Question New PC Freezing Up With Fortnite

ascendant · Oct 4, 2024

I built a new PC just a few months ago. While I don't have much time these days to play Fortnite, my twin boys love it, so I do play online with them at times. On my old PC, the only issue I'd have would be the fps getting bad at times (because it was outdated). Never any issues with it freezing up though.

The new PC has MUCH newer and MUCH better components, yet for some reason, it keeps freezing up on my PC, and I can't figure out why.

- I had the Epic Games Launcher check the files, and everything is fine. I even uninstalled and reinstalled just in case, still happens.

- It doesn't happen all the time, somewhere about every 2-4hrs of gameplay, maybe slightly more, but it seems my PC just really doesn't like something about Fortnite, most likely a graphic setting, but no clue which one.

- It's not an overheating issue, as there are times where simply opening the game up causes my PC to freeze and stop responding.

Here are my specs:

Power Supply - Corsair RM850x (2021) 850 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply
Motherboard - MSI B650 GAMING PLUS WIFI ATX AM5 Motherboard
CPU - AMD Ryzen 5 7600X 4.7 GHz 6-Core Processor
CPU Cooler - Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE 66.17 CFM CPU Cooler
Memory - G.Skill Trident Z5 Neo 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR5-6000 CL30 Memory
Video Card - XFX Speedster SWFT 319 Radeon RX 6800 16 GB Video Card
Storage - Western Digital WD_Black SN850X 2 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive

- Someone had already told me a while back to turn off ray tracing because I have an AMD. That's off, and I'm not running the graphics at max. I limit the max frame rate to 120fps, so that doesn't get too crazy high.

- I am assuming it's an issue with the graphics card, as I don't see what else could be going on. When it happens, usually my monitors will go completely black, even though the tower itself is still running. I shut it off and back on, and it's working again.

- The only other game I play is one with far less intense graphics, Watcher of Realms, but no issues there. I've played Baldur's Gate 3 a bit here and there, but maybe a couple hours total so far, but again no issues there.

- I can play it for a few hours with them no problem, but then other times, it just locks up out of nowhere, which is another reason I don't feel it's an overheating issue.

- I am considering it's a possibility of a conflict with some graphics setting I have turned on in the AMD Software: Adrenaline Edition settings, but again just like with the game settings, I have no clue which one could be the culprit. I looked around online, and tried all the basic stuff they already suggested to no avail. So, if any of you have any other suggestions, specific settings in anything that are known to conflict, anything that might help me, it would be greatly appreciated.

In2Photos · Oct 5, 2024

Is your BIOS up to date? If not start there. My son had a similar issue on his Zen3 system a few years back. BIOS update fixed it completely.

Have you set up any overclocking in the adrenaline software? Or an undervolt perhaps? It's been a little while since I played Fortnite but the system in my signature never had a problem with it (7700, RX6800XT, MSI B650).

ascendant · Oct 5, 2024

In2Photos said:
Is your BIOS up to date? If not start there. My son had a similar issue on his Zen3 system a few years back. BIOS update fixed it completely.

Have you set up any overclocking in the adrenaline software? Or an undervolt perhaps? It's been a little while since I played Fortnite but the system in my signature never had a problem with it (7700, RX6800XT, MSI B650).

No overclocking set up, no. I will try flashing the bios. I thought i did it, but not 100%. I'll double check and see if it's the latest version. I appreciate the suggestions, thank you.

ascendant · Oct 5, 2024

Ok, so I checked the BIOS, and I believe they are up to date.

My bios version in the BIOS was version E7E26AMS.1F1. For some reason, they don't have them written the same on their site, but I did see this one in the image below, which has all the same numbers, just no E at the beginning and no AMS in the middle. But, there was nothing else like my number, so I'm assuming that's just how they do it?

Anyway, my version in my BIOS said 7/8/2024, theirs says 7/9/2024, which is most likely just because of a time zone difference. So, that shouldn't be the problem.

I did try something else I saw online, where you remove some of the temp files for Fortnite, and change a few settings. Not sure if it will help, but figured I might as well, as it's nothing that would do any harm.

