Computer Crashes during Video Rendering

[kyraejenkins]

Hello, so I upload gameplay videos using Fraps onto youtube.
I edit the videos and compress them with things like After Effects, Movie Maker & Virtual Dub.
This past month I've been encountering an issue though.
If I render videos, my computer just freezes and I have to hard reboot.

I have 16 gigs of ram and 1.5 terabyte hard drive.

So my question is, does this issue sound like a RAM/Graphics Card/Hard Drive bad sector type issue?

[johns0]

Sounds like either bad ram,bad psu or cpu overheating.

[jagabo]

Check CPU temps first. If you're overclocking go back to stock frequencies. If you have four sticks of RAM try removing two of them.

[Nelson37]

What program is rendering when it freezes?

How long is it running the render before freezing?

How old is the PC?

How long has this task been running correctly before the failure began to occur?

Last time you cleaned the heatsink and fan?

Do you have a temp-monitoring program? If not, get one.

Extremely unlikely it is video card, unless of course the rendering program is using the GPU, of which I have no idea, BECAUSE YOU DID NOT SUPPLY NEARLY ANY USEFUL INFORMATION AT ALL, SUCH AS WHAT FRIGGIN PROGRAM IS DOING THE RENDERING

If you want to know if the hard drive might be part of the problem, run a defrag and error check, and LOOK AT IT in explorer for the dummy files made by error correction.

A very, very minimal amount of reading or searching would have revealed to you that about 90% of the time a PC freezes during a render, CPU overheating is the cause.

Not much more will tell you that I am able to diagnose and resolve the problem for you. However, I will expect clear and concise answers to questions I ask, and if those are not forthcoming, I will leave you to solve it on your own.

[kyraejenkins]

What program is rendering when it freezes?
I was rendering in Movie Maker, cuz it was just a simple video.
If you read my first post I tell you that I use After Effects, Virtual Dub and Windows Movie Maker.
Which are the programs it freezes on.
I play several high end video games at ultra settings on graphics and no issues at all.
But for the last couple weeks when I go to save Fraps files (roughly 40 gigs per video file rendering @ 1080p HD that get compressed to 1 - 2 gigs).
I typically edit my videos with a fade in/fade out, some audio and my videos are 7 - 10 minutes.
I record video game game play on World of Warcraft/League of Legends.


How long is it running the render before freezing?
The average time it takes my videos to render is probably around 10 - 15 minutes.
On youtube it uploadds within 5 minutes and then after 10 minutes or processing I have 1080p quality.
It happens randomly. For example a video I recently worked on took me 8 attempts to complete successfully.
It froze 5 times around 32 - 35% 2 times at 75 - 78% and 1 attempt at 90% and then the next day I was able to render on the first go.
The video I've been trying to render now is freezing around 32 - 40% completion.
I've tried rendering without any effects on along with compressing the file.


How old is the PC?
My PC is a little over 1 year old.
The stats of my computer build should be on my profile.
If not, let me know and I'll post it up.

How long has this task been running correctly before the failure began to occur?
Failure began exactly 3 weeks ago.

Last time you cleaned the heatsink and fan?
I have 8 fans and they are currently clean, my heatsync should be fine because when I installed
my new graphics card recently, I cleaned everything out with some air duster and the thermal paste is good.
My tower isn't overheating or anything. My motherboard has a heat sensor.

Do you have a temp-monitoring program? If not, get one.
No, but like I said... my motherboard has a heat sensor so if my tower did overheat, it would just shut off completely.

When it comes to computer performance, I have no issues except for this.
I can play 64 bit video games on ultra settings getting 60 fps.

The only thing I can think of is maybe checking my event log the next time my computer freezes
and search up what error it was.

[jagabo]

my motherboard has a heat sensor so if my tower did overheat, it would just shut off completely.

Nonsense.

[nic2k4]

Update your video card driver, with any luck that will fix it. Another thing you can try is to disable acceleration in the video card driver (device manager), only when you're editing.

I've had the same kind of problems. I was only able to kinda fix it by replacing the video card with a different chipset one. I say kinda, 'cause I still get the occasional lockup on video playback. The bigger problem is editing video with 32 bit programs on 64 bit Win7.

[Noahtuck]

How long has this task been running correctly before the failure began to occur?
Failure began exactly 3 weeks ago.

He means, how long into the encode does it freeze.

my motherboard has a heat sensor so if my tower did overheat, it would just shut off completely.

I wonder when they came up with that new tech ??

Nonsense.

Exactly!!

