Question Windows resets itself (don't know if BSOD, File Explorer crash, etc) while HDMI is unplugged and Chrome is up ?

[Dr_Cheesesteak]

I work from home and sometimes unplug my HDMI cable from my PC and into my work laptop so my laptop displays on my main monitor.

I have noticed when I plug the HDMI cable back into my PC video card, Windows has reset. Every program I had up is off, it is as if Windows just freshly started and shows my desktop with no open apps. So I'm assuming it's crashing and resetting somehow. I am not sure if these are BSODs or something else.

But what I have noticed that is if I close Chrome on my PC, or even minimize it (I tested minimizing it just once), then Windows does not crash/reset while the HDMI cable is unplugged. I am not sure if this has to do with the video card not having an HDMI plugged in or the fact that I do still run a screensaver and that somehow is causing some bad interaction with Chrome to cause crashes/resets or what. I do not think it is the screensaver, because I have seen the screensaver come up before while the HDMI is plugged in and there was no crash/reset. Although I did not keep track if Chrome was the main tab.

But yeah, basically, if Chrome is the main Windows tab, something is causing Windows to crash/reset while I have the HDMI unplugged. And I'm 99% sure this is not caused by the screensaver if the HDMI cable IS plugged in.

I do have the crash event docs in a Google Drive folder below from one of these crashes/resets today. I was not able to attach the memory.dmp file as it is deemed "File unreadable" by Google Drive. My PC specs are in my signature.

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1cnxwpe4S-XHwymWGMt43ZRtrfVvVjG1I

Any help or input is appreciated! I've obviously found a workaround (close/minimize chrome when I unplug the HDMI), but I'd like to still see if the problem can be narrowed down to something specific I can maybe fix. Thanks.

 

[Aeacus]

but I'd like to still see if the problem can be narrowed down to something specific I can maybe fix.

I'd use KVM Switch to switch between two PCs, rather than unplugging/plugging the HDMI cable constantly.

E.g this thing: https://www.amazon.com/Monitors-Computers-Switches-Keyboard-Controller/dp/B0D5D4FK1H

This way, you will not wear out the HDMI port on your GPU/laptop. Also, switching around would be far faster and more convenient.

As of why your PC reboots while you don't have HDMI connected - hard to tell.
PC should not reboot when there is no monitor connected (unless you've enabled some setting that makes PC act like so).

PSU - SeaSonic 100-240VAC M12ii Bronze Evo Edition 620W

I suggest that you replace it sooner than later. Since it is a miracle + then some, that it still works.

Seasonic M12II-620 Evo was released in 2013. And it ever came with 3 year warranty. So, your PSU now is 12 years old and WAY past it's service life (that's Seasonic reliability for you). Still, nothing lasts for forever and better to replace the PSU.

Do note that your PSU is group-regulated and doesn't do well with CPU low power states, making the PC to reboot. (Usually manifests itself when putting PC to sleep and then waking it up, where PSU fails to wake up the PC, instead rebooting it.) So, it could very well be the PSU issue.

In regards of new PSU, 650W unit does fine and good PSUs to go for, are: Seasonic Focus/Vertex/PRIME, Corsair RMx/RMi/HXi/AXi, Super Flower Leadex Gold/Platinum/Titanium.
Or if you want the latest ATX 3.x PSU, then: https://hwbusters.com/best_picks/best-atxv3-pcie5-ready-psus-picks-hardware-busters/

(My 3x PCs are also powered by Seasonic. I have 2x PRIME TX-650 units and one Focus PX-550 unit. Full specs with pics in my sig.)

 

[ubuysa]

Are you unplugging the only monitor on the PC?

From that limited information, the BSOD you're seeing (yes, it's BSODing) is a 0x116 bugcheck. That's a VIDEO_TDR_FAILURE, meaning that Windows detected a graphics hang and the timeout detection and recovery feature (TDR) attempted to reset the graphics driver and graphics card but failed to resolve the issue. This might well be consistent with you unplugging (or plugging in) the only monitor.

A KVM switch would be much safer, as suggested.

 

[Ralston18]

Also look in Reliability History/Monitor and Event viewer for error codes, warnings, and informational events that occurred when you unplugged or plugged in something.

Agree with the preceding posts regarding KVM switch and new PSU.

 

[johnbl]

interesting error code
0: kd> !error 0xc000009a
Error code: (NTSTATUS) 0xc000009a (3221225626) - Insufficient system resources exist to complete the API.

