PC restarts (mostly) while gaming - help required

Good Afternoon folks,

I'm hoping someone can point me in the right direction as to what my computer's problem is and how I can fix it.

As of a couple of weeks ago, my PC began crashing when I tried to play Horizon: Zero Dawn, a new game I'd bought. I'd had no hardware changes and no major software changes (just regular Windows updates and new Nvidia drivers).

I checked my Event Log and found I was getting many errors every time I used my computer, many of these stretching back into the period when my computer was working properly.

I have tried other games and had issues and have, more rarely, had this happen while browsing online. Basically the computer will freeze (audio often continues playing okay for a while) and then the computer will reboot itself.

Here are a selection of some of my minidmps:
https://files.catbox.moe/tesfx4.zip

I have tried a number of solutions for similar issues that I have seen online including:
Updating graphics card drivers
Reverting to older graphics card drivers
Updating motherboard BIOS
Upgrading to Windows 11
Limiting GPU power via MSI Afterburner
Removing a duplicate of Microsoft Game Input

I'm sure there are other things I've tried as well, but to no avail.

Sometimes I can play games or run the computer for hours without issue and more often I can't go 15 mins without a crash on a game like Alan Wake 2 or Horizon: Zero Dawn. EA FC 24 is more stable, but can still have the same rebooting issue.

If people could shed some light on this, I would appreciate it, thank you. If any further info is required or desired, please let me know.

GPU: RTX 2070 Super
CPU: Ryzen 3700X
Mobo: X570 Aorus Elite
RAM: 32GB, Corsair Vengeance 3200MHz DDR4
Boot drive: Samsung MZ-V7S500BW 970 EVO Plus
PSU: Corsair HX850 850W 80 Plus Platinum
OS: Windows 11 Pro

HelloFlonto,

Please see the below and then post the requested info in this thread.

Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) Posting Instructions - Windows 10, 8.1, 8, 7 & Vista

If the computer is a desktop can you post the brand and model name or number of the power supply (PSU).

Download then run Speccy (free) and post the resultant url for us, details here, this will provide us with information about your computer hardware + any software that you have installed that may explain the present issue/s. 

To publish a Speccy profile to the Web:

1. In Speccy, click File, and then click Publish Snapshot.
2. In the Publish Snapshot dialog box, click Yes to enable Speccy to proceed.
3. Speccy publishes the profile and displays a second Publish Snapshot. You can open the URL in your default browser, copy it to the clipboard, or close the dialog box.

Edit to add: Have you checked that the modular cables from the PSU are secure at both ends.

Edited by PhillPower2, 09 April 2024 - 01:16 PM.

Hi PhillPower2,

I'm just finishing work but will provide this info when home, thank you.

Good Evening,
 
http://speccy.piriform.com/results/cbWGXJdm3J75sgL3UxFCkYb

I believe this should contain the information you need, thanks.

Edited by Flonto, 09 April 2024 - 03:14 PM.

Hi, Welcome to BC.

Uninstall : Avast Antivirus with it's removal tool : https://www.avast.com/en-ca/uninstall-utility

Note M/B name is: X570 Aorus Elite (Rev 1.0) please us it from now on, thanks. 

So This is a New Install : A perfect clean install of Windows 11 is to install it.   install for 10/11 https://pureinfotech.com/clean-install-windows-11/
- Then Activate it From Settings-->System-->Activate
- Disconnect from the Internet.
- From saved Motherboard Drivers :  Install Chipset then SATA Drivers and lots of reboots for all.    Was this Done ???

You say you updated the BIOS well as can see you did not update the Bios.  Please Download Your Manual from below link and read the Bios Section.

You are running BIOS Version : F37   Date:   26/12/2022    Please Update to Ver : F39   Mar 26, 2024

It is important to get the AMD AGESA V2 1.2.0.B installed as well as the Security fixes.

It is as well important if you did not install your Chipset Drivers before moving up to Windows 11. 

