Source
r/techsupport•
ericjames

Computer rebooting randomly

Solved

Hello all,

I've got a i5-2500k, z86a-u3d-b3 mobo, 8 GB RAM (4 GBx2), and a gtx970 running Win7. The machine has been rebooting while playing a few specific games (Civ 6, FIFA 18).

My initial thought was temperature related issues so I made sure all the fans were running and then used Open Hardware Monitor to log CPU and GPU temps while opening up one of the applications and waiting for the reboot, none of the component temps were above 60 degrees. I ran the MS memory diagnostic tool and a chkdsk on both my system and secondary drives which checked out OK. Event viewer just has the reboot logged as unexpected and there is no bug check code (meaning it is "0").

I'm thinking to check out the outlet, surge protector next and then will probably be looking at testing the PSU next - just wondering if anyone has any suggestions on quicker tests I may have missed, as I feel like if it was a power issue I'd see the restarts while doing more on the system. Maybe a graphics driver thing?

Thanks!

EDIT: GPU was bad, fans were spinning and it was resetting 15-20 degrees below the card's max temp but it's a pretty old card and I haven't been easy on it.

Posted Sep 4, 2018, 1:52 AM UTC · edited

29
kabanossi•

Try some of the steps here if you haven't done that already:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/2621246/how-to-resolve-automatic-restarts-problem-when-windows-7-experiences-a

3
ericjamesOP•

I assume this will leave the blue screen up after failure (assuming one is present) after it fails? In borrowing a GPU tonight so I should have this nailed down in a few hours.

2
skyroket•

See if it does it during a GPU benchmark (Heaven is a popular one with minimal download size). What size PSU do you have? Has the computer ever worked properly, or is this a new build or changed config that created the new problem?

I had a buddy who had his PSU flipped the wrong way so it was exhausting hot air into a wall, overheating PSU and shutting down.

2
ericjamesOP•

This is a quite old machine (built initially in 2011 with a different GPU and PSU) that had been working without issues for several years, I've had two issues with it; a dead GPU cooler and a dead PSU, happend several years apart that I resolved by replacing the non-functioning components. The machine functioned without issue for probably 2-3 years with no issues after the last part swap.

The PSU fan is pointing down, my case has a grate at the bottom for intake and IIRC this is the only way the screwholes lined up.

I'll run the benchmark utility and see if the crash occurs, thanks.

1
ericjamesOP•

It did crash during the benchmark, GPU temp as recorded in the benchmark tool got up to about 70 degrees (I guess my logging with open hardware monitor wasn't set to check frequently enough) and the machine crashed. Max temp for the GPU is supposedly 98 degrees.

Uninstall/reinstall drivers and test, if issue persists then pull the GPU and try to run the benchmark again seem reasonable testing?

1
skyroket•

If you want to try the GPU benchmark without the GPU in there (and you have onboard graphics), that will certainly point the problem to the GPU. I think a quick reinstallation of drivers will fix it, and if it doesn't, use DDU (Display Driver Uninstaller) to completely erase all display drivers, then reinstall them (or you can do that first - just trying to save time with a quick reinstall).

2
ericjamesOP•

It looks like it's the GPU cooler. I used the ddu utility to remove drivers, rebooted, reinstalled the drivers and tested. Temps stayed a bit lower and I made it further through the benchmarks but I got another crash at like 61 degrees. I opened the case to pull the gpu and it was pretty dirty so I've given it a clean but testing failed again so it looks like it's RMA time.

2
ericjamesOP•

Just wanted to follow up as a thanks for your help - I borrowed another GPU from a buddy and that let me make it all the way through the benchmark. Temps were just a bit lower on his card (it held at like 65 through the whole thing) so I'm guessing the motor(s) on my fans were dying and when his card was able to ramp up the RPMs mine couldn't match. I'm going to try disassembling the card and giving it a thorough clean but I will need an RMA or to purchase a new card.

2
darkorex•

Psu underpowered for hardware needs possible

2