I built my first gaming PC about a month ago and I'm having intermittent crashes. The system suddenly loses video and audio while the fans ramp to maximum speed, but the lights and fans stay on until I force it to shut down. Afterward, it usually won't work again until I reseat or reset the graphics card and clear the CMOS.
There's no consistent trigger. It has happened during games, immediately after entering my Windows password, and while the PC was idle at the startup screen. Sometimes it happens several times in one day, while other times I can use the PC for nearly two weeks without a problem.
The hardware is:
- CPU: Ryzen 5 7600X
- GPU: GeForce RTX 5070
- Motherboard: ASRock B650M Pro RS WiFi
- PSU: Montech Century II Gold 850W ATX 3.0
When I remove the dedicated GPU and connect the monitor to the motherboard, I don't experience the crashes. I've checked that the GPU power cables are connected and am using separate cables rather than powering both connectors from one daisy-chained cable. I'm not sure whether the BIOS, Windows, or drivers were installed correctly, since someone else finished the setup. What should I test first?
5 Answers
Start by updating the motherboard BIOS to the latest stable version. Early BIOS versions for AM5 and DDR5 systems could be unstable, and a BIOS update may improve compatibility with the memory and graphics card. If you’re concerned about the original setup, reinstall the chipset, graphics, and other drivers afterward, or do a clean Windows installation if necessary.
Temporarily disable the memory overclocking profile—EXPO, sometimes labeled similarly to XMP—and test the computer at default memory settings. Unstable DDR5 settings can cause crashes that look like a graphics or power problem. You can also test with the memory power-down option changed, but leave everything at stock while troubleshooting.
If the crashes continue after checking the card, cables, BIOS, drivers, and memory settings, reinstall Windows from scratch before replacing hardware. A clean software setup can rule out a bad driver installation. If a fresh installation still crashes only when the dedicated GPU is installed, then testing another known-good power supply or graphics card would help identify the faulty component.
Power and seating are worth checking carefully. Fully shut the system down, reseat the graphics card, and make sure it is sitting firmly without excessive sag. Disconnect and reconnect the GPU power plugs until they are completely inserted. Since the integrated graphics work reliably, the problem could be related to the dedicated card, its connection, or its power delivery.
Make sure Windows, the motherboard chipset drivers, and the graphics driver are all current. It’s best to install the chipset driver directly from the CPU or motherboard manufacturer and the graphics driver from the GPU manufacturer. You could also test with a modestly reduced CPU boost setting, but only after trying BIOS updates and stock memory settings.
I’d do the clean Windows installation before buying a replacement power supply. If the issue remains afterward, then hardware testing becomes much more useful.