6700k i7 badly underperforming.

[idata]

Good evening,

First of all, i should apologize for my bad english. With that being said, i will introduce my problem:

I have and endgame computer(at least it was 1 year and a half ago, when i bought it), wich was doing really great until the last month. The first 15 days, it was being unstable, sometimes it was working fine (especially if it was rebooted), sometimes it was doing horrible. In the last 15 days it just performs like a 15 years ago processor. When i say that, i mean that it barely can be used for websurfing if any other process is in the background.

I had tried many solutions to it, reinstaled almost everything...and in the end, i did a sistem restore(the one that does not remove photos and such things). Nothing worked.

After the restore, it was working as bad as before for 4 hours, then it went to life again. But it lasted just for 1 day.

So i have the newst bios drivers, the newest CPU drivers and the same with the GPU. I have checked all system temperatures and everything seems to be ok, also ran the intel cpu diagnosis and says that all its ok. But its fun, since i cant even open google chrome when the cpu stress test is running.

I have to add that i did some online benchmarks, that i could show here(i know you dont support that, but it adds usefull info i think) and it says that my cpu cant be used even for web surfing(17/100 rating). In the 24 hours that it worked fine, i ran that bench too, and it said that my cpu demolishes all work and can hadle all games with a 82/100 rating. (even more, it said that it was overperforming vs the same CPUs checked there)

Sorry about this wall of text, but all information should be good.

My system specs:

Processor Name: Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-6700 CPU @ 3.40GHz

Processor Information: Intel64 Family 6 Model 94 Stepping 3

Number of Physical Cores: 4

Number of Logical Cores: 8

Installed System Memory: 16 GB

Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 Pro 64 bits

Graphics Information: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970

System Product: Z170A GAMING M3 (MS-7978)

System BIOS: A.70

A intel CPU test results have been added as text file.

Thank you in advance and have a nice afternoon.

[idata]

Hello Juanhge:

Thank you very much for joining the Processors community. No problem at all, we understand the information you submitted. Thank you also for providing the file above. Based on the information from that file, as you mentioned everything seems to be working fine with the processor, including the Detected Base Clock frequency and the temperature of it. By any chance do you have the part number of the memory RAM that you are using? You will be able to see it on the stick itself. This is in order for us to be able to verify the specifications of it just to make sure it is fully compatible with the processor. This is because since the PC was working fine for a year and a half, sometimes this problem is expected when the memory RAM was running at speeds the processor does not support, so it could get damage at any time. Did you test the PC using just one memory stick at the time? Your processor has onboard graphics, for testing purposes; do you have the option to use the PC without using the video card and to use the Intel® graphics? This is just to rule out a possible problem with it, remember that when you use an external video card the graphics controller of the processor gets disable, and everything in regard to graphics will be handle by the video card. You mentioned you have the latest drivers installed; did you try to re-install the chipset driver? https://www.msi.com/Motherboard/support/Z170A-GAMING-M3.html%23down-driver%26Win8.1 https://www.msi.com/Motherboard/support/Z170A-GAMING-M3.html# down-driver&Win8.1 64 If the problem persists after trying the steps above, then the next thing to do will be to swap parts. Do you have the option to test your processor on a different board, or to use your board with a different processor? Do you have the option to test the PC with a different hard drive? Any further questions, please let me know. Regards Alberto

[idata]

hello, and thank you for the fast response.

The number of the memory blocks is f4 2400c15d-16gvr. I have 2 of that installed. 8gb each. ddr4.

- I will try to use the intel graphics, altough i am not sure how to do it. i may figure it out. i will do it tomorrow after work.

- Yes, i had installed the latest chipset drivers this afternoon, but didnt worked.

I have more computers, but one is a mac and the other one is 9 years old, so swapping might be a problem. But possible if its needed i hope.

Best regards.

EDIT: Just tested it with one 8gb memory module, nothing changed.

[idata]

Good evening,

Im attaching a text file with the results of the test with the onboard graphics board.

I could use a different HD since i have a second one installed(it has 1,9tb free), anyways my SSD HD is doing really really good. But i could try to install a new OS on the backHD, if you think it could be a fix.

And finally, maybe i could take a low i5 from my job´s computers or my i7 to my job, but i hope its a last chance haha.

Regards.

(im attaching it in the OP since it seems i cant do it in this post)

[idata]

Hello Juanhge:

You are welcome.

Thank you very much for letting us know that information, we really appreciate you took the time to provide those results. Could you please confirm if the memory RAM is running at 2400MHz or 2133MHz? Are you using the XMP profile of it? Now, since you tested the onboard graphics, let me ask you, is the problem still the same when you use the Intel graphics? The reason why I suggest to test a different hard drive, is because when the hard drive is defective, for the PC to have bad performance might be expected, by testing another hard drive we can rule out that possibility.

You mentioned the SSD HD is working really good, and I was just wondering, how do you know that, did you test it on a different PC?

Please back up all the important information before making any hard drive changes.

And yes, to test the your processor on a different board or your board with the different processor is the last option. The options provided above are intended to find out what might be the source of the problem, in order to try to fix it. Also, if you need to attached a file, please use the option that says reply that you will see all the way to the right corner at the bottom on each post, and then you will have the option to attached the document. Any questions, please let me know. Regards Alberto

[idata]

The memory RAM is running at 2133mhz, im not sure if thats whats supposed to be haha. I have no clue what is that xmp profile, but i will check it now.

