New PC Build Crashing to Black Screen During Games

Optimizing a New Gaming PC: Troubleshooting Black Screen Crashes During Gameplay

Building a new gaming PC can be an exciting experience, but it often comes with unexpected challenges. Recently, a gaming enthusiast encountered a frustrating issue: their system crashes into a black screen during gameplay, despite otherwise functioning perfectly. Here’s a detailed look into the situation, common causes, and steps to troubleshoot such problems.

System Overview:

Processor: AMD Ryzen 7 7700X
Graphics Card: NVIDIA RTX 4070 SUPER
Motherboard: MSI PRO B650M-A WIFI
RAM: Corsair Vengeance DDR5 32GB (2x16GB) at 5200 MHz
Storage: Kingston FURY Renegade PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 SSD
Cooling Solution: Thermalright FW PRO 360 AIO Cooler
Power Supply: Corsair 850W Modular
Case: Well-ventilated with proper component mounting

Initial Observations:

The build boots correctly, temperatures remain within safe limits, and benchmark results are promising. However, once a game is launched, the system freezes after some time. The screen turns black, yet audio from the game continues briefly, indicating a potential crash rather than a typical application closure.

Potential Causes and Troubleshooting Steps:

Incorrect RAM Settings
Issue: Manually setting the RAM to 6000 MHz after BIOS update, despite the rated speed being 5200 MHz, can cause instability.
Action: Reset RAM frequency to its official rated speed (5200 MHz). Ensure the BIOS is configured with the correct XMP profile or manual settings aligned with the RAM specifications.
Graphics Driver Conflicts
Issue: Installing AMD Radeon drivers on an NVIDIA GPU can lead to driver conflicts and system instability.
Action: Use Display Driver Uninstaller (DDU) to thoroughly remove all GPU drivers. Then, perform a clean installation of the latest NVIDIA drivers from the official website.
Event Viewer Insights
Error: The recurring error “LiveKernelEvent code 1b8” often indicates a system-level hardware or driver issue, frequently related to graphics or power supply problems.
Action: Review Event Viewer logs for additional clues. Perform stress tests on the GPU and RAM to identify potential hardware issues.
Operating System Stability
Next Step: Plan