Reboots while gaming

[Cpt. Wolf]

Ok, I'm completely stumped... I'm running out of options at this point.
I've been getting reboots while playing just about any game. The system just shuts off, no bluescreen, no dump reports, no errors in event viewer. No sign of any software problems at all.

Motherboard: Intel DG965WHMKR
Processor: Intel Core2Duo E6400 2.13Ghz
RAM: OCZ Dual Channel XTC 2048MB PC5400 DDR2 667MHz
Video Card: XFX GTS 250 512mb DDR3
Sound Card: Creative X-Fi Xtreme Fatality Platinum
HDD: 1x 1tb WD Caviar Green
2x 250gb WD Caviar
PSU: Ultra X3 ULT40312 850W

The crashing's been going on for months now. I originally suspected the video card, which at the time was an HIS Radeon 2600XT. Replaced it with a GTS 250 that ran fine until it started rebooting and finally burned up 3 months later. Got the replacement last week, still crashing. Found the PSU was failing so I sent it in. Ultra sent me an upgraded one, went from 650W to 850W, more than enough for the system load. I even got a new hard drive, copied things over to it and formatted my 250 C: drive for storage. Nothing's solved the problem. I ran memtest overnight for 10 hours and didn't get any results.

I've read threads that suggest heat could be the problem, heating wouldn't explain it crashing on multiple cards though. I ran a 3 hour stress test using S&M on full load. Got the heat up on the system but no crash. When monitoring it before a crash it never gets that hot anyway. Ran memtest overnight for 10 hours, no problems reported. Voltages are all fine.

As a last resort, I reformatted and only installed my sound drivers, video drivers, and steam to download Left4Dead for testing. Still rebooted. I've gotten sick of running test after test and not getting any clues. My only options at this point are the motherboard or processor, unless the ram's got something going on that memtest isn't picking up. Anyone have any ideas?

[RockmasteR]

Hello and welcome to TSF
if the PC reboots without a warning then it could be that the CPU is overheating and the PC is restarting to prevent any damage.
download SIW from my sig and open it
under Hardware choose "Sensors" and take a look at the CPU temps
play a game for a while and minimize it before it crashes and recheck the CPU temps again
post both results here

[Cpt. Wolf]

I'll give it a try. I've been using Intel's active monitor and Nvidia's system tools to watch the temps before.

Idling right now the processor's at 46C
The video card is at 63.

I'll get back to you with the temps while playing in a minute.

Edit: Ok, processor hit 59C max at one point but hovered around 53-55C. The card hit 77C max and hovered around 72-73.

And now it's back down to an idle temp of 48C for the processor and 60 for the video card.

[Lord Sirian]

Have you got the option to show the bluescreen enabled? (Rather than the computer rebooting automatically.)

[RockmasteR]

are you sure there isn't any bluescreen?
try this:
right click on "My Computer" choose properties -> Advanced, under "Startup and Recovery" click settings, under System Failures, uncheck "Automatically Restart" now restart your PC and play games
now if there is a BLUESCREEN, the PC won't automatically restart and it'll show the Bluescreen error
report it back

[Sven2157]

I have gone to Intel's website and looked up the supported Processors, as well. Intel says that the supported minimum BIOS should be 0816. Check your BIOS version and see if that number is lower than this. If it is, go to www.intel.com and download the latest BIOS update for your board.

The temps that you have posted are a bit on the high side, too. When you are waiting to see if the system is going to crash, i.e. going to desktop to check the temperatures, you are "relieving" some of the load on the system. This is like trying to pre-heat your oven to 425 degrees, but opening the door and sticking a thermometer inside, to get your own reading. Most temp monitors will record to a log; either constantly or when an error occurs. Use this log to check where the temps were, instead of checking it yourself. This will be a more accurate way of seeing where the temps are when it crashes.

It sounds to me like the Motherboard may be the issue here... We'll see...

Let us know.....

Sven2157

[Cpt. Wolf]

Yeah, is BIOS is v0816. Last night I pulled the cpu, cleaned the old thermal paste off, and put some fresh stuff on. I also reseated the power supply cable to the motherboard, and replaced the power cable for the whole computer with a brand new one. Thought I did that when I got the new psu but I was wrong. After that I put it through a Left 4 Dead stress test again. I let it run while I cooked dinner. Popped my head in the room every 5 minutes or so, if I heard screaming everything was ok. After 72 minutes nothing happened. I'm going to run a longer test today and see if it's better. Also going to go out and get some better paste, the stuff I used last night is crap compared to the paste I had on it before

[Sven2157]

You may want to also grab some new fans, both case and CPU, while your at it.

Also check to see if there is a new BIOS version available. They usually release new BIOS updates when they fix major problems; like temp sensors and addressing.

Keep us up.....

