I9 14900KF issues

TJklug

I have done everything in my power to attempt to get the computer to stop BSOD. vgk.sys (vanguard) continually faults.

I have gotten the new microcode from MSI and updated the bios
I have turned everything to Intel Defaults
I have tried numerous guides from Riot, Intel, and MSI. It continues to blue screen.

It didn't start this way and has happened over the last month of having this new computer. My question is what are the steps for a PowerSpec PC to RMA the Intel chips when they are obviously degrading?

PowerSpec_MikeW

@TJklug

Please provide the model of your system and let me know how frequent these BSOD's are, also if there's a bugcheck code and if it's consistent.

As for warranty service, it's all done via our stores. Bring the system in for a diagnostic, if the CPU is faulty it will be replaced under the manufacturers warranty by Micro Center.

TJklug

It is the G478

They are generally around any type of compression - Zipping files - Installing Nvidia Drivers etc.

vgk.sys is the biggest culprit of BSOD I currently can not play any riot games as vgk.sys BSOD almost always

I have a few mini - dumps from this last round of BSOD.

I have done absolutely everything I can to avoid it - I have the new microcode update from MSI flashed onto the board.
Intel settings etc. However at this point Vanguard (and CineBench 24) produce instability in the system consistent with Intel's announcements.

TJklug

My last ditch effort has been to do a full wipe of windows all files - and did a CMOS reset. I then went in and only made two changes

1. Turn on the RAM config
2. Turn the load line to Intel Defaults

This much instability though only a month or so into owning the computer - it's pretty obvious that the chip has degraded. I'll attempt to CineBench it to see, but its pretty disappointing that a $500 intel chip's guidance is basically to underclock it.

PowerSpec_MikeW

@TJklug

You might try OCCT's CPU stress test, stress the cache and see if it throws any errors.

Intel default limits will reduce the performance but capping PL1 and 2 at 253W. That's what Intel always specified in their white sheets for the processors. Board vendors up until recently set no limits on the CPU. Now that's pretty inefficient, so you can get most of it back by undervolting. The MSI MPG Z790 Edge board has a BIOS setting called CPU Lite Load. Once you're stable, you can try Mode 10, and walk it down, you can likely get down to Mode 8-7. Which is AC_LL 35/30 and DCL_LL 110.

TJklug

I'll give it a shot. Get this: it isn't just Intel's fault - it is a mess all around. The most concerning issue is the lack of recovery from degradation. Currently, I am loading CPU lite load according to Intel's specification (intel option on the new bios). I assume you are saying to set it to normal, then try ten and walk it down. When set to auto, it was in mode 13! (way too high)I can try OCCT's CPU test, which is probably a better way of testing for the specific errors I am running into. I'll give it a shot once I have confirmation on the mode for CPU Lite Load.

PowerSpec_MikeW

Your warranty on the PC is through Micro Center, if the component is defective or degraded under normal use, bring it in and we'll get it replaced.

Mode 13 is the default on Lite Load. Here's our data from the internal testing with the Cinebench scores. How low you can take it depends on the individual CPU. Mode 7 was our limit, and it was on the edge.

Mode:	AC	DC	Cinebench Score:
23	180	180	39770 (4096W limit)
22	170	170
21	160	160
20	150	150
19	140	140
18	130	130
17	120	120
16	110	110
15	100	110
14	90	110
13	80	110
12	70	110
11	60	110
10	50	110
9	40	110
8	35	110
7	30	110	38983 (253 watt cap)
6	25	110
5	20	110
4	15	110
3	10	110
2	5	110
1	1	1

TJklug

8 was unstable - I could only get 9 to load - Ran OCCT Benchmark so far something is off with the multi threading….

Single core seems fine.

Can stress test next at mode 9 but the multi threading seems way under

TJklug

Both SSE and AVX are super low

TJklug

sigh and then just blue screened again at mode 9 

TJklug

Well - I could try going up to 10, but just hit a BSOD on windows loading - Always the same error message vgk.sys.

Pretty frustrated - and really seems like something isn't right.

PowerSpec_MikeW

@TJklug

Leave it auto then for now if you're not even sure you're stable. Go into services, and lets disable the vanguard service entirely for now. I'd like to see what it references without that service running.

PowerSpec_MikeW

@TJklug

One more piece of information I'd like to see. Run Cinebench Multi and use OCCT to monitor. Check your CPU power consumption.

TJklug

I went and exchanged it already - should be on its way but appreciate you and micro center for understanding and having my back 

PowerSpec_MikeW

@TJklug

Check here, I just posted the updated BIOS for the G478 board:

https://community.microcenter.com/discussion/15058/powerspec-bios-intel-default-settings