Windows becomes unresponsive after using the GPU

[wywywywy]

Hi all,

Basically since a few days ago, whenever I put my PC under any sort of GPU load, after a while (could be anywhere between 5 seconds to 60 mins), Windows becomes unresponsive. I can maybe click on each window once or twice, but eventually everything just stops - no BSOD though.

This happens with light GPU load (V-sync'd Minecraft and LoL) and heavy GPU load (3D Mark and Heaven). When this is about to happen, the GPU core clock and memory clock start to reduced.

I am sure it is not a CPU problem because I can do hours of Prime95 without problems. I don't think it's a GPU or PSU hardware problem either, because I have tried replacing them.

It is worth noting that in the day or 2 prior to this happening, I had the TDR failure 2 or 3 times.

This setup had worked for about a year (since Pascal launch) without any problem. The only thing I can possibly think of, is the Creator Update over 2 weeks ago, but then it worked for like a week without issues.

Also I briefly had a new G-sync monitor which I then returned, a few days prior to this happening. It shouldn't have mattered should it?

There is nothing in the event log.

Spec -
- Win 10 x64 Creator Update
- i7-3770
- GTX 1070 FE (no overclock)
- Silverstone SX500-LG PSU
- Asrock H77M-ITX board
- Vive (don't know if it makes a differences?)
- Dual normal monitors

Things I have tried -
- Various Nvidia driver versions, done with DDU before installing
- Replacing the 1070 with a 1080
- Replacing the 500W PSU with a 600W PSU
- sfc & dism
- chkdsk
- Memtest86+ & Windows Memory Diagnosis

So anyone any ideas please?

Thanks.

 

[Disco_P]

Can you rollback the update to see if that fixes it. Not uncommon for the large windows updates to break various things.

 

[wywywywy]

Unfortunately not That option is only available for a few days after.

 

[Rroff]

Sounds like a memory issue possibly memory leak or failing RAM or VRAM maybe.

Are you using MSI Afterburner or EVAG Precision - sometimes they don't like OS or driver updates and can do strange things until the software is update, worth also disabling any other overlays, etc. if you have stuff running.

EDIT: Have you checked GPU temperatures? as you mention the clocks start to reduce could be an issue there - also IIRC someone said there is a problem with the power plans in Windows 10 since the creator's update and you might have to select and/or reselect performance power profile.

 

[wywywywy]

Thanks for the reply.

I have done memory test and also tried swapping card, so it can't be RAM or VRAM I think.

I don't have anything like Afterburner, and no overlay.

I thought about it being temp related too. But it sometimes happen even before the card is warmed up - like earlier today it stopped responding 5 seconds into 3D Mark, before the card was even warm. Also my case cover is off right now to rule this out.

I tried High Performance and Balanced, no difference.

 

[Rroff]

Are you using FastSync in the nVidia control panel? probably isn't the issue here but if you had G-Sync briefly it might have changed the settings for V-Sync away from what you used to have.

EDIT: Though if you used DDU that setting probably would have been reset.

 

[wywywywy]

That's right the V-sync setting has been reset to "application" already.