New PC Build, cant deduce crashes

[caweeb]

Hello everyone, 

I've built this pc around late june / early july, that i'm still having issues with currently. I have been freezing when I boot into windows, idle ( no apps running ), having random blue screens, and here recently, black screens. My fans periodically flicker when I'm on the desktop, and I notice thats also when my computer tends to freeze up for like 5-10 seconds and then go back to normal. I've searched all over the web and changed a whole bunch of bios settings (tried limiting power voltage, changing pcie slots, basically any "solution" I could find online), disabled xmp, did a MemTest (no errors), reseated both ram sticks, Fresh installed both windows 10 AND 11, Reseated CPU & cooler, checked all my power connections. At this point, I don't really know what more I can do and i've been frustrated to say the least and just want a solution.

I have the latest bios version and have updated every driver I could think of but yet i'm still crashing. It's like I get new errors everyday.

I've already returned this board 2 different times due to getting faulty boards, and i'm at the point currently where I can't tell if its my power supply, GPU, or my motherboard again. Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated because i'm honestly starting to give up and return everything.

Specs :

CPU : I5 13600K (downgraded from i9 14900k due to overheating issues)

GPU : ASUS ROG RTX 4090

MOBO : Asus ROG STRIX Z790-A Gaming WIFI II

RAM : Corsair Dominator Titanium DDR5 64 GB

AIO : NZXT Kraken Elite 360 RGB (replaced with 3 120mm Lian Li TL LCD fans)

Storage : Two 2TB Samsung 990 EVO w/ Heatsink, and One 4TB Samsung 990 Pro

PSU : Thermaltake Toughpower GF A3 1200 W

Case : Lian Li O11 Vision

Fans : 3 140mm Reverse Blade Lian Li Uni fans (intake)

[achugh]

Hi @caweeb I am sorry to hear about your troubles and totally understand your frustrations after building a new PC giving issues.

In order to do some troubleshooting together, can you mention the exact memory model you are using?

I also recommend that you remove most of the devices that you can to start slow like you do not need to insert your RTX 4090 card and use the built-in GPU from your processor. Similarly install only 1 drive. Install only 1 memory stick in the A2 slot of your board etc.

[caweeb]

Ram i'm using is the CORSAIR DOMINATOR TITANIUM RGB DDR5 RAM 64GB (2x32GB) DDR5 6600MHz. I've mentioned before that I've tried just about everything. I've ran PC with just onboard graphics and it worked functioned, but was laggy. I don't really have another system to be able to port things to and from so I can't test entirely, but please feel free to offer any suggestions. 

[achugh]

Hi @caweeb I am in your situation as well that I also do not have extra hardware to swap out for testing so I understand your situation.

The following statement from your original post caught my attention.

My fans periodically flicker when I'm on the desktop, and I notice thats also when my computer tends to freeze up for like 5-10 seconds and then go back to normal.

---

Am I understanding the above statement correctly that here you are referring to your ceiling fans? Or are you referring to your case fans?

It seems like your PSU (Power Supply Unit) may be faulty or having issues. If your CPU does not get proper power then you will experience symptoms similar to what you have described.

Power Supply may be easier to borrow from someone around you or you may be able to get a replacement depending on where you bought it from.

I hope this information helps you resolve your issue. Good luck!

[caweeb]

My case fans, not ceiling fans. I bought a Thermaltake PSU because I hadn't been able to find any 1200 and higher wattage for the computer, seeing as it might need a lot of power. Are there any other power supply brands that you guys would suggest for this type of build?

[achugh]

Hi @caweeb I am with you. I also wanted over 1000W PSU with all the power hungry devices in the current builds. See my signature, I went with a German Branded Seasonic Prime TX-1300 unit. It comes in V1 and V2. You want the newer V2 which has the newer cable and port for the RTX 4090 connector for 12V High Power. This V2 version is also referred to as ATX 3.0; which is what I have mentioned in my signature as that is on their website. I selected this expensive power supply due to its very high advertised specification which is also mentioned in some of the reviews. I am not going to direct you to buy this PSU because in my case it was 2 times the cost of similar specification PSU so I cannot recommend it due to its high price. I can say that it is working out great for me.

In your case, since you already have a decent PSU, I would call the customer service of your PSU or the place you bought it and see if they can exchange it for you so that you can rule out PSU as the issue.

[Jiaszzz_ROG]

Hello @caweeb 

When your build is experiencing instability, we recommend disabling any manual adjustments made in the BIOS to rule out potential configuration issues.
Based on your description, in addition to trying to clear CMOS and booting with the default BIOS settings (without any power settings adjustments, XMP enabled, etc.), please also refer to the ROG STRIX Z790-A GAMING WIFI II user manual to ensure that all hardware components are installed correctly before checking if the issue persists.

Furthermore, try the following bare-board test:
In an insulated environment, remove the chassis and install only the CPU on the motherboard, output video by integrated graphics, install a single module of RAM in the DIMM_A2 slot, and connect the PSU. Then check if the system can boot correctly into the BIOS.
If successful, proceed by installing the system drive into the M.2_1 slot or the corresponding compatible slot and verify if the system operates without instability. If necessary, cross-test other M.2 slots or system drives.

Minimizing the hardware components and using default settings is the most fundamental troubleshooting method to isolate potential hardware or software issues.

Thank you.

[achugh]

Hi @caweeb I have come up with an easier idea to rule out your PSU issue. Since you have a CPU with built-in GPU (iGPU), can you remove the GFX card from your board all together and just use the built-in iGPU as a test. This will reduce a huge amount of power load and demand on your PSU. If your fans still flicker, you may even try using a different port on your PSU as well as different cable that came with your PSU. All these things do not require you to borrow anything from anyone. Things you can do it yourself with what you already have with you.

If removing the GFX card solves the problem or moving the ports on PSU solves the problem then you are getting closer to your root cause and then decide how to proceed forward.

If you take the advice of Jiaszzz_ROG above, it is very similar and is the best next step if my suggestion does not work. My suggestion may save you the headache of dismantling your build in case it is truly a PSU related issue.

Good luck!