Computer crashing :x

VP :3

VP :3

EGO Is My Life!
Joined
Jul 8, 2009
Messages
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So, I had this issue a while ago where when I'd play TF2 for about 30 minutes at a time, my computer would turn off. It fixed when I got a new heatsink. After installing Diablo III, I was playing today with a friend and get played 30 minutes. Then, the same thing happens. I crash. At this point, I wonder if it's my graphics card. But I doubt it, because it all goes off at once, not the graphics card. I can play other games for long amounts of times and be fine. Or is it that my processor just can't take it? I'm upgrading to the new Ivy Core this summer from an AMD Phenom 965 BE @ 3.4GHz. My heatsink is a Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO.

Manufacturer:
System manufacturer
Processor: AMD Phenom(tm) II X4 965 Processor (4 CPUs), ~3.4GHz
Memory: 8192MB RAM
Hard Drive: 500 GB
Video Card: AMD Radeon HD 6850
Monitor: Generic PnP Monitor
Sound Card: Speakers (Logitech USB Headset)
Speakers/Headphones:
Keyboard:
USB Root Hub
Mouse:
USB Root Hub
Mouse Surface:
Operating System: Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit (6.1, Build 7600) (7600.win7_gdr.101026-1503)
Motherboard: ASUS M4A87TD EVO
Computer Case: Coolermaster HAF 912

Edit: Also, Micro center his this amazing beautiful processor on sale for $150, rather than $200! http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0388579

Edit: Picked up the new i5-3450 from Fry's for $150. They agreed to price match Micro center, so that was an awesome deal.

Edit: Thank you all for your help, especially Skagnatti! I've now found the appropriate Power Supply, and it's just a matter of buying it now. You tech guys are awesome at this stuff!
 
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VP-77 said:
So, I had this issue a while ago where when I'd play TF2 for about 30 minutes at a time, my computer would turn off. It fixed when I got a new heatsink. After installing Diablo III, I was playing today with a friend and get played 30 minutes. Then, the same thing happens. I crash. At this point, I wonder if it's my graphics card. But I doubt it, because it all goes off at once, not the graphics card. I can play other games for long amounts of times and be fine. Or is it that my processor just can't take it? I'm upgrading to the new Ivy Core this summer from an AMD Phenom 965 BE @ 3.4GHz. My heatsink is a Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO.

Manufacturer:
System manufacturer
Processor: AMD Phenom(tm) II X4 965 Processor (4 CPUs), ~3.4GHz
Memory: 8192MB RAM
Hard Drive: 500 GB
Video Card: AMD Radeon HD 6850
Monitor: Generic PnP Monitor
Sound Card: Speakers (Logitech USB Headset)
Speakers/Headphones:
Keyboard:
USB Root Hub
Mouse:
USB Root Hub
Mouse Surface:
Operating System: Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit (6.1, Build 7600) (7600.win7_gdr.101026-1503)
Motherboard: ASUS M4A87TD EVO
Computer Case: Coolermaster HAF 912

Edit: Also, Microcenter his this amazing beautiful processor on sale for $150, rather than $200! http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0388579
Click to expand...

You could check the event viewer once you get back into Windows after a shut down; look in the 'Warnings' and 'Errors' sections with time stamps when the shutdown occurred. If its not entirely hardware related, there might be some clues.

To get into the event viewer quick, hit the 'Start' orb / button and type 'event viewer' then click it in the resulting list to open it.

What power supply are you running with that setup?
 
Skagnatti said:
You could check the event viewer once you get back into Windows after a shut down; look in the 'Warnings' and 'Errors' sections with time stamps when the shutdown occurred. If its not entirely hardware related, there might be some clues.

To get into the event viewer quick, hit the 'Start' orb / button and type 'event viewer' then click it in the resulting list to open it.

What power supply are you running with that setup?
Click to expand...

I'm running this right now with the build.

