Hey everyone, I'm struggling with a really annoying problem where my PC keeps shutting down randomly without any blue screens or warnings. I've done a lot of troubleshooting already but can't seem to find a permanent fix. Here's the scoop:
**My setup is:**
- **CPU**: Intel Core i7-9700K
- **GPU**: NVIDIA RTX 4070 (Gigabyte Windforce OC)
- **Motherboard**: Gigabyte Z390M Gaming
- **RAM**: 22GB DDR4 (64GB total)
- **PSU**: MSI MAG A850GL PCIe 5.0 (850W, ATX 3.0, brand new)
- **OS**: Windows 10 (fully updated)
**The issue:**
My PC suddenly shuts down like the power's been cut — no blue screen, no restart, just the GPU fans blasting to full speed and everything goes dark. I have to flip the PSU switch to turn it back on. This happens even when I'm not using it.
**What I've done so far:**
1. Had a technician stress-test it for over 24 hours; no issues there.
2. Brought it back home, and it starts shutting down after under an hour (sometimes works for 2 hours or less).
3. Switched from a 127V to a 220V outlet with confirmed grounding.
4. Tried it with and without UPS, power filters, and line protectors (none helped).
5. Reinstalled Windows and ran system checks.
6. Cleared the BIOS and updated it.
7. Adjusted some power settings and cleaned thermal paste.
8. Monitored with HWiNFO; saw an abrupt power drop with no temperature warnings.
**Electrician notes:**
- Installed a dedicated grounded 220V outlet with separate wiring.
- Voltage stability looks good, but they suspect electrical noise might be tripping the PSU.
**Key points:**
- My UPS and filters didn't help and sometimes made it worse.
- The issue only happens at home.
- Do those cheap energy stabilizers even work?
**What I'm looking for:**
- Could it be that my MSI A850GL PSU is too sensitive?
- Would switching to a better PSU like a Corsair RM850x make things better?
- Should I invest in a power conditioner?
- Has anyone had similar issues where changing the PSU solved it?
Thanks so much for your help!
3 Answers
It seems strange that the problem only happens at home. What’s the wattage on your UPS? If it’s not high enough, it might not support your setup, potentially causing issues. Just seems odd to have a problem localized to your home while a UPS wouldn’t fix it.
Your PSU should be fine if it’s new and you're using it with a 220V outlet. It's more likely that there's some electrical interference at home triggering it to shut down for safety. Have you considered testing it at a friend's house?
Have you tried running the system with just the onboard graphics? It might help narrow down whether the GPU is causing the shutdowns. Also, try using just one stick of RAM at a time to see if that changes anything.
Trying that now, thanks! If it turns out to be the GPU, should I definitely get a new PSU? I just don't get why it worked fine at the technician's place.
That's a good idea! I definitely need to rule out my home setup. I’ll check with a friend to see if it runs smooth there.