Overclocked CPU or GPU caused this crash?

[Dave3000]

I think it was a video driver issue. I installed the previous version video drivers and that problem did not reoccur yet in 3Dmark 11. I was looping between those two tests in 3Dmark 11 for around 3 hours with the previous version video drivers and no crashing in between the tests so far. I might still go back to the latest video drivers though because they seemed to fix a graphical problem I was having with FSX during replays with certain aircraft.

 

[Dave3000]

Well tried the previous video drivers again just to make sure that it was a driver issue the problem showed up with the previous drivers as well within 45 minutes. I probably damaged my GPU from the overclock or from flashing my video card's bios? Underclocking my video card's core and memory to the slowest speed through MSI AB still results in the issue I'm having in 3Dmark 11. As I mentioned earlier, this problems starting happening after reflashing back to the original bios of my card, which I saved used GPU-Z.

 

[Dave3000]

Also when I reflashed to back to the original bios and reboot my PC, I right away overclocked my GPU through MSI AB to 104+ offset and so it was not at stock clocks when the problem first showed up. That's why I'm thinking that overclocking the GPU in itself could have damaged it (if it is damaged) and I can't put the entire blame on the bios flashing for now but I still leave both those as suspect.

 

[Dave3000]

I just finished looping just the Physics test in 3Dmark 11. About 30 minutes into looping I still get the same issue immediately after the test completes. It also happened one time after the Combined test, but this time I didn't include the Combined test in the loop because the Physics test completes faster than the Combined test and I would get to the crash faster. Now I don't know what to think is the cause.

 

[Dave3000]

Ok, I installed my HD6450 video card and the problem still showed up in 3Dmark 11. I was looping just the Physics test and it happened about 15 minutes into it. So my GTX 780 Ti is not the cause. It's not a video driver issue either.

 

[Dave3000]

Update: Well I reinstalled Windows 7 a few days ago and I couldn't get the crash to occur while looping the Physics test in 3Dmark 11 Advanced. This crash only happened in Windows 8.1. As I said earlier, it crashes after the test, not during the test, basically 3Dmark 11 becomes unresponsive while the rest of my PC is still responsive. Could it be that Windows 8.1 is making a malfunctioning hardware issue more apparent if it a piece of malfunctioning hardware in my system? Is it a bug in Windows 8.1 or 3Dmark 11? I'm about to buy either a new X79 motherboard for my i7-4930k or switch to an i7-4790k / Z97 system since I know it's not a GPU issue. Anyone here use Windows 8.1 64-bit and have the 3Dmark 11 Advanced tried looping just the Physics test in Extreme mode for at least 1 hour without 3Dmark 11 crashing out? I'm trying to avoid buying new hardware.

 

[Dave3000]

I tried a spare 16GB DDR3-1600 memory kit I had lying around and the crashing out still happens in 3Dmark 11. I can rule out the GPU, SSD, and RAM. As far as hardware is concerned, that only leaves the motherboard and CPU.

 

[crashtech]

Sounds like a driver or software problem to me.

 

[Dave3000]

I bought a low-end laptop yesterday, I was going to need a laptop anyways within the next few weeks and I tested 3Dmark 11 for the crashout. This laptop also had Windows 8.1 installed and my desktop has Windows 8.1 Pro installed. 3Dmark 11 was crashing out with the same black window after the Physics test as well on that laptop after about 3 hours of looping that test. I can rule out a hardware issue now.

 

[ClockHound]

Ouch! That's a tediously painful way to discover a 3Dmark/Win/driver bug.

But, thanks for finding it! Maybe notify futuremark and ask for some emotional damage compensation. Don't bother asking MS tho, they have heard it all before. ;-)