Need tech support - random shutdowns and reboots

[CFagan_1987]

Starting in May 2022 mostly while playing WOWS but occasionally with other games and very rarely while idle my computer would either reboot (most common), or freeze and I have to hit the power button to turn it off and back on again. This problem most often occurs either at the loading screen after hitting battle for the *first* battle of the day or at the results screen after the first battle. I've never had a crash while actually in a battle. To make a long story short I replaced my stock iBuyPower 600w PSU with a somewhat used Evga 650w PSU a relative had laying around and I only had 2 reboots during the 14 month period between May 2022 and July 2023. Unfortunately in July of this year the crashes started again ... and now it's almost a daily occurrence. So far this month I've had this crash 9 days and 11 days with no crashing.

Any suggestions on what I should do? Buy a new PSU? Could it be the motherboard? Graphics card? Another user on here suggested in a private message that I should replace the CPU thermal paste but I'm of the opinion that it's probably a power issue.

[Slammer58]

Might be helpful to list your PC specs.  

Are you monitoring your CPU and GPU temps?  

[CFagan_1987]

20 minutes ago, Slammer58 said:

Might be helpful to list your PC specs.  

Are you monitoring your CPU and GPU temps?  

GPU temp never goes above the low 60s even under load. Not sure about CPU.

I7 9700f with a 120mm AIO liquid cooler, MSI branded 2060 Super, ASRock B365m IB-r motherboard, 16gb RAM, 500gb SSD+2TB HDD

 

 

[I_cant_Swim_]

troubleshooting something like this can be tedious work. Here are some things you need to check:

It appears workload may be an issue, as the crashes happen mainly in-game or on starting the game. This may be due to a problem with the graphics card, the CPU, RAM, your cooling, too old Bios on the motherboard, incorrect graphics drivers, ...

1. Set game graphics settings to "low" and see if crashes still occur.

2. Check if your graphics drivers are up to date.

3. Check if your Bios needs to be updated.

For example, I have an Intel graphics card, that kept crashing when I started WoWs until I set graphics to "low". However, after updating both 2. and 3. (2. alone was not enough), the system is now stable and can run at highest settings with no issues.

4. If you have a CPU with inbuilt graphics (e.g. Intel -K versions), use this instead of your graphics card (there'll be a monitor port just for this on the back of the PC). It won't be as snappy, and you'll need to set game settings to low. If you still have crashes, the issue was not the graphics card.

5. Check that your RAM is ok. You should have at least 16 GB, and there are RAM test options available, for example during startup.

6. Check your CPU with a CPU stress test. Available on the web. This'll push your CPU without affecting graphics. Sometimes a CPU may switch off/crash if it gets too hot, maybe because the CPU paste between it and the cooler has dried up.

7. There are also Graphics card stress tests.

 

 

 

[I_cant_Swim_]

ok, I see you posted specs as I was writing, so just check up on the other points. The -F variants don't have built in graphics. so you may need to try an older card (if you have one) in its stead.

The 2060 Super is a good card, btw,  I have one in another PC.

btw 2: have you overclocked your system?  this can damage the CPU after a while.

 

There are of course other things, like checking that your fans are working (try running the PC with the case open), and checking the internal cables for folds, damage, and a snug fit. You can also try routing power to your GPU through another socket on the PSU (power supply).

[CFagan_1987]

1 hour ago, I_cant_Swim_ said:

troubleshooting something like this can be tedious work. Here are some things you need to check:

It appears workload may be an issue, as the crashes happen mainly in-game or on starting the game. This may be due to a problem with the graphics card, the CPU, RAM, your cooling, too old Bios on the motherboard, incorrect graphics drivers, ...

1. Set game graphics settings to "low" and see if crashes still occur.

2. Check if your graphics drivers are up to date.

3. Check if your Bios needs to be updated.

For example, I have an Intel graphics card, that kept crashing when I started WoWs until I set graphics to "low". However, after updating both 2. and 3. (2. alone was not enough), the system is now stable and can run at highest settings with no issues.

4. If you have a CPU with inbuilt graphics (e.g. Intel -K versions), use this instead of your graphics card (there'll be a monitor port just for this on the back of the PC). It won't be as snappy, and you'll need to set game settings to low. If you still have crashes, the issue was not the graphics card.

5. Check that your RAM is ok. You should have at least 16 GB, and there are RAM test options available, for example during startup.

6. Check your CPU with a CPU stress test. Available on the web. This'll push your CPU without affecting graphics. Sometimes a CPU may switch off/crash if it gets too hot, maybe because the CPU paste between it and the cooler has dried up.

