PC restarts following ALT TAB in DX12 Games
PC restarts following ALT TAB in DX12 Games
PC shuts down unpredictably when using ALT-TAB or switching apps (specifically in DirectX 12 titles). This has occurred about thirty times, following certain trends:
• Occasionally triggered while exiting a game or changing window modes.
• Once during a Call of Duty window switch.
• Another instance after launching Battlefield 2042.
After these events, the system remains active for extended periods before restarting abruptly.
Key observations:
• The PC continues to operate smoothly until the screen goes dark and it restarts briefly.
• Audio from games or apps is still audible during the blackout.
• This pattern repeats even with frequent window switching, but eventually leads to a crash.
Previous troubleshooting attempts:
• Removed and reinstalled drivers via DDU (both legacy and current versions).
• Reinstalled Windows.
• Replaced RAM and GPU.
• Reset CMOS and BIOS settings.
• Updated and downgraded chipset drivers.
• Adjusted GPU frequency limits.
• Monitored power supply rails with HWInfo — no anomalies.
• Verified PSU connections and cables.
• Installed minimal GPU drivers.
• Conducted OCCT RAM, PSU, GPU, and CPU stress tests.
• Ran GFX Benchmark DX12 and Cinebench under load.
• Performed Memtest86 for two hours without errors.
• Set power plan to High Performance.
• Reinstalled DirectX.
• Disabled FreeSync.
• Tested with a single monitor.
Despite these efforts, the problem continues. The Event Viewer displays only Kernel Event 41, which appears post-restart. No additional logs suggest the cause.
Notably, this issue doesn’t occur in DirectX 11 games. For instance, playing Hell Let Loose (DX11) works without problems. It seems to be restricted to DirectX 12 titles, especially when ALT-TABbing or switching applications.
Anyone else have encountered this? Any suggestions on possible causes?