Artifacts and Game crashing

[aguyintheshower]

So I had this problem before, the story is: I got a new motherboard (Asus M5A97 LE R2.0) as I could fit more stuff into it and my old one was tiny. I backed up everything, swapped mobos and reinstalled windows before putting all my stuff back on as well as a USB 3.0 PCI Hub with 5xUSB3.0 slots. Things were going well until I started getting this thing where everything would crash (games etc.) when doing intensive stuff. Graphics would glitch (such as names of games on steam disappearing, green and pink versions of the text appearing) and programs would crash such as Razer Comms and Google Chrome. I bought a more powerful PSU (went up from 400W to 600W) but still no fix. I tried changing out RAM with some spare I had (went up from 1x4GB to 3x2GB) and still no fix. I took my GPU out and put it back in as well as my CPU and took a USB Hub I have that passes through my keyboard out too (this had my mic a usb stick and printer connector in it). The problem seemed to stop then so I plugged in the hub and each thing connected to it one by one over a few days. I got a new GPU for xmas (XFX R9 290 Black Double Dissipation Edition) but I didn't have a powerful enough PSU so I ordered a 750W. I tried putting in my GPU before I knew this and then took it out when I found out. I put in my previous one and the problem began again. Since then I got my new PSU and stuck that and my new GPU in (I uninstalled the old driver each time moving the GPU). I then experienced constant blue screens so I installed drivers from the AMD website as well as chipset drivers. I next swapped the 3x2GB RAM for the 1x4GB and tried plugging in the PSU connections to the mobo. The BSOD problem has gone but now the artifact problem has reappeared and I have no idea what to do anymore. Any ideas? I'm desperate now

[Firearm2112]

Are you overclocked

[aguyintheshower]

Are you overclocked

 

I am not at all

Unless the 'OC Edition' on the XFX GPU box means something

[vlkn´]

Download Msi Afterburner, underclock the shader and memory core clock a little, don´t play with the gpu voltage.

Then test.

[aguyintheshower]

 

Managed to catch an image of what happens to Steam when it began. Hope this helps

[aguyintheshower]

Download Msi Afterburner, underclock the shader and memory core clock a little, don´t play with the gpu voltage.

Then test.

 

I turned down the Core and Memory Clock down by 100Mhz, but the problem still happened.The core began at 980 and the memory at 1250.

[aguyintheshower]

I also just tried adding 2x4GB Corsair Vengeance that I borrowed from a friend. Was playing some CS:GO while on Razer comms when the problem occurred, both crashed but now I'm on Chrome and the problem is very minimal which is weird (artifacts still appearing from time to time). Steam is pretty borked, as usual. Still open to any ideas..!

[aguyintheshower]

Also...

 

 

...dafuq does this mean...

[tmlhalo]

Also...

 

 

...dafuq does this mean...

I want to say I've had a similar issue before. The power saving software Asus gives out was cutting the voltages too low and caused crashes for me. Maybe try keeping the drivers but uninstall AI suite if you have it installed. Then clear the CMOS of any changes it made while installed.  

[aguyintheshower]

I want to say I've had a similar issue before. The power saving software Asus gives out was cutting the voltages too low and caused crashes for me. Maybe try keeping the drivers but uninstall AI suite if you have it installed. Then clear the CMOS of any changes it made while installed.  

 

How would I go about clearing the CMOS?

[aguyintheshower]

How would I go about clearing the CMOS?

 

Actually nevermind a quick Google Search helped Will report back after this has been done

[aguyintheshower]

I want to say I've had a similar issue before. The power saving software Asus gives out was cutting the voltages too low and caused crashes for me. Maybe try keeping the drivers but uninstall AI suite if you have it installed. Then clear the CMOS of any changes it made while installed.  

 

Well I tried this but to no avail starting to think it's my mobo causing all the problems, but I'm unsure as to how these problems stopped a while after I first got it and have only resurfaced after swapping GPUs ._.

