Question Graphic card causing random shut downs?

[matharoo]

Problem:

Computer restarts around a couple times everyday. No BSOD; the screen either freezes or shows a black screen, and then the computer restarts.
The problem is not related to any specific program.
Sometimes the screen freezes for 5 seconds before restarting, and I can still hear all the audio.
Doesn't happen when playing games but I don't play games a lot. When I do, they work fine.

How I know that it's the graphics card:

I used my PC without the card for 3 days. No crashes whatsoever.

What temporarily fixed it:

In Geforce Experience -> ALT+Z -> Settings -> Privacy control, I had "Desktop capture" on.
I turned it off, and had no crashes for two weeks.

Then they started happening again! So I uninstalled Geforce Experience completely. Still crashes.

I have tried many different drivers, and have cleaned & reinstalled them, as I was suggested in my previous thread.

Things I've tried:

• Checked Event Viewer, it gives a 41 Kernel-Power error so it essentially says nothing
• Ran memtest86 on both my RAM sticks, 0 errors
• Replaced my PSU, upgraded from Tier 6 to Tier 2
• Changed my power cable
• Updated my graphics drivers
• Ran stress tests on GPU
• Cleaned all drivers and reinstalled them
• Used PC without external GPU for 3 days, no shut downs

Why I can't just send it in for warranty replacement:

The GPU works fine, plays all games, temps are great.
It doesn't always crash, you have to be using it for a lot of hours.
The company support will probably see no problem and will not send a replacement.

Specs:

CPU: i5 8400
Motherboard: ECS H310H5-M2
Ram: 8x2
SSD/HDD: 2 SSDs, 1 HDDs
GPU: RTX 2060
PSU: Corsair CX650
OS: Windows 10.0.17763 Build 17763

 

[stefanos50]

I experience the exact same problem with rtx 2080. Start with checking that your psu cables are fully connected to your graphics card.

 

[PC Tailor]

Why I can't just send it in for warranty replacement:

The GPU works fine, plays all games, temps are great.
It doesn't always crash, you have to be using it for a lot of hours.
The company support will probably see no problem and will not send a replacement.

Not necessarily, if it is under warranty, they will put it under enough testing to verify that it's a problem.
If it is under warranty, I would simply return it based on the fact that you said removing the GPU also removed your problem.

I would have also pointed towards PSU, but you say you upgraded the PSU and the issue persisted?

Have you also verified GPU temps under load as well as individual core CPU temps?

 

[matharoo]

I experience the exact same problem with rtx 2080. Start with checking that your psu cables are fully connected to your graphics card.

Yes they are, I even changed my PSU.

Have you also verified GPU temps under load as well as individual core CPU temps?

GPU temps yes, but not CPU. I'm confused as to how to test it. I don't know how to properly stress test a CPU and all the Googling just confused and intimidated me even more.

 

[PC Tailor]

Yes they are, I even changed my PSU.



GPU temps yes, but not CPU. I'm confused as to how to test it. I don't know how to properly stress test a CPU and all the Googling just confused and intimidated me even more.

Just use Prime95 or IntelBurnTest to stress the CPU, and if you want some detailed CPU core during the process (Prime95 should do this for you) - but you can also use HWInfo and look at the temps across all cores.

 

[matharoo]

Just use Prime95 or IntelBurnTest to stress the CPU, and if you want some detailed CPU core during the process (Prime95 should do this for you) - but you can also use HWInfo and look at the temps across all cores.

Do I really need to stress test my CPU, if I know that the issue doesn't happen without the GPU?

 

[PC Tailor]

Do I really need to stress test my CPU, if I know that the issue doesn't happen without the GPU?

If it absolutely doesn't happen with the GPU in, then you're best just replacing the GPU being as you have already swapped PSU.

The operation of the GPU can cause how the CPU operates to change. This is why it can sometimes be useful, but yes, it would sooner point to GPU.