constant crashing while running any games 14900k

[Jgsharpe]

recently bought a new motherboard strix z790-e gaming wifi, processor i9-14900k, ram vengeance rgb ddr5 64gb, and installed it with my 3080. for three weeks it ran perfectly fine. then it started crashing games every once in a while. Now any game crashes within 5 minutes. I initially updated the bios to the newest 2801 version after install, re-installed windows 10 and updated all drivers i could find.  

as far as trouble shooting i have tried enabled and disabled xmp.

i reformatted to windows 11 (way worse would crash whole computer instead of just the application) 

reformatted back to windows 10 

 checked for all driver updates. 

stress tested the cpu didn't crash

stress tested the gpu didn't crash

ran mdsched no problems detected

event viewer doesn't give me anything to go on. 

reliability monitor doesn't show anything. 

lowered graphics settings.

also tried throttling the gpu with nvidia's app

tried a clean startup

not sure where to go next to troubleshoot. 

[VonM_Intel]

Hi, Jgsharpe.

Thank you for your detailed explanation and for walking us through your build and the extensive troubleshooting you’ve already performed. You've done an impressive job covering the key diagnostics, clearly, this isn't a surface-level issue, and the fact that the system was stable for three weeks before the crashes started adds another layer of complexity. Are the crashes hard freezes, BSODs, or soft application exits? Have you tested with a different game engine (e.g., Unity vs Unreal) to see if it’s engine-specific?

Let’s zero in on this. Once I have more information about this, I can advise on the next best steps. You're clearly methodical, so we're close to isolating the root cause.

Best regards,

Von M.

Intel Customer Support Technician

[Jgsharpe]

I determined it was the processor, got Best Buy to exchange it and everything works again. Is there something besides drivers and updating the bios I need to do, so this doesn’t happen again. When I replaced the processor everything was seated correctly. Thermal paste looked good. Heat wasn’t an issues with the processor as I monitored it often and never seen it above 65c even under high demand.

[VonM_Intel]

Hello, Jgsharpe.

I'm glad to hear that replacing the processor resolved the issue. Since you've already handled the drivers, BIOS updates, and confirmed proper seating with good thermal paste application, it seems you've covered the key factors. To prevent this from happening again, make sure your BIOS is always up to date. Even if you've updated it already, it's a good idea to periodically check for updates from your motherboard manufacturer. For system cooling, even though heat wasn’t an issue, it’s good to periodically clean your cooling system (fans, heatsinks, etc.) to ensure optimal airflow and prevent dust buildup, which can cause thermal throttling over time.

Additionally, you can refer to our troubleshooting guide here: Troubleshooting Tips for Random System Crashes on an Intel® Boxed Processor for more in-depth steps. Kindly let me know if you have any further concerns and inquiries. Please feel free to let me know if you have any additional concerns or questions.

Best regards,

Von M.

Intel Customer Support Technician

[VonM_Intel]

Hello, Jgsharpe.

Have you had a chance to review my previous response? Please let us know if you require any further assistance. I'm here to help.

Best regards,

Von M.

Intel Customer Support Technician

[Jgsharpe]

Thanks, seems like the problem is fixed.

[VonM_Intel]

Hello, Jgsharpe.

You're welcome, glad to hear it's resolved. If anything else comes up or you experience further issues, feel free to reach out. We're here to support you. Thank you for taking the time to share this fix, and hopefully, it may help other community members experiencing similar behavior. Since the thread is now solved, I will proceed to close it. Please keep in mind that this thread will no longer be monitored by Intel.

Best regards,

Von M.

Intel Customer Support Technician