Is your computer frequently showing BSOD errors during specific games?
Is your computer frequently showing BSOD errors during specific games?
Hello everyone, thank you for reading my post...
I recently purchased a new CPU about a month ago, intended for gaming. I aimed to ensure it could run new games smoothly on Steam. Indeed, it performed well across all titles within a month. However, I encountered an issue with "The Witcher 3." After buying it, the game played fine for about eight hours, with each session lasting roughly one to three hours. But then I noticed the Steam site advertised a discount on the game, so I bought it and played for around eight hours each time. Suddenly, the display would freeze and the CPU would crash with a blue screen.
That was quite surprising, as there was no lag visible on the graphics. I tried playing again and the BSOD returned after about five to ten minutes. Other games like "Far Cry 5" and "Pathfinder: Kingmaker," as well as "Wasteland 3" and "Honkai: Star Rail," ran without issues. Until recently, I saw a discount on "The Witcher 3" and decided to buy it. It ran for about eight hours each playthrough, usually between one and three hours. Then, I experienced sudden display freezes and CPU crashes. After playing for 5-10 minutes, the game would restart with a blue screen.
In conclusion, it seems certain games trigger the BSOD while others don’t. There was no crash on CPU during those sessions except when playing "The Witcher 3" and "Far Cry 5." I attempted fixes myself before resorting to reinstalling everything and deleting all game downloads. To be honest, I’m new to troubleshooting and had no prior knowledge. I turned to the internet for solutions, and here’s a list of steps that might help:
1. Clean the disk
2. Defragment it
3. Disable auto-paging
4. Stop temporary searches via the command prompt
5. Set power plan to High Performance
6. Adjust advanced power settings: turn off hard disk after 0 minutes and enable processor power management at 90%
7. Disable antivirus software
8. Install GCC (Gigabyte Control Center)
9. Reinstall Windows (though I’m unsure if this will actually fix everything, as my game still appears on the desktop)
10. Update drivers using Device Manager (again, uncertain if this works)
11. Stop Superfetch (not found in the prompt, so I entered it directly)
12. Tweak GIGABYTE BIOS (restart and see the BIOS screen when BSOD occurs)
13. Apply all Windows 10 updates
Despite these efforts, the BSOD still appeared on the desktop screen. Eventually, I managed to use Task Manager to close background processes, turned off Wi-Fi, and forced the CPU to stop crashing. I also deleted the GCC files downloaded after the crashes. After restoring everything to its original state, the BSOD disappeared on the desktop. I then tried the following:
13. Continue updating Windows 10 to Windows 11
14. Verify all updates on the hard drive
After completing these steps, the problem returned to its original state—BSODs appeared only on certain games. I tried locating the root cause before blindly applying online fixes.
Additionally, I ran "The Witcher 3" without using Steam, which still caused a BSOD. This suggests Steam might not be the issue at this stage.
I also checked if my graphics card was the problem, but it ran smoothly without any lag in other games. System crashes only occurred during "The Witcher 3." For now, I’m willing to ignore it and play other games. However, it still affects "Far Cry 5."
Using Windows Defender, I scanned for viruses and found none. Every part of the system remains intact, and my CPU is still brand new.
Is there any solution I haven’t tried yet before I restart everything and delete all my games?
MB: GIGABYTE GA-B760M-DS3H, DDR4
CPU: Intel Core i7-13700F LGA-1700
RAM: KINGSTON FURY BEAST RGB Special Ed. 16GB DDR4-3200 (2x8GB)
SSD: Samsung 990 PRO 1TB NVME Gen4 x4
GPU: Gigabyte GV-N4060 8GB
Case: VENOMRX GENJIRO WHITE RGB 3 Fan
PSU: COUGAR XTC ARGB 650W 80+
CPU Cooler: DEEPCOOL AG400 ARGB Black
KB + Mouse: Logitech MK-220 Wireless
Monitor: GIGABYTE 24" G24F-2 IPS 165Hz
in the reliability history section, it mentions a faulty path on the RED launcher for "THE WITCHER 3" and EPIC Launcher. now i'm just attempting to reinstall everything and delete every game, data, and file I've downloaded, as it's just for gaming purposes. cloud saving on Steam should help prevent losing all my game data at the moment. once the reinstall is complete, i plan to test the game again that caused the BSOD. if the issue persists, i believe there might be a problem with the hard disk, which is the most concerning possibility since i just purchased this entire setup a few months ago.
Checked the power supply on the psu tier list and it seems to be a tier E unit, which should be avoided.
PSU Tier List rev. 17.0g - Cultists Network
The PSU tier list can assist in selecting the optimal power supply from thousands of models available. Whether for budget or top-tier options.
cultists.network
When a system shuts down, it often shows signs of overheating or PSU issues. Since the system has been running smoothly for at least an hour, it’s likely the PSU became overloaded and developed heat problems.
