So I wasn't sure where to put this, but since it seems to be stemming from my attempted CPU upgrade, I guess this will have to do.
I purchased an FX-8350 to upgrade from my FX-6100 because I figured why not right? Didn't think it was gonna be any trouble at all, a simple swap and then if anything I would have to tweak a thing or two. (This could be a total noob approach, an at this point it feels that way)
To play it safe, I reset my mobo settings to default, undoing any an all overclocks that I had and whatever else. Powered down the computer, swapped the cpu's, and then rebooted the PC. Worked fine, however I noticed that things like CPU Z, Core Temp, you name it would say it was an 8350 but say that it had 6 cores and threads I found this strange, but when going into the device manager, windows detected all the cores, so I assumed that it was just those software's possibly being out of date and them just not adjusting just yet. I also noticed that the temps seemed a bit high, an thought maybe that had to do with a poor reseating job of my cpu cooler (CM Hyper 212), so I decided to once again power the system down an reseat the thing to try and ease my suspicions.
This is where it gets really strange.
So I went to reboot the PC and for some reason, it was booting just fine until it got to the desktop and after booting a program or two, the thing froze up. I thought okay, maybe just a one time thing since stranger things have happened. I restarted it, it happened again, and again... One time it actually threw me a flat blue screen. Not the typical BSOD, but just a blue screen. I then thought okay the thing is pissed at me and didn't like me swapping the CPU's without asking or something, so I put in my windows CD in hopes that a repair via disc would solve my issues. No such luck, and I eventually resorted to re-installing windows just for the sake of everything.
The re-install worked just fine, an I proceeded to download drivers and everything again, programs I had on the boot drive and such. I eventually was getting to the point where I felt like I had a decent amount of programs back on the thing, and then after an obligatory restart prompted by one of the many programs I was re-installing (ones I've had forever and they have never caused any issues before), it has started to stall an freeze again at the desktop. I am kinda at a loss at this point.
I guess my real question is, is it possible it's a bad cpu that worked for a little bit and is now causing all kinds of nonsense? I haven't tried swapping back in the 6100 yet mostly because I am not sure I have the thermal paste left to reset the cooler another time, an because I've been trying to see if it was something software related what with the swap an all.
Any help would be appreciated after this long-winded nonsense I may subject someone to reading.
My Rig
Windows 7 Home Premium
CPU: AMD FX 8350 (Previously 6100)
Mobo: Gigabyte 990FXA UD3
RAM: 16gig's G-Skill Ripjaws 1333
GPU: MSI Radeon HD 7950 Twin Frozer III
PSU: XFX 1050W 80+Gold
Boot Drive: Samsung 840Pro 128gig SSD
Storage Drive: Random assortment of drives including external storage.