Please help me identify what's wrong with my computer?

Reaper2170

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Oct 5, 2014
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Need help with a strange computer issue I keep getting. Any input will be greatly appreciated. When I'm playing a game it will randomly turn off by itself. When I try to reboot it, for some reason the monitor isn't able to detect a signal and just goes to sleep. The computer seems to boot up normally while the monitor stays off. It's not an overheating issue as I have been monitoring the temps and the hottest it got was low 70s (degrees). I usually have to leave it off for a while and come back for it to work normally again. I got it working right after it shut down by turning it on without monitor cable plugged into computer and then turning it off and replugging it. But I think that was random luck. Anyone know what it could be I'm pretty confused.
 
No one knows anything that could help? 🙁 I'm new to the forum so if I'm missing crucial information I'll try my best to get my computer on and provide you with the necessary info.
 
It's not newly built but the motherboard and CPU were changed around 2 months ago.
The PSU is the Coolermaster Thunder 700W PS.

System Specs:
CPU: Intel Core i5 3470 @ 3.20GHz
Ivy Bridge 22nm Technology
RAM: 4.00GB Dual-Channel DDR3 @ 665MHz (9-9-9-24)
Motherboard: Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd. B75M-D3V
(Intel Core i5- 3470 CPU @ 3.20GHz)
Graphics: HP 2010 (1600x900@60Hz)
2047MB NVIDIA GeForce GTX 670 (CardExpert Technology)
Storage: 465GB Seagate ST3500418AS ATA Device (SATA)
Optical Drives: ATAPI iHAS324 Y ATA Device
Audio: Realtek High Definition Audio

Hope that's what you were looking for.
 
The PSU should be OK, but only if it's not older than 2 years. To rule out the PSU, go into BIOS and check the voltages, especially the +12V one; the value should never go under +12V. Install HWmonitor and do the same thing while in windows (let it running and check from time to time the voltages and temperatures).

Be sure you have the latest motherboard BIOS installed (the motherboard is not a very good choice, but it should work).

Deactivate the Automatic Restart (Computer - Properties - Advanced - Startup and Recovery), maybe it's a software error which cause the restart.

Have you done a fresh Windows install after changing the motherboard?
 
Hey, I have deactived automatic restart as you suggested and I also went into BIOS and the voltages seemed fine to me. The +12V one was slightly over 12V while the +3V was slightly over 3V as well. They weren't under.
I know my computer will rarely be pushed this hard but I decided to run the Fire strike benchmark TWICE in a row with HWMonitor on. And as you probably know it strains my comp much more than the regular benchmarks 😛. But when It finished I checked the voltages on the GPU and the min and max were the same (0.987V). The temperatures min/ max on the GPU were 36 and 84 degrees respectively. The CPU core temp's never went above 58 degrees. However I did notice that after the 2 benchmarks the voltages on the motherboards were as follows:
(Minimums)
CPU VTT: 1.068V
VCC3: 3.285V
+12V: 11.736V
+VCC: 3.400V
vAXG: 2.220V
CPU VCORE: 0.888V
DRAM: 1.524V
+3.3V: 3.384

And yes I upgraded to 64bit Windows 7 after changing the motherboard so I did a fresh install on a reformatted drive.
 
It occurs to me that this COULD be entirely the monitors fault.. example.. I have a cheapo vizio monitor/was a tv.. and it also has a mini computer in it.. well after a few years, some drops and a couple punches later it still works but occasionally it has random errors that make things like what you describe happen.. so what do? I unplug the power cord from the back of the monitor (turning it off and on does not work).. this causes a system reset and wamo.. the damn thing works like new again.

I realize this does not explain the pc restart but it might help with when you turn it back on.

edit edit... describe HOW it turns off.. does it go through shutdown? slowly turn off? or insta dead? Make a noise?
 


It doesn't slowly shut down it pretty much powers down instantaneously, then it restarts and I can hear it booting normally (Windows startup sound) but the monitor just doesn't pick up the signal (it will search for it then just go to sleep). I thought it could be the monitor too but I don't understand why the computer would shut down you know. I tried using my TV as a monitor via HDMI cable and it was working fine for the 2 hours I had it plugged but its not really a good indicator as this happens entirely randomly I've had it working fine for 3-4 days and other times like today it turns off 2-3 times a day.
 
well... there is no blue screen otherwise i would say its the ram crapping out.. but it is still possible that an unknown component is getting over heated.. on the day this happens is it hotter? Only 3 things come to mind could possibly do this.. 1. overheat 2. psu is crapping out or 3. the power supply is for w/e reason disrupted.

on 3 you could try a different outlet or power strip if that seems like a thing that might be happening. Here is what I would do.. I would leave the case open.. wait for it to happen again.. then stick my hand in (carefully don't be a retard) and touch the gpu.. just fuck all the sensors and touch each component to see if anything is crazy hotter than the others.. I have read about bridges on mobo's getting stupid hot and doing this also so ye never know..

if the above fails.. start swapping stuff out.. move the gpu to a different slot etc etc see if the mobo is going out stuff like that.

I can say this for sure.. SOMETHING is dying in there.. if the gpu has been overheated this many times its very likely damaged by now. I would be trying to force it to happen to the memory just to make sure its not a ram problem.. open a bunch of games and a few browsers do a little bit in all of em push it to see if its that. other than that I got nothing man.. if nothing above fixes it than I would buy parts (starting with the psu) swap em out and return whatever didn't fix it.. keep whatever did..
 


Thanks for the suggestions. To be honest I don't think it is heat related at this point (because sometimes it turns off within 30 minutes, other times I've played a game for 3-5 hours at a time with no issues) but it doesn't hurt to feel the components after it decides to turn off. I'll try a different outlet/strip as well. I don't think the motherboard is crapping out because this happened before I replaced it, (its the main reason why I decided to replace it actually). The GPU and PSU are possibilities sadly 🙁.
Can the GPU even make a computer just randomly restart and at other times work fine? Not even sure to be honest.
 


Do you think the PSU is the main culprit at this point? It does make sense as randomly shutting off like that in my opinion would be an overheating problem (which I don't think I have) or a problem with the PSU. But I thought 700W would be more than enough and it is pretty new as well. Plus I read that the monitor programs can be off around +-0.5V and it shouldn't be a problem.
 
I have had a single stick of ram do it.. so why not a gpu lol.. Start with the psu its much cheaper to replace and if thats not it than i guess you got it narrowed to the gpu.

as a side note.. does this tend to happen during any specific program or game? I would ALWAYS eliminate software issues first to avoid money going out. viruses can be a fun bitch man.
 


I've only seen it happen in games. 3 different one's to be exact (Arma 2, DayZ, and CS:GO). Could happen in all games but these are the ones I've been playing lately. So yeah, as specific as I can get is that it happens only when I'm playing a game.