Spontaneous Reboot

[Denna]

Is there a known issue of a recent Windows 10 Update that causes spontaneous reboots on a system that didn't have them before.

After connecting the PC to the Internet to download a Steam game, I later noticed that Windows 10 had downloaded a large update - possibly Windows 1803.

Whenever I start a game like Batman Arkham City or even Windows 10 Solitaire, after about 30 seconds, the screen goes black and the PC reboots.

This doesn't happen in any other type of program like browsers, office apps, File Explorer, etc.

Updating to the latest Nvidia GPU driver 398.x doesn't correct the rebooting.

The PC was running without problems for years.

I've reseated the GPU and memory modules, tried one of the two memory modules at a time, but the reboots persist.

Sound familiar ?

[WoefulMacabre]

ALT+R > winver. What's your build? Mine is 1803(17134.165).

It started four days ago for me and I'm essentially dealing with this myself currently, though I honestly expect my problem to ultimately be coming from my CPU, perhaps I am mistaken. Though I really should replace it anyway, it's been dropped twice - destroying the socket of an X399 Aorus Gaming 7 board in the process(many, many pins are utterly f***ed)... Also mine's a lot more unpredictable, it happens at random, though every time I've been using either Youtube or running a game, though I can game for hours, switching titles numerous times or a single one, and have no issue, then wham out of nowhere it's as if someone's hit the reset button on my tower.

[Lu_GRU]

@Denna
Try to install older GPU drivers, it could be that Windows update also updated GPU drivers. On my side I had issue, after installing new NVidia drivers, that causes whole system / mouse lock when in MPC-HC new video was started i.e. by pressing page down / up, rolling back solved issue and then installing further release fixed this issue. I did read NVidia changelogs and didn't noticed this anywhere, I could miss it though.

[Denna]

WoefulMacabre and Lu_GRU,

Thanks for the quick replies.

At this point, I believe the problem is a bad PSU. This would be the second Corsair AX760 that's gone bad in 4 1/2 years.

It makes since as there's no blue screen error messages or problems when the system isn't under load.

When the GPU creates an additional power demand after a game starts, the PSU can't keep up and shuts off.

As the PC is configured to reboot automatically after an unclean shutdown, the abrupt black screen (no error messages) and spontaneous reboot cycle make sense.

Could Windows 10 v 1803 have something to do with it ? Perhaps. But since there aren't any Event Viewer System log errors indicating a source of the problem , I can't prove it.

I could reinstall an older version of Windows 10 like 1703. But I am loathe to do that since Windows Update will download and install 1803 again the next time it detects an Internet connection.

Perhaps the GPU's vBIOS needs to be updated to be compatible with this newer version of Windows.

But after running Afterburner side by side with Solitaire, you can see the GPU power demand increase dramatically.

If I ran a CPU intensive task like calculating Pi to 100,000 decimal places, it might cause the PSU to fail for the same reason.

For now, it's a $180 guess.

Maybe Corsair should start a PSU subscription service. 😛

[Silent_Scone]

Spontaneous rebooting is often indicative of defective or failing power supplies. It's also the same for memory or cache instability, so revert the system to stock including no XMP profile and see if the issue persists. The fact it's started since updating may well be a red herring.

[Denna]

Silent Scone wrote:
Spontaneous rebooting is often indicative of defective or failing power supplies. It's also the same for memory or cache instability, so revert the system to stock including no XMP profile and see if the issue persists. The fact it's started since updating may well be a red herring.

Silent Scone,

I think it's coincidental too. If the Windows 10 1803 update caused this, I would expect the problem to be widespread and publicly known.

[Heini]

Mine did the same while using a single power cable, with splitter, to the GPU. Using two separate power cables to the GPU fixed my problem. May help, may not but worth mentioning.

[Denna]

Heini wrote:
Mine did the same while using a single power cable, with splitter, to the GPU. Using two separate power cables to the GPU fixed my problem. May help, may not but worth mentioning.

Heine,

I added the GTX 970 about 3 years ago.

I had wondered if the 6 and 8 pin connections on the GPU had to be on separate cables. I'll try that when I get the replacement PSU.

The PSU was connected to the GPU with a single 8 pin to 6 + 8 pin cable.

With that setup, the PC has never spontaneously powered off.

If a game like Windows 10 Solitaire demands so much power that it can cause the PSU to fail, it's probably the PSU itself and not a single rail power connection.

[kkn]

try and change the current GPU power to another contact on the PSU.
it can be windooozzzz too, google around and see if you can fint similar post's of what problem you have.
it could be a bug in windows messing with other program ( yay to buggy win updates ) that makes your pc hard reboot.
or it could be other things, its a hit and miss tbh.
when it shuts down, can you start it again right after or do you have to wait a lill time before you can reboot it?

[Denna]

kkn,

The PC can restart immediately without a problem as long as a heavy load isn't being placed on it.