From searching around online, seems like there are a LOT of people who complain about issues with Fortnite with AMD GPUs. If I knew, I'd have gone with another NVIDIA like I had in my last one. Never had any problems like this, just low fps because it was old.

ascendant · Oct 5, 2024

UPDATE: I am now thinking this could be my PSU. For the first time just now, out of nowhere while just playing Pandora and reading a PDF, my computer shut down and restarted. I have auto restart turned off already, so it wasn't that. My first thought is a faulty PSU. Unfortunately, I have way too busy of a schedule to take the time to pull it out and have diagnostics run on it. I don't have the money either

I had my other PC for over 10yrs (at least some of the components). Not once in that entire time did mine ever just restart itself like that.

I did see online that some people have had that issue in the "high performance" power plan in Windows 10, and I literally just changed that from balanced to high performance earlier to see if it might help. So, I saw one that I never even saw on my old PC, "ultimate performance." So, I switched it to that one. Hopefully, it was just that power setting that was the issue for the restart. If it happens again, I'll go back to balanced. If it happens again after that...

biostud · Oct 5, 2024

Do you have any AV installed?

igor_kavinski · Oct 5, 2024

Check the Windows Event Log for any entries that may give a clue about what error the system encounters when it restarts.

My thoughts on probable causes:

Some mobo power delivery issue.

Maybe the GPU isn't seated properly.

The PCIe power connectors to the GPU are loose.

GPU may be overheating (how loud does it get when the screen goes black?)

RAM and memory controller voltage could be set too high by default.

Does the mobo have the latest BIOS version installed?

Try swapping the 8-pin power cables at the top left of the mobo or just use one at a time. I don't think your CPU needs both unless you are doing PBO.

Set the CPU max temperature limit in BIOS to 85C.

Is your RAM installed in slots A2 and B2?

biostud · Oct 5, 2024

My colleague's son had a similar problem, once he uninstalled Norton AV everything became stable.

igor_kavinski · Oct 5, 2024

biostud said:
My colleague's son had a similar problem, once he uninstalled Norton AV everything became stable.

I actually had that issue long back with my Sandy Bridge i3 Z77 PC. PC would randomly reboot. I had some crappy free AV installed (probably Avira). I don't know what made me uninstall it (probably noticed some pattern or saw something in the event log) and immediately afterwards my system was almost 95% stable. That remaining 5% instability was due to Corsair RAM.

zebrax2 · Oct 5, 2024

I suggest removing the gpu and using 1 stick of ram at a time. Test for a few hours if there is no issue then add the gpu back. Also try using the second bios for the gpu

SK10H · Oct 5, 2024

Since you complain about fortnite, try 24.3.1,it's the only driver this year that I don't get driver timeout crashing back to desktop. Just turning on global illumination and other ue5 stuff is enough to bring the fps down, no need for hardware raytracing that barely did anything relatively speaking. Avging just 100fps at 1440p tsr low to 4k.
I think 24.5.1 has crazy stuttering issue for me, while every driver afterward, some of them it crashes back to desktop simply at the join game menu right away. The recent 24.8.1 live slightly longer, but still timeout occasionally midgame, haven't try the September one yet.
All those drivers are fine playing Alan Wake 2. On a 7900xtx so not 6800, ymmv.

ascendant · Oct 5, 2024

biostud said:
Do you have any AV installed?

I'm just using the Windows Defender default. I have seen some people say that some antivirus software can cause problems, but I ran it on my old PC and it never caused an issue. Unless there's something about difference hardware that could change something about it? I don't know, I haven't tried turning it off because of that

ascendant · Oct 5, 2024

igor_kavinski said:
Check the Windows Event Log for any entries that may give a clue about what error the system encounters when it restarts.

My thoughts on probable causes:

Some mobo power delivery issue.

Maybe the GPU isn't seated properly.

The PCIe power connectors to the GPU are loose.

GPU may be overheating (how loud does it get when the screen goes black?)

