[SOLVED] Computer restarts when heavy gaming (only in warm weather)

[MY15WRX]

Hi

I have a problem with my computer that when gaming under heavy loads in the heat it restarts every 10-15 minutes (sometimes more often, every 5 minutes or so).

It happens on all graphics intensive new games, and on old games when I load in high texture graphics packs (e.g. Vanilla Half Life 2 doesn't restart the computer until I load in all of the high texture mods etc.). This doesn't happen in winter but only when the weather warms up.

I'd have guessed it's a heat issue but when I run CPU and GPU stress tests I can't repeat the issue - no matter how hard I push the CPU & GPU tests with the stress software, even when it's hot, the computer doesn't restart. Only when heavy gaming in the heat.

I'm really at a loss and would appreciate any assistance or advice, thanks.

 

[rgd1101]

full system spec? include make and model of the psu

 

[MY15WRX]

full system spec? include make and model of the psu

Thanks for the quick response rgd1101, appreciated, details below:

Operating System
Windows 10 Home 64-bit
CPU
Intel Core i7 3770 @ 3.40GHz 59 °C
Ivy Bridge 22nm Technology
RAM
16.0GB Dual-Channel DDR3 @ 797MHz (11-11-11-28)
Motherboard
ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC. P8H61-M LE/USB3 (LGA1155) 36 °C
Graphics
BenQ FP222W (1680x1050@59Hz)
3071MB NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 3GB (ASUStek Computer Inc) 83 °C <-- I'm currently stress testing the GPU
PSU
Super Flower SF-500P14N (500W)

 

[seomid]

Your GPU definetely runs a little warm at full load, if the CPU idles at 59C it's definetely too warm. I suggest running games with afterburners OSD on to monitor the temps, seems like an overheating issue for sure.

 

[MY15WRX]

Your GPU definetely runs a little warm at full load, if the CPU idles at 59C it's definetely too warm. I suggest running games with afterburners OSD on to monitor the temps, seems like an overheating issue for sure.

Thanks for the suggestion, I'll give that a try with gaming rather than the stress test and see what temps result (reason why I stress test is because the computer will often crash when I try to monitor temps when gaming but I'll record the temps instead of alt-tabbing between apps).

The stress test brought the GPU to max around 93 c and the CPU I think was about 83 c. CPU fan has a max value of 3096 RPM at full load and GPU at 1034 RPM

At rest the CPU idles at 46 c, and GPU at 36 c.

 

[MY15WRX]

Your GPU definetely runs a little warm at full load, if the CPU idles at 59C it's definetely too warm. I suggest running games with afterburners OSD on to monitor the temps, seems like an overheating issue for sure.

OK so I did some gaming and recorded the temps of CPU & GPU. Ambient temp today is about 30 c (~89 f). As expected the computer reset after I started playing for about 2 mins (and repeated this several times after I rebooted). CPU was only ~71 c at time of crashing and GPU was 54 c.

So temps don't seem that bad during gaming when the computer starts to restart, but it only does this when the ambient temp is warm (didn't crash through winter). During stress testing software, I had the CPU as hot as 104 c, and GPU about 85 c - but it never crashed.

There's no overclocking on the system.

I'm really not sure what to try next except maybe upgrade the PSU. Does anybody have any suggestions?

Thank you.

 

[madmatt30]

What case and airflow do you have?

Those temps are way higher than acceptable even considering your 30c ambient room temp.

Clearly your actual case airflow is lacking here.

That 3770 also seriously needs an aftermarket cooler if your still using the stock intel one ( it was never good enough when new, if its had the same thermal paste since then it will have degraded to the point of being useless)

 

[MY15WRX]

Case is some older Cooler Master brand ( I can't identify the model), with a single fan at the bottom front and a removable perspex side.

Interesting comment about the cooling - it's definitely a stock Intel one. I guess the first thing I should get is a better cooler!

Do you reckon a 500w PSU is OK for my setup including an aftermarket air cooler?

Thanks for the suggestion, appreciated.

 

[madmatt30]

Case is some older Cooler Master brand ( I can't identify the model), with a single fan at the bottom front and a removable perspex side.

Interesting comment about the cooling - it's definitely a stock Intel one. I guess the first thing I should get is a better cooler!

Do you reckon a 500w PSU is OK for my setup including an aftermarket air cooler?

