L2 cache error i5 8600k and MSI Z370 SLI plus

[G00fySmiley]

In my media PC (emulation and light pc gaming) I am Running a z370 SLI plus. motherboard. and a i5 8600k. 

 

For about a week I have been getting an error code with 11 beeps when booting up from off or back from sleep, per MSI its a L2 cache error. likely CPU possible motherboard. 

 

Bought a used CPU to upgrade, supposedly tested and working, a i7 8700k. seems to run faster now, but I still get an L2 cache error of 11 beeps on startup/wake. I guess its possible to have the same error on a new to me used CPU but seems unlikely

 

Everything runs fine. gaming is slightly better with the new CPU.  So the question is... is maybe the motherboard reading the L2 cache wrong, or could the motherboard be the issue? Just debating is a new z370 motherboard is worth grabbing here. I have 3 kids and a wife so passing down the motherboard and PC is certainly going to happen. I am leaning towards unplugging the speaker but don't want to damage my new CPU if the old one is still good.  

 

What say you internet, new motherboard (probably leaning here, likely an ASUS z370-H gaming). get another CPU, or unplug the speaker and pretend everything is fine. until it dies. 

 

link to mobo in case anybody has better suggestions. sketchy that is out of hong kong and a retailer with a lot of products but only 2 ratings so maybe something else.  

 

https://www.newegg.com/asus-rog-strix-z370-h-gaming/p/N82E16813119035?Item=9SIBPUTJZW2334&cm_sp=product-_-from-price-options

[YoungBlade]

Have you already tried updating the motherboard's BIOS (or reflashing the one it has if up to date) to see if that could fix the issue?

[leclod]

21 minutes ago, G00fySmiley said:

In my media PC (emulation and light pc gaming) I am Running a z370 SLI plus. motherboard. and a i5 8600k.

First, as long as it works fine I'd just keep as it is.

Second, did you check your socket for bent pins ?

Third, is the DRAM led ON too ?

How come you plug a buzzer (I did too, recently) ?

E7B46v2.0.pdf

Edited August 24, 2023 by leclod

[G00fySmiley]

5 hours ago, leclod said:

First, as long as it works fine I'd just keep as it is.

Second, did you check your socket for bent pins ?

Third, is the DRAM led ON too ?

How come you plug a buzzer (I did too, recently) ?

E7B46v2.0.pdf 75.21 kB · 2 downloads

good call on error lights, saw in the manual, none there though, all 4 ram slots show white, the gpu red light indicator for x16 is on, and none of the debug lights are on

 

as to bent pins, I did not see any when I had the CPU out, but its been in that motherboard running fine in the same spot since 2017. I have note even taken it down in like a year to clean. 

 

I may let it ride as is, my only concern is something really messing up (though i know unlikely) and taking out my attached drives or other hardware. Also as said this thing is more than powerful enough that another 200 thrown at it and it might stay a good emulating pc for another couple years until windows 10 end of life unless i can get windows 11 to work on it. . Also what one of my kids prefers to game on with a controller so want it to keep going and not sink a ton into it. 

 

5 hours ago, YoungBlade said:

Have you already tried updating the motherboard's BIOS (or reflashing the one it has if up to date) to see if that could fix the issue?

 

good call, just tried. Still getting the 11 beeps, but updated to the latest stable bios. there is a beta one from 2021 but generally avoid beta drivers even ones that old

 

https://www.msi.com/Motherboard/Z370-SLI-PLUS/support#bios

 

 

 

Add more info. rebooting after bios, it appears XMP is also no longer working on the motherboard and at some point defaulted to off, likely my kids just clicked thru to proceed. so probably motherboard memory issue though odd its calling it an L2 cache error. maybe damaged aged traces ram to CPU? well probably new Mobo then 

[leclod]

Or Memory is the culprit from scratch.

Did you populate slot 2 and 4 for dual channel.

Did you try to post at stock settings (2133MT/s) to see if you also get those 11 beeps.

You could check your memory with Memtest86.

You could maybe change slots to 1 and 3 just to rule out an electrical contact problem.

 

4 hours ago, G00fySmiley said:

 Also what one of my kids prefers to game on with a controller so want it to keep going and not sink a ton into it.

What do you mean. Just buy a controller (ps4 dualshock or else) and connect it.

[G00fySmiley]

5 hours ago, leclod said:

Or Memory is the culprit from scratch.

Did you populate slot 2 and 4 for dual channel.

Did you try to post at stock settings (2133MT/s) to see if you also get those 11 beeps.

You could check your memory with Memtest86.

You could maybe change slots to 1 and 3 just to rule out an electrical contact problem.

 

What do you mean. Just buy a controller (ps4 dualshock or else) and connect it.

 

 

I have all 4 channels populated, I could pull 2 sticks from 1 and 3 then 2 and 4 to see. 

 

had not run a memtest due to it saying L2 cache, but I will try that too.

 

I also have a bonus usb 3 card in a pci slot, but am going to disconnect that as its not being used currently and to knock out another thing from the loop.

 

As to the controller its just my youngest kid preferring controller to mouse and keyboard on the tv vs a desk. I was just saying that's why i want to keep that pc going vs just letting it die and getting rid of it, or replacing with something more $. its not part of any issue at all, just the use case of the PC. I was just saying that's probably why I did not get notified on a bootup of the motherboard being restored to defaults.