7. There are also Graphics card stress tests.

 

 

 

TY ... will try some of these suggestions but I'll probably end up taking it some local repair shop

Also I wasn't aware that integrated graphics could run WOWS.

1 hour ago, I_cant_Swim_ said:

ok, I see you posted specs as I was writing, so just check up on the other points. The -F variants don't have built in graphics. so you may need to try an older card (if you have one) in its stead.

The 2060 Super is a good card, btw,  I have one in another PC.

btw 2: have you overclocked your system?  this can damage the CPU after a while.

 

There are of course other things, like checking that your fans are working (try running the PC with the case open), and checking the internal cables for folds, damage, and a snug fit. You can also try routing power to your GPU through another socket on the PSU (power supply).

I haven't overclocked any components on this PC

[Malum0ne]

Any word on how this turned out?  

[Admiral_Karasu]

Broken PSU?

[CFagan_1987]

10 hours ago, Malum0ne said:

Any word on how this turned out?  

Still happening but the number of crashes have reduced since last week's graphics driver update. Since last Thursday it only crashed once on Monday and again on Tuesday. Before that it was almost an every day thing.

 

10 hours ago, Admiral_Karasu said:

Broken PSU?

I'm leaning that direction but I'm considering taking it to a local shop and see what they say 

[Malum0ne]

CFagan_1987, have you run a memory test on it yet? 

 

[CFagan_1987]

5 hours ago, Malum0ne said:

CFagan_1987, have you run a memory test on it yet? 

 

I ran a memory test back in May 2022 when this first started and it found no issues, I'll try running it again and see what happens.

[CFagan_1987]

December update: this is an odd one, I've done literally nothing except change my in-game port and the amount of crashes/freezes have reduced to once, maybe twice a week over the past 3 weeks. Previously this was happening almost every day.

Edited December 11, 2023 by CFagan_1987

[Tpaktop2_1 NA]

I assume your have an AMD processor? I had similar problem. Check your CPU core voltage. I'd originally set the board to auto fro clock and voltage. I noticed the clock and CPU voltages going up and down in cycles. Sometimes the clock was higher momentary. The CPU core voltage was staying around .686 volts. I then change the motherboard settings out of AUTO to 3800 (CPU rated speed) for clocking and 1.325 CPU core voltage.

Now some say to go to 1.20 volts or 1.3 volts depending on your clock speed setting for your processor setting. The main thing is not to go 1.4+ volts or higher because it will start to decay the processor.

I did some trials and decided to stay at 3,800 MHZ setting and have 1.325 volts for CPU core voltage.

Now why stay with 1.325 volts for a CPU core voltage? It depends on your CPU clock speed for one, however for me I found out that when stressing the CPU, the 1.325 CPU core volt setting was 8º to 12º C cooler than running at 1.0 volts or 1.20 volts. You would think a higher voltage would be hotter. All depends if you are overclocking for your CPU core voltage.

Give this a try and let us know.

[Wolfswetpaws]

30 minutes ago, Tpaktop2_1 NA said:

I assume your have an AMD processor? I had similar problem. Check your CPU core voltage. I'd originally set the board to auto fro clock and voltage. I noticed the clock and CPU voltages going up and down in cycles. Sometimes the clock was higher momentary. The CPU core voltage was staying around .686 volts. I then change the motherboard settings out of AUTO to 3800 (CPU rated speed) for clocking and 1.325 CPU core voltage.

Now some say to go to 1.20 volts or 1.3 volts depending on your clock speed setting for your processor setting. The main thing is not to go 1.4+ volts or higher because it will start to decay the processor.

I did some trials and decided to stay at 3,800 MHZ setting and have 1.325 volts for CPU core voltage.

Now why stay with 1.325 volts for a CPU core voltage? It depends on your CPU clock speed for one, however for me I found out that when stressing the CPU, the 1.325 CPU core volt setting was 8º to 12º C cooler than running at 1.0 volts or 1.20 volts. You would think a higher voltage would be hotter. All depends if you are overclocking for your CPU core voltage.

Give this a try and let us know.

He's got an Intel chip, according to this...
 

On 10/20/2023 at 5:37 PM, CFagan_1987 said:

GPU temp never goes above the low 60s even under load. Not sure about CPU.

I7 9700f with a 120mm AIO liquid cooler, MSI branded 2060 Super, ASRock B365m IB-r motherboard, 16gb RAM, 500gb SSD+2TB HDD

 

[Tpaktop2_1 NA]

3 hours ago, Wolfswetpaws said:

He's got an Intel chip, according to this...
 

 

I missed that. Well my suggestion will not help.