Screen freezes, goes to black and back constantly

[PINGAS7578]

Hey there
I suddenly when the Arc driver update 101.5592 came out started to have this issue of sometimes a lot in desktop (on Chrome and choosing multiple apps to open too) and even on the title screen of games the screen freezes, goes to black and then normal again constantly, but with games they just crash and nothing else happens. Tried to use the 101.5762 driver version, which was the latest, but after installing that version I just couldn't play games at all and Steam just when even doing nothing just automatically closes fully and reopens and are far more frequent that it's unusable.
My gpu is the A750 and here's an image file below from the event viewer what's the description and problem.
I'm just hoping there is some type of a solution for this problem.

[PINGAS7578]

Hey there

Looked about that pci device problem, changed the dGPU only mode option in UEFI to auto and then instantly that exclamation mark went away and AMD Radeon graphics iGPU was visible again in Device manager.

I have resetted the BIOS to default settings too, but that made it far worse to do stuff in Windows and Steam, even when the log in section pops out.

I am just starting to lose hope for this computer to work ever again for the intended stuff it should work with, especially gaming... ;-;

I literally built this computer fully for myself during February and it worked so well for the intended purpose for some months until all this weird crap started to happen... Don't even know if this all could be caused because of one time I removed the GPU and reinserted it back and during the taking off the pcie locking clip's one quite tiny fragment broke off even though it seems the GPU is inserted the correct way?

[Saveno]

Try do disable Hardware acceleration everywhere. Steam, Discord, Browsers etc.

Been saying that Intel Arc GPUs have issues with it for like a year now but Intel doesn't care.

It still happens on my end from time to time, but disabling hardware acceleration everywhere improved the black screen issue a lot (which A LOT of people have, but Intel still doesn't care and cant find a solution after more than a year now)

[PINGAS7578]

I tried disabling it on everything now, even tried to find that same thing in Windows settings, which I didn't find at all anywhere in the settings (even by searching exactly) and well, Steam doesn't seem like it does that weird constant freeze and black screen thing anymore, but still games always just freeze for no reason after a second even when being on the title screen of the game, some games doing the constant freezing and black screening like bedrock Minecraft and quite a lot of games just fully freeze that you can't do anything, only alt+F4 and then some games freeze and close itself very quick. Even that weird constant freezing and black screening happens when you want to crop one part of the screenshot that you only want (apparently sometimes too when opening search).

The only weird thing with when that happens is that when you look in the event viewer windows logs and system section then there's always the warning message's text of "Display driver igfxnd stopped responding and has successfully recovered". It's weird like when  you have drivers that are meant for it active then apparently it doesn't want to work on games anymore, but when you uninstall those drivers fully then games at least run, but very badly by frame rate. It's a bit too funny to me.

[NormanS_Intel]

Hello PINGAS7578,

Thank you for sharing the details of your situation. It's good to hear that changing the dGPU-only mode option in UEFI auto-resolved the exclamation mark issue and made the AMD Radeon graphics iGPU visible again in Device Manager.

However, I understand that resetting the BIOS to default settings has made things worse, particularly with Windows and Steam. This can indeed be disheartening, especially when it affects your gaming experience.

Based on the information you've shared, I will discuss this issue with our internal team for further review. Since you've already attempted the steps we provided and the issue persists, we will investigate further and update you in this thread as soon as we have more information.

Best regards,

Norman S.

Intel Customer Support Engineer

[NormanS_Intel]

Hello PINGAS7578,

I see that @Saveno has provided some suggestions, but it appears the issue persists. After discussing this case with our team, we recommend performing a cross-check using a different system to identify the root cause. Based on the description, the damage to the locking clip may be affecting the stability of the graphics card.

Please let us know if this is possible and inform us once you have tried it, as we have exhausted all other troubleshooting steps and the issue remains unresolved.

Best regards,

Norman S.

Intel Customer Support Engineer

[NormanS_Intel]

Hello PINGAS7578,

I hope you had the opportunity to review the information I posted. At your earliest convenience, please let me know so we can determine the best course of action to resolve this matter efficiently.

Best regards,

Norman S.

Intel Customer Support Engineer

[PINGAS7578]

Hey there

I didn't need to use the final recommendation that was recommended to do previously, I tried to finally test if the integrated graphics of the AMD processor work that the games themselves will run well, deleted with ddu even the Arc drivers to have it be clean with only the Radeon graphics and turns out games run fine with integrated graphics, they even don't don't crash at the title screen. My best guess is that there's something wrong inside the Arc gpu itself that could make the gpu to not work with it's own graphics drivers. (Man, I should've trusted my gut feeling that it was that, but no, I didn't for some reason)

So yeah... I think the gpu is faulty...

