Gameplay interrupts randomly during play, especially with MOBO or high GPU usage.
Gameplay interrupts randomly during play, especially with MOBO or high GPU usage.
Hello, here’s a brief overview of my situation. I’m still getting familiar with assembling PCs, so some things that seem clear might need extra explanation. My system has experienced random freezes under different conditions—sometimes it stalls during heavy use, other times it freezes even when idle. These issues happen whether the workload is high or low. Programs can run for hours while I sleep, but sometimes they freeze after just a couple of minutes.
I’ve listed my hardware and the steps I’ve tried to diagnose the problem. Here’s what I have:
- **Operating System:** Windows 11 x64
- **CPU:** Ryzen 7 5800X3D with AIO water cooler
- **GPU:** ROG Strix LC II 360 ARGB
- **RAM:** Corsair Vengeance 2x32GB @ 3200MHz
- **PSU:** Super Flower 850W, Leadex 3 (eco mode off)
- **Monitor:** 3840x2160 at 120Hz, plus two 1920x1080 at 144Hz
- **Storage:** M.2 SSD, SATA SSD, and SATA HDD
- **BIOS:** ROG Dark Hero VIII, version 4402
I’m unsure if the graphics drivers were properly uninstalled during the upgrade from the 3080 to the 4080, which might be contributing. I haven’t fully tested the RAM yet, so it’s hard to say for sure.
A typical freeze feels like this: applications stay open but stop responding, you can open them briefly before they crash. The Task Manager opens but doesn’t show anything unusual until you press Ctrl+Alt+Delete. Some keyboard actions work, but others don’t. Lights on the keyboard and case behave oddly, while fans and other components still function.
The CPU stays under 30% usage overall, and GPU usage is below 50%. Temperatures were normal during testing.
Recently, I experienced a specific issue while playing Yakuza 0 at 4K resolution. The game took about five minutes to level up, and the macro froze first. After a reboot, the 1080p monitor showed core and GPU temperatures, but the game continued. The lighting on the keyboard and mouse also froze in sequence.
I’ve tried several fixes:
- Reinstalling drivers
- Checking Event Viewer logs
- Running Memtest86+
- Disabling power management settings
- Adjusting BIOS settings (default, Asus Optimal, Auto EZ Tweak)
- Turning off sleep and hibernation features
Despite these efforts, the problem persists. I’m still trying to figure out exactly what’s causing it, but I appreciate any guidance you can provide.
Alternative possibilities exist for the problem; reset RAM to JEDEC standards (eliminate XMP/manual OC) and run GPU driver in safe mode before reinstalling. DDU your GPU driver first. Also, consider stripping down RGB software, as it may trigger issues. I’m not sure about Super Flower as a PSU brand, but it should work if you verify they’re reliable.
I really don’t understand how to reset the RAM to JEDEC, but I’ll look it up later. I also plan to try running the GPU driver in safe mode before reinstalling everything. I’ll keep any RGB software I have installed, but if it’s actually causing the problem, I’d like to know which program is responsible. Right now, besides AURA and Razer Synapse, the only other tools I use are the Cooler Master app for case and fan settings. My main concern about the GPU driver is that I experienced similar freezes when using a 3080 during the first installation, so I upgraded both to see if it resolved the issue—or at least help identify if the GPU itself was the problem. From what I found about Super Flower reviews, they seem solid and include built-in fans, which makes sense for cooling. If anyone knows whether their brand can cause these issues, I’d appreciate the advice. I’ll follow up once I’ve tried it. Thanks!
Super flower is a major OEM producing many PSUs for other brands. They deliver high quality products. Seasonic and FSP are known for manufacturing top-tier PSUs as well. Disconnect any non-system drives when experiencing these issues—these freezes often stem from a peripheral problem. The next item on my list is Corsair RAM; there are numerous reports of problems with their memory modules, even under normal conditions. Additionally, if you find files in the C:\windows\minidump directory, move them to your desktop and upload the corresponding dump files from there. Windows doesn’t allow direct access to that folder.
I'll give disconnecting the drives a try. C:\windows\minidump doesn't exist on my system. I take that to mean either there are no dump files, or something is broken in my OS. Just by the way I'm entering the directory in the address bar in case of hidden/ super hidden is turned on, and still nothing comes up. As for the RAM I had a friend tell me to use Memtest, just to verify would that be the advised way to check my RAM?
Thanks for the feedback. I’ll give it a shot with both options—probably trying the DDU part after work since it seems to require more time.
Completed the full driver reinstall on my GPU. The boot menu didn’t show an XMP setting, and RAM is running at its default speed—no overclocking attempts made. Since nothing else seems to be working, I’ll verify the RAM functions properly. If the issue persists, I’ll look into whether a clean GPU install resolved it. For RAM quality, consider reputable brands like Corsair, G.Skill, or Kingston. Before making any changes, try reproducing the crash again to see if it improves.
The BIOS/UEFI? You are leaving performance on the table if the RAM is running at JEDEC (stock) speed, although it grants you more stability. I have two sets of Crucial Ballistix running in my PC and they have been good, although they are not willing to clock higher than their advertised speeds. Which is not bad, they do what they are supposed to (and are very stable) just nothing more than that. That is something I would recommend doing as well, no point in wasting money.