Multicolored Lines, computer crash, Drivers?

Hello all,

I recently built my desktop, and I seem to be having an intermittent problem.

Randomly, the computer will crash, and the screen is frozen in a multicolored lined fashion. Sometimes i can see my mouse on top of this multicolored screen. Sometimes i can even still move the mouse.

It looks like this


This has happened 6 times now, although i am not on the computer all that often.

It is important information to note, that this happens when the system is idle, the overwhelming number of events, have happened when I am doing nothing that would tax the system. Like just surfing the net, or using office. Basic stuff. This past Time i was just in the process of starting up AutoCAD, but this is the only event that has any association with that software.

In event viewer, I do not see any errors, up until i reset the computer, this was captured directly following my most recent incident.


Previously I set the computer to create a minidump file, hopeing i could get more information about the crash, but it did not create one... Note sure why, perhaps the computer didn't actually crash? and just the screen when haywire. But i am really not sure.

Any ideas?

I'd be a step in the right direction if i could simply figure out even the basics of the issue...

CPU: AMD FX-6300 3.5GHz 6-Core Processor
CPU Cooler: CRYORIG H7 49.0 CFM CPU Cooler
Motherboard: ASRock 970M PRO3 Micro ATX AM3+/AM3 Motherboard
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory
Storage: Kingston SSDNow V300 Series 120GB 2.5" Solid State Drive
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive
Video Card: MSI Radeon R9 380 4GB Video Card
Case: Fractal Design Core 1000 USB 3.0 MicroATX Mid Tower Case
Power Supply: SeaSonic S12II 520W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply
Optical Drive: Asus DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Professional SP1 OEM (64-bit)
Software: Microsoft Office Home and Student 2016, AutoCAD, Steam, various games...
Monitor: Acer H226HQLbid 60Hz 21.5" Monitor
Monitor: Acer H226HQLbid 60Hz 21.5" Monitor

Hello and welcome Aemornion mate first thing I would do is to reseat all cards sticks and cables including the monitor one.
Plus I would recheck all the drivers for graphics - by the by what graphic connection are you using DVI HDMI ??

Worse case scenario is you have a dud card or monitor.

I'm thinking it's the video card too, or a bad monitor connection. A driver issue would have put an error in the error reporting tool, and a crash would have made a mini-dump, I would think.

On second thought, the power supply might be under-powered by a little bit. I'm thinking that 650 - 750 Watts would be a better choice for all the hardware that is in that PC. That GPU is power hungry.

You could try the network card and see if it helps. They can do funny things to PCs if they aren't working well. I would disable the network adapter in BIOS before putting in the new card. Obviously, make sure you have the drivers for the new card before starting. :)

A note about the power supply. I ran a modest assessment of your system based on the information that you gave in the original post from here:

eXtreme Power Supply Calculator

I used "Expert" mode.

I used the data that you gave, plus a single USB 2.0 device and 2 case fans to be a bit more realistic. Assuming no overclocking of either the CPU or GPU, the calculator came up with a power rating of 492 Watts. With a 520W PSU, that doesn't leave you a lot of headroom, especially if the supply is older and has degraded somewhat. Most people here would recommend a larger supply for more headroom (you should plan on about 25% more capacity than you need at minimum.) This is because as a supply ages, it's power output goes down.

Given your issues with Steam possibly causing the graphics problem, it may not be the PSU causing this issue, but if it were me, I would consider replacing the supply with a more capable one, especially if the supply is more than two years old. Just my advice, the decision is up to you, of course. :)

Hello mate now you can try this little ditty of mine because the PSU is very underrated as a cause for any problems and card do draw a fair amount of power and if you have used the calculator as Mellon Head has suggested it usually gives you a figure with margin of error for comfort sake for want of a better term.
Using HW Info
PART A:
You can test the volts on the PSU with HW Info HWiNFO, HWiNFO32/64 - Download < download the right bit version and close the right hand window select Sensors and scroll down to the power section where you will see what the volts are doing see my pic. In my pic the section (Nuvoton) with VBATT is a dead give away you are in the section for the rail voltages. There are other section titles and one that pops up often is ITE
Now the voltage on the different rails have to be within 5% =+/- of what is required or the machine will not work properly if at all.
See this for the rail voltage info
Power Supply 101: A Reference Of Specifications - Power Supplies (Section 2.)
The original right hand window shows the machine running and is handy for that but for looking at the components in some detail close it and use the main left hand side panel
FOR OTHER COMPONENTS
PART B:
Open each small square with + in it on the section the components are in and then click on the individual component/s (it will highlight in blue) - in the right hand side will appear all sorts of details including brands speeds and other essential info that particular device. See pic for example.
Use PART A: and post back a snip

Alright, thank you for your responses,

Based on your analysis, I will work on acquiring a new PSU, hopefully by the end of the week ill have a new one.

Here is the requested voltages.
First without steam open,

Second, about 40 seconds before the computer crashed (ie, i opened steam and 40 seconds later it crashed) Not sure if that tells anyone anything.


I did a memory test all night and while i was at work today using MemTest86 - Offical Site of the x86 Memory Testing Tool
No errors, as you can see.

Also tried running steam with just one Ram stick at a time, still the same issue, every time.

I also ran a sfc /scannow check, which returned no issues

I also ran chkdsk, which also had no issues.

I re-seated all the components

Installed my pci-e NIC and associated drivers (Disabled the on board one)
Steam Still crashed the PC when downloading.

Uninstalled Steam, reinstalled Steam, changed settings within steam. Still I start steam, and it begins a download, sooner or later it crashes in the way I previously described, with the wonderful multicolor death screen, and other such fun.

Any other ideas? This is extremely frustrating.

Hmm hard to tell from the HW Info pic as I cannot see what the PSU rails are as there should be a reference to VBATT or Vbatt in the board section as in my pic. What did the calculator come up with any way??

In the memtest you have only done 6 passes mate it has to be at least 8 passes ot you may as well not do it. Now as you are getting nowhere with individual sticks it could be the board slots that may be at fault but you really need to run that test as I say for 8 passes before any conclusive results are made.

For pics try this it is so much easier than using other pic making stuff . How to Use the Snipping Tool in Vista - just snip save to wherever you want I do quick ones to desktop and then remove when done and attach in the Manage attachments button

@ICIT2LOL:

John, I see no 12V rail. What do you make of the OP's voltages?

@ Aemornion:

Let's wait and see what ICIT2LOL has to say about the voltages before we proceed.

Actually mate I cannot see any rails volts either and I think maybe the Sensor button may have not been used though usually it is the one I reference to - that yellow one. I have asked for other stuff and maybe that HW stuff could be run again because the VBATT section is not there although it is showing the board model?? I am beginning to think that board may be at fault too - hope not but possibly eh?