PC power cut unexpectedly, noise detected near CPU/GPU, no odor afterward, successfully restarted without issues
PC power cut unexpectedly, noise detected near CPU/GPU, no odor afterward, successfully restarted without issues
I began my first game today, and within five minutes my computer powered off, then restarted with a spark near the CPU/GPU area. There was no odor, and the system booted back up without problems once logged in. Under normal use, it has run smoothly for hours yesterday and today. I’m certain this will happen again when the load is high. I’ve assembled several PCs before without issues, but troubleshooting hardware has left me uncertain. I’m unsure whether the problem stems from the CPU or GPU, though it definitely wasn’t related to the power supply area. The specifications are: CPU – i3-12100F, Stock cooler, GPU – MSI Gaming GTX 970 (used), motherboard – MSI H610M-B, RAM – Corsair 16GB DDR4 Vengeance RGB Pro, SSD & HDD – Crucial MX500 and WD Blue 1TB, PSU – Corsair TX650m, case – IONZ KZ10 White. I’ve reviewed many threads but still can’t pinpoint the cause. The spark and pop were localized to that spot. I’ve checked and fixed several things so far—updated drivers, moved cables inside the case, re-seated the CPU fan, and verified no physical damage. No signs of overheating or loose connections. Before continuing games or stress tests, I want to identify what might have triggered this issue. I also noticed the display briefly goes black before recovering, which suggests a GPU problem since it’s the only second-hand component. Something unusual is happening when the power button is pressed; it activates instantly instead of taking a second to respond. I’ve been tracking system metrics with HWinfo—CPU and GPU temperatures remain normal under typical load (monitoring was skipped during the first crash). The PSU voltage is stable, fluctuating slightly but always above 12, 5, and 3.3V. My main question is: what could have caused a spark from that area? Thank you in advance for any guidance. This build belongs to a friend, so my concern is even greater than if it were my own equipment.
Spark refers to an electrical short caused by metal contacting something unintended or overloading a capacitor. Not every short leads to catastrophic failure, but it's still serious. I’d remove the malfunctioning motor from the case and check for missing rubber or plastic shields near the screw posts and any extra fittings that shouldn’t be there. Fixing this issue is essential.
I should include this, not sure if it really matters. The shutdown occurred, then after a brief moment the spark and pop appeared. It didn’t look like the pop and spark triggered the shutdown, though I’m not certain. What’s puzzling me is whether it was a short duration—why did it only happen during gaming and under heavy load? I’m 100% confident I didn’t remove or skip any extra screws on the board. Still, I’ll verify again. One thing that stuck in my mind was I might have used incorrect screws for the standoffs (no manual for the case or motherboard, and it was the only screw that fit and secured completely). It’s a cheap case with poorly made screws; same-sized screws don’t always fit perfectly in the same holes. I noticed yesterday while watching a build video using my case that they used smaller black screws compared to the longer silver ones I’ve used before. Could the extra length of those screws have contributed? I found another thread suggesting there’s no power in those standoff areas, implying mismatched screws wouldn’t cause issues.
I investigated thoroughly and found no metal contact points where it shouldn't be or cable damage. Over the last few days, after stress testing and regular use plus gaming, there were no shutdowns. My concern is likely ESD issues or an intermittent faulty power supply. Edit – I didn’t mean to be unclear, but for those experiencing similar issues, my experience suggests a spark and pop followed by a quick restart after a brief silence. The shutdown never occurred due to a spark; it happened afterward. Updated Dec 16, 2022 by Big Dave added more details.