grey screen crash problems...HELP!

jonathan brown · 21 Jan 2022 at 07:19

YEAR OLD PC and having issues

For the past few weeks, I have been experiencing many moments where I will be on my pc and the monitor suddenly goes gray and unresponsive. The actual computer doesn't change at all; the lights are still on, the fans are still running, and no weird noises come from it. The monitor stays gray until I shut off my pc with the power button and boot it up again, which fixes it until the next time it happens. It happens at completely random times; windows always boots fine and it could happen after hours of playing video games when i close the game or i can just be on the desktop, click something and it will do it again. The frequency at which these crashes happen is also random and no pattern. can be after 5 mins or 2 hours. and most of the time when i close a game but also when just on desktop.

last night it did it 5 times in 30 mins

so far i have updated amd drivers and windows update - no change
ran DDU -no change
ran complete system restore inc clean disk - no change
upgraded to windows 11 - no change
installled another 1tb drive - c drive is now purely OS - no change
installed new western digital sn750 for games (no change
ran memtest - no change

other thing worth noting is that since i built the pc the monitor occasionally loses display port signal, i put this down to a loose connection so purchased some new locking display port leads which solved the issue.

also the monitor samsung odyessey g7 32" will not update the firmware so wondering if this could be an issue also?

really am lost as to what to do now as the pc is only a year old since i built it and this has just started happening, ive changed nothing and havent installed any copied programmes or anything like that at all.

is it worth trying a different monitor?
if someone could help it would be hugely appreciated.
spec is as follows

msi radeon rx 6800xt
amd ryzen 7 5800x
be quiet dark rock cooler
msi mag x570 tomahawk wifi atx am4
corsair vengeance rgb pro 32gb
western digital sn550 (OS)
western digital sn750 (games) installed yesterday
corsair rmx 750 80+ gold

mickyflinn · 21 Jan 2022 at 07:40

Do you have a spare gpu to try or monitor it will rule things in or out ?

Also could try older drivers before the problem started.

jonathan brown · 21 Jan 2022 at 07:43

mickyflinn said:
Do you have a spare gpu to try or monitor it will rule things in or out ?

I can try a different monitor, as for GPU unfortunately not.

mickyflinn · 21 Jan 2022 at 07:45

jonathan brown said:
I can try a different monitor, as for GPU unfortunately not.

Would try that if all good points to the monitor if the same then try older drivers as,a,starring point.

Still try older drivers with new monitor.

jonathan brown · 21 Jan 2022 at 08:03

mickyflinn said:
Would try that if all good points to the monitor if the same then try older drivers as,a,starring point.

Still try older drivers with new monitor.

Could a monitor even cause a grey screen crash? I will try it though

GreatAuk · 21 Jan 2022 at 08:53

Any errors showing up in event viewer at the time of the crash, if you look back at it after the next crash?

mickyflinn · 21 Jan 2022 at 09:24

jonathan brown said:
Could a monitor even cause a grey screen crash? I will try it though

It's more likely gpu or drivers but it's just trying to rule things in or out and.

As @GreatAuk says check event viewer.

Syore · 21 Jan 2022 at 10:44

Have you tried the DP IN 2 and the hdmi ports of the monitor to rule out if the DP IN 1 port is not faulty?

jonathan brown · 21 Jan 2022 at 13:40

Syore said:
Have you tried the DP IN 2 and the hdmi ports of the monitor to rule out if the DP IN 1 port is not faulty?

I've tried both ports on the monitor, am going to try another DP lead tonight and also a different port on the GPU.

other than that I've told to try pulling the GPU and connect via hdmi and see if it still happens on the integrated graphics

Craig_d1 · 21 Jan 2022 at 14:18

jonathan brown said:
I've tried both ports on the monitor, am going to try another DP lead tonight and also a different port on the GPU.

other than that I've told to try pulling the GPU and connect via hdmi and see if it still happens on the integrated graphics

you've got a 5800X..doesn't have integrated gpu

jonathan brown · 21 Jan 2022 at 14:35

Craig_d1 said:
you've got a 5800X..doesn't have integrated gpu

6800xt

Rich2 · 21 Jan 2022 at 17:05

jonathan brown said:
6800xt

He means your CPU (5800x) doesn't have integrated graphics, so if you pull out your GPU (6800xt) you won't have any display from your motherboard display out.

Do you have the 2x8 pin psu connectors in place securely?

it would be ideal having a 2nd gpu available to test.

Also check event viewer as others have said, it'll hopefully give some hints

jonathan brown · 21 Jan 2022 at 17:14

Rich2 said:
He means your CPU (5800x) doesn't have integrated graphics, so if you pull out your GPU (6800xt) you won't have any display from your motherboard display out.

Do you have the 2x8 pin psu connectors in place securely?

it would be ideal having a 2nd gpu available to test.

Also check event viewer as others have said, it'll hopefully give some hints

Sorry course he does, my mistake...

Yes everything appears to be okay and has been working brilliantly until 3 weeks ago when all this started..
The pc only gets light use as well so I'm a bit baffled tbh

jonathan brown · 21 Jan 2022 at 20:35

so....

I've tried different leads and all display ports on the gpu and no change..
then used the HDMI port on the gpu to the monitor and no grey screens as of yet..

any ideas?

hdmi is fine but can only go up to 144hz. is there any other negatives to using hdmi?

mickyflinn · 21 Jan 2022 at 21:34

jonathan brown said:
so....

I've tried different leads and all display ports on the gpu and no change..
then used the HDMI port on the gpu to the monitor and no grey screens as of yet..

any ideas?

hdmi is fine but can only go up to 144hz. is there any other negatives to using hdmi?

Did you try older drivers ?

jonathan brown · 21 Jan 2022 at 21:36

mickyflinn said:
Did you try older drivers ?

yeah did that as well, currently on the older drivers and was still doing it. until i used the hdmi

mickyflinn · 21 Jan 2022 at 21:48

jonathan brown said:
yeah did that as well, currently on the older drivers and was still doing it. until i used the hdmi

I would check what bios your 6800xt has there may be an update but flashing a bios comes with risks.