Computer Crashes when Playing Games

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EJDrake

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Mar 25, 2012
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Hi Forum,

I am working with this new build: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/33Syv
with the addition of Windows 8 64-bit and SLI bridge.

I have previously commented on this issue here

Problem: As noted, games routinely crash. I have yet to play a single game without some issue. Here's a description of the games I've tried and errors experienced.

Metro Last Light: As noted above, I encountered a lot of increasing freezing. Starting in an area where a lot of people encounter issues, progressing to the load screen.

Fallout 3: Lots of kernel/driver crashes. Usually black screens that required hard resets.

State of Decay: Same as Fallout 3.

The Sims 3: I had a particularly gruesome crash causing a white screen. I could alt tab to a background window but I couldn't interact with any device (not even enough to trigger a not responding message). Reboot. Solid purple screen. Refreshed using Windows 8 CD. Got to desktop missing a lot of crucial software and browsers. Sims 3 tells me it now needs to be reinstalled. Origin says it can't open because MSCV100.dll is missing. Opened IE to post this message. monitor blinked twice, went to desktop without any icons on it. Mouse pointer gone.

I suspect that I'll need to reinstall windows 8. Please advise on that point. Otherwise, any additional information would be useful.

Thank you so much!
 
Solution
Junit151
Hey man, it seems like a stupid question every single time but at some point on your life it will be true :p

I just got the Logitech G930 about $100-ish, but it has a good quality mic and is wireless. I have tested range in my house and even with loads of interference (Home phone on, 2.4GHz wifi on) it works about 60 feet through multiple walls. They get LOUD too, so you don't have to worry about that. The drivers install in about 10 seconds even on my old laptop, and it charges through micro usb using a high quality included cable that is (gets out tape measure) about 2+ meters long. (Don't worry it comes with a neat little thing to wrap your massive cable around. I only charge once a week with light use, and it can be used while...
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Rhinofart

Rhinofart

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You link to the part picked just brought up a clean slate. But from what you are describing, it sounds like a Video card driver issue. When the crashes happen what happens when you press the NumLock key on your keyboard? Does the NumLock light turn off and on? If the light does go on, and off when pressing the button you are having a software issue. If the light stays in it's current state, you have a hardware issue. You can then try substituting components if possible. But, from reading your symptoms, my gut is leaning towards VC driver issue. Is your Power Supply good enough for the VCs you have? You mention SLI bridge, so I assume you have nVidias?

If you get any blue screens, take down the HEX code, get the Windows Debug tools, and start debugging the mini-dump file. That will lead you to exactly what is causing your issues.
 
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EJDrake

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Mar 25, 2012
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Thanks for the responses!

PC build updated. Sorry. bad paste on my end.

I am currently reinstalling 8.1. The crash and restore has nuked enough stuff that a fresh install seems prudent.

Here's a paste from the thread I linked about temperature. It remains true.

Speedfan claims my CPU is running a steady 128c at all times. After reboot, BIOS shows it at 54c and CPUID confirms that. GPUs never exceed 60c apiece. More than I like, but it hardly seems critica
Click to expand...

Rhino: The crashes vary. With Fallout 3 and State of Decay. I could toggle the num lock key, sometimes alt tab, sometimes actually close without rebooting. With Metro I had to hard reset each time. Fallout 3 addons crashed like the crazy. But those addons (and the base game) are notoriously buggy.
 
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Junit151

Junit151

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In the OP you said "new build," if you have a GPU from another build maybe chuck that in there and see. An AMD would be nice because completely different drivers/software. If you can't get it to work (or don't have a spare), mess with your drivers.

And if your card has any switches on it (legacy mode, LN2 mode, etc.) try flipping them, even if it doesn't make much sense to do it, sometimes it helps for some reason.
 
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EJDrake

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Sadly, I lack another GPU to swap in for diagnostic purposes. I will investigate Rhino's suggestion.

A couple of notes that may or may not be useful:
When the Sims 3 crashed, it was sitting on my storage (non-SSD) drive. It still requires a full reinstall.
Win 8 reinstalled on SSD. Everything is acting sluggish even after two reboots. The blu ray device is incredibly slow and installs nonresponsive.
 
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EJDrake

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While installing NVIDIA graphics drivers via disc, screen flickers twice, then shows blank desktop. Programs still minimized on taskbar. Keyboard and mouse useless (num lock key toggles but keys and clicks do not register).
 
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EJDrake

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Good call. It occurred to me that I should disconnect one of the cards and the SLI bridge and try again. Powered down, pulled power plug, removed power cables from card 2. When I rebooted, I got the original purple screen.

At this point, do we still think its a driver issue? I'm thinking it's either one (or both) of the GPUs, the mobo or maybe the SSD. It COULD be that I corrupted a windows file when I rebooted to yank the second GPU, and that's why I'm getting the purple screen....but I doubt it.
 
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Junit151

Junit151

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If you have tested both GPUs independently (I'd recommend completely unplugging from MOBO) and BOTH have done it then it could be a motherboard issue.
I'm not sure if you can but try to just run it in the second PCIe slot, maybe you have a bum slot on your MOBO.
 
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EJDrake

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Okay. I'll swap slots and see where it takes me. But I need to be clear on what I mean by "purple screen." Instead of getting a startup or login screen when I reboot, windows loads and I then get a solid purple screen. I JUST reinstalled windows. Like I said, it's possible that the attempted video driver reinstall hurt windows somehow, but this feels like an SSD issue doesn't? That isn't to say that it was always an SSD issue.
 
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EJDrake

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Monitor running from the second slot now. Strangely, when the monitor boots, it says "VGA" where it used to say "DVI"

Reinstalling Windows over and over again isn't a problem, per se. The problem is not knowing WHY I have to keep doing it, and a growing suspicion that it's the SSD.

If the computer works flawlessly with this single GPU in a single slot, what good is that? It doesn't rule out the possibility that something is wrong with the mobo or the cards working in tandem.

Edit: It may be worth noting that when I pop in the windows 8 cd and it says "push any button to boot from cd" that it doesn't respond to my key presses. That may be a byproduct of working with a USB keyboard (powered on, num lock responds). But it may be something else.
 
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EJDrake

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I'm doing a full SSD erase right now, to be followed by fresh W8-64 install. I'll then conduct a slow analysis of the cards across slots (individually in different slots, paired, paired in different slots, with and without bridge).

Should I configure the Nvidia drivers/control panel any particular way for these tests?

Of the games I've mentioned above (and BF4 which I played for 10 minutes without encountering any issues) do you suggest using one over the others for purposes of this test?

I'll also perform the "Rhino Test."

FYI: All of this stuff is still under warranty. I just submitted an RMA (instant approval) for the mobo and both cards. Replacing them would not be an issue.
 
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