And if frogs had wings and dog's crapped chocolate ice cream!!
LOL!!!

When it comes to computer performance, I have no issues except for this.
I can play 64 bit video games on ultra settings getting 60 fps.

Video encoding is WAY more CPU intensive than any game you could ever play!!!!!
I am also going for overheating at this point.

You could download and burn memtest to a cdr and boot into it to run a test on your ram to see if there is a problem there.

If you know what it is not then you should know what it is!!
LOL!!!

[nic2k4]

... I installed my new graphics card recently...

Doh! You should have mentioned that in the first place. When something suddenly stops working, first thing you should look at is what has changed from before.

[kyraejenkins]

Okay so I just went into my BIOS and checked my temperatures.
The system temp is 31○C
And the CPU 63○C.

I can play world of warcraft and have league of legends open along with streaming music and vent and not have a single issue.
Plus my room has a space heater running currently so my room/computer is warmer.

So perhaps my temperature is a little too high but I could just re-apply thermal paste and maybe check up my fans to see if any need replaced etc...

Obviously when I work on videos I have nothing open BUT the video program itself.

I really appreciate any help I receive on this matter but I do not appreciate the sarcasm.
I'm not a computer expert and I've never had any issues before until now.
So if you came here to poke fun at me, I request that you leave if you aren't providing constructive input.
Thank you.

~ Kayla

[kyraejenkins]

... I installed my new graphics card recently...

Doh! You should have mentioned that in the first place. When something suddenly stops working, first thing you should look at is what has changed from before.

I've had my graphics card for like 4 - 5 months.
And my issues started 3 weeks ago.
So it's definitely not a graphics card issue.

[kyraejenkins]

Update your video card driver, with any luck that will fix it. Another thing you can try is to disable acceleration in the video card driver (device manager), only when you're editing.

I've had the same kind of problems. I was only able to kinda fix it by replacing the video card with a different chipset one. I say kinda, 'cause I still get the occasional lockup on video playback. The bigger problem is editing video with 32 bit programs on 64 bit Win7.

I checked my drivers and windows says they're all up to date.
I also checked the website for the card manufacturer and there was nothing new to install.

[gonca]

CPU overheating is my bet.

[kyraejenkins]

Did Windows ever create a 64 bit version of Movie Maker for Windows 7?

[kyraejenkins]

CPU overheating is my bet.

But if it were overheating why wouldn't my computer crash if I have several high-performance video games running along with several programs all at once?

I'm also not getting any blue screens or anything.
This problem ONLY happens when I'm rendering in Movie Maker etc...

But my computer has the thermal event shut down.
So if my motherboard is working properly and my computer is overheating my computer should just shut down.

What it's doing is just freezing while still running.

[jagabo]

Okay so I just went into my BIOS and checked my temperatures.
The system temp is 31○C
And the CPU 63○C.

63 C at an idle BIOS? That's the sort of temperature you should be seeing with all 8 cores running full out. Download and run CoreTemp. Watch temperatures while encoding.

Run Task Manager and CoreTemp while gaming. You'll see the CPU isn't stressed at all.

http://www.alcpu.com/CoreTemp/

[kyraejenkins]

Okay just did a burn test with everything necessary cranked to 100.
See pic. And my computer did freeze up over a few minutes.

So I'm going to do the test again just with the CPU active & at 100.
It might very well be that my CPU is overheating.
But I'll find out after this test.

[Nelson37]

How long were you on the BIOS screen when observing that temperature, and was this from a cold start or had it been running for a while?

You need to monitor temp DURING SYSTEM USAGE. BIOS temp is high, but it doesn't freeze in the BIOS, does it?

The PC freezes while rendering with THREE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS? Not just one, but ALL THREE? Pretty much eliminates a software problem.

The problem started three weeks ago. For what period of time, previous to that, had this task run correctly? Also verify that NOTHING had changed on the PC, anywhere near that three week period. Four months ago, and a video card, most likely not it.

The motherboard temp sensor is designed to shut the PC down when it has become hot enough to do real, permanent damage or catch it on fire. Significantly lower temperatures can cause lockups.

Definitely check ALL event logs. Probably not any entry, though.

When installing the video card - was the heatsink bumped, nudged, or pressured in any way? Did you do the same encoding workload After the card install, and Before the commencement of the problem?

Video encoding will heat up your CPU unlike any other program you have ever encountered. That's why so many people are telling you to investigate CPU overheating as the cause of the problem. You need to monitor temps while an encode is going on.

