[SOLVED] Can a split-second power outage shut off my PC?

litwicki23

Distinguished
Sep 19, 2009
573
2
18,995
My pc:
10850K stock 4800mhz stock Kraken X73 good temps
2x16 GB DDR4 GSKILL 3000mhz XMP
Seasonic Tx-850 Ultra Titanium
Gigabyte Rtx 3090 Gaming OC
Aorus Z490 Pro Gaming
1 TB SSD

I wanna ask about something. So i plugged my pc in march 2021. All is fine. No pc shutdowns,reboots,pc stable. Had one power outage in june.
But 3 days ago, my pc suddenly shuts off during launching Metro Exodus Enhanced just after cinematic part.
I was wondering if that was my psu or very short for split second power outage?

I had laptop connected to other power cord but laptop doesnt go to battery mode in this moment ( i checked event logs ). Also router plugged to wall dont disconnect internet.
And my question is. It was so short power outage for a brief second that only pc went off or it was my psu? Thank you.

All working fine no shutdowns actually. I tested all games no issues now.
 
Solution
If you where to flick the switch at the socket the pc would power off instantly. The same as a what happens when there's a power interruption. The capacitors may take a second to discharge then they will need a second to recharge and that's where the mobo loses power and everything stops. Some psu's are designed to manage with power interruptions for a couple of seconds but you will normally only find these types of psu in servers or workstations.
a couple of millisecs is all it takes, that's why they sell UPS'es. even a surge from laser printers, HVAC or furnaces can cause a glitch. folks working on utility lines can switch power circuits which may generate a flicker or be unnoticeable but totally freeze your PC.
 

Amddefector

Reputable
Sep 5, 2020
275
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4,740
If you where to flick the switch at the socket the pc would power off instantly. The same as a what happens when there's a power interruption. The capacitors may take a second to discharge then they will need a second to recharge and that's where the mobo loses power and everything stops. Some psu's are designed to manage with power interruptions for a couple of seconds but you will normally only find these types of psu in servers or workstations.
 
Solution