Solved PC reboots while playing games

[Datguy]

Playing games like WoW classic og Teamfight Tactics causes the pc to reboot, it doesnt matter what graphics settings its on, it happens anyway. Timing of the crash varies from time to time. It's even happened when I tried to run a Benchmark on Heaven. Sometimes when it reboots, it reboots while its trying to reboot, several times in a row in fact.

Event viewer says: Lever = Critical Source: Kernel-Power Event ID: 41
Text: The system has rebooted without cleanly shutting down first. This error could be caused if the system stopped responding, crashed, or lost power unexpectedly

I've tried to factory reset the thing, still crashes.
All drivers are up to date.

GPU: MSI GeForce GTX 970 Gaming 4GB

CPU: Intel Core i7-6700 Skylake

PSU: Corsair CX 600M, 600W

RAM: Crucial DDR4 2133MHz 8GB (2x4GB)

OS: Windows 10

Any help will be appreciated.

 

[veeg]

Hello

Download the free version... https://www.ccleaner.com/speccy Install and run

To post... https://www.ccleaner.com/docs/speccy/using-speccy/publishing-a-speccy-profile-to-the-web


@jmarket @phillpower2

 

[Datguy]

Here you go: http://speccy.piriform.com/results/z7FfhRgyEBblzT8jse4uADI

 

[phillpower2]

Typical behaviour of overheating and/or a weak PSU.

Took a look at Speccy and noticed the following;

Windows 10 Home 64-bit
Computer type: Desktop
Installation Date: 11/14/2019 3:25:46 AM

There are no drivers for the MB shown to have been installed since Windows was on the above date, the drivers can be downloaded from here You must install the chipset drivers first and then go from there.

Memory Usage: 50 %

You have high memory usage for a computer that is not under any load - open the Task Manager and take a look at what is using the most RAM.

 

[Datguy]

I installed the chipset drivers first and then installed the VGA Driver, Audio Driver, LAN driver, Intel Serial IO Drivers and ASMedia USB3.0/3.1 Drivers. Not sure if I need the last two mentioned, and I'm uncertain if I need to install the SATA AHCI/RAID Drivers too. The VGA driver wouldnt install at first cause my pc didnt meet its minimum requirements, but I managed to bypass and install it anyways and now it has an exclamation mark saying "This device is not working properly because Windows cannot load the drivers required for this device. (Code 31)".

Firefox is using the most RAM, then NordVPN, Twitchapp and then a couple of Creative Cloud/Adobe applications. I attached two screenshots from task manager showing the details.

 

[phillpower2]

That is way too much memory for FF to be using but for now can I ask that you check the Task Manager when not connected to the internet, if memory usage is low you then open one program at a time and look out for any sudden increase, be aware that the more tabs that you have open and the longer that you have FF open for the more RAM that FF will be shown to be using.

The VGA driver wouldnt install at first cause my pc didnt meet its minimum requirements, but I managed to bypass and install it anyways and now it has an exclamation mark saying "This device is not working properly because Windows cannot load the drivers required for this device. (Code 31)".

Wouldn`t worry about this, your hardware well meets the requirements and it is most likely the driver that is wonky, uninstall the VGA driver and wait for Windows to install suitable drivers along the way when it is installing missing updates.

Keep us posted.

 

[Datguy]

Okey, I uninstalled the VGA driver.


When I turn on the computer and immidately go to task manager, the RAM is at 25% and increases to 27-30% when other programs open up during startup. When I turned off the internet, there wasn't that big of a difference with RAM. Of course, it depends on if I stream on youtube forinstance with the net on, compared to what I'm limited to doing with it off. If I close every app and only have task manager up, its at 27% but sometimes it jumps up to 29-30%. Here's a list of apps increase in RAM useage when I open them up:


FF: 5-7%

Google Chrome: 2-3 % (I either have FF or Chrome up at the time).

Discord: 2-3%

Twitchapp: 4-5%

Steam: 2-3%

NordVPN: 2%

Battlenet: 3-4%

Creative Cloud: 2%

However, after I close a few programs, the "average" RAM percentage stays a bit higher ater I've closed them (probably in background proceesses and the pc's been on for a little while).

 

[phillpower2]

Mind if I ask why you have three browsers installed and which one is set as the default, Chrome, Edge or FF.

Any more reboots.

 

[Datguy]

FF is default, I just uinstalled Chrome but dont know if I should uninstall Edge.

Yes, the reboots keeps happening. I've closed all other apps besides NordVPN, Battlenet and WoW, and I tried to play WoW again with minimal graphic settings. It worked for a little while, then I decided to pull up FF to check something. Memory cranked up to 47-48%. Didn't last a minute before it rebooted. The PC wouldn't turn itself on again, I had to wait like 30-45 sec before it would turn on.

