[SOLVED] Please help! Newly built PC freezes under moderate loads. Not sure what component is at fault.

[GAvenue]

I have recently "upgraded" my PC, keeping only the case, 1Tb SSD for games, 1Tb HDD storage, and 650W PSU. The new build consists of:
*Running Windows 10, fresh install on m.2 drive

EVGA 2080 Super
i7 9700k
G. Skill 2x8 Gb ddr4 3200
Samsung Evo 250Gb m.2 boot drive
Corsair H100x CPU cooler
ASrock steel legend z390 Motherboard
MSI 2560x1440 144Hz monitor

When trying to run games, and once just on google chrome, the display will freeze and all sound will stop. I am forced to hard shutdown the PC. The game that I can consistently freeze it in is Remnant: From the Ashes at max settings.

Things I've tried:
Checked CPU and GPU temperatures in game, they are fine
Took each stick of RAM out and it froze on each stick
Updated NVidia drivers, Audio drivers, BIOS, and chipset.
Checked event viewer, seeing event 172 followed by 41 (which is me shutting it down)

I believe with what I have tried, I've narrowed it down to the Mobo or the PSU (which is 5 years old).

My main question is, is a 5 year-old 650W PSU highly suspect in this situation? It seems like that PSU should be fine with the rig, but I might be cutting it a little close. This is an upgrade to my first build, so I am still pretty lost here.


Hopefully I covered enough. I am hoping to figure this out before I miss my window to return my components.

Note: Remnant runs beautifully before some breaking point (happens at different times) where the whole PC will freeze and won't come back even after 1 min. GPU and CPU temperatures are stable all the way up to the freeze.

 

[LordVile]

I have recently "upgraded" my PC, keeping only the case, HDD storage, and 650W PSU. The new build consists of:
*Running Windows 10, fresh install on m.2 drive

2080 Super
i7 9700k
2x8 Gb ddr4 3200
250Gb m.2 boot drive
Corsair H100x CPU cooler
ASrock steel legend z390 Motherboard
2560x1440 144Hz monitor

When trying to run games, and once just on google chrome, the display will freeze and all sound will stop. I am forced to hard shutdown the PC. The game that I can consistently freeze it in is Remnant: From the Ashes at max settings.

Things I've tried:
Checked CPU and GPU temperatures in game, they are fine
Took each stick of RAM out and it froze on each stick
Updated NVidia drivers, Audio drivers, BIOS, and chipset.
Checked event viewer, seeing event 172 followed by 41 (which is me shutting it down)

I believe with what I have tried, I've narrowed it down to the Mobo or the PSU (which is 5 years old).

My main question is, is a 5 year-old 650W PSU highly suspect in this situation? It seems like that PSU should be fine with the rig, but I might be cutting it a little close. This is an upgrade to my first build, so I am still pretty lost here.


Hopefully I covered enough. I am hoping to figure this out before I miss my window to return my components.

Have you formatted the HDD?

 

[DMAN999]

Also how old is the PSU and what exact make and model is it?

 

[GAvenue]

I've updated the original post with some more component information, as well as more description of the freezes.

Have you formatted the HDD?

Not really, however I forgot to mention in my original post that I am only using the HDD for minor file storage. The 1Tb SSD is where the games are stored, and the 250Gb m.2 SSD is my boot drive for Windows 10. I have recreated the problem with the HDD unplugged so I am convinced that is not a problem.

Also how old is the PSU and what exact make and model is it?

The PSU is 4-5 years old. It is a Seasonic X-Series 650W 80+ Gold.

 

[LordVile]

I've updated the original post with some more component information, as well as more description of the freezes.



Not really, however I forgot to mention in my original post that I am only using the HDD for minor file storage. The 1Tb SSD is where the games are stored, and the 250Gb m.2 SSD is my boot drive for Windows 10. I have recreated the problem with the HDD unplugged so I am convinced that is not a problem.



The PSU is 4-5 years old. It is a Seasonic X-Series 650W 80+ Gold.

Could be the SSD?
Sounds like the exact opposite of what you should do tbh, normally the HDD is better for mass storage of games. Saying that I can’t complain I only have SSDs in mine.

 

[GAvenue]

Could be the SSD?
Sounds like the exact opposite of what you should do tbh, normally the HDD is better for mass storage of games. Saying that I can’t complain I only have SSDs in mine.

It's possible, but based on the timing of the freezes this seems unlikely to me. It has never happened in a loading screen or anything. For example, in Remnant, I will load up the first area, and just walk around until it freezes. I'm not sure if my reasoning is correct here, but based on that it seems to be related to stress. The most likely thing I can think is overheating of the CPU or GPU, but I've checked multiple times and the temperatures are fine. Which is what leads me to suspect the PSU, since maybe it can't sustain the high demand? IDK, I'm grasping at straws at this point.

Is it possible the GPU could heat very quickly, and not register in the EVGA Precision X1 software before the freeze?

 

[LordVile]

It's possible, but based on the timing of the freezes this seems unlikely to me. It has never happened in a loading screen or anything. For example, in Remnant, I will load up the first area, and just walk around until it freezes. I'm not sure if my reasoning is correct here, but based on that it seems to be related to stress. The most likely thing I can think is overheating of the CPU or GPU, but I've checked multiple times and the temperatures are fine. Which is what leads me to suspect the PSU, since maybe it can't sustain the high demand? IDK, I'm grasping at straws at this point.

Is it possible the GPU could heat very quickly, and not register in the EVGA Precision X1 software before the freeze?

probably not, though a PSU would likely crash the system rather than hard lock it. Tried uninstalling the game and reinstalling? DSIII kept freezing on me until I did that.

