Artifacting, freezing and crashing in demanding games

LennyPenny · Mar 19, 2017

Problem 1: I'm about 20 hours into Rise of the Tomb Raider and all of a sudden I can't get into the main menu. As soon as I reach the main menu after starting the game, it freezes and crashes with "error_device_reset" and a display driver error.

Problem 2: in Mafia 3, the intro cutscene plays, followed by an 'in-game' cutscene (looks less nice than the first one). As soon as this second cuscene starts, artifacts flicker all over the screen, shortly followed by a freeze, while the audio keeps playing. After a short while, the screen goes black/grey with the Mafia 3 logo in the top left corner. At this point I can't alt+tab to the desktop, the only thing I can do is ctrl+alt+del and reboot. There is no error message at all.

Other games work fine: Oblivion, Hitman Blood Money, The Binding of Isaac, American Truck Sims.

Things I've tried:
-updating GPU and display drivers
-lowering the GPU clockspeed
-high performance power profile in the control panel
-clean Win10 install
-uninstalling Steam and all Steam games

I'm at a loss. I'm guessing it's either the PSU or GPU but I don't know how I can be sure. I'm having no problems at all except in demanding games.

Specs:
-i7 7700
-MSI rx480 gaming x 4g
-MSI b250m bazooka
-Seasonic m12ii evo 520w
-Corsair vengeance lpx 2x4gb 2400mhz
-Arctic freezer 13 CO
-Samsung 850 evo 250gb
-WD blue 1tb

Wulffz · Mar 19, 2017

Try reinstalling the AMD drivers of your GPU. instead of just searching for an update.

LennyPenny · Mar 19, 2017

Wulffz :

Uninstalled and reinstalled the AMD software, same artifacts --> freeze in Mafia 3.

SkyNetRising · Mar 19, 2017

LennyPenny :

How much did you lower the clock speed?

Your card is significantly overclocked.

Boost Clock / Memory Frequency
1316 MHz / 7100 MHz (OC Mode)
1303 MHz / 7000 MHz (Gaming Mode)
1266 MHz / 7000 MHz (Silent Mode)

https://www.msi.com/Graphics-card/Radeon-RX-480-GAMING-X-4G.html#hero-overview

Try lovering overclock to stock RX480 settings:

Clock Speeds (Boost / Base) 1266 MHz / 1120 MHz

http://www.amd.com/en-us/products/graphics/radeon-rx-series/radeon-rx-480

LennyPenny · Mar 19, 2017

SkyNetRising :

How is it significantly overclocked? I think you may be confusing the RAM speed with GPU.
It was at 1304-ish before I lowered it to 1266.

SkyNetRising · Mar 19, 2017

LennyPenny :

Try lowering below that.
Check GPU temperatures.

LennyPenny · Mar 20, 2017

SkyNetRising :

Lowered to 1205, no change. GPU max temperature is 64°C. Not sure if this is relevant but the voltage seems like a weird number: 1335178,000 V. I disabled Freesync to see if that made any difference but it didn't.

This time I disabled fullscreen because that does allow me to alt+tab out and check the temps (single monitor). Now I got a notification saying that the AMD setting were reset to default because something went wrong.

It's just weird that the really nice looking cutscene with father James works perfectly and the worse looking one after that cause problems.

LennyPenny · Mar 21, 2017

Update: lowered clock to 1150 and did a clean uninstall of all AMD components, no change.

EDIT: I would just RMA the gpu but I'm not even sure it's a hardware related problem and I don't know what else to try.

ahoj__ · Mar 21, 2017

hehe, I have been nearby an decade an ATI user till the nvidia 900 series - never ever will i go back. all these driver problems were just a pain in the ass
AMD could make so much more out of their cheap hardware

LennyPenny · Mar 22, 2017

ahoj__ :

So it is a GPU issue? I'm still not sure if it's a problem with GPU, PSU, drivers or whatever. I read that sometimes graphical glitches in games are cause by a bad PSU. I would post a screenshot of the glitches but I always just get a black image instead of the image of the game.

SkyNetRising · Mar 22, 2017

Bad PSU will not cause artifacts, overclocked/overheated GPU will.
You can make screenshot of artifacts with external device like camera or smartphone.

LennyPenny · Mar 22, 2017

SkyNetRising :

My GPU is neither, running at stock clocks and not going above 70°C. I'll try to get a clear pic to show what it looks like, feeling pretty dumb to not have thought to just take a picture instead of prtsc...

LennyPenny · Mar 22, 2017

Pics as requested...

As you can see in these two images, there's no problem during this part.

http://imgur.com/JENtVlf
http://imgur.com/SMofZbD

As soon as this cutscene starts, there are flickering squares which I indicated with dots. May not look like much but they appear all over the screen.

http://imgur.com/YlwUVZu

Then the image freezes (audio keeps going) and eventually turns into this black screen (minus the reflection) with the logo in the top left corner.

http://imgur.com/RE1tKeW

SkyNetRising · Mar 22, 2017

Those do not look like GPU artifacts. More likely - problem with gpu drivers or game itself.
Artifacts would look like this:
https://www.google.lv/search?q=gpu+...zurSAhXha5oKHbRpD8wQ_AUIBigB&biw=1600&bih=763

LennyPenny · Mar 22, 2017

SkyNetRising :

What do you suggest I try? I'm having issues with most of my games, including Bioshock, American Truck Sim, Rise o/t Tomb Raider and Mafia 3.