And apologies for taking up so much time and resources to help me with this issue only for me to find out it's the graphics card itself being the problem.

[NormanS_Intel]

Hello PINGAS7578,

No worries at all! It sounds like you did a thorough job troubleshooting the issue. It's great to hear that the integrated graphics are working well for your games. Based on your testing, it does seem likely that the Arc GPU might be faulty, especially since the games run fine with the Radeon graphics.

Don't worry about the time and resources spent on troubleshooting. It can be a complex process, and it's important to explore all possibilities. Your efforts have helped identify the root cause, which is valuable information.

I will notify our team about this issue, and I will post an update in this thread if there are any developments.

Best regards,

Norman S.

Intel Customer Support Engineer

[NormanS_Intel]

Hello PINGAS7578,

We have reviewed your case internally and would like to clarify: did the issue begin only after the incident you described?

"Don't even know if this all could be caused because of one time I removed the GPU and reinserted it back and during the taking off the pcie locking clip's one quite tiny fragment broke off even though it seems the GPU is inserted the correct way?"

To identify the root cause, we need to determine whether the issue is due to the broken locking clip or a problem with the Arc GPU. A broken locking clip can cause instability, as it might not hold the GPU securely, leading to connection issues. If you try another GPU, it might experience the same problem.

We understand this requires additional effort, but it is a necessary step to further isolate the issue. I look forward to your response so we can continue working together to identify the root cause of the issue.

Best regards,

Norman S.

Intel Customer Support Engineer

[PINGAS7578]

Oh, now that you asked that question I actually realized that there was something even before all these issues. At like the end of February or at the start of March there was a driver update for the Arc gpu, it was in the Arc control app that it said there was an update, updated from there then once, after updating there was no green checkmark next to the driver version, the app tried to check for a new update, but then said something about "something went wrong", but still games ran fine then, then one day I tried to power on the computer, but the screen was black and on the motherboard showed the "vga" issue light the . That was the consistent issue, tried to fully unplug the computer, before that turning off the psu, literally waited a whole day and then everything was fine. Played Subnautica for like multiple weeks then, but suddenly when I played it one time it froze and crashed.
Oh yeah, you recommended in one of the replies to try the gpu in another computer if it's the pcie connector issue with that locking clip, there's only one problem with that: I don't have a second desktop computer to try that, the only way that thing could be troubleshooted is to go to a tech store that has technical support that they can look in their test computers what the issue could be.

[NormanS_Intel]

Hello PINGAS7578,

Thank you for your response! It sounds like you've been through quite a bit with your Arc GPU. Let's break down the issues and potential solutions:

1. Driver Update Issue:

• The problem with the Arc Control app not showing a green checkmark and saying "something went wrong" is a common issue. A common fix is to use the Display Driver Uninstaller (DDU) to completely remove the current driver and then reinstall the latest version or use Intel DSA. For reference, you can check the following articles:

• Update Check Failed After Updating the Intel® Graphics Driver Using the Intel® Arc™ Control
• Error "We timed out looking for updates. Intel® Driver & Support Assistant may be offline or having trouble finding the latest drivers. We'll check again in a few minutes." Appears While Checking for Updates on Intel® Arc™ Control

2. VGA Issue Light:

• The VGA light on your motherboard indicates that the GPU isn't being detected properly. This can often be due to a loose connection. Make sure the GPU is securely seated in the PCIe slot and that all power connectors are properly attached.

3. Black Screen and Freezing:

• Since you mentioned that the screen went black and the VGA light came on, it could be related to the driver issue or a hardware connection problem. Ensuring the GPU is properly seated and the drivers are correctly installed might help resolve this.

4. Testing the GPU:

• If you don't have a second desktop to test the GPU, visiting a tech store with technical support is a good idea. They can test the GPU in their systems to determine if it's a hardware issue.

If you have any other questions, please feel free to let us know!

Best regards,

Norman S.

Intel Customer Support Engineer

[PINGAS7578]

Hey there

I got some news about my Arc gpu situation. Went to the tech support place with my whole computer so they can look fully where the issue is, talked my story about what I've done to fix the issues or hopefully fixing the issues and how it hasn't helped, especially when I talked about the gpu not being able to do stuff if the driver is installed, but without it is working, then they thought it could be the card itself that could be the issue.
They'll possibly let me know when the stuff is looked over and resolved and ready for pickup the next day or at monday, so that's at least something.
They even asked about the warranty, but I remember I bought the parts at previous year November, so I said yes, bought it the previous year and then they said it could be the card itself.

