Suddenly, I encountered BSOD and Nvidia driver issues on my computer.
Suddenly, I encountered BSOD and Nvidia driver issues on my computer.
I own an i5-4690k with a Gigabyte 960 GV XOC4GD (the shorty), a 600w Corsair Bronze PSU, and an Asrock Z97E-Itx MB. The system has operated perfectly for more than a year. I routinely refresh the thermal paste every few months.
I recently connected it to a 1440/144hz Asus gaming monitor. While playing Dota 2 with Vsync off, it consistently achieves around 90-120 FPS at 1440 resolution. All drivers are up to date, and I’m using Windows 10.
After running several tests, I observed that the PSU’s OC test in OCCT triggered issues, along with GPU activity. The afterburner data showed voltage limits reaching 1 just before crashes, and power usage hit 100%. I maximized performance power settings.
Notably, playing at 1080p doesn’t stress the card at all—it functions smoothly.
So I reset everything to factory clocks. The 960 had a significant memory overclock (+400). Resetting it back to zero restored stability. Dota 2 now runs at about 90fps again, power usage stays below 100%, and GPU temperatures remain around 79°C.
Question: Does this suggest the PSU is failing? Is the MB not controlling voltage properly? Or did I push the 960 too hard, causing it to overheat?
(This was posted in the wrong forum, unsure how to relocate it)
It seems your graphics card is under stress when running at 1440, but if it's using 100% power, it's utilizing as much energy as it can. I've tested playing at 2k with my 970 and even it has trouble—power use jumps to 97%. You'll likely need a more powerful power supply, ideally something with 650 watts or higher.
Which Corsair PSU model are you using? I've heard some users face issues with lower-tier models, though I'm not sure how reliable this is. How does the PSU test appear in OCCT at stock? Also, it's possible one of MS' newer Windows 10 updates or changes could be involved. If you've tried different drivers, consider rolling back a Cumulative Update 10. Some online searches might reveal unusual problems with certain units.
It seems your graphics card is under stress when running at 1440, but if it's using 100% power, it's utilizing as much energy as it can. I've tested playing at 2k with my 970 and even it has trouble—power use jumps to 97%. You likely need a more powerful power supply, ideally something with 650 watts or higher.