Random PC crashing and turning off

[Ala Natur]

My pc keeps randomly crashing and/or turning off. It primarily crashes most often leaving me unable to do anything only hear very fast repetition of the noise that is being played through my audio at the time, very rarely when it does crash if I wait 30-60 seconds it resumes as usual but not very often at all. My pc would rarely turn off completely without warning, it's never at the point of overheating really it will both crash and turn off while just listening to music with barely any programs running in the background. I've been coping with the crashing for many months, it would only occur around once a week but now it's occurring around 2 or 3 times a day, the occurrence of the shutting down has increased dramatically too. Another thing to note is that sometimes when the pc does crash after around 10 seconds it will just shut down without warning, but this doesn't happen all the time.
I've tried my best searching for online solutions but I haven't gotten anywhere, any help is very much appreciated!!! Thank you!

 

[veeg]

Hello

Please provide us with your pc spec's,model name and model number.
@phillpower2

 

[Ala Natur]

Hello

Please provide us with your pc spec's,model name and model number.
@phillpower2

My pc was custom built, the specs are as follows:
CPU: AMD FX 8320
GPU: Radeon R9 280 3GB
PSU: 650W Corsair VS
RAM: 8GB Corsair 1600mhz Vengeance
OS: Windows 10 (64-bit)

 

[phillpower2]

Hello Ala Natur,

Is your RAM 2 X 4GB sticks or a single 8GB stick.
Can you post the brand and model name or number of your motherboard for us.

Please take expanded screenshots and only use the method below to attach them.

Download Speedfan from here 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.

(this is a screenshot from a vista machine)


Download then run HWMonitor and post a screenshot so that we have a comparison to the Speedfan results, details from here


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... Click on the Upload a File tab then Open, after typing in any response you have...click on Post Reply like you normally would.

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

 

[Ala Natur]

2 X 4GB Ram sticks
The most I could find on my motherboard details http://imgur.com/a/DZGz2
Speedfan results http://imgur.com/a/lZ7dX
HWMonitor Results http://imgur.com/a/JZKBs and http://imgur.com/a/8OoJN

 

[phillpower2]

Your CPU is shown to be overheating and too much voltage possibly going to the RAM, check the VIN readings in HWMonitor and you will notice that 3 out of the 4 exceed 1.5V, two of these readings are for your RAM so at least one of the sticks is getting too much voltage, this will also cause overheating.

Are you or have you overclocked anything at all.

Restart the computer to go into the BIOS, select the Load Optimized Defaults option, Save & Exit then test, your MB specs and manual here to help with loading the Load Optimized Defaults, see page 27.

 

[Ala Natur]

Your CPU is shown to be overheating and too much voltage possibly going to the RAM, check the VIN readings in HWMonitor and you will notice that 3 out of the 4 exceed 1.5V, two of these readings are for your RAM so at least one of the sticks is getting too much voltage, this will also cause overheating.

Are you or have you overclocked anything at all.

Restart the computer to go into the BIOS, select the Load Optimized Defaults option, Save & Exit then test, your MB specs and manual here to help with loading the Load Optimized Defaults, see page 27.

Ok I've done the Load Optimized Defaults option and no I have never over-clocked anything.

 

[phillpower2]

How does the computer behave now.

Can you upload a new screenshot of HWMonitor so we can take a look at the voltages now that the default settings have been applied.

1. Copy any dmp files from C:\Windows\Minidump onto the desktop.
2. Select all of them, right-click on one, and click on Send To> New Compressed (zipped) Folder.
3. Upload the zip folder using the Upload a File tab.

 

[Ala Natur]

How does the computer behave now.

Can you upload a new screenshot of HWMonitor so we can take a look at the voltages now that the default settings have been applied.

1. Copy any dmp files from C:\Windows\Minidump onto the desktop.
2. Select all of them, right-click on one, and click on Send To> New Compressed (zipped) Folder.
3. Upload the zip folder using the Upload a File tab.

I was unable to find any files in /Minidump?

 

[phillpower2]

How does the computer behave now.

You missed answering this for us.

No change on the VIN voltages.

Not finding any crash dumps means one of two things, they are not enabled in Windows or Windows is not crashing and therefore not generating any crash dumps, the latter would suggest that the issue was hardware related.

Make sure that crash dumps are enabled on the computer, see guide here to help with this and please select the Small Memory Dump option.

 

[phillpower2]

Not heard back from you Ala Natur, do you still require assistance or is the issue now resolved, an update would be appreciated.

 

[gus]

Any updates for us, if not this thread will be closed within 48 hours.

 

[Ala Natur]

Hello, I'm very sorry for the lack of updates i have been very busy recently regarding my educational and social life and haven't had much time at all free. I will be enabling crash dumps as mentioned above in the next hour and will give an update on this as my pc is crashing and turning off like crazy recently.

 

[veeg]

Thanks for the update..

 

[Ala Natur]

You missed answering this for us.

No change on the VIN voltages.

Not finding any crash dumps means one of two things, they are not enabled in Windows or Windows is not crashing and therefore not generating any crash dumps, the latter would suggest that the issue was hardware related.

Make sure that crash dumps are enabled on the computer, see guide here to help with this and please select the Small Memory Dump option.

I've enabled it now and selected small memory dumps. Should this resolve the issue?

 

[phillpower2]

No, crash dmps help us analyse what is causing the system to crash as in if it is software/driver as opposed to hardware related, if the system crashes, you look for a crash dmp, if there are any you upload it/them for us, if no crash dmp is available it suggests that any issue/s are hardware related which by the symptoms described and the HWMonitor and Speedfan screenshots provided I suspect to be the case as in overheating.

How does the computer behave now.

I have asked a couple of times how the computer is behaving since you post that as suggested you had restored the MBs optimized settings back in your reply #7 March 27th, please advise.

 

[Ala Natur]

No, crash dmps help us analyse what is causing the system to crash as in if it is software/driver as opposed to hardware related, if the system crashes, you look for a crash dmp, if there are any you upload it/them for us, if no crash dmp is available it suggests that any issue/s are hardware related which by the symptoms described and the HWMonitor and Speedfan screenshots provided I suspect to be the case as in overheating.


I have asked a couple of times how the computer is behaving since you post that as suggested you had restored the MBs optimized settings back in your reply #7 March 27th, please advise.

PC is behaving just the same as always, no changes just still crashing and randomly shutting down. I rechecked the minidump file there were still nothing there.

 

[phillpower2]

Suggests that it is hardware related then with overheating being the prime suspect.

Are you ok with working inside a computer.

 

[Ala Natur]

Suggests that it is hardware related then with overheating being the prime suspect.

Are you ok with working inside a computer.

Yeah I'm fine with that

 

[phillpower2]

The following checks require the computer case to be opened so take the following safety precautions, 1st, disconnect the power cord from the wall socket, press the power on button to get rid of any residual charge in the system, remove the side of the case, take anti static precautions before touching anything inside, you can do this by touching a bare metal part of the case.

Inspect the CPU cooling fan and heatsink, make sure that it is securely mounted atop of the CPU and that the cooling fan and heatsink are not clogged with dust.

Remove the video card, blow out the slot and re-seat the card securely, do the same with the memory sticks, clean all internal fans, if you use canned compressed air do not let any fan spin freely as this can damage them, use something like a clean lollipop stick to hold the fan still.

Ensure that all internal connections are secure and that there are no loose components, write down the PSU details (make and model) re-assemble the computer, boot up and see how it goes.

Just a cautionary note - if you do use canned compressed air do not upend the can as it is possible for fluid to be emitted and do not use a hoover or cleaning out dust, they create static that can damage the hardware.