Question Why does my computer keep locking up or restarting?

[Kwaheri]

Greetings, I just build a new computer, everything seems great, except at random times it will just completely restart, or lock up with a horrible static through the speakers. Today I was watching Twitch, and did nothing but click on the volume to turn it up, and it restarts. Doesn't do this all the time, seems completely random. I've updated all the drivers, like Google said, but I have no idea why it keeps happening. A friend told me I should post it here. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Also, I'm really new to computer building, so if I've neglected to put any relevant information in here, I apologize in advance.

 

[me 1]

Check Event viewer for errors, and minidump folder in windows directory
Anything suspicious in Device manager?

 

[Vic 40]

Make a partslist,

download hwinfo,
install and open it=click run,
close the top window which is the system summary,
in the main window at the left top click "save report",
at the bottom of the next window check "Summary for Clipboard",
after that you'll see what's in the pc,
copy by clicking "copy to clipboard" and rightclick+paste in your next respons

also make+model+wattage of the psu.

Can do this any other way as well. We do ned to know what is in the pc. The pcpartpicker can be used to create a list as well.

 

[Vic 40]

I'll await for that info,see if it will help solve your problem.

 

[Kwaheri]

Make a partslist,



also make+model+wattage of the psu.

Can do this any other way as well. We do ned to know what is in the pc. The pcpartpicker can be used to create a list as well.

Thanks for the really detailed instructions, I am pretty daft at these kinds of things.

Here's the list:
CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 2600 (Pinnacle Ridge, PiR-B2)
3850 MHz (38.50x100.0) @ 3841 MHz (38.50x99.8)
Motherboard: ASUS PRIME B450M-A
BIOS: 1804, 07/29/2019
Chipset: AMD B450 (Low-Power Promontory PROM26.A)
Memory: 16384 MBytes @ 1330 MHz, 20-19-19-43
- 8192 MB PC21300 DDR4 SDRAM - GeIL CL19-19-19 D4-2666
- 8192 MB PC21300 DDR4 SDRAM - GeIL CL19-19-19 D4-2666
Graphics: XFX Radeon R9 290X
AMD Radeon R9 290X, 4096 MB GDDR5 SDRAM
Drive: WDC WD30EZRZ-22Z5HB0, 2930.3 GB, Serial ATA 6Gb/s @ 6Gb/s
Drive: WDC WD20EARX-00PASB0, 1953.5 GB, Serial ATA 6Gb/s @ 6Gb/s
Drive: Samsung SSD 970 EVO 500GB, 488.4 GB, NVMe
Drive: WDC WD1002FAEX-00Z3A0, 976.8 GB, Serial ATA 6Gb/s @ 1.5Gb/s <-> USB
Sound: ATI/AMD Hawaii - High Definition Audio Controller
Sound: AMD Zen - HD Audio Controller
Network: RealTek Semiconductor RTL8168/8111 PCI-E Gigabit Ethernet NIC
OS: Microsoft Windows 10 Home (x64) Build 18362.535 (1903/May 2019 Update)


Along with this, my power supply is a:


Brand: CORSAIR
Model: CP-9020103-NA
Series: CXM Series CX650M

Type: ATX12V / EPS12V
Maximum Power: 650W
Fans: 1 x 120mm Sleeve Bearing Fan
PFC: Active
Main Connector: 20+4Pin
+12V Rails: Single
PCI-Express Connector: 2 x 6+2-Pin
SATA Power Connector: 6
SLI: SLI ReadyHaswell SupportYes
CrossFire: CrossFire Ready
Modular: Semi-Modular
Efficiency: Up to 85%
Energy-Efficient: 80 PLUS BRONZE Certified
Over Voltage Protection: Yes
Input Voltage: 100 - 240 V
Input Frequency Range: 47 - 63 Hz
Input Current: 10 - 5A
Output: +3.3V @ 25A, +5V @ 25A, +12V @ 54A, -12V @ 0.8A, +5VSB @ 3A

I REALLY appreciate your help.

 

[Kwaheri]

Check Event viewer for errors, and minidump folder in windows directory
Anything suspicious in Device manager?

Greetings, Thanks for this.

Regarding the event viewer, I am assuming the part I should look at is the "event type: Critical"? If so, there's been 12 events in the past week, and they are all the same, as follows:

Event ID: 41
Source: Kernel - Power
Log: System

As to the other things, I am not sure, I will have my friend look at this and comment when he comes over this Saturday. I do know a lot of google says that it might be Power supply issues, but my friend says this power supply should have plenty of wattage for what I need. Might be something else? This is where I get stupid and don't know anything >.<

 

[Vic 40]

One thing i would first do is update to latest bios. Means downloading latest bios,unpack it,put it on an empty usb stick and flash bios using tool in the bios itself. It's called Asus Bios Flashback.

Need to stick the usb stick inot the pc before starting and getting into the bios.

For the latest bios,
PRIME B450M-A BIOS & FIRMWARE | Moederbord | ASUS Nederland
is Dutch site but just download "Versie (=version) 2006 from 2019/11/25".

Looking at that Event ID might it also be power related. Can be that the R290 is somehow not working well with that psu. Well can only imagine it's the gpu.

 

[me 1]

About event id 41 read here:

https://blog.pcrisk.com/windows/12891-how-to-fix-kernel-power-error

 

[haseeb98ahm]

did you plug in the GPU power cables properly ? post a picture here so we can check.

 

[Ketchup79]

From your good description, it sounds like either a short or the power supply isn't up to the challenge. I am leaning towards a short since it happens at such random times.

