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HELP my computer shuts down while playing games, went through weeks of this

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  • Computers
  • Games
  • Hardware Problem
  • Components
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September 1, 2014 6:50:42 PM

Hello,
So i have a custom built gaming pc a bought about a year ago, and a month ago i started having problems.
Problem 1. No display after cleaning it. New mother board fixed that
Problem 2. Computer shuts down during gameplay of any games Examples = Minecraft, Arma 2, Grand theft Auto IV. Each of these games will shutdown during a 5-25 minute gameplay session.

I took it to tigerdirect, where they installed a new PSU, that didn't help. i need help i have no idea whats going on. They also ran a 1 hour or 3 hour benchmark on Valley benchmark, they had no problems of it shutting down.

Simple PC specs

CPU = Intel core i7 920 quad 2.66 ghz
GPU = 2 Nvidia GeForce GTS450 1GB each (SLI)
PSU = Brand new 500W thermalTake PSU
Motherboard = I think its a MSI board.. idk the exact specs.
RAM = 8GB DDR3? Don't know the brand or Mhz. Sorry.

If you need full specs or whatever let me know how to get them. running dxdiag or something? I dont know im not too great with computers.

PLEASE HELP ME IVE LOOKED EVERYWHERE!!!!!

More about : computer shuts playing games weeks

September 1, 2014 7:12:59 PM

your on the edge with that psu 500w.!!!try play with lower resoliution in games and then with regular if its shuts replace the psu at least 600w.
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September 1, 2014 7:44:31 PM

Do you know if the Processor is overclocked? I would try running something like Realtemp http://www.techpowerup.com/downloads/2089/real-temp-3-7... to see if your processor is getting too hot. Your max temp should be about 100c-105c where shutdown will start. If you can stay around 40c-80c you should be ok.

Good luck
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September 1, 2014 7:48:05 PM

PSU = Brand new 500W thermalTake PSU

Your too light in the power dept for 2 cards.
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September 1, 2014 7:55:27 PM

Run with just 1 card, see it it shuts down, then run with other. If it doesn't shut down either time, then SR-71 is correct (that's usually a given) and the psu is the culprit. Look for a decent 600-650w replacement, Antec HCG, Rosewill Capstone, XFX, Seasonic mII
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September 1, 2014 8:01:27 PM

Yeah I'd go a 650 PSU - what were TigerDirect 'tech' thinking selling you this
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September 1, 2014 8:03:56 PM

it may possible that your SMPS (switch mode power supply) is of low power so you should make it stronger and u said that the pc works fine at other place so it may possible that the power supply to your pc at your home is may be the problem.You should try the stabilizer and one other thing there may also have the problem with the cooling of your cpu so you should place one more cpu fan in it and you can also try the software "SPEED FAN" it is free.


try this and reply to it.
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September 1, 2014 9:11:10 PM

Considering that the psu is the single most important component in a pc, I find it very strange that it is so misunderstood. I've seen many a post from people with huge psu's running tiny gpu, just answered one where a guy had insisted on going to buy a RM750 and pairing it with a unpowered gtx750. Why? It's not even difficult to use an online wattage calculator, just multiply the final answer by 1.5 and that's what you need.

I figure 150w for low-end, 200w for mid grade, 250w for unlocked cpu's, 50w for fans/drives, 75w for each pcie used, 75w for 6-pin,150w for 8-pin on gpu. The answer is what I need, plus any headroom for things like prime95, furmark, IBT and still come in right around 80% or so. Not hard, bases are covered, now it's time to pick something quality in that size.
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September 2, 2014 4:54:36 AM

the calculations you have given is quite good. i think there is the problem with the psu as i guess

what is the power rating of the psu which you are using
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September 2, 2014 7:29:41 AM



2ninup said:
Do you know if the Processor is overclocked? I would try running something like Realtemp http://www.techpowerup.com/downloads/2089/real-temp-3-7... to see if your processor is getting too hot. Your max temp should be about 100c-105c where shutdown will start. If you can stay around 40c-80c you should be ok.

Good luck

thanks for fast response
My processor isn't overclocked. my temps at idle stay around 45C. I've ran GPU Temp monitors and CPU temp monitors and the temps look fine :/ 
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September 2, 2014 7:31:05 AM

hackerk said:
the calculations you have given is quite good. i think there is the problem with the psu as i guess

what is the power rating of the psu which you are using


how do i check? :/ 

thanks forfast response by the way
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September 2, 2014 7:32:48 AM

hackerk said:
it may possible that your SMPS (switch mode power supply) is of low power so you should make it stronger and u said that the pc works fine at other place so it may possible that the power supply to your pc at your home is may be the problem.You should try the stabilizer and one other thing there may also have the problem with the cooling of your cpu so you should place one more cpu fan in it and you can also try the software "SPEED FAN" it is free.


try this and reply to it.


What stabilizer? and my cpu temperatures are pretty cool :/ 
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September 2, 2014 7:34:00 AM

SR-71 Blackbird said:
PSU = Brand new 500W thermalTake PSU

Your too light in the power dept for 2 cards.


what is confusing me though is for a year i ran off of a 460w cooler master, 60 watts less then what i have now with the same GPU, CPU, RAM etc. no problems then...
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September 2, 2014 7:36:41 AM

Karadjgne said:
Considering that the psu is the single most important component in a pc, I find it very strange that it is so misunderstood. I've seen many a post from people with huge psu's running tiny gpu, just answered one where a guy had insisted on going to buy a RM750 and pairing it with a unpowered gtx750. Why? It's not even difficult to use an online wattage calculator, just multiply the final answer by 1.5 and that's what you need.

