Computer Freezing

[nomixisback1]

Hello, i've recently built a new system (1st self-built system) and i'm having some problems. When i got the hardware from the shop , i assembled it and it was running just fine for the 1st 2 weeks. About 5-6 days ago , the computer started freezing randomly while playing games. I didn't pay any attention , until the problem became a nightmare. Now , every time i start playing LoL , 9Dragons or everything else the computer just freezes , forcing me to manually restart it. I've tried almost everything.
Cleaned and defragmented registry.
Defragmented and formatted HDD.
Updated Drivers.
Cleaned the interior of the computer.
I've ran stability tests and benchmarking tools for the CPU (with AMD OverDrive) and for the Graphics card (FurMark).
I really need to know if this problem is caused by Software or Hardware.
PC Specs:
AMD Athlon II X3 455 3.3 Ghz
Gainward GTX 550 Ti 1 GB
ASRock M3A770DE
Kingston 8GB(2x4) DDR3 1600 Mhz Dual Channel
Thermaltake Berlin 630W

 

[Raiddinn]

Sounds like a PSU that can't cut it.

Thermaltake is a very spotty brand with many more bad PSUs than good ones.

If you have a top mount PSU case, this is twice as likely to be the cause.

 

[nomixisback1]

Top Mount PSU case? How can that be related to this issue?

 

[RetiredChief]

^ Generally a top mounted PSU will run hotter than a Bottom mounted PSU.

Top mounted is pulling air that has been heated by CPU/GPU
Bottom Mounted whih is installed so that the air is pulled in from vent holes in the bottom of the case will pull in ambient air temperature.

Generally "lousy" PSUs are rated @ 20 ->22 C as temp goes up ability to provide power decrease. A "GOOD" PSU will deliever rated power upto 30/40 C.

 

[nomixisback1]

I'm not having any overheat problems , i also have 4 fans installed to improve air flow.2x XILENCE Red Wing 80mm 1x XILENCE Red Wing 120mm and 1 old 80mm fan from my old pc case.2 80mm fans are installed at the back of the case , the 120mm fan is installed at the left side of the case , and the other 80mm one is installed at the front of the case.

 

[RetiredChief]

You can read the temps for the CPU/GPU and a few other senors mounted on the MB. No senors for inside the PSU. Even if you did have and they indicated say 30 C which is fine - That does not tell you the "deregulation" factor for that PSU. So Yes, even with great case cooling and not having real high temps inside the PSU, DOES NOT mean that you do not have a heat issue with that given PSU.

To tell you would have to connect an O'scope to the +12 V rail an place it under full load and monitor the output for Both the level of the +12V and Spikes on the +12V rail.

 

[nomixisback1]

The place where the PSU is mounted is really cold.

 

[RetiredChief]

Stick your fingers on the MSFETs and tell me they are really cold - keep the burn ointment handy.

 

[Raiddinn]

I'm not having any overheat problems.

Just wondering, are you the expert that comes here to fix our computer problems for free, or is it the other way around?

Retired Chief is on the same wavelength I am with this stuff, so obviously, I am not crazy.

The amount of power a PSU can put out depends on a lot of things. The quality of parts is one of them. The temperature internal to the PSU is another one.

When you top mount a PSU, that means all the heat from the inside of the case gets sucked into the PSU before being blown out the back.

You can think of the air like a river, it flows in through the bottom front, upwards across the hot GPU and CPU, into a top mount PSU, out the back, and up into the sky.

As with most rivers, there is no dry space in the middle of it, the flow is pretty constant. Whatever temperature that air is when it comes off of the GPU and CPU, there is going to be air in the PSU of that heat regardless of what the PSU fan is doing. Every cubic centimeter of air out is replaced by a cubic centimeter of air in.

That means that basically all the heat the computer makes is present in the PSU at all times during its operation.

As Retired Chief said, every 1c higher the temps are inside the PSU, that much less wattage it can put out during operations.

Combine that with a generally bad PSU brand and the fact that freezing during games is often a sign of a PSU problem leads a lot of good techs to believe that it is likely to be a PSU problem.

 

[BIOHAZARDCURE]

My computer also freezes. It happens after a long (4+ hour) idle session or as soon as I try to launch a game called chivalry medieval warfare. I've done most of the recommended things such as Defrag the hard drive(s), clean the registry, run and anti-virus\anti-malware program. All with no result. :C :C :C. I do notice something in particular that happens every time the pc freezes. My harddrive led stops blinking and is on continually until I hard reset the pc. My specs are

AMD A6 APU @ 2.60GHz (has 4 cores)
8GM RAB (4 gigs is stupid hp preloaded crap the other four are corsair)
Win 7 64 bit
Nvidia gt 430 (pny model)
For the motherboard im not quite sure seeing as Im on a restricted budget and bought a pre-built hp shoved a decent card in it and started playing games .

any suggestions would rule, thanks in advance.

 

[moffettaustin27]

I had an issue with my pc freezing in-game for about a month. Tried replacing my PSU and motherboard but the only thing that worked was ging to the device manager and individually updating every single driver within EVERY dropdown. Most significant would be COM drivers and chipset drivers but I would update all. Hope this helps as it worked for me