What other devices are plugged into the computer - microphones, heatseats, USB hubs, etc?

 

[Kwaheri]

Greetings everyone, Thanks first of all to everyone for being so willing to help. Here's a list of everything I've done so far.

-Updated the Bios
-Made sure all my drivers are up to date.
-Made sure the video card was seated properly (with the help of my friend who told me about this forum)
-Re-seated the RAM
-Changed the plug in order of the power supply to the video card (Not sure exactly what this did, but my friend did it. Said i had the "6 prong" first and the "8 prong" second, so he switched the order... just in case.)
-Checked the website posted above about the "41" error. I had seen this before, and have now done everything it suggests.
-Checked the minidump folder as advised, This folder was empty.
-Nothing suspicious found in Device manager.

Aside from these things I am not sure what to do. I was told by my friend I might need to contact Corsair and see what kind of warranty they have for the power supply, since he said it should be enough power to run everything, so it might be a faulty power box?

Regarding things plugged in, I have 2 HDD hard drives plugged in internally that I use for storage, I have 1 external hard drive that's plugged into a wall outlet, not the computer power box, I have a gaming mouse, keyboard, monitor, and webcam that's usually off, (unless the NSA likes watching fat bearded guys play Monster Hunter World...) That's really it.

I can try to get a photo if you still need one.

you guys are all awesome, and I really appreciate you.

 

[Ketchup79]

For testing purposes, leave that external hard drive disconnected from the PC for a while. Let us know if the freezes stop or stay the same.

 

[DSzymborski]

And was this a fresh install of Windows?

 

[Kwaheri]

So, I've left the external hard drive unplugged, and it still seems to happen, Not seemingly as violently, but it still does happen.

Not sure what you mean "fresh" install, but it was a blank hard drive , and i used a USB to install windows 10, but used an old security code for (I believe) Windows 8 to start it.

 

[Ketchup79]

So if I am reading your post correctly, you have to internal hard drives, one external hard drive, and one internal NVME drive. How old are those internal hard drives? Which drive is Windows installed on?

 

[Kwaheri]

So if I am reading your post correctly, you have to internal hard drives, one external hard drive, and one internal NVME drive. How old are those internal hard drives? Which drive is Windows installed on?

Maybe 6 or so years at the oldest internal hard drive, one hard drive is about 2 months old (Black friday, but the computer was doing this before it was installed) and the NFME drive is where windows is, and that is also about a couple months old. The other drives are just storage, and most of the stuff I have stored is on the newest drive.

 

[Ketchup79]

Install Western Digital data lifeguard. Run the short and long test on the older drive and see if it comes up with any issues.

 

[Vic 40]

Is your friend maybe willing to swap ram? Just to see if it might be the problem. Guess since he helps you he has a pc of his own.

Did you test with the external hdd disconnected?

Using the bottom row of sata connectors to connect the hdd's? The ones on the side cannot be used since having the NVME drive.

 

[Kwaheri]

Install Western Digital data lifeguard. Run the short and long test on the older drive and see if it comes up with any issues.

Greetings, I did so, and it "passed" No other info was available it seems.

 

[Ketchup79]

Good, so it doesn't look like drives are the issue. Beyond that, hard to say without a windows minidump file (from a blue screen). If you aren't getting any of those, ever, possible causes are a little smaller - power problems (such as a power supply or power input), a bad stick of RAM (but usually there is a BSOD something with a RAM problem), or a short (a bad connection between the case and a part of the machine).

 

[Kwaheri]

Good, so it doesn't look like drives are the issue. Beyond that, hard to say without a windows minidump file (from a blue screen). If you aren't getting any of those, ever, possible causes are a little smaller - power problems (such as a power supply or power input), a bad stick of RAM (but usually there is a BSOD something with a RAM problem), or a short (a bad connection between the case and a part of the machine).

Yeah, there's never been a BSOD. I used to have RAM problems with a laptop I had (First ever laptop, tried to play World of Warcraft... it did NOT like Ironforge... >.<) so would get BSODs all the time i tried to go there. Nothing like that, this will just either freeze screen, or restart. Regarding the possibility of a short, Not sure, It's not like it happens when I bump the desk, usually sitting pretty still.

I have contacted the Corsair customer service to look into Warantees to see if this might be covered. That's the only thing that the internet (who are obviously no where near as well versed as you friends are, ) has left to say for it. Either that or the GPU, (cause the only connection really is when it's trying to render something? another friend said that...) so I don't know. Might need to change out the power supply, and if that doesn't work, upgrade my video card. but I'd like to think my GPU is good.

 

[Kwaheri]

Hey guys, you all have been AMAZING< and I really really appreciate all your advice, help, and friendliness. I've contacted Corsair with a run down of my computer specs, and all the things I've done, and the issue, and they said it sounds like a PSU issue, so we are going to replace the power supply under the warranty. If that doesn't work, I might try to upgrade my GPU. if that STILL doesn't work, I will let you guys all know on this thread. I REALLY appreciate it, and i don't want to keep bothering you all >.<

Just wanted to let you know what was up.

 

[Vic 40]

Hope the new psu wil fix your problems.😊

 

[Kwaheri]

Well... I just changed out the power supply, (used the same wires that came with the first power supply to save some time.) but it just happened again within 40 minutes of switching the supply.

Should I change out the wires too? The only thing I have left to think of (maybe) is getting a new GPU?

I'm lost again. Thanks in advance (and for the past) For all your help.

 

[Vic 40]

Should I change out the wires too?

If you mean psu yes,you cannot just use cables from another psu unless the same model.