I promise I'm not crazy—Netflix is crashing my PC.
I promise I'm not crazy—Netflix is crashing my PC.
I want to mention that this has occurred with every Windows installation on this PC. I've completely cleared the drives and reinstalled it several times, yet the problem persists. Occasionally, when I stream Netflix directly in-browser, my PC experiences major issues—like the screen going dark briefly, freezing and then resuming, the system locking up, or even a complete restart. I'm not sure if this started after I began using monitors with resolutions above 1080p, though it could be connected to that. Regardless, it happened recently. I logged into Netflix, selected a show, and as it loads, the PC suddenly restarts. After logging back in, everything appears normal. I’m aware of the time it happened, so I can review relevant logs if you need them to help diagnose the issue. I’m not sure which logs would be most useful, but feel free to share them if you’d like.
Did you try a different browser? Also, ensure the HDR setting is disabled for video playback.
What are your device details? Did you encounter a crash screen? The error code could help identify the issue. Reinstalling Windows and performing hard drive cleanups suggests a hardware problem is more likely. Using software that remains unchanged after a hard drive wipe points to a potential hardware fault. There are some updates available for BIOS that you might want to check. If the issue persists, try troubleshooting hardware components. Before watching the video, open Chrome developer tools and log any errors to your storage device. The problem might stem from Netflix attempting to run code it doesn’t recognize.
Does this occur with the Windows Netflix app? I've streamed Netflix through the app, Firefox, and Edge without any problems. Usually I rely on the app, but I also use it on a PC connected to my TV and a regular high-resolution NEC monitor.
No crash occurred, just a restart. I've also replaced new motherboards, GPUs, CPUs, power supplies, and RAM recently. It's hard to think it's related to the hardware. That's what feels strange.
Of course totally anecdotal - but so far, this actually seems to be making things run smoother. Will update if this changes, but damn.