Restarts while gaming, PSU voltages strange

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NaranJust

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Nov 26, 2015
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I'll try to keep this short. While playing games (CS:GO, Fallout 4...), I get random restarts without BSODs.
Event Viewer shows Kernel-Power 41, Critical Event. It started happening about 2 months ago, everything was working fine before that (more than a year).

RMA-ed my Chieftec CTG-650C PSU, they said it's OK and sent it back to me.
Restarts keep happening, and I figured that when I test the Power Supply with the OCCT software,
my computer restarts in about 10 seconds. When doing the GPU test in OCCT, everything works fine.

Other specs: Win7 Ultimate 64bit, i5-4440, Gigabyte Z87-HD3, Gigabyte 760GTX OC 2 GB, 8 GB RAM, nothing overclocked except the GPU, it's the OC version, I didn't clock it.
Tested the memory and the GPU, plugged the computer directly into the wall outlet, it keeps restarting while gaming, but it works normally out of games.

Both the OCCT and the HWMonitor show strange results in voltages (in -12V section it shows that I get -7V, etc), and here's a picture of the voltages: http://imgur.com/HmPAWJH

Is it the PSU or something else?
 
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NaranJust

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Nov 26, 2015
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Everything is set to Auto in BIOS, I've loaded the default values for the whole BIOS and it's the same thing. I haven't use the DVM because I'm not such a good techy, but I know who is so I'll try tommorow. How to measure the PSU, does the computer need to be on, do I need to check the molex cable for voltage or something else...? :/

I haven't tried a different PSU, but my friend has a Raidmax 600W, and I can try that these days, I just hope it can support my configuration. I'll call him tommorow and take my computer to him and then I'll try playing Fallout 4 and using the OCCT Power Supply test again.

What else could be the issue, do you have an idea? Maybe a faulty GPU? I've checked it, tested it, all the temperatures were fine and the computer doesn't restart in FurMark or in OCCT GPU Test... What a strange problem.
 
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GhislainG

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Jul 16, 2008
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It doesn't restart when stress testing the GPU, but what happens if you run Prime95 Small FFTs to stress the CPU? Does the system shutdown or throttle? Monitor the CPU with Intel XTU. Does it shutdown if you stress both at the same time, e.g. , run Furmark Burn-in test and Prime95 Small FFTs at the same time? If so, then using a different PSU will be the quickest way to determine if its the cause of the issue or not.

PSU voltages can be checked in the BIOS, but it looks like you haven't yet done that (though I expect they are within specs if there are no issues at low loads). Using a DVM is relatively easy; connect the black probe to the chassis and use the red probe to check voltages while the system is powered on. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ATX You should verify the +3.3 V, +5 V and + 12 V rails. Voltages could be fine, but drop below specs at higher loads and that would be difficult to see with a DVM. Trying a different and known good PSU would help you determine if it's the source of the issue or not. Your PSU is plenty powerful for that system since the GPU draws 160W at peak and the rest of the system draws no more than 100W; the PSU definitely isn't stressed.
 
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NaranJust

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Ok, I ran the Prime95 Small FFTs for 5 minutes, here's a picture: http://imgur.com/1FLirjL
It came to 78 degrees with 0% thermal throttling, but this CPU#3 did only one test, is there something wrong with it?

Now I know that 5 minutes isn't enough, but after that I've ran Small FFTs test and the FurMark at the same time, BAM,
restart happened in about a minute, maybe a bit more.

Immediately after the booting, I've ran FurMark alone (with the same settings as before the restart), it worked for 10 minutes
without a problem.

So the CPU stress alone and the GPU stress alone seem fine, as before. But when they are both working hard, the restart happens.
I'll go to my friend's in two days, he has a 600W Raidmax PSU and I'll try it, with both the games and the stress tests,
if everything turns out fine, then I'll RMA my Chieftec again or even sue the company that sold me the computer and
after the first RMA they said "Everything's fine with your PSU.".
 
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GhislainG

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Don't worry about core #3; it probably was busy handling other tasks. Since there are no errors, then it should be fine. If the system restarts when stress testing both the CPU and the GPU, then it probably is the PSU. Your Sirtec made PSU isn't the best (and neither is the Raidmax), but even the best unit can fail. If the system is stable with the Raidmax, then getting a replacement PSU instead of the same one again shouldn't be an issue.
 
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thebest21445

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this can be one or more things. i would try and see if the motherboard is good or not. and also the power supply might not be giving enough or giving too much to the cpu.search online and see the normal voltage and frequency for the i5 4440
 
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NaranJust

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Hey guys, one more question.

Can the OCCT Power Supply test damage the PSU? It's one of the two ways that I can make my computer restart.
I really don't want to destroy my friend's Raidmax PSU, the second solution is to run Prime95 and FurMark at the
same time again. Also, can that combination damage the PSU?

I can't really sit at my friend's house and play Fallout 4 for hours until the restart happens, because it sometimes restarts
after 2 hours, sometimes after a couple of minutes and sometimes after 1 hour... It doesn't have rules.
 
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NaranJust

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Nov 26, 2015
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Ok, just got back from my friend's, we tried his Raidmax 600W PSU on my computer and everything seemed fine.
The OCCT Power Supply test that restarts my Chieftec-powered computer after 10 to 30 seconds, worked for 10 minutes with
his Raidmax with no restarts or other problems, and then I ended it.

I've also ran Prime95 at the same time with FurMark, it worked for around 5 minutes without problems and then I ended it,
that test also restarted my computer with my PSU after 30 seconds to a minute.

So I'm 99% certain it's the PSU and I plan to buy a new one, probably the same (Chieftec CTG650-C)
because I don't want to wait a month for the RMA, I'll just try and get my money back or sell
the replacement that they send.

The 1% is in my strange doubt about cables, we only connected the main power cable, the VGA cable
and a USB mouse. And we didn't connect my DVD-ROM with the cable, so I'll try the same tests now
with all those "rules" to see if there's any difference and to rule out the possibility of a problematic USB
port or a device or my sound card or the motherboard or something else.

I'll make sure to update, it will take me around half an hour!
 
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NaranJust

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Nov 26, 2015
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Ok, last test, plugged out all my devices except the monitor and the mouse, ran the OCCT Power Supply test,
to my suprise, it lasted for almost 5 minutes... And then it restarted again. So 101% sure it's the PSU.

As for a better PSU, the price is a bit of a problem, a new CTG650 costs around 73 euros, and I'm looking at a site (I live in Serbia btw)
of another company because I don't want to buy again from the same cretins as before (I'm saying this because of their
unprofessional "help", not blaming them for the PSU problem). On that site, for the same price I can get a Cooler Master
B2 600W, or an Antec VPF550 Bronze 550W, or for 20 euros more a Cooler Master G550M.

If it's allowed, I can post the site address here so that some of you could take a look at the choices (which we don't have
too much here in Serbia), or you could recommend me some of those 3 that I already mentioned.
 
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GhislainG

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You are limited and they are rather expensive, but there are a couple slightly more expensive PSUs that are better quality:

- Antec HCG-520 (it has been discontinued, but it's a good Seasonic based PSU)
- Antec VP700P (with 636W on the 12V rails it sure won't work hard)
- Super Flower SF-500P14PE (very good, but too expensive in your country)
 
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NaranJust

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The classic one is a bit above my budget, but the HCG-520 looks like a nice option.

I've called one company, wanted to order the Super Flower SF-550P14HE but they
said that they don't have one in stock, and that currently they cannot get another one... :/
 
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