Experiencing an unusual problem where my computer crashes unexpectedly.
Experiencing an unusual problem where my computer crashes unexpectedly.
This is quite unusual, sorry for the lengthy explanation. This issue appears consistently across my system, regardless of what I'm doing—whether gaming or simply browsing. Even when idle on the desktop, everything freezes abruptly. If audio starts, it creates persistent interference sounds and repeatedly loops the final seconds without stopping. Visual elements freeze, display glitches appear, and the screen becomes distorted until the audio eventually returns to normal. After that, the system remains unresponsive except for holding the power button to shut it down.
In simple terms, I suspect a problem with my power supply unit or motherboard. The crashes aren’t typical Windows errors; they’re more like a complete lock-up. My GPU is working fine in other setups, so it’s unlikely the card is the cause. RAM issues also don’t seem to be the main factor, as tests show it boots normally.
My guess is that the power supply is intermittently failing, causing a brief loss of power that disrupts everything. If my SSD were the culprit, I’d expect a blue screen, but that hasn’t happened. The CPU appears solid, performing well in benchmarks.
I’d appreciate your insights on this matter. It’s important to consider these possibilities before investing further.
Initial observations:
- PC looks healthy at first.
- Windows files remain intact; only a brief blue screen occurs post-boot.
- Event Viewer shows a Critical Error but no detailed cause.
- Visual artifacts and audio glitches dominate the issue.
- System remains unresponsive except for power button intervention.
Check if you're connecting via HDMI or headphones. Using HDMI could indicate a GPU issue.
I’d consider checking the GPU drivers and reinstalling the newest versions. I’d also disable XMP (if it persists, test with one stick at a time, evaluating each individually) and look into CPU overclocks. Make sure your BIOS is updated to the most recent release as well (unless you’re already up to date). Edit: I noticed your post, so I’ll double-check that it’s the latest version.
It's odd. If it were HDMI I'd suggest running a GPU memory test. Also, is XMP turned on?
There was a brief drop in power from the PSU, yet nothing shut down completely. This often results in strange behavior like artifacts or freezing, not a full crash. Even without a bad PSU, some components might fail to power down within a few hundred milliseconds after cutting power, leaving the system frozen or with glitches when you force it back on. Swapping the PSU could be worth trying, though it’s unlikely if the issue is elsewhere. It might just indicate a faulty PSU that somehow passed quality checks.