Trouble with graphics-cards stopping to respond

[Denoxx]

Hello guys

 

I've a problem with my setup:

I7-3770K (overclocked 4.2ghz, stable)

2xGTX 780 (overclocked to 1.2Ghz core-clock and 6.5GHZ on memory) these are two different types, one is a reference 780 and one is the EVGA SC 780

Asus Sabertooth Z77 motherboard with the latest BIOS-Version

Corsair AX860i PSU

 

As OS I'm using Windows 8.1

 

Now, for quite a while now, I get random crashes in games with one of the two following messages (usually the latter):

 

• Display driver stopped responding and has recovered
• *Application* has been blocked from accessing the graphics hardware

When I torture-test my system none of this stuff happens I usually test with Valley / Heaven.

I'm running EVGA-Precision X's latest version for overclocking.

 

Now, before you ask, overheating is not an issue, my whole system is liquid cooled and the GPU's are around 45 degrees.

I've already done a clean install of NVIDIA's latest display driver, which changed unfortunately nothing.

 

It happened in World of Warcraft (some old 3.3.5 version) and Mad Max yesterday, but also in different games, in the past.

Now, somehow I can't play WoW while Precision X is running, so while playing, it's not running.

 

 

I'm really desperate here, because nothing that I tried, seems to make a difference. I've found tons of other people having this issue online, but none of these guys could really figure it out.

 

I hope that any of you might have an idea what could be wrong, I'll block PrecisionX from running at start and test these games again when I come home today.

 

[kwljunky]

 

 

Does it do this without the overclocks? 

 

I noticed that in some games don't seem to like the overclocks and the driver crashes as you described, and I have a separate profile with lower overclocks. 

 

Maybe try lowering the overclock and/increasing the voltage so it's stable in the game, rather than the benchmark/stress tests? 

[Denoxx]

Does it do this without the overclocks? 

 

I noticed that in some games don't seem to like the overclocks and the driver crashes as you described, and I have a separate profile with lower overclocks. 

 

Maybe try lowering the overclock and/increasing the voltage so it's stable in the game, rather than the benchmark/stress tests? 

Hi, thanks for your reply. When playing WoW PrecisionX is not running, but I noticed weird behaviour, like it clocking up to these clocks anyway. I'll look into this today. Thanks

[kwljunky]

Hi, thanks for your reply. When playing WoW PrecisionX is not running, but I noticed weird behaviour, like it clocking up to these clocks anyway. I'll look into this today. Thanks

Try running a program like after burner to confirm if the clocks are actually going up that high!

[Denoxx]

Try running a program like after burner to confirm if the clocks are actually going up that high!

I checked using GPU-Z, is this accurate too?

[kwljunky]

I checked using GPU-Z, is this accurate too?

Yeah, run the game in windowed mode and watch the clocks rise. 

[Denoxx]

Yeah, run the game in windowed mode and watch the clocks rise. 

Ok, so apparently it had something to do with my overclock. I now ran MadMax for around 2 hours without any crashes. I hope that it stays like that. Otherwise I'd update this thread again.

 

On the other hand I'm confused. My stress-testing programs as Valley never showed any instabilities, but playing a game crashed. 

Should I maybe just give up on overclocking  these cards manually? Without doing anything they're running at a bit over 1Ghz core clock by GPU Boost.

 

I liked  getting the extra performance for free but apparently its just not a hundred percent stable. I'll probably not be able to stop me from doing it, so I might figure around with lower OC's.

[kwljunky]

 

Aha best answer: yourself  

 

You Genius! 

 

 

I would not stop the overclocking, just might be that game, or perhaps since precision allows for profiles, switch to a different one for that game in particular. 

 

Or put the volts up for more stability . 

 

For my brothers 980ti, it was the memory overclock that was causing it rather than the gpu core clock. So maybe have a fiddle around with that. ..Although it was crashing on arkham knight..and I don't know if it was the game or the overclock, but it worked in the end. 

 

Make sure you can recreate the conditions of the crash which is seems like you can, and use that as the test rather than valley or something else. Those stress testing programs won't run every scenario so scrap them for now and just focus on the game that was crashing the driver. Then adjust until it crashes no more  

[a.j]

if u have nvidia gpu then ur problem is with the latest driver (355.82) i cant run mad max becuase every time i try to a message pops us and say madmax.exe has stopped working and also u can check geforce forums people have same problem and other major problems 

[Denoxx]

if u have nvidia gpu then ur problem is with the latest driver (355.82) i cant run mad max becuase every time i try to a message pops us and say madmax.exe has stopped working and also u can check geforce forums people have same problem and other major problems 

Hi, thanks for your response. But it seems to run without my overclocks, so I dont think its the same problem.

[Denoxx]

Aha best answer: yourself

 

You Genius! 

 

Corrected that Don't know what I thought. Thanks

[Denoxx]

Ok little update here, unfortunately yesterday it crashed again after a long gaming session. Exact same error 4109: "Access to the graphics hardware has been blocked"

This time no GPU overclocking run at all It crashes less though, since I dont OC the GPUs

[Denoxx]

It turns out that even when PrecisionX started only once, even if it only was to show me that there is a newer version available, it crashed after like 15 minutes.

Disabling it entirely and 3+ hours of gametime without any problems whatsoever.

 

I guess Ill take a look back at oc'ing when I need that extra 10% but for now I'll just leave it at the stock OC with gpu-boost 2.0