GPU crash in-game caused Code 43 (GPU turned off / no longer functioning)

Richneedshelp

Commendable
Sep 16, 2016
6
0
1,510
I was playing a game called "The Surge" and had to alt+tab to minimize the game for a second. When I tried to bring the game back up it went to a black screen, froze my pc all while making very strange noises. After about 4 seconds of these noises and a black frozen screen my PC reset itself. Upon booting up and running the game again it was at 1fps. Now ALL games I try to run - run at 1 fps or 2 fps tops... My hardware tracking software was showing my GPU at 0% power during games while running at 1-2fps. I checked device manager to see if my GPU was even recognized by my PC and it is but is disabled and accompanied by a (code 43).
When I check in BIOS to see if my gpu is still there it is labelled as "unknown device"

I tried reinstalling my drivers (about 10 or 15 times via express install, custom install, and then deleted GeForce experience to try a Manuel install. Several times.) and it didnt fix anything. It seems to not install properly no matter what. Also Nvidia control panel is gone and fails to install too. While resetting my pc numerous times (about 30 times maybe more) I had also ran into some more problems. MORE THAN Half the resets were followed by freezes at the loop screen which required a hard shutdown (pushing and holding the power button). No exaggerations. The resets that made it through to my login screen usually were accompanied by "automatically repairing PC" and automatic diagnose which found nothing and solved nothing.

While using integrated graphics instead of my GPU none of these problems exist. No freezing, no long load times, no 1fps in games.

I'm extremely alarmed by all this. I had this GPU for less than 2 months as it was replaced by MSI.

Im on a laptop MSI GT80 with 2 GTX 970m GPU running in SLI. However the game only used 1 GPU not both as it had no SLI support.
My repair warranty expired 5 days ago too.   :(

In device manager both my GTX 970m GPU have (code 43) on them. But the game I was playing was only using ONE single GPU because the game did not have SLI support. This leads me to believe that my GPUs may not be damaged because why would my second one be affected by something like this when it wasnt even on during the incident involving the crash restart? Any help or tips will be greatly appreciated, I've been googling and trying fixes for quite a few hours.
 
Solution
Well I suspect this is more of an sli issue than anything else. SLI support has been going down steadily over the years, and it wouldn't surprise me if nvidia's drivers aren't just balking at the arrangement for some reason. If you tried taking out one of the GPUs, I'd be curious to see if you had the same issues. Also, I'd talk to nvidia as well as whoever manufactured your laptop. If nvidia's drivers aren't installing properly, that's on them, they should be able to help you. Similarly, if there needs to be some sort of separate driver for your laptop because it's running sli, then your manufacturer should be aware of it, rather than let you flounder like this.

Sedivy

Estimable
When reinstalling drivers, use a utility like DDU to make sure all the previous drivers are completely removed, before you attempt reinstall. As this is a laptop, that severely limits your options of futzing around with the gpus. Error 43 is a pretty non-specific hardware issue, or issue with drivers for said hardware which you kinda already knew.
Though your warranty is expired and you can't just RMA, it doesn't prevent you from contacting your manufacturer and asking them what could be the issue. If it's hardware you'd be sol, but...you have sli. It seems unlikely both gpu would be down at the same time so I'm leaning towards driver issue.
 

Richneedshelp

Commendable
Sep 16, 2016
6
0
1,510
I have tried the DDU program like suggested. After uninstalling I tried to use geforce experience like before express and custom several times each. Sometimes the screen would go black and would never respond to anything requiring a hard reset followed by more hard resets due to freezes at boot during the looping. The installs that seemed successful and didn't freeze or pop up with a black screen didnt work as before. I also tried a Manuel driver install and that didnt work either unfortunately.

I forgot to explain what I meant by my drivers not being able to install. After installing my drivers they seem to not finish. In Geforce experience after finishing driver installs it doesnt give me the usual "your drivers are up to date" but rather remain as usual for new downloads, showing both buttons for express installation and custom installation. This happens wether I do a Manuel download and installation or wether I use geforce experience (express And custom)

Do you think taking apart my laptop and reseating the GPUs would possibly work? I have taken it apart before and am experienced in disassembling and assembling laptops including the one having this issue specifically.
 

Sedivy

Estimable
Well I suspect this is more of an sli issue than anything else. SLI support has been going down steadily over the years, and it wouldn't surprise me if nvidia's drivers aren't just balking at the arrangement for some reason. If you tried taking out one of the GPUs, I'd be curious to see if you had the same issues. Also, I'd talk to nvidia as well as whoever manufactured your laptop. If nvidia's drivers aren't installing properly, that's on them, they should be able to help you. Similarly, if there needs to be some sort of separate driver for your laptop because it's running sli, then your manufacturer should be aware of it, rather than let you flounder like this.
 
Solution

modi2017

Prominent
Aug 5, 2017
6
0
520
1- use a an air blower to blow away the dust inside your PC pieces .. clean it thoroughly from dust before prior use.
2- lower screen resolution to the lowest possible durable one .. like 800 x 600 or more a little bit .. don't exhaust your GPU with today high screen DPI configuration (i mean HDTV which consume a lot of GPU power and also electricity from outlet)