New Build keeps freezing

[ilauzirika]

After many builds, this is the first time that I feel the need to turn in for help. And glad I have such a great community to ask to! 

 

Last week I built a new computer based on the new Skylake technology.

The parts are as follows:

 

config:

i7 6700K (not yet overclocked, plan on doing it once this build is stable)

Asus Z170 deluxe 

MSI gtx970 gaming oc 4g

Kingston HyperX Fury DDR4 2133 PC4-17000 16GB 2X8GB CL14

Noctua NH-D15 

4 extra Noctua NF-F12 for airflow (man they are silent and powerful)

Phanteks evolv atx case

Samsung evo 850 ssd 

Corsair rm750i (a bit overkill right now, but was planning on maybe changing the graphic card later on)

Windows 10 home

 

Right now everything is stock.

Temps at idle stay around 2º over the mobo temp during idle (usually 28ºc+-) gfx with fan off stays around 40ºc.

 

Problem:

Randomly, it can be while surfing the net, watching a video, writing in word or leave it on, idle, overnight to wake up with a frozen pc. 

When it freezes the screen stays on the last displayed frame, music stops, light in the mobo and gfx card stays on, no hdd activity light, the pointer disappears, no input from keyboard possible and the only way of recovering is by hard resetting. 

Sometimes when I hard reset the computer gets stuck at some post event, the last one was AE, but I've also seen 23. 

 

I cannot replicate the freezing, it's just random. I have tried swapping the memories, leaving them individually, but it still happens. I don't have another SSD to try. Though if you think that the SSD may be the cause I can get another one. 

I also tried flashing back the bios, confirmed that it is updated.... 

memtest also shows no apparent problem with the ram. 

 

I have attached two pictures of different diagnostic tools and how they look once they freeze. 

 

If you find that I should run any other diagnostic, or you have any idea of what may be the cause, I would really appreciate if you could give a recommendation. It is becoming a bit frustrating, after spending the money, never having had a similar problem before and not being able to identify the problem....

 

Thank you for your help!

 

[AresKrieger]

If you have a hard drive lying around you could test if the freezing is the ssd or not by using it for a while

[ilauzirika]

If you have a hard drive lying around you could test if the freezing is the ssd or not by using it for a while

 

Thank you for the suggestion, I borrowed a new SSD from a friend and gave it a try. It still freezes the same way, so the HDD is probably not the problem. This is my first time with a higher end motherboard, may any of the small switches around the board have something to do with the failures? I am trying to think of possibilities but I am at a standstill...

 

Any help is really appreciated. Thanks!

[ilauzirika]

While installing windows 10 in the second SSD I also experienced a BSOD right when it asked me to setup a pin. Can it be a symptom of the real problem? 

[iasianxmofoii]

THis problem is usually caused by the OS installation. Something didn't install correctly. Run a repair on the OS and see if that makes a difference. If not you might want to back some things up and reinstall the OS. With the BSOD, that's a little weird to be happening like that

[AresKrieger]

While installing windows 10 in the second SSD I also experienced a BSOD right when it asked me to setup a pin. Can it be a symptom of the real problem? 

It is more likely a software issue of some kind based on this info as iasianxmofoii said, windows 10 is an unknown to me so I don't know how to help you, you could install a free os (linux or something) to see if it's windows 10 causing the problem if it still fails then it will could be a driver or bios issue (sorry about the green I can't change it to black)

[ilauzirika]

AresKrieger and iasianxmofoii thank you for the suggestions. I tried both but it would still fail.

I am wondering is the PCH overheating could be causing the problem. Is it possible that it is overheating? would that cause the screen to freeze and having to do a hard reset because nothing will respond?

I also observed that the hard drive activity light stops blinking but when I connect and disconnect the ehternet cable the lights work and it seems that the connection is detected. I have increased the speed of the fans as well as activated the gpu fan (40% still silent, love that msi) so that more airflow is generated in the south bridge area.  Looks stable now so we'll see.

 

thank you for your help!