While the computer was running with the onboard graphics, it was the same, but it was unusable when a graphic came up(a very low one was enough).

I told that about the SSD because as i said, i did some benchmarks. And even when the computer is working this bad, it stills gets very nice rates(+80/100). WHen the computer was working as expected, it was nearly 100 rate. Thats why i suppose that, but its only a guess. If you tell me that all paths are closed, then i will proceed with the OS install on the physical HD.

I would buy a new processor if i could be 100% sure that its broken, but this are not cheap processors to go mad with it! :S

EDIT: Def not using the XMP profile. But i have to add that i use games on 4k since 3 moths ago. And my motherboard may had auto overclocked the processor, with a turbo-option that was activated (i didnt even knew it). (in case it adds some info)

[idata]

Hello Juanhge:

Thank you very much for that information. The fact that the RAM is running at 2133MHz is really good, that is how it supposed to be for the memory to run properly. Yes, even though the SSD seems to be working fine according to the benchmark information, at this point to test another hard drive with the NUC will be the best thing to do just to verify if the problem still persists. Also, there is no need to buy a new processor, remember that the processor has 3 years of warranty with Intel and if it is necessary we can always replace it for you. If you did not change any settings on the BIOS to overclock the processor, then I should be running at stock configurations even if you are playing games under 4K resolution. The XMP profile is use to overclock the processor and increase the memory speed on the PC, it is a good thing that is disable. Please let me know the results of trying a different hard drive. If you are interested in the replacement, please get in contact directly with us through chat, email, phone or online support, you just need to select processor on product type and you will get those options: http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/contact-support.html%23%4012 http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/contact-support.html# @12 Any questions, please let me know.

Regards

Alberto

[idata]

Thank you for your reply,

I didnt realized that it had a so long guaranty haha, what a nice news

i will do it tomorrow and let you know what happens!

[idata]

Hi again,

Well, yesterday it decided to work fine for 2 hours and a half, so i couldnt try the fresh instalation in the other HD, it was already working fine... Then when i had to go, it started to underperform again.

Now i started the computer, and its again working fine... So i will update you when it doesnt work properly and i can try the fix. (unfortunately, it probably will be soon haha)

[idata]

Yesterday it worked ok for about an hour, so i decided to go on with the new OS on the physical HD.

I had the same results, on benchmark cpu gets 16% score for gaming. The rest of the components, are still performing decent, still worse than when the whole computer is working good.

So i wait for further procedures. Thanks in advance.

EDIT: Just for information purposes...I had rebooted the computer with the OS on the SSD, and now its working again. (i know it wont last for too much, but anyways maybe it adds some interesting information). The cpu now gets 87% score.

EDIT2: working bad again.(about 30 mins of nice working)

[idata]

Hello Juanhge:

You are welcome.

Thank you very much for letting us know that information and those results, we really appreciate that.

At this point the replacement of the processor will be a good thing to try, it seems to be that it is very unstable and pretty much we already tried all the possible troubleshoot steps to try to fix this problem.

If by any chance you decide to replace the processor, please let me know the results of using the new unit.

Any questions, please let me know. Regards Alberto

[idata]

So lets go with it.

do I need to try to find a replacement by myself, or maybe should I try to get a new one from customer support? Im not sure about what did you meant there.

thank you in advance.

[idata]

Hello Juanhge:

Sure, to answer your question, what I meant was to get in contact directly with Intel to replace the processor under warranty, once you do that they will let you know the warranty options to replace it, let me apologize if I was not clear on that. Just in case, here is the link again, you can choose chat, email, phone or online support to contact Intel, remember to select processors on product type and you will get those options: http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/contact-support.html# @15 http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/contact-support.html# @15 Any questions, please let me know. Regards Alberto

[idata]

Ok, then im going to contact them.

Thank you very much for all the support over this time!

Best regards.

[idata]

Hello Juanhge:

You are very welcome. Once you get the new unit the PC should work without any problems. Please let us know if you were able to contact them and the results of using the new processor. Any other inquiry, do not hesitate in contact us again. Regards Alberto

[idata]

Hello Juanhge:

I just wanted to check if you were able to get in contact directly with Intel to replace the processor? Any questions, please let me know. Regards Alberto

[idata]

Hi there,

i started With the warranty procedure, but one of the first steps was suggesting me to contact with who sold it to me. (Since its here in Spain and not in the USA, the times would be really shorter). They should have received it yesterday, so I will be back with the results when i get an answer!

[idata]

Hello Juanhge:

Perfect, thank you very much for letting us know that information, we really appreciate that. Once you get the change please let us know the results of trying the new unit. Any questions, please let me know. Regards Alberto

[idata]

Juanhge, I just wanted to check if you received the replacement NUC already and if it is working properly?

Any questions, please let me know. Regards,Alberto

[idata]

Hi there,

Unfortunately, I'm still waiting for a response. It has been for 8 days now since their reception on technical service And I have no news. They told me 24/48 hours so I'm beginning to be upset.

Regards

[idata]

Juanhge, thank you very much for letting us know that information.

We are sorry to hear the replacement process is taking a little bit longer than expected. At this point I will suggest to get in contact directly with them again in order to verify the status of the replacement and to confirm why is talking that much time to get your unit, there should be a good reason why is taking this long. Any questions, please let me know. Regards,Alberto