[tmlhalo]

Well I tried this but to no avail starting to think it's my mobo causing all the problems, but I'm unsure as to how these problems stopped a while after I first got it and have only resurfaced after swapping GPUs ._.

Artifacts are usually from problems in the vram but the other stuff doesn't match. The EPUhelp and the blue screens could be unrelated to the artifacts. If you could grab a screenshot of the pink text or other textures missing while in game and send a message to your GPU maker about it. It wouldn't hurt to get more heads on the issue.

[aguyintheshower]

Artifacts are usually from problems in the vram but the other stuff doesn't match. The EPUhelp and the blue screens could be unrelated to the artifacts. If you could grab a screenshot of the pink text or other textures missing while in game and send a message to your GPU maker about it. It wouldn't hurt to get more heads on the issue.

 

The thing is. this has happened to both of my GPUs, as in my last one and my new one, so I dunno if it would be them. Also games crash before artifacting is visible in them and artifacts are usually only able to be seen on steam or when on the internet everything just crashes usually and I have to click 'restart' in the start menu

[tmlhalo]

The thing is. this has happened to both of my GPUs, as in my last one and my new one, so I dunno if it would be them. Also games crash before artifacting is visible in them and artifacts are usually only able to be seen on steam or when on the internet everything just crashes usually and I have to click 'restart' in the start menu

Well, depending on how much you want to go into troubleshooting it, we can try to isolate if it is a hardware or software issue. I'm thinking if the problems persisted over to another OS then it is 99% probably hardware related. If it doesn't then we're probably looking at software. I would say download a Ubuntu 14.04 LTS 64 bit iso and write it to a dvd or USB. USB instructions here:

http://www.ubuntu.com/download/desktop/create-a-usb-stick-on-windows

Once you make the USB, booting from it should prompt you to either install or try Ubuntu. You can choose install it if you want but it will either overwrite Windows or write beside it depending on what options you choose. Try Ubuntu should work fine for the purpose of this experiment though.

Once you're at the Ubuntu desktop I'd enable the third party display drivers by using number 3 from this website.

http://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2014/04/10-things-to-do-after-installing-ubuntu-14-04

 

Most of the UI is similar to Windows just the taskbar is on the left side. The minimize, maximize, and close functions for open windows are also on the left and become part of the title bar while idle. So mouse over the top to have them appear if you don't see them.

If that official AMD driver option isn't available without installing it then the open source AMD drivers Ubuntu is using may still make use out of your GPU. I know Steam is in the app center but also not sure if you'll be able to try it without installing. But if you can browse the web for about 2-3 hours with no issues on Ubuntu, maybe play a game (demo if you don't have any linux compatible games) on its Steam, then we need to start focusing on Windows and Windows related drivers. If it does have issues on Ubuntu as well then I'd contact both the Asus over the motherboard and XFX over the GPU. 

 

[aguyintheshower]

Well, depending on how much you want to go into troubleshooting it, we can try to isolate if it is a hardware or software issue. I'm thinking if the problems persisted over to another OS then it is 99% probably hardware related. If it doesn't then we're probably looking at software. I would say download a Ubuntu 14.04 LTS 64 bit iso and write it to a dvd or USB. USB instructions here:

http://www.ubuntu.com/download/desktop/create-a-usb-stick-on-windows

Once you make the USB, booting from it should prompt you to either install or try Ubuntu. You can choose install it if you want but it will either overwrite Windows or write beside it depending on what options you choose. Try Ubuntu should work fine for the purpose of this experiment though.

Once you're at the Ubuntu desktop I'd enable the third party display drivers by using number 3 from this website.

http://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2014/04/10-things-to-do-after-installing-ubuntu-14-04

 

Most of the UI is similar to Windows just the taskbar is on the left side. The minimize, maximize, and close functions for open windows are also on the left and become part of the title bar while idle. So mouse over the top to have them appear if you don't see them.

