The PC freezes or crashes when idle, and you're looking for assistance in finding the reason.
The PC freezes or crashes when idle, and you're looking for assistance in finding the reason.
Over the past month, my PC has experienced random crashes or freezes while idle on desktop, during browsing, or while watching YouTube. The system remains stable during gaming tasks and benchmarks. However, when idle, the display freezes after a single frame, sound stops completely, and there is no response from the mouse or keyboard. The fans and RGB lighting continue to operate normally, with only the display freezing and audio stopping as signs.
I had to force shut down using the power button whenever this issue occurred. Initially, it happened infrequently, usually after about an hour, but gradually it became more frequent—occurring almost every time I booted into Windows or a few times even on the BIOS screen.
Could this be related to my power supply unit? I’m using an MSI MAG A650BN for my i5 12400F, a Gigabyte B760M gaming motherboard, and the RX 6800 XT. The manufacturer recommends a 750W PSU for that GPU, but I had this PSU available at the time and it hadn’t been causing problems for months. I was still using it then.
Is this a possible cause? Do these symptoms strongly suggest a PSU issue? Could upgrading to a 750W gold PSU resolve the problem?
Welcome to the forums, newcomer!
I am using MSI MAG A650BN for my i5 12400f, Gigabyte B760M gaming oc mobo and more importantly RX 6800 XT.
Please list the specs to your build like so:
CPU:
CPU cooler:
Motherboard:
Ram:
SSD/HDD:
GPU:
PSU:
Chassis:
OS:
Monitor:
include the age of the PSU apart from it's make and model. BIOS version for your motherboard at this moment of time.
Could a 750w gold psu resolve this issue?
First off, 80+ efficiency rating aren't an indication of what the innards and quality of the unit is. There are plenty of PSU's with high 80+ rating stickers that have questionable inner constructions. Second, you shouldn't buy parts to help in your troubleshooting process. If everyone actually did that in practice, you'd end up with two of everything albeit one set of parts are brand new. Troubleshooting is a process of elimination, whereby you come to the logical conclusion of the culprit part. In order to do so, you'll need spare parts. Source(borrow, not buy) parts from a friend or neighbor and see if the issue is alleviated.
Lastly, which RX6800T do you have? Overclocked versions will draw more power.
Here are the details you provided for reference:
CPU: i5 12400F
CPU cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 620S
Motherboard: Gigabyte B760M Gaming AC DDR5
Ram: EVM DDR5 4800MT/s
SSD/HDD: KIOXIA Exercia G3 Plus 1TB SSD
GPU: Gigabyte RX 6800 XT Gaming OC
PSU: MSI MAG A650BN
OS: Windows 11
Monitor: MSI MP275Q 1440p 100Hz IPS LCD
You're looking to isolate the faulty part and are seeking advice, not purchasing anything yet. Borrowing spare components would be challenging since most friends use laptops or consoles. You need guidance on identifying which parts to borrow from others.
I've requested both the BIOS version and the PSU's age. As mentioned, fixing issues isn't about blaming one thing; you're underpowered for your setup. Check the techpowerup link for GPU specs and consider getting a solid 750W PSU, testing it on your system, and if needed, replacing it with a new one while returning the old unit. Clarify what you mean by a crash—BSoD messages? If so, search for .dmp files. Event viewer errors? Ram details: EVM DDR5 4800MT/s. This suggests low-quality RAM; run memtest ten times. Ideally, aim for DDR5-6000MHz or DDR5-6000MT/s with minimal latency in a dual-channel configuration.
The BIOS version is F21 and the PSU is about a year old. There are no errors in the event viewer, and there are no BSoDs. The crashes happen when idle on the desktop or while browsing—screen freezes on the last frame, audio stops, case and CPU fans spin without stopping. I tried reconnecting the HDMI/DP cable and using different cables, but nothing worked. I had to force shut down and reboot for the system to function again. The system works well during gaming or benchmarking, but these issues only occur at idle or near idle. I recently ran a memtest and it passed; I can resubmit the results if needed. What are the .dmp files? How do I locate them and what should I do with them? Please clarify.
If you realize you require a replacement power supply, especially thinking about your budget, I generally suggest opting for at least a Gold or Platinum 850 Watt unit for most mid-range modern PC setups and Top Tier Platinum 1000 Watts up to 1500 Watt units for high-performance builds. These choices will help achieve optimal results and ensure long-term reliability in productivity and gaming environments. Wishing you the best with your PSU selection. Cheers from a seasoned PC builder and gamer.
Resolved Now
I tried using a friend's PSU for a few days and everything worked fine. Then I switched back to my original PSU, which had freezing and crashes under idle load. I purchased a new one—a MSI MAG A750GL—and it seems to have fixed the problem entirely. Today I ran my PC for 12 hours with various activities like gaming, browsing, music streaming, and downloading games on Steam. No freezes or crashes so far.