BSOD loop - bad i7 6700k CPU? or ASUS Z170 issue?

[LewisBloom]

Hello everyone first time poster and the system I come to you today is actually what got me into the LTT you tube channel I've been addicted too ever since.

 

I needed a new system as a studio manager the i7 2600 was getting long in the tooth for the applications I was using. But I admit I was somewhat out of touch so after some googling came across LTT and was soon able to get clued up on the past couple years bits and pieces to make a somewhat informed purchase for a new system that I hope would last me a while.

 

i7 6700k

Noctua d15 cooling

ASUS z170 pro gaming motherboard

32GB RAM etc etc for work needs.

 

That was delivered end of Jan early Feb and the build process went really well it being my first for a good while. All loaded great enjoyed the day building the machine and very happy with everything up until yesterday. I had gone into the office and booted up, all OK but halfway through a browser session a BSOD turned up out of no where. This was then followed by another and another and the loop begins. System post loading windows and boom BSOD.

 

The BSOD where varying everything from page faults to every other message under the sun totally random if left in the loop.

 

So I begin troubleshooting, go through the SSD and change to HDD to try to reinstall windows from disc and same issue booting from disc, try another hard drive same issue, try SSD in a dock with laptop all OK, The Z170 has on-board display so I remove the 780GTX to take that out and again same issue even with on-board display through DVI. Next up the RAM try the two sticks singular and same BSOD loop issue.

 

I get through everything until I end up with the parts I cannot test at the office PSU, mobo (which I updated firmware for OK to test) and CPU. Take to the local PC repair store and they run similar tests try installing on there own SSD with same results they take the PSU out of the equation too and also totally clear the RAM which is all OK and we are now left with the CPU and motherboard which could be at fault. The PC store say they think though rare that it might be the CPU itself having issues as the BSOD's as well as being all manner of messages sometimes the characters in the BSOD are corrupt with the weird square 000's or even random green squares where a character should be.

 

Any advice or help from the wider LTT community would be very much greatly appreciated as I am as expected totally gutted and eager to get a system going again as I've stuff to test that the laptop as nice as it is, is just useless for.

 

cheers,

Lewis

[Enderman]

what do you mean you "updated the firmware"

are you talking about BIOS?

[LewisBloom]

Sorry, yes BIOS all up to date with the latest on ASUS site for the motherboard.

[LewisBloom]

Anyone ever had to return a CPU?

[topblast]

I had a similar problem.

2 Days ago i build my system:

•  Intel Core I7 6700k
• ASUS Z170-A
• 32GB

I was having problems booting into Window Setup. As you said the BSOD loop with different errors and so on. In the mass of googled errors i tried these things.

• Set Load-Line Calibration - Level 3
• Underclock/Overclock
• Generous Voltage
• Turn on/off CSM
• Disabling Cores - One Core enabled

When i finally disabled the cores I was able to boot and install windows. After installing drivers and windows updates I enabled the cores and it seems to run mostly stable. I still experience BSODs seemingly random which I am still working on.

See if any of these help you

[LewisBloom]

Ok you sir or madam are owed a pint!

 

I can now at least boot to windows by disabling all but 1 core thus far. I'll experiment a bit more over the next day to see how it goes, I've got it upstairs at the moment simply on with a few windows open, ill see if its restart when I go up in a bit.

 

So the question, would this therefore point to a bad or maybe even dodgy batch of CPU's or Z170 motherboards, as you noted theirs a few others with the issue when googling and most seem as baffled by me about it all.

 

cheers,

Lewis

 

 

[LewisBloom]

TopBlast, not sure what links you found but this sounds like the issue we are both seeing?

https://arstechnica.com/civis/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=1293925

 

 

[topblast]

52 minutes ago, LewisBloom said:

TopBlast, not sure what links you found but this sounds like the issue we are both seeing?

https://arstechnica.com/civis/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=1293925

 

 

It seem this may be the issue, my bsods had different messaged but the symptoms are all the same.  

[LewisBloom]

will you be returning yours?

 

I'll be hearing tomorrow about mine and insisting for a new chip being sent out. I'm typing this from the system you helped me get up and running but of course a crippled system running on two cores and so far seems ok. As I type this ive cookie clicker running some with java scripts, catching up ont he playlist of latest post race F1 coverage/interviews, browsing on another window for this forum and got steam open ready for some project Cars to see if I can induce a BSOD.

 

thanks,

Lewis

[LewisBloom]

Top Blast, Ive just got back from post office for the RMA, they wanted the CPU + Mobo. It's a turn around of 3-5 working days i'll let you know how I get on.

 

cheers,

Lewis

[topblast]

I'm in the process of returning my processor now

[LewisBloom]

All up and running again, new CPU all good, must have been really unlucky and got dodgy CPU

 

Hope your RMA goes well!