It BSOD’d again.

My brother suggested RMAing the CPU. Found this thread:

https://www.reddit.com/r/buildapc/comments/7sjf67/asus_rog_strix_z370e_w_i78700k_keep_freezing_no/

And there are a couple more like it about bad Coffee Lake CPUs with this MBoard.

I don’t know. Bleh. Windows won’t update this go around either.

It depends a lot on what stop code the BSOD gives. BSOD stop code looks like... 0x0000004E or similar.

But yeah, we swapped the SSD, the vid card is out. That leaves the CPU, the motherboard, the RAM or the PSU. As they said in the reddit post, it's very rarely the CPU. Hardly ever.



/e BlueScreenView will tell us the stop code.


/ee Brb, gonna install the April Update for Win 7. <---- Well, nothing seems to have blown up.

This post was edited by Ghot on Apr 11 2018 09:01pm

Well - I just discovered that BSODs are not really supposed to stay at 0%. I’m not sure if any of the ones I’ve had have actually gone past 0% - and it’s not because I restart the computer instantly, either.

Same stuff - reset Windows with an error along the way, got to Windows. Updated Windows (except one update unsuccessfully). Installed that program and I went right for the jugular for BSODs - installed the processor GFX update. BSODs every time after that - machine_check_exception - managed to get to Windows once, ran the program but it couldn’t see anything. BSOD’d shortly after, and BSOD 5-6 times straight trying to get into Windows - all the same error.

This post was edited by Interesting on Apr 11 2018 09:55pm

Well, I'd just RMA everything, except the SSD and the case.
I'm beginning to think it's the motherboard.

Did anything happen right before all the problems? Did you do anything to it? Any lightning storms or repeated power failures?



/e I guess you could take it to a small computer shop, they will usually test out the parts for like $50.


/ee You could have cooked the CPU. You said you had a pretty high overclock, and you have a pretty wimpy cooler... and those 8xxx Intel CPUs run very hot.
You might have flexed the motherboard somehow, that would be enough to kill it.

I would either take it to a small computer shop, or just RMA the motherboard, CPU and power supply...might as well RMA the RAM too.

If you have another comp, you could make a USB Memtest flash drive and run memtest. I dunno. :/


/e There's no real easy way to test the motherboard or CPU except just replacing them.


/ee Btw, BSODs don't have a percent. BSOD stands for Blue Screen of Death.

This post was edited by Ghot on Apr 11 2018 10:21pm

I haven’t really noticed anything. System was fine when I built it - fine after the 980 a few weeks later - then a few weeks later, freezing issues. I didn’t even really have any BSODs then - maybe 2-3 total in a month of freezing. Some days it didn’t freeze at all. Hell, I made it through 5 hours of WoW on Sunday without a freeze - then it just went to shit, especially when I turned up the virtual memory.

I haven’t noticed anything different except the lack of freezes and the huge increase in BSODs.

I’ll have to explore how to RMA the equipment. I still have all of the boxes. Interestingly, the case and the SSD are the only two things I got on Amazon. The others I got all from Newegg.

Usually there is a 0% on the BSOD, and it says it’ll report and restart - but it never happens

Also - I don’t feel the overclock was all that high- the processor was OC’d to be a constant 4700. I did apply the Gelid Extreme thermal paste to help keep the process cool, too

This post was edited by Interesting on Apr 11 2018 10:29pm

For RMAs you just call the manufacturer of the item. Like ASUS for the motherboard, Intel for the CPU etc.
They'll tell you what you need to do. Everything is still under warranty.

/e Well except the vid card.

This post was edited by Ghot on Apr 11 2018 10:29pm

Looks like that is what I’ll do. I’ll research it and get on it starting tomorrow. Hopefully it doesn’t take too long to send them out and get new parts

Should I call or do the online RMA processes?

Unfortunately I don’t have the cases for the CPU or the RAM anymore, and I don’t have the non-static bag the MBoard came in 😰 not sure what the best shipping method would be in light of this

Looks like I could probably buy some anti-static bags off Amazon. Maybe I’ll do that, buy some bubble-wrap, and a ring box (for CPU).

This post was edited by Interesting on Apr 12 2018 06:12pm

I always call. That way I can ask questions about things like you are asking.

I know for motherboards, they want it in the box and anti static wrapped, and they hold you reponsible for getting it to them safely.

Usually manufacturers will send you a shipping label that you can print out and attach to the box. Just ask them.

I’ll have to give them a call on Monday.

At this point, Im considering selling what I can and also selling the new products they ship to me from RMA for near retail on Clist. Monitor & GFX = $500, CPU / Mobo / RAM = $550, Case / PSU / Keyboard = $200.

$1300ish, and keeping the PCI-E SSD / legit Windows 10 to install plus the nice headset, could probably get me a luxury gaming laptop (for WoW and Overwatch) with maybe a couple years support from Dell or such. I do have a few options for more money such as my birthday in a month that I didn’t consider earlier last week.

When I bought the desktop rather than a laptop, it was because I really wanted the higher refresh rate and the G-Sync. After having them, I don’t notice the G-Sync (at all, actually - and my drivers and everything I did ensures to me it was on). The higher refresh rate is great for Overwatch, but I really didn’t notice it at all on WoW. I think I’d like to just get a laptop for WoW and it’s expansion in August. I have Overwatch on my PS4 Pro, and it looks pretty nice on the X900E I have.. although my aim on console sucks unholy hell.

HP is releasing a Pavilion line of laptops soon that look to be decent for what I want. 1060 Max Q would be all I’d need to max the game on HD. I do like nice screens and colors and such, though.

Thank you for all of your help this last week. It means a lot to me.

This post was edited by Interesting on Apr 14 2018 01:12pm