Question My PC keeps restarting on random after installing a new PSU and RMAed mobo

[aissypewdiepie]

(I'm not sure which category to post this under since I'm not sure which component is actually faulty)

I'm having a very weird problem. For quick context, 2 months ago my PSU exploded killing my mobo. 2 days ago I got my mobo RMAed and bought a brand new PSU (current specs at the bottom of the post).

So I put together all the parts and tried to post and it worked so I thought nothing else was damaged. I even dialed my previous OC settings from a USB drive and ran stress tests like p95, HCL mem test all day and I ended up with everything being stable.

A day after that, I was able to use my PC throughout the entire day but it was until the day after, my PC just randomly reboots.

I thought - maybe, I'm crashing because of unstable OC settings. So went into the BIOS and dialed in default settings but even my PC reboots while I'm into the BIOS at stock settings. I booted into windows and the same issue continued.

Then pushed on the AC power cord tight and later replaced the outlet. Then the issue disappeared. I went back to the settings I was using, and everything was fine,

Until the next day (today), I'm having the same exact issue. I tried with different AC power cords, different outlets but nothing seems to do it. It's now pretty random as of the time when it's crashing.

Specs: Ryzen 7 2700x auto Vcore & multiplier, 16GB (8x2) DDR4 3000mhz cl16 @3200mhz CL17, Deepcool castle 280 AIO (idle tems at 32c), MSI GTX 1060 GAMING X 6g, 1000watt Corsair RM 1000x PSU, ASUS x470 F gaming mobo.

What do you think can go wrong? The PSU? RAM? CPU? MOBO? I just have no clue on what to do about it.

 

[CheesyDaTechnician]

Hmm...

When the PSU exploded, did the motherboard have anything installed on it?
If it did, it'll probably mean that something was having too much current and almost fried, when you stress it too much, it just gave up.

Can you send a video? Link to Google Drive, Dropbox, etc...

 

[Botnus]

(Assuming you're using Windows 7/8/10) Have you checked Event Viewer? It usually has some good information on what could be going wrong that can point us in the right direction. To get there, go to the "Start" menu and type in "Event Viewer" and select it from the list. Once in, you want to check under "Windows Logs". There are a few categories, but you usually want the one that says "System". Look for anything with an icon that looks like a red circle with a white "X" that says "Critical" next to it, and let us know what you find. They should be timestamped and in chronological order.

Edit: You may have to start up in "Safe Mode". Each computer's different, but to get there boot up your computer twice, each time once you start loading into Windows hold down the power button until the computer shuts off. After the second time, let it boot all the way until you get the startup menu, from which you should be able to find "Boot up to safe mode" relatively easily.

 

[aissypewdiepie]

(Assuming you're using Windows 7/8/10) Have you checked Event Viewer? It usually has some good information on what could be going wrong that can point us in the right direction. To get there, go to the "Start" menu and type in "Event Viewer" and select it from the list. Once in, you want to check under "Windows Logs". There are a few categories, but you usually want the one that says "System". Look for anything with an icon that looks like a red circle with a white "X" that says "Critical" next to it, and let us know what you find. They should be timestamped and in chronological order.

Edit: You may have to start up in "Safe Mode". Each computer's different, but to get there boot up your computer twice, each time once you start loading into Windows hold down the power button until the computer shuts off. After the second time, let it boot all the way until you get the startup menu, from which you should be able to find "Boot up to safe mode" relatively easily.

Previously I went through the admin logs and only found event logs stating 'kernal-power', there were no other error reports other than that. As per your suggestion, I went through the system logs as well, the same goes for it as well.

And I didn't get why I should start up in 'safe mode' though. If you think the main issue is sourcing from within the OS - I can even encounter the same while I'm on the BIOS as well.

 

[iMatty]

When your power supply exploded, was your CPU running? and were anything else plugged?

 

[aissypewdiepie]

When the PSU exploded, the system was as it would be when I normally use it. That means all the hardware I use were installed.

when you stress it too much, it just gave up.

It's actually the opposite. I would basically never encounter my system do that when I'm putting up a heavy load on it. In fact, it's more like, once it encounters a power recycle, it would go on doing it several times within a very short interval. This interval either might be enough to boot up into windows or not.

 

[aissypewdiepie]

When your power supply exploded, was your CPU running? and were anything else plugged?

Yeah I was literally using my PC right before it exploded.

 

[iMatty]

Well my assumption is, that when your power supply exploded, it damaged your CPU or RAMS which keeps leading to a reboot cycle.

 

[aissypewdiepie]

Well my assumption is, that when your power supply exploded, it damaged your CPU or RAMS which keeps leading to a reboot cycle.

Since I have no way of checking with spare units, I have no way of telling with certainty. But I WAS able to use my system without this happening past a long heavy stress test. They never spit out any error. I'm assuming even the slightest damage in those critical hardware would result in either outputting errors in those stress tests or me encountering a crash while I'm stress testing.

The basic pattern of the issue goes like this - once my system reboots (may do 2 mins after booting up or after 4 hrs), it would keep doing it several times with a short frequency. Then it would run fine as long as my day and wouldn't do it again (since I haven't used my pc more than 8 hrs a day, I can't tell if it would do it past it)

 

[iMatty]

The only way to make sure that your CPU or any other component is damaged is by testing it on a new motherboard with a new power supply and see
If it keeps rebooting then start taking parts out one by one
if there is nothing left beside the CPU then that is your problem else there is no way to be sure it is damaged or not.

 

[Botnus]

Previously I went through the admin logs and only found event logs stating 'kernal-power', there were no other error reports other than that. As per your suggestion, I went through the system logs as well, the same goes for it as well.

And I didn't get why I should start up in 'safe mode' though. If you think the main issue is sourcing from within the OS - I can even encounter the same while I'm on the BIOS as well.

Does this "kernal-power" notification have an error code or message that comes with it? If you can, can you copy/paste it here so we can do a search for what it means? This will help us narrow down the issue.

I think I misunderstood. I didn't think you meant your PSU literally exploded since I've never heard of this happening with any recent PSU, but judging from your conversation with iMatty it seems like it did. I suggested you start into Safe Mode because I misunderstood and thought it was rebooting without fully loading into Windows, or it would shut down before it gave you the opportunity to do anything. If it is the case that the PSU literally exploded then it's very likely you may have some hardware that's actually damaged, and unable to properly function. Like iMatty said, the best way to test the CPU here would be to put it on another motherboard with another PSU.

If you're using the same RAM that was on your old motherboard, you may want to test this, as well, if possible.

 

[aissypewdiepie]

Does this "kernal-power" notification have an error code or message that comes with it? If you can, can you copy/paste it here so we can do a search for what it means? This will help us narrow down the issue.

I don't really see any error code in the body of the event, it just says "The system has rebooted without cleanly shutting down first. This error could be caused if the system stopped responding, crashed, or lost power unexpectedly." But I found this code (0x80000000000000) in its XML view however (i'm not sure if it helps.

Anyway, I just swapped my GPU with a different one and even after that, my system would continue to reboot. I might also try putting a spare ddr4 ram but i highly doubt my ram modules will be it. But still, if I don't end up pinpointing the issue to the ram sticks, there's no other spare parts I can hope to test with, so my first bet is to get my PSU replaced and then start checking one by one.