Start by identifying what “crash” means on your PC: a game closing to the desktop, a frozen game, a black screen, a Windows stop-code screen, or a computer that shuts off or restarts. Those symptoms need different troubleshooting paths. Work from reversible checks toward hardware isolation, changing one thing at a time and noting what happens.
First, identify the kind of crash
At the moment of failure, note exactly what the computer does. Does the game close while Windows remains usable? Does it freeze until you close it? Does the display go black while the computer stays on? Or does Windows show a stop code, shut down, or restart? Riot’s guide is intended for game crashes without a specific error; if the game displays an error code, use that game’s specific support instructions first: Riot Games’ PC game crash troubleshooting guide.
Also record whether the problem affects one game or several, whether it began after an update or hardware change, whether it happens only under heavy load, and whether you can reproduce it. This context helps distinguish a game-specific problem from broader system instability; no single symptom or log entry proves a particular component has failed.
If only the game crashes, start with reversible checks
Test after each change rather than applying a long list at once. Riot’s general sequence is to check system requirements, restart, update graphics drivers and Windows, isolate background software with a clean boot, reset graphics software settings, lower in-game graphics settings, then consider reinstalling the game.
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- Check the game’s minimum system requirements. Compare them with your PC’s processor, memory, graphics hardware, operating system, and available storage.
- Restart the PC and test the game again.
- Check for supported graphics-driver and Windows updates. If the problem began immediately after a graphics-driver update, check the game and GPU maker’s known-issue notes before changing drivers.
- Try a clean boot to see whether a background application or service is interfering. If the game works, re-enable items methodically to find the conflict.
- Reset GPU software settings to their defaults, then test.
- Lower graphics settings and test; raise them gradually if the game becomes stable.
- Repair or reinstall the game only after the simpler checks. Use the game publisher’s instructions for file repair and reinstallation.
For a known issue following a driver update, AMD advises checking the installed driver’s release notes and considering a prior driver only when the specific issue is documented. NVIDIA’s guidance also points to game patches and file repair, chipset drivers on custom PCs, background applications, and overclocking as items to investigate. See AMD’s system-stability troubleshooting and NVIDIA’s graphics-card troubleshooting guidance.
If Windows freezes, shows a stop code, or restarts
Preserve clues before making changes. Write down the exact time, the stop code if one appears, whether the PC shut off or restarted, and any recent hardware, driver, software, or Windows changes. Microsoft says an unexpected restart can involve hardware, drivers, or software; its guidance is to investigate the code and related evidence rather than assume one cause. Microsoft puts it plainly: “There’s no simple explanation for the cause of stop errors.”
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Check Windows crash records and Event Viewer entries around the time of the failure. Microsoft recommends comparing system-log errors from the same time window with the stop error and considering recently added drivers, services, or hardware. An unexpected-shutdown entry such as “Kernel-Power” records an abnormal shutdown; by itself, it does not explain why it happened. A stop code can narrow the investigation, but it is not proof that a particular device is defective.
Microsoft Learn reports that, in its analysis of Windows stop errors, 70% were caused by third-party driver code, 10% by hardware issues, 5% by Microsoft code, and 15% had unknown causes because memory was too corrupted to analyze. The page does not state a publication year. These figures describe Microsoft’s analysis of stop errors—not gaming crashes generally, game-only crashes, or all PC failures—and should not be used to diagnose an individual computer. Read Microsoft’s stop-code troubleshooting documentation.
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Return the PC to stock settings before deeper diagnosis
Temporarily undo CPU, GPU, and memory overclocks or other performance tuning. Restore factory defaults before testing stability, and temporarily disable third-party tuning or monitoring utilities if they could be affecting the system. Change one variable at a time and keep a note of the result.
AMD also recommends having current operating-system updates, drivers, and firmware; temporarily removing nonessential peripherals and aftermarket risers or extensions; and improving airflow. If the PC becomes stable at stock settings, reintroduce tuning changes one at a time. AMD’s complete guidance is at Troubleshooting System Stability Issues.
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Check cooling, power, seating, and memory methodically
Crashes during demanding games can have several possible sources. Inspect the system and its connections before assuming that a temperature reading, power event, or single crash identifies a failed part.
- Airflow and dust: Confirm that intake and exhaust airflow are not blocked. Inspect for dust buildup and clean only if needed, following the PC and component makers’ safety instructions. NVIDIA notes that dust can impede heat escape and recommends safe compressed-air dust removers for dusty systems. Cleaning is maintenance, not a fix when dust is absent or the underlying issue is elsewhere.
- Power supply and GPU connections: Check that the PSU meets the graphics card’s system requirements and that the GPU power connectors are fully connected. AMD’s advice about using independent PSU cables applies where the card and PSU setup support them; check the component manuals if unsure.
- GPU seating: If you are comfortable opening the PC, check that a discrete graphics card is seated in the motherboard’s primary PCIe slot. Follow the hardware manuals and power-down instructions; seek help rather than forcing a component.
- Memory: Check that the memory kit is compatible and installed in the motherboard’s recommended slots. Testing modules individually may help isolate a problem, but consult the motherboard instructions and avoid handling components if you are not comfortable doing so.
- Other hardware: CPU, motherboard, storage, and memory faults can also appear during intensive workloads. Similar symptoms can come from different components, so a crash during a game does not establish that the GPU is at fault.
NVIDIA’s overview of graphics-card crashes, freezes, black screens, and related issues is at its support forum guidance. AMD’s component checks are in its stability troubleshooting guide.
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Use Windows checks, then escalate in a controlled way
Install relevant Windows updates and check Device Manager for devices marked with a warning. If newly added hardware preceded the crashes, disconnect or remove it when safe and test again. Microsoft also recommends relevant hardware and memory tests and adequate free disk space; its general 10–15% free-space guidance varies by system and is not a gaming-crash threshold. See Microsoft’s unexpected-restart and stop-code guidance and Microsoft Learn’s Bug Checks reference.
Component swaps—such as testing with another PSU or GPU—can be useful later if compatible parts and competent help are available, but they are not first steps for every reader. MSI includes checks for game requirements, overheating, Windows and BIOS updates, graphics drivers, GPU seating, PSU or GPU substitution, and returning overclocked CPU or RAM settings to defaults in its computer-crash guidance.
Advanced crash-dump analysis can be difficult without familiarity with Windows internals. If the PC remains unstable after basic isolation, use diagnostics from the PC or component manufacturer, contact the relevant vendor, or consult a qualified repair professional. Do not update BIOS, reinstall Windows, or replace parts casually: follow the exact manufacturer instructions, and back up important data before recovery or a clean installation.
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