PC crashes because of RAM issues, but only during gameplay?
PC crashes because of RAM issues, but only during gameplay?
Hi all!
Lately, for no reason whatsoever, my computer's been crashing when playing CS or Apex (for some reason, I've run GPU and CPU stress tests with no incident though), with the error codes WHEA_UNCORRECTABLE_ERROR and CRITICAL_PROCESS_DIED (it's also worth mentioning that for some reason my PC just refuses to create memory dumps after a BSOD, even after being enabled, and the paging memory being more than enough). After running tests I'm lost as of why the crashes keeps happening. Lemme explain:
Specs are:
CPU
: Intel i7-9700k @ 3'6GHz
CPU cooler
: Corsair H100i Pro
Motherboard
: ASUS ROG Strix Z390-F Gaming (BIOS ver. 2102, latest)
Ram
: G.Skill Trident Z RGB DDR4 3200 PC4-25600 32GB 4x8GB CL16
SSD/HDD
: Samsung 970 EVO Plus 500GB SSD NVMe M.2 & Seagate BarraCuda 3.5" 2TB SATA 3
GPU
: Asus ROG Strix GeForce RTX 2080 Ti 11GB GDDR6
PSU
: Corsair RM850X V2 850W 80 Plus Gold Modular (bought 6 years ago, august 2019)
Chassis
: Phanteks Enthoo Evolv X
OS
: Windows 10 & 11 (error happens with both)
Monitor
: LG 27GK750F-B 27" LED FullHD 240Hz FreeSync
I ran Window's memory test, which told me it found hardware issues. I also ran Memtest86+, and although I couldn't test all permutations due to lack of time, I think the results are pretty conclusive. One RAM stick keeps failing at pass 0, no matter the slot.
Stick 5: Slot 1 ok, Slot 2 ok, Slot 3 ø, Slot 4 ø
Stick 6: Slot 1 ø, Slot 2 ok, Slot 3 ø, Slot 4 ø
Stick 7: Slot 1 ok, Slot 2 ø, Slot 3 ok, Slot 4 ø
Stick 8: Slot 1 Error, Slot 2 Error, Slot 3 Error, Slot 4 Error
(The stick # is just a way for me to identify the sticks based on the serial n°, and "ø" means no test has been run)
And yes, I cleaned the sticks with alcohol and blew air on the slots. This all points to stick 8 being faulty, and G.Skill should RMA it.
However, I tried running CS with only 2 ram sticks, on slots 1 and 3, and 2 and 4, and it crashed too. I also tried running it with 3 sticks, the faulty one out, with the same results: no BSOD this time however; when the crash happens, after ~5 mins of being ingame, peripherals stop working and after about 5 seconds the screen turns black, no audio. I'm really lost since the game can run fine with 16Gb of memory and the sticks are on slots that should be fine.
Should I complete all permutations on Memtest to fully ensure a stick doesn't like a slot, for some reason? Would replacing the faulty stick fix my life? Or is my issue not related to RAM?
🙁
Thanks a lot for reading!
Welcome to the forums, newcomer!
Here are your specifications:
• 32Gb RAM (four 8Gb sticks) G.Skill trident Z
• Nvidia 1080 Ti
• i7-9700k
• Motherboard: Asus ROG Strix Z390-F gaming
When sharing a troubleshooting thread, it's standard to provide full system details. List your specs clearly as follows:
CPU:
CPU cooler:
Motherboard:
Ram:
SSD/HDD:
GPU:
PSU:
Chassis:
OS:
Monitor:
Include the age of the PSU, along with its make and model. Also, note the BIOS version for your motherboard at this time.
I cleaned the RAM sticks with alcohol and used airflow to clear the slots.
You might also try using an eraser to eliminate carbon buildup on the gold contacts of the RAM stick. Remove any residue, wipe the lint from the eraser, and reinsert it into slot A2.
Alternatively, test another motherboard with a compatible BIOS version.
I attempted running CS with just two RAM sticks in slots 1 & 3, and 2 & 4, but it crashed as well.
It seems the issue isn’t with the RAM.
Should I run Memtest extensively to confirm a stick won’t fit in a slot for any reason?
At least perform ten passes to be safe.
Hi and thanks for the welcome.
I updated the specs.
The results I recorded after 9+ passes, except for the error ones, are as follows.
Why is there not a memory error but Memtest indicates a stick is faulty? It makes sense that it crashes with good sticks, suggesting it's not memory-related, but I'm still confused. Maybe a full PC cleanup would help?
also if it's not ram
did you attempt to clear the cmos?
this can be a hassle but often helps with these tricky, unknown problems.
if not ram
cpu oc?
gpu oc?
are you using any psu cable sleeves?
Hi
If XMP refers to overclocking, then no, I haven't ever done any OC and don't intend to. The RAM speed is already set to default, so that doesn't seem like the problem. But I'm about to get it replaced with a new unit because it comes with a lifetime warranty. After receiving the new sticks, I'll check again for crashes, hoping it was the RAM's issue.
The only PSU sleeves I use are connected to the GPU and motherboard. I've been using them since the beginning and haven't had any issues (though that's probably just luck).
When running memtest with a complete pass and no errors, your RAM is functioning properly.
If even one error occurs, it indicates a problem and the device should be replaced.
I experienced a similar issue in the past; it turned out that regular operations didn't affect the faulty memory cells of a RAM stick, but under load they did and caused a crash.
Thanks for the updates everyone!
I received my RMA sticks back, swapped them out, and there were no bluescreen issues, but the games still crashed with a black screen that made the PC unresponsive. Eventually, I disassembled it, replaced the thermal paste, blew some air, and put it back in. So far, I've been playing for five hours straight without any crashes. This appears to have resolved the problem.
Thanks again! I really hope I don’t need to go back to this thread.
excited to know you cracked it, because sometimes the method does bring us to the real answer.
Unfortunately, I have to visit this place again. The computer worked fine for a few days but now it's failing again, sometimes with BSOD and other times just restarting by itself. It looks like it gets triggered by games like Apex or CS2. I really don't know what to do. Maybe my PC is just...