Your computer is stopping unexpectedly without any clear cause.
Your computer is stopping unexpectedly without any clear cause.
System details: i9 10900K running at 4.5 GHz, Be Quiet! Dark Rock Pro 4 with 2 x 16 GB Corsair Vengeance RGB Pro SL DDR4-3600, MSI MAG Z490, Tomahawk RTX 2070 Super, EVGA 850 G+, and a power supply. A 1 TB SSD, 2 TB HDD, and 4 TB HDD are connected. Occasionally the system powers off at random times, not during heavy tasks. I tested Prime95 for an hour without issues, but it shut down while watching YouTube. No consistent pattern appears. Checked Event Viewer after each shutdown—no errors logged, just a failure to start properly. Attempted memory dump on crashes, but it stops early and no dumps found in the root folder. Temperatures have been stable since setup. The issue isn’t overheating. What I’ve tried: swapping PSU, updating RAM, disabling XMP, using default Windows plan, running sfc /scannow via cmd. Anyone familiar with similar problems would be very helpful. Appreciate any advice. Thanks.
Typically the power supply unit is the issue. A UPS or voltage regulator would generally help with dirty power, as suggested by @NastyFlytrap, though frequent shutdowns usually point to a failing PSU. I recommend testing it for a week using another PSU; if the problem persists, you can confirm it. A defective PSU could harm other parts, so avoid the risk and obtain a replacement immediately. The EVGA 850 G+ is a solid PSU overall—whether new or used, it might be from a faulty production run or overworked. More details would help clarify the situation.
Always invest in a reliable PSU; quality matters even if it costs more. A solid unit, even when it fails, provides better protection.
What I intended was to emphasize that a reliable power supply tends to last longer before failing compared to a low-cost, non-compliant one. It often maintains functionality within safe limits for a longer time. When you observe it beginning to fail, it’s best to discontinue its use immediately. A quality PSU is less likely to cause damage even if it shows early warning signs, whereas cheap out-of-spec units can harm components by operating at voltages beyond their specifications.
I understand what you're saying. I once experienced an issue with a dual 1080 configuration due to a failing power supply unit.