crashing Freezing and crashing after a while if I install GPU drivers.

[al0o0z]

I've a system with the bellow mentioned components.

• CPU: Ryzen 5 3600
• Mobo: Asrock B450M Pro4-F R2.0
• RAM: PNY XLR8 8GBx2
• HDD: WD blue 1TB
• SSD: Lexar 256 GB
• PSU: Corsair CV 450W OR Thermaltake Litepower  450W
• GPU: Amd Radeon RX 550 4GB OR Nvidia GTX 960 2GB

I bought the system in February 2021 and it was working great w/o any issues. However, recently I started facing random pixelation, freezes, crashes, and rebooting in both windows 10 and linux ( archlabs linux). I was using an Amd Radeon RX 550 4 GB at that time. I thought it might be a GPU issue. I reinstalled my GPU driver using DDU w/o resolution of the issue. I switched to a Nvidia GTX 960 2GB but the problem persisted. I changed my PSU from the Corsair one to the Thermaltake one but the issue still persisted. I was booting from my HDD at that time. I installed a new SSD and installed windows 10, windows 11, and linux on it. The issue still persisted in any given hardware combo. Once I uninstalled all of my drivers using DDU in windows or in linux didn't install nvidia or amd grahics drivers, I didn't have any issue at all. I've been using my PC w/o installing any vendor graphics drivers since then w/o any issue but the downside is that I can't play any  games at all. 

Can you guys/girls please help me to find out which of my component might be causing the issue. I'm guessing this might have something to do with the PCIE slot or something. I've warranty of all of my parts. So, if I cant find the issue, I can claim  warranty. Thanks a lot in advance for your help. 

[An0maly_76]

The 450W PSU may or may not be enough for even that GPU. Have you done any reconnaissance as to temperatures under load vs idle, etc.?

 

One thing that might be an issue here -- there have been some counterfeitt GPUs being sold on the Internet... Scammers are taking ID chips from failed units and soldering them to others that are not the same so as to make them "identify" as such. Which could explain the driver making it crash.

[al0o0z]

8 hours ago, An0maly_76 said:

The 450W PSU may or may not be enough for even that GPU. Have you done any reconnaissance as to temperatures under load vs idle, etc.?

 

One thing that might be an issue here -- there have been some counterfeitt GPUs being sold on the Internet... Scammers are taking ID chips from failed units and soldering them to others that are not the same so as to make them "identify" as such. Which could explain the driver making it crash.

Thanks for your reply. 

I've been using the system since February 2021 w/o any issue with the same PSU until recently when the issues suddenly started. I've kept eye on temperature but it has never been an issue. Temps stay within normal limit for both of the GPUs. Just when I install Nvidia or Amd drivers, system starts to freeze and crash. Point to be noted that they were working w/o any issue even w/ graphics drivers installed and I was able game on them. I bought the GPUs second hand one from a friend and another from a cousin, so their authenticity is not questionable. 

 

[An0maly_76]

According to one source, 960 needs 300W, RX550 needs 250W. So you're within limits, but I would upgrade PSU before going much further. And while I'm sure your friend and cousin are trustworthy, that doesn't guarantee they didn't get scammed without knowing it. Case in point, I used to drive a taxi and someone passed counterfeit on me, which went undetected until I used it to pay my phone bill. Quite embarrassing to have to talk to police about that, but they were quite cool given the circumstances.

 

One thought, it's possible the new driver update is broken and you're not the only one experiencing this, unless perhaps it's exposing early separation of thermal pads and paste, or perhaps is pushing a weak card to the brink that might have otherwise lasted another year?

Edited June 6, 2022 by An0maly_76
Revised, more info