PC Crash when opening map

[Toastbre4d]

Hi there!

I have a problem and I was wondering if you could help me fix it.

I recently upgraded from a GTX 770 to a EVGA GTX 970 SC ACX 2.0 and since then, Skyrim manages to crash my whole computer so it reboots without a video signal. Only a hard reset works (turn off, turn back on, reset button doesn't help).

It happens randomly, I can open the map several times without issue, only to have it crap out on me on the n-th attempt. It has also happened if I wasn't accessing the map at all, but the map seems to be the most reproduceable. The audio will cut out, both of my screens will go black and the PC will reboot without a video signal.

This did not happen with the GTX 770, and it also doesn't happen in any other game or application. FurMark runs fine, like any other benchmark I throw at it. Only Skyrim is affected.

Detailed system specs:

Intel Core i5 4670K
MSI Z87-G43 with latest BIOS
8GB GeIL BlackDragon DDR3 1333Mhz
EVGA GTX970 SuperClocked ACX 2.0
OCZ ZT550 550W PSU
OCZ Vertex 4 256GB SSD
Windows 8.1 Pro 64 Bit
GeForce Driver 347.52

Skyrim runs with SKSE 1.7.2, Mod Organizer and the following loadorder:

Skyrim.esm

Update.esm
Unofficial Skyrim Patch.esp
Dawnguard.esm
Unofficial Dawnguard Patch.esp
HearthFires.esm
Unofficial Hearthfire Patch.esp
Dragonborn.esm
Unofficial Dragonborn Patch.esp
Falskaar.esm
SexLab.esm
MFVM.esm
SGHairPackBase.esm
JSwords.esm
HighHeelFootsteps.esp
ApachiiHairFemales.esm
ClimatesOfTamriel.esm
ZaZAnimationPack.esm
TERAArmors.esm
RaceCompatibility.esm
SexLabAroused.esm
ApachiiHair.esm
SharedSeranaDialogue.esm
hdtHighHeel.esm
Weapons & Armor Fixes_Remade.esp
Clothing & Clutter Fixes.esp
AradiaRogueArmor.esp
NewmGlassRobe.esp
Ebon Shroud - 7B BBP.esp
NewmPareoSevenB.esp
Huntress.esp
7B Ribbon Armor.esp
Blood Raven - 7B BBP.esp
7B_DragonbornArmors.esp
Dovahkiin Mercenary Armor and Weapons CBBE.esp
FastestDog's 7B DGDLC Armours.esp
Fairytale.esp
Extended UI.esp
Zipsuit.esp
Blade and Soul Negligee.esp
HentaiSuccubusArmor.esp
AradiaBikini.esp
NewVampChainsCuirass.esp
Aradia Lace Dress.esp
DCSorceress.esp
KURESE Gloria conversion.esp
TERA Weapons.esp
Daedric Extra Armor.esp
Ebony Catsuit.esp
BBD_CatsuitSpearhead.esp
ScarletDawnArmor.esp
Number 17.esp
Lethal Majesty.esp
DF_T19.esp
UNP Undies.esp
UNPPantyhose.esp
SkinTight.esp
aMidianborn_Skyforge_Weapons.esp
blackwidow.esp
Darklilith.esp
Bob's Boots CBBE v8.3.esp
Elewin Pumps 2.esp
R18Pn - Diano Armor.esp
kuzak-bodyandstockings.esp
Cloaks.esp
AradiaKatoArmor.esp
Sotteta Necromancer Outfit.esp
Tera Armor Level List.esp
Osare Maid Outfit.esp
Strap.esp
SleekSteel_StandAlone.esp
R18pn - lingerie Set.esp
Hothtrooper44_ArmorCompilation.esp
PerkusMaximus_Master.esp
PerMa Expansion 1 - Wintermyst.esp
PerMa_ModelsFix.esp
PerkusMaximus_Mage.esp
PerkusMaximus_Warrior.esp
PerkusMaximus_Thief.esp
Scale Tipper.esp
SexLabArousedAnimations.esp
Animallica.esp
IridumEyes2.0.esp
ClimatesOfTamriel-Dawnguard-Patch.esp
Additional Player Voices for Skyrim.esp
Shaydows VampireLord Replacer OVERHAUL.esp
The Dance of Death - Ultimate Edition.esp
Auto Unequip Ammo.esp
Better Dynamic Snow.esp
SexLabSquirt.esp
SexLabMatchMaker.esp
ClimatesOfTamriel Falskaar.esp
ClimatesOfTamriel-Dragonborn-Patch.esp
CoT-WeatherPatch.esp
CoT-WeatherPatch_Snow-40.esp
Dawnguard - Join As A Vampire.esp
FalskaarDawnguard.esp
EpisodeParallax.esp
AHZmoreHUD.esp
Footprints.esp
Footprints - Ash.esp
Neithteam Warpaint.esp
Headtracking.esp
CoT-WeatherPatch_DB.esp
ProperWeaponScale.esp
Pinup Poser.esp
FCO - Follower Commentary Overhaul.esp
KS Hairdo's.esp
NusbieVoices.esp
Pretty Combat Idles.esp
Pretty Female Idles.esp
Pretty Poses And Animations.esp
Order My Items.esp
ImmersiveFP.esp
RaceMenu.esp
RaceMenuOverlayCompilation - UNP.esp
RaceMenuPantyhose.esp
AOS.esp
WetandCold.esp
WetandCold - Ashes.esp
dD - Enhanced Blood Main.esp
AOS2_EBT Patch.esp
AOS2_WetandCold Patch.esp
AmazingFollowerTweaks.esp
RaceMenuPluginXPMSE.esp
Realistic Lighting Overhaul - Major City Interiors.esp
SkyFalls + SkyMills + DG + DB.esp
db-nightshade-replacer.esp
Feminine Females.esp
No More Sexy Animation Fix.esp
SBF All In One + DLC.esp
nightshade_armor_UNPB.esp
Realistic Lighting Overhaul - Major City Exteriors.esp
Realistic Lighting Overhaul - Dawnguard Interiors.esp
WATER DG.esp
Brows.esp
SGEyebrows.esp
sr_ifpssl.esp
SameWalkRunSpeedsLite.esp
SGHairPackAIO.esp
SMIM-DragonbornTernFix.esp
SMIM-DungeonsCliffsIceSkirts.esp
SMIM-FurnitureChestSnowFix.esp
Supreme Storms - Cot Version.esp
CoT-WeatherPatch_SupStorms.esp
MeridaHair.esp
JSwords_Load_Screens.esp
ShakeIt.esp
ShootingStars.esp
SkyUI.esp
AchieveThat.esp
Realistic Lighting Overhaul - Brighter Dungeons.esp
Skyrim Horses Renewal.esp
SkyFalls DB + FS Small Waterfalls.esp
SkyFalls + SkyMills Falskaar.esp
RaceMenuOverlays.esp
WATER.esp
SoS - The Wilds.esp
SoS - Civilization.esp
RealShelter.esp
Realistic Lighting Overhaul - Minor Cities and Town Interiors.esp
ClimatesOfTamriel-Interiors-Warm.esp
AOS2_CoT3_1_patch.esp
SoS - Civilization-PatchCoT.esp
SoS - The Dungeons.esp
WetandCold - Holidays.esp
SoS - Civilization-PatchRLOMajorCityInteriors.esp
SexLab Romance.esp
Marriable Serana.esp
LoversComfort.esp
WATER DB Waves.esp
SMIM-FarmhouseFlickeringFix.esp
SoS - Civilization-PatchRLOMinorCities.esp
Run For Your Lives.esp
JSwordsDistributionBalancePlugin.esp
SMIM-ShackRoofFixes.esp
Cloaks - USKP Patch.esp
SMIM-ShackRoofFixesDragonborn.esp
SoS - The Dungeons-PatchRLOMajorCityInteriors.esp
SoS - The Wilds-PatchCoT.esp
Sovngarde Steel Armor and Weapons.esp
MFVM_Hearthfire_Patch.esp
SpousesEnhanced.esp
WATER Plants.esp
The Paarthurnax Dilemma.esp
GSRDivorce.esp
Marriable Serana HF.esp
Neo's Selene.esp
SpousesEnhanced_Serana.esp
TBBP_Black Leather Thief.esp
SoS - The Dungeons-PatchRLODungeons.esp
WATER Falskaar.esp
SplashofRain.esp
RaceCompatibilityUSKPOverride.esp
Better Vampires.esp
Predator Vision.esp
Realistic Teeth Dawnguard Serana Vampire Fix.esp
AOS2_SupremeStorms_CoT Patch.esp
AOS2_WAF Patch.esp
dD-Dragonborn-Dawnguard-EBT Patch.esp
SFO - Dragonborn.esp
Skyrim Flora Overhaul.esp
TTYM - Think to Yourself Messages.esp
dD - Realistic Ragdoll Force - Realistic.esp
CitrusHead - Standalone.esp
Blush When Aroused.esp
female mannequins in homes.esp
female mannequins.esp
Verdant - A Skyrim Grass Plugin.esp
FNISspells.esp
vAutosaveManager.esp
vSCM_SmarterCombatMusic.esp
Alternate Start - Live Another Life.esp
Pre PaMa WAFR Patch.esp
Pre PaMa CCF Patch.esp
PerMaDefluffedPerkDescriptions.esp
RSPatch.esp
PatchusMaximus.esp

