Question What's causing my build to fail?

[subtopewds]

CPU: i7 4790K
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 LED
GPU: PALIT GTX 1070 JetStream 8GB
RAM: 8GB Hyper-X Fury DDR3 1866MHz
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z97x Gaming GT
PSU: BeQuiet Dark Power Pro P9 550W
Case: Cooler Master E500L
STORAGE: 64GB SDD for the system + 1TB SAMSUNG HDD

Some of the components aren't new because of my low budget 🙁
What can it be causing me to lag in some games like PUBG? ( I can't event spawn in a match until everyone is already in the plane or sometimes it's until the plane reaches the end of the map + It always freezes in the middle of skydiving and when I open the inventory to loot )

MSI afterburner stats in the menu:

MSI afterburner stats during gameplay:

I'm running the game at very low - 1920*1080
I'm not overclocking anything!
I tried other games and I get various problems as well.

I am using my PC for gaming and editing videos. I also get render issues in Premiere Pro and After Effects and sometimes the program crashes in the middle of working on a project.

 

[boju]

How much space is left on that ssd? Ssds don't perform well when there's less than 20GB.

 

[subtopewds]

How much space is left on that ssd? Ssds don't perform well when there's less than 20GB.

22GB is free

 

[boju]

When you say the games freeze, do you need to reboot or is it pausing mid play for a second or two? It's possible it could be memory related. Look on YouTube for memtest tutorials on how to use it on a usb stick to boot your pc on to test memory for any errors.

22GB should be fine but is cutting it close especially if the Pagefile is getting big. If you can clear more space try that or limit Pagefile.sys maximum size to about 5~10GB and see how you go.

https://www.tomshardware.com/news/how-to-manage-virtual-memory-pagefile-windows-10,36929.html

What's your cpu temps like?

 

[AllanGH]

Move the pagefile to the HDD.

Size range should be 12 GB to 36 GB, according to current recommendations.

Initial PF size = RAM * 1.5
Maximum PF size = Initial PF Size * 3

So:
RAM = 8 GB * 1024 = 8192 MB
Initial PF Size = RAM * 1.5 = 8192 MB * 1.5 = 12288 MB
Maximum PF Size = Initial Size * 3 = 12288 MB * 3 = 36864 MB

 

[subtopewds]

do you need to reboot or is it pausing mid play for a second or two?

it only freezes for like 3 to 4 seconds each time

What's your cpu temps like?

It's shown in the screenshots - it's like 34-43 when I'm not running anything

Move the pagefile to the HDD.

Here are my current pagefile settings:

D: is my 1TB HDD
F: and G: are external USB FLASH DRIVES

 

[boju]

Is that where pagefile has been or have you just moved it?

Idle temps are good, focus more on load temps though which is also within margin.

 

[AllanGH]

Here are my current pagefile settings:

Switch that page file to manual settings...it just makes things more predictable.

 

[boju]

Try manually managed size. Im wondering also if the pagefile being on this drive could be causing performance issues if pagefile has been on this drive since the beginning. It's a dilemma being the ssd is so small.

Was this issue ongoing or only recent?

Ideally a bigger ssd or another ssd to have pagefile on would be good.

 

[subtopewds]

I just completed the memory test using the memtest86 and it completed without any errors
Here is my memtest86 HTML report: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1zhZKfFM2LHWHJfDATjMkYisFeMOi3GKc/view?usp=sharing ( download and then open it with a web browser to view the report )
Now for the pagefile

Is that where pagefile has been or have you just moved it?

It has been on the SDD and I moved it to the HDD some days ago but nothing changed

Switch that page file to manual settings...it just makes things more predictable.

Should I let it in the HDD or move it back to the SDD? and what do I insert here?

Was this issue ongoing or only recent?

