I've been experiencing some troubling issues with my PC lately, including stuttering and random restarts. Interestingly, I don't have many problems while gaming, aside from some occasional low 1% lows. However, most issues pop up right after I boot up Windows or launch a game.
Today was particularly bad; on startup, my display showed signs of what appeared to be a GPU failure (I'll share a picture in the comments), after which my PC rebooted itself. For about five minutes, the stuttering was quite severe, but then it resolved, and I could play games without a hitch.
I've conducted several tests, all passing without any errors:
- Memtest86 ran for 6 hours without issues.
- CrystalDiskMark indicated good speeds and healthy SMART statuses for my drives.
- I used HWInfo alongside AIDA64 and Furmark for temperature checks, and everything seems fine there as well.
- I also performed a clean driver installation with DDU, but that didn't help either.
The main concerns I have are whether my GPU or PSU could be failing, or if it could be a motherboard issue. Any advice would be appreciated!
2 Answers
Given the signs of GPU artifacting in the picture and the random restarts, I'd strongly suggest checking your power supply first. If the PSU can't deliver stable power, it can lead to GPU glitches and unexpected reboots. Even if all tests pass, a PSU might behave erratically when under real load. If possible, test with a different PSU to see if that resolves your issues. Also, ensure that all your power cables are secure, particularly the 12VHPWR connector if you're using a newer GPU.
From what you've described, those symptoms point towards either your GPU or PSU being the culprit, especially if you're seeing signs of artifacting along with those random restarts. Even if stress tests seem normal, they don't always replicate the kind of power demands during boot or while launching games. If you can, try swapping in a known good PSU or test your GPU in another setup. Also, remember to check the Event Viewer for any Kernel Power 41 errors or WHEA warnings before crashes. Those intermittent issues can be tricky, but addressing one component at a time usually helps pinpoint the problem.
Yeah, those intermittent problems are super frustrating. I would recommend trying out a new PSU first; it seems like a cost-effective way to rule out that issue. I’ve had similar experiences before, and it often comes down to power delivery. Good luck!
I ordered the CORSAIR RM850x and fingers crossed it's the PSU! I'll definitely check all my connections tomorrow when it arrives. Thanks for the detailed advice!