Question Upgrades causing constant & random hard crashes ?

[magusprimex]

Hello all. I hope I'm posting this correctly, please let me know otherwise. I have been having an absolute horrible time of it for over a month since deciding I needed a CPU upgrade, (though much of that was on Amazon's end) and just when it seemed like everything was finally going to go right, well, it's been a day since I started doing the actual upgrade.

I'm replacing the old CPU and mobo on a 6+ year old machine. This was the original build: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/fxCKFG And it worked without any flaws, just the CPU was definitely starting to show its age in modern games. So I was planning to upgrade to this: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/kW6n6D along with a fresh install of Windows 11 on the old SSD. Oh, and at some point I upgraded to an EVGA 850W Gold G5 PSU, probably when I got the 3080. Like I said, old build never gave me problems.

New build, however, is hard crashing constantly, just shutting off and restarting, sometimes multiple times in a row. I got Windows installed before this started happening, fortunately. I don't get a BSoD, so I'm pulling my hair out not knowing any error messages to try and diagnose from. I thought maybe it had to do with when drivers or other software were installing, but it also will just shut off and restart when doing nothing. I have double checked to make sure every cable and piece and firmly and properly seated. The temps seem completely fine when I open it up immediately following a crash and check on the BIOS hardware monitor as well. I was hoping it was maybe a bad installation, maybe it pulled old drivers from the Windows 10 before it, I don't know, and I tried to do a clean reinstall but it'll crash during that install as well.

The way it just shuts off and restarts makes me think it might be a power issue, but 850W should be plenty for that system, no? And the same PSU was working without issue before the new CPU and mobo. I just don't even know where to start troubleshooting at this point and I'm so mentally and emotionally exhausted with the amount of issues I've been having for what I thought would be an easy and relatively quick swap and upgrade. Please, I'd appreciate any help or insight into this.

 

[ohio_buckeye]

Quick search suggests the 3080 needs a 750 watt psu. While the EVGA unit there might be decent, I’m assuming you reused your existing one and that it’s a few years old and has probably aged a bit.

As power supplies age they can’t put out the power output they once did. That is probably where I’d start from.

 

[Misgar]

Are you running an XMP memory overclock at 3200MT/s or higher?

Are you overclocking your CPU or GPU?

If so, temporarily switch off all overclocks and return to stock speeds.

 

[magusprimex]

Quick search suggests the 3080 needs a 750 watt psu. While the EVGA unit there might be decent, I’m assuming you reused your existing one and that it’s a few years old and has probably aged a bit.

As power supplies age they can’t put out the power output they once did. That is probably where I’d start from.

Thanks. Do you think I should go ahead and buy a new PSU at this point then, or is there some way to test if this is the culprit first? Would the issue just need a new PSU, or should I look into something beefier than an 850?

Are you running an XMP memory overclock at 3200MT/s or higher?

Are you overclocking your CPU or GPU?

If so, temporarily switch off all overclocks and return to stock speeds.

No overclocks, everything stock.

 

[ohio_buckeye]

I can’t say that a new psu will solve it, but given that they recommend a 750 watt, plus yours is a few years old now, it might be a good housekeeping item. I personally have a Corsair rmx 850 watt psu, but if it’s not much more you may consider a larger one just to provide for extra overhead like say for example if you decide to get a new gpu in a year or two.

 

[Misgar]

The problem with fault finding is no matter how certain you are that component X is at fault, it often turns out to be component Y or Z.

This week I finished fault finding a mate's old Phenom II X4 965 PC. First thing I changed a month ago was the ancient PSU followed by the RAM, the SSD, the hard disk and the CPU.

Finally I installed a compatible mobo and the problem was fixed. The old mobo doesn't start up until you've waved a hair dryer round inside for a couple of minutes.

Buying a new good quality PSU could easily set you back $100 to $200, but might not fix the fault. If you have a spare computer you can borrow parts from or a local PC shop, you can avoid wasting money on bits that are still working. Best of luck.