Thanks for the suggestion, appreciated.

You surely have a rear exhaust fan in there too??
If not then that's a big issue.

500w is fine, the only issue I see is that your siuperflower is a model from 2006, I don't know how long you've actually been running it but with even the best psu's currently available anything past a 10 year stretch is really really pushing it.

 

[MY15WRX]

You surely have a rear exhaust fan in there too??
If not then that's a big issue.

500w is fine, the only issue I see is that your siuperflower is a model from 2006, I don't know how long you've actually been running it but with even the best psu's currently available anything past a 10 year stretch is really really pushing it.

Ok looks like my computer is terribly ventilated...also no rear exhaust fan (except for the fan within the PSU). Just the larger front fan on the box.

I'll grab the hyper 212 evo tomorrow for CPU cooling . What sort of fan would I need for the rear of the case? Thanks again.

 

[madmatt30]

Ok looks like my computer is terribly ventilated...also no rear exhaust fan (except for the fan within the PSU). Just the larger front fan on the box.

I'll grab the hyper 212 evo tomorrow for CPU cooling . What sort of fan would I need for the rear of the case? Thanks again.

It depends on the case, cheap old cases would maybe a 80mm exhaust, 130mm is now the norm though.

Look at the exhaust fan mount on the rear of the case and measure the mounting holes horizontally.

Or take a photo of the case, upload it to

Postimages — free image hosting / image upload

Provides free image upload and hosting integration for forums. Free picture hosting and photo sharing for websites and blogs.

postimages.org

and post a link on here.

Cas model would be handy because the 212 evo is 162mm deep and may not fit.

 

[MY15WRX]

Link here: https://postimg.cc/gallery/WVvTHkr

I looked through Cooler Master's current and legacy cases but still couldn't find it. I'll keep searching though.

I measured the rear fan mounts and it has three options, the nearest horizontally are about 80mm, then ~90mm and then ~110mm (I checked if it was 120 as I've seen 120mm fans, but it's less than that at the outer holes).

I think you're right about the depth of the cooler not fitting in this case (it's probably going to be tight, at the least), but at this point I think I'll cut a hole into the side panel and rivet in another plastic dome.

Thanks.

 

[madmatt30]

Link here: https://postimg.cc/gallery/WVvTHkr

I looked through Cooler Master's current and legacy cases but still couldn't find it. I'll keep searching though.

I measured the rear fan mounts and it has three options, the nearest horizontally are about 80mm, then ~90mm and then ~110mm (I checked if it was 120 as I've seen 120mm fans, but it's less than that at the outer holes).

I think you're right about the depth of the cooler not fitting in this case (it's probably going to be tight, at the least), but at this point I think I'll cut a hole into the side panel and rivet in another plastic dome.

Thanks.

Its from the same era as the p100 and the elite series.

They're all based on pretty much the same barebones case model which supports cpu height of 163mm so the 212 should fit fine.

110mm mounts are correct for a 120mm fan so a 120mm rear exhaust will pay dividends on cpu and gpu temps.

You should try and tidy those cable a bit more, I know there not much leeway for cable management but if you tie some together you should at least open up an airway for that front intake fan, at the moment it looks very limited.

 

[MY15WRX]

Its from the same era as the p100 and the elite series.

They're all based on pretty much the same barebones case model which supports cpu height of 163mm so the 212 should fit fine.

110mm mounts are correct for a 120mm fan so a 120mm rear exhaust will pay dividends on cpu and gpu temps.

You should try and tidy those cable a bit more, I know there not much leeway for cable management but if you tie some together you should at least open up an airway for that front intake fan, at the moment it looks very limited.

No worries I'll fix up the cables when I throw in the cpu cooler & fan. I appreciate your help with this, thank you.

 

[MY15WRX]

Its from the same era as the p100 and the elite series.

They're all based on pretty much the same barebones case model which supports cpu height of 163mm so the 212 should fit fine.

110mm mounts are correct for a 120mm fan so a 120mm rear exhaust will pay dividends on cpu and gpu temps.

You should try and tidy those cable a bit more, I know there not much leeway for cable management but if you tie some together you should at least open up an airway for that front intake fan, at the moment it looks very limited.

Hi, I added the Evo 212 and a second case fan and so far, it isn't resetting. So looks like it's all fixed - thanks again!