Unexpected PC shutdowns – also after reinstallation, but only for Windows?
Unexpected PC shutdowns – also after reinstallation, but only for Windows?
Hey everyone, I’m facing some unexpected difficulties. My computer shuts down without warning, and the event log only shows a driver failure for a device (ROOT/SYSTEM/0004 – it doesn’t appear in Device Manager). After trying a full Windows reinstall, the event viewer is now blank, and I forgot to back up anything. This issue first appeared about a year ago when I first set it up; at that time, it was just my own mistake—using a drive from another machine fixed it. Since then, everything’s been smooth. The problem seems linked to a period when I was away for a few days; I left the PC on so I could access it remotely, but it never needed to be used. Event logs previously recorded a failed update on August 8th, followed by sporadic crashes afterward. Unfortunately, I can’t go back to the state before that update because it’s been over ten days.
In recent days, I’ve disabled all connected devices except a USB keyboard, mouse, Ethernet cable, and an HDMI monitor. It ran without problems for several days, but I only made backups. Oddly enough, the failures happened in different ways—sometimes it finished just before I arrived, sometimes after I set up user profiles. I attempted to use the “Reset this PC” feature in Windows (also booting from safe mode) multiple times, but it didn’t help. Once it let me download a fresh Windows install, the process failed repeatedly.
I replaced the SSD and created a Windows 10 installation media, yet the system keeps crashing. I ordered a new SSD for extra space, set up a Windows 10 install, and tried reinstalling again, but it still fails unpredictably. I also installed Windows 11 instead of 10, which broke earlier than 10. It worked fine on Ubuntu 24.04, so the issue isn’t just about that OS.
I’ve experimented with different setups—removed all devices except keyboard, mouse, Ethernet, and monitor via HDMI. It ran for days without problems, but I only backed up. Sometimes it would finish when I entered but didn’t copy certain folders (like a folder full of MP3 files). I tried using the “reset this PC” option in Windows (also from safe mode), but it didn’t resolve anything.
Other troubleshooting steps I’ve tried include uninstalling SteelSeries GG, checking NVIDIA drivers, and updating BIOS without a BIOS update. The specs look normal: CPU Ryzen 5700G, motherboard Gigabyte B550M DS3H, 4x8GB RAM, Aegis GPU, RTX 2070 PSU, etc.
I suspect the problem might be hardware-related, but I’m still puzzled by the pattern—especially since everything worked during backups and Ubuntu installations without issues. It seems a failed update was the trigger, possibly linked to the Windows installation media I created on that PC.
Typically after a crash without BSOD, the issue usually lies with the power supply unit. A protection circuit activated, causing the PSU to power down. This often stems from problems like a failing voltage regulator, but the GPU is usually the main suspect. I experienced this with a 1080Ti where the voltage module was malfunctioning, leading to abnormal voltage and triggering the shutdown. It’s common in Ark Survival Evolved but rarely elsewhere. Keep that in mind when troubleshooting.
The issues seem to occur under different conditions than expected. Crashes typically appeared when I wasn’t using heavy GPU tasks (like sitting idle). Running Furmark in the original Windows 10 setup worked fine, suggesting the problem isn’t with that tool. Stress tests on CPU, GPU, and RAM in Ubuntu are running smoothly at full capacity with no crashes reported. Could there be an unusual hardware fault affecting the GPU?
Each game might take advantage of the GPU in a different way. With mine, I managed Furmark and all others smoothly too. It’s kind of like how one specific track can reveal flaws in your audio equipment. One of Big Atomic’s songs even pointed out my tweeter magnet was faulty. Probably not exactly what I meant. The system feels unstable when nothing is running, but with several Windows versions installed... it seems to be hardware-related. Things like RAM, motherboard, and CPU might need checking.
A recent issue in Windows 10 resets PC function appeared during monthly updates. It should now be resolved. This might explain why the reset didn’t work for you previously? https://www.pcworld.com/article/2883714/...ature.html A failed update on August 8th? Patch Tuesday was scheduled for August 12th. Are you enabling the optional preview updates?
Hmm, that could be the cause. I’m not sure why the crashes started, but it doesn’t seem to be hardware-related. I’m currently running stress tests on Ubuntu with CPU, GPU, and RAM, and everything’s been working fine for about 20 minutes. I’m also setting up a Windows installation on another machine, which might have been the trigger.
I've already gone through more troubleshooting attempts: Setting up the installation on another machine (which worked fine) Installing without the RTX2070, using built-in graphics, and choosing Windows 11 instead of Windows 10. None of these solutions succeeded. Windows 11 tends to crash sooner than Windows 10. It stopped after selecting the partition twice (both at 16%), but also before that. Windows 10 only crashed during setup, which happened after I used the USB drive for installation. I really don’t understand what’s happening. Maybe I’ll revisit this tomorrow.
Well, but since it works great on Ubuntu it doesn't seem to be any hardware issue. There is an ongoing bug from the latest monthly update. It causes some SSD to disappear or in worst case get data corrupted even when transfering a large amount of data at once. However that has so far only been reported in Windows 11 24H2, not in Windows 10. So I don't think that's what is causing in your case. But it wouldn't suprise me if it did. Microsoft's QA is a joke these days.... Some youtubers have done videos on it aswell so you might already know about it. You can read about it here if you want to learn more about it. https://www.windowslatest.com/2025/08/20...ure-issue/ Anyway... Have you tried using another USB drive for install media? Did you use the official app from Microsoft to create install media, or Rufus or something else?
I'll attempt another USB drive, even though I suspect this isn't the main problem. Windows 10 installation reached a point where I could remove the drive—this one is brand new, just taken from its packaging today. I'll give it a try, it should be straightforward. I used the official tool; perhaps Rufus would work better? Official Microsoft doesn't always ensure quality.