BF2S Forums Why Is My Computer Restarting

rammunition wrote:

ok, my computer is acting weird of late. whenever i play a game, once i enter a server my computer restarts. It happens on all my games such as CoD4, TF2, CSS etc.

My CPU is running fine, my computer temps seem ok. I also received this error message just now with a "CRASH.DMP"






GPU-Z.0.2.6-[Guru3D.com] caused an Access Violation (0xc0000005)

No-one seems to have noticed this yet (though, I admit, I didn't read every word of every post), but, anyhoo...

GPU-Z is crashing, according to the crash dump.

Try un-installing GPU-Z.

If it still shows the same symptoms after that, then it's something else, if not, then it was GPU-Z.

Freezer7Pro wrote:

rammunition wrote:

is there, by any chance, a application out there that checks/test whether your PSU has an issue/is faulty???

that could also be the cause

You can't test it with "an app". You need either a PSU testing device (which is $500), or you need to watch your volts in BIOS/with a multimeter. If they're off by more than 0.5v, you gotta change PSU.

"off by more than 0.5v" isn't a very good rule-of-thumb, even as a rule-of-thumb.

Voltages within +/-5% of nominal are safe and ideally they should be within +/-3%

i.e:

nominal voltage		safe range	safe minimum	safe maximum		ideal range	ideal minimum	ideal maximum
+12V		+/-0.6V	+11.4V	+12.6V		+/-0.36V	+11.64V	+12.36
+5V		+/-0.25V	+4.75V	+5.25V		+/-0.15V	+4.85V	+5.15V
+3.3V		+/-0.165V	+3.135V	+3.465V		+/-0.099V	+3.201V	+3.399V

Last edited by Scorpion0x17 (2008-08-02 18:48:13)

mikeyb118 wrote:

rammunition wrote:

ok, i ran superpi on 16k and 1mb. i tried 16mb and 32mb but it stopped responding but didn't restart.

anyway, does this link help, on the left are my voltages

http://s294.photobucket.com/albums/mm10 … uperpi.jpg

are they correct???

About right. Then as you have suggested it may be when the video card ramps up it pushes the power supply too far and you restart.

What is the efficiency rating of your psu? (%)

here are the specs on my current PSU

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/135197

Make sure your PSU has enough wattage and stability
Also I used to always get BSOD and crashes because I had my CPU overclocked, even though it showed decent temps and stability on Prime95, underclocked it a bit and never had BSOD since.
Maybe try a clean re-install of official GPU drivers

ok, i have been playing COD4 a bit more just now, along with CSS and TF2


all runs well now. no problems today, no restarts etc.



im wondering tough, i have just checked my hardware using "sisoftware sandra" and it has given me a few tips on my graphics card. One of them is to update my Video Card BIOS, as it says it more than 3 years old.

how do i update the Video card BIOS, not drivers????

Last edited by rammunition (2008-08-03 06:23:03)

Freezer7Pro wrote:

Scorpion0x17 wrote:

Freezer7Pro wrote:

You can't test it with "an app". You need either a PSU testing device (which is $500), or you need to watch your volts in BIOS/with a multimeter. If they're off by more than 0.5v, you gotta change PSU.

"off by more than 0.5v" isn't a very good rule-of-thumb, even as a rule-of-thumb.

Voltages within +/-5% of nominal are safe and ideally they should be within +/-3%

i.e:

nominal voltage		safe range	safe minimum	safe maximum		ideal range	ideal minimum	ideal maximum
+12V		+/-0.6V	+11.4V	+12.6V		+/-0.36V	+11.64V	+12.36
+5V		+/-0.25V	+4.75V	+5.25V		+/-0.15V	+4.85V	+5.15V
+3.3V		+/-0.165V	+3.135V	+3.465V		+/-0.099V	+3.201V	+3.399V

I know, but I just couldn't be arsed to do that. .5 might not be optimal, but if they're off by that much, I'd change my PSU

Tha's why I'm a tech-god, and you're not...

ramm: how old is your PSU?

It really really sounds like a power supply problem, but the only way to tell is to check it with a multi-meter whilst putting load on it (e.g. whilst running a sandra CPU test) - if it goes out of spec, or very close to out, at any time then replace it.