I would look for gpu overclocking problem, or bad software running on gpu. (look for common reasons for a gpu hang)
best to provide the actual memory dump file so we can look at in the debugger.

if you can not figure out the reason, you might google "how to force a memory dump using a keyboard on windows" make the registry changes. Then change the memory dump type to kernel and then the next time your system hangs you can force the memory dump and someone can look and see what the problem is.
(assuming it does not bugcheck before the forced memory dump)
it could be something like video streaming software using up the resources.

 

[Dr_Cheesesteak]

Thanks everyone for the reply. I apologize for the late reply, this week has been busy and I lost track of this problem. I will look into the KVM and definitely a new PSU. And to answer another question, yes, I am unplugging the only monitor on the PC.

However, it happened again today, this time while the HDMI was plugged in. So I think it has to do with Chrome or...

interesting error code
0: kd> !error 0xc000009a
Error code: (NTSTATUS) 0xc000009a (3221225626) - Insufficient system resources exist to complete the API.
...
it could be something like video streaming software using up the resources.

Yes, streaming software. So a couple times in the past few weeks, my PC has froze while I have Twitch up. No BSOD or forced reset, I had to hard reboot myself.

Just today, I had YouTube up on a looped Short (reel), went afk for 15ish mins, came back to a restarted desktop.

So I think it does have to do with streaming software and still maybe some interaction with my screen saver (which prompts after 5 mins). I do not believe it has to do w/ the HDMI, but rather that was just a coincidental factor. My friend suggested to try using Firefox, see if it's a problem with Chrome or something else. I'm also thinking of disabling my screen saver, see if that changes things.

I've attached a new event log of the Critical and bugcheck reboot Error to the Google Drive link in the OP. However, Google Drive still isn't allowing me to attach the memory.dmp. Any other way I can share it? I looked into other file sharing sites and they all require payment or have some limited trial, etc.

 

[Aeacus]

Just today, I had YouTube up on a looped Short (reel), went afk for 15ish mins, came back to a restarted desktop.

So I think it does have to do with streaming software and still maybe some interaction with my screen saver (which prompts after 5 mins).

I'm leaning towards PSU issue.

Screen saver means that PC is put into sleep mode. Not the full sleep, since that would turn video signal off but instead "partial" sleep to say so. And you PSU is ancient, made back then where CPU sleep states (e.g C5, C6) weren't much of a thing.

Disabling screen saver and other sleep/idle functions should make your PC not to reboot anymore. If so, issue is most likely PSU.
To use modern CPUs with that ancient PSU, it is advised that you disable CPU sleep states from BIOS (or set them lower: C5, C4, C3). This is workaround for PC reboots.

Seasonic M12II Evo and S12II PSUs doesn't have official support for higher CPU sleep states. So, they either work fine, or don't. 50:50 chance basically.

~9 years ago, when i bought my i5-6600K, i was running Seasonic S12II-520 (it's fully wired version of your M12II-620 Evo), and i did in-depth testing of my CPU sleep states. 1st setting max sleep state in BIOS, e.g C6, boot to OS, put PC into full sleep, wait for 5mins or so and then wake up the PC to see if PC reboots or wakes up just fine.
Now, i tested C6, C7, C7s and C8 sleep states and during my testing. And every time, my PC was able to wake from sleep just fine, without reboot.

Just because my Seasonic S12II-520 worked fine with my i5-6600K, doesn't mean that the same PSU works fine in another system. Like you have issues with Seasonic M12II-620 EVO, paired with R5 3600.

 

[Dr_Cheesesteak]

Okay, thank you. I will test out the disabling of the screen saver, but I will likely just order a new PSU as well. I knew I needed to upgrade this one anyway, but I tend to be slow with upgrading hardware.

 

[BFG-9000]

Yep, at the time only the 80plus GOLD Seasonics were advertised as "Haswell Ready" which means they were designed to handle C7 sleep state which can have as low as 0.05A load on the 12v rail and remain stable.

The 80plus BRONZE M12II was not Haswell Ready, and many group regulated PSUs like it don't work well with only a small load on 12v.

The screensaver should be fine but for now, best to disable C7 or higher sleep states in the BIOS or just disable sleep in Windows entirely.

 

[hussaj]

Is this setting active?

https://imgur.com/a/c59aUE5

View: https://imgur.com/a/c59aUE5

 

[qasimdhool44]

It could be a GPU, driver or power issue try updating graphics drivers and checking event logs for errors.