I've got a small form factor PC I picked up about two years ago, but it's started acting up lately. It shuts down spontaneously with no error messages or blue screens, almost like someone flipped the power switch. I checked the Windows event viewer, and it shows a critical kernel power error, but that hasn't helped much. The CPU and GPU temperatures were reasonable when it turned off, so that's not a worry. The crashes occur mostly when I'm running certain games or using GPU-heavy applications, but they can also happen randomly during usual tasks. I recently moved dorms, and that's when the issue began. I suspect it might be a power supply problem, but I'm not sure how to confirm it. Are there any tests or signs to look for? What other components could cause these shutdowns? If the issue is related to the wall outlet, would a new power supply fix it? I'm hesitant to just swap parts since I didn't build this system and I'm not familiar with local shops after moving overseas. Thanks in advance for any help!
6 Answers
Had a similar issue where I replaced the power supply, but it didn't solve anything. It turned out to be a video card that wasn’t seated properly. I propped it up to keep it stable, and that fixed it for me. So, maybe check your connections before buying anything new!
Are you using a power strip or surge protector? Also, what model of power supply are you running? That info could be helpful in diagnosing the issue!
Consider logging your power supply voltages using a tool like HWInfo. It might not give definitive answers, but if the PSU is deteriorating, you could see the voltage drop gradually or catch transients leading to crashes. You could also try lowering the GPU power limit using Afterburner to see if it affects stability.
It sounds like you're right about the power supply being a likely culprit. If it were issues like bad RAM or a failing CPU/GPU, you'd typically see different symptoms. Another consideration is whether the motherboard is properly secured—if it's shorting against the case, that could cause these sudden shutdowns. Since this started after your move, it could be that some connections shifted. I suggest opening it up, checking the motherboard installation, and ensuring everything's secure; sometimes an extra screw can cause havoc too.
I used to have a kernel power error that almost always pointed to a faulty PSU. Considering your new location, it might help to get a power line filter or UPS just in case there’s dirty power.
Sounds like a power supply issue to me. You might want to run a stress test using 3DMark to see how it holds up under pressure.
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