 

[GAvenue]

probably not, though a PSU would likely crash the system rather than hard lock it. Tried uninstalling the game and reinstalling? DSIII kept freezing on me until I did that.

Thanks, I'll try that after work. However, it has also crashed while playing League of Legends on highest settings at 144 fps. It hurt me to do this on my new 2080 super, but I was able to run League of legends at low settings at 60 fps for 3 hours without a crash, which seems to further suggest a stress problem.

And you make a great point, if the PSU was the problem wouldn't my PC just power off, not freeze and stay powered? I was thinking of buying a larger PSU on my way home, and just returning it if that doesn't fix the problem, but I'm not so sure anymore. I'm hoping it isn't the GPU.

 

[Wrecker75]

If you clicked XMP profile on the RAM try turning it off and manually setting speed and timings to the specs G.skill advertised for your kit.

 

[LordVile]

Thanks, I'll try that after work. However, it has also crashed while playing League of Legends on highest settings at 144 fps. It hurt me to do this on my new 2080 super, but I was able to run League of legends at low settings at 60 fps for 3 hours without a crash, which seems to further suggest a stress problem.

And you make a great point, if the PSU was the problem wouldn't my PC just power off, not freeze and stay powered? I was thinking of buying a larger PSU on my way home, and just returning it if that doesn't fix the problem, but I'm not so sure anymore. I'm hoping it isn't the GPU.

If there’s something up it could take however long. I had RAM issues and sometimes I could play games for hours without issue, sometimes it’d BSOD after 2 seconds on the desktop.

quick question are you using one wire or 2 for the GPU?

 

[GAvenue]

If you clicked XMP profile on the RAM try turning it off and manually setting speed and timings to the specs G.skill advertised for your kit.

I do have the XMP profile set for 3200MHz in the BIOS. Hopefully this is part of the problem. I will try adjusting that after work and will report back.

 

[GAvenue]

If there’s something up it could take however long. I had RAM issues and sometimes I could play games for hours without issue, sometimes it’d BSOD after 2 seconds on the desktop.

quick question are you using one wire or 2 for the GPU?

Yeah, it does seem very random. I actually just recently started using 2 power cables on my GPU instead of just 1 with the split at the end, and haven't really noticed a difference.

 

[LordVile]

Yeah, it does seem very random. I actually just recently started using 2 power cables on my GPU instead of just 1 with the split at the end, and haven't really noticed a difference.

Just checking because some PSUs can be dodgy using one cable.

 

[Wrecker75]

While I want to say it is not the PSU, it is among the possibilities (check the ram as I mentioned earlier and see if that helps) was the previous build about as power hungry? Side question, are you running the Displayport cable that came with the monitor?

 

[GAvenue]

While I want to say it is not the PSU, it is among the possibilities (check the ram as I mentioned earlier and see if that helps) was the previous build about as power hungry? Side question, are you running the Displayport cable that came with the monitor?

My old build used a GTX 960 and i5-4750, so definitely not as power hungry. I just realized I have 2 x 4Gb sticks of ddr3 to switch in and test, as well as my old GPU.

Also, yes, I am using the DP port that came with my monitor.

 

[Wrecker75]

DDR3 won't fit. Yeah, definitely not as power hungry. Still leaning towards ram settings (might even want to knock the speed down just for testing purposes and work your way back up if it is stable). I am a fan of Seasonic (have 4 Seasonic PSUs in my house at the moment) but between a it a little bit of age and not having a power hungry system previously the PSU could have enough voltage droop under high loads to cause instability, in which case testing with the 960 wouldn't tell you if the problem is the PSU or GPU.

 

[GAvenue]

DDR3 won't fit. Yeah, definitely not as power hungry. Still leaning towards ram settings (might even want to knock the speed down just for testing purposes and work your way back up if it is stable). I am a fan of Seasonic (have 4 Seasonic PSUs in my house at the moment) but between a it a little bit of age and not having a power hungry system previously the PSU could have enough voltage droop under high loads to cause instability, in which case testing with the 960 wouldn't tell you if the problem is the PSU or GPU.

I see, that makes sense. I'll have to tinker around in the BIOS because I'm not sure how to manual set RAM speeds and voltage, but I'm sure there's a way. I'll just refer to the manual. And I think I'll buy an 850W PSU just to cover my bases.

Thank you all so much! I really appreciate all the help. I will tinker around with it later today and report what I find back here.

 

[Wrecker75]

If it does turn out the be the PSU that 650 has a 7 year warranty. You may not still want it after buying an 850, but sending it in and selling what they send back will take some of the sting out the cost.

 

[LordVile]

If it does turn out the be the PSU that 650 has a 7 year warranty. You may not still want it after buying an 850, but sending it in and selling what they send back will take some of the sting out the cost.

Pays to get a PSU with a massive warranty

 

[GAvenue]

So, good news! It seems that setting my ram speed to 2666 MHz, as the i7-9700k specs list, seemed to fix the freezing issues. Is there any reason I can't use the full 3200 MHz that the ram is capable of? Anyone know if this is a CPU limitation or motherboard limitation? I know that the XMP is suppose to "overclock" the ram, but I'm not sure if there is any extra set up involved in that.

My current settings are at 2666 MHz, and the 1.35 V that is suggested for the ram at the full 3200Hz

 

[Wrecker75]

Alright, ! If the board defaulted to 1.2v that may have done it, hopefully you worked your way back up to the rated 3200 without issue by now.