I've been struggling with an odd issue where my computer completely shuts down whenever I boot up Valorant. It's not accompanied by any blue screen or error message—just a strange click sound and then it's off. This has been happening for a few years, but I've just dealt with it since I can play the game without issues once I'm actually in. I have decent PC specs and recently moved everything into a new case and upgraded my power supply. I've run stress tests on my GPU and CPU, and they didn't trigger the shut down. It's worth noting that it doesn't happen with any other games, like League of Legends. I'm at my wit's end and need some advice to fix this. Also, the PC turns back on like nothing happened after the shutdown.
3 Answers
You might want to try limiting your FPS in the Nvidia Control Panel. High framerates, especially upon loading, might cause issues if your GPU can’t handle it initially. If you have an Nvidia GPU, go to 3D settings and set it to something reasonable like 165 FPS. Also, ensure your motherboard’s BIOS is updated—it can make a huge difference!
You'll need to look for updates directly from your motherboard manufacturer's site. They usually have the latest BIOS versions available along with instructions on how to update.
It sounds like a power issue, especially if it only happens with Valorant. Make sure your power supply unit (PSU) is sufficient for your system. You might also want to check the CPU's thermal situation—if it’s overheating, it could shut down as a safety measure. When did you last apply fresh thermal paste on your CPU? That might help with temperatures.
It's been a while since I did that, but I think it’s too quick to heat up. I just bought a new PSU hoping that would fix it, plus I have a good cooler. Should I try the thermal paste anyway?
Definitely consider reapplying thermal paste, as it can make a big difference in heat management, especially if it’s been a long time!
Before diving deeper, make sure all your drivers are updated, especially your graphics drivers. Then, try running some scans in Command Prompt as an Administrator. Running an SFC and DISM scan can help fix issues. Check your RAM with MemTest as well, just to rule that out!
I updated the drivers, but ran the command prompts and the first one gave me an error. The second said everything was fine. I’ll try the RAM test next.
Errors in the DISM scan can be tricky. Make sure you're typing the commands correctly. The RAM test is a smart move, just to confirm there's nothing wrong there.
I set it to 60 FPS, but the shutdown still happened. Let me check the BIOS—how do I even know if it’s up to date?