Hey folks, I'm in a real bind and could use your help. For the past month, I've been facing an annoying issue where my PC powers off without any warning or BSOD after about an hour of gaming. This consistently happens when I'm playing demanding games like Hunt: Showdown or Escape from Tarkov, and when I check the Event Viewer, it always shows a Kernel Power 41 critical error. I've already checked my system thoroughly - temperatures are normal with the GPU and CPU staying below 80°C during gameplay. I've replaced several components like RAM, motherboard, power supply (PSU), and have even reapplied thermal paste on the CPU. My specs include an AMD RX 6900 XT GPU and a Ryzen 7 5700X3D CPU, both about two years old. The only parts I haven't replaced are the GPU and CPU itself. I'm not seeing any temperature spikes or other signs of failure. Any ideas on what could be causing this? Could the GPU or CPU be to blame even without temp issues showing? I'd really appreciate your insights!
3 Answers
For more precise analysis, getting dump files from the system could help. If you can boot into Windows normally or through Safe Mode, check for any crash logs in C:WindowsMinidump. If you find any, zip them up and upload them somewhere like catbox.moe or mediafire.com and share the link. Multiple dump files would be great for a thorough look. Follow this guide to configure dump settings if you need help changing it to Small Memory Dump!
From what you've described, there's a decent chance the CPU is the culprit. Motherboards often shut down the system if the CPU reaches a certain threshold, so it's worth checking your cooler. How are you measuring the temperatures? If you're using software like AMD's Adrenalin, make sure it's accurate—you don't want any misreporting shifting blame onto the hardware.
Right? I mean, getting shut down out of nowhere is super annoying. What cooler are you using? That can play a big role too.
I’m using a be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 4. I’m pretty sure it’s doing its job, but I’ll double-check the measurements.
Your GPU or PSU might be the issue as well. Sometimes the combo of those two can lead to power failures like what you’re experiencing. Have you tried a different PSU yet?
I switched from a be quiet! PSU to a 950W MSI, but I’m still having the same problems. So frustrating!
That’s solid advice! I’ll check for dump files and see what I can find. Thanks!