RAM and memory controller voltage could be set too high by default.

Does the mobo have the latest BIOS version installed?

Try swapping the 8-pin power cables at the top left of the mobo or just use one at a time. I don't think your CPU needs both unless you are doing PBO.

Set the CPU max temperature limit in BIOS to 85C.

Is your RAM installed in slots A2 and B2?

View attachment 108707

Thank you for all of that. Some of that I'm going to have to check tomorrow. I have homework I need to get done tonight since I'm seeing my kids tomorrow, but I am going to check all of that out as I'm able to either tomorrow night or Monday

I'm certain it isn't an overheating issue. During one of the times it locked up, I was monitoring the temps of everything, including the GPU in the AMD software. When it started freezing up when I was only in the main window of Fortnite, my GPU was only at 39c

And yes, I do have the latest bios installed. I did check that yesterday thanks to In2Photos.

As far as the ram, I believe I put them into slots 2 and 4. I believe that's the A2 and B2, right? I'm not 100% sure on that one, but I can check when I open it up to check and do your other suggestions.

With the ram and memory controller voltage, do you know how much they should be, or does that depend on the particular ram you have? Also, I assume I will find those settings in the bios, right? Is that the exact name it should be listed under in bios?

I will be checking all of this, and greatly appreciate the help. I really do feel it's something related to Fortnite and some configuration in it, or some configuration I have in the AMD software, that isn't getting along. Like I said, that is the only thing I have the problem with, and even when sitting idle, it would still lock up at times. But, I could be wrong

To add, since I changed the power settings again, I haven't had it reset like it did that one time yesterday. The more I looked into it online, I am fairly certain the problem was the power plan I switched to. So, I believe that it is still isolated to Fortnite.

I will update once I get a chance to try all your suggestions, and I appreciate the help, thank you

ascendant · Oct 5, 2024

zebrax2 said:
I suggest removing the gpu and using 1 stick of ram at a time. Test for a few hours if there is no issue then add the gpu back. Also try using the second bios for the gpu

My old gpu from my other pc is somewhere in the way back of my closet. But, I can try fishing that out when I have time to try the other suggestions mentioned here as well. I can pop that one in and the one ram stick. Thank you for the suggestion.

ascendant · Oct 5, 2024

SK10H said:
Since you complain about fortnite, try 24.3.1,it's the only driver this year that I don't get driver timeout crashing back to desktop. Just turning on global illumination and other ue5 stuff is enough to bring the fps down, no need for hardware raytracing that barely did anything relatively speaking. Avging just 100fps at 1440p tsr low to 4k.
I think 24.5.1 has crazy stuttering issue for me, while every driver afterward, some of them it crashes back to desktop simply at the join game menu right away. The recent 24.8.1 live slightly longer, but still timeout occasionally midgame, haven't try the September one yet.
All those drivers are fine playing Alan Wake 2. On a 7900xtx so not 6800, ymmv.

When you're talking about the driver, what driver are you referring to?

ascendant · Oct 5, 2024

Also, I just realized that the MSI center shows voltages of various components, so I attached it here

zebrax2 · Oct 5, 2024

ascendant said:
My old gpu from my other pc is somewhere in the way back of my closet. But, I can try fishing that out when I have time to try the other suggestions mentioned here as well. I can pop that one in and the one ram stick. Thank you for the suggestion.

I believe all of the Zen 4 series CPUs (edit: aside from models with F suffix) have iGPUs on them, you could use that for a bit.

ascendant · Oct 6, 2024

zebrax2 said:
I believe all of the Zen 4 series CPUs (edit: aside from models with F suffix) have iGPUs on them, you could use that for a bit.

Oh, I had no idea. Would it be able to handle Fortnite though? I mean that must be a real small iGPU

coercitiv · Oct 6, 2024

ascendant said:
When you're talking about the driver, what driver are you referring to?

He's talking about the video driver:

https://www.amd.com/en/resources/support-articles/release-notes/RN-RAD-WIN-24-3-1.html

On that page there's also a download link.