Then I tried to play again without opening the browser, memory up to 38-40%, still rebooted.

 

[phillpower2]

You cannot uninstall Edge only disable it by making another browser the default.

The PC wouldn't turn itself on again, I had to wait like 30-45 sec before it would turn on.

Overheating and power problems can cause such behaviour but for testing purposes can I ask that you uninstall FF, download Chrome and make it your default browser so that Edge is disabled, run Speccy again and upload the new url for us and then while we look at the Speccy info do the following.


Download Speedfan and install it. Once it's installed, run the program and post here the information it shows. The information I want you to post is the stuff that is circled in the example picture I have attached.
If you are running on a vista machine, please go to where you installed the program and run the program as administrator.

So that we have a comparison to Speedfan, download, run and grab a screenshot of HWMonitor (free

To capture and post a screenshot;

Click on the ALT key + PRT SCR key..its on the top row..right hand side..now click on start...all programs...accessories...paint....left click in the white area ...press CTRL + V...click on file...click on save...save it to your desktop...name it something related to the screen your capturing... BE SURE TO SAVE IT AS A .JPG ...otherwise it may be to big to upload... after typing in any response you have... click on Upload a File to add the screenshot.

Screenshot instructions are provided to assist those that may read this topic but are not yet aware of the “how to”.

 

[Datguy]

http://speccy.piriform.com/results/6Rfo0hlMh4IDneRW02lGAtz

Will get started on speedfan and HWmonitor

 

[Datguy]

Forgot to mention that I uninstalled FF, installed Chrome and mate it my default browser.

I attached three files. The HWMonitor jpg was made out of three screenshots so I am not sure if the details are correct. I attached a txt file from the client just in case.

PS: I tried photoshopping a bit and the pc decided to reboot.

 

[phillpower2]

We are missing some important readings + there are a couple of readings that look off, no fan speed reading for the GPU and a high MB temperature sensor reading which could be an overheating Southbridge.

Please restart your computer and check the temperatures/voltages in the BIOS, no screenshot is required just make a note of the temperatures, the DRAM voltages and the +3.3V, +5V and the +12V rails on the PSU and post them with your next reply.

NB: BIOS voltage readings.

The readings are not conclusive in the BIOS as the computer is under the least amount of load, if they are higher or lower than what they should be though it most often means that there is a PSU problem.

 

[Datguy]

I restarted and went into BIOS (MSI Click Bios 5) and this is what I found:

Temp

CPU temp: 31 - 35°C
Motherboard temp: 30 - 33°C
System temp: 34°C

Voltage

CPU core: 1.080V
CPU IO: 0.976V
System 3.3V: 1.640V
System 5V: 5.040V
System 12V: 12.096V
DRAM: 1.200V

 

[phillpower2]

Voltage

CPU core: 1.080V
CPU IO: 0.976V
System 3.3V: 1.640V
System 5V: 5.040V
System 12V: 12.096V
DRAM: 1.200V

You may have found the problem, the 3.3V rail powers among other things the chipset, some memory slots and the PCI-E slots, if the voltage drops below 3.315V you will start having problems.

Couple of questions, would you be able to take off the side of the case and check to see if the GPU fans are spinning when the computer is under load, do you happen to have a small desktop type fan that you could direct inside the case to see if dropping the temps helps any.

 

[Datguy]

Yes, I took off the side and checked that the fans on the GPU does indeed start under load (around 55-60°C). This was while I had turned on a dekstop fan and put it close to the open side. It didn't put the fan on full force, but while the PC was idle it dropped from 43°C to 38°C in under a minute. It even went down as far as 33°C. While on, the GPU temp stayed at around 60°C. However, it still rebooted twice. Tried it once with Chrome open watching a youtube video while I played OW, and once without Chrome.

 

[Datguy]

So do I try switching the psu and see if that help or should I try something else first?

 

[phillpower2]

The Corsair PSU that you have is the modular type so I would suggest that you check to make sure that none of the cables have come loose, if they all check out to be secure, remove the add on video card from the MB, hook the screen up to the appropriate video port on the MB, reassemble, test then post back with an update for us.

 

[phillpower2]

Any update for us?

 

[Datguy]

Yes, I disconnected every wire, and then reconnected them thoroughly to make sure they sit approriatly. So far so good, I will let you know if it reboots. However could you clearify this part? "remove the add on video card from the MB, hook the screen up to the appropriate video port on the MB, reassemble". Not entiresly sure how to do this, and I haven't tried it out yet.