PC suddenly Froze, Need help!

Valion

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To be precise i need help in how to know what caused it, i was watching a video in YouTube when my PC suddenly froze and i had to hold down the power button for 5 seconds to force a shutdown. But when i turned it on again my display wasn't working, i had to try 3 times and tightening the VGA adapter to get it to work again. This is actually the 2nd time it happened, the last was a month ago i think.

Tried viewing the Event viewer logs but nothing seems to explain it.

I want to know if it's a software issue or worse a hardware issue. And a possible solution is very much welcome.

Any help would be appreciated!
 

unoriginal1

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Sounds like a hardware issue. Especially since it started working again after tightening the vga cord/adapter. I would do a quick check from mobo to monitor that all cables, gpu card etc are secure and tightened. First step :)
 

Valion

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Yup just confirmed its my GPU >.<

It Froze again when i just starting a game of WoT(world of tanks) and won't boot with display this time no matter what i do, i'm currently using my 2nd PC.

Can a mod please move this to the graphics section? thanks!

Now the big question... is my GPU Dead? a EVGA GTX 570. Only had it for almost 3 months damn.. i tried hooking-up my monitor directly to my Mobo and it worked, logged into Windows successfully and Precision X could no longer detect my GPU, an Intel Integrated Graphics Icon showed-up in bottom right.

are these a sure sign my GPU being dead? it's fan is still spinning though.

 

Valion

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Problem is there is no one in my neighborhood i know who has a casing that can fit my GPU aha.

Sure, my full specs are:

Intel Core i5-3550
ASUS P8Z77-V
Corsair XMS3 4GB DDR3
EVGA GTX 570
Seagate 500GB HDD
Cougar CMX 700w

i've also just contacted EVGA support with the same question
 

unoriginal1

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Delete all of the drivers for the vid card. Take it out *while turned off* re-install into a different pci slot. Re-install latest vid drivers. I was reading up on reviews of your psu as well. Seen mixed reviews on it taking out some cpu's, gpus, etc. A lot of people seemed to think there was screw loose?? Check out the reviews on newegg and see if your getting any of the same symptoms.
 

Valion

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Problem somewhat solved but not entirely i think,

I got my GPU to work again and i've left my PC idle in Skyrim for about 10min now for testing and so far no freezing. I got it to work by removing the VGA/HDMI adapter unscrewing their locks, putting them back into the GPU's HDMI port but with meholding them tight. I noticed when i let go the monitor turned blank for a second but did work again. Do you think the problem lies with the VGA/HDMI adapter? or the HDMI port itself?

I've asked this as well to one of EVGA's tech support guys as they were actually quite fast in replying to my support ticket. Hopefully it'l just turn out to be a faulty Adapter.

Also thanks for your posts, it helps keep the nerve down when i have someone to talk to xD
 

Valion

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I did some testing earlier w/c involved removing the adapter and man i had a seriously hard time getting it to work again!!! around 10+ attempts of trying to make it work >.<

it eventually worked but by a somewhat weird way, i plugged my monitor directly to my motherboard and it froze in loading windows! forced a restart and blank screen lol I was soo frustrated i said to myself try plugging it back directly to the GPU and what would you know it worked!! i was like SERIOUSLY??? I'm getting more and more frustrated with my PC's ongoing issues, do you guys think i need to reinstall my OS? do you think its just software related? because when it freezes upon reboot usually there wont be a display until i tweak with the DVI/VGA adapter.

Also i got these error logs in my event viewer, i think during the time i was trying to get my Display to work

IRQARB: ACPI BIOS does not contain an IRQ for the device in PCI slot 0, function 1. Please contact your system vendor for technical assistance.

What does this actually mean? please be good news :S
 

unoriginal1

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Sounds like the PCI bus/Bios isn't communicating the IRQ to the vid card. I would go back a couple of steps. It honestly sounds like the vid card isn't sitting well in the PCI Slot that or the drivers for either the MOBO or Vid card are not up to date and/or corrupted. NO NEED TO REINSTALL OS. Start by removing all the vid card drivers. Then shutdown the machine. Take your vid card out, Re-seat it in the other open PCI slot. Make sure it's firm and cannot wobble forward/back. After you reinstall it turn it back on and reinstall all the latest vid drivers for that card. Report back how it's working after that :D.

Any other Vid Card enthusiasts want to jump in and help this guy out?? I know there's a few of you that live and breath these hardware gaming issues ;).
 

Valion

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Thanks for that, atm my GPU is working properly since i tightened the adapter into place but i will give it a try when the new adapter EVGA generously sent me arrives :)

Another thing though more and more i'm also speculating my "freezing" issue is software related and points to Adobe! I just updated Adobe reader earlier w/c it prompted me to restart and i did, logged into windows normally then i decided to update my Avast then boom freeze >.< hahaha

i wish a mod had seen my post requesting to move this to the graphics section as i would also love more enthusiasts to help out
 

Valion

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Update: My PC just restarted all of a sudden earlier, and went blank while loading windows... had to plug my monitor directly again to my mobo for me to successfully get into windows and had a crash error:
C:\Windows\Minidump\081612-17394-61.dmp
C:\Users\My Computers Name\AppData\Local\Temp\WER-377990.sysdata.xml

Turned-off my PC and hooked my monitor back to my GPU at first attempt to boot there was no display and i noticed my GPU's fan not turning, 2nd attempt it worked and got into windows successfully, launched Skyrim for a test and noticed a drop in FPS getting as low as 31 from the normal 45, Did a restart and it went back to normal.

Is my OS corrupt? maybe a mod not moving this to the graphics section was fate lol as it seems now that it's OS related.

Please help guys