Hardlocking while playing several games

Meldity · 11 Sep 2012

I got this desktop pc around last year but for some strange reason my pc will hardlock itself (screen goes black, monitor turns off but the power is still on, sound goes off, forcing me to restart my PC even though I attempted to alt+tab or cntrl+alt+delete and tried to replug my monitor back in to get some kind of menu up with no luck) while playing several games such as crysis, smite, metro 2033, and skyrim. While I can still open and actually play these games, I will eventually hardlock within 10-30 minutes. With skyrim ill hardlock automatically at the first part of the game when I exit a cavern.

I've tried all lowering graphic settings on these games and still have the same issue.

What is strange to me is that I can play battlefield 3, battlefield bad company, half life 2 mods, portal 2, amnesia, dead space, dead space 2, planetside 2, and arma 2 just fine.

I'm frustrated because it seems to hard lock on certain games and not all, especially when i play high-end stuff that doesn't make me hardlock.

Also i'm sorry because i don't know if hardlocks are the same as BSOD's so I didn't know what kind of info to provide and didn't download the posting instructions tool for BSOD's..

check my profile for my specs.

edit: i already updated video card drivers, just hardlocked on bioshock about 30 minutes in, had 60fps the entire time too.

billytale13 · 11 Sep 2012

Try turning V-Sync on or off when playing and see if that makes a difference.

sygnus21 · 12 Sep 2012

First some minor corrections/clarifications.... Your CPU is 4 cores, not 8 CPU's. To put it in simpler terms, think of it as 4 mini CPU's, not eight.

Also, though technically right on your installed RAM (12288MB), it should be listed at 12gig. (1024 = 1gig, so 12288 divided by 1024 = 12)

Anyway...

1 - Is your system overclocked? If so, try backing down to default settings and see what happens?

2 - Is it just games shutting down your system or are other programs outside of games doing the same... shutting down the system?

3 - Have you checked to see if your video card is overheating or faulty. If it's only games causing you issues, perhaps your video card is overheating or going bad?

4 - While you certainly have enough power, have you checked to see if your power supply is faulty or going bad?

5 - If you're getting BSOD you may want to go here Crashes and Debugging - Windows 7 Forums, start a new thread and post your dump files. Instructions on how-to here https://www.sevenforums.com/crashes-d...tructions.html

Let us know.

Meldity · 12 Sep 2012

billytale13 said:

Try turning V-Sync on or off when playing and see if that makes a difference.

tried it.

sygnus21 said:

First some minor corrections/clarifications.... Your CPU is 4 cores, not 8 CPU's. To put it in simpler terms, think of it as 4 mini CPU's, not eight.

Also, though technically right on your installed RAM (12288MB), it should be listed at 12gig. (1024 = 1gig, so 12288 divided by 1024 = 12)

Anyway...

1 - Is your system overclocked? If so, try backing down to default settings and see what happens?

2 - Is it just games shutting down your system or are other programs outside of games doing the same... shutting down the system?

3 - Have you checked to see if your video card is overheating or faulty. If it's only games causing you issues, perhaps your video card is overheating or going bad?

4 - While you certainly have enough power, have you checked to see if your power supply is faulty or going bad?

5 - If you're getting BSOD you may want to go here Crashes and Debugging - Windows 7 Forums, start a new thread and post your dump files. Instructions on how-to here https://www.sevenforums.com/crashes-d...tructions.html

Let us know.

hello,

1. i've had overclocking off for a long time so it isn't that.
2. games are the only thing causing me to force-shutdown my pc
3. it's got liquid cooling sitting on it and i changed it a few weeks ago and it never goes over 39C. i'm not sure how it could be faulty if i can play specific high-end games(battlefield 3) for long periods of time while something simple(ex: bioshock) will make me hardlock. but to be honest i haven't changed video cards to test because i don't have access to one.
4. i'm not sure, since games are the only things causing hardlocks. but i'll try to exchange it to see what happens.
5. the problem is it's not a BSOD, it's a hardlock, i don't know if it'll even work but i'll give it a go.

sygnus21 · 12 Sep 2012

Well than you're going to have to do a systematic check to see what's causing your issue because it can be anything, but being that you say you only have the issue during gaming suggests it's a video issue, maybe even a power supply issue.

Anyway you're going to have to keep a close eye on things and see what's happening when the system shuts down. Check to see if the video card or power supply is a little too hot. Listen for small pops or clicks. Check to see if you have any funny smells or stuff like that.

In short put your eyes, ears, and nose to the system and check around. Pay attention to what's happening when it shuts down.

Let us know.

Meldity · 22 Oct 2012

I know its been awhile but i'm just bumping my thread because i cleaned out my pc's heatsinks a few weeks ago and added new thermal paste. however still hardlocking on games where i get very high fps, low temps, but still hardlock.

i've listened and looked at it close while in the process of hardlocking. nothing weird. temps are fine too.

hardlock = monitor shuts off while the power on the pc is still on/fans running then sound eventually stops a few seconds after where i'm forced to restart it.

gonna try different monitors/video card/psu soon

sygnus21 · 22 Oct 2012

If this is only happening during gaming sessions than I suggest you look at your video card. If possible, try swapping it out with another and see how that goes.

Meldity · 22 Oct 2012

sygnus21 said:

If this is only happening during gaming sessions than I suggest you look at your video card. If possible, try swapping it out with another and see how that goes.

yeah i thought so as well. on one game (smite) when the settings are on highest it hardlocks so fast. but when it set them back to medium or low its fine for awhile, sometimes its good for weeks. its stupid though, the fps is near 150 on both instances. guess it must be video, gonna try another one tommarow. sucks because its a 6800 series.

Meldity · 24 Dec 2012

howdy, sorry for the late reply but i just wanted to say i bought a new card(same type/model/etc) and everything was fine again. apparently it was faulty!