Unstable GPU & Games After Upgrade

[andrew.adams.as]

Hi all, so I recently upgraded my PC. Previously I was running a Xeon E2950(?) with 32Gb DDR3 RAM and 2x GTX 780 GPU's.

Games and everything were perfect, no challenges whatsoever, but I had issues with my 3D Rendering and Particle Simulations (were just to slow and PFlow in 3ds Max kept crashing). So I decided to upgrade my PC.

I am now running an i7-7820X CPU, 32 Gb DDR4 2133Mhz RAM, and the same 2x GTX780 GPU's (moved from the old system). Hard drives stay the same and both systems were running Windows 10 Pro.

I have confirmed all updates are installed. I have also updated the MB BIOS Firmware. GPU Drivers all up to date.

When I run games now on the new system (in SLI and in normal GPU mode), the GPU is maxing at 100% and games just freeze and the whole system dies, with restarting being the only option. Since the same games worked perfectly on the old system, I have no idea what the problem is!

Can anybody help? This is depressing! I sank so much money into the new build, only to have it fail! What could be wrong?

Thanks in advance.

 

[richiestang_78]

I assume you reinstalled Windows and didn't just swap the hard-drive from the old system to the new one.

 

[andrew.adams.as]

I assume you reinstalled Windows and didn't just swap the hard-drive from the old system to the new one.

I did do a fresh install on the C Drive, but I carried across the other hard drives with all the documents etc.. I do appear to have something like 3 User profiles on the second drive though... but Windows is using only one (that I can see)... I don't know why I have the additional profiles

 

[rgd1101]

cpu temp? what the psu make and model?

 

[geofelt]

dual gpu support seems to be going away.
Try running with only one GTX780t card and see how that does.

I think your gaming experience would be much better with a single good card like a GTX1080/ti.

 

[andrew.adams.as]

@rgd110i CPU Temps are running at 70 degrees under max load overclocked CPU at 4Ghz, so reasonable speck. Running a CoolerMaster AIO 240mm water cooling system also.

@geofelt I have tried with only the one GPU, and I have played around with PhysX being on display card, and the secondary card. Certainly in agreement with the GTX1080ti, I dream of getting that card, but alas, after building up a new system I don't have remotely enough cash.

Perhaps to add... this is primarily a 3D rig, not a gaming rig, but would obviously like to run games. However, if the same GPU's worked fine for the same games on a lower spec rig, then why the troubles now?

 

[andrew.adams.as]

cpu temp? what the psu make and model?

Sorry, forgot to add... PSU is Corsair AX1600i

 

[geofelt]

You now have a stronger cpu that is able to drive the graphics cards harder, thus consuming more power.
The new processor can also potentially consume more power.
What is your psu?
I might suspect that even 1000w might be marginal.
OTOH, if you have no problem if you remove one GTX780(not simply disable it), then the psu is not likely to be the issue.

 

[geofelt]

I guess psu is not the issue.
What is your motherboard?

 

[andrew.adams.as]

You now have a stronger cpu that is able to drive the graphics cards harder, thus consuming more power.
The new processor can also potentially consume more power.
What is your psu?
I might suspect that even 1000w might be marginal.
OTOH, if you have no problem if you remove one GTX780(not simply disable it), then the psu is not likely to be the issue.

I highly doubt it is the PSU, I'm running a Corsair AX1600i 1600W so there is no way I don't have enough power...

 

[andrew.adams.as]

I guess psu is not the issue.
What is your motherboard?

MB is an ASUS ROG Strix X299-E

 

[geofelt]

when you installed windows, did you have any other drives connected?
If you did, windows put a hidden recovery partition on at least one of them complicating removal later.
I know this is not your issue.

If your problem only happens with games, the problem source is likely graphics card related.
Perhaps there is something peculiar to the GTX780 that is causing a problem.
Can you test with a different card?

Sorry, I am running out of ideas.

 

[andrew.adams.as]

Ok, I have sorted it out! So I did a fresh install of Windows, wiped out everything and started again (I had suspected some problematic installs and file references in the last install) and then ran the games again... the system was definitely more stable but cranked out again on the games.

Solution: Surprisingly simple! I had both screens running off of the one GPU. I changed the secondary monitor to the second GPU and bang, no more mess ups and much better gaming performance than I had on the old PC (frame rates were far higher and gameplay was smoother).

Not sure if that's supposed to be the solution, but everything is certainly running like a dream now!

Thanks for all the help, advice and support!