Windows 10: 1080 SC crashing, fans maxing out. Is it the motherboard or CPU?

Hey Guys

I built a new system in April 2016 initially with a 980 TI. Worked fine, no errors until December when I switched to a 1080 SC. One to Four times a day I get the black screen and GPU fans maxing out crash that many of us are familiar with. Happens randomly. Playing games, watching video, or just surfing.
I get this error in this system event log:
Event ID 13 from source nvlddmkm cannot be found or

Display driver nvlddmkm stopped responding and has successfully recovered

I've since tried a second 1080 SC and even a GTX 570 HD in the rig and the same thing happens. Card temps never exceed 50C, so they're not over heating. I just tested the last 1080 SC in another rig with no issues at all.
I'm thinking it's the motherboard or cpu.
I've checked PSU voltages, uninstalled and reinstalled GPU drivers, updated BIOS, switched PSU cables, tried the other pci e slot, checked RAM, and tried HDMI vs DP (still crashes.)
I'm at a loss as to what can be causing the crashes. Anyone with experience or ideas, I would really appreciate it.
Thanks

My rig specs:

Windows 10 Build 1511
Intel 6700K
MSI Z170 M7
Corsair RM1000I
Corsair Vengence DDR4 32Gb

:)

 

frequent windows event 4101(Display driver nvlddmkm stopped responding and has successfully recovered.)

just out of curiosity, is you exact card EVGA GeForce GTX 1080 SC GAMING ACX 3.0, 8GB GDDR5X?

 

CPU Fan error, press F1 to continue, Fan is working perfectly, can I clear this error message?

The message comes from the BIOS, not Windows. You typically see it when you replace the cooling fan with a model not made for the motherboard. For example, when you replace a fan that has a sensor with a fan that doesn't have a sensor you will see that message
even though the fan is running. You need to install a fan that is compatible with the motherboard pin-out.

 

Next most likely culprit is your PSU. What do you have in you build (not included in specs)? Have you tried blowing out its fans/cleaning out the PSU itself recently?
HTH,
--Ed--

 

Hi Ed...thanks for the reply

I did actually clean everything last week. I have an electric blower I use with a vacuum cleaner.
You know, I initially suspected the power supply once I eliminated a faulty video card as the culprit. With no other symptoms in the system and the voltages on the PSU reading normal, how do I further troubleshoot the power supply?
The troubling part here is the system didn't have so much as a hiccup with the 980ti in the machine for 8 months. I've installed a plethora of video cards over the years, so I don't think I damaged the connectors in the pci e slot. I did try the other pcie slot too. So frustrating.

 

Picked up on your post that the PSU is a 1000 watt Corsair RM1000l which being well over rated for your system and being Gold Certified is hopefully not culprit, although it is conceivably possible, this is where having a spare PSU can come in handy!
However and this is a bit of a longshot, check that the modular plugs are all fully pushed home and the plugs on the card are fitting ok as in the connectors are all pushed home, shouldn't be able to see any metal bits stocking up a bit higher than the others.
May even be worth trying another modular cable, if you have a spare one with the right plugs.

Moving on, Display driver nvlddmkm stopped responding and has successfully recovered is one of those annoying problems that seems to affect some and not others, I had it for several months on WIN7 and likewise changing Graphics cards or Drivers did nothing to stop it, then it mysteriously went away with a driver update. If you were not getting it with a 980TI and you have updated the drivers when installing the 1080 maybe try rolling the drivers back?

Could be worth checking the Nvidia Forums and see if there are any similar issues being reported with specific drivers?

 

Hey Clam

I switched out the modular cables and no luck. I also checked further down the event log and saw the nvlddmkm error happened with the 980TI. Though those occurrences went unnoticed and did not cause a systems crash.
It has to be something with the pcie slot? Either a power issue to the pcie from the PSU or something wrong with the motherboard or CPU. Another question is: why is the error so sporadic?

 

Here's a thought, as you mentioned PCIe, Power settings under Whatever setting you are using > Advanced > PCI Express > Link State Power Management >setting > if it's on turn it off and see if it makes any difference.

 

Cool Clam...thanks...
That will be my next step. I currently have another PSU installed. Just turned on the PC a few minutes ago. What a pain; there goes my cable management.*Tongue But it's worth the test. The more things I can eliminate the better. I'll report back as things develop (or don't develop.)

 

I was all the way with Clam1952 (my birth year also, curiously enough) until you reported back and said "nah, that's not it" in removing and reseating the cables/subbing out the PSU. This is one of those vexing intermittent error/failure situations that may not resolve itself until you change out everything, or until something breaks and lets you know what's causing the problem. My sympathies: been there, done that, no fun at all.
Best wishes for a speedy and effective resolution,
--Ed--

 

2 days so far....no crash

 

Sounds like you've isolated the culprit. Hope your Corsair is still under warranty. That's a big PSU to have to just walk away from. Good job!
--Ed--

 

Yes...thank you for the suggestion. Still no crash.