Screen goes black when starting up game

[elfin vapor]

When i start up a game, my screens go black, pc stays on and restarts automatically again. Updated all drivers, ran a memtest (no issues). Also when i start a gpu stress test they turn black, any solutions to this?

Additional information:
i had to change the pcie connection to gen3 in bios due to vertical bracket with pcie express 3 connection, before this change, my pc would also randomly restart.

I set my ram to expo1, but according to windows theres no issue there.

Inreconnected power cables to mu gpu and pushed on the pcie connectors to see if they were in correctly

Things i want to try are reconnecting every cable into psu, going back one driver update via nvidia app.

[sharp seal]

@elfin vapor Open Event Viewer → Windows Logs → System.

Scroll down to around the last time you had this happen in the timestamps and you should see a Kernel-Power event (Critical event with a red X icon).

Select this, then in the bottom half where it shows info about the event, click the Details tab and screenshot.

[elfin vapor]

this?

[elfin vapor]

@sharp seal ?

[sharp seal]

Yeah.

If the GPU crashed, I would expect a BSOD, not just a shutdown. Though it could freeze which then prompts a restart, just less common.

And that event shows no BSOD

[elfin vapor]

does this help you in any waY?

is it just reinstalling drivers?

[sharp seal]

That indicates that the GPU is just going missing.

You could try DDU

https://rtech.support/factoids/ddu/

[elfin vapor]

im also having problems after it reboots with my sound, one time it works and when i try to start a game and restart my pc the sound is gone. is that related?

and how does that ddu work when i have both integrated graphis and 3060ti registered?

[sharp seal]

Are you doing audio over HDMI/DP?

[sharp seal]

Yes, you select which device to remove the drivers for in the tool

Also, Nvidia's drivers went to crap in January 2025. They are a lot better now, but if you want to just rule out a driver issue, this driver is from before that: https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/drivers/details/237719/

[elfin vapor]

its so weird, yesterday i was able to play everything and since i started it today, it just crashes constantly

and also, can i just wait for nvidia to release a new drive from their app and install that?

[elfin vapor]

?

[sharp seal]

What is the question?

[elfin vapor]

This?

[sharp seal]

Sure

[elfin vapor]

Now it black screened while searching on chrome

[elfin vapor]

DDU didnt work

[sharp seal]

@elfin vapor Then if it's a desktop, the next step is testing the GPU in a different PC.

[elfin vapor]

Ait

And maybe get the riser cable out and check again?

[sharp seal]

Yes, I hate risers

They cause issues so often

[elfin vapor]

Okey so

I removed the gpu extension cables

It seems i had 1 slot left for gpu in my psu, so i think 1 pcie cable with two extensions on it was too much

But now when i start game, the gpu makes a weird sound

[sharp seal]

Sounds like coil whine

With GPUs, the VRMs can vibrate as well which creates a weird pitch coil whine

@elfin vapor This is from DIY Perks when he put a CPU cooler on a GPU: https://youtu.be/h6hvsqUEtZ4?t=435

Use the time stamp for VRM coil whine

[elfin vapor]

Ahh okey, so probably was there already but u dont hear it with glass panel on🙃

[elfin vapor]

Thanks

I can play at least rocket league for now