PC repeatedly shuts down and restarts due to instability.
PC repeatedly shuts down and restarts due to instability.
I recently encountered a problem with my PC built in January 2020. It keeps restarting on its own. During a session with Witcher 3 at maximum settings and RT enabled, the system would power off completely, then come back on intermittently—sometimes fully powered, sometimes just enough to run some components but not the CPU. The system indicators stayed active, and memory diagnostics passed without issues. However, it now frequently shuts down repeatedly with a partial power state, lasting long enough for me to run diagnostics. The audio speaker would emit a beep when it fails to power on, suggesting the system is attempting to boot but failing. I suspect the power supply unit might be deteriorating, though it hasn’t reached its usual load. My components include a 9900k water-cooled 32GB RAM, NVMe SSDs, and several high-end parts. The PSU has never exceeded 500W regularly. I also have a mild overclock on the CPU and GPU, but nothing extreme.
It seems your power supply isn’t delivering enough energy to the motherboard, leading it to shut down all components and then restarting. Try resetting your CPU and GPU overclock settings back to their default values to check if that resolves the issue. Power consumption rises when these parts are under stress, especially during high-resolution tasks like 4K at full settings. A solid PSU won’t hurt, but this tweak could help.
Sorry, I hadn't mentioned the over clocks yet. It keeps happening even without playing a game, just slows down. Thinking about it more makes me believe my PSU is failing or at least damaged in some area. It got so bad it would appear only in the BIOS settings. Then it restarts into Windows normally for a short time before powering off again.
When checking your power supply with a multimeter, it should display 12 volts. If it reads below 11 volts, you need to replace it. Over time the voltage drops and falling below 11 volts means insufficient power for the motherboard. Also, inspect the cables connected to the PSU. Edited January 24, 2023 by WackySpace
Update: Initial experience with returning items was quite challenging. The ASUS RMA process had many complications, making it difficult to resolve issues. I encountered incorrect department assignments and limited shipping choices during the authorization phase. Once I received updates, there was no change in warranty status, which was confusing. After the product was returned, they opted for the most costly shipping method, even though I was required to pay for it. The invoice inside the box was blank instead of detailing the repairs. Despite these issues, I managed to get my PSU back after three weeks, and after a couple of power cycles, the system is stable. Appreciate your feedback!