Question PC Power Cycles when Game starts
Question PC Power Cycles when Game starts
Hi All,
I haven’t been online for a while, probably not due to PC problems, but this has confused me.
Recently I moved into a new house and unpacked my desktop after replacing the GPU, placing it back in its original box. I moved in on February 1st, 2024. For a few days I played games without any issues—everything looked and felt the same as before. About a week ago, while gaming, the PC would power cycle automatically. This happens whenever I start a game, even though I usually play BF2042, which is common for older BF titles.
I’ve tried several fixes so far:
1. Re-seating the GPU – no improvement.
2. Changing the PCIe slot – didn’t work.
3. Switching the power cord from mains to PSU – no effect.
4. Returning to standard clock speeds – also no help (it’s strange because I was OC’d at 4.9GHz without issues; after power cycling back to 3.6GHz, the BIOS still shows 4.9GHz and CPUz reports the same).
PC specs:
- Aorus Z390 Master
- Gigabyte RTX 3080
- 32GB Gigabyte DDR4 at 32MHz
- Coolermaster V1200 Bronze PSU
- Corsair H100i AIO (likely first edition)
A day before the problem began, the AIO pump made a louder noise, and now it’s even more noticeable. I can watch movies or YouTube, but the PC shuts down and restarts only when a game starts.
I accept the AIO and PSU are working, other components were purchased and installed in 2019, and so far there have been no issues. Unfortunately, I don’t have access to another GPU or PSU. I’ve searched online and YouTube but haven’t found any useful solutions without changing parts.
Please help me resolve this issue.
Regards,
Chris
Hi There, tahnks for your response.
The PSU is a much older version of the V1200 (def not platinum version). I would say that both PSU and AIO are at least 10 years old. The PSU was mostly in idle mode i think. It was overspeced for my rig.
As for the AIO, I reached about 90deg C when runnning prime 95 in my current system (OCed to 4.9GHz) when i built it in 2019. When I started having the problem this year, I did a stress test with OCCT and noticed that 2 cores reached 100degC. Though am not sure if this is valid comparing two different softwares at different conditions. I also noticed while running the test neither of the pipes would warm up, and no hot air exhausting through the AIO fans.
The one other thought I had is the location of the desk top in my new gaming room. It now placed in a corner with less air flow around it compared to my previous home, though it worked fine in in the two weeks after i moved house.
Some hope though, during the pandemic when I was bored, i bought a new AIO, but never isntalled it. In the coming weekend I'm going to install it, just waiting for a tube of thermal grizzly to arive. I will report back then.
In the meantime is there anthing else to try?
Regards
Chris
Hi everyone
Here’s the feedback after my updates.
I swapped my 10-year-old H100i for the Corsair H115i RGB Platinum with a 280mm, and upgraded the case from Corsair 750D to the Montech King 95 Pro. Everything is working fine and at a comfortable pace.
During stress tests I noticed:
CPU stress on Aida 64 – no problems
GPU stress on Aida64 – crashes right when it starts
Firestrike – immediate crash
Even with Kovaaks.
Testing with new components didn’t help much.
I can watch 2K movies or 1440p YouTube videos, but only after the game launches, then the PC restarts.
Thanks chris
This is the problem you're facing.
Obtain a fresh power supply unit that can adequately support your setup.
Frequent restarts when the system is under load often indicate a power supply issue. If your unit is ten years old, it's probable the power supply is the cause.
OK, i'll try a different PSU before purchasing a new one. I also reset the BIOS back to default settings—3.6GHz and 1.2V instead of the previous 4.9GHz and 1.285V (overclocked). I've double-checked this again after rebooting in the UEFI menu. Still, CPUz, AIDA64, and the HW monitor keep showing fluctuations between 4.7 and 4.9GHz. How is this possible? Thanks, Chris
I think the PSU is probably responsible, considering its age and the fact that you have a powerful graphics card with frequent spikes, which could cause issues.
However, based on my own experience, I’d also consider reseating the RAM after moving it (likely in a car or van).
I'll attempt the RAM re-seating too. I'm also considering using different PCIe power cable ports on the PSU, maybe a different one altogether. I'll let you know what I find in a few days.