Check your GPU and see if any other solutions work.
Check your GPU and see if any other solutions work.
Hi there! This is my initial message here, so please accept any oversights if needed. I've already done quite a bit of work, so this explanation is a bit detailed. A parts list is attached at the end. Recently, I've faced problems where most games would crash to the desktop. I've tried several troubleshooting steps, but I'm curious if I overlooked something. I strongly suspect a faulty GPU, though I've already returned the card to MSI and received it back. Their RMA process claimed they'd fixed it, but the updates from them seemed questionable. When I compared the card to photos taken before sending it in, everything looked intact—no signs of tampering, screws aligned exactly as before the return.
The main issue appears to be instability when playing 3D-heavy games. The crashes happen right after launch, though the system remains stable afterward (no BSOD, no forced restarts, no overheating, etc.). Some games show a generic crash report, while others don't. I consistently see an Event Viewer error message.
Occasionally, I can play for hours without trouble, but most sessions end with repeated crashes shortly after starting or loading from the menu. My BIOS only uses the standard XMP profile; changing it to overclocking hasn't helped. Swapping my MSI 3080 for an older EVGA 2080 Super seems to resolve the problem. However, during the RMA process I experienced two crashes with the 2080 Super that triggered the same Event Viewer warnings.
I'm pretty sure the GPU is the culprit, but I want to confirm before I escalate more troubleshooting with MSI Support again. Could this be linked to a small PSU or a faulty PCIe slot? Is Windows possibly contributing?
Games I've struggled with:
- Spider-Man Remastered (Steam)
- The Witcher 3 Next-gen Update
- DX12 version (Steam)
- High on Life (Xbox Game Pass)
- Assassin's Creed: Odyssey (Steam)
- Assassin's Creed: Valhalla (Steam)
- Elden Ring (Steam)
- Forza Horizon 5 (Xbox Game Pass)
- Cyberpunk (Steam)
Games I use regularly:
- Graveyard Keeper (Steam)
- Dwarf Fortress (Steam Edition)
- Heroes of Hammerwatch (Steam)
- Vampire Survivors (Steam)
Other activities: many MS Edge tabs open, Photoshop, YouTube videos.
Event Viewer messages:
- Error - The description of Event ID 0 from source nvlddmkm cannot be found...
- Warning - Display driver nvlddmkm stopped responding and recovered.
- Troubleshooting steps tried:
- 3dmark benchmarks (failed)
- Time Spy (failed)
- Speed Way (failed)
- Fire Strike Extreme (multiple failures)
- OCCT tests (no errors before RMA, but crashes still occurred)
- HCI Memtest (no long runs)
- Memtest86 (no issues)
- Furmark (no artifacts)
- Temperature monitoring (normal temps)
I've also tried reinstalling drivers, updated BIOS, changed power supply, and even used DDU to reinstall graphics. Despite these efforts, the issue persists.
Additional notes:
- I'm considering a clean install of Windows 11.
- The current system specs are listed here.
- PSU size and PCIe slot quality might be factors.
- I'm open to trying a different machine with similar specs soon.
Feel free to let me know if anything needs clarification!
Have you attempted updating the GPU driver using DDU and then reinstalling it?
The PSU brand Super Flower seems reliable since it's new to me, and your 2080 is experiencing issues without a major impact here. Would you like me to attempt removing three of your drives?
Your power supply is a Super Flower Leadex III Gold 850W model.
It depends on the specific company you're asking about. Could you provide more details or clarify which brand you mean?
The Superflower Ledex III appears in the A-tier section of the Cultist Network PSU tier list. They also supply products for companies like EVGA. PSU Tier List: https://cultists.network/140/psu-tier-list/ Edit: When operating the GPU, I’m using three separate cables instead of the second daisy-chained connector.
The PSU you have falls into low priority categories in the forum PSU tier list within the mid-range category. It seems unlikely this is the main problem unless you try using it for testing, as PSU failures typically cause the entire PC to restart instead of just games crashing.
Executing this command in the admin console will attempt to resolve installation issues such as damaged files or configuration errors.
Indicates the issue isn't with your current graphics card, as MSI confirmed it works fine. Users often hear it was resolved without further problems. Assuming you've cleared everything and reinstalled Windows, consider checking other parts. Power supply is usually the first thing to check, but don't rule out other components entirely.