Back nearly 20 years ago, during the Pentium 4/Atlas 64 era, most cases included a PSU mounted on top. I remember purchasing an ultra-brand power supply from tigerdirect.com at that time. However, on that SSD unit I recall, I always needed a case fan below it to expel hot air and prevent the power supply from shutting down.
i don't believe the BSOD on my CPU is related to heat. each time i play a game, i feel the heat from the fan blowing out from the cpu. it's not that hot at all, even on a mild breeze. the casing i use has a case fan below it, with several fans (three or four). in task manager, i noticed the system spikes high while running the game, causing the disk to reach 100% usage before a BSOD occurs. i think this might be connected to the windows update. when i tried reinstalling, it failed without playing the game, and during reliability history on 9 december 2023, before the first BSOD, windows updated. now my cpu is stuck in an endless failed install state, so i took it to the store for repairs. hope this resolves everything permanently. after that, i plan to disable windows auto-update...
Disabling the Windows update isn’t a good fix I believe. They’re getting faster with their updates and it seems they’ll eventually require certain updates to function properly. Your computer might not be overheating, but the power supply could be the problem. In the scenario I mentioned earlier, I think the internal power supply was the cause. That being said, if your power supply is a low-quality tier E unit, it’s probably best to replace it for long-term reliability. The rest of the PC appears fine except for the power supply, which I’m not a big fan of. The 4060 should work well for 1080p, even if I’m not an Nvidia enthusiast. You shouldn’t defrag SSDs; instead, use TRIM, and Windows should handle it automatically. However, I did some research and found articles from earlier this year about users experiencing issues with the Samsung EVO 990 Pro, some of which ended up failing. It might be wise to back up your data soon. If your drive is having problems, that could explain the BSODs. I only found one article for reference. Samsung SSDs are failing – 980 Pro, 990, 970 EVO PLUS, PM9A1 and more are reporting failures. We know what’s happening. On Feb 15/02/23, there was updated information about the Samsung M.2 NVMe SSD firmware issue. You can read more in the article and video below: Samsung 990 Pro SSD Firmware Failures UPDATED Video - HERE.
Well.. I gave up searching for a solution about a week ago. I keep making mistakes with my computer when trying to reinstall Windows again. It keeps failing to restart properly. I took it to a store to check it out, and then I reinstalled it, but it went back to the original version. My game stopped working, but I can still download it from Steam again. I’m trying to play another game (Monster Hunter: World) without issues, but it still doesn’t work. The question remains.
I believe the power supply might be the issue. I played it for a month, and my longest playtime was 3-4 hours. If the power supply is faulty, then all games with high graphics should also fail. However, Monster Impact and Wasteland 3 have run without problems for several hours, based on the sound and CPU temperature I observed while playing.
I’ve noticed an increasing Samsung SSD failure report. To be honest, I’ve never heard of that before. If I were to use an SSD, I’d probably think twice before purchasing it, since the store that recommended it over HDD suggested it. I searched online and saw similar warnings, but I didn’t look into which SSD brand is best.
I plan to download the game that caused the first error and see if the problem recurs after I disable Windows updates. If it doesn’t happen, then the issue might be with the Windows update itself. If the same error appears again, I’ll assume Windows isn’t the problem and try using a different SSD than Samsung. If that doesn’t work, I’ll consider it later.
The Cougar XTC series is completely unsuitable. Remove it from your system right away, discard it properly (don’t hesitate to throw it away—this isn’t a joke. You wouldn’t want your disliked person to have their house damaged if this unit lacks proper safeguards), and swap it for a better PSU. Ideally, something more reliable. I’m certain your power supply is the core issue and will eventually become one. If you’re concerned about damaging other components, disconnect it from your hardware for at least a day. It’s that bad. Irrespective of what the store suggested, you should question their expertise. These are sales representatives, not technical specialists. Their role is to push products, not ensure quality. They have no interest in your hardware failing later—whether it’s weeks, months, or years from now. Regarding the SSD, both you and the seller clearly didn’t conduct proper research before recommending it. It’s widely known that these drives have reliability issues, as detailed in the linked information. You can trust the reports you’re seeing—they’re accurate. Ignoring this isn’t your choice. If I were, I’d return it and demand a refund. If not, I’ll reach out to Samsung directly.
This situation is really chaotic. The PSU is a total mess, and if you reinstall Windows properly, the only thing left on the drive would be Windows until other components are fixed. Doing Windows tweaks on top of it only complicates things further. To truly clear this mess, start from scratch. Address the hardware issues—especially the PSU—before worrying about Windows. Wipe the drive clean during a fresh install, and then tackle the problems without repeating the same mistakes.
In truth, beyond the issue of stores suggesting a 990 Pro without knowing its flaws, allowing customers to either clarify the problems or return affected models seems like a poor choice. It appears that trying to reach someone with even a basic understanding of the situation is likely the wisest move they've made. Unfortunately, it ended up being the same company that sold them a faulty SSD and a subpar power supply, paired with otherwise decent hardware. Still, it might be that the sales staff are to blame, possibly with less technical knowledge than their colleagues. I wouldn’t expect much better.