If that official AMD driver option isn't available without installing it then the open source AMD drivers Ubuntu is using may still make use out of your GPU. I know Steam is in the app center but also not sure if you'll be able to try it without installing. But if you can browse the web for about 2-3 hours with no issues on Ubuntu, maybe play a game (demo if you don't have any linux compatible games) on its Steam, then we need to start focusing on Windows and Windows related drivers. If it does have issues on Ubuntu as well then I'd contact both the Asus over the motherboard and XFX over the GPU. 

 

 

I had a wee mess around on Ubuntu (the try ubuntu version), but it has no flash or Steam so I can't do anything except browse the internet, which isn't really intensive enough to make the problem happen, if it will happen as it may be a software problem.

[tmlhalo]

I had a wee mess around on Ubuntu (the try ubuntu version), but it has no flash or Steam so I can't do anything except browse the internet, which isn't really intensive enough to make the problem happen, if it will happen as it may be a software problem.

There is Steam on Ubuntu. On the side bar is an App Center or something named similar. If you search for Steam it will appear. Though it is good there wasn't any issues while using the Try Out option.Though not all of your library will be there, only linux compatible games.

http://cdn3.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//art/magazines/Linux/Issue%20169/LXF169.feat_steam.steam_store-580-90.jpg

[aguyintheshower]

There is Steam on Ubuntu. On the side bar is an App Center or something named similar. If you search for Steam it will appear. Though it is good there wasn't any issues while using the Try Out option.Though not all of your library will be there, only linux compatible games.

http://cdn3.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//art/magazines/Linux/Issue%20169/LXF169.feat_steam.steam_store-580-90.jpg

I'll try again and see how it goes, thanks

[tmlhalo]

I'll try again and see how it goes, thanks

You're welcome, if you don't have any Linux games I have tried out Team Fortress 2 on Ubuntu and it runs pretty decent. It is F2P so won't have to pay to troubleshoot. If you don't encounter any problems under Ubuntu then we're probably looking at a Windows / Window's drivers issue. 

[aguyintheshower]

A quick question, could this a whole problem be because of high CPU usage? I've been monitoring my GPU, CPU and Memory temperatures and usages and it appears that my CPU usage is quite high when playing games, around the 70% mark on all cores. Upon the problem happening when playing a game, I look at the CPU monitor and at one point I think I caught most cores just under 100%. Could the CPU be causing the crashes because of high usage?

[tmlhalo]

A quick question, could this a whole problem be because of high CPU usage? I've been monitoring my GPU, CPU and Memory temperatures and usages and it appears that my CPU usage is quite high when playing games, around the 70% mark on all cores. Upon the problem happening when playing a game, I look at the CPU monitor and at one point I think I caught most cores just under 100%. Could the CPU be causing the crashes because of high usage?

What cpu are you using and is it overclocked any?

[aguyintheshower]

What cpu are you using and is it overclock any?

 

I am using an AMD Phenom II X4 945, and I haven't overclocked it personally

[tmlhalo]

I am using an AMD Phenom II X4 945, and I haven't overclocked it personally

That is a bit of an older processor so it will have to work harder than newer ones to play modern games. Though it shouldn't be crashing just because the usage is getting a little high. Have you already done a virus scan to see if malicious program is eating cpu cycles? I usually recommend Malwarebytes if you don't have one. 

[aguyintheshower]

That is a bit of an older processor so it will have to work harder than newer ones to play modern games. Though it shouldn't be crashing just because the usage is getting a little high. Have you already done a virus scan to see if malicious program is eating cpu cycles? I usually recommend Malwarebytes if you don't have one. 

 

Yeah I use malwarebytes and I did a full PC scan about a week ago. There was some weird add-on stuff to do with Chrome so I quarantined/deleted it. I was thinking of doing another just in case.

[tmlhalo]

I am using an AMD Phenom II X4 945, and I haven't overclocked it personally

Also maybe download HWmonitor (be careful of the ads that mimic a download link on their website) and see what you're getting for temps on the motherboard, cpu cores, and gpu while gaming.