Windows 10: Struggling to figure out why my computer is hanging under load... I'm thinking CPU or GPU...

I'm running latest version of Windows 11, freshly installed on a Samsung 990 Prowiped using Samsung Magician Secure Erase and updated to latest firmware then tested in Samsung Magician. I also flashed to the newest bios for my Gigabyte z790 Gaming X AX with BIOS defaultsexcept for XMP being on. I recently wiped everything and flashed my BIOS because I started experiencing my computer hanging/crashingusually no bluescreen, I have to hold power button as waiting for the hang/crash to cycle and shut the pc off normally doesnt lead to anything, and when I do bluescreen it gets stuck on 0% wit

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Hard crashes with ANY heavy load

Out of the blue, my computer has been crashing upon heavy loads. For example, playing a game. I can load into the menu fine, but when it finishes loading the game, either the game will crash or my computer will black screen and restart. Specs and what I have tried already are as follows:

• CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 5600G
  
• RAM: 32GB Corsair DDR4-3200MHz
  
• MOBO: ASUS X470 Prime Pro
  
• GPU: ZOTAC GTX-1070
  
• PSU: Corsair CX450
  

What I have tried:

• Updated drivers for CPU, GPU and MOBO BIOS updated
  
• reinstall GPU drivers via NVIDIA software utilities
  
• unplugged and reconnected all PSU connections, reseated GPU
  

I'm out of ideas. Any suggestions you have to fix my issues are greatly appreciated.

 

Strange freezing under GPU and CPU load.

My main rig has been suffering from very random complete freezes over the past month, which require a hard reset. And I can't for the life of me figure it out.

Here are the facts:

• It only does it when the GPU and CPU are under a lot of load(i.e. Folding)
• It does it rather often while playing Plants vs. Zombies, which is probably due to the high GPU/CPU load.
• It does it with everything at stock speeds.
• When I reboot the computer after the freeze. All of the websites that I've logged into, such as TPU, require me to log in again. <-- This one is really strange to me.
• PSU fan has started to noticeably click when I shut the computer down, but I know it is still spinning, but maybe not fast enough?

Here is what I've tried:

• Reset everything to stock.
• Swapped out 3 different video cards.
• Ran CPU folding only for a week. <-- No freezes.
• Ran GPU folding only for a week. <-- No freezes.
• Added second auxilary PSU to power GPU only.
• Removed 2 sticks of RAM.

That is kind of where I'm stumped.

I thought maybe it was the PSU, so I tried to take some load off of it by adding an auxilary PSU I had laying around. That didn't help at all, though I still think it might be the PSU, so I ordered a Corsair HX850, which should be here this week. The PSU is almost 3 years old at this point.

My next guess is the HDD, and I only say that because it seems like every time the computer freezes, it corrupts any cookies I have stored, forcing me to log into every website again. Also, it is probably older than the PSU at this point. If the new PSU doesn't fix it, a new HDD is probably my next step.

I also found it very stange that it crashes a lot with Plants vs. Zombies(girlfriend loves it, which pisses her off more than me, but gets me in trouble every time it freezes just as she is about to win a level). However, I figured out that even though it is a very simple game graphically, it uses a lot of CPU and GPU power(it is hardware accellerated and does use a lot of the CPU when there is a lot of stuff going on). I haven't had a freeze in any other game, including Just Cause 2, which I've been playing extensively.

Am I overlooking anything?

 

Struggling to Install Windows to an M.2 Drive

• MOBO: MSI B550M PRO-VDH WIFI
  
• CPU: 5600X
  
• RAM: 16GB 3600MHZ DDR4
  
• GPU: PALIT 980
  
• BIOS VERSION: E7C95AMS.2D0
  
• M.2 DRIVE: Crucial P3 Plus 2TB
  
• OTHER DRIVES: None
  

I am currently trying to install windows on my MIL's new m.2 drive in her desktop PC.

When in UEFI mode the bios does not recognise the M.2 as a boot device. It will let me install windows to it, just not boot to it. As soon as the installation reaches the restart stage it reboots the PC back to the boot drive asking if I want to install windows again.

In CSM/Legacy mode the drive is recognised as a boot device but windows will not install to it, stating that the hardware isn't supported.

I am sure I am missing something simple, any help and advice would be greatly appreciated!