[NormanS_Intel]

Hello PINGAS7578,

It's good that you took your whole computer to the tech support place so they could get a complete picture of the issue. Fingers crossed for a quick and smooth resolution! Let us know the outcome. 

Best regards,

Norman S.

Intel Customer Support Engineer

[NormanS_Intel]

Hello PINGAS7578,

I hope you had the opportunity to review the information I posted. At your earliest convenience, please let me know so we can determine the best course of action to resolve this matter efficiently.

Best regards,

Norman S.

Intel Customer Support Engineer

[PINGAS7578]

Hello

Went to the diagnostic shop where I gave my pc and the gpu the previous week, turns out that yes, the Arc gpu is the problem yeah, but it's because of it being too long for the case and the motherboards' chipset heatsink (more of the chipset heatsink itself being the culprit) being a bit tall that the pcie connection was unstable and the gpu was crooked because of it and possibly after a month or 2 because of it the card moved a bit more out and then the connection was more unstable possibly and then the card shortcircuited itself and is faulty from that.
If I would've known that the gpu would not fit because of the chipset heatsink height being a bit taller and the chipset placement is a bit closer on mATX than on the ATX motherboard then maybe I would've gotten a shorter gpu during November, but oh well, a first time is a first time heh.

[NormanS_Intel]

Hello PINGAS7578,

Thanks for the update. It sounds like the diagnostic shop identified the root cause of the issue with your Arc GPU. It's unfortunate that the GPU's length and the height of the motherboard's chipset heatsink caused an unstable PCIe connection, leading to the GPU becoming crooked and eventually short-circuiting.

It's always tough when these kinds of compatibility issues arise, especially when it's your first time dealing with such hardware. But as you said, it's a learning experience. I'll bring this matter to our team's attention and will update you in this thread as soon as we have more information.

If you need any further assistance or have any other questions, feel free to reach out.  

Best regards,

Norman S.

Intel Customer Support Engineer

[NormanS_Intel]

Hello PINGAS7578,

I have discussed your case internally, and we would like to gather some additional information to assist you further:

1. When you visited the technician, was there an opportunity for them to test the Arc GPU on another computer? If so, did it also fail on that system?

2. Regarding the comment about a tiny fragment breaking off during the removal of the PCIe locking clip, I understand this refers to the locking clip on the motherboard's PCIe slot. Could you please confirm if there is any damage to the golden fingers of the Arc GPU?

If you require any further assistance, please do not hesitate to let us know.

Best regards,

Norman S.

Intel Customer Support Engineer

[PINGAS7578]

1. They actually tested on their own computer and even there it failed.

2. Looked precisely the golden fingers of the gpu and there is nothing visibly damaged on that area, just the typical usage on the golden fingers and nothing else really.

[NormanS_Intel]

Hello PINGAS7578,

Thank you for your response and the information provided. From the troubleshooting, it appears that the graphics card is the root cause of the issue. Could you please let us know if the store has offered a replacement for the graphics card? Additionally, what options have they provided? Your feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Best regards,

Norman S.

Intel Customer Support Engineer

[PINGAS7578]

Well, they didn't offer a replacement, I have to buy a new one myself. So yeah, the only option I have is because I bought it at 2023 November and the warranty is still active necause for sure the warranty is active for 2 years, so my only choice is to return it to the manufacturer (Intel) and nothing else, not wanting to hold it in my house too because what else am I going to do when it's broken? Nothing really.
Just wish there were A580s or A750s that were just 23-23,5 cm long and weren't as bulky-looking as the A750 LE is, my only choice really for now is the Biostar RX7600 because it's not that bulky-looking and would not interfere with the chipset heatsink (plus that RX7600 seems the perfect one to fit with it's cooling option for no interference with the chipset heatsink too). So yeah, not much coices really because the even shorter ones are just lower-end gpus then.

[NormanS_Intel]

Hello PINGAS7578,

I'm sorry to hear about the issues you're experiencing with your current GPU. It's completely understandable that you don't want to keep a broken GPU. I'll check this matter internally to determine the best course of action and will provide an update in this thread as soon as possible.

Best regards,

Norman S.

Intel Customer Support Engineer