How to determine if the issue is with the GPU or the PSU?
How to determine if the issue is with the GPU or the PSU?
Hello, I’m not sure if I’m in the right location, but I’ve been having a crash where the connection to my monitor disappears. I want to determine whether the problem lies with my GPU or something else.
I purchased this assembled PC in 2023, and everything worked until two months ago when it began acting up.
Here are the details:
- CPU: Intel i7 10700F (standard, 2.9GHz–4.8GHz)
- Motherboard: AsRock H410M-HDV (standard, supports up to 64GB RAM, 1x PCI-e x16, 1x PCI-e x1, mATX)
- RAM: 32GB at 3200 MHz (standard, two 16GB modules)
- GPU: inno3d Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060
- PSU: SPIRE 600W 80+ Bronze
- Case and cooling: Be Quiet..
I didn’t assemble the PC myself and don’t have technical expertise. During troubleshooting I discovered:
- Crashes occurred while playing a game; GPU fails, monitor shows no signal, but the PC runs and fans spin during boot, yet the connection drops until the GPU is reinserted.
- I tested various cables—monitor works with another PC. Switched monitors (TV-screen also no connection).
- RAM was reseated, GPU reinserted; it worked briefly before crashing again after about 10 minutes.
- Initially believed crashes happened under heavy load, but they also happened five minutes after a reboot while browsing files.
- I heard a buzz from the active speakers during the crash, which stops when the crash happens. Fixing this noise is another matter; it gets louder when the GPU works harder.
- Removed CMOS battery for 30 seconds. Tested with another GPU. Used an MSI GT 710 to check if it’s the issue, but that one doesn’t need external power from the PSU, so I’m unsure if I can eliminate the PSU.
- Ran a benchmark in Red Dead Redemption 2 for 15 minutes; no crash, but I’m not sure if longer testing is necessary.
Possible causes:
- Uncertain whether the problem is with the RTX 3060 or the PSU (ChatGPT is quite suspicious about the SPIRE PSU and keeps suggesting an unstable one).
Next steps I consider:
I think it would help to buy a different PSU to see if the issue continues, but replacing the PSU might be more difficult than swapping the GPU. Still, it seems like the cheapest option compared to a GPU replacement.
What are your thoughts? Your advice is greatly appreciated!
Based on your message and the issues mentioned, the PSU is probably the cause.
Check Reliability History/Monitor and Event Viewer for error codes, warnings, and informational events logged around the crash times. Each entry can be explored further for clarity. The rising frequency of different errors suggests a deteriorating or failing PSU.
Thanks for the advice! After doing some more research, it looks like a weak PSU might be the issue. (Maybe because I don’t want my RX 3060 to fail.) I’m planning to replace the PSU, hoping it works out.