My PC has been running for a little over a year, but during the past month it has suddenly powered off more than five times. The only recent change was disabling automatic sleep mode, although I don't usually leave the computer running unattended for long periods. All components were purchased new.
Specs:
CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 9600X
GPU: AMD Radeon 9060 XT 16GB
PSU: Corsair RM750x SHIFT 80 PLUS
Cooler: NZXT Kraken Elite RGB 360mm AIO
The shutdowns happen most often while I'm editing, but they have also occurred when I only had a few browser tabs open. Temperatures seem normal, with the CPU around 42°C at idle and the GPU around 28°C. Sometimes the computer also refuses to start afterward. Unplugging and reconnecting or slightly repositioning the power cables eventually makes the motherboard lights come on, and then the PC usually starts.
What should I check first to determine whether this is a power supply, cable, motherboard, memory, or software problem?
3 Answers
Check the operating system’s event logs around the time of each shutdown. Look for unexpected-power-loss entries, hardware error reports, or other critical events. Those may help distinguish a power problem from RAM, CPU, motherboard, or driver trouble. The audit-event messages may be unrelated noise, so focus on errors immediately before the shutdown.
The fact that the motherboard only lights up after unplugging, reconnecting, or moving cables makes the power path worth checking first. Reseat the 24-pin motherboard cable, CPU power cable, graphics card power cable, and wall connection. If possible, test with a known-good PSU and separate power cables. Don’t continue using a cable or connector that feels loose, damaged, or overheated.
If your home power is unstable, a UPS with voltage regulation can protect the computer and help determine whether the wall power is contributing. Also run the system file checker, but keep in mind that it mainly repairs corrupted system files; it usually won’t explain a complete instant power loss or a machine that sometimes won’t start.
I’ll check the connections and try another power supply if I can. The issue does seem more likely to happen during heavier editing workloads.