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Computer crashing randomly when playing video games (black screen, sound blocks on a loop)

Tags:
  • Computers
  • Crash
  • Video Games
  • Glitch
  • Black Screen
  • Blue Screen
  • Bug
Last response: in Video Games
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June 1, 2014 3:29:52 PM

Hello everyone. I don't know if the thread belongs in this category but I'll take my chances(my first thread here, so once again, sorry if it doesn't belong to the category).

- So the issue:
I've desperately tried everything and nothing seems to work. My computer just pops up a black screen, the sound goes on for a while longer, then it blocks on a certain loop. This happens when I'm playing newer games like Skyrim/LeagueOfLegends/Dota2 and the likes of them(doesn't happen with older games like Stronghold Crusader).

- My PC hardware:
*CPU: Intel(R) Core(TM) i3 CPU 530 @2.93Hz 2.93GHz
*RAM: 2.00GB
*OS: 32bit Windows 7 Ultimate
*Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GT 220
*Motherboard: [ASUS P7H55] Intel H55 Express (5.2W)
(That's all the relevant info, I think.
PS. I'm copying this info from a hardware scanning program called 3DP Chip)

- What I've tried and doesn't work:
*I have the latest graphics drivers;
*Tried rolling back to an older driver in case my machine doesn't support the latest one(found that suggestion on another forum);
*Ran a registry cleaner; Ran a PC defragment;
*I have no viruses(scanned my engine with multiple anti-viruses);
*Tried reinstalling windows;

-Additional info I dug up with a free program called WhoCrashed:
"On Sun 6/1/2014 10:06:51 PM GMT your computer crashed
crash dump file: C:\Windows\Minidump\060214-10826-01.dmp
This was probably caused by the following module: dxgkrnl.sys (dxgkrnl+0x8D0FF)
Bugcheck code: 0x116 (0xFFFFFFFF84EEC510, 0xFFFFFFFF8F428CA4, 0xFFFFFFFFC000000D, 0x3)
Error: VIDEO_TDR_ERROR
file path: C:\Windows\system32\drivers\dxgkrnl.sys
product: Microsoft® Windows® Operating System
company: Microsoft Corporation
description: DirectX Graphics Kernel
Bug check description: This indicates that an attempt to reset the display driver and recover from a timeout failed.
The crash took place in a standard Microsoft module. Your system configuration may be incorrect. Possibly this problem is caused by another driver on your system that cannot be identified at this time. "

I guess that's about it. I'm literally begging you guys not to spam and I need only opinions from experts or people who have encountered this same issue and have solved it. Thanks in advance. :)  cheers.

PS. This has happened many, many times, so I really am desperate for a solution :/ .

More about : computer crashing randomly playing video games black screen sound blocks loop

June 1, 2014 3:39:44 PM

This is usually a symptom of the cpu overheating.

Can you see the cpu temperatures? Use something like Real Temp or HWInfo - Sensors to do that.

Quite often it is because -

Your cpu fan speed is too low - raise the fan speed
Your cpu cooler is dusty - clean it out.
Your cpu cooler is loose in its mounting - remove it, clean it and the cpu with isopropyl alcohol, then put it back using a pea size drop of Arctic Silver thermal paste.
Sometimes it is because the Vcore voltage is too high per HWInfo. This might be because you have tried to overclcok the cpu. Drop the voltage using bios. Sometimes it's because of a faulty power supply or motherboard.

To check for a faulty power supply - Check the 12V, 5V and 3.3V readings in HWInfo. If more than 0.2V from the target, then replace the power supply.

The dump file is pointing at a faulty graphics card. Try another one.
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June 1, 2014 5:09:22 PM

i7Baby said:
This is usually a symptom of the cpu overheating.

Can you see the cpu temperatures? Use something like Real Temp or HWInfo - Sensors to do that.

Quite often it is because -

Your cpu fan speed is too low - raise the fan speed
Your cpu cooler is dusty - clean it out.
Your cpu cooler is loose in its mounting - remove it, clean it and the cpu with isopropyl alcohol, then put it back using a pea size drop of Arctic Silver thermal paste.
Sometimes it is because the Vcore voltage is too high per HWInfo. This might be because you have tried to overclcok the cpu. Drop the voltage using bios. Sometimes it's because of a faulty power supply or motherboard.

