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General discussion

Computer restarts only during games

Jul 27, 2013 8:58PM PDT

Hi there, Im wondering if anyone can help me with a tricky situation Im in. The current problem Im having is that my Desktop is going cold during gaming, it happens during high end ultra mode gaming and basic graphic games as well, when it powers off it immediately powers back on, no BSOD, no error, just windows recovery and asking me if I wanna boot in safe mode. Ive already turned off auto reboot and I still recieved no error message or anything. This has not (knock on wood) happened while doing anything on this computer except running game oriented programs, I can video edit, produce movies and watch netflix and stream all day and it wont restart.
I have cleaned, dusted, applied new thermal paste, bought a new after market heatsink, dropped my cpu heat to never over 65 even under high load. My case is kept clean, I have all wires as neat as they will fit, good air circulation and plenty of room around all sides.
This is where I started running out of ideas for problems, I ran speedfan and other tools to cross check temps and volts, temps never reach over 65 for anything including core and GPU, the interesting reading was that my +12V rail on speed fan reads constant fluctuation but steady between +10.38V - +10.47V From what Im reading on other forums is thats extremely low and that its probably my powersupply, so I checked voltages while in Bios and as far as I could tell they were all fine but on desktop with OS running multiple programs are feeding me undervoltaged readings. Computer specs as follows please any help would be amazing, I just dont want to get a new PSU unless I have concensus from most people about what this is, THANK YOU ALL
SPECS:
- i7-2600K Intel CPU LGA 1155
- MSI Z77-G45 Gaming MOBO
- 16GB DDR3 1333 corsair vengence RAM
- ASUS GTX 660 GPU 2GB
- XION AXP-700K14XE 700W ATX 80+ Bronze PSU
- 120GB kingston SSD
- 500GB 7200rpm HDD

Current speedfan readout:
- VCC3V: 3.31V VLDT: 0.74V
- Vcore: 0.94V VCC1.5V: 1.04V
- VDDA: 0.00V VSB3V: 3.31V
- +12V: 10.47V Vbat: 3.42V
- Vdimm: 2.22V

Discussion is locked

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Check video side
Jul 27, 2013 10:40PM PDT

If you have any OC'ing being done, return to defaults, to include cpu and gpu setting. Next, while many concentrate on cpu heat issues, often enough the other big source of heat is the gpu(video). Under gaming, you probably have it set at ubber setting and want the best out of it. See, if notching it down a bit helps and/or check monitoring s/w to see what's present. Since you can't re-apply heat compound on the gpu, it pretty much as to do with what its got. Use the gpu s/w to help control it all, because gaming usually defers to gpu levels as the cpu passes the buck to it to do alot of the work or in conjunction. You can try to cool better around the gpu by throwing out heat build-up near it or blowing fresh to to it. As always, remove side cover and place "household fan" there to see if it improves. I use a household 6in. fan that greatly improves cooling besides whatever else is present. Of course, be sure *ALL* air and/or water cooling + fans is properly working.

tada -----Willy Happy

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GPU and OC
Jul 28, 2013 11:15AM PDT

I do not over clock my cpu, I've never found that it was needed when gaming at all even under ultra settings. I made sure to set all the defaults and keep the bios in normal mode. I always lower shadows to lowest setting or off as that requires a lot of GPU work and like I said it never gets over 65C which is under its max load temp according to asus, I have like 5 120MM fans in my case all injecting more cool air, with two on the back shooting out even cooler air the my room. I threw out speed fan off my drive as maybe the voltage settings maybe were causing the power issues. I had a reset last night playing saints row 3 after some good play time not within minutes. All fans are powered properly and are fully functioning, the two attached to my mobo are reading 100% speed and working good, the other are powered off molex. Im pointing my room fan on the case now, let you know if it happens again...

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Cooling
Jul 29, 2013 4:02AM PDT

If the fans are at 100% operation then it maybe pushing it to a level where it remains cool. If the fans have variable
self-setting and operating at the 100% level then that suggests your pushing it. While 65C isn't a super concern it is at a level to become worse especially if at "idle" measurement. Upon checking during gaming what is the temp then. Next, as already explained to you if you power from the PSU(dual-rail) and connect too much from a 1-rail side, it maybe reaching its limit, reach in turn should be balanced by reconnecting the loads across the rail(s) more evenly as possible. also, it has been explained that some games just aren't all that well designed or become a problem as they are buggy is some fashion. If all of the above is in play, then expect some issue to arise. Sorry, but gaming demands from a PC all it can give and wants more, which is why gamers tend to find problems far too quickly sooner or later.

tada -----Willy Happy

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Just for yuks
Jul 28, 2013 3:01AM PDT

That psu seems to be a modular dual rail unit.
I'll assume the cpu and the mobo are being fed from rail #1.

I'd try to move everything else to rail #2.

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PSU
Jul 28, 2013 11:22AM PDT

Yes this PSU is semi modular the main rail for the mobo comes in a 20+4pin connector and the power rail for the mobo (12V) comes in I believe a 6+6 connector power rail. Everything else is modular connected. Im not sure what you mean by moving everything to rail #2, I thought that the 6+6 was a split 12V and I have no idea how to change which rail powers which piece of hardware.... If im way off please correct me haha

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RFM
Jul 29, 2013 12:52AM PDT

Read the fine manual.
I might give you a clue as to which of those modular connectors are powered by what rail.

As far as the 12v goes you have two 300w psu's.
If you have everything connected to just one psu I can see where that might be a problem.

Split the load.

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It was not funny
Jul 28, 2013 8:31AM PDT

When one machine stopped rebooting after I cleaned off speedfan. Odd but it's a sign.

I see a SSD so this is some expert's machine so you would take it back to its designer for them to support.

Here another moderator found some help in setting it up with just the old HDD and then careful driver selections but the only other clues are missing. I can't tell if the restart is fast or minutes into the game. And some games are buggy so you always research what others are reporting.

Try the usual. Take the cast cover off and point a fan at this.

But take it up with it's maker. Get them to fix it.
Bob

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Rig
Jul 28, 2013 11:27AM PDT

I cleared off speedfan as it has voltage capabilities that maybe might have been conflicting with my bios or something. Like i said the volt readings was the weirdest thing that in BIOS they all read fine but speedfan and other software read undervoltage majorly when i get to desktop. This rig was built by myself, I have windows 7 64bit installed on the SSD with games and steam and such on the HDD. Im thinking about maybe doing a clean windows instal from CD and fresh install all drivers and see if it helps, let me know if that might help. Ive got my fan on the case now, the restarts usually acure after such time as Ive been playing a while, mostly over an hour, sometimes under, sometimes it can go for days without doing it, sometimes 2 times in the same day. Got no one to take it too haha I built it, so I gotta fix it. I also ran Furmark for a good hour and no temps spiked past 65C and the GPU nor CPU nor computer crashed or anything, it was a clean run under really high settings....

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Remember
Jul 29, 2013 1:29AM PDT

Some games have bugs. One member went on for weeks and then we uncovered the game name and found others crashing when a setting was enabled in the game. Your PC might be OK.
Bob