GPU Crashing

[opel80uk]

Hi All,

Question for the techies here: My graphics card has started to crash intermittently. It tends to happen when loading a game up, usually on either on a black loading screen, the ad scenes before the menu, or the opening menu itself. It has crashed during the game rarely, but more often then not once the game starts it's fine. The crash itself is sometimes just a frozen screen of whatever it was on or the brown/purple crash stripes, and on a couple of occasions I got the BSOD. It did also freeze once and I went out to make a tea and when I came back it was back to my Desktop with a message saying something along the lines of "GPU device stopped working but system has recovered', or something similar. It usually happens when I first try to get in to game after turning on the PC, and when I reset will boot in the 2nd or third go. That said, sometimes on those 2nd or 3rd attempts the screen will flicker a touch as if it is going to crash again, but the game loads up. Othertimes, it loads up with no flicker or problem at all.

I've updated all drivers (removing the old ones first), and it doesn't appear to be overheating. So my questions are -

1 is it safe to assume that it is my GPU causing the problem?

2 Does anyone know what (or have) a decent guide to troubleshoot this problem?

My system is:

FX – 8350
Gigabyte R9 280x
Asus M5A97 EVO R2.0
Crucial 8GB Kit (4GBx2) DDR3-1866 PC3-14900 Memory Module
XFX ATX 550 PSU

Any help is appreciated


Opel

[KeyboardDemon]

Sometimes the error might report an issue with the GPU when the issue is in fact with the RAM or CPU etc...

Are you running an overclocked CPU or overclocked RAM, if so try running everything at stock.

Try taking out one stick of RAM and see if the issue repeats when you run a game on just 4gb RAM, if it works ok with one, swap the memory sticks and try again, in case one of the memory sticks has a fault. If you can try running Memtest to see if that finds any faults.

[Domestic_Ginger]

Firstly i would try and make the problem reproducible.

I would run a unigine something benchmark. Stop and start it a few times. Let it run to stable thermals. Run gpuz at the same time and figure out temps and voltages for both vrm and power saving states. I think of will pass.

What I think is happening is the jump between desktop and 3d/boost mode is failing. Run afterburner and force constant clocks AMD voltage of the 3d but not boost state (forcing boost will make it very toasty). Then try playing the game with the problem.

The purple schizz sounds quite serious indeed, memory orvrms. Turn off an aggressive oc (factory or user applied) may be worth checking to see if it aids stability.

[Jowsey]

Like above it's potentially not a GPU issue. Do you have a friend with a donor PC who is happy to help you? Try swapping GPU for a couple days and if that shows no change, try swapping RAM. It sounds like it could potentially be a PSU issue as well.

In addition to the above RAM test from KeyboardDemon, alternate RAM slots as well, maybe be a faulty board.

[opel80uk]

Sometimes the error might report an issue with the GPU when the issue is in fact with the RAM or CPU etc...

Are you running an overclocked CPU or overclocked RAM, if so try running everything at stock.

Try taking out one stick of RAM and see if the issue repeats when you run a game on just 4gb RAM, if it works ok with one, swap the memory sticks and try again, in case one of the memory sticks has a fault. If you can try running Memtest to see if that finds any faults.

Hey KD,

Thanks for the reply. No, the whole system is running at stock, nothing OC. I'll try testing the RAM like you suggest, but the crashes only seem to happen when I run graphically intensive games. If there was RAM issue, would this not flag itself up at other times as well?

[Dooms]

Hey KD,

Thanks for the reply. No, the whole system is running at stock, nothing OC. I'll try testing the RAM like you suggest, but the crashes only seem to happen when I run graphically intensive games. If there was RAM issue, would this not flag itself up at other times as well?

Just curious is it any game or (stab in the dark) World of Warcraft?

[opel80uk]

Hi All,

I actually have a spare HD 6950 at my in-laws, so I will plug that in and give it a go and see if it is still happening. I will also stress test the card as suggested.

What I think is happening is the jump between desktop and 3d/boost mode is failing. Run afterburner and force constant clocks AMD voltage of the 3d but not boost state (forcing boost will make it very toasty). Then try playing the game with the problem.

That kind of exactly how it feels, that something is stopping the card firing off, as the flickering starts and sometimes it manages to get past it and, once up and running it's ok, but isn't always able to get that far, thus the crash.

As for the games, it's happened with Far Cry 4, Divinity Original Sin and Civ V. Don't have WoW yet!

As always, thanks for the replies all. Will let you know how it goes!

[Gronich26]

I agree with Jowsey, this DOES sound like a PSU problem or if not PSU, power delivery to the card. If after changing GPU & testing your memory you still have the same problems I would recommend a PSU swap to rule it out.

[vti_786]

Try a cheap gpu in there, if it still crashes, you know it's not the gpu

[Gronich26]

opel80uk - I have just had another thought: I would test in the following order - Memory test - stress test and slot swapping; followed by a PSU swap BEFORE swapping the GPU. If you swap for your 6950 and it works ok you still haven't ruled out a possible fault with the PSU and you may assume it's the 280X that's faulty when it may not be.

[opel80uk]

A quick update. After testing with the 6950, I re-sat the R9 in for the last week and a half it hasn't crashed again. I'm not sure why, as when it first started I initially took out the R9 and re inserted again, but no joy. It seems to be running fine again now though.

Thanks for the help all!

[Gronich26]

Good news! Probably should have suggested re-seating the card first