PC Freeze

[haxorico]

Only happened while gaming for now, but after SOME TIME of gaming, (not just a single game, happened on several games) the screen goes black (with some diagonal stripes on it) and I have to reset the PC. If I am on skype with some one, he can still hear me. Most of my PC is new, so I don't know what can cause that. I suspect the PSU, even though it is quite new (I got it with my GPU not too long ago) yet it happens when something "intense" is happening (yet the FPS is still steady 60, so I don't think its the GPU). What can be the cause of that?

Edit. Well I checked the PSU Brand and it needs to hold. Its a SeaSonic 850W 80+ Silver. So it should even hold 2 GPUs.

I think the problem is the GPU getting too hot. Its a Sapphire Vapor-X R9 280X . I have a lot of the PSU's cables as a cluster inside my case, so maybe there is a problem with the airflow. I opened the case after it happened and I got a big heat wave. I am not so good at airflow so for now I will just keep the side panel open. Any ideas? =\

[Dekar]

It's not like brand hardware is a guarantee it'll work flawlessly. First I'd switch out the GPU and see if the problem persists. The mainboard not being up to the power demands could be another option, especially if it's older.

Edit:
Depending on the thermal design of you case, leaving it open can make things worse. Opening the case probably leaves areas without moving air at all.
Have a look at this video (fancy thermal camera): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVqLx7SlHVg#t=162

[Vegas]

I've had this problem and overheating was the culprit. I'm sure it was the GPU.

[haxorico]

Thank you for the help.
Ill see what I can do in the matter when I get home.

[haxorico]

I got the cables managed, all nice and tidy (so proud of myself )
I got almost all the possible fans headed (and tested) in the right direction. (Flow goes from front to back and bottom to top).
Case is closed, as needed (CoolerMaster CM 690iii) here are the way the fans are spread.
Front: 180mm - Came installed with the case - Blowing inside.
Bottom: 120mm - Self Installed - Blows inside.
Top: 2x140mm - Self Installed - Blows outside
Back: 120mm - Pre-Installed - Blows outside.
HDD Cage - There is a place to mount another 120mm but it is blocked by the GPU (its a big ass GPU)
CPU: I have a heatsink on the CPU but it has a 140mm fan blowing torwards the back (not inside the CPU itself). There is room for another fan on the other side but it is blocked by the RAM. The cooler is Scythe Ashura. - If this is too complex I could just take a picture and upload...

On my last crash I monitored the temperature using a second screen, the fan wasn't loud (GPU fan) was around 70 degrees (c) and my CPU was on ~30 (c).
After the restart, I checked the GPU temp again, it was shown to be okay, but when touching the top of the GPU, it was REALLY hot

Could it be that there is a problem with my GPU itself? Wasn't build correctly?

[Dekar]

That's because to a human 70°C _is_ really hot. The rule of thumb says, if you can't hold on to it the temperature is at least 60°C.

[haxorico]

So... Is it the GPU? touching it now,(the top side) isn't really hot tough the driver says its at 37°C. Touhing it after shutdown when driver shows it is back to 37°C, is still very hot to the touch...
I don't know what could be the problem, I don't think its the CPU as on CPU intense stuff (like video editing) it doesn't happen, and in games the temp is fine, don't think Ive seen it over 40°C (using Everest)

[Lanaya]

Like Dekar said earlier, switch out the GPU and see if the problem insists

[haxorico]

I only now got the great idea to use furmark to make the GPU get hot and monitor it live (without being distracted by the game...)
GPU seemed to be fine, reached 80 degrees yet didn't shut down... So now I think the problem is NOT the GPU itself....
Also I now have 2 fans on my CPU, I am not sure which way to mount them. Should one fan blow in cold air from the front while the other blows out the heat from the back (back of the heatsink is back of the computer aswell... I guess..?) Or should both fans blow air inside? If so, it seems weird as there are 2 fans close to each other doing the opposite thing.

On the back there is a fan blowing the hot air outside, yet infront of it (torwards the inside) there is the heatsink with a fan blowing to the opposite direction (torwards the CPU)...
Again, explaining this is pretty hard for me, if I picture will make this easier to understand, it won't be a problem.

Also the problem still exists on heavy games, yet if I take a lighter game (like SC on almost all low settings) and turn V-Sync off it gets to gave over 100FPS and then shuts itself down as mentioned in the first post.

I don't have any other GPU to swap it with so that is also a problem...

[Vegas]

I still say it's the GPU. Try updating you drivers. Try and older driver.