Windows 7: BlueScreen playing MMO's. Screen Goes Black, Restarts and Stays Black

Hello there,

So as the title says, I'm having some problems with my computer. I bought it about 4 weeks ago, and no issues with it other than when I try to play an MMO that would make the graphics card work. The graphics card that is installed in the computer was separately bought and installed, so I'm thinking it might be conflict issues with the card, but I don't know.



The way it happens is, I run the games, I can play for anything from a minute, to 15mins and then my screen says it has disconnected from the image, goes black, and I can hear my computer restart, but my screen stays black. I have to manually power off and back on for my screen to start showing images again. Once restarted i get the "Problem Event Name: Bluescreen" thing.

It's really annoying since I just bought GW2 and I can't play properly any help would be appreciated.

Also, in the Action Center it's said that my Nvidia Graphics Card has stopped working or crashed, multiple times, naming the exact times my computer crashed.. which is why I believe it has to do with my card.

Follow these steps:

• STOP 0x116: VIDEO_TDR_ERROR troubleshooting

Overclocking -
I recommend if you are overclocking any hardware, that you reset these values within the BIOS to their default values in order to increase the stability of your system.

Please run the following tests for your graphics card and RAM:

• RAM - Test with Memtest86+

Run Memtest86+ for least 7-8 passes, and preferrly overnight as it can take a while to fully complete.

Test each RAM stick individually, if an error is found then move the same RAM stick into the next DIMM slot and test again, if errors are found for the same RAM stick in every available slot then you have a faulty RAM module. On the other hand, if no errors are found in the next slot or the other slots for the same RAM module, then you have a faulty DIMM slot.

Test each RAM stick and every motherboard DIMM slot available.

Graphics Card:

• Video Card - Stress Test with Furmark

Read all the steps within the hardware test tutorials very carefully, as stress tests is designed run components to their maximum capacity, in order to point out failing or faulty hardware components.

Use the following program to monitor your hardware temperatures during the stress test:

• CPUID HWMonitor

Hard Drive:

• Disk Check
• CrystalDiskInfo - Software - Crystal Dew World
• SeaTools for Windows | Seagate

Scan for corrupted or missing Windows files with:

• SFC /SCANNOW : Run in Command Prompt at Boot

Please check for the latest driver updates (may have to install a older driver) for your graphics card on the manufacturer's website, and check for any driver compatibility issues with:

• Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor - Download - Microsoft Windows

If you are using DirectX, then try uninstalling and then reinstalling the DirectX API:

• How to download and install DirectX

Please post back your results

Thanks for the reply!

I must admit I am not completely comfortable doing all of the above steps due to my fear of screwing something up lol.
I would like to point out though that, I have not overclocked anything, so everything is running at normal speeds.
I will run the FurMark test and view the temperatures of the hardware though, and see if anything is overheating

Remember to follow each step within the tutorial carefully, and you can always create a image backup and then save it to a USB stick or External hard-drive:

• Backup Complete Computer - Create an Image Backup

Okay so I ran the Furmark test... and I had the HWMonitor running as well..

and in about 10 seconds after starting the test... my computer went black and restarted itself as usual when I'm playing games... I did manage to see the Graphics Card got to about 104C and then everything went black.
Could it be simply overheating?

I decided to test again... but this time just playing a game..
I ran the game, while looking at the temps everything..
Everything was within the "max" temperature range that HWMonitor gave.. but my graphics card temp kept raising slowly.. at about 96C the fan was already at 100% and it kept rising the more stuff was going on in the game screen.. once it reached 104C the comp crashed again..

Whats your temperatures when idle? Did you run the stress test without playing games? The screen continuously going black does seem to point to a graphics card issue in my opinion.

It sounds to me that it is an overheating problem. You can play until the card reaches a critical temp and shuts down. How much air flow do you have in your case? For a test, take off the side panel and point a house fan to blow on the card and see if that makes a difference.

Try these steps to install only the graphics driver.

1.Download the preferred driver and save it to the desktop.
2.Double click the installer and you will see a screen where it will be extracted to, change that to your desktop.
3.Open Device Manager through Control Panel.
4.Expand Display adapters and right click the name for yours and choose Update Driver\Browse my Computer. Select the driver folder you just saved on the desktop. Click Next.
5. Your system should say "Windows has successfully updated your driver software".

If you get a window saying you already have the most current driver, go back to step 4 and choose Uninstall Driver software instead. Then restart from step 3.
Attachment 228491 Attachment 228492

Get the latest driver here: Latest NVIDIA ForceWare Video Drivers Windows 7

So after everything.. I figured it wouldn't hurt to try a new graphics card so I did. I bought a new one, and tried running everything with the new one. Everything is perfect
I can run the game now with fan at 50% and temps no higher than 70C.
I'm sending the old one to the manufacturer, and just keeping the new one, I like it a lot.
Thanks for all the suggestions everyone!