunch for helping me out and having patience with my occasional idiocy.

 

[BotenRedWolf]

Aaannd... now it's doing it again. I'm done with this main board. **** this.

Just had to rant, we still solved it, I know it's the motherboard... Just getting crappy boards.

 

[essenbe]

Slow down, I wouldn't be so sure. Pull one card and use it for a while and run some benchmarks, with the card in both slots. Then switch cards and just use the other for a while, in both slots running the same benchmarks in both slots. Compare the results. There should be little to no difference between them. If there's a big difference, it's the card and not the board. But, you will have to use each card for a while un each slot. There may be slight differenced and that is to be expected.

 

[BotenRedWolf]

That's the thing, I get errors with both cards, even run independently. and we can't forget that it did it on my first card, the GTX650. Same exact error and problems.

 

[essenbe]

Yes, I had forgotten that part. That leaves it pretty much down to Motherboard or PSU. I know, your PSU is more than capable of doing the job. That is if it is working as it should. But your board seems to get a lot of complaints. Mostly about ram though, but some pcie stuff too. ASUS Z97-A LGA 1150 Intel Z97 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard - Newegg.com

 

[BotenRedWolf]

Yeah I noticed that too, digging around today. I decided on this as a replacement board though, does it seem like a decent idea?

GIGABYTE - Motherboard - Socket 1150 - GA-Z97X-Gaming 5 (rev. 1.0)

 

[essenbe]

It seems to get decent reviews (GIGABYTE GA-Z97X-Gaming 5 LGA 1150 Intel Z97 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard - Newegg.com) I am not a gigabyte fan, but many people swear by them. The only problems I see at a quick look are the width of the board won't reach the last standoffs, so not much support on that side. That is OK if you build it outside the case then install it. And, the Killer Network . They can be a real pain to set up right and you have to keep drivers up to date with them. I have never had one, but I understand they are very good, but are "high Maintenance". I see problems here often with them. It is usually just a driver issue though. Those would be my only concerns at a quick glance. But, it is a real good looking board and seems to have everything you would need. I only read a couple of the reviews, and a couple of the more negative ones are from people who don't understand how boards are built now, and how expansion slots are used. But, it looks good.

 

[BotenRedWolf]

Yeah, my first gaming machine build used a Gigabyte GA-7VA and an Athlon XP 1700. Damn thing still works. 12-13 years later. Both sides of my case come off, so I can more easily support the back of the board while installing it, so the overhang shouldn't be too much of a concern.

 

[essenbe]

Well, I've built more computers than I care to count, so the width thing would be no problem at all for me. Plus I always build mine outside the case first. It's a whole lot easier to work on if there is a problem, and I want to know it works well before I install it. My set up is a real pain to break down, if something is not right. When you get it, 1ST thing is pull the board out of the box, get a bright light and a magnifying glass and very closely look at the CPU pins in the CPU socket. They are really hard to see. But If even 1 of them is bent, box it back up and send it back. It will never run right. The most critical point in a build is installing the CPU and not bending one of those pins. After that, it's pretty easy.

 

[BotenRedWolf]

Getting the chip in is pretty easy, just don't slide it around, line up the notches and set 'er down. My machine, since it's done, will have to get rebuilt inside the case.