To check for a faulty power supply - Check the 12V, 5V and 3.3V readings in HWInfo. If more than 0.2V from the target, then replace the power supply.

The dump file is pointing at a faulty graphics card. Try another one.


The "insides" of the pc are pretty dusty all around when I opened the lid, I'll get to cleaning it as soon as possible. As to the temperatures, HWinfo reads out the following(I have no idea what a normal temperature is, or why are there multiple temperature readings, so I'll just list out everything I'm reading out, and everything I think is relevant):
CPU: Core#0 - 47.4 *C Average; 41.0 *C Minimum; 64.0 *C Maximum;
Core #1 - 50.2 *C Average; 44.0 *C Minimum; 66.0 *C Maximum;
Core Max - --------||---------- (pretty much the same as core#1)
Motherboard: 25.9 *C avg; 28 *C Maximum; 24 *C Minimum;
Auxiliary: 84.2 *C avg; 88.0 *C Maximum; 71.0 *C Minimum;
GPU: 53.7 *C avg; 69 *C Maximum; 44 *C Minimum;

About the voltages:
GPU Voltage: 0.916 V avg; 1.000 V Maximum, 0.900 V Minimum;
Power Supply Voltage: +12V - 12.011 V avg; 12.040 V Maximum; 11.872 V Minimum;
+3.3V - 3.423 V avg; 3.440 V Maximum; 3.408 V Minimum
+5V - 5.162 V avg; 5.184 V Maximum; 5.160 V Minimum

Waiting on further advice and further analysis of what might be wrong and causing the issue, I'll also update the performance when I clean out the dust, but for now, give me additional info based on the voltage/temperatures and inform me if something is at fault with those. Thanks in advance, once again.
PS. What do you mean by 'try another one'? You're saying that I should change the graphics card, or?
PPS. Forgot to put the fanspeed in there(as to what I think is the fanspeed, since it's the only measure in HWinfo with RPM): 1455 RPM avg; 1721 RPM Maximum; 1318 RPM Minimum
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June 1, 2014 5:21:54 PM

OK - I gather its aboy 20C ambient?
CPU temp is too high. Even GPU temp seems high. Clean it out and try and post new temps. Can you also post Vcore readings? And cpu fan rpm

Power supply voltages are OK

Yes - try another graphics card. Can you post gpu fan speed and clock and memory speeds before hand ? Voltage is OK.
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June 11, 2014 12:14:15 AM

As previously said your rig is always over heating and must be cleaned...if problem persist you have to upgrade the Graphics..
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Best solution

June 11, 2014 5:44:27 AM

Alright, I had this exact problem so I'll tell you what I did.

1. First, I went into my bios, and the Asus BIOS has an option for different Performance modes. I saw that mine was in "Turbo Mode", which overclocks the components. Putting this back into "Normal" mode was the first thing I did. (And it worked)
2. Second, I went back into my BIOS and changed the max temps of my cpu and gpu. It turns out I was crashing a lot because my cpu was getting to a temperature that my BIOS had the "Auto-shutoff" set at. I put my gpu max temp around 80C, and my cpu around 65C. (Can't remember exactly what)
3. Lastly, I went into my fan profiles. I had "Asus Fan Xpert" to control my cpu fan speeds. I adjusted the fans to keep the temperature around 45-50 degrees at max load, so it would never reach the Max temp. For my gpu, I downloaded EVGA Precision X and adjusted the fan control to keep my gpu under 70 degrees at all times.

So basically you just need to keep your component temperatures away from the max temperatures set in your BIOS, since most will shut off to prevent component damage. Changing your fan profiles using a program like the ones above can be a huge help. About the "Turbo mode" in the BIOS, it overclocks or increases voltages of the components, and since I didn't know what exactly it was doing and how, I wasn't sure whether or not it was doing more harm than good.
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