Edit: Checking the event log. Went to my Critical tab, and found the one where I crashed 2 days ago, May 15, around 6:30 playing D3 with a friend.

crash.png
 
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With this occuring during 'graphically intensive or computation intensive operations' I'm leaning toward the thought something is not playing nice with heat dissapation. Since the heatsink has been replaced already and it corrected the issue, I would give it a second look. The thermal paste could be a problem i.e. needs to be removed, cleaned, paste reapplied, then reattached. I would also remove the display adapter and verify all the cooling mechanisms on it are in order. Usually with display adapters nowadays, they are 'boxed in' with cooling fans and such and its a little difficult to see if anything is abnormal on the PCB unless you take it apart. In that case, if it looks fine, try another card you have lying around, if possible. Yeah it would be a pain to have to uninstall the drivers and reinstall the old ones but for the sake of ruling things out... meh. It's worth a try.

The other issue would be the power supply. Power is adequete for the hardware you are using. I had a build in the past giving me some random shutdowns / reboots. I replaced the PSU and it worked well. Again, if you have another PSU, try it. Since that item is a bit more involved with testing, and can be dangerous, you may want someone else to do it for you; possibly contact the manufacturer with the symptoms you are having (provided giving the heatsink a once-over does not fix things) and see if you can get a replacement RMAed.

A complete power down with no warning, during more taxing program use, it sounds like a heat issue though... Usually hardware will do that as a last resort to prevent permananet damage.

What are the 'other games' you are able to play for long periods of time with no shutdown?
 
Skagnatti said:
With this occuring during 'graphically intensive or computation intensive operations' I'm leaning toward the thought something is not playing nice with heat dissapation. Since the heatsink has been replaced already and it corrected the issue, I would give it a second look. The thermal paste could be a problem i.e. needs to be removed, cleaned, paste reapplied, then reattached. I would also remove the display adapter and verify all the cooling mechanisms on it are in order. Usually with display adapters nowadays, they are 'boxed in' with cooling fans and such and its a little difficult to see if anything is abnormal on the PCB unless you take it apart. In that case, if it looks fine, try another card you have lying around, if possible. Yeah it would be a pain to have to uninstall the drivers and reinstall the old ones but for the sake of ruling things out... meh. It's worth a try.

The other issue would be the power supply. Power is adequete for the hardware you are using. I had a build in the past giving me some random shutdowns / reboots. I replaced the PSU and it worked well. Again, if you have another PSU, try it. Since that item is a bit more involved with testing, and can be dangerous, you may want someone else to do it for you; possibly contact the manufacturer with the symptoms you are having (provided giving the heatsink a once-over does not fix things) and see if you can get a replacement RMAed.

A complete power down with no warning, during more taxing program use, it sounds like a heat issue though... Usually hardware will do that as a last resort to prevent permananet damage.

What are the 'other games' you are able to play for long periods of time with no shutdown?
Click to expand...

We removed all the paste from the CPU when it accidentally came out with the old heat sink less than a month ago. The paste is fairly new. In honesty, I'm leaning towards my GPU being the issue. My GPU, when under load, is around 79-82 Celsius, which I'm deeply concerned about, and idles at around 76 Celsius. I don't have spare parts laying around sadly, as this is my first build from Feburaury '11.

I've been looking at any PCI slot fans that I could get to help. I plan on buying 4 more case fans for my computer, as I have the space. I can play MC, Dungeon Defenders, Skyrim, Super Monday Night Combat, Garry's Mod 13, CS:GO, GTA IV, and L4D2 for long periods of time and not have issues. Which is odd, because Skyrim is more graphic intensive with the mods I have installed on it to bring up the graphics, and I haven't crashed while playing it.

My dad is building a new computer this summer though. I'm only upgrading my processor and motherboard, but I could upgrade my GPU too and give him it. I don't like the idea of giving him a bit of 'faulty hardware' or something, but he doesn't do anything gaming intensive like me. Programs computers via computer controller from his computer, streams Netflix, watches TV, taxes, movies, daily things, so it should be fine with him.
 
I just had it happen to me again. Checked the Event Viewer this time, and I don't have a Kernal-Power event this time. Now I'm wondering what's up.

