Windows gaming desktop crashes some time after monitor is turned off

[timeshifter]

My Windows desktop is having trouble. It's been a pretty solid system. I built it two years ago, Asus mb, i9-9900 CPU, 32GB RAM, GTX 1080 Ti, NVMe SSD, etc. I've got a nice 27" 4K 144Hz gaming monitor connected via DP.

I like to leave my machines on 24/7, no sleep mode. I don't like leaving the monitors on, especially this one. The machine will often "crash" after I've turned the monitor off. Not right away, I'm not sure exactly when, but when I come back to the machine and turn the monitor on is when I notice.

Crash - the PC is on. I can connect to it via my ConnectWise (Screenconnect) remote, but I get just a black screen. The size of the remote window is not the same as when it's all working OK. Sometimes it will respond to remote commands - i.e. when I send Ctrl Alt Del through Screenconnect. I can ping it on the local LAN. I've tried shut down from the command processor in Screenconnect's console. None of that seems to get me back. Right now I just sent it a reboot command through the Screenconnect remote client. Apparently it had some effect as I can't ping it now, but it didn't reboot.

It never had this issue for the first 18 months or more that I've had it. I've tried manually turning the monitor off, like what's currently happening. I think in the past I've had Windows power management do it. I also think I've updated the graphics drivers too, but I'm due for another. I looked in the Event Viewer last time but didn't see anything, but not sure I knew where or what to look for.

So, all I can do is physically power off the machine. It always comes back and runs fine, until the next time. And it doesn't happen all the time.

Any ideas?

 

[Sky-Knight]

Update BIOS and graphics drivers.

 

[Blues]

I run my desktop at home that way but I just have Windows Power management control if the display is on and have had no issues current system is only about a year old prior system ran like that for 8 years. What brand is the monitor and what is your video card and what kind of use does the GPU see ie Crypto Mining, Encoding, Gaming, etc?

 

[timeshifter]

What brand is the monitor and what is your video card and what kind of use does the GPU see ie Crypto Mining, Encoding, Gaming, etc?

EVGA GeForce GTX 1080 Ti FTW3 HYBRID GAMING, 11GB GDDR5X, HYBRID & RGB LED, iCX Technology - 9 Thermal Sensors Graphics Card 11G-P4-6698-KR

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B074D7S8HR

LG - 27" UltraGear UHD Nano IPS 1ms 144Hz G-SYNC Compatible Gaming Monitor with HDR (DisplayPort, HDMI, USB) - Black

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/lg-27-ultragear-uhd-nano-ips-1ms-144hz-g-sync-compatible-gaming-monitor-with-hdr-displayport-hdmi-usb-black/6423550.p?skuId=6423550

I game on it at night several nights a week. Ran NiceHash for the first 5 months this year, haven't run it for the last couple. Just started running it again, but whether I'm running it or not doesn't seem to influence whether this happens or not.

Update BIOS and graphics drivers.

OK, I've updated the graphics driver now using the Nvidia utility. I'll do the BIOS later, but want to try one thing at a time.

 

[Diggs]

Are you turning it off or letting just the monitor sleep/shut off? If you are powering it down try letting it stay powered up and let Windows sleep it. I'm not a fan of computers themselves repeatedly sleeping under Windows (many get flaky) but never had an issue with power savings on the monitor.

 

[Blues]

I don't know of any issues with any of that hardware and such light mining use I wouldn't expect to create a problem. I think the video driver update is most likely the best chance to resolve the issue let us know how it all goes.

 

[timeshifter]

I don't know of any issues with any of that hardware and such light mining use I wouldn't expect to create a problem. I think the video driver update is most likely the best chance to resolve the issue let us know how it all goes.

Updating the driver made my game not work right
It worked on every resolution and refresh rate except the one I use. I was able to uninstall the driver update by just uninstalling from appwiz.cpl. I thought it'd remove everything related to Nvidia, but it just rolled back. Had to add my custom resolution again (1920x1080 at 144Hz) to Nvidia Control Panel, but my game worked properly again.

I suspect that custom resolution (which isn't really all that custom, but whatever) might have been the culprit.

Are you turning it off or letting just the monitor sleep/shut off? If you are powering it down try letting it stay powered up and let Windows sleep it. I'm not a fan of computers themselves repeatedly sleeping under Windows (many get flaky) but never had an issue with power savings on the monitor.

I'm physically turning off the monitor. But that's a good suggestion, let Windows power management do it. I guess in some way the OS will know the monitor is off and it may help.

 

[Blues]

Was the resolution and refresh rate a custom setting before the driver update?

 

[timeshifter]

Was the resolution and refresh rate a custom setting before the driver update?

Yes. Only way I know of to run my monitor at 144Hz.

 

[timeshifter]

Another data point. Last night I set the monitor to go off after 2 hours in Windows power management. This morning it was still on. NiceHash was running, don't know if that was the cause. Will leave it not running next time.

 

[Blues]

Yeah I am leaning toward the same that the custom setting might be the root of the issue. I can say that when I have run NiceHash and set windows to control monitor state it does power off, I think some exceptions but had other programs involved, however I can only vouch for NiceHash when only running for GPU and with the NiceHash Miner, not the OS or Quick Miner, I don't know if you are also CPU mining and how that can or may impact the monitor sleep/power state through windows.

 

[timeshifter]

Still having success after letting Windows power management handle it.