Note a release became available : Jan 03, 2024

From your Motherboard Support Page : https://www.gigabyte.com/Motherboard/X570-AORUS-ELITE-rev-10/support#support-dl-driver-chipset

Turn off anything in BIOS that Speeds Up the Boot example ASUS Fast Boot for the same reasons as below :

Turn off MS Fast Start : https://www.windowscentral.com/software-apps/windows-11/how-to-enable-or-disable-fast-startup-on-windows-11

Your Chip handles Ram up to 3200MHz as per Chip Specs : https://www.amd.com/en/product/8446

Ram is being throttled back to far (I think) below the DDR4-2132MHz to be compatible to using XMP .  Please check in BIOS while in there.

Note : Your Samsung  LC27G7xT has some stuff under Firmware/Software : https://www.samsung.com/hk_en/support/model/LC27G75TQSCXXK/

As do not know the last stuff on the back of your LG M197WDP please check there then google it or add to this :

https://www.google.com/search?q=LG+M197WDP+firmware&client=firefox-b-d&sca_esv=f84ae1a24cb31e32&sca_upv=1&ei=p8MVZqz4Affh0PEP0-ON0AI&ved=0ahUKEwjs563FmbaFAxX3MDQIHdNxAyoQ4dUDCBA&uact=5&oq=LG+M197WDP+firmware&gs_lp=Egxnd3Mtd2l6LXNlcnAiE0xHIE0xOTdXRFAgZmlybXdhcmUyBhAAGBYYHjILEAAYgAQYigUYhgMyCxAAGIAEGIoFGIYDSIx7UJ0TWMF3cAF4AJABAJgBR6ABtAaqAQIxM7gBA8gBAPgBAZgCDqAC2gbCAgkQABgHGB4YsAPCAggQABiABBiwA8ICBxAAGB4YsAPCAgYQABgHGB7CAgUQABiABMICBBAAGB7CAggQABgFGAcYHpgDAIgGAZAGCpIHAjE0oAe-Og&sclient=gws-wiz-serp

Western Digital : Install the Dashboard and check for Firmware and scan the drive : https://support-en.wd.com/app/products/downloads/softwaredownloads

Samsung SSD 970 EVO Plus 500GB : Install Magician if have not done so, check for firmware and scan drive :

https://semiconductor.samsung.com/us/consumer-storage/support/tools/

The Elephant in the room, your Seagate ST4000DM000-1F2168  Serial Number: S301MTDY   Firmware Version Number: CC54

All info you need is above  : Download Firmware Checker : https://www.seagate.com/ca/en/support/kb/determining-internal-drive-details-004206en/

Download Seatools and scan the drive : https://www.seagate.com/ca/en/support/downloads/seatools/

Your Network do ASAP : ASUS PCE-AC88 802.11ac :

https://www.asus.com/ca-en/networking-iot-servers/adapters/all-series/pce-ac88/helpdesk_download?model2Name=PCE-AC88

DxDiagx86

=========

LiveKernelEvent

EADesktop.exe - What was going on here before it crashed ??

Dump 10375

==========

SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION (3b)

SYMBOL_NAME:  nvlddmkm+8c0d02

MAGE_NAME:  nvlddmkm.sys                       - This Error may or may not be TDR related and is missing software if so and TDR needs to checked in BIOS.

BUCKET_ID_FUNC_OFFSET:  8c0d02

FAILURE_BUCKET_ID:  AV_nvlddmkm!unknown_function

 

@ubuysa The BSOD Kernel Expert will need to look at your Stack and other Dump Files, late.

Uninstalling Avast is probably the cure.

If not installed your Motherboard Drivers do so. Update Bios as for Security.

The rest is gravy train info that should be down to know what is going on and to test if  to make sure no issues.

Hi Pkshadow,

Thanks very much for such a detailed response.

It's pretty late here, so I will go through as much of this tomorrow as I can. I tend to get home from work fairly late in the evening, but should hopefully be able to get through all of this then.

I appreciate your time and help.

Welcome, at your own time.   It is also Patch Tuesday so make sure your not doing something like updating the BIOS before you get the patches from Windows Update.

Oh,,,,,,,, ya never ever take GPU drivers from MS Update. Avoid others if you are running fine already for what they offer.

Edited by Pkshadow, 09 April 2024 - 08:19 PM.

All three uploaded dumps fail because of the Nvidia graphics driver nvlddmkm.sys. The bugchecks are different but nvlddmkm.sys is referenced in each dump. The context entry in one dump shows that the failure occurred in the nvlddmkm.sys driver itself...