Edit: Going to Fry's tomorrow to get the processor, if they agree to price match it. I'll see if I can pick up a PCI fan while I'm there.
 
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How long has this been happening to you? Maybe try updating the drivers to everything?
 
PloxBox said:
How long has this been happening to you? Maybe try updating the drivers to everything?
Click to expand...

Read the OP. But all of my drivers are updated. I'm idling around 75 right now is my minimum.
 
VP-77 said:
I just had it happen to me again. Checked the Event Viewer this time, and I don't have a Kernal-Power event this time. Now I'm wondering what's up.

Edit: Going to Fry's tomorrow to get the processor, if they agree to price match it. I'll see if I can pick up a PCI fan while I'm there.
Click to expand...

Since I like to rule things out, download THIS and save to a flash drive. (This is an easy to use tool that kills known processes that stop the use of normal anti-malware applications.) Then download and install Malwarebyte's Anti-Malware on the machine. If you cannot install when you are booting normally, no problem, just do it during the next step, in Safe Mode.

Boot your machine into safe mode with networking. (Press F8 once per second right after powering up. You will see a screen with a number of options, white text on a black background, this is where you choose Safe w/networking then hit 'Enter'.)

Once you are on the desktop, click the first file you downloaded to the flash drive. A DOS window will show up, just let it do its thing, it will appear to be doing nothing as it runs, but it is. When complete it will indicate as such and you can close it.

Next you will want to run Malwarebytes. If you were unable to install it in normal mode, install it now. When done, click the tab 'Update'. Once it is completely updated, then click the 'Scan' tab and chose 'Full Scan' of your C: or primary drive. Once it finds stuff, choose 'Remove'. Reboot.

If it don't find nothin, good. Your GPU is running a little steamy though...
 
Skagnatti said:
Since I like to rule things out, download THIS and save to a flash drive. (This is an easy to use tool that kills known processes that stop the use of normal anti-malware applications.) Then download and install Malwarebyte's Anti-Malware on the machine. If you cannot install when you are booting normally, no problem, just do it during the next step, in Safe Mode.

Boot your machine into safe mode with networking. (Press F8 once per second right after powering up. You will see a screen with a number of options, white text on a black background, this is where you choose Safe w/networking then hit 'Enter'.)

Once you are on the desktop, click the first file you downloaded to the flash drive. A DOS window will show up, just let it do its thing, it will appear to be doing nothing as it runs, but it is. When complete it will indicate as such and you can close it.

Next you will want to run Malwarebytes. If you were unable to install it in normal mode, install it now. When done, click the tab 'Update'. Once it is completely updated, then click the 'Scan' tab and chose 'Full Scan' of your C: or primary drive. Once it finds stuff, choose 'Remove'. Reboot.

If it don't find nothin, good. Your GPU is running a little steamy though...
Click to expand...

I will do this later tonight.

As for Shadowsmelt, yes it has. I have a 2nd monitor, so I have that open at all times so I can watch my temperatures while I'm playing.
 
Some light shed on the issue!

While at Fry's recently, we think we narrowed it down. It's not a GPU issue. We think it's a PSU issue here. We talked about what was going on with it and it was fine for my GPU and CPU. I mentioned that it just completely shuts off, no frame stutters or graphic cuts or hiccups before it shuts off. We don't have an adapt from my PSU to the GPU, just a straight connection with the pins. We think it has something to do with the PSU's rails or the amps it's putting out. I've been reading that for what I have, 30 amps is what's recommended. If anyone knows how to read PSU details, that'd be great. This is my PSU I have.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817341018

Edit: Figured out this PSU puts out 25A on a four rails.
 
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VP-77 said:
Some light shed on the issue!

While at Fry's recently, we think we narrowed it down. It's not a GPU issue. We think it's a PSU issue here. We talked about what was going on with it and it was fine for my GPU and CPU. I mentioned that it just completely shuts off, no frame stutters or graphic cuts or hiccups before it shuts off. We don't have an adapt from my PSU to the GPU, just a straight connection with the pins. We think it has something to do with the PSU's rails or the amps it's putting out. I've been reading that for what I have, 30 amps is what's recommended. If anyone knows how to read PSU details, that'd be great. This is my PSU I have.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817341018

Edit: Figured out this PSU puts out 25A on a four rails.
Click to expand...

