[HELP] PC locking up completely at random during games

Nexus18 · 9 Jan 2013 at 20:12

It just happened again

after about 45 to 60 minutes of black ops 2.

Could it be the psu then? Unfortunately I don't have a spare to try out.

wazza300 · 9 Jan 2013 at 20:16

Try with 1.35v qpi/vtt,your still within Intel safe limits

Nexus18 · 9 Jan 2013 at 20:34

Ok changed it to 1.35V now. Just noticed though that when I go to the advanced memory settings, it still shows the profile qpi voltage as 1.2V, is that being over written with my manual changes in the advanced voltage sub menu or is the XMP profile for it still applying despite me manually changing the qpi/vtt?

wazza300 · 9 Jan 2013 at 20:41

Yeah it could be,did that happen I wonder at 1.32v qpi? Try disabling xmp and manually set 1.32v qpi,if that fails try 1.35v

Nexus18 · 9 Jan 2013 at 22:30

Yeah probably did.

Trying BO II again with the 1.35V (XMP enabled etc.) and lock up happened again.

So will disable XMP now and set qpi/vtt to 1.31V (1.32V isn't available) and just leave the speed at 1333MHz?

What about the CPU Vcore, should I set it back to "auto" too?

wazza300 · 9 Jan 2013 at 22:55

yeah leave em at auto and 1333mhz for now,you can still manually raise the memory multiplier,it wont be 1600mhz exctly but will be more than 1333mhz

Nexus18 · 9 Jan 2013 at 23:05

Right;

-XMP disabled
- CPU vcore set to auto
- qpi/vtt set to 1.31V

In advanced memory settings it shows 1.1V despite me manually changing it. So I presume that just shows the default setting of whatever profile is set? Is there a program that I can install to see the exact qpi/vtt voltage?

EDIT:

Could it be my hard drive that the games are installed on? (samsung F3 1TB split into 3 partitions)

I will launch black ops 2 again and if it happens, I'll try putting it on my SSD.

wazza300 · 9 Jan 2013 at 23:06

yeah i think its default,in easytune/voltages look for target voltages of qpi/vtt

Nexus18 · 9 Jan 2013 at 23:14

wazza300 · 9 Jan 2013 at 23:28

yeah thats it

Nexus18 · 10 Jan 2013 at 00:58

Happened again with XMP off, CPU core set to auto and 1.31V, this time the crackling noise didn't happen though, probably due to the CPU Vcore being put back to auto.

I have noticed that the lock up seems to happen in roughly the same spot of the level/map for COD each time :confused:

I have had a google and came across threads where people have had the same problem and they always seem to say it is something to do with either:

- RAM being faulty etc. (can't see it being this as it was working fine before the GPU change)
- voltages for CPU and RAM (have tried changing that stuff over the last 2 days or so and it still happens)
- temps (not the problem, everything is running nice and low)
- hard drive (done a health check etc. with HD tune pro on the drive that the games are running on and no problems are brought up)
- PSU, not enough power being supplied etc. (no idea how I can test this as I don't have a good spare PSU and my brother etc. wouldn't be wanting to lend me his or put my GPU in his PC etc.)
- software/drivers (did a fresh install of windows so can't see how it could be due to that either, unless it is just a problem with the ATI drivers and my sort of setup......)

Unfortunately no definite answer to what is causing this problem.

Apart from the above, what else could it be?

Again I just can't understand why it seems to be happening for those 2 games only so far (out of the 5 or so that I have tried), especially black ops II and why it happens completely at random :confused:

I will install Max payne 3 tomorrow on the same drive and see if it happens for that.

wazza300 · 10 Jan 2013 at 01:04

i dont know,its hard one to solve

those cards dont use much power anyway,have you re-installed those two games and using 12.11 beta drivers and the 12.11 caps? they give the best performance

update or re install direct x and any c runtimes that come with the games

tried with dram v at 1.55v for 1333mhz?

im still thinking its pc memory but i could be wrong,

Nexus18 · 10 Jan 2013 at 01:34

After doing the fresh reinstall of windows, I reinstalled those games too (it only happened with those games before the fresh install too)

I am just using the latest stable ati drivers, 12.10. What are 12.11 caps and what do they do?

Ok I'll try changing the dram voltage later on today.

wazza300 · 10 Jan 2013 at 01:36

12.11 beta's give a big performance increase,and the caps have the latest fixes to the newest games

Nexus18 · 10 Jan 2013 at 01:41

Ok I'll install them later on too. Are the beta drivers stable on the whole though?

What is the best process of installing them? Uninstall my current ati drivers and ccc, run driver sweeper or can I just install them on top?

wazza300 · 10 Jan 2013 at 01:43

install them over the top,i havnt found any instability yet,i play fc3/crysis/need for speed just as stable as the final

trentlad · 10 Jan 2013 at 01:44

I bet it's a RAM conflict.

I had so much trouble messing about with my previous VGA (ATI 4870) with the same issues and tried a manufacture return for my mobo, HDD, VGA... even bought a third party cooler that took 30oC off the temps. No change!

Turned out it was a RAM conflict. Love ATI

wazza300 · 10 Jan 2013 at 01:46

how much cpu imc voltage you using trent?

Nexus18 · 10 Jan 2013 at 01:52

Ok thanks wazza, will get them on later and see what happens.

@trent

What exactly was it? Voltage, speed, timings etc.? Or do you just mean it was the type of ram being used with the gpu?

trentlad · 10 Jan 2013 at 04:08

I had 4 x 2GB DDR2 Corsair XMS2 RAM (4-4-4-12) running on a Gigabyte GA-X48-DS4 with a Q9450; all running at stock.

I tried so many revisions of drivers with the pre and post warranty VGA and I'd still get that lovely freeze with the audio in a loop and no way to recover without hitting the restart button. When I switched the DDR2 RAM it ran freeze free but I sold the lot a month later. I'll always pay the extra for an NVidia now, the hardware and driver support is outstanding.

OP, is there anyone that can switch RAM with you for a couple of weeks?