[SOLVED] Computer crashes while playing games

[ginsole]

I recently built a new pc.
https://pcpartpicker.com/user/skang28/saved/Dr8b23

I've been having trouble figuring out why my computer crashes when playing games. It mostly happens while playing Apex Legends. So the screen will go black then computer restarts. It seems like a CPU/GPU crash.

Initially, I thought it was based on thermals but I've been monitoring them in game with an OSD (HWInfo and RTSS) and don't see anything too crazy. CPU and GPU usually stay in the 60-90 range (haven't seen any temps surpass 90 yet). So I'm not convinced it's thermal related. It still feels like something is throttling. Cause right before I crash and my frames plummet, I do usually hear the fans start to kick in even louder. I dunno if it's a power issue or something is shorting. I feel like there's too many little things to consider.

Someone suggested I run benchmarks so I ran cinebench on my CPU and got this:
CPU (multi core) - 19785 pts
CPU (single core) - 1602 pts
MP Ratio - 12.35 x
I'm not too sure what to make of this though.

I'm looking for any suggestions on what else to look at? How can I test and further narrow down this issue?

I do get that my case and GPU don't mesh well but still others have reported builds like this with no serious issues. Any tips would be much appreciated.

 

[Phaaze88]

Private parts list.

 

[ginsole]

Private parts list.

Oops. Changed the link should be viewable.

 

[Phaaze88]

I'm looking for any suggestions on what else to look at?

Bios is up to date?

Motherboard and gpu drivers are up to date?

3rd party apps that 'detect and auto update your drivers for you' are not installed?[Ex: Driver Easy]

Download and run Msi Afterburner. Unlink the power and temperature limits(click the chain link icon), drag the power limit slider all the way down, and click Apply. Play the game and see if you can get it to repeat.
If it passes, go back into Afterburner, increase the power limit 10%(click Apply again), and test. Repeat increases of 10% until it crashes.
Oh, and the above method puts the power supply into question.

CPU and GPU usually stay in the 60-90 range...

Can you clarify? What does HWINFO tell you for:
CPU(Tctl/Tdie)
Gpu core
Gpu hotspot
Memory Junction

 

[ginsole]

Bios is up to date?

Motherboard and gpu drivers are up to date?

3rd party apps that 'detect and auto update your drivers for you' are not installed?[Ex: Driver Easy]

Download and run Msi Afterburner. Unlink the power and temperature limits(click the chain link icon), drag the power limit slider all the way down, and click Apply. Play the game and see if you can get it to repeat.
If it passes, go back into Afterburner, increase the power limit 10%(click Apply again), and test. Repeat increases of 10% until it crashes.
Oh, and the above method puts the power supply into question.



Can you clarify? What does HWINFO tell you for:
CPU(Tctl/Tdie)
Gpu core
Gpu hotspot
Memory Junction

So the most recent screenshot I saved had the temps at this. in the same order: 65.0, 58.8, 70.0, 65.8
My fps at that instant was down to 25 fps. Then right afterwards, it usually will crash as described. One person on reddit thinks I may need a bigger power supply. I see my GPU voltages range from around 0.7 ish to 1.0 ish. so that's one theory

 

[Phaaze88]

So the most recent screenshot I saved had the temps at this. in the same order: 65.0, 58.8, 70.0, 65.8

Those gpu parameters are very cool... I guess Apex doesn't need a whole lot of gpu.

One person on reddit thinks I may need a bigger power supply.

You might. That's why I suggested that power limit test.
The voltages don't really mean anything.

 

[ginsole]

Those gpu parameters are very cool... I guess Apex doesn't need a whole lot of gpu.


You might. That's why I suggested that power limit test.
The voltages don't really mean anything.

Yea that's just one snapshot. The GPU temps are usually a little higher, but also I wonder if they were lower cause my frames were sitting around 20.

I'm going to double check my BIOS driver. The MOBO and GPU should be up to date unless a new driver came out last week but I will double check.

Are you including the AMD and NVIDIA software as 3rd party? I use GeForce Experience to update my driver and I used the amd software adrenalin to update the chipset when I first set up the comp.

I will try the power limit test but if it crashes what does it tell me? Or what am I looking for as I increment the power limit by 10%?

 

[Bob.B]

I recently built a new pc.
https://pcpartpicker.com/user/skang28/saved/Dr8b23

I've been having trouble figuring out why my computer crashes when playing games. It mostly happens while playing Apex Legends. So the screen will go black then computer restarts. It seems like a CPU/GPU crash.

