Computer crashes when playing high graphics games

[Hamsbaby]

Hey everyone, title says it all computer restarts within a minute of the game being open (skyrim, max payne 3, etc.). I have gone into the system settings and unchecked the box (automatically restart when system failure) and that didnt seem to help as I got a white screen and then continued to restart. Next in the same settings I put the debugging information to none, which was followed by a BSOD. I have tryed changing my fan speed to its max and still nothing. I thought it was a overheating issue but temps dont exceed 80C. Any help is appreciated

Specs: Motherboard: Gigabyte MA785GM-US2H
Video Card: Radeon HD 4870
CPU: AMD Phenom II x4 965 Processor 3.4 GHz
PSU: OCZ 600w

 

[COLGeek]

You are describing the classic symptoms of a heat and/or power issue. How are you measuring your system temps?

You could also have a failing GPU or PSU. Are you overclocking anything (CPU, GPU, or memory)? If so, revert to stock and see if the system stabilizes.

Please clarify.

 

[Hamsbaby]

I'm using the amd control center to measure the temps and in the control center i have amd overdrive and graphics overdrive on

 

[COLGeek]

Revert back to stock CPU and GPU speeds to see if the system is stable. The HD4870 is a very power hungry (and sensitive) video card, especially when compared to newer video cards. Overclocking makes this even worse.

If the system starts running stable at stock speeds we can start trying to isolate the specific problem. I suspect the HD4870 or PSU. How old are they?

 

[Hamsbaby]

maybe a couple years

 

[Hamsbaby]

I tried turning turning the overdrive off still didnt work

 

[lothdk]

Exactly what is the temp of your CPU? According to AMD it is rated at 62~65°C max.

 

[COLGeek]

The HD4870 is at least 3 generations old (AMD/ATI now on the 7XXX series). PSUs can and do wear out and many start to fail at around 3 years.

When you have reset to stock speeds and run your games, please provide the results.

 

[swifty_morgan]

go into the CCC over drive section. enable manual fan speed and set it to run at 37%.

keeping the card from getting too hot is the key I think. Fan running at a constant speed from the giddy yup should help vs letting the card get too hot before the fan speed picks up.

and check the card for dust/lint build up internally.

 

[Hamsbaby]

Exactly what is the temp of your CPU? According to AMD it is rated at 62~65°C max.

not sure

The HD4870 is at least 3 generations old (AMD/ATI now on the 7XXX series). PSUs can and do wear out and many start to fail at around 3 years.

When you have reset to stock speeds and run your games, please provide the results.

I did and it still reset

go into the CCC over drive section. enable manual fan speed and set it to run at 37%.

keeping the card from getting too hot is the key I think. Fan running at a constant speed from the giddy yup should help vs letting the card get too hot before the fan speed picks up.

and check the card for dust/lint build up internally.

Tryed the fan speed at 100% and still restarted

 

[swifty_morgan]

pull the heat sink and fan on the processor. clean off old and reapply thermal paste and reinstall heat sink.

and are you sure there's not lint build up on any of the heat sinks ?.......... and did you check the heat sink under the video cards shroud ? ( remove and replace )

 

[Hamsbaby]

i'll have to buy thermal paste tomorrow but I cleaned all the dust from inside yesterday

 

[Hamsbaby]

So I cleaned up the heatsink/fan on the processor and tried it again and still the same thing

 

[COLGeek]

Do you have another GPU that you can swap into the system to see if it is stable? If not, have you tried the on-board video to see if it is stable?

 

[Hamsbaby]

I have another 4870 but not sure if its dead or not. Should I take out the one I have in now and start it up with no gpu in?

 

[COLGeek]

Try the integrated video first, then the other HD4870.

 

[swifty_morgan]

glad you did the processor................ now to the second part of my post. are you sure there aren't any dust balls blocking the heatsink fins under the shroud of the video card. pull video card apart, reapply thermal paste and clean the dust build up of the fins of the heat sink and reassemble. How does it work now ?

 

[Hamsbaby]

Try the integrated video first, then the other HD4870.

tried the integrated everything seemed fine except the onboard is not good enough to run anything, and when i put the other 4870 in, it didnt even turn on.

glad you did the processor................ now to the second part of my post. are you sure there aren't any dust balls blocking the heatsink fins under the shroud of the video card. pull video card apart, reapply thermal paste and clean the dust build up of the fins of the heat sink and reassemble. How does it work now ?

yes i cleaned it very well before putting on the paste (toothpick + toothbrush)

 

[COLGeek]

Really sounding like a defective HD4870 to me at this point

 

[swifty_morgan]

so ,are you telling me you also did the video card or are you ignoring it ?

 

[Hamsbaby]

Really sounding like a defective HD4870 to me at this point

alright any suggestions for a new one?

so ,are you telling me you also did the video card or are you ignoring it ?

yup cleaned everything

 

[COLGeek]

What is your budget?

 

[Hamsbaby]

100-200

 

[COLGeek]

I suggest one of these:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102993

It will run circles around what you have now, and will use less power and produce less heat.

 

[Hamsbaby]

good price too, thanks for the help