Certain videogames crash or restart my computer.

Rodion15

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Certain videogames crash or restart my computer. For example: I installed Fear 3 and it restarted randomly shortly after starting, I reinstalled it and updated the card drivers and directx, but the problem continued. IMPORTANT: I reinstalled Windows 7 and Fear3 didn't restart any more, it worked perfectly. However I installed two more games: Assassin's creed 3 and Batman Arkham City and the same happened, they crashed or restarted the computer. A new driver update for the card was issued and I installed it, but the problem continued.

I don't think the PSU is the culprit, not at all, I have two of these PSUs and used them both at the same time, one for the main connector and the other for the others, and the problems remained.

Here's my rig:

Motherboard: ASROCK Z68 PRO3-M (this is how the name is spelt in manual!)
- Processor: Intel core i5 3450 3.1Ghz
- RAM: 2 modules of 4GB DDR3 /1600 KINGSTOM HYPERX KHX1600C9D381/4G
- Hard disk: Western Digital 1TB SATA 3
- PSU 700W 3GO Energy PS700SX (features on sticker: 3.3v—30A, 5v—32A, 12v—36A, 5SB—2.5A, The 3,5,12v provides 680w, the -12,5SB provides 20w
- Graphics Card GeForce GTX 660 XLR8 Edition OC - 2 GB GDDR5 - PCI-Express 3.0 (GF660GTX2GEPB)


Here're a couple of those crashes as reported by Bluescreenview:

032213-24289-01.dmp 3/22/2013 5:04:41 PM KERNEL_DATA_INPAGE_ERROR 0x0000007a fffff6fc`4004a208 ffffffff`c000000e 00000000`21d48be0 fffff880`09441000 ntoskrnl.exe ntoskrnl.exe+75c40 NT Kernel & System Microsoft® Windows® Operating System Microsoft Corporation 6.1.7601.18044 (win7sp1_gdr.130104-1431) x64 ntoskrnl.exe+75c40 C:\Windows\Minidump\032213-24289-01.dmp 4 15 7601 262,144



032113-19968-01.dmp 3/21/2013 6:07:14 PM KERNEL_DATA_INPAGE_ERROR 0x0000007a fffff6fc`5006a000 ffffffff`c000000e 00000001`4b65e880 fffff8a0`0d400000 ntoskrnl.exe ntoskrnl.exe+75c40 NT Kernel & System Microsoft® Windows® Operating System Microsoft Corporation 6.1.7601.18044 (win7sp1_gdr.130104-1431) x64 ntoskrnl.exe+75c40 C:\Windows\Minidump\032113-19968-01.dmp 4 15 7601 262,144

I'm thinking of reinstalling windows 7 once more, perhaps this will make the other games work well as happened with Fear3. Any advice will be welcome.



 


Well my advice probably isn't welcome because if you aren't overclocking it is most likely your no-name power supply. doesn't it hit you as odd that 3GO Energy is a Oil Company in Houston and doesn't make power supplies? they don't exist on this list http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/power-supply-oem-manufacturer,2913-4.html

NSTOKernel.exe errors are normally hardware related. You have already installed windows once. You have a generic power supply that claims to be 700W but can only put out 432 on the 12V rail (BIG Red Flag) and that assumes you can believe the sticker.

Test it with a reputable power supply (or just buy one outright) Antec, Corsair, Seasonic, Superflower, XFX are all good ones. Unless you plan to CF in the future 500W is enough for your system
 

Rodion15

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Thanks for your answer jnkweaver.
 

Rodion15

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kemperkipie: thanks for your answer
I checked the temperatures with Speedfan and they're low. These restarts happen within five minutes of starting the game, and as I said with one of those games the restarts dissapeared after reinstalling Windows 7, I played for hours without problem, so I don't think it's a heat problem.

jnkweaver: I suspected the PSU first, this brand is relatively known in Spain and a couple of repair men have told me that this isn't a PSU problem. If it were the PSU, I don't think FEAR 3 would play well after a windows 7 reinstall. And I dedicated a single PSU to the main PSU connector on the motherboard (I used two PSUs). Perhaps you're right, but I don't want to spend 80 bucks on a new supply just for a test.
 

Rodion15

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kemperkipie: perhaps you're right. Happened to me once, an embarrasing situation while fixing a pc for a neighbour, I had her pay a new mobo and it turned out the mobo was OK. I didn't intend to charge her anyway, I simply paid her the money back. Perhaps it was reinstalling the cpu or some lose wire, what the heck. Things you learn.