random system shutdown with fans running at full speed

[himendra]

windows 10
intel core i5 - 10400 2.90ghz
ram hyper x 16 gb
mother board asus
gpu nvidia geforce rtx 2060 6gb

Namaste guys how are you all
Around 2 weeks ago the computer started crashing at random, i thot it was the dust so i cleaned it up but the crashes continue even when i am not gaming. what could be the cause of it please share any knowledge, thank you so much.

note - i did try googling a solution and even here in the forums but i didnt find any proper info. i just want some wisdom from this forum before i again start opening the case.

 

[Princess Garnet]

What sort of scenarios and uses cases cause this? Only in games or demanding applications? Or does web browsing and the desktop also cause it?

Are any motherboard diagnostic lights present and lit up when this occurs?

If the fans are running full speed (and which fan, the graphics card fan, CPU fan, or case fans?), this signifies it isn't a shutdown but a lockup of some type. A shutdown would be when power is completely cut.

Sometimes, when the graphics drivers aren't in control, the BIOS for the graphics card has the fan fallback set to full speed to ensure it doesn't overheat. This doesn't mean the graphics drivers or even the graphics card itself are the cause of the issue; just that it the freeze/crash is at least impacting them at least.

When this happens, do you have to force the power off? Or will it eventually restart on its own?

If you're not seeing any BSODs, my first step would be to look in the following two places.

Event viewer is overlooked, although it can be confusing to navigate and identify what is and isn't helpful. You'd want to look for Event ID 41 entries. these alone are not helpful in identifying the cause because these merely log "Windows shut down but didn't self initiate it" but they give you a time frame to look for surrounding logs which may be a clue.

WHEA is also helpful when BSODs aren't being logged. Look in the Windows/LiveKernelReports/WHEA and WINDOWS/LiveKernelReports/WATCHDOG directories for dump files (the latter may have a duplicate with numbers appended at the end if you ever changed hardware so if such a thing is present, look in both). If any dump files are present and have time stamps that correspond with the time of the crashes, they may have information on what's going on. WinDbg can open to analyze these files. Otherwise, upload them somewhere online and someone else can do so.

 

[himendra]

What sort of scenarios and uses cases cause this? Only in games or demanding applications? Or does web browsing and the desktop also cause it?

Are any motherboard diagnostic lights present and lit up when this occurs?

If the fans are running full speed (and which fan, the graphics card fan, CPU fan, or case fans?), this signifies it isn't a shutdown but a lockup of some type. A shutdown would be when power is completely cut.

Sometimes, when the graphics drivers aren't in control, the BIOS for the graphics card has the fan fallback set to full speed to ensure it doesn't overheat. This doesn't mean the graphics drivers or even the graphics card itself are the cause of the issue; just that it the freeze/crash is at least impacting them at least.

When this happens, do you have to force the power off? Or will it eventually restart on its own?

If you're not seeing any BSODs, my first step would be to look in the following two places.

Event viewer is overlooked, although it can be confusing to navigate and identify what is and isn't helpful. You'd want to look for Event ID 41 entries. these alone are not helpful in identifying the cause because these merely log "Windows shut down but didn't self initiate it" but they give you a time frame to look for surrounding logs which may be a clue.

WHEA is also helpful when BSODs aren't being logged. Look in the Windows/LiveKernelReports/WHEA and WINDOWS/LiveKernelReports/WATCHDOG directories for dump files (the latter may have a duplicate with numbers appended at the end if you ever changed hardware so if such a thing is present, look in both). If any dump files are present and have time stamps that correspond with the time of the crashes, they may have information on what's going on. WinDbg can open to analyze these files. Otherwise, upload them somewhere online and someone else can do so.

greetings
it just happens even when im just browsing, and the games that i play are not even so heavy in graphics anyways, when it happens i just get worried and i turn off the power from the plug.
Alright next time it happens i will try to see which fans are making the noise. Yes it sure is a kind of lockup coz only the display is off and the system is on.
I dont wait more than 5 seconds before i turn it off - i mean i dont wait at all for long to see what would happen.
I will try to look where you have suggested, im not familiar with this stuff but ill figure it now
thank you so much for responding

edit - hi, there is no WHEA folder in my computer, there is a watchdog folder but it dsnt have anything from year 2025 there are few files from year 2023 and 2021 only

 

[K7SEM]

Reduce PSU load in BIOS options to all components
If problem persist time to get a good quality PSU

 

[Toss]

check RAM

 

[himendra]