I figure 150w for low-end, 200w for mid grade, 250w for unlocked cpu's, 50w for fans/drives, 75w for each pcie used, 75w for 6-pin,150w for 8-pin on gpu. The answer is what I need, plus any headroom for things like prime95, furmark, IBT and still come in right around 80% or so. Not hard, bases are covered, now it's time to pick something quality in that size.


I Don't understand what you're saying, do you mean i need to calculate my computer specs and see what it adds up too or are you saying my psu isn't able to handle my specs?

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September 2, 2014 7:37:48 AM

Tradesman1 said:
Yeah I'd go a 650 PSU - what were TigerDirect 'tech' thinking selling you this


but I ran off a 460W psu for a year before this 500w one.. now that i think of it my computer did shut down with my old motherboard and PSU. but not as often as it does now.
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September 2, 2014 11:32:27 AM

Not wsure of the model, but have seen at least one that's a 2 rail, think each rail only had like 17 AMPs on it, and you are running a pair of cards in SLI
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September 2, 2014 1:11:39 PM

Okay guys this is the simplest thing ever, i switched keyboards and it hasn't shut off since. was probably a short or something in my old 3-4 year old keyboard..
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September 2, 2014 2:27:01 PM

Glad to hear all is well !
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September 2, 2014 6:29:01 PM

Ian Jans said:


2ninup said:
Do you know if the Processor is overclocked? I would try running something like Realtemp http://www.techpowerup.com/downloads/2089/real-temp-3-7... to see if your processor is getting too hot. Your max temp should be about 100c-105c where shutdown will start. If you can stay around 40c-80c you should be ok.

Good luck

thanks for fast response
My processor isn't overclocked. my temps at idle stay around 45C. I've ran GPU Temp monitors and CPU temp monitors and the temps look fine :/ 


In that case I'll go with everybody else and say it's probably the PSU. Testing with 1 card is a good idea.

Good luck
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September 2, 2014 6:31:07 PM

Ian Jans said:
Okay guys this is the simplest thing ever, i switched keyboards and it hasn't shut off since. was probably a short or something in my old 3-4 year old keyboard..


Good for you, nice trouble shooting.

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September 2, 2014 7:01:04 PM

To answer Op, by the way I calculate psu's for best performance, running maxed out at @80% (less stress on rails than 100%) you should be running with a decent 550w psu. Not all psus are the same. The 550w is a calculation based on a formula made up by the brand, or even sometimes made up entirely. I've seen a 4-rail 750w psu that had separate rails 1-cpu, 2-pcie, 3-motherboard and accessories, 4-pcie. It had just 18amps on each pcie, combined was just 30amps. That's only 360w, yet the claim was a 750w psu. By equivalence, my Seasonic 520w has 2x 20amp rails combined is 40amps or 480w. The 460w unit you had was probably a very quality psu like mine and had plenty of actual 12v amperage. The Thermaltake you currently own is not. It's very average quality at best. Do try and not max it out, average quality psu's of any size are not built to maintain maximum output for extended periods of time.
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September 3, 2014 8:29:03 AM

I'm having same issue. I'm running triple monitors with bf4. Shuts down after about 5 mins of game play with no bsod. On the other token I can run Furmark 5760x1080 with 8x aa for 20mins with cpu burner running and all temps look normal. While running bf4 I notice cpu temp runs around 65-70c.
Nothing is overclocked. Already changed psu with same outcome. Tempted to setup dual psu to see if the one is getting overloaded but not sure why Furmark would run for 20mins maxed with cpu burner running also with no hiccups.

fx8350
990fxa-ud3 mobo
8gb ram
250 ssd
2x gigabyte r290x 4gb xfire
xion 1000w psu

Running 14.4 amd drivers next going to try 14.7 see if anything changes but i'm doubting it.
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September 3, 2014 12:52:57 PM

Might be drivers, have had problems with both 14.4 and 14.7 and multiple monitor rigs, dropped back to 13.251 and cleared it up. Have sent numerous emails to AMD (which of course are ignored)
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September 3, 2014 5:33:55 PM

I've read numerous posts about AMD driver conflicts, most of which have happened because of either switching from nvidia or upgrading drivers. In both cases, there were 2 ways to fix the issue. First was a total deletion of everything AMD gpu related in the registry, every last scrap of it. Much easier to do with an intel cpu for sure. If that failed, the answer was a full clean install of windows.
The way it seems to be with AMD drivers is they don't always remove or update totally every part, so some keys end up looking for older version numbers, ends up in a dead end forcing a loop and confusing everything, which has the nasty affect of either slowing the gpu down abysmally, or just plain shutting it down.
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September 3, 2014 8:07:42 PM

Ian Jans said:
hackerk said:
it may possible that your SMPS (switch mode power supply) is of low power so you should make it stronger and u said that the pc works fine at other place so it may possible that the power supply to your pc at your home is may be the problem.You should try the stabilizer and one other thing there may also have the problem with the cooling of your cpu so you should place one more cpu fan in it and you can also try the software "SPEED FAN" it is free.


try this and reply to it.


What stabilizer? and my cpu temperatures are pretty cool :/ 




stabilizer is the kind of psu which stables the power provided to your machine's psu
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September 4, 2014 9:20:24 AM

well i pulled my memory changed it out with some stuff i had in another machine and that seemed to clear things up. also running drivers 13.251 i think. been playing bf4 for half the morning with no shut downs. don't think i was the drivers since after i went to 13.251 it still shut down my pc. So in the end I guess the memory was to blame. FIrst played with just 4gb worked fine was slow... then threw the other 4gb in works great now. Also the memory is in the same dimm slots on the motherboard so..
thanks for your help and suggestions. Also running triple monitors with pretty constant 60fps on ultra (no aa tho didn't see difference) with now problems.
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September 4, 2014 12:23:22 PM

Glad to hear all is well
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!