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Question

PC freezes while gaming. Stress tests ok

Apr 4, 2017 1:34AM PDT

Hi, so my pc likes to freeze while I'm playing games. Sometimes 5 minutes into a game, other times I can get 30 minutes out of it.
The main games I play are Ark survival, Conan Exiles, Battlegrounds. It happens on all of them.
Only games though, I can stream to my chromecast all day without issues, or work from home and clear emails etc.
I've run it through the following tests:
-Full HDD surface scan
-Full overnight memory test
-48hr 3D test & CPU load test
-Checked all temps
-Unplugged USB hub and just played with keyboard and mouse
-Moved my graphics card to another PCI slot
-Monitored voltages during stress tests

Below is a speccy link so you can see my setup. Any help would be greatly appreciated as I'm lost now.
Speccy

My gut is pointing to the motherboard or graphics card, but I don't want to spend money without being more certain.
Thanks in advance for any help I may receive.
Jono

Discussion is locked

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Answer
3 displays, 1 GPU?
Apr 4, 2017 9:11AM PDT
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Still freezes if I run 2 monitors
Apr 4, 2017 10:58AM PDT

Thanks for your reply, I get the same issue with just 2 monitors.
I'm not aware of making any changes that have lead to this happening.

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Parts age, drivers and OS updates and
Apr 4, 2017 11:11AM PDT

What is it this time?

The cause is not glaring at us here. But multiple displays do push the system harder.

The 48hr 3D test & CPU load test sort of leads us to software/driver/OS/app/BIOS pointing.

That BIOS at http://www.gigabyte.com/Motherboard/GA-Z170XP-SLI-rev-10#support-dl notes a V core adjustment which would be on my list to update as a little too low Vcore and you would have hard to find hangs.

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Join the club
Apr 4, 2017 2:09PM PDT

Haha, you're not kidding about it not being obvious. I pride myself on being able to fix most of my PC issues, this one has me stumped.
I was running BIOS F6, upgraded to F20, and it still froze, went back to F6 as a test, but that didn't help. Notice there's a version F21 now so I'll give that a try when I get home.
I've been running dual monitors for years with no issues, this PC is 2 years old and just seems to have started freezing.
Might be time for a rebuild, lol.
Thanks for taking the time to reply

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For me.
Apr 4, 2017 3:52PM PDT

Always the latest BIOS and be sure the CPU area is maker defaults.

If this was mine, I'd be reducing the number of parts. I don't need the DVD drive and what else can I eject for testing?

As to rebuild, the stress tests don't tell all so try all new heatsink compound on all heatsinks, make it spotless clean and all fans in top shape.

If it hangs, try again without the GPU (use onboard graphics.)

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Seems it was the Motherboard
Apr 8, 2017 10:17PM PDT

Just a quick update.
Got hold of another motherboard, hooked it all up and have spent the weekend crash free.
Happy once more.
Thanks for the assistance.
Happy computing,
Jono