The PC stops working unexpectedly even when you're not playing games.
The PC stops working unexpectedly even when you're not playing games.
Hi everyone, I’m dealing with a problem where my PC restarts unexpectedly even when idle. My case fans are a mesh design and were intended to throttle first, but now they just shut down completely and restart after I use an extension for my GPU to move it outside the case and install a liquid cooling fan from H100i Elite Capellix X. Once I can’t launch Battlefield 4, the PC shuts down again when I click to find a server. After resetting the system, the background sometimes disappears entirely, leaving no image visible. It’s really frustrating.
PC Specs:
Motherboard: ROG MAXIMUS X HERO
CPU: i7-8700k
GPU: GEFORCE RTX 2080 TI
RAM: G.SKILL TRIDENTZ @ 2133 MHz
PSU: EVGA 850 T2
Storage 1: 500GB PCIe 3.0 NVMe SSD (brand unknown)
Storage 2: CRUCIAL 2TB M.2 NVMe SSD in enclosure, connected via USB Type C with COD MW3 installed.
OS: Windows 10 Pro
As an electronics design engineer, I'm cautious about extending a high-speed data bus with long cables. They introduce capacitance, inductance, resistance, and crosstalk, which distort digital signals and reduce performance.
GPU makers build their cards to connect directly to the motherboard using minimal signal paths. Adding even a 4" (10cm) extension cable changes the bus behavior noticeably. It's unlikely any GPU vendor would promise compatibility with third-party cables.
You might notice improvements if you reconnect the GPU to the motherboard without the extension. The issue could be resolved, though it may affect your computer's appearance.
Under heavy loads, the CPU could throttle or stress-test performance, but usually not severely. If it reaches throttle temperature (e.g., 90/95/100°C), it should continue running without crashing. Modern CPUs are built to handle heat and keep operating despite throttling.
I suspect your crashes aren't due to CPU throttling. Try disconnecting the GPU extension to see if that fixes the problem.