Random system restarts/shutdowns resolved
Random system restarts/shutdowns resolved
Hello, I'm still getting accustomed to using systems, having only set up one and sticking to the default menus. I created this setup two years ago and everything functioned smoothly until recently. Then it began freezing randomly, restarting repeatedly, getting stuck in endless reboot cycles, and sometimes shutting down completely during startup, even when attempting to boot from a Windows 10 repair disc. Often, a successful start requires turning off the AC power and holding the power button for about 60 seconds. The crashes seem worse when I open multiple windows.
Here’s a summary of my components:
- Motherboard: ASUS M5a99FX PRO r2.0
- CPU: AMD FX-8350 8-core (with stock cooler)
- GPU: Asus m5a99fx pro r2.0
- RAM: Patriot Viper 3 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600
- HDD: Western Digital Blue 500GB
- PSU: Sentey 750W
- OS: Windows 10 Home 64-bit
- BIOS set to "High Performance". The BIOS and HW Monitor show the CPU running at 4374MHz.
In addition to regular Windows updates, I haven’t installed any new hardware or software in several months.
What I’ve tried so far:
- Ran CHKDSK without issues
- Cleaned the Windows Registry using ccleaner without results
- Updated all hardware drivers and BIOS without success
- Switched HDD to a new one via restored backup image, no change
- Tested the old HDD with Western Digital’s diagnostic tool – no problems
- Checked voltages and temperatures with HW Monitor. Voltages are normal, but I’m unsure of acceptable ranges. Under typical loads, CPU temp is around 47°C and GPU at 44°C. Not sure if these are within safe limits.
- Ran MemTest86 – passed all tests
- Performed a GPU stress test with Furmark for 25 minutes – no issues. Temperatures stabilized near 80°C by then.
- Attempted RealBench and Prime95 stress tests – both crashed in under 5 minutes.
- Ran system crashes during RealBench and stress tests, with logs showing "Fatal Hardware" errors.
- Monitored voltages while running Prime95; a +12V drop from 12.24 to 12.15 occurred, while other readings stayed stable. Temperatures only slightly increased due to short test duration.
- Repeated stress tests after changing BIOS settings to "Normal" and "Quite" – still experienced crashes.
So far, it seems the issue is likely between the motherboard or the CPU. Any advice or suggestions would be greatly appreciated to help narrow down the problem further.
P.S.: I wasn’t sure which category to choose for this question, but searching for “system crashes” gave me the most relevant results.
New Update: The power recycling problem seems fixed after applying the Windows 10 Anniversary Update. Here’s a brief recap of the points discussed...
1) The system would randomly shut down and restart, as though power was being recycled.
2) It failed stress tests like Prime95 and RealBench, suggesting the CPU could be faulty.
3) After swapping in a new CPU and using a better cooler than the original one, the stress tests passed but the shutdown issue remained.
4) The update resolved the random shutdown problem.
My guess on what might be happening:
1) The CPU had been pushed too hard for two years while running in overclocked mode.
Hello. Thank you for your feedback. As mentioned earlier, I’m not very familiar with these details. I’m unsure about how to implement the changes you recommended or which voltage settings should be changed. However, here is the information that could help explain the situation:
System data for each mode:
Power Saving:
- CPU Speed: 4000Mhz
- Mem Freq: 1333 MHz
- NB Freq: 2200
- HT Link Freq: 2200
- VCORE Voltage: 1.26V
- +3.3V: 3.24V
- +5V: 4.95V
- +12V: 12.149V
- VDDA2.5V: 2.484V
Normal:
Identical to Power Saving, just without the Power Saving mode toggle.
High Performance:
- CPU Speed: 4374Mhz
- Mem Freq: 1439 MHz
- NB Freq: 2376
- HT Link Freq: 22376
- VCORE Voltage: 1.272V
- +3.3V: 3.24V
- +5V: 4.928V
- +12V: 12.149V
- VDDA2.5V: 2.484V
I’m experiencing the same issues in all three settings.
I have additional details, but they only add to the confusion. As I mentioned in my original post, I performed a GPU stress test using FurMark until both CPU and GPU temperatures reached around 80°C. There were no stability issues. I repeated those tests this morning and obtained the same outcomes. After rebooting, the system waited until CPU and CPU temperatures settled near 45°C before idling. Then I opened several applications to increase CPU load, which worked until the temperature hit 64°C at which point the system froze. This happened again twice more. Based on these results, the GPU stress tests suggest temperature isn’t the main issue, but the artificial load tests hint that it might be a concern.
No worries, this video guide could be useful and is a great place to begin:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MckeAmnDeTk
Additional OC details can be found here:
http://www.overclock.net/t/1348623/amd-b...otherboard
Hope it helps.
I submitted both the motherboard and CPU to the manufacturers for diagnostics or repairs. Both remained fully covered under warranty. AMD provided a replacement CPU, but didn’t clarify if the one I received was defective. ASUS returned my original motherboard again, without any explanation about whether issues were resolved.
Today I installed both components and added a CoolerMaster Hyper 212 EVO cooler on the CPU. The system completed Prime95 and RealBench stress tests without problems. However, it still experiences random power cycles.
New Update: The power recycling concern seems to have been fixed by applying the Windows 10 Anniversary Update. Here’s a brief recap of the points discussed...
1) The system would unexpectedly shut down and restart, as though power had been cycled through again.
2) It failed stress tests using Prime95 and RealBench, suggesting potential CPU issues.
3) After swapping in a new CPU and using a superior cooler than the original one, the system passed the stress tests but still experienced random shutdowns.
4) Applying the Windows 10 Anniversary Update resolved the recurring shutdown problem.
My explanation of what might be happening:
1) The CPU had been pushed beyond its limits for two years due to overclocking (High Performance BIOS setting) with a subpar stock cooler. Over time, it wore out enough to manage normal tasks but not extreme conditions. This became a secondary concern while addressing the main issue.
2) The frequent shutdowns were likely caused by corrupted Windows 10 files, possibly from an earlier failed update. Updating to Windows 10 Anniversary effectively reinstalled the system, fixing the corrupted files.
Thanks for your guidance and support. I’m glad this thread might assist others facing similar challenges.