Graphics and Audio Crash!

[MrFeenee]

Ok so Ive had a reoccuring issue for a while now where my computer completely freezes. (this includes video and audio)

This happens when I am
a. playing a game
or
b. streaming a video online

I have never had an issue when watching a video from my hard drive.

Originally I thought it was my wireless card, so I am now using a wired connection, but the problem still occurs.
I have also already updated the drivers on my video card. any other ideas of what this could be?

When using Event Viewer I get the critical message: Kernel Power.

 

[H2SO4]

Does it happen when you boot to [safe mode + net] for testing purposes?

 

[MrFeenee]

Actually when I ran it in safe+net I streamed about 4 videos at once and it didn't crash!!!

That's great, but what does it mean?

 

[H2SO4]

Actually when I ran it in safe+net I streamed about 4 videos at once and it didn't crash!!!

That's great, but what does it mean?

It means the crash is caused by something which loads in normal mode but not in safe mode. Suggestions:

1) Update your video driver.
2) Update your anti-virus, or even uninstall it temporarily until this is done.
3) Use the MSCONFIG utility to select "diagnostic startup", then reboot...test... if it's still OK (in normal mode), use MSCONFIG's "selective" startup to zero-in on the culprit.

 

[MrFeenee]

Ok that worked too. I'm now running selective startup. Is there anything I should look out for?

 

[H2SO4]

Ok that worked too. I'm now running selective startup. Is there anything I should look out for?

Just to clarify, this particular troubleshooting strategy is based on the premise that what is described as a "crash" in the thread's title is actually a lockup. Otherwise, if it really does crash - in the BSOD sense - it would be better to analyse minidumps.

Lockups are nasty to troubleshoot because it's hard to extract info from the OS at the point where everything is locked up. What you've done, so far, is to prove that the issue doesn't happen in safe mode, and doesn't happen in MSCONFIG's "diagnostic" mode either, which is about as close as you can get to a safe mode boot - without actually being in safe mode.

Now, you'd use "selective" to enable some components and test what happens (reboot before testing each time). For example, you could choose to start all "services" while keeping the "Startup items" all disabled. If that still works (no lockups), swap it around so that all startup items are enabled but services are disabled. Then half of each. Then the remaining quarter. Then an eigth... Eventually you'll be down to the lone item whose presence appears to alter the outcome and lead to lockups.

It's a pain, but it'll get you to the answer.