Reduce PSU load in BIOS options to all components
If problem persist time to get a good quality PSU

ok but if the problem doesnt occur after reducing the PSU load? we dont have to get a new one then? wont that reduce computer performance? is there a way to be sure what is causing this?

check RAM

hi, how can i check it? i mean it does show in system details that the ram is working. how to check RAM? u mean reseat the RAM or what shud i do

 

[Toss]

ok but if the problem doesnt occur after reducing the PSU load? we dont have to get a new one then? wont that reduce computer performance? is there a way to be sure what is causing this?

hi, how can i check it? i mean it does show in system details that the ram is working. how to check RAM? u mean reseat the RAM or what shud i do

use memtest 64 if there is errors

 

[himendra]

use memtest 64 if there is errors

i did that heres the screen

is this ok?

 

[Bill_Bright]

ok but if the problem doesnt occur after reducing the PSU load? we dont have to get a new one then?

You cleaned out the heat-trapping dust so that is good. Assuming "all" the fans spin normally otherwise, and assuming before 2 weeks ago, the computer ran fine (suggesting insufficient cooling is not the problem), then you need to swap in a known good PSU to see if the problem persists.

It is important to note that EVERYTHING inside the computer case depends on good, clean, stable power. Therefore, you need to ensure you are providing it. This is especially true before spending any money on something else. So I recommend you beg, borrow, or stea... err... borrow a PSU from another computer and see what happens.

Also, your TPU System Specs just says "Corsair" for your PSU. That does not tell us much. What model/size? Note that Corsair does make some excellent PSUs, particularly in their upper tier models. But their entry-level budget models are not typically described that way.

 

[himendra]

You cleaned out the heat-trapping dust so that is good. Assuming "all" the fans spin normally otherwise, and assuming before 2 weeks ago, the computer ran fine (suggesting insufficient cooling is not the problem), then you need to swap in a known good PSU to see if the problem persists.

It is important to note that EVERYTHING inside the computer case depends on good, clean, stable power. Therefore, you need to ensure you are providing it. This is especially true before spending any money on something else. So I recommend you beg, borrow, or stea... err... borrow a PSU from another computer and see what happens.

Also, your TPU System Specs just says "Corsair" for your PSU. That does not tell us much. What model/size? Note that Corsair does make some excellent PSUs, particularly in their upper tier models. But their entry-level budget models are not typically described that way.

the power supply unit is
Corsair CP-9020120-NA CX450 450W
can u tell something more about it now thanks

 

[Bill_Bright]

Well, CX is indeed, their budget line. And 450W, while technically big enough, leaves little headroom. It also means it spends much of its time closer to capacity than idle. That is not necessarily bad, but it does typically mean it runs on the warm side much of the time, which can increase the rate of aging.

But none of that really matters. Even the best models from the best makers can fail prematurely. This is why swapping in a known good spare is really the only way to conclusively be sure you are delivering good, clean, stable power.

 

[Toss]

i did that heres the screen
View attachment 392416
is this ok?

yes.
I had another problem bakc in the days, it was faulty GPU.
Try using ur PC w/o GPU on integrated and if it turns down.

 

[scooze]

computer started crashing at random

what crashes? blue screens? freezescreen? monitor turns off without turning off the computer? you will not get help if you do not describe the problem in detail. it is better to give the computer to knowledgeable people for diagnostics so that they can identify the culprit of the problem.

 

[TORREXdaBeazt]

windows 10
intel core i5 - 10400 2.90ghz
ram hyper x 16 gb
mother board asus
gpu nvidia geforce rtx 2060 6gb

Namaste guys how are you all
Around 2 weeks ago the computer started crashing at random, i thot it was the dust so i cleaned it up but the crashes continue even when i am not gaming. what could be the cause of it please share any knowledge, thank you so much.

note - i did try googling a solution and even here in the forums but i didnt find any proper info. i just want some wisdom from this forum before i again start opening the case.

There could be multiple issues, from a shorted PSU to a dying CPU.

You may have a RAM problem, or some junk is shorting out the mobo (it's happened to me) you may even have the graphics card connected incorrectly, I would recommend disassembling everything, cleaning it, and testing the components one by one to rule out faults

 

[eidairaman1]

Gpu or psu at this rate

 

[himendra]

what crashes? blue screens? freezescreen? monitor turns off without turning off the computer? you will not get help if you do not describe the problem in detail. it is better to give the computer to knowledgeable people for diagnostics so that they can identify the culprit of the problem.

no blue screen, just the display turns off and fans making noise, seems like they running full speed, and it happens totally random, like it happened once today, i need not even be playing any game, u just turn the power off from the mainboard when this happens

 

[TORREXdaBeazt]

no blue screen, just the display turns off and fans making noise, seems like they running full speed, and it happens totally random, like it happened once today, i need not even be playing any game, u just turn the power off from the mainboard when this happens

Did you put thermal paste on it?