However, your computer shutting down while just playing music and reading a PDF indicates there might be something else at play too. I doubt it's the PSU (although it stays on the list of suspects) because a faulty PSU should fail more often under load than during idle.

Since you have limited time to troubleshoot, I would suggest you try using this version of driver, and do so by doing a "clean install" (alternatively use Display Driver Uninstaller first to make sure you start clean). Then use your system as usual and observe if and when there are freezes, restarts or shutdowns. It's important to notice how far apart they are, if they happen under load (while gaming) or during idle/light usage (like browsing).

One other quick thing you can do is to make sure the video card power cables are properly inserted at both ends (on the card & in the PSU). RAM could also be a culprit, but I see you're running your DDR5 6000 kit at the default safe speed 4800 MT/s (intentionally or not), so for now it should be stable and we'll get to running higher speeds later.

igor_kavinski · Oct 6, 2024

ascendant said:
Also, I just realized that the MSI center shows voltages of various components, so I attached it hereView attachment 108751

DRAM voltages and anything related to RAM seems to be fine since it's running at JEDEC speed. The only thing that stands out to me is the 12V reading. That extra 0.12V is within tolerances but still makes me suspect that something is up with the PSU and it may be providing "dirty" power to your components. You could try the PSU from your old PC if possible.

Also, go into your PC settings and remove any software you do not need. Then take a screenshot of Device Manager list of components and post here so we can see if some unusual virtual device driver got installed by some software that could be the issue.

mmaenpaa · Oct 6, 2024

I usually start with memory test. Windows has builtin memory diagnostic, use that first.

How to Use Windows Memory Diagnostic | Microsoft Surface

Optimize your PC performance and prevent slowdowns with Windows Memory Diagnostic and RAM tools. Learn how to test RAM and improve performance with Windows Memory Diagnostic.

www.microsoft.com

Second check if OS has left clues in memory dump. This tool is easy to use.

Resplendence Software - WhoCrashed, automatic crash dump analyzer

WhoCrashed, automatic crash dump analyzer for Windows

www.resplendence.com

jpiniero · Oct 6, 2024

I have to ask if you bought the 6800 XT new or off of eBay or something.

In2Photos · Oct 6, 2024

igor_kavinski said:
DRAM voltages and anything related to RAM seems to be fine since it's running at JEDEC speed. The only thing that stands out to me is the 12V reading. That extra 0.12V is within tolerances but still makes me suspect that something is up with the PSU and it may be providing "dirty" power to your components. You could try the PSU from your old PC if possible.

Also, go into your PC settings and remove any software you do not need. Then take a screenshot of Device Manager list of components and post here so we can see if some unusual virtual device driver got installed by some software that could be the issue.

My 12V has been as high as 12.264 according to HWInfo64 on my MSI B650 Edge so I doubt that's an issue.

ascendant · Oct 8, 2024

igor_kavinski said:
DRAM voltages and anything related to RAM seems to be fine since it's running at JEDEC speed. The only thing that stands out to me is the 12V reading. That extra 0.12V is within tolerances but still makes me suspect that something is up with the PSU and it may be providing "dirty" power to your components. You could try the PSU from your old PC if possible.

Also, go into your PC settings and remove any software you do not need. Then take a screenshot of Device Manager list of components and post here so we can see if some unusual virtual device driver got installed by some software that could be the issue.

I've been crazy busy because I'm in FL and we have yet another hurricane hitting us within the next 24hrs. But, I had a minute to hop on here. I took notes on multiple suggestions on here, and still haven't had time to pop my PC open. But I can say since I changed the power settings again, no more reset like it did that one time outside of Fornite. I'm almost positive it was because of the power setting, and that all issues are so far isolated to Fortnite

Anyway, here is what I have in the device manager. Not sure if you'd want me to expand anything in particular:

ascendant · Oct 8, 2024

jpiniero said:
I have to ask if you bought the 6800 XT new or off of eBay or something.

I got everything new off Amazon and Newegg, depending who had what that I was looking for. No way I was going to be used or refurbs.

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