CONTEXT:  ffffd589b044b3f0 -- (.cxr 0xffffd589b044b3f0)
rax=0000000000000000 rbx=ffffd589b044c8a0 rcx=ffff920d28bc5000
rdx=ffff920d1b38f000 rsi=ffff920d1b38f000 rdi=ffff920d18d88000
rip=fffff8079eb80d02 rsp=ffffd589b044be10 rbp=ffffd589b044be88
 r8=ffffd589b044be88  r9=ffff920d28bc5000 r10=0000000000000001
r11=0000000000009100 r12=0000000000000001 r13=0000000000000050
r14=ffff920d28bc5000 r15=ffffd589b044c8cc
iopl=0         nv up ei ng nz na pe nc
cs=0010  ss=0018  ds=002b  es=002b  fs=0053  gs=002b             efl=00050282
nvlddmkm+0x8c0d02:
fffff807`9eb80d02 8b30            mov     esi,dword ptr [rax] ds:002b:00000000`00000000=????????
Resetting default scope

Note the ???????? indicating an invalid memory reference.

The version of nvlddmklm.sys that you have is over a year old, dating from Feb 2023. In Nvidia driver version terms that's ancient...

2: kd> lmvm nvlddmkm
Browse full module list
start             end                 module name
fffff807`9e2c0000 fffff807`a1b22000   nvlddmkm T (no symbols)           
    Loaded symbol image file: nvlddmkm.sys
    Image path: nvlddmkm.sys
    Image name: nvlddmkm.sys
    Browse all global symbols  functions  data
    Timestamp:        Thu Feb  2 20:31:56 2023 (63DC019C)
    CheckSum:         0376CD7A
    ImageSize:        03862000
    Translations:     0000.04b0 0000.04e4 0409.04b0 0409.04e4
    Information from resource tables:

The first thing I'd suggest is that you update that driver to the latest version (552.12 - 4th April 2024). If it still BSODs after that then run the SysnativeBSODCollectionApp again and upload a new zip file.
 

Edited by ubuysa, 10 April 2024 - 01:26 AM.

No need for me to chime in regarding what as been advised above but may I just bring the below to the attention of our fellow helpers;

Samsung SSD 970 EVO Plus 500GB (SSD);

My mistake.  I did the drives and the info for them but forgot putting size left. ahh well good catch and thanks @PhillPower2

Note a.. Drives and Partitions must have 15% or more free at all times for Temp Files, swap files, install files. Update files and somewhat more.
 

Start uninstall from C: From now on use Custom Install and never allow anything to install to C: other programs that force there way on or Windows and Browsers.

I run a 500 Gig SSD on this Win11 and have a 250gig SSD on the other 1/2 is free space.    It can be done if do it from the start and the Mantra is Nothing on C: except me. !!!

Ok suggest using Geek or Revo Uninstall to start getting stuff off. Need  minimum 69.6 gig free to reach 15%

If wanting to save room on NVIDIA drivers and do not want Experance and to sign in and be tracked get your Driver from this reputable sight :

https://www.techspot.com/drivers/manufacturer/nvidia_geforce/    They tell you about the fixes and so is a good tech site to browse quickly.  But it is not impersonal.

So useful site combined when having to use DDU to remove the Video Drivers.

Good Evening folks,

Thanks for your continued attention and help.

I uninstalled Avast Antivirus last night just before I went to bed and have since had probably about 3 hours worth of crash free gameplay on a couple of games. I'm not sure why that would cause an issue after having had it for so long but hopefully that has done the trick.

I'm not certain this has solved the issue as I have, over the past few weeks, had a few days here and there where the computer seemed to be working as normal.

I'm going to keep an eye on it over the next few days. Obviously if it crashes I'll start working down the checklist of other potential issues but if it stays crash free for about a week I'll come back here and confirm the issue is solved, for other peoples' reference in future.

I've also sorted the space issue on those drives. They were fuller than normal as I had installed some extra games and other things while testing the computer. The old version of GPU drivers was a temporary thing as I tried to revert to an older set to see if they offered more stability but I have since re-downloaded the most up to date ones.

Good Evening,

Just a quick update to let you know that I've not had any crashes since uninstalling Avast. Thank you for your help.

Edited by Flonto, 21 April 2024 - 04:38 PM.

Welcome