 

[himendra]

There could be multiple issues, from a shorted PSU to a dying CPU.

You may have a RAM problem, or some junk is shorting out the mobo (it's happened to me) you may even have the graphics card connected incorrectly, I would recommend disassembling everything, cleaning it, and testing the components one by one to rule out faults

hmmm yes i will try the reassembling everything first and see, dust here is plenty. i did clean everything but its too much.

Did you put thermal paste on it?

you mean the CPU right, no i didnt put new thermal paste on it, now that uve said it i will put. i think its been 1.5 or 2 years since i changed the paste

My graphics card is this, the graphics card on my friends pc is older and has less ram as well, still dota 2 is running on her pc way better than it does on mine, what might be the issue?? Also kindly check the other readings ive taken, i took it while playing dota 2 on diff times, the temperatures of CPU and GPU, does this show anything meaningful? does the low temperature of the CPU tell that we dont need to change the thermal paste yet? please take a look

GPUZ

Spoiler

Reading1

Spoiler

Reading2

Spoiler

 

[Caring1]

Could be a GPU Driver issue, roll back to an earlier driver and see if that fixes the no video issue.
When that happens is sound still occurring, like a game or video is still running?

 

[himendra]

rolling back on GPU driver?
when the display turns off and fans running at full speed, i really do not remember if the sound was still on or not, becoz everytime thats happened i have never had any music running, almost always i have the video games music turned off anyways. i will have to note that again, if i have to say, i do think that the sound also goes off, if this happens again i will try pressing some buttons and see IF i am in a game. thanks

OH and by the way WINDOWS updates happened, could it be that?????????? becoz my GPU i updated a LONGGG time ago, and it was fine... can it be windows updates?

edit- im just updating the drivers for GPU just in case, and lets see what happens

 

[Bill_Bright]

you mean the CPU right, no i didnt put new thermal paste on it, now that uve said it i will put. i think its been 1.5 or 2 years since i changed the paste

There's no need to reapply TIM (thermal interface material) unless the cured bond of the old TIM is broken. Contrary to what some want everyone else to believe, TIM can easily last 5, 10, 15 years and longer AS LONG AS that cured bond it not broken.

You might get a few (typically 3-5) degrees improvement with a proper, new application of TIM but the reality is, if you "need" those few degrees to prevent crossing thermal protection thresholds, you have other, more urgent heat/cooling issues to deal with first.

Note there is not a single CPU maker, GPU maker, heatsink maker, TIM maker, motherboard maker or computer maker who advises routine reapplications or recommends TIM be replaced just because a certain amount of time has elapsed.

Even if dried, the solids left behind are still doing their job by occupying the microscopic pits and valleys in the mating surfaces - preventing insulating air from getting in there. Note the ONLY reason TIM comes in a liquified format is so it can be squeezed out of the tube, spread evenly over the die, and squished into those pits and valleys.

While thoroughly removing and cleaning off the old TIM and properly applying a fresh new layer is relatively easy for the experienced, there is still the potential risk for accidental damage that is not worth such small improvements (if any) in temps.

As for there being a problem related to Windows Updates, sure. That is possible. Note of the ~1.6 billion Windows systems out there, essentially each and every one became a unique computer within the first few minutes of the very first boot - this as users configured their networks, accounts, security, apps, and hardware. It is just impossible to expect Microsoft to test and account for every scenario. This is why Microsoft (and other OSes too) uses and publishes common industry standards the 1000s of hardware manufacturers must adhere to, to ensure compliance and compatibility. That does not always go as planned.

Plus, it is not uncommon for Windows Updates downloads to fail for any number of reasons. This could result in a missing file or update that should be applied in a certain order. So the update fails today, then tries again tomorrow and works. I am not saying that is what happened, I am just saying that is one possibility. Another could be a file on your computer was open and could not be updated at that time, or needed a reboot. Who knows. But it is not uncommon for an update to fail for no apparent reason, then install fine a few days later. That does not necessarily mean something is broken somewhere.

 

[himendra]

There's no need to reapply TIM (thermal interface material) unless the cured bond of the old TIM is broken. Contrary to what some want everyone else to believe, TIM can easily last 5, 10, 15 years and longer AS LONG AS that cured bond it not broken.

