Intel A77 Card hard crash computer

[RJ111]

After a year of normal operation, at random times, under light load or idle, a graphics driver or card issue seems to be shutting down my computer.  Black screen, no response, hard drive light solid.  Only way out is to shut down with power button and restart.  At first I thought it was a "sleep" issue.  I disabled all sleep settings and the problem persisted.

After several crashes I believe that my C:\ drive's SSD was corrupted due to the full-stop nature of the crashes.  I have replaced it.  Since then I have tested the original SSD on a different machine and after formatting etc. it seems to be in good health.

Intel A770 16GB based card

Asus pro-art Z790 MB, Win 11, 24H2, latest UEFI as of 2 weeks ago

I have removed the graphics card, formatted a new drive and installed Windows, apps etc.  The PC has now run for 430 hours with no problems.  Video during this test is the on-board intel graphics.

What should my next steps be to re-install and troubleshoot the card?  Which is the safest driver version to try?  What are the safest card/graphics settings to use?  My use is CAD, video editing and photography (DXO photolab) and the noise-reduction features make use of the GPU.  I don't do games for the most part.

[VonM_Intel]

Hi, RJ111.

It sounds like you've been through a thorough process to diagnose and address the issue. The fact that your system runs fine on integrated graphics suggests the issue is specifically related to the Intel A770 graphics card or its drivers. I would like to know the following:

• Which driver version were you using when the crashes occurred? Have you tried using the latest driver from Intel's website?
• What is the wattage and model of your power supply? Have you checked if it provides sufficient power for your GPU and other components?
• Have you monitored the GPU temperatures during idle and under load? What are the typical temperature readings?
• Have you checked the Windows Event Viewer for any error messages or warnings around the time of the crashes?
• Since the system ran fine for a year, were there any recent changes or updates (hardware or software) before the crashes started?

Additionally, I'd like to delve deeper and verify specifics like the graphics models, precise driver versions, and any system errors. Utilizing the Intel SSU tool will enable us to collect detailed information about your system setup, which could aid in identifying the underlying cause of this issue.

Best regards,

Von M.

Intel Customer Support Technician

[RJ111]

Thank you for your response.

Because of the nature of the SSD failure I don't have specifics about driver versions and windows event viewer showed practically nothing related to the crash.  I tended to keep up with the latest ASUS Proart recommended graphics driver, not the gaming one but the "more solid" studio ones.  I believe the driver was possibly back by one version from the latest.

GPU Temperatures were mild, 40's maybe?.  I did do a graphics "torture" test at one point and temperatures may have approached 80.  However, during the test and for the rest of the day, no crashes occurred.

My power supply is a corsair AX1200.  Overkill but because they are not that expensive it is cheap insurance.

Because this happened over a period of weeks and was sporadic, it is difficult to nail down when software updates happened in relation to the failures.  I update windows, generally, when prompted.  I tend to do the same for DXO Photolab and a handfull of other applications.   I had installed a couple of applications over that time but no applications that depended on anything "fancy" from the graphics driver.  Typically windows forms applications and similar.

At this point, the setup is a clean-slate.  I don't know what there is to learn from the SSU tool but I can give it a try.  I am hesitant to put the intel card back in as it took days to get my system back with the several dozen applications installed.  I am fairly convinced that the hard crashes is what did in the SSD-based windows system.

Further troubleshooting will need to wait for about a week as I am out of town for a bit.  Please keep this open and I will follow up next week.

Thank you for your help.

[VonM_Intel]

Hello, RJ111.

Thank you for the details. It sounds like you’ve already taken several great steps to troubleshoot the issue, and I can understand your hesitation to reintroduce the Intel card given the time it took to get your system back up and running. It's good to know you were using the studio drivers. When you return, you might want to try the latest version directly from the Asus Support Site to ensure compatibility. Your GPU temperatures seem within normal ranges. The fact that the system didn't crash during the torture test suggests the issue might not be temperature-related. Your Corsair AX1200 is indeed more than sufficient, so power shouldn't be the issue. Sporadic crashes can be tricky. Keeping your system and applications up to date is a good practice. 

I will need to do further research on this matter and post the response on this thread once available.

Best regards,

Von M.

Intel Customer Support Technician

[VonM_Intel]

Hello, RJ111.

Thank you for your patience. Based on my analysis, it appears that the A770 GPU might be the cause of the issue, particularly since your system has been functioning well for 430 hours with the integrated graphics (iGfx) and all other components remaining unchanged. To further diagnose the problem, you could perform additional tests such as running Memtest86 to rule out any RAM issues and checking the CPU temperature to ensure it is not overheating.

Best regards,

Von M.

Intel Customer Support Technician

[RJ111]

I ran the ram test twice before the complete crash, prior to removing the A770 card and once after the clean slate install. All three tests showed no errors. CPU temperatures got to the low 80s but only for seconds at a time. Mainly cpu ran below mid 50s.

[RJ111]

I did note one green screen failure event.
IRQL NOT LESS OR EQUAL. NTOSKML.EXE.

This may have been well into SSD corruption time so may not lead to any insight.

[AlHill]

@RJ111   That reads more like a memory error.

Doc (not an Intel employee or contractor)
[W10 is this generation's XP]

[VonM_Intel]

Hello, RJ111.

Thank you for your patience and for sharing the details of the issue you're facing. After reviewing the information, I agree with  's comment that the BSOD related to ntoskrnl.exe could have been caused by previous SSD corruption. It's possible that this may have led to the errors you experienced before replacing the SSD. To better assist with your experience using Intel's GPU, I will be reaching out to you via email shortly to discuss the warranty status of your GPU.

Thank you again for your cooperation, and we'll be in touch soon via email to assist you further.

Best regards,

Von M.

Intel Customer Support Technician

[RJ111]

The ntoskrnl.exe error was on the final day, moments before the computer would no longer boot.  So I believe it was a symptom of accumulated SSD damage etc.  The computer has continued to run with no errors without the A770 based card.

The video card is an ASRock Phantom Gaming A770 PG 16G0.  Other markings: 80-GA4K00-1A01  80G70023-01288.  It was purchased 11/27/2023 and installed Q1 2024   So, beyond warranty I believe.

So, if I want to stick with an A770-based card, which driver version should I be using?  Should it be an OEM driver or one directly from Intel's web site?  My goal is:  very stable, very reliable.  Don't care about absolute greatest performance.  Again, I don't game with this card.

[VonM_Intel]

Hello, RJ111.

Thank you for providing detailed information regarding the issue with your ASRock Phantom Gaming A770 PG 16G0 video card. For security and confidentiality reasons, please refrain from posting sensitive information such as the purchase date and specific markings of your device.

Regarding your query, I have sent you an email with more details. Please check your SPAM or other folders in case it was filtered there.

For stability and reliability, it is recommended to use the OEM drivers. OEM drivers are handpicked and include customized features and solutions to platform-specific needs. The generic Intel driver provides users with the latest and greatest feature enhancements and bug fixes that computer manufacturers (OEMs) might not have customized yet. Installing this Intel generic graphics driver will overwrite your handpicked OEM graphics driver. 

Best regards,

Von M.

Intel Customer Support Technician