Question overheating with low temperatures?

[Bolas]

I have a strange situation with my build.

Worklog is here:

http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?288598-Red-Dragon-SFF-build

My computer runs fine for about 10 minutes and shows low temperatures. Like 120 degrees F for the CPU.

Then, without warning, the entire system powers down. Suddenly and unexpectedly.

When I press the power button after this shutdown, it powers up briefly -- lights, fans -- then immediately powers down again.

If I wait a few hours for the system to completely cool down, I can power it up again and it works fine for about a dozen minutes before completely shutting down without warning and refusing to power on again.

I installed a blue screen viewer and found no blue screens at all.

Any idea what could be causing this behavior?

 

[Ralston18]

[Moderator note: To view photographs, start with and use the left ("less than" arrow) to follow the build process.]

Update your post to include full system hardware specs and OS.

Include PSU: make, model, wattage, age, condition. Noted in photos.

Prime suspect CPU and thermal paste at the component level.

Overheats, shuts down, and will not start again until fully cooled down.

Reasons:

Note the photograph where the thermal paste is spread as a smeared "X", The application should be a small pea-sized drop.

And I am not sure if the cooler is in full and even contact with the CPU.

My overall impression per the photographs.

Not enough airflow/cooling. Takes much longer to cool down.

That all said, your link contains many photographs of the build. Helpful but it does take time to go through the viewing process.

I suggest that you wait on doing anything pending other ideas and comments. Especially if I have missed something.

 

[Bolas]

I just removed and reapplied thermal paste yesterday. That didn't fix it.

I figured out that the case fans were set to only 50% speed in the command center. Increased those to 100% this morning. That didn't solve the problem. It's crashed again.

Found a nylon standoff on my desk, wondering if that is missing from the cpu cooling block and causing problems. Will disassemble and check later tonight.

 

[Bolas]

The power supply has a "test" button, I pressed that, got a green light.

 

[Bolas]

Part list for build:

Parts list:

1 x MSI Z87I GAMING AC LGA 1150 Intel Z87 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 Mini ITX Intel Motherboard
1 x MSI GeForce GTX 760 GAMING ITX 2GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 3.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card
1 x CORSAIR AXi series AX860i 860W Digital ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS PLATINUM Certified Full Modular Active PFC Power Supply New 4th Gen CPU Certified Haswell Ready
1 x G.SKILL Trident X Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 2400 (PC3 19200) Desktop Memory Model F3-2400C10D-16GTX, Timing 10-12-12-31
1 x Samsung Electronics 840 EVO-Series 1TB 2.5-Inch SATA III Single Unit Version Internal Solid State Drive MZ-7TE1T0BW
2 x Western Digital 4TB SATA III 7200 RPM 64 MB Cache Bulk/OEM Desktop Hard Drive, Black, WD4003FZEX
1 x Intel Core i7-4770K Quad-Core Desktop Processor 3.5 GHZ 8 MB Cache BX80646I74770K
1 x Arctic Silver 5 High-Density Polysynthetic Silver Thermal Compound AS5-3.5G - OEM
1 x Windows 8.1 System Builder OEM DVD 64-Bit
1 x BitFenix Prodigy Mini-ITX Case - High Airflow Edition - Stealth Ed. & Customize
1 x Black Ice? GTS Gen Two Stealth 280 Highest Performance Radiator
1 x Laing DDC-pump 12V DDC-1T
1 x FrozenQ FlexTank Multi-Option Reservoir - Cast Acrylic
3 x Monsoon 90 degree Rotary Angle Fitting - 5/8" - Matte Black
2 x Monsoon 45 degree Rotary Angle Fitting - 5/8" - Matte Black
2 x Monsoon Chain Gun Compression Fittings, 3/8" x 5/8" 4-Pack - Red
1 x EK-DDC X-TOP CSQ - Plexi
1 x Bit Fenix Spectre Pro LED Fan Series - 200mm - Red
4 x Bit Fenix Spectre PWM LED Fan Series - 140mm - Red
1 x Swiftech 8-Way PWM Splitter Box - SATA
1 x PrimoChill ICE Non-Conductive Liquid Cooling Fluid (32 oz.) - Blood Red
1 x NZXT Sleeved LED Cable Kit - 1M - White
1 x Lamptron Inverterless Cathode Spectral Bar - UV
1 x Logisys Dual UV 12 in. CLK12UV2 CCFL Light Kit
2 x M4 x .7 x 30mm Black Oxide Steel Socket Head Cap - Set of 4
2 x Serial ATA 3.0 600Mb/s Cable w/ Metal Latch - Straight to Straight - 18" - Black
1 x Serial ATA 3.0 600Mb/s Cable w/ Metal Latch - Straight to Right Angle - 24" - UV Red
MDPC-X small black sleeve
MDPC-X small red sleeve
MDPC-X black SATA sleeve
MDPC-X red SATA sleeve
MDPC-X black heat shrink
MDPC-X red heat shrink
MDPC-X black SATA heat shrink
MDPC-X red SATA heat shrink
MDPC-X black tubing sleeving
MDPC-X assorted tubing and heat shrink
Assorted cable ties.

 

[Bolas]

I think it might be clogged micro-channels in the cpu waterblock. Going to disassemble and visually inspect them. Then, either clean them or replace the water block and see if that helps.