I did a system repair tonight, removing personal files and cleaning up both drives. Exact same problem persists.

ahoj__ · Mar 22, 2017

LennyPenny :

try moneyback on your AMD and get a nvidia instead
you fight with driver issue like I did for a decade back then
AMD's cheap hardware tend to fail way earlier than nvidia's too (reference- and partner-cards)

edit:
1060 6gb for 1080p@144hz
1070 8gb for 1440p@120hz

Iceman21 · Mar 22, 2017

I think its hardware problem. Your gpu or your psu is failing. You can try your gpu in another pc if possible.

LennyPenny · Mar 23, 2017

ahoj__ :

LennyPenny :

try moneyback on your AMD and get a nvidia instead
you fight with driver issue like I did for a decade back then
AMD's cheap hardware tend to fail way earlier than nvidia's too (reference- and partner-cards)

edit:
1060 6gb for 1080p@144hz
1070 8gb for 1440p@120hz

That 1060 is tempting... Still, if it's a driver issue, is it a conflict with other software? I doubt everyone who's using the same drivers as me is having problems. Or is it bad communication between the driver and my specific GPU?

ahoj__ · Mar 23, 2017

LennyPenny :

both, bad optimized compatibility and GPU architecture (especially other OS like Linux based ones).
I wouldnt hesitate to jump on a 1060 6gb (Ive had the FE aswell in my hands) for a few dollars more.

edit:I am not saying AMD is the worst ever (though I can recommend the rx470 4gb to some point), but AMD could make so much more out of their hardware - if you dont mind to spend some time and/or have fun sorting out driver related issues, I wouldnt go far an AMD

LennyPenny · Mar 23, 2017

ahoj__ :

Honestly I don't mind having to fix stuff like this myself if I know it can be fixed. One thing I can still try is run CCleaner and Malwarebytes to see if that can remove any files which are causing problems, but I'm not very hopeful.

I contacted the store where I ordered all my parts: I have the option to send the card back for them to test so they can see if it's indeed defective and is still covered by the warranty. Of course that would mean I'd probably be without GPU for at least a week. It seems easier to just order a 1060 (which is around €100 more than my current rx480 btw but I think it would be worth it).

Better late than never: is it possible for a power surge to make a GPU behave like this? I just remembered there was a sudden power outage a few weeks ago but my PC still worked fine afterwards, except for the graphics issues in some games which started cropping up a few days later.

ahoj__ · Mar 23, 2017

LennyPenny :

ahoj__ :

Honestly I don't mind having to fix stuff like this myself if I know it can be fixed. One thing I can still try is run CCleaner and Malwarebytes to see if that can remove any files which are causing problems, but I'm not very hopeful.

I contacted the store where I ordered all my parts: I have the option to send the card back for them to test so they can see if it's indeed defective and is still covered by the warranty. Of course that would mean I'd probably be without GPU for at least a week. It seems easier to just order a 1060 (which is around €100 more than my current rx480 btw but I think it would be worth it).

Better late than never: is it possible for a power surge to make a GPU behave like this? I just remembered there was a sudden power outage a few weeks ago but my PC still worked fine afterwards, except for the graphics issues in some games which started cropping up a few days later.

If you have a chance to get any PSU ( with 500watt and atleast 80+ certification) to sort this hardware issue out, Id try that at first
http://www.ocbase.com/ gives an indepth on voltages after the stress test aswell, its a nicely tool

in Europe we have a 30day return policy - if you can manage to sort other hardware issues out, dont hesitate to send it back. the zotac mini is at 250Euro

LennyPenny · Mar 23, 2017

ahoj__ :

It's my first pc so I don't have spare parts to find the faulty one. It's also past 30 days ago since I ordered. As I said, my store is able to test parts but I might have to wait a while to get it back.

Btw CCleaner and Malwarebytes didn't solve anything either.

ahoj__ · Mar 23, 2017

LennyPenny :

give atleast OCCT a try at first
you have a solid PSU and I still think it is a driver issue
Do you actually have to pay for that service? if no, let them test atleast GPU and PSU, though I dont know how they will test them and I may question that also

adiec · Mar 23, 2017

do some research into undervolting your gpu. what are the temperatures of your gpu when gaming ? are your gpu fans spinning ?

also past 30days does not matter. you can still send it to MSI if the product turns out to be faulty .

the msi gaming app could be at fault - you could remove that if you have it installed. MSI seems to be having a bit of a bad time with faulty components - especially this gpu! non spinning fans , artifacting and other issues. i have a b250m mortar motherboard that freezes when i enter bios on a 720p tv but works fine on a 1080p tv .

LennyPenny · Mar 23, 2017

ahoj__ :

I believe you have to pay for shipping. I'll try OCCT.

On the plus side, Mafia 3 sort of works with everything turned down to low. Still very glitchy with stuff flickering all over the screen but I got to control Lincoln for the first time.

adiec :

It never went above 60°C during the last few attempts. I don't have the MSI gaming app installed, just the AMD settings app.

Artifacting, freezing and crashing in demanding games

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