I don't know if this would be related to the problem but I feel like I shall let you know.
At first, I built the PC and used 4 SK HYNIX DDR3 RAMS ( 2GB each ) which is 8GB in total and I had so much problems and freezes and I couldn't even start some games like RUST which counts a lot on RAM. So then I managed to buy the Hyper X ram that I'm using now.
I feel like it's better now but I'm still getting freezes and fps drops on games.

 

[Karadjgne]

Have you installed the latest motherboard chipset drivers / updated bios?

 

[subtopewds]

Have you installed the latest motherboard chipset drivers / updated bios?

No I ran it directly. Can you show me how I can update the BIOS and install the latest mobo drivers?

 

[subtopewds]

IMPORTANT UPDATE:
I just updated my BIOS to the latest version and my GPU took time to get recognized by the system but it worked.
I just started the game and this pop up before I can even spawn in the lobby:

I can't even play the game now

I'm sure it's related to the paging file memory since my RAM is completely fine
Here are my current paging file settings:

 

[subtopewds]

SECOND UPDATE:
I changed my paging file settings to something like this (as suggested in this video

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ndwDlYb04A
)

I ran the game without the previous memory error but I had like 100% GPU usage and 99% in the MSI stats on my task manager. So, waited a long time and then spawned in the airplane, I dropped off the airplane the FPS was smooth ( GPU usage still at 100% ) and then seconds before I reach the land the game froze and then exits. Now, the GPU usage is at 0% ~ 3%
I'm afraid of launching any game until I figure out where the problem is coming from

 

[Karadjgne]

On the same support site where you got the bios is a listing of updated chipset drivers. It'll be audio, Lan, USB family, Sata controllers etc. You want them all. I stick them all on desktop at first. Then I'll create a new folder in D drive and call it Util or some such. Some of the files are self executing, just click on them and they'll update as needed. Some aren't. I do all the self exe ones first, then move them to the new folder. Those that are left, you'll need to open up Device Manager in Control Panel. Take the first one in the list, eg: usb family controller, and scroll down the Device Manager to the same usb family driver. Click on properties, update driver, and point it at the file on desktop. Afterwards move it to Util. You don't have to save the driver updates, I do it out of habit, if I need to reset windows, then I already have them all handy and don't have to dl again. After, reboot.

Windows 10 Creators Edition really can have issues with legacy drivers, it'll want to use its generic ones since they are a newer version number. Unfortunately, generic usb driver v5.0 is nowhere as performance tailored to your motherboard chipset as Intel usb family v1.6 etc.
Audio and Lan are the worst culprits.

 

[boju]

Lot of things going on

Was Windows on this ssd a fresh install for this system? Not carried over from another system?

Which ram slot are you using? For best results use the 2nd slot form cpu for 1x 8GB. Memory placement is standard for most motherboards.

Lets try this.

Firstly, after a bios update, need to reset cmos. Cmos contains the system parameters given by the bios so it's best to reset cmos so new information is loaded. Can do this by loading bios defaults from in the bios.

----

After that grab the chipset driver (Intel inf) from here. Always install drivers as administrator. Right click an installer to see the administrator option.

https://www.gigabyte.com/Motherboard/GA-Z97X-Gaming-GT-rev-10#support-dl

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Regarding the pagefile, increase the size. 8GB ram is borderline not enough so having the pagefile set too small can cause problems. Set minimum to 5GB, max to 20GB.

What's the rpm speed of the hdd?

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Try run your games then.

 

[subtopewds]

Click on properties, update driver, and point it at the file on desktop

Windows keep saying that I already have latest drivers
But I installed all the executable ones anyway

After reboot, I got many new softwares installed
I noticed that when I open this Intel® Rapid Storage Technology and click Manage the program crashes, I don't know whether this will help with my issue but I think it's HDD related

I tried the game and it still has drops while skydiving and crashed just before I can land

Was Windows on this ssd a fresh install for this system? Not carried over from another system?

Yes, it was fresh install
( I'm now working on your instructions )

 

[subtopewds]

What's the rpm speed of the hdd?

