Question:
My PC always seems to crash whilst playing games?
2018-08-16 17:08:41 UTC
Hello, I recently bought some new parts for my system. Included were:

a used I7-4770K, a used 16GB RAM and a new 1060 6GB.

The system will crash every game after a random amount of time playing either by crashing the application, deadlocking my PC or simply giving me a BSOD.

I've cleaned my system up and there is sufficient storage and hardware specs to run my games.

I am suspicious that it is the RAM causing it but I have no way of finding out. tips?
Thirteen answers:
?
2018-08-18 16:30:15 UTC
Most BSOD problems I have encountered are related to driver errors or a problem with the Operating System. Sometimes they are related to Hardware, but this typically happens when I Install new parts like you have. However, when new hardware is installed, basic Windows drivers take over until the correct drivers are installed..... unless old drivers are causing an issue.



RAM is always the 'go to' issue because not all sticks are the same. The troubleshooting steps you can take with your RAM is

1. Testing 1 stick at a time. Swap sticks if the test fails.

2. Test your old RAM, or test only with your old RAM in case you have a 4x4gb memory configuration.

3. If you have a z87 or z97 motherboard then you can adjust voltage and timing settings. I have a set of Corsair Vengeance RAM that only right in my z170 system if XMP is enabled, but it works fine at stock speeds in my z370 system.



Odd things such as your new CPU may not work with your Operating System. While I have not encountered this issue, I have seen it happen to other users when they upgraded their CPU. The users who had this happen had to do a clean install of Windows. I have also seen processors with faulty memory controllers which will limit you to running the memory in single channel. Problems with the processor are generally Rare unless the CPU was overclocked by a careless user. The Core i7-4770k does run hot so you will need a decent aftermarket cooler to keep up with it.



-You can troubleshoot CPU and RAM problems by running stress tests on the system while tracking temperatures. You can use memtest86, memtest86+, Prime95, Asus Realbench, and Aida 64 to stress the CPU and RAM. Prime95 might make the CPU run Hot because it primarily stresses the CPU. The "Blend" test option in P95 does a good job of detecting RAM errors. At this point I have reconfigured the RAM and the tests passed. The Core i7-4770k has the AVX2 and FMA3 instruction sets so you will want to use an older version of Prime95 unless you have a quality CPU cooler.



For the GPU you can use can use Furmark or OCCT.



-As a rule of thumb, before you install the new drivers for a Graphics card, you need to uninstall the old drivers. Uninstalling old drivers does NOT 100% remove ALL FILES for the old drivers. If you're in doubt then you can use a program called "Driver Sweeper" which will remove all traces of old drivers.



When there is a BSOD, there is a code at the bottom of the screen. One thing you can do is google that code which will give you a general idea of what the problem might be. This will at least give you a general direction on which troubleshooting steps to take. You can also look at your "System Event Logs" to see if you can get some leads from there.
Eric
2018-08-17 00:18:41 UTC
BSOD does not necessarily mean RAM.



Do a fresh driver install, first. Especially with a new(er) video card. Don t just install over the top - remove the old drivers entirely, download the latest from the card manufacturer (or nVidia, with that 1060) and install.



It could be heat. Did you *clean off* the heatsink with isopropyl alcohol (and the top of the new CPU, for that matter) and apply fresh thermal paste? Are all fans and heatsinks clean and dust free?



Are you overclocking - the CPU *or* the RAM? Set the bios to defaults.



And yes, with all that it still COULD be the RAM. Do you have it mixed in with the old stick(s) or on its own? Remove the new, stick in the old, see if it still works. Try the new stick on its own, if it s mixed in with your other modules. Make sure it s on the QVL for your mainboard.
PoohBearPenguin
2018-08-16 23:35:05 UTC
First of all, make sure the drivers for your motherboard and your graphics card are up to date.



If you're still getting a BSOD, look at the messages. They'll at least give you an idea of what specifically crashed. Was it the game itself? Was it a driver? etc.