Mod Organizer manages a few dummy .esps, those are only there to load .bsa-files for LODs for example. I've not contained those in the loadorder.

This loadorder is the same as it was before I installed the 970. I've only fiddled with some textures.


It could be a power-related issue, but since FurMark and Prime95 run happily ever after, and that seems to be the most power the system can draw,  I don't think so.

However, I've recently read that the Maxwell-GPUs of the 900 Series can cause some pretty hefty power spikes (up to 300W!) for a fraction of a second. It would be strange if that only caused issues in Skyrim though. The GTX970 needs at least a 500W PSU. I happen to have a 550W 80+ Bronze PSU. A little headroom might not be a bad Idea, but it runs every other game just fine. It eats BF4, The Crew or Tomb Raider 2013 with DSR  for breakfast.
It really could be my PSU, it gives off a distinctive "Click" when the system crashes, as if a safety circuit or a solenoid was triggered.

I highly doubt it's a heat-related issue, since my CPU temps don't exceed 50°C while playing and the GPU stays under 75°C. That seems to be well within spec.

Again, it's not a bluescreen, the screens just go black, the PC reboots and I don't get a video signal until I turn the PC completely off.

Windows eventlogs do not show anything useful. Not a single entry at the time when the crash happened last time.


I've read on the EVGA and Nvidia forums that users with the same card and problem have been able to resolve this by RMAing their cards. That'd be the last measure for me.

I'm looking forward to your help.

MfG, Toastbre4d


Edit: Fired up Skyrim just with ENB and SKSE, activated godmode, toggled off clipping and set the speedmult to 500 and flew around Skyrim in an attempt to reproduce the problem. No dice. Ran flawlessly. So something must be wrong with my mods.