Crashing Video Games

[johnrxx99]

A short while ago a game I'd been playing for weeks started to crash - either the screen turns into flashing little squares or a blank screen with a message saying directx has crashed because of a copying program, which I don't have.

I've noticed in MSI Afterburner the 4 CPU clock speeds are flashing between 3904 and 801 and after a few minutes in the game the temperature skyrockets prior to the crash. CPU-Z shows the memory NB Frequency is also flashing between 3900 and 800

My PC has a Asus Sabretooth z170 Mk1 m/b, Intel i5 6600k, 16GB Corsair memory, Corsair cooling and case and AMD R9 380 GPU

There doesn't appear to be overheating issues - the Asus AI Suite 3 works well. I've tested the memory, CPU and GPU with serveral recommended testing programs and nothing is shown up as malfuctioning. I've updated the drivers and indeed loaded old ones.

Is this a fatal CPU problem or solvable?

 

[jr9]

Does it only happen with that one particular game?

 

[johnrxx99]

No, all video heavy ones. I've just added Middle Earth and that's the same. On the other hand Total War Attila is OK.

I should add that I've deleted and relaoded the game, it Divinity Original Sin 2, and ealier saves to no avail.

 

[urbancamper]

Sounds like the thermal grease on the gpu is bad. Either that or a fan on the gpu is not spinning up.

 

[jr9]

Do you have another graphics card you can try? I really don't see processors fail often unless you are doing a heavy overclock for long periods of time. I know you said the GPU seems fine but it sounds a lot like a GPU issue since it's only in game.

 

[johnrxx99]

Sounds like the thermal grease on the gpu is bad. Either that or a fan on the gpu is not spinning up.

Does a GPU have thermal grease, I thought it was only the CPU? The card is a gigabite and has three fans and all of them are working at 100%. I monitor with MSI Afterburner.

The card is about 20 months old. I'm in the Philippines and we have power stop and starts quite often. It's the only thing I can recall happening at around the time the card started playing up.

 

[johnrxx99]

Do you have another graphics card you can try? I really don't see processors fail often unless you are doing a heavy overclock for long periods of time. I know you said the GPU seems fine but it sounds a lot like a GPU issue since it's only in game.

I'm afraid I don't have another card. It's not overclocked and the MSI Afterburner settings are the same as they have been since I installed it.

Sounds like I'll have to get it tested. Might try Nvidea next time.

 

[jr9]

Graphics cards have grease just like CPUs do. They put in on when the cards are assembled. Sometimes the grease on the card dries and even with your fans running at max speed, the card overheats. I see this issue as a tech a LOT on Radeon cards.

Monitor your graphics card temps in idle then in game closely and let us know what they are. If you see anything like the temp rising constantly without slowing down, that's a sign the card isn't cooling properly. Let us know the hottest you can get the card. Also wouldn't hurt to check your max CPU temp as well.

 

[johnrxx99]

Graphics cards have grease just like CPUs do. They put in on when the cards are assembled. Sometimes the grease on the card dries and even with your fans running at max speed, the card overheats. I see this issue as a tech a LOT on Radeon cards.

Monitor your graphics card temps in idle then in game closely and let us know what they are. If you see anything like the temp rising constantly without slowing down, that's a sign the card isn't cooling properly. Let us know the hottest you can get the card. Also wouldn't hurt to check your max CPU temp as well.

As they say you live and learn. In idle it's about 45C when a game starts ti shoots of the chart in a minute and the fan is at max long before that. CPU temp is stable throughout.

I've noticed that when I load MSI Afterburner the GPU fan and temp increase. They issued an update around the time of this issue, could that have anything to do with it?

If it is the a grease issue, can I solve it, ie take the card to peices?

Edit, I've left the PC for a while and it's 40C.

 

[jr9]

Graphics cards have grease just like CPUs do. They put in on when the cards are assembled. Sometimes the grease on the card dries and even with your fans running at max speed, the card overheats. I see this issue as a tech a LOT on Radeon cards.

Monitor your graphics card temps in idle then in game closely and let us know what they are. If you see anything like the temp rising constantly without slowing down, that's a sign the card isn't cooling properly. Let us know the hottest you can get the card. Also wouldn't hurt to check your max CPU temp as well.

As they say you live and learn. In idle it's about 45C when a game starts ti shoots of the chart in a minute and the fan is at max long before that. CPU temp is stable throughout.

I've noticed that when I load MSI Afterburner the GPU fan and temp increase. They issued an update around the time of this issue, could that have anything to do with it?

If it is the a grease issue, can I solve it, ie take the card to peices?

Are you getting up to around 90C?

I've never regreased a card myself but it can be done I think.

 

[urbancamper]

Use non conductive thermal grease. This is very important. There are a lot of electrical conduits right next to the gpu. Conductive thermal grease can fry out your card. I recommend Arctic MX4. There are tutorials on YouTube on how to do this.

 

[johnrxx99]

Graphics cards have grease just like CPUs do. They put in on when the cards are assembled. Sometimes the grease on the card dries and even with your fans running at max speed, the card overheats. I see this issue as a tech a LOT on Radeon cards.

Monitor your graphics card temps in idle then in game closely and let us know what they are. If you see anything like the temp rising constantly without slowing down, that's a sign the card isn't cooling properly. Let us know the hottest you can get the card. Also wouldn't hurt to check your max CPU temp as well.

As they say you live and learn. In idle it's about 45C when a game starts ti shoots of the chart in a minute and the fan is at max long before that. CPU temp is stable throughout.

I've noticed that when I load MSI Afterburner the GPU fan and temp increase. They issued an update around the time of this issue, could that have anything to do with it?

If it is the a grease issue, can I solve it, ie take the card to peices?

Are you getting up to around 90C?

I've never regreased a card myself but it can be done I think.

Well over 90C. I'll go and see my local periferals supplier. He's pretty knowledgeable but probably time to upgrade the card. Hey Ho - I'll let you know what happens

 

[johnrxx99]

Use non conductive thermal grease. This is very important. There are a lot of electrical conduits right next to the gpu. Conductive thermal grease can fry out your card. I recommend Arctic MX4. There are tutorials on YouTube on how to do this.

Thanks for that. As posted above I'll ask around how to do it - and check YouTube. Cheers.