Game frequently stops unexpectedly and fails to start after BIOS setup.
Game frequently stops unexpectedly and fails to start after BIOS setup.
I recently upgraded my computer and encountered some problems. When launching a game, I expect it to run for about 3 to 60 minutes depending on the title—for instance, Witcher 3 stops after roughly five minutes, while Overwatch 2 lasts around an hour. There are no error alerts; the game simply crashes without any warning. Once my PC restarted, that was the only sign of trouble. Another issue I’ve faced is that whenever I save and exit via BIOS, my computer refuses to boot. The troubleshoot indicator on my motherboard briefly activates before the system attempts another restart, though I can’t confirm what’s happening since there’s no display output. The only way I managed to get it running was by clearing CMOS and skipping the BIOS setup. It seems these problems might be linked, but I’m not sure. I’ve used DDU and reinstalled drivers without success. My GPU has been overclocked and undervolted through AMD’s auto settings, yet the same issues persist. I also attempted an upgrade from Windows 10 to 11, but nothing changed. Please let me know if this helps or if you need further details.
Checking the UEFI version and attempting an update might resolve the problem. The asrock site mentions version 1.11 is the latest for that board.
I attempted that, thank you for the assistance! I'm wondering if it would also resolve the crashing issue, or if it might be more connected to the motherboard.
I switched to BIOS, updated the settings, set RAM speed to 5600, then exited. The system lit up red for booting, followed by a CPU light, and then shut down before trying again. It kept showing both lights, suggesting an issue with the CPU. I’m not sure what’s causing it, but I’ll look into bent pins.
Following the BIOS updates, the system may need a short period to initialize—typically the first boot. It needs to determine memory settings and other parameters. Try it with the 4800 speed; you can adjust memory and CPU configurations once everything stabilizes. Did you give it a try? Some users feel nervous when they notice unusual behavior such as unexpected reboots or delays after an update, especially if they turn off the machine too soon.
I spent ten minutes and still didn’t get a boot after entering BIOS. The troubleshooting lights came on for boot and the CPU lights lit up after trying to start a few times, but then it gave up. I took apart my PC and put it back together to see if that would help, but it didn’t. I checked the pins for bending, though I’m not an expert, and they looked okay. I’m not sure if the BIOS update resolved the crashing problems or if the issue is with the CPU or the pins.
That sounds unusual. Which features were improved? It looks like there might be an issue with one component, though it doesn’t always function properly. (I’ve experienced that too)
I used to have these components: i5-8400 z390 M. Boards, 16GB DDR4 3600 MHz RAM, Corsair RGB, a 550W PSU, and an 1660 case. Mostly changed the rest except the CPU cooler, storage, and case. If you're curious about testing parts without needing other components, I can help. I don’t have any extra gear to test, and I’m not able to spend much on new stuff.
It seems the main adjustments you can make are storage, power, and GPU. In my opinion, there are two clear paths to eliminate possible issues: replace GPUs and observe if crashes persist, or swap CPU, memory, and RAM while keeping the new GPU and PSU—see which one is simpler. You likely already know what steps to take, but let's try it. Download the right display drivers for 1660, run ddu power off, change the boot order, install the NVIDIA driver you previously downloaded, and test the games. If crashes continue, check if the problem lies in the CPU/MB/MEM; since we can't test those alone (except memory), the easiest fix is to swap those components out. To verify memory issues, test one at a time in different slots until you identify a faulty DIMM or slot. Hope this gives you a clearer direction.
I thank you for your assistance and guidance! After the latest update, I haven’t experienced any crashes while playing Deep Rock Galactic for about 2.5 hours. I also played Subnautica for an hour without any issues. Both games would crash after roughly 20 minutes. I haven’t tested The Witcher 3, which would crash after just 5 minutes. I’m trying to determine if the problem lies with RAM or the graphics card, suspecting it might be related to the CPU or memory. I plan to test this this weekend and will update you once I have more information. Thanks for your time and support!