5400 RPM ( https://www.hdsentinel.com/storageinfo_details.php?lang=en&model=SAMSUNG HD103SI ) I bought it used btw
Crystal disk info:

Regarding the pagefile, increase the size. 8GB ram is borderline not enough so having the pagefile set too small can cause problems. Set minimum to 5GB, max to 20GB.

done

After that grab the chipset driver (Intel inf) from here. Always install drivers as administrator. Right click an installer to see the administrator option.

installed

Firstly, after a bios update, need to reset cmos. Cmos contains the system parameters given by the bios so it's best to reset cmos so new information is loaded. Can do this by loading bios defaults from in the bios.

To reset CMOS am I supposed to unplug the battery and plug it again or just load BIOS optimal default settings?

 

[boju]

Load bios defaults is sufficient.

Or you can clear cmos to be sure. One way is to power off/ unplug power cord and drain remaining power by holding power button for 30seconds or so. Then remove the watch size battery from motherboard for about a minute. Remember which side up the battery goes back.

5400rpm isn't suitable for a pagefile or games, it's lack of speed will surely hurt performance. Id say that is a good chunk of the problem along with the ssd having not as much desired space left.

What do you have installed on the ssd besides windows?

 

[subtopewds]

What do you have installed on the ssd besides windows?

All Windows and Hardware Drivers + utilities like Nvidia Geforce, MSI afterburner and Logitech Gaming software ...etc

Load bios defaults is sufficient.

I restarted my computer, clicked on DEL when booting and then I found a button which called load optimized defaults. I don't know if that's it or not

I will now go clear CMOS to be sure

 

[boju]

I restarted my computer, clicked on DEL when booting and then I found a button which called load optimized defaults. I don't know if that's it or not

You did it right, that'll work 100% most of the time. I'm not sure if clearing cmos will help you here, i've pretty much identified the problem, i have had people here at Toms with performance stutters using a 5400rpm drive.

All Windows and Hardware Drivers + utilities like Nvidia Geforce, MSI afterburner and Logitech Gaming software ...etc

I suggest getting another SSD (128/256GB if budget allows) or atleast a 7200rpm drive. That 5400 rpm is only good for storing downloads/photos, not really meant for games nor pagefile and the game's you're playing where there's heavy hdd activity it would frustrate me too.

 

[subtopewds]

I suggest getting another SSD (128/256GB if budget allows) or atleast a 7200rpm drive. That 5400 rpm is only good for storing downloads/photos, not really meant for games nor pagefile and the game's you're playing where there's heavy hdd activity it would frustrate me too.

I think you're right
but I noticed while testing the game again and again this morning that the GPU usage sometimes when I get the freezes goes down to 0% and then when the freeze is over it goes up to eightish ninetish ( 80% ~ 98% ) percent
Is this normal or can it be a GPU problem too?

 

[boju]

The hdd is the slowest component, 7200rpm is so-so defintitly not as slow as 5400. Ssd's have made a huge leap but still no match for the bandwidth between cpu/gpu and memory. In your case, 5400 is so slow, when it thinks it's causing every other component in your computer to have conniptions because they're all waiting on it.

If your games and pagefile was on the ssd or 7200rpm drive, you'd most likely certainly wouldn't be having these problems, im sure of it.

 

[subtopewds]

If your games and pagefile was on the ssd or 7200rpm drive, you'd most likely certainly wouldn't be having these problems, im sure of it.

I can't afford a new SSD/HDD right now 🙁 But I will try this and if it fixes my problem I will mark your answer as the right one.
Thanks to you and @Karadjgne for your kind help and support

One last thing that's disturbing me is my GPU usage during gameplay. It goes like this when loading the game or when I get the freeze problem ( from 0% to 99% and vice-versa )

Is this normal? and what's the normal GPU usage?

 

[boju]

No worries, we're glad to help.

Those gpu freezes is due to the hdd. Being that, your games and pagefile is on it, the hdd is not doing you any favors. It's causing a bottleneck, and a major one at that.