Another possibility is that it's not anything inside your PC, but is the power supply outside your PC - d'u have it plugged into a multi-way with lots of other stuff? Do you have any problems with other electrical equipment in the house?

rammunition wrote:

Scorpion0x17 wrote:

ramm: how old is your PSU?

It really really sounds like a power supply problem, but the only way to tell is to check it with a multi-meter whilst putting load on it (e.g. whilst running a sandra CPU test) - if it goes out of spec, or very close to out, at any time then replace it.

Another possibility is that it's not anything inside your PC, but is the power supply outside your PC - d'u have it plugged into a multi-way with lots of other stuff? Do you have any problems with other electrical equipment in the house?

can underheating be an issue???

i have 3 case fans, a exhaust, side fan and a front fan. With all 3 connected my computer case temp is about 37'C and my CPU is about 30'C.

without the side fan the case temp is about 40'C-46'C and the CPU 30C-37'C


now i took off the side fan and half life episode one worked, played 5 miniutes. Tried COD4 and it works for 5 minutes before it stops responding and crashes on to the desktop (doesn't restart).

so can underheating be an issue or is it the PSU???

Unless you're bringing your computer to the absolute zero, no, it's not a possibility.

Also, your measurements are incorrect, as it's impossible for your CPU to be cooler than the abmitient temp, using normal air or water cooling.

Scorpion0x17 wrote:

Under-heating?

In a word, no.

Now, over-heating, that could cause it, but your reported temps are just fine - reconnect that side fan.

But, over-heating, sorry, but, well, don't be silly.

My money's on PSU.

ok, im going to return the PSU tbh(if i can). Im contacting Ebuyer now and will replace it with this

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/127861

Freezer7Pro wrote:

Also, your measurements are incorrect, as it's impossible for your CPU to be cooler than the abmitient temp, using normal air or water cooling.

i mean the CPU when on idle and under load is between 30-37 its doesn't change with the side fan.


the PSU btw is under 1 months old

Last edited by rammunition (2008-08-06 03:17:39)

rammunition wrote:

Freezer7Pro wrote:

Also, your measurements are incorrect, as it's impossible for your CPU to be cooler than the abmitient temp, using normal air or water cooling.

i mean the CPU when on idle and under load is between 30-37 its doesn't change with the side fan.


the PSU btw is under 1 months old

rammunition wrote:

without the side fan the case temp is about 40'C-46'C and the CPU 30C-37'C

If your case ambitient is 40C, your CPU can't be any cooler than 40C, as that's the temp of the air that the cooler takes in.

http://s294.photobucket.com/albums/mm10 … t=temp.jpg

according to speed fan, temp 2 is my cpu

i don't have my side panel fan connected atm, but if i do connect it my computer will restart while loading games

also are the power info thingy ok on the bottom??

Last edited by rammunition (2008-08-06 06:26:22)

Mavik wrote:

rammunition wrote:

i don't have my side panel fan connected atm, but if i do connect it my computer will restart while loading games

DUN DUN DUNNN!!!

Short curcuit?

No, better, when loading games the side panel fan sucks up power needed for the graphics card?
Have another fan at hand to try?

i don't have any more fans

i only bought a side panel fan 2 weeks ago, i swapped my stock case exhaust with the new fan and use the case exhaust as a side panel because the new fan i bought is better.

my side panel and my front fan is connected via molex(i think its called that) and my heatsink and exhaust via 3 pin

the spf might be sucking up power needed for the card but i have a 700W PSU which is more than enough. I cannot see that being the case

Last edited by rammunition (2008-08-06 06:50:00)

rammunition wrote:

http://s294.photobucket.com/albums/mm101/Rammunition1/?action=view&current=temp.jpg

also are the power info thingy ok on the bottom??

erm, if it's really showing the correct readings, what do you think?

Does having a reading of 1.47V on the +12V and -16.64V on the -12V lines sound right to you?

Now, before you go and think "OH NOES, my PSU must be well fucked", this is why I recommend using a proper multi-meter to test voltages - believe me, if those readings were actually correct, your PC would be showing much worse symptoms than it is.

Now, I'm finding it hard to believe one fan is causing the problems. Fans don't draw that much juice - much less than the difference between idling and 100% CPU load...