Question:

I seek your guidance regarding recurrent crashes on my high-end PC, which is primarily used for photo and video editing tasks in Lightroom Classic and Davinci Resolve.

The specifications of my system are as follows: Intel Core i7-13700K processor, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti graphics card, 64GB DDR5 RAM, and a 2TB Samsung 990 Pro SSD, all running on Windows 11.

Despite the PC being assembled by a highly recommended technician and performing exceptionally well in other aspects—maintaining optimal temperatures and handling exports and edits efficiently—it persistently crashes when operating the aforementioned software.

I’ve encountered suggestions on Reddit about disabling paging files to resolve similar issues. However, opinions on this solution seem divided. Could this adjustment potentially benefit my situation?

I’m at a loss for what steps to take next, especially since no error messages are provided before the crashes occur. Your professional advice on how to address these unexpected shutdowns would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you in advance for your assistance.” 🙌🏼

Answer:

When you’re working with a high-end PC configured with top-tier components like an Intel Core i7-13700K processor, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti graphics card, 64GB DDR5 RAM, and a 2TB Samsung 990 Pro SSD on Windows 11, you expect a seamless experience, especially during intensive tasks like photo and video editing in applications such as Lightroom Classic and Davinci Resolve. However, the issue of the system crashing can be perplexing and frustrating, particularly when the machine has been assembled by a reputable technician and is performing well in other respects.

The first step in troubleshooting such issues is to ensure that all your drivers are up to date, especially your graphics card drivers, which can often be the culprit in such scenarios. Additionally, check for any pending updates for Windows 11 and the editing software you’re using.

Disabling paging files is a debated topic. Paging files act as virtual memory when your RAM is fully utilized. While disabling it can sometimes improve performance, it can also cause instability if your system runs out of RAM. Given your ample 64GB of RAM, it’s unlikely that you’re exhausting this resource, but it’s not recommended to disable paging files without further analysis.

Crashes without error messages suggest a possible hardware issue or a conflict within the system. Here are some steps you can take:

: Use the Task Manager to monitor your system’s performance while running the editing software. Look for any spikes in CPU, memory, or disk usage that correlate with the crashes.

2.

Check Event Viewer

: Windows Event Viewer can provide logs that might indicate what caused the crash. Look under ‘Windows Logs’ → ‘Application’ to find any error reports related to Lightroom or Davinci Resolve.

3.

Run Hardware Diagnostics

: Perform a hardware check to rule out any issues with your SSD, RAM, or other components. Tools like Samsung Magician for your SSD can help you diagnose and fix problems.

4.

Software Conflicts

: Ensure there are no conflicts between your editing software and other programs. Try running the software with minimal background processes.

5.

System Stability Tests

: Use stability testing software to stress test your components, such as Prime95 for CPU and MemTest86 for RAM.

6.

Professional Help

: If the problem persists, consider reaching out to a professional who can diagnose the issue in person.

In conclusion, while disabling paging files might have worked for some, it’s not a guaranteed fix and could potentially lead to other issues. It’s essential to approach the problem methodically, starting with software and driver updates, then moving on to hardware diagnostics and professional assistance if needed. Your high-end setup should not be plagued with such issues, and with careful troubleshooting, you should be able to resolve the crashes and return to a stable and efficient editing workflow.