PC Random quick freezes during gameplay

[jubatuss]

Hello. I'm struggling with a problem and I've been trying to find a solution for it quite a while.

Problem: Computer lags or freezes (small pause) during gameplay. Sometimes it happens every few minutes, sometimes more often. Picture and sound just "jam" for a second and then continue with no problems. 80% of the time it happens right when enemy player enters my field of view. The game is Counter-Strike Global Offensive.

Computer specs:

Intel i5 750 @ 3,6GHz (Overclocked from 2,67 - Problem occured before the overclocking)
Nvidia GTX 260
1TB hard drive + 120GB SSD
500w psu in Sonata Antec III case.
8GB Ram (1333MHz) with boosted voltage to 1.55 (Problem occured before boosting from default 1.5)

What I've done so far:
- Checked temperatures during stress (Cores ~45 and GPU ~60)
- Virus and Malware scans
- RAM test
- Updated BIOS
- Game installed over and over again, also verified game cache.
- Hard drive defragmentation
- Disabled all the services from msconfig except for windows ones.
- Updated GPU drivers
- Small things like adjusting game priority etc.
- Tried to find programs which could have a confict with the game. Disabled all the firewalls and antivirus softwares for testing

SOLVED! SOLUTION FOR ME: RAM Timings were just a bit off in my bios. I had had 2 different types of ram with different set of timings. After removing other stick and adjusted to right timings in bios -> problem solved.

 

[jubatuss]

Update: Bought SSD, installed clean windows and game. Problem still occurs. Also bought a better cooler for CPU. What is this sorcery?

Adding to specs: BenQ xl2411z @ 144hz.

 

[Kuixiv]

I used to have the same problem in World of Warcraft. It is likely that your resolution/refresh rate could be causing this issue Nvidia GTX 260 is a pretty decent GPU so I wouldn't think that was it. I would suggest changing your resolution to the best you monitor can support, as well as making the refresh rate the highest you can support. Other than that I would say your GPU is overheating.

 

[jubatuss]

I'm running with 1920x1080 @ 144hz (max resolution + refresh rate) and the temperature is staying at sixties while under load. I've boosted GPU fans with MSI Afterburner (didn't overclock any values) but it didn't solve the problem either. A friend of mine suggested to remove Nvidia Experience because it might make conflicts with 144hz monitors but it didn't help either.

 

[plaintuts]

For online games, micro-stutter usually occurs due to server issues or your own Internet connection

Try updating the game or check if the problem occur on offline games aswell

 

[jubatuss]

Game is up to date (installed yesterday once again). Choke and loss are at 0%, though after the stutter the loss climbs to 10%. My brother plays the same game with same connection without problems. I also updated my LAN drivers yesterday.

 

[plaintuts]

Then that is cpu related issue, cs: go doesn't require too much from the gpu

Check the temps and status of the cpu while gaming using cpu-z

 

[jubatuss]

Didn't find anything unusual about my CPU, I played deathmatch for about 8 minutes and it froze 2 times during that play. I ran a CPUID HWMonitor during that time. This here is a screenshot right after the game. http://gyazo.com/469a6118771a88e3e3300232028a3d10

 

[plaintuts]

If the cpu shows no sign of random thermal throttling then, its hardware limitations on the components thats causing the stutter

To be honest, your specs are kinda old and current mainstream online games are coded to accommodate or rather make use of, improvements on cpu and gpu's

 

[jubatuss]

Indeed. I bought better cooling for the cpu and overclocked it to 3,6ghz. Didn't change a thing. Updated bios, didn't help either. Maybe ram voltages or timings are off, gotta check those out.

 

[jubatuss]

CURRENT SITUATION:

Apparently my motherboard supports 4 x 4gb (Max 16gb) RAM sticks. I removed 2 sticks which were from different manufacturer and I'm using 1x 8gb ram stick. Somehow the motherboards reads it and boots up normally. I adjusted timings from 9-9-9-25 to 8-8-8-24 and boosted the dram voltage to 1,55v. Stuttering/freezing became smaller (I think) and it seems that my RAM timings are just a bit off. It seems that ASUS P7P55D BIOS doesn't have the most optimal RAM timings as default. Going to switch around to get rid of the freezing completely. Going to report back with right values when I've found those.

 

[Kuixiv]

When's the last time that you cleaned your computer?

 

[jubatuss]

Kuivix: I did a clean install and the problem still existed -> it was a hardware problem

SOLUTION FOR ME: RAM Timings were just a bit off in my bios. I had had 2 different types of ram with different set of timings. After removing other stick and adjusted to right timings in bios -> problem solved.