You can get free programs that will exercise your computer's CPU and RAM. They're generally called burn-in programs (don't worry, it just means testing a newly built system - nothing gets "burnt" or damaged :-) Set one of these up and let it run overnight. If it's still running in the morning then everything should be OK, at least with the CPU and RAM.
geek-in-training
2018-08-16 22:35:57 UTC
https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/2008.09.utilityspotlight.aspx

Windows Memory Diagnostic
2018-08-16 22:08:28 UTC
Virus or not enough memory or video chip is dead
?
2018-08-16 19:46:05 UTC
In my 15 years of experience; BSOD is a telltale sign of a faulty RAM module.



Although overheated CPU and GPU may also cause this problem but you need to cook them up to 100°C for that to happen.



Hope it helps.
Spock (rhp)
2018-08-16 19:06:42 UTC
one stick of 16 Gb ram? a technician would borrow a pair of 8 Gb sticks and try them.



used cpus are questionable ... they may have been overclocked unttil they began to act up ... and then sold to someone else -- like you.
Amirhossein Rafie
2018-08-16 18:17:08 UTC
are the drivers up to date if they are then it might be a hardware problem get your pc checked
Russ in NOVA
2018-08-16 18:12:29 UTC
It could be a lot things.

* BIOS not setup correctly - When you installed this new stuff did you reset the BIOS on the motherboard and load optimal settings? I assume that you are not trying to overclock. Do you have the latest BIOS installed in the motherboard?

* Thermal problems - Did you install the heat sink correctly? What is the CPU temp at idle vs the CPU temp under the load of the game? Are you approaching Tjunction Max Temp? Download Core Temp : https://www.alcpu.com/CoreTemp/ to get that info.

* Ram problems - Download memtest86: https://www.memtest86.com/ This will allow you to create a USB or Disc for a standalone boot that will exhaustively test all of your memory.



Download HWiNFO for an extensive analysis of your HW, reading ALL of the sensors in your computer in real time, and/or getting a summary of various settings and current CPU processing frequency. https://www.hwinfo.com/



CPU-Z is another handy utility. And there are several good system stressors that you can download to test and/or get more controlled failures.
2018-08-16 17:22:50 UTC
It is the RAM. It sounds like you have a memory leak. It could be because the extra RAM you installed is defective, especially since this problem only started happening when you installed the new RAM cards, but it could also be a coincidence. Usually, RAM leaks are caused by a virus or malware. What is happening is RAM is some bit of software is using RAM to operate but then failing to clear that RAM when it's done with it so that as you use it more and more RAM is being used until you've got none left and the system crashes. The reason it takes a while is the leak is happening in some subroutine so that most of the RAM is clearing as soon as it no longer needs to remember that information anymore and only some portion of the program is failing to clear its memory.



What you might do is pressing F2 at start up and then selecting to run Windows in Safe Mode but with network connectivity. If it fails to happen there, then you know it's your OS (i.e., Windows) that is corrupt, so what you need to do is delete and reinstall your OS. If it still happens, it could still be Windows, but you you can't know for sure and will need to delete and reinstall both the program that you're running when it crashes and Windows both. If it still happens after that, then it's almost certainly the memory card that's defective.
Smokies Hiker
2018-08-17 19:17:27 UTC
Used electronic equipment is always questionable, especially RAM sticks. You talk about getting the BSOD. Unless you have viruses, there s probably an overheating problem with your equipment.
Adrian
2018-08-16 18:50:26 UTC
Is the power supply large enough to run the 1060 video card? If not at least a 450W PSU, you could be overloading the PSU, causing voltages to drop, causing the system to crash.

By a 450W PSU, I do not mean some cheap off-shore PSU, you should have a proper name brand PSU with the proper PCIe 6 pin video connectors for the video card (no adapters!)
Barry Manilow
2018-08-16 17:14:36 UTC
I m not too sure about RAM. What about power? Is your power supply any good? Better than a generic brand?


This content was originally posted on Y! Answers, a Q&A website that shut down in 2021.
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