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handyrefuse · ‎08-15-2016

First of all sorry for huge wall of text. I'm at a loss and need assistance.

So I built this right around Dec/Jan this year. Everything was going fine for the most part. Now within the past 2 months I've been having some issues with the pc completely freezing up and having to hold down power button to shut off pc as the reset button does nothing when it freezes.
At first this was mostly happening while playing games and when it froze the audio playing at the moment of freeze would be looped (i'm guessing) and sound like a very loud buzzing. Using MSI Afterburner this didn't seem to be a temp issue for CPU or GPU (GPU never even reached 70.) It's very random too, it could happen after 45 seconds or 3 hours while in game. Then it also started to happen while not gaming. No specific thing seems to trigger it. Could happen while browsing or even when no programs running at all.

Ran Memtest86 and all checked out good.

I did a fresh install of Windows, but still happened. When I got the 970 it worked fine, but occasionally when I would turn the monitor back on the screen would be, I guess pixelated would be the best term for it. Sometimes would take a reboot or 2 to fix. Was random and rare so didn't worry too much about it. So I took the GPU out and used the on-board video while I waited for 1070 to arrive. Only crashed once in the week while I waited and that was when I tried play Bastion using the Intel 530 on the CPU. Stopped gaming for the week and no crashes. So figured was failing GPU.

1070 arrived slapped it in and also applied new thermal paste to CPU and reseated RAM while I was in there. Also did another fresh install with new Windows 10 Anniversary Update ISO. Had a freeze or 2, but nothing like it had been doing previously. Disabled the on-board sound and used USB Sound Blaster Omni 5.1 and now had several crashes last night while browsing.

Haven't had any in game freezes (currently playing Dishonored with DSR 3840x2160 @144mhz) since changing to 1070 (knock on wood), but still getting some here and there, just less frequently than before.

The Q-Codes I've seen the last 3 times it has frozen are 99, FF, 04

What do I test/replace next?

Power supply? Motherboard? CPU?

Any assistance is greatly appreciated.

Nate152 · ‎08-15-2016

Hello handyrefuse

Welcome to the ROG forum.

With freezing the first thing I like to check is the ram and seeing you're using corsair vengeance lpx which seems to be the most problematic on ROG boards try raising the Dram voltage to 1.35v.

Dram voltage up to 1.50v is safe.

Let us know if raising the Dram voltage stops the freezing.

ROG Strix 1070 OC Guide - ROG Spatha X Rapid Fire - ROG Falchion Touch Panel - z270 BCLK Overclocking - Xsplit Gamecaster Guide - ROG RX 460 OC Guide

handyrefuse · ‎08-15-2016

Nate152 wrote:
Hello handyrefuse

Welcome to the ROG forum.

With freezing the first thing I like to check is the ram and seeing you're using corsair vengeance lpx which seems to be the most problematic on ROG boards try raising the Dram voltage to 1.35v.

Dram voltage up to 1.50v is safe.

Let us know if raising the Dram voltage stops the freezing.

Thanks for info. I set the Dram voltage to 1.35v and we will wait and see how that works. The freezing has been less frequent since putting in the 1070 and don't think it's happened once in game. It was freezing in game a lot while I was trying to finish ME3.

Chino · ‎08-15-2016

Are you running the latest BIOS for your motherboard?

handyrefuse · ‎08-15-2016

Chino wrote:
Are you running the latest BIOS for your motherboard?

I updated to 1902 not too long ago, I believe I was at 1601 before that.

AKBAAR · ‎08-15-2016

I always advise people to check if they are using latest Intel ME firmware sometimes it fixes bugs that Intel didnt fix upon release but they fixed it after with new firmware
https://rog.asus.com/forum/showthread.php?84629-(NEW)-Intel-Management-Engine-(ME)-Firmware-Version-...

here you can find latest versions.
http://www.win-raid.com/t596f39-Intel-Management-Engine-Drivers-Firmware-amp-System-Tools.html

you can also read here to know that there was a bugg in ME firmware effected intel motherboard to not let them run max speed FCLK . a new firmware fixed that
http://club.myce.com/f184/intel-skylake-overclocking-guide-339700/#post2760764

I would recommend for safety to do a backup too
FWUpdLcl64 -SAVE old.bin

handyrefuse · ‎08-15-2016

AKBAAR wrote:
I always advise people to check if they are using latest Intel ME firmware sometimes it fixes bugs that Intel didnt fix upon release but they fixed it after with new firmware
https://rog.asus.com/forum/showthread.php?84629-(NEW)-Intel-Management-Engine-(ME)-Firmware-Version-...

here you can find latest versions.
http://www.win-raid.com/t596f39-Intel-Management-Engine-Drivers-Firmware-amp-System-Tools.html

you can also read here to know that there was a bugg in ME firmware effected intel motherboard to not let them run max speed FCLK . a new firmware fixed that
http://club.myce.com/f184/intel-skylake-overclocking-guide-339700/#post2760764

I would recommend for safety to do a backup too
FWUpdLcl64 -SAVE old.bin

I seem to be using Engine Firmware 11.0.0.1168

Do I want to use 11.0.10.1002 or a newer one like 11.0.15.1003?

Thanks

AKBAAR · ‎08-15-2016

handyrefuse wrote:
I seem to be using Engine Firmware 11.0.0.1168

Do I want to use 11.0.10.1002 or a newer one like 11.0.15.1003?

Thanks

yes use the latest one mentioned in win-raid website which is 11.0.15.1003

I have it on my IMPACTVIII flashed. keep a backup before doing so.

TheRiwen · ‎08-16-2016

If you running the windows 10 1607 (windows 10 anniversary). There is problems with that version. Some people are getting freeze in windows.

The corsair memory also give freeze. I did have corsair but after i did switch to other brand no problems anymore.

it can be both. So if you run version 1607 in windows try to roll back.

handyrefuse · ‎08-16-2016

TheRiwen wrote:
If you running the windows 10 1607 (windows 10 anniversary). There is problems with that version. Some people are getting freeze in windows.

The corsair memory also give freeze. I did have corsair but after i did switch to other brand no problems anymore.

it can be both. So if you run version 1607 in windows try to roll back.

Bahz wrote:
As TheRiwen mentioned it's a common issue with the Windows 10 1607 build so rolling back would be one of the solutions.

AKBAAR wrote:
I totaly agree... this redstone build is so alot of mess. so many game crashing for me so many hiccups and weird stuff going on

Actually, I don't think the new AU build is causing any issues, I was getting multiple freezes a day weeks before the AU was even available. With the 970 installed tons of freezes in game and out of game. Since swapping out the GPU for the 1070 the # of freezes is way down, but still happening. I performed the suggestions of dram voltage, MEI firmware update. No freezing since, but only 1 day has passed so will check if still running fine when I get home from work.

If it turns out to be the RAM, may I ask for suggestions for replacement?

Thanks

Frustrating Frequent Freezing