I'm an editor and gamer, so I need a strong, reliable PC. I recently faced several problems with my previous Intel setup, including mounting drive issues and random crashes. After thinking my Intel 13900k was done for, I decided to upgrade to a 14900k, but it wouldn't boot even after updating the BIOS. Frustrated, I switched to AMD and bought an MSI X870E Tomahawk WiFi motherboard paired with a Ryzen 9950X3D. Initially, everything seemed fine—it even posted right away! However, after installing Windows 11 and removing some bloatware, I started experiencing freezes and a message saying the graphics had to enter safe mode. I noticed high DPC latency with the Nvidia drivers, so I uninstalled them and reverted to an older version, which stabilized things a little, but then I faced new latency issues with other drivers. I ran memtest86 overnight, and my PC unexpectedly shut down during testing, leading me to suspect my RAM. After testing with one stick and adjusting the DRAM voltage to 1.35V, I still encountered latency and crashing programs, and now my PC won't shut down properly—I have to hold the power button. I'm starting to think my PSU could be the culprit since it's the only part I kept from my old build, but it's relatively new. I've done a lot of troubleshooting: updating the BIOS, reinstalling Windows, tweaking settings, and reseating hardware, but I'm feeling stuck. Has anyone experienced similar issues or have any suggestions?
3 Answers
Have you tried using OCCT testing? It’s a good way to stress test everything, especially the RAM. Run it for a bit alongside other programs; if it crashes fast, it could indeed be a PSU issue.
Sounds like you've been through quite the journey! Honestly, I was thinking the same thing about the PSU before I read your suspicion. It's worth running a live Linux environment to see if you still experience issues. If everything runs smoothly there, it could definitely point to something Windows-related or the hardware compatibility.
This might actually be a bug with Windows 11—there's been talk about systems not shutting down properly. You might want to check if you've got the latest updates installed, or take a look at this video that covers some fixes.
That would be a simple solution if it works, but it does seem unlikely! You said you've had the PSU for less than three years, and it's a high-end model. Could it really be failing already?