A whole myriad of issues on my PC. Now it wont boot.

troubleshooting guide: resolving persistent PC boot issues and system errors

If you are experiencing a series of frustrating problems with your PC—from crashes during gaming to failure to boot—it can be overwhelming. This comprehensive article aims to guide you through common troubleshooting steps and possible solutions to resolve complex hardware and software issues.

Understanding Your System Configuration

Your PC setup includes:
– Processor: Intel Core i5-13600K
– Graphics Card: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 OC
– Memory: 32GB DDR4 3600MHz (initially), then DDR5 6000MHz Kingston Fury CL30
– Motherboards: Initially an ASUS Z690, upgraded to MSI Z790 GAMING
– Power Supply: Tried multiple PSU configurations
– Operating System: Windows (assuming standard configuration)
– Additional components: Cooler, storage, peripherals

Symptoms and Troubleshooting Overview

Initial issues involved frequent game crashes during titles like Tarkov and Dead by Daylight, characterized by system freezes without specific error codes. Attempts to mitigate included undervolting the GPU, but crashes persisted intermittently.

Subsequently, hardware testing and replacements failed to resolve the issues:
– CPU replacements from Intel (via RMA) showed no lasting improvement
– Graphics driver reinstallation and driver version changes did not eliminate errors such as “nvlddmkm event id 153” or system blue screens
– Memory testing with MemTest86 failed, and BIOS froze during diagnostics
– Motherboard swaps did not resolve the booting problems, with persistent DRAM and CPU indicator lights
– PSU swaps and reseating components yielded no success

Potential Causes and Recommendations

1. Hardware Compatibility and Seating

2. Ensure all components are compatible; verify BIOS versions support both DDR4 and DDR5 configurations.

3. Reseat CPU, RAM, and GPU carefully, confirming correct seating and connection.

4. Clear CMOS after hardware changes to reset BIOS settings.

5. Memory Modules and Slots

6. When testing RAM, use only one stick at a time across different slots to identify defective modules.

7. Confirm RAM BIOS support; update BIOS to the latest version tailored for your CPU and memory modules.

8. Motherboard and BIOS

9. Update motherboard BIOS to the latest version, which might improve compatibility and stability.

10. Reset BIOS settings to default after updates; disable any overclocking or XMP profiles temporarily.

11. Graphics and Drivers

12. Continue testing with different graphics