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GPU Overclock Causing BSOD?

zola25

zola25

zola25

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I've recently added a small overclock to the GTX 980's in both my PCs and since have been having some random BSODs on the desktop. Both cards have stability tested fine and are working fine in every game I've tried them with, the crashing only occurs on the desktop with virtually no load.

I've clean installed Windows only 2 weeks ago and had no problems until I did the following:

Started using D3DOverrider (pretty confident this is not the culprit)
Installed MSI Afterburner
Added a small O/C to the GPU (+130 Core, +200 Mem, no additional voltage)

I've used Blue Screen View and the cause of each crash is different, for example NTFS.sys and the Razer synapse driver. Given this has only just started happening on both PCs and the only changes are the ones listed above, I suspect the GPU OC is the most likely cause. I just can't quite understand how it's fine under load, but presume it may result from the way clocks are ramped up and down as needed.

The most sensible next step is to remove the OC and see if the BSODs stop, but wondered if anyone had any further suggestions?
 
It sounds more like the software you installed is the issue rather than the OC, or it quite possibly highlighting a fault on the HDD.

What Antivirus software are you using? As I had terrible trouble with Bitdefender and overclocking software like AIsuite and Afterburner, could not have both on the system as every time it tried to scan it bsod.

I’d also try adding some additional voltage; I don’t think +130 and +200 is that small an overclock, and (I may be making this up, apologies if so) if you have +130 on the clock, even when its 'down clocked' it’s still +130 higher then stock, so maybe its struggling with that much OC when it reduces voltage for the same process.
 
Thanks PayneUK.

I don't believe it's an HDD issue as it's happening on two separate machines. I am using Windows Defender and Malware bytes, I can do full scans with both with no issue.

I've checked the stock clocks and they do stay at the low level without adding the +130, but I'm not so sure about the mid-level clocks that are triggered when browsing etc, so think you may be correct with regard to increasing voltage.
 
i have a sneakey feeling its razor synapse, when i had 970sli i could not change some settings with it running but cant remember which ones, i also got bsod with youtube
 
Core Temp and Windows 8.1 (64 bit) has a memory leak. Took me ages to figure it out till I realised the crashes started when I had updated it.

Sat there looking at Task Manager seeing Core Temp eat memory. Thing that foxed me was games would crash after about 2-3hrs play so I was looking at driver issues, heat etc etc not even considering it was Core Temp. I've stopped using it now as I have NZXT CAM.
 
Yes, using Windows 8.1 but no CoreTemp, I am using RealTemp.

I've removed Razer Synapse from one of the PCs and have since had the NTFS.sys blue screen. I'm now doing the usual disk and memory checks to make sure it was not a genuine problem. Pretty sure this is something to do with the O/C or Afterburner itself, but to be honest it's so random it's hard to tell.
 
yeh i switched to using realtemp too, i didnt get the memory leak it just crashed my whole system as soon as i opened coretemp, i think they fixed it now but screw them lol

@zola if its happening on 2 different machines id look at what software and hardware you are using the same on both and try rule them out

im guessing its different drive and memory so you can rule that out
 
Thanks Mei. The two machines are physically separate but have the same spec (as in sig), other than one SSD that's different. Mrs Zola is also an avid gamer, hence the two matching PCs. Having a gaming Mrs is great, but it does get expensive :D

As a number of people have said, this feels like a software problem. The hardware has not changed, and both PCs had not had a single blue screen since reinstall 2 weeks ago or before that even. Since the changes I listed in the OP we've had 4 BSOD's across the 2 machines.

My feeling is that Afterburner is the culprit and doesn't like something else I am using, just wish the crashes were consistent! I've been playing around with the voltages and adding volts in Afterburner only impacts the load voltage, not idle/low use volts so I think I've ruled that out.

I think the best way to narrow this down is to leave Afterburner running but return to stock clocks - if it still happens it's probably Afterburner rather than the GPU overclock.
 
nono a gaming mrs saves u money!! but maybe thats hard to see right now lol

erm yeh you dont normally see gfx card overclocks causing bsod afaik, you are more likely to see onscreen jaggies and lines than something that dramatic
i guess yeh close any software thats not 100% needed, update what software you have running, things like chipset drivers too, it has to be something thats the same on both machines right?
 
zola25 said:
Yes, using Windows 8.1 but no CoreTemp, I am using RealTemp.

I've removed Razer Synapse from one of the PCs and have since had the NTFS.sys blue screen. I'm now doing the usual disk and memory checks to make sure it was not a genuine problem. Pretty sure this is something to do with the O/C or Afterburner itself, but to be honest it's so random it's hard to tell.
Click to expand...

Out of interest have you run Prime95 at that OC?
 
Strudders said:
Out of interest have you run Prime95 at that OC?
Click to expand...

Yep used Prime and Realbench to stress test. I don't think the CPU o/c is the issue, both CPUs have been running at 4.5Ghz since we got them.

The recent change is the GPU o/c and installation of Afterburner, and the BSODs only started after that.
 
does sound like its dropping too much volts at idle
would have been my first guess

tho u say it happens very rarely so i duno
 
Mei said:
nono a gaming mrs saves u money!! but maybe thats hard to see right now lol
Click to expand...

It's quite amusing actually as I see many good people on here having to hide purchases or justify them to the Mrs. In my case I am encouraged. "I want a new GPU?" "Yes go ahead, I want one too" :cool:

Mei said:
erm yeh you dont normally see gfx card overclocks causing bsod afaik, you are more likely to see onscreen jaggies and lines than something that dramatic
i guess yeh close any software thats not 100% needed, update what software you have running, things like chipset drivers too, it has to be something thats the same on both machines right?
Click to expand...

This us what I don't get, it's only on the desktop I am seeing issues, gaming is absolutely fine - no BSOD's, no CTDs, not even any artefacts. I completely agree, it must to be a software problem or incompatibility.

All drivers are up to date, with the minor exception of the NVidia driver; we're using 347.25 at present (not the later .52). Afterburner, D3Doverrider and the GPU overclock are the only changes we made between smooth sailing and the BSODs starting.


Mei said:
does sound like its dropping too much volts at idle
would have been my first guess

tho u say it happens very rarely so i duno
Click to expand...

Indeed. I can rule that out with a small voltage bump or removing the GPU o/c.
 
Last edited:
zola25 said:
Indeed. I can rule that out with a small voltage bump or removing the GPU o/c.
Click to expand...

could still be cpu oc is what im thinking, if you save your profile and knock it down to 4.4 you lose not much in performance, the crashing at idle makes me think its that, the only time ive seen crashing at idle on gfx card is multi display with amd card bcas the memory clocks dont drop

anyway i think its worth a try, id rather keep the gfx card oc than the cpu and its a very quick change
 
Roll back the nvidia driver? I and a few other people i know have been having Freezes/BSODs at desktop on the most recent driver release,rolled back they stopped.
 
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