Initially, I thought it was based on thermals but I've been monitoring them in game with an OSD (HWInfo and RTSS) and don't see anything too crazy. CPU and GPU usually stay in the 60-90 range (haven't seen any temps surpass 90 yet). So I'm not convinced it's thermal related. It still feels like something is throttling. Cause right before I crash and my frames plummet, I do usually hear the fans start to kick in even louder. I dunno if it's a power issue or something is shorting. I feel like there's too many little things to consider.

Someone suggested I run benchmarks so I ran cinebench on my CPU and got this:
CPU (multi core) - 19785 pts
CPU (single core) - 1602 pts
MP Ratio - 12.35 x
I'm not too sure what to make of this though.

I'm looking for any suggestions on what else to look at? How can I test and further narrow down this issue?

I do get that my case and GPU don't mesh well but still others have reported builds like this with no serious issues. Any tips would be much appreciated.

The power spikes on that gpu can be quite large.
Unless you find some other issue consider bumping the psu up.

 

[Phaaze88]

Are you including the AMD and NVIDIA software as 3rd party?

No. Just Driver Easy/Booster, and others like them, which you may see ads for when browsing the web - that they help speed up your PC and crap like that... it's total bull.

I will try the power limit test but if it crashes what does it tell me? Or what am I looking for as I increment the power limit by 10%?

The limit of what the psu can handle. If you discover that it isn't very far from 100%, you may be able to get away with an undervolt.

 

[ginsole]

No. Just Driver Easy/Booster, and others like them, which you may see ads for when browsing the web - that they help speed up your PC and crap like that... it's total bull.


The limit of what the psu can handle. If you discover that it isn't very far from 100%, you may be able to get away with an undervolt.

So I flashed BIOS to latest version, no issues there.

Also, I went into MSI Afterburner and lowered the power limit as much as I could and it stopped at 28%. I left it there and was just on the internet and updating my games in Steam.

Then, BSOD with DPC_WATCHDOG_VIOLATION code. This can't be a coincidence right?

Edit: I lied I didn't even hit apply to put the power limit at 28%. Did the BIOS update just make things worse?

 

[larry.martinez.tx]

I recently built a new pc.
https://pcpartpicker.com/user/skang28/saved/Dr8b23

I've been having trouble figuring out why my computer crashes when playing games. It mostly happens while playing Apex Legends. So the screen will go black then computer restarts. It seems like a CPU/GPU crash.

Initially, I thought it was based on thermals but I've been monitoring them in game with an OSD (HWInfo and RTSS) and don't see anything too crazy. CPU and GPU usually stay in the 60-90 range (haven't seen any temps surpass 90 yet). So I'm not convinced it's thermal related. It still feels like something is throttling. Cause right before I crash and my frames plummet, I do usually hear the fans start to kick in even louder. I dunno if it's a power issue or something is shorting. I feel like there's too many little things to consider.

Someone suggested I run benchmarks so I ran cinebench on my CPU and got this:
CPU (multi core) - 19785 pts
CPU (single core) - 1602 pts
MP Ratio - 12.35 x
I'm not too sure what to make of this though.

I'm looking for any suggestions on what else to look at? How can I test and further narrow down this issue?

I do get that my case and GPU don't mesh well but still others have reported builds like this with no serious issues. Any tips would be much appreciated.

Have you installed something recently just before your problems? Sounds like a driver issue. I would uninstall whatever was recently installed for troubleshooting.

 

[ginsole]

Have you installed something recently just before your problems? Sounds like a driver issue. I would uninstall whatever was recently installed for troubleshooting.

I can't pinpoint anything recent. I installed all the latest drivers at the time, installed my games I play and then monitoring software.

Today, I completed some windows updates and updated my BIOS to the latest version. 1.8 to 1.9. Weirdly enough, after I did that my computer's acting a little weird...

 

[Phaaze88]

Coincidence. I agree with larry.
Is Msi Dragon Center installed? Uninstall it if it is.

Watchdog is usually driver/software or unstable overclocks.

 

[ginsole]

Coincidence. I agree with larry.
Is Msi Dragon Center installed? Uninstall it if it is.

Watchdog is usually driver/software or unstable overclocks.

No don't have dragon center. Also I have never gotten that BSOD until I updated the BIOS... Should i roll it back / can I even do that?

Like I just tried to start Apex and the game wouldn't even load. And my computer just froze and restarted. Power limit at 40% here. Going to go back to 100% and see what happens

 

[Phaaze88]

Should i roll it back / can I even do that?

Yes, you actually can do that. The latest bios doesn't help everyone - it usually does - but yes, rolling back is definitely an option.

But please do one thing at a time - too many at a time can make it harder to find a solution.