Issue with PC freezing or crashing mainly occurs in multiplayer games.
Issue with PC freezing or crashing mainly occurs in multiplayer games.
The PC freezes completely without any noticeable cause. I attempted to use BIOS mode OC genie, which led to a reboot instead of freezing. While playing multiplayer games like The Forest and Ghost Exile with a friend, I experienced crashes during intense moments but not consistently. Single-player games didn’t trigger the issue. I’m unsure what might be causing it. Recently, I had to reset my CMOS due to another problem, though it didn’t start immediately. The Event Viewer only recorded unexpected shutdowns and unrelated events during the crash. I’ve updated drivers, enabled/disabled XMP, and checked BIOS settings for TPM and secure boot. I haven’t faced issues in two years, but I’m puzzled as most problems seem linked to the PSU or overheating. I don’t know how to verify these faults and would appreciate any guidance. I’ll check the PSU next.
PSU details: make, model, wattage, age, condition (original to build, new, refurbished, used)? Record of heavy gaming usage – correct?
Storage devices: make, model, capacity, current usage?
In general, a growing number of different errors (checked through Event Viewer or Reliability History/Monitor) suggest the PSU is weakening or failing.
If you're not comfortable with Reliability History/Monitor, review it. It's more user-friendly and shows trends in a timeline format.
Remember to ensure all crucial information is saved before proceeding.
PSU:
Corsair CX650M 650W - I don't recall the purchase date, but looking at listings in my region from 2013 suggests it might be time. I've likely run several builds on this unit, so it probably needs replacement. My dad probably bought it for me, but I can't confirm the exact time. It's probably close to ten years, which is about the typical lifespan of a PSU.
I've been gaming occasionally and heavily, so it's been used quite a bit.
Storage:
(M2 boot drive) PNY CS3030 1TB SSD
One 2.5mm SanDisk Ultra II 240GB drive and two 3.5mm SATA drives.
I usually keep everything around 80% capacity, which has freed up space and improved gaming performance recently.
Thanks for the reminder about reliability history—I tend to overlook it, but it would have been simpler! Also, backing up data.
I'm sensing it's likely the PSU now.
It froze again today, and CPU, RAM, GPU, etc., were all around 30-60% usage.
I ran a memtest under heavy load and noticed the CPU stayed stable at around 80°C. I've only played with one other player, but it seemed to take longer to crash or freeze when my friend hosted the game. I don't think it would overheat, thanks!