You might get a few (typically 3-5) degrees improvement with a proper, new application of TIM but the reality is, if you "need" those few degrees to prevent crossing thermal protection thresholds, you have other, more urgent heat/cooling issues to deal with first.

Note there is not a single CPU maker, GPU maker, heatsink maker, TIM maker, motherboard maker or computer maker who advises routine reapplications or recommends TIM be replaced just because a certain amount of time has elapsed.

Even if dried, the solids left behind are still doing their job by occupying the microscopic pits and valleys in the mating surfaces - preventing insulating air from getting in there. Note the ONLY reason TIM comes in a liquified format is so it can be squeezed out of the tube, spread evenly over the die, and squished into those pits and valleys.

While thoroughly removing and cleaning off the old TIM and properly applying a fresh new layer is relatively easy for the experienced, there is still the potential risk for accidental damage that is not worth such small improvements (if any) in temps.

As for there being a problem related to Windows Updates, sure. That is possible. Note of the ~1.6 billion Windows systems out there, essentially each and every one became a unique computer within the first few minutes of the very first boot - this as users configured their networks, accounts, security, apps, and hardware. It is just impossible to expect Microsoft to test and account for every scenario. This is why Microsoft (and other OSes too) uses and publishes common industry standards the 1000s of hardware manufacturers must adhere to, to ensure compliance and compatibility. That does not always go as planned.

Plus, it is not uncommon for Windows Updates downloads to fail for any number of reasons. This could result in a missing file or update that should be applied in a certain order. So the update fails today, then tries again tomorrow and works. I am not saying that is what happened, I am just saying that is one possibility. Another could be a file on your computer was open and could not be updated at that time, or needed a reboot. Who knows. But it is not uncommon for an update to fail for no apparent reason, then install fine a few days later. That does not necessarily mean something is broken somewhere.

thanks for explaining that. Just updated the GPU drivers, lets see what happens. Also i have so many unused games just lying in HDD, could it be that so much software lying idle slows down the pc? for maintenance i only know about defragmentation, but the settings show that disks defrag weekly, why is dota 2 is having low fps even at the lowest settings on my pc, my friends pc doesnt have this issue. there is something weird going on here. what else i can do to make the pc faster?

 

[Bill_Bright]

Also i have so many unused games just lying in HDD, could it be that so much software lying idle slows down the pc?

No. Programs/files stored/saved on a drive that are not currently running are not "idle". They are doing nothing but taking up drive space. And that is not a problem unless you are running very low on free space.

Programs that are running do take up CPU and RAM resources. But if "idle", that should be minimal impact. Still, if unused, it makes no sense for them to be running at all. Make sure they are not loading at boot.

Yes, Windows defrags hard drives weekly so there is [almost] never a need to manually defrag a hard drive any more. And of course, SSDs never need defragging.

HOWEVER, if running low on free disc space, that can impact defragging and system performance too. There is no set rule or formula for how much free disc space one needs. I often hear it should be a percentage of total disc size - that is total nonsense. I have found a minimum of 30GB free on the boot drive typically works fine.

my friends pc doesnt have this issue

Does he have the exact same hardware? Not likely.

 

[himendra]

No. Programs/files stored/saved on a drive that are not currently running are not "idle". They are doing nothing but taking up drive space. And that is not a problem unless you are running very low on free space.

Programs that are running do take up CPU and RAM resources. But if "idle", that should be minimal impact. Still, if unused, it makes no sense for them to be running at all. Make sure they are not loading at boot.

Yes, Windows defrags hard drives weekly so there is [almost] never a need to manually defrag a hard drive any more. And of course, SSDs never need defragging.

HOWEVER, if running low on free disc space, that can impact defragging and system performance too. There is no set rule or formula for how much free disc space one needs. I often hear it should be a percentage of total disc size - that is total nonsense. I have found a minimum of 30GB free on the boot drive typically works fine.

Does he have the exact same hardware? Not likely.

okay, my pc has more than 300 gb free out of 464 gb total ssd , all the games and other programs are installed in the 1tb HDD (476gb free). The display turning off issue hasnt happened again yet, Im just wondering at the low fps. i will check what progarms are running simultaenously

 

[Bill_Bright]

i will check what progarms are running simultaenously

An easy way is to check in Task Manager under the Startup tab. If something is running you are sure you don't need to be running at boot, disable it. If not sure, Google it. If still not sure, probably best to leave it.