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GPU crashes while gaming

soulcakeduck

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Hello all, my graphics card crashes after a few minutes of gaming and I am wondering how to get more info out of it or test solutions.

PC
Windows 10
AMD Ryzen 5 2600x ~3.6 GHz processor
16 GB RAM
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970
ROG STRIX X370-F motherboard
Cool Master 750 Watt, Semi-Modular 80 PLUS Bronze PSU

Problem
I recently started playing Grim Dawn, an older game and had no issues for the first 50 or so hours played. Now I can only play about 10-15 minutes before the graphics card turns off. The rest of the PC is running but there's no way to get a signal to the monitors again so I end up rebooting.

So far...
* I've monitored GPU temp, about 68 Celsius when it crashes. The Windows task manager performance window suggested the card was at about 60% utilization fwiw.
* I tried running FurMark to test the GPU under strain. FurMark ran about 3 minutes and then encountered the same issue, GPU turned off. I couldn't find any log from FurMark (in its install directory or in %appdata%/local/temp) but maybe I'm not checking correctly.
* Windows event log doesn't have any event that I could identify related to the GPU crashing, just a "last shut down was unexpected" after the next reboot. Again I might be clueless here.
* I have tried unplugging. The GPU is firmly in its slot and connected to the PSU.

Whither
I don't have super easy access to another computer to swap parts in/out so I'm hoping there's more I can learn before resorting to that, but it's an option if necessary.
From here, what's the best way to monitor/log/test that would give me some meaningful info about the problem?
 
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what about using DDU and reinstall the latest drivers?
 

soulcakeduck

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I've successfully diagnosed one problem: one of the two fans on the GPU has seized up. I've removed the fan and can barely spin it manually. Flick it like a fidget spinner!--but it completes maybe half a (squeaky) rotation and stops abruptly. Thinking the seizing fan could be drawing power too. The fan is staying out for now and I've ordered replacements.

Meanwhile I will follow GerKNG's idea and use DDU to reinstall drivers. New process for me so I will follow the instructions (creating a backup, run in safe mode, no internet etc) carefully sometime in the next couple days while waiting for fan delivery.

Until then, no stress or tests for the card, don't want to risk high temp with 1/2 fans.
 

eidairaman1

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Stop stressing the card, just game on it, yeesh
 
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I've successfully diagnosed one problem: one of the two fans on the GPU has seized up. I've removed the fan and can barely spin it manually. Flick it like a fidget spinner!--but it completes maybe half a (squeaky) rotation and stops abruptly. Thinking the seizing fan could be drawing power too. The fan is staying out for now and I've ordered replacements.

Meanwhile I will follow GerKNG's idea and use DDU to reinstall drivers. New process for me so I will follow the instructions (creating a backup, run in safe mode, no internet etc) carefully sometime in the next couple days while waiting for fan delivery.

Until then, no stress or tests for the card, don't want to risk high temp with 1/2 fans.

might as well grab a new gpu GTX970 3.5gb has been a good gpu, since you are gonna spend some money on replacement
 
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Replace the thermal grease on the GPU - the GPU is so old, that the grease is now dust :roll:
 
Joined
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Messages
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Location
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System Name Sunk Cost Fallacy
Processor AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D
Motherboard ASRock B650E Steel Legend Wifi
Cooling Arctic Liquid Freezer II 360 Rev. 7
Memory 2x16GB G.Skill Trident Z5 NEO 6000 CL30
Video Card(s) Sapphire Nitro+ RX 7900 XTX Vapor-X
Storage WD Black SN850X 1TB + 2x 2TB, 2x 4TB Crucial MX500, 4TB Samsung 870 Evo.
Display(s) Alienware AW2723DF, LG 27GR93U, LG 27GN950-B
Case Lian Li O11 Air Mini
Audio Device(s) Bose Companion Series 2 III, Sennheiser GSP600 and HD599 SE - Creative Soundblaster X4
Power Supply bequiet! Dark Power Pro 12 1500w Titanium
Mouse Logitech GPRO X Superlight & G502 X
Keyboard Corsair K65 RGB Mini, Razer Black Widow V3 TKL
VR HMD Oculus Rift S
I've successfully diagnosed one problem: one of the two fans on the GPU has seized up. I've removed the fan and can barely spin it manually. Flick it like a fidget spinner!--but it completes maybe half a (squeaky) rotation and stops abruptly. Thinking the seizing fan could be drawing power too. The fan is staying out for now and I've ordered replacements.

Meanwhile I will follow GerKNG's idea and use DDU to reinstall drivers. New process for me so I will follow the instructions (creating a backup, run in safe mode, no internet etc) carefully sometime in the next couple days while waiting for fan delivery.

Until then, no stress or tests for the card, don't want to risk high temp with 1/2 fans.
maybe the fan on the "right" side of the card? could be VRM overheating (if the DDUing does not help)
 

soulcakeduck

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might as well grab a new gpu GTX970 3.5gb has been a good gpu, since you are gonna spend some money on replacement
Two new fans are $15. That's a far cry from what I'd pay for a new GPU.

Replace the thermal grease on the GPU - the GPU is so old, that the grease is now dust :roll:
Could be! But given that the card is maintaining low temps I am not going to worry about that for the moment. I'll keep an eye on temps and reapply thermal paste if they do rise though.

maybe the fan on the "right" side of the card? could be VRM overheating (if the DDUing does not help)
This was the left fan and the "hot spot" temp on GPU-Z was staying around 68-70 C. My theory is that the fan was trying to draw more power since it couldn't spin up. We'll see how things go once the new fans arrive.
 
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