Sven2157

[Cpt. Wolf]

Yeah, I could definitely stand to update the BIOS. Couldn't get the compound today, our wonderfully stocked Best Buy apparently doesn't carry any... Guess Newegg wins again. Since I've got some time, anyone have a brand suggestion? I was looking at Arctic Silver 5 or Cooler Master's Thermalfusion 400. I've seen reviews on both sides saying one is better than the other.

[Mcninjaguy]

I've only been using Arctic Silver 5 and its always been fine for me but I'm sure both are pretty good.

Your PSU is only as good as a Corsair 650w with 55amps on the 12v rail. A COrsair 850w has 70amps on the 12v rail.

The total combined wattage for your your PSU is 800w with an actual voltage of around 640w (80% efficiency).

A Corsair has a wattage of 1044.6w and a an actual wattage of 835w (80% efficiency).

[Sven2157]

Originally Posted by Cpt. Wolf

Yeah, I could definitely stand to update the BIOS. Couldn't get the compound today, our wonderfully stocked Best Buy apparently doesn't carry any... Guess Newegg wins again. Since I've got some time, anyone have a brand suggestion? I was looking at Arctic Silver 5 or Cooler Master's Thermalfusion 400. I've seen reviews on both sides saying one is better than the other.

Either is Good. Green and Red Apples, really.... I use a Butterfly BTF60 Heatsink and fan for my CPU, and it works great! The thermal paste is only good up to a point; as you still need a descent cooling solution for the CPU.

As far as what McNinjaguy is saying, you can NEVER have enough power! However, higher end PSU's are quite expensive and I don't really see your specs needing to be modified; though you may have omitted some other details.

One good thing about buying a monster PSU... The top end ones usually have a Life Time Warranty and you will always have one then...

I would definately try some new cooling methods though....

Sven2157

[Mcninjaguy]

A PSU is one of those things that I can't really see having a lifetime warranty because the way they are built currently still don't give the longevity that is need for that long of a time. Not only that but Computers and technology moves very fast so If you have a 8 year old computer its is very out of date and slow.

[Tumbleweed36]

I am one of the biggest proponents of purchasing a quality power supply, but in reality, a five year warranty is max in this industry. That means that a power supply that is big enough should last six to seven years max since they kind of judge warranties by the expected length of the life of the PSU. You buy one with a one years warranty, you will be lucky if it lasts a year.

A lifetime warrany is normally spelled out as the life of the product which is stated some times in the MTBF number, and some times it is not. The life of a product warranty vaguely means until the product dies. Cheap ones die quickly.

Just a note on the cooling, 90% of the professional builders use Artic Silver 5, so that is a pretty good indicator of the quality of the product. The other product you mentioned (while it may be fine) is not even used by 5% of the professional builders. All commercial thermal paste solutions (including the factory pads) do work, it is just how well you want it to work is what you have to be concerned about. I highly recommend Artic Silver 5 and use nothing else in my shop.

[Sven2157]

I am an IDIOT!

I was thinking of RAM! Higher end PSU's have very good warranties. OCZ offers a "Power Swap" on their 1000W. It's a Three or Five Year, depending on your actual model, and if it is defective they just send you another one.....

You can read about it here

Sven2157

[Tumbleweed36]

Second thought! Did I miss something here about case cooling? What fans, where located, and which direction are they blowing? If I missed it, then forgive the stupid rehash of something you covered, otherwise, lets talk about that issue when you are talking about computer cooling.

[Tumbleweed36]

Originally Posted by Sven2157

I am an IDIOT!

I was thinking of RAM! Higher end PSU's have very good warranties. OCZ offers a "Power Swap" on their 1000W. It's a Three or Five Year, depending on your actual model, and if it is defective they just send you another one.....

You can read about it here

Sven2157

No, not an idiot, we all do that from time to time. However, age may be taking it's toll on your memory bank. O.K., only kidding!

[Cpt. Wolf]

Sorry, forgot about the fans. 1 135 mm fan blowing in through the front of the case across the hard drives and another one going out in the back. The CPU fan is the stock one Intel CPU's come with. Air duct in the side panel, but that's been off for a while since I've been in it so much.

Newest update, ran the game for an hour and a half and finally crashed... Damn, I thought I had it...

[Mcninjaguy]

Lets see what the temperatures are for your PC.
Download Coretemp and GPU-Z and post a screenshot of your computer during load. Tht is you play a game for at least 10 minutes, then alt tab out quickly and see what it reports.

Coretemp
http://www.alcpu.com/CoreTemp/

GPU-Z
http://www.filehippo.com/download_gpuz/

[Sven2157]

Here is a better GPU Temp sensor.... Lots more features and it will log in several different ways; i.e. from a certain time to a predetermined end point, constantly, etc, etc....

Riva Tuner v2.24

If you had Vista, there is also a really nice sidebar gadget that goes with it!

Sven2157

[Mcninjaguy]

You can monitor CPU temps too you just need to add it in the plugins.