Random PC Shutdowns

A

avatar0527

New member
Starting about a week ago, my computer started to shutdown randomly without any warning whatsoever. No BSOD, or any error message, it just simply shuts down, and starts back up again in 5-ish seconds. This random shutdown thing has gotten gradually worse over the week, to the extent where the computer now shuts down after 10 minutes of use, or even during boot at times.

I don't thinks it's temps related, as I've tried monitoring temps using CPU-Z for the short while I have before it shuts off..

Anyone else encounter something like this? Any suggestions or information on the situation?

Here's my PC specs:

CPU: i7 4770K
GPU: Gigabyte GTX 670 Windforce edition
Ram: 8gb Corsair Vengeance LP 1600mhz DDR3
PSU: Corsair GS600
MB: AsroCK Z87 Extreme 4
Storage: Kingston Hyperx 3k 120gb + 1tb Seagate 7200 HDD

I haven't done any overclocking at all, for any of the components as of yet.
 
check the error logs for any tell tale signs first bud. This sounds to me like either a PSU issue or a ram issue. The increasing frequency is (to me) also pointing towards a faulty sensor/heat issue though. How are your GPU's temps?
 
I would seriously also consider a bare bones minimum hardware install running purely off the motherboard graphics with 1 stick of ram and gradually go through each piece of hardware one at a time until you find the culprit.

But first as Barnsley said try and see if you can get a error log first it should point you in the right direction.
 
barnsley said:
check the error logs for any tell tale signs first bud. This sounds to me like either a PSU issue or a ram issue. The increasing frequency is (to me) also pointing towards a faulty sensor/heat issue though. How are your GPU's temps?
Click to expand...

I've checked the error logs, and there doesn't seem to be anything in particular, other than an error stating that the system rebooted without clearly shutting down. I'll have to recheck on the gpu temps, but I wouldn't think that'd be it, specially since I'm just on, say, facebook, when the computer shuts down. I've also tried booting the pc after a day without using it, and it usually shuts down during boot, or in the early minutes either way. I'll still check on it, and update you ASAP.
 
Wraithguard said:
I would seriously also consider a bare bones minimum hardware install running purely off the motherboard graphics with 1 stick of ram and gradually go through each piece of hardware one at a time until you find the culprit.

But first as Barnsley said try and see if you can get a error log first it should point you in the right direction.
Click to expand...

That seems a bit extensive, but I'll give it a try and tell you what I find..
 
avatar0527 said:
That seems a bit extensive, but I'll give it a try and tell you what I find..
Click to expand...

It is but seeing as your error log only indicates not clearly shutting down, it is the only concise way of pinning down the hardware at fault. Although it does appear that it may well be your PSU that's the guilty part here.

Testing the system with the bear minimum of hardware setup should tell you though.
 
The increased shut down frequency to me sounds like a temperature issue. Maybe your psu is getting a bit warm? (odd I know)
 
Sounds like a PSU issue. RAM and Heat issue usually result in a BSOD, PSUs on the other hand don't. Not to mention it is not uncommon for a computer to turn right back on after a PSU failure. Normally when a PSU has a failure it will shut itself down to protect the rest of the computer then turn itself back on again. The computer turning back on could be the result of the board not being fully discharged and turning itself back on when the PSU does.

Example is with my Maximus Gene Z board is if I pull the power from the computer and plug it back in a second later it will turn the machine back on. I use a Corsair RM650.
 
I've tried the paperclip method, and the PSU seems to be working..
I've also noticed that the frequency of the shutdown seems to increase throughout the day, as I am usually on the computer for +6 hours. On the first 'on', it stays on for about 2 hours before shutting down, then it's 30 minutes, then 10, and so on.
So now I'm scratching my head over the issue because I'm not sure what to do next.. I'm guessing it has something to do with heat, considering the frequency, but when monitoring the temperatures, everything seems fine..
 
Have you got a spare psu you can test with? Also, what are you doing throughout the day? we still shouldn't rule out heat as an issue as they don't always produce blue screens.
 
These days I'm usually just on facebook, youtube, or doing homework, nothing intensive.

I asked a friend of mine to lend me his PSU to test it out. With the other PSU, would testing just entail using the computer for a couple hours?
 
With a second PSU you should continue to use the system as normal to see if the issue will repeat itself, if it does continue to shutdown with a new PSU then the fault lies within your other hardware.
 
Wraithguard said:
With a second PSU you should continue to use the system as normal to see if the issue will repeat itself, if it does continue to shutdown with a new PSU then the fault lies within your other hardware.
Click to expand...

I received the PSU, but its a 400w psu with a couple connectors missing on it (ie: no 8 pin for CPU, no connectors for GPU, etc).. Is it ok to run the computer without the 8 pin for the cpu? Or is there another option to test my hardware out?

I've tried to isolate the issue, but all my RAM sticks seem to be doing well, and so are my GPU and two storage drives. Do you think it could be my motherboard or CPU?
 
I ran my older 7750BE on a 4 pin PSU connector for years instead of the 8 pin, but that was AMD I'm not to sure about the 4770K though. Someone else is bound to confirm or deny shortly.
 
Hope this sheds some light for you.
Older computers put most of their load on 3.3 and 5 volts. As time passed, computers drew more and more of their load from 12 volts (see here). Before this power cable was introduced there was just one 12 volt line provided to the motherboard. This cable added two more 12 volt lines so more of the load could be shifted to 12 volts. The power coming from this connector is usually used to power the CPU but some motherboards use it for other things as well. The presense of this connector on a motherboard means it's an ATX12V motherboard. For dual 12 volt rail power supplies, this connector provides the voltage refered to as 12V2. The power cable which plugs into the 4 pin connector has two black wires and two yellow wires. This cable is sometimes called an "ATX12V" cable or "P4" cable although neither of those are technically accurate descriptions.

If you have one of these connectors on a motherboard then you must plug a power cable into it or your CPU won't get any power. The one exception is that when this connector was new, some motherboards shipped with a socket into which you could plug a 4 pin peripheral power cable as an alternative. That helped people who had older power supplies which didn't have the 4 pin 12 volt cable.

The 8-pin will provide more stable power to the CPU when overclocking.
Click to expand...

PSU Connection options
 
Last edited:
I've tried using the computer with the other psu for a while, and so far, no shutdowns.

I also took out the GPU since the psu was only 400w, but I don't think that the GPU would cause shutdowns without a BSOD..


I guess it looks like I have to get a new PSU :/
 
Seems you have located your problem then :), a faulty GPU would give you noticeable errors your right there. Kudos.
 
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