BSOD While playing a game...

[torrentg]

I think we need to get the word out that Windows 7 will not handle as high of an overclock as Vista/XP did. So everyone that is using the same exact settings which worked for them 100% in Vista/XP can not expect to get the same speeds w/o getting an occasional BSOD.

That's not necessarily true. I have only a modest overclock as it shows in my specs, but it was always the highest I ever could get with XP/Vista too. My attempts to overclock further with Win 7 have failed exactly the same...however...Win 7 also runs the highest overclock I'm able to achieve without bsod same any OS.

If you did try to get the word out, you'd really have to always state your full hardware specs along with it, to be fair to the reader.

 

[Zake202]

But if that really is the case, how can it be tested other than BSOD?

Wouldn't prime95/intel burn test give results/bsod if it really is a voltage issue with overclocks+windows 7?

Edit: Meant for Hugh

 

[HughShaw]

It might be ok with the test, but fail when you least expect it like once in a while when playing games. For me, I test by running 3Dmark and converting videos (very process intensive), and when it passes I keep that overclocked speed. But once in a blue moon, you'll get a crash anyways if you're running near the limit.

Just wait to see if it happens again if you can't reproduce it, and if it does, then take the overclock down a notch until you have no problems.

 

[Zake202]

How would a game or something that uses something process intensive crash windows but not an actual stability test?

And which limit exactly? Are we talking temperature that could cause a stability limit, or something else?

 

[torrentg]

How would a game or something that uses something process intensive crash windows but not an actual stability test?

And which limit exactly? Are we talking temperature that could cause a stability limit, or something else?

Using your computer as you would like to is the stability test. As always, lower temps better. If it crashes doing what you want ever, too high overclock. Lower it.

 

[Zake202]

How would a game or something that uses something process intensive crash windows but not an actual stability test?

And which limit exactly? Are we talking temperature that could cause a stability limit, or something else?

Using your computer as you would like to is the stability test. As always, lower temps better. If it crashes doing what you want ever, too high overclock. Lower it.

Right I understand that, my question is what could cause it besides high temps or a lower vcore?

Intel burn test and prime 95 are made for stability testing. They are very process intensive and bring your temps up to degrees a lot of games/programs wouldn't.

How would average computer use differ in that?

 

[torrentg]

Right I understand that, my question is what could cause it besides high temps or a lower vcore?

Intel burn test and prime 95 are made for stability testing. They are very process intensive and bring your temps up to degrees a lot of games/programs wouldn't.

How would average computer use differ in that?

I have no idea because I've never even seen a screenshot of those apps. Maybe they don't drive the graphics subsystem hard or even at all. Too many variables and those are only for general ideas. Like I said, using the computer how you want to is the only test you can do with acceptable results.

Edit - I just saw this page. A 6 second test? That's a joke.

 

[Zake202]

You're right a 6 second test is a joke.

Intel burn test works on the amount of cycles you tell it to. Which means it could take minutes or hours. It all depends how long you let it run.

When I used it, which was recenly I ran 100 cycles, which brought my processor up to high temps up 70-76c and took about 2-3 hours. An unstable OC would crash under these settings.

Also, prime95 has been around even longer as a stability tool for overclocking and works similar to intel burn test.

I ran both large and small tests with that for 8hours each. One of those includes memory checking but I've also ran memtest for 8+ hours, just to make sure.

I understand running the computer is a way to check but any overclocker will tell you these testing programs are bread and butter before just hopping into games/programs.

 

[torrentg]

Any overclocker realizes what they are doing to hardware by overclocking. The better ones know that a pc running without bsod is much greater to have than one higher clocked with bsod.

 

[Zake202]

I still don't think it's my overclock. I'm not disregarding your advice but I think I will try it for a while with the said driver changes and see what happens from there.

I did play the game for 4-5 hours last night with no issues. That doesn't mean nothing will happen yet though.

 

[torrentg]

I did play the game for 4-5 hours last night with no issues. That doesn't mean nothing will happen yet though.

Alright, so you've been "testing" already for 4-5 hours....that's a good sign. Continue doing so.

 

[Zake202]

Nothing so far. Played the game for another 3-4 hours last night. Have had my PC a long time also, not so sure that would trigger anything though.

Trying to keep my hopes up but I feel like random problems are always out to get me.

I get paranoid about stuff like this. I'll report back if it happens again or after the weekend.