Help - PC freezes when playing graphics intensive games

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grok

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My PC has been freezing lately as stated above. I suspect its the graphics that gets too hot, seen it running at 60 after restarting from a crash.

I have a Inno3D 1gig Radeon HD 4850 with stock coolers etc. No overclocking. Case is Coolermaster Elite 334 (dunno if its relevant but I recently added a second 1TB hdd). CPU temp average around 40.

What's the best solution to keep my GPU running cool?
 
Had a similar issue with my 4890. Few things to check. First off disable Catalyst AI in the CCC. This caused big issues for me, esp in Unreal 3 engine based games. If this doesn't work uninstall all ati drivers and then clean with driver sweeper http://www.guru3d.com/category/driversweeper/ in safe mode, then install the latest drivers once it has been cleaned. Have had residual ATI drivers causing issues several times. If neither of these works, you can pump the fan speed to 100% in the ATI overdrive section of CCC and check on temps to make sure its not overheating. I just removed the side panel of my case for those hot hot days. Also, what PSU do you use, as these card need a decent PSU to provide enough juice.
 
what does the screen look like just as it crashes, perfectly spaced vertical lines ? if so yes, well bad luck you are suffering from the ati "powerplay" bug and you should return your card for swap out if Jah's recommendations doesn't work.

evilstebunny said:
My PC has been freezing lately as stated above. I suspect its the graphics that gets too hot, seen it running at 60 after restarting from a crash.

I have a Inno3D 1gig Radeon HD 4850 with stock coolers etc. No overclocking. Case is Coolermaster Elite 334 (dunno if its relevant but I recently added a second 1TB hdd). CPU temp average around 40.

What's the best solution to keep my GPU running cool?
Click to expand...
 
If your card were overheating your card would simply shut down and cause a restart of the machine, not a freeze. When it freezes try alt-tabbing, sometimes that works for me (o_O inorite?).

Just to be sure your card isn't overheating I'd get rivatuner and use it's hardware monitoring and save a log of your GPU temp while you play your games, then see how hot it's getting. If it's going above 90 degrees I'd call that an overheat, but anything below will be fine. GPUs are designed to take the heat.
 
biltong said:
If your card were overheating your card would simply shut down and cause a restart of the machine, not a freeze. When it freezes try alt-tabbing, sometimes that works for me (o_O inorite?).

Just to be sure your card isn't overheating I'd get rivatuner and use it's hardware monitoring and save a log of your GPU temp while you play your games, then see how hot it's getting. If it's going above 90 degrees I'd call that an overheat, but anything below will be fine. GPUs are designed to take the heat.
Click to expand...

Not always the case,with my 2nd gaming rig if the overclock goes a bit high for its liking the Display driver crashes and restarts,stalling the render until the driver is back up. Could very well be overheating or a bad component
 
The fact that the problems started after adding a second HDD leads me to think it might be power related. If the GPU (or any modern component really) is stressed, as is the case when gaming, and there isn't enough power available, it generally just stalls. I have that problem with my 8800GT if I OC it too high and try to game, it'll be fine for a while but when the temps get a bit higher than normal, causing resistances of the traces and internal wires to go up, the whole PC just freezes up. I'm guessing it's not purely temperature related though, because GPUs can generally handle up to 100 degrees C without frying, and some can even go higher.

Try unplugging that second HDD and all other non-essential components and see if the freezing stops. If so, then it's almost surely a power related issue, but even if it doesn't stop the freezing it won't rule out power issues.
 
I would just do the following
1) Update drivers
2) Check that all power connections are secure
3) Use GPUz to log your temperatures (set it to update in background and log to file) if card is overheating go to 4)
4) Remove dust/clean out your fans and go back to 3) if it fails move onto 5)
5) Weigh up the options of an aftermarket cooler then decide no and move onto 6)
6) sell your card and get a 5850 :p
 
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Thx for all the advice, I'm at work right now but will try & answer all the questions.