[kyraejenkins]

Yeah in the event viewer all of the errors/criticals were just from my computer not being shut down properly during the computer freezes.

So from the burn test so far:
I had everything (in the pic above) selected @ 100. And the computer froze, but the tower was still running.
This time I had the CPU selected and everything else disabled and after 508 billion processes and maybe 2 - 3 minutes run time, my computer shut down completely, no freezing, no blue screen. Tower was off completely.

So now I'm going to test my RAM on the burn test.
Followed by the video/2D/3D ones.

[Nelson37]

I dislike testing progs like that. Do you care if the PC locks up running a testing program, or do you want to stop it locking up while rendering? Get the temps during rendering.

Running a test like that is one of the very, very few programs which will heat a CPU MORE THAN rendering. Dangerous, potentially damaging heat levels can be reached, MOST ESPECIALLY if a cooling problem is already present.

High odds the heat paste layer dried out and got cracked or separated during card install. Fan speed problem or airflow, maybe.

I'd pop off the heatsink, clean, dry, apply new paste, test. Whenever possible, test using real-world rather than artificial conditions, and avoid progs that actually make a real effort to cook your CPU.

[Nelson37]

Get REAL DATA. Actual temps while rendering.

Memory tests nearly worthless.

You have already found the error condition. Other tests a waste of time.

[Noahtuck]

Oy Vey

You obviously are NOT paying attention or just hear (read) what you want to..........

[kyraejenkins]

So I think you guys are right about the thermal paste being dried up etc...
I am using a factory heatsync and the thermal paste is factory as well.

I have a Solid State Drive in the mail, so when I install it into my tower, I'm going to also check the heatsync/thermal paste.
I'm probably just going to order an after market one just so I know I have something new/high quality in my tower.

[jagabo]

Why aren't you doing the obvious test? Run CoreTemp while rendering. I suspect you're going to see temperatures in the 90's before the system locks up.

I'm running a different CPU but I get CPU temps in the low 30's at idle, low 60's at full CPU load. And that's with the system optimized for quiet running, not max cooling.

[gonca]

The system temp is 31○C
And the CPU 63○C.

i73930K @ 4.4GHz. During video encoding temp stabilizes in mid to hi 60's. That's with 100% CPU usage. Goes down to 30's very quickly when encoding finished. 63C is high even in BIOS. You need a thermal paste job and/or a better cooler. Stock ones tend to be not very good. Make sure you have good air flow in your case and no air locks, i.e. hi pressure imbalances between intake and exhaust.

[kyraejenkins]

Why aren't you doing the obvious test? Run CoreTemp while rendering. I suspect you're going to see temperatures in the 90's before the system locks up.

I'm running a different CPU but I get CPU temps in the low 30's at idle, low 60's at full CPU load. And that's with the system optimized for quiet running, not max cooling.

I downloaded the Core Temp, but when I click on the .exe file in my downloads it doesn't do anything, so I'm thinking it's corrupt. I tried 3 times. :P

[kyraejenkins]

The system temp is 31○C
And the CPU 63○C.

i73930K @ 4.4GHz. During video encoding temp stabilizes in mid to hi 60's. That's with 100% CPU usage. Goes down to 30's very quickly when encoding finished. 63C is high even in BIOS. You need a thermal paste job and/or a better cooler. Stock ones tend to be not very good. Make sure you have good air flow in your case and no air locks, i.e. hi pressure imbalances between intake and exhaust.

My case has a lot of mesh around the walls and I have 8 fans.
So I'm pretty sure the problem lies within the CPU.
But yeah I get my SSD in a few days from Newegg so I'll check the thermal paste.
If that doesn't fix my problem, I'll just go ahead and purchase a brand new heatsync.

[jagabo]

I downloaded the Core Temp, but when I click on the .exe file in my downloads it doesn't do anything

Look in the System Tray. Do you see temps there? Make sure the Tray is enabled and items aren't hidden. I'm running a quad core system so there are four temps there:



Right click on one and select Show/Hide to bring up a window:



Be sure you're using the 64 bit version in 64 bit Windows: http://www.alcpu.com/CoreTemp/php/download.php?id=3

[kyraejenkins]

Okay, here is the reading. With nothing running.

[kyraejenkins]

Okay here is a screenshot of Core Temp running while a video is rendering.
It started out around 45○C and as you can see it hit 80○C.
And if I'm correct the max it can go is 90○ so my guess is when the video renders to 30 - 35%.
My CPU overheats (either because it is faulty or thermal paste is crap) which in turn causes the freeze.
Yes?