PC Game audio/assets cutting out temporarily

[Lunaak]

Hey,

I've been stuck with this issue for quite a while now but seem to have narrowed it down a bit more recently.

Basically, video game music and some assets have been cutting out temporarily on my PC. I've noticed the issue with two games recently (Final Fantasy XIV, and Destiny 2), but can recall similar issues on Overwatch. 

For D2 and FFXIV, it's been sound and certain assets (enemy models or effects), getting stuck in current animations, or failing to load or pop in, with current in-game music suddenly disappearing. The issue seems to last 10 or so seconds become it all returns. I can usually still move my character around at this time, but I have been reduced to just pivoting on the spot from time to time.

Each of these games currently sit on a Crucial BX300 250GB SSD that I've owned for maybe under a year at this point, but I'm sure I've noticed it happening in Overwatch (my weapon etc not loading for a while) even on a mechanical drive I've since replaced.

Of course I'm thinking it's a problem with the SSD, but tools like Crystal Disk and Crucial's own SSD software can't seem to find any problem with the drive. I've checked Task Manager during these times and everything looks fine. Temps are usually around 60-70 degrees on both the CPU and GPU.

General system specs are

Ryzen 5 1500X 
32 GB DDR4
GTX 1060 3GB
120 GB Samsung Evo SSD (boot)
240 GB Crucial BX300 SSD
1TB Hitachi HDD

[ItsTheDuckAgain]

rather odd thing... What stands out to me that you don't have problems in Overwatch (low demanding title) but got problems in Destiny2 & FF (more demanding titles). Tried to reduce quality settings to make it easier on the GPU?

 

Also how are your speakers connected and which audio device is used?

 

Too me this looks more like a GPU problem than a disk problem.

[bleedblue]

Could be running out of VRAM.

[Lunaak]

I'm actually just testing FFXIV on my newer mechanic drive for now, so I'll be keeping an eye on things. Overwatch has had issues with weapon models not popping in long before all this, but I can't say I've had it happen recently (plus I've heard of that happening with many more people in the past anyway).

Audio is HDMI to a connected TV which it then output through optical to my external Onkyo amp. Use the same solution for the Switch and PS4, too.

As for VRAM, I'm open to the idea. Do we have a way to track VRAM usage?

[ItsTheDuckAgain]

As I thought. Sounds like your GPU can't keep up. It's not a problem with your drives. Sound and Graphics come from the same source, your GPU, sound cutting out and certain graphics not loading in time points towards the GPU only. 

You can track VRAM with various programs, to start of easy use Windows Taskmanager:

 

 

if that thing is close to 3 GB all the time, windows will start to shuffle Data to your System RAM, which of course is way to slow compared to VRAM which results in odd things, like the ones you describe.

 

"Nobody needs VRAM, until you run out of it"

TheDuck - 2018

[Lunaak]

Got it. Here are the details in an overworld scene in FFXIV currently. I'm about to go into a dungeon where spell effects and additional models will be getting tossed into the mix. That's where I usually notice the issue more.

So far though... I'm not expecting it to cap out. I know 3GB isn't a lot these days, but I usually find MMOs better designed for a wide range of systems. They need all the players they can get.

 

 

[ItsTheDuckAgain]

yep as expected - you are running out of VRAM which explains your problems. Sorry.

[Lunaak]

Really? Dedicated GPU memory is just over half full, no?

t was actually at 1.6 during that dungeon run and the issue never arose. FFXIV was on my mechanical drive and not the SSD for this little test and the issue didn't occur unlike when it was on the SSD.

[Lunaak]

FFXIV is back on the SSD after a "secure erase" format. Issue persists. Absolutely doesn't happen on the mechanic drive, so I'll have to place the blame of this on the SSD.