I'm dealing with a frustrating problem where my brand new PC setup freezes immediately after logging into Windows. Sometimes it happens within just 2 seconds, and other times it could take 2 minutes or even 20 minutes before it freezes. This issue occurs at random times, mostly when I'm doing something light like browsing Gmail or reading a blog. Surprisingly, it never happens during stress tests with tools like FurMark or Prime95. On some occasions, I might have a chance to run a stress test, but usually, it freezes before I can even start one. My setup includes an AMD R7 9800x3d, B850 AORUS Elite WiFi 7 (with both F9 and F10 BIOS tried), 32GB Flare X5 RAM, a Gigabyte RTX 5080 Gaming OC, and a Gigabyte AE P1000 PSU. Everything works smoothly if I set the PCIe x16 slot to Gen 3 or lower, but I run into issues with Gen 4 and Gen 5. It's interesting to note that my friend's RTX 5050 runs at Gen 5, although only at x8 speeds. I also tested my 5080 on a friend's X570 board at x16 Gen 4 speeds without problems. I've swapped CPUs, updated BIOS, drivers, reset BIOS settings, and even reinstalled Windows, but nothing has resolved the freezing issue. Any help would be greatly appreciated!
1 Answer
This sounds more like a PCIe stability issue than a problem with your GPU or CPU, especially since it's stable when you lock the PCIe to Gen 3, and your 5080 works perfectly in another setup. The fact that it freezes mostly when idle suggests that power-saving states are likely causing it, while your stress tests keep things running smoothly. I'd recommend disabling Global C-States and PCIe power management in your BIOS, setting PCIe manually to Gen 4 instead of letting it remain on Auto, and updating your chipset drivers. Just to rule out any issues with the RAM, you might also want to temporarily disable EXPO. If Gen 3 runs fine, but Gen 4 and 5 keep causing freezes, it might point to motherboard or early BIOS issues, and considering an RMA might be worth it.
I’ve had a similar experience with power states. I hadn’t touched mine either until after the freezing started. Make sure you've also selected the max performance option for PCIe in the Windows power options. But if you're still freezing in Gen 4 and Gen 5 modes in the BIOS, that does sound like something deeper with the motherboard.