I've been having this weird problem with my PC. It runs fine for basic tasks like listening to music, browsing the web, or watching Netflix. But whenever I launch a game, it shuts down completely after about 10 minutes. After that, I can't turn it back on unless I unplug the power cable and plug it back in, then it boots up without issues. I've already tried changing the power cable and the wall socket, but that didn't help. My PC seems to handle less intensive tasks just fine, which makes me think the issue might be with the power supply unit (PSU). However, I'm not sure if that's definitely the problem, and I'd rather avoid buying a new PSU if I don't have to. Any suggestions on what might be causing this?
3 Answers
It sounds like your PSU is likely tripping, or there might be a safety issue with the motherboard. Can you share your major components? Having the specs might help identify the issue better. Sometimes it can be related to inadequate power supply, especially during high-demand tasks like gaming. It might help to know if you've upgraded anything recently or changed any power settings.
Make sure to keep an eye on the CPU and GPU temps. If they're not overheating, then your PSU might be struggling under load. Check if the PSU fan spins; if it’s not, that could be the root of the problem—it might be overheating and shutting off. You could either upgrade to a higher wattage PSU or try undervolting your components to decrease power draw until you replace it. Avoid opening the PSU unless you know what you're doing, as it can be dangerous.
I’ve been monitoring the temps, and thankfully nothing seems off there. Given it's my oldest component, I really think a new PSU is in my future.
First off, it might be helpful to check your hardware temperatures using something like HWInfo. Overheating could lead to shutdowns, and reapplying thermal paste if necessary could help. But given your situation, I’d focus on monitoring your PSU as well. If your PC refuses to turn back on without unplugging the PSU, that’s a pretty strong sign something’s off with it. I’d advise doing some temp checks first, though!
That makes sense. It really is odd that it won’t turn back on until I unplug it. Since my PSU is also the oldest part in my build, I guess it’s worth investigating more.
Sure! My PSU is a Corsair 750 Bronze, the CPU is a Ryzen 3700X, and I have an ASUS Prime X570-P motherboard, with a Sapphire Pulse 7800XT GPU and 32GB RAM (4x8GB). I also have three case fans and two monitors. This issue just started today. My last upgrade was the GPU about two years ago.