Problem with PC freezing or locking during visual issues—needs assistance!
Problem with PC freezing or locking during visual issues—needs assistance!
PROBLEM: My computer sometimes freezes or shuts down on both screens, especially when running demanding games like Factorio or modified Minecraft. The audio still plays, but I can't interact with the keyboard or mouse, nor does the caps lock activate. I become stuck and must reboot the system. It has only ever shown a crash screen once, though the freezing keeps happening more often. Additional oddities: on my second monitor, the browser moves random shapes across the video area, which worsens when watching videos but occurs with any tab. This is likely linked to gaming on the main screen. This situation is really frustrating, and every time I take a screenshot it looks perfect—just a tiny bit of green or grey noise appears briefly at the bottom during gameplay, then vanishes as my cursor turns solid black. I'm scared to post more if I lose any details. RAM: I initially suspected faulty memory, so I ran a test and found errors on my old sticks. I replaced them, but the problem persists with new ones. I had XMP enabled in BIOS, turned it off once the issues started. After replacement, everything worked well for a while, then the locking and other problems returned. Old RAM: Corsair 32GB (4x8GB) DDR4 3200MHz Vengeance Pro - CMW32GX4M4C3200C16W New RAM: Corsair 32GB (2x16GB) DDR4 3200MHz Vengeance Pro - CMW32GX4M2E3200C16W I checked my task manager during tough games and it used only about a third of my memory. BIOS: I replaced the sticks and everything ran smoothly for a short time, but then the issues reappeared. PSU: Connected to the wall with a mini fridge; I don’t think I’m overloading it, though the fridge sometimes cycles power and my second monitor does too. Power source: 240V Australian outlets. RESOLUTIONS: I’m not sure what’s wrong, so I’m reaching out for advice. I suspect RAM might be the culprit—I recently checked the QVL list on my motherboard and didn’t see my sticks listed. I haven’t gone all the way to reinstalling Windows or swapping the SSD, as a last resort, but I’m hoping it’s just a minor problem. QUESTIONS: What might be causing this? Are there any files or updates I could share to help diagnose? If you need anything else, just let me know. I’ll keep monitoring this closely and respond promptly. Any assistance would be really appreciated. Spec List with Model Numbers: OS: Windows 11 Home BIOS: version f4d CPU: Ryzen 7 5800X3D (100-100000651WOF) GPU: ASUS Radeon RX 6900 XT TUF Gaming Top Edition 16GB (TUF-RX6900XT-T16G-GAMING) RAM: Corsair (2x16GB) DDR4 3200MHz Vengeance Pro (CMW32GX4M2E3200C16W) MOBO: X570S AORUS MASTER STORAGE: Samsung 2TB 970 EVO Plus M.2 NVMe SSD (MZ-V7S2T0BW) PSU: Corsair 850W RM850 80+ (CP-9020232-AU) DISPLAY: 2x Acer 24" QHD IPS 144Hz (VG271US) Thanks, Benjamin
Verify if an updated BIOS exists and apply it. Update the latest chipset drivers from AMD, not Gigabyte. Look for a firmware upgrade on your SSD. Run Dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth Sfc /scannow to assess your Windows. Re-test your RAM.
It looks like you just resolved the problem by updating your bios. If you run into similar issues later, feel free to come back—I'll check it out! That was a great fix.