I *did* also upgrade the drivers to the latest ATI drivers recently - been thinking it might have been the start of all the issues.
I don't suspect my PSU, can't remember the model num now but I remember I bought a decent PSU.
The screen usually shows some sorta pattern when it freezes, alt-tab etc doesn't help only a had reset works.
I've had this card for more than a year, no problems until about 2 weeks ago. That's why I thought it could have started after I updated the drivers.
I have cleaned out the PC from dust & made sure all fans etc are clean.
Will log temps and see what the trend is. I incidentally ran the Catalyst clock speed check last night & saw temps went up to 84!

I'll report back after I've had time to check all the suggestions tonite. Thx again.
 
I am having a similar problem.

When I play 3rd person games ( like Resident Evil 5 and Wanted ), when I set the display higher than 800x600, while playing my display pukes out texture corruption.

I can still hear the sounds, but there are textures ( like those old texture bitmap block images they use to skin the terrain and stuff ) all over my screen.

I then gotta restart my pc because its basically useless when this happens ( cant even watch a movie ).

I checked the logs and found nothing. My card is a Leadtek Nvidia 9800GT
 
Ok, I've followed most of your suggestions.

GPU is definitely overheating GPU-Z log shows max temp of 96. Funny the fan speed never goes above 53 - have set CCC manual fan control to 100% will see if it makes a difference.
Not in the mood for fiddling in the case tonite, so will let the power and driver issues stand over for tomorrow.

Appreciate your help in the mean time.

edit: Decided to test with fan speed 100% - played Singularity for over an hour, temps went up to 87 but no freezes this time. Yay!
Just sillly that the effen drivers don't up the speed over 53% automatically.
 
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Osiris85 said:
I am having a similar problem.

When I play 3rd person games ( like Resident Evil 5 and Wanted ), when I set the display higher than 800x600, while playing my display pukes out texture corruption.

I can still hear the sounds, but there are textures ( like those old texture bitmap block images they use to skin the terrain and stuff ) all over my screen.

I then gotta restart my pc because its basically useless when this happens ( cant even watch a movie ).

I checked the logs and found nothing. My card is a Leadtek Nvidia 9800GT
Click to expand...

Osiris i have the same problem on my 9600GT with Resident Evil 5 and after spending ages Googling the issues i heard it could be corruption of the GPU's Memory.

I wonder if it wasnt because my constant overuse of the rocket launchers explosions during the cave levels huge monster thingy that caused my Gpu's temps to rise?

Now im too scared to play RE5.:(
 
evilstebunny said:
Ok, I've followed most of your suggestions.

GPU is definitely overheating GPU-Z log shows max temp of 96. Funny the fan speed never goes above 53 - have set CCC manual fan control to 100% will see if it makes a difference.
Not in the mood for fiddling in the case tonite, so will let the power and driver issues stand over for tomorrow.

Appreciate your help in the mean time.

edit: Decided to test with fan speed 100% - played Singularity for over an hour, temps went up to 87 but no freezes this time. Yay!
Just sillly that the effen drivers don't up the speed over 53% automatically.
Click to expand...
Glad we know what the problem is :)
87 degrees is still a little too hot IMO, the max I'd let a GPU run at over time is 85 degrees, more than that and you'll probably shorten it's lifespan. See if you have an old fan lying around and ghetto rig it to blow more air onto the GPU. Other than that, only an aftermarket cooler will work for you.

Osiris85 said:
I am having a similar problem.

When I play 3rd person games ( like Resident Evil 5 and Wanted ), when I set the display higher than 800x600, while playing my display pukes out texture corruption.

I can still hear the sounds, but there are textures ( like those old texture bitmap block images they use to skin the terrain and stuff ) all over my screen.

I then gotta restart my pc because its basically useless when this happens ( cant even watch a movie ).

I checked the logs and found nothing. My card is a Leadtek Nvidia 9800GT
Click to expand...
That definitely sounds like a memory issue to me. How old is the card? If it's still under warranty I'd take it back to where you bought it from and get a new one.
 
Other than that, only an aftermarket cooler will work for you.
Click to expand...

Will do. Anyone, is there a recommend one for the HD 4850? Is it a big job to fit?
 
Zalman vf1000.. put it on my 4850 when had it as my fan died... Awesome and easy to install :)
But look for reviews as there might have been something better released since I bought mine..
 
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