According to AMD, the PSU you have is not on their 'certified list'. Something comparable in the list is the OCZGXS700.

You mentioned the 30A recommendation. From what I have seen over time, that is more or less for an entire system. Have a look at THIS write up. They are agressively oc'ing the CPU but the wattage of the 6850 at various levels of usage, even if you were at 278W under stress, your pulling approx 23A, on the one rail it is plugged into (which should be the 12V). That PSU maxes out at 25A on each of the available 12V rails.

So, it is close to its threshold.

***You posted noticing the 25A max on two of the 12V rails as I was typing this! HA!***
 
Skagnatti said:
Mmmmm yummaaay! And a rebate!? Booyah!
Click to expand...

Yup! And my dad is doing yearbook & pictures in general for my brother's high school band next year, so he needs a better computer. I'll be passing on my motherboard, processor, and PSU now to him. We split the price of the processor today, and I agreed to pay for my motherboard and he would pay for a 2nd heat sink and possibly the new PSU.
 
Instead of making a new thread, I'm going to use this again. My dad is going to be doing band pictures for the high school next year, so he's building a computer. He wants to be able to use 3 monitors at once with a card. I know this basically rules out Nvidia, I may be wrong, but we want a cheap card for him. Would this one do the trick?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125403

We're hoping his set-up will be HDMI/HDMI/VGA. One HDMI for his TV, one HDMI for his HD monitor, and VGA for his normal side one. Would it work?
 
VP-77 said:
Instead of making a new thread, I'm going to use this again. My dad is going to be doing band pictures for the high school next year, so he's building a computer. He wants to be able to use 3 monitors at once with a card. I know this basically rules out Nvidia, I may be wrong, but we want a cheap card for him. Would this one do the trick?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125403

We're hoping his set-up will be HDMI/HDMI/VGA. One HDMI for his TV, one HDMI for his HD monitor, and VGA for his normal side one. Would it work?
Click to expand...

Hmmmm. Dual HDMI outs? THIS one can do it but it looks rather shrimpy; cheap though!

HERE is another with dual HDMI outs. More expensive though. It does come with a DVI to VGA adapter. Neither of these seem to get great ratings, according to patrons of NewEgg.

The actual methodology of configuring this with two HDMI and one VGA display, that could be the next hurdle. And a new thread! ;-)
 
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Andd, I have to revive this thread. After playing D3 for 30 minutes with the new PSU in... I crash again! I think it's coming down to an over heating problem now. I only have a back fan, and a front fan, as well as the GPU fan and CPU fan.
 
VP-77 said:
My GPU, when under load, is around 79-82 Celsius, which I'm deeply concerned about, and idles at around 76 Celsius.
Click to expand...

Just to touch this avenue again, the GPU is a little on the warm side, especially when idle. Try opening the case, placing a desk fan outside of it blowing in the direction on and out the back of the components while idle and under load. Monitor temps and see if you get any longer duration in a game.

Doing some browsing here and there, the base temps vary but not as high as yours at idle. Possibly soneone else can locate maximum temp thresholds from AMD, I am not having luck digging them up on their site. Card vendors are not listing thresholds either in manuals. :(

Too bad for the sake of testing, you can't buy a new card, see how it plays, if it stays on without a hitch, keep it. If not, return it. :blush: That's probably a backhanded, way of doing it, considering you may have to pay a restocking fee (or not able to return, period) if it does not work... let alone the cost of just getting one at all. Throw in there if it does not fix it, now you have to look at the CPU and if the cooling is failing on it (going back to the possibility of the heatsink / paste / CPU sandwich, despite you having messed with that recently. Though it staved the issue for a time).

What kind of temps are you getting on the CPU idle and under load? Are you able to tell the ambient temp?
 
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