Monitor turns off and system fans kick to 100% speed

[Dr Girlfriend]

I'm not sure if it's the CPU or GPU fan, but I'm leaning towards CPU fan(s). It only happens (randomly, but generally after 30min/hour+ )when I'm playing a game, GW2 in this case. I suspected heat issues, but the GPU never goes over 60-63c, and the CPU never went over 50c.

I also checked the PSU voltages with HWiNFO (HWMonitor does pick up my MB 12v rail sensors) and everything looked in tolerance.

I'm really at a loss.

System specs

Asus Sabertooth MB
i5 2500k
EVGA GTX 570
Corsair RAM, 8GB
Corsair 650TX PSU

 

[Crapcicle]

Is your GPU overclocked?

 

[Dr Girlfriend]

Everything is running stock.

 

[Crapcicle]

If your monitor turns off with your fans kicking to 100% it's probably the temps. Have you tried it with a different monitor? Are you sure it's your system powering off and not just your monitor? If your system isn't powering off but your monitor dies it is either the monitor or the GPU.

 

[Dr Girlfriend]

The system is still running, I have to manually kill it by holding the power button down. Like I said in the OP temps aren't high at all, I had them overlayed while I was playing earlier and I had the issue happen with all temps quite low. Unless my MB is reporting false temps, I don't think that's the issue. I know the monitor is good.

The 100% fan speed thing is throwing me for a loop though (I've pinned it to the CPU fans, though the GPU could be kicking as well for all I know and just be getting drowned out but the really loud CPU fans).

 

[Crapcicle]

Honestly not sure what's causing the problem here. A CPU failure is usually a BSOD, or a frozen screen. However a GPU failure is usually described like your problem above with the monitor being a black screen or losing signal all together. However if it's the CPU fans kicking in that really is a very strange problem. Have you tested your RAM yet?

 

[Dr Girlfriend]

Memory check came back clean.

 

[Dr Girlfriend]

HWMonitor screenshot while under the game load that causes the issue: http://i.imgur.com/G23bu1N.jpg

 

[Crapcicle]

Try setting the voltage settings of your CPU from adaptive to static in the BIOS screen. Might solve it. Your HDD might also be the problem. Try defragging the disk and also doing a memory check on your HDD and a system file check.

 

[Dr Girlfriend]

Looks like it was thermal issues after all. When I got into the BIOS to set a static CPU voltage I noticed the BIOS GUI was reporting that my CPU was idling at ~55c, almost double what HWMonitor showed. So I cracked open my case to find the CPU heatsink intake caked in dust (I just cleaned the damn thing last month).

Deep cleaned/dusted out everything, and I also downloaded the EVGA Precision program and setup an aggressive fan profile for the GPU.

Despite the HWMonitor temps not changing for the better at all (strange), the issue hasn't happened since. So fingers crossed.

 

[Crapcicle]

Hope it works out for you.

 

[Dr Girlfriend]

Update #2: Well after it running great for a day after the adjustments I made, it started happening again. So it's not thermal issues after all.

What I've done now is downclock my GPU by 60mhz, and I haven't had it happen since, but given my history with this.... fingers crossed again.

 

[Dr Girlfriend]

Update for google posterity. Ended up replacing my GPU with a new 970 SSC (had to downclock my 570 by -150mhz to keep it stable from the -60mhz reported previously, that pointed directly to a faulty GPU despite system issues being very unclear). Been gaming for the last few days with no issues. Thanks Crapcicle for all the responses!

TL;DR if you're exp the issues I described in the OP, swap GPUs to see if it goes away, or downclock bit by bit until the issue goes away. If either of those fixes work, buy a new GPU.