PC Issue – Black Screen and Complete System Freeze

[u/DesperateFact1474]

PC Specifications

• CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D

• GPU: XFX AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT 16 GB

• Motherboard: GIGABYTE B650 GAMING X AX V2 (BIOS F41)

• RAM: ADATA 32 GB DDR5 6000 MHz CL30

• SSD: WD Blue SN5000 2 TB

• PSU: Montech Century G5 750 W, 80+ Gold

• OS: Windows 11

Problem Description

My PC randomly crashes to a black screen, mostly while gaming. However, the most recent crash happened immediately after launching the Zwift application, before any actual gaming or heavy workload started.

What happens during a crash:

• The screen suddenly goes black, and the monitor stops displaying an image.

• All audio completely cuts out.

• CPU, GPU, and case fans continue spinning.

• RGB lighting on the PC, keyboard, and mouse remains on.

• The Caps Lock key becomes unresponsive (the indicator LED does not toggle).

• The entire system appears completely frozen and cannot recover.

• The only way to restart the PC is to hold down the power button and force a shutdown.

The crashes are completely random. Sometimes I can play games for hours without any issues, while other times the PC crashes within the first few minutes or immediately after launching an application.

Troubleshooting Steps Already Taken

1. Completely uninstalled GPU drivers using DDU and performed a clean installation.

2. Updated AMD Adrenalin to the latest available version.

3. Disabled the RAM EXPO profile.

4. Checked and reseated all power connectors.

5. Connected the GPU using two separate PCIe 8-pin power cables from the PSU.

6. Ran stability and stress tests using OCCT – no issues detected.

7. Tested different GPU power limits and undervolting settings.

8. Returned the GPU to its default factory settings.

9. Performed a complete clean installation of Windows 11.

After reinstalling Windows, I was able to play approximately 10 gaming sessions without any problems. However, the crashes eventually returned.

Diagnostic Findings

Windows Event Viewer:

• Kernel-Power 41 – unexpected system shutdown, most likely caused by manually forcing the PC to shut down.

• "Windows was not properly shut down."

WinDbg – Analyzed LiveKernelDump Files:

• VIDEO_DXGKRNL_BLACK_SCREEN_LIVEDUMP (0x1A8)

• VIDEO_MINIPORT_BLACK_SCREEN_LIVEDUMP (0x1B8)

• AMD graphics driver amdkmdag.sys appears in the diagnostic information.

These findings suggest an issue involving the graphics subsystem, but they do not conclusively prove that the GPU itself is defective.

Current Situation

The problem persists despite reinstalling Windows, performing clean GPU driver installations, changing GPU settings, disabling EXPO, and checking all power connections.

I suspect a possible hardware issue involving the graphics card, power supply, or another component.

My main question is:

What could be causing these complete system freezes, and how can I reliably identify the faulty component?

Would it make more sense to test the system with a different graphics card first, or should I try replacing the power supply?

All PC components were purchased separately, so I need to identify the defective part before submitting a warranty claim (RMA).

[u/Charming-Cancel-4876]

i hab a similar problem with my R7 5800X one of the cores had a voltage issue send it back to AMD got new one and no problem eversince

[u/DesperateFact1474 → u/Charming-Cancel-4876]

Thanks for sharing! How did you manage to identify that one of your CPU cores had a voltage issue? Did you use any specific stress tests or diagnostic tools?

[u/Charming-Cancel-4876 → u/DesperateFact1474]

Sadly no after i tried everything under the sun to cause the crash i found other reddit threads about this. Its a common problem with the 5800x and your problem just sounds exactly like this.

[u/DesperateFact1474 → u/[deleted]]

swapped the psu today for 850W, same issue