PC random restarts

Soldato
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The other week I had RE8 going for about 8 hours and my PC suddenly shutdown and tried to reboot, it couldn't get power though as the fans kept trying to spin up but the power cut a few seconds later, eventually it got into the bios where all my settings had been reset. I thoguht maybe it was the PSU overheating as my case doesn't have the best airflow now I have a AIO GPU (radiator pushing air out top, CPU AIO pulling in, bottom 3 drawing up)
The day after I used the PC fine all day for gaming, there is no issue with temps from what I can see. I cannot replicate this with any consistency.

Yesterday it did it twice when watching youtube, this morning I noticed my bios settings had reset again, but I did walk out the room after turning it on so not sure if anything happened there.

Does this suggest PSU? It's an EVGA P6 1000w, about 3 years old, I am hoping it is PSU related as it will be a nightmare trying to diagnose the other bits. Event log just shows unexpected shutdown stuff.

9800X3D (was underclocked? at the time -20 curve thigny)
X670E-E, latest bios (coincidentally this issue started the day after I updated).
5090 Liquid something
Some ram..

Also, wondering if I should add a 120mm exhaust fan on the back, currently all the hot air is going through the GPU radiator fans.

Edit: just restarted when browsing, bios reset itself again (not changed anything, just get the CPU fan detection error as I have to ignore it).

Ok it did it again but this time didn't come back on right away, then about 20s later it starts doing this which it's done before.

 
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Do you change anything in the BIOS after the resets?


It would be nice to revert to rule that out, but could be risky if your PC is so unstable.

I have put the bios back to previous settings, like the CPU settings and setting DOCP. However, I have also left it all default with the same outcome.

Weirdly, after I took that video it has been fine since, the only other thing I changed was I flicked the eco switch on my PSU as I think I accidentally pressed it before thinking it was the power switch, a fairly big Reddit thread about EVGA eco mode messing up people's PC's but allegedly all it does it control fan behaviour, so that seems odd. I've had it running some 3d benchmarks for over an hour.

I update bios via usb and the button on my motherboard because doing it through bios stopped working a year or so ago, it always loads the file, resets, but then boots to Windows instead. Not had issue using the flashback button. I can only roll it back two updates as that one made previous ones irreversible. However, I'm thinking I'll only try that if it restarts again, because it's weird it has been fine since I flipped eco.
 
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Points to either heat or power. Try running with the side panel off from cold. Keep checking the 12vHP lead too. Those have a habit of getting very hot!
 
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I got a new PSU arriving tomorrow but also rolled the bios back two versions (as far as I can go). Took about 4h before it turned off again (idle on desktop).

Edit. Still happens on older bios

Edit 2. Just to clarify because RGB is cringe, it's only on because the bios resets it to 'aura on', normally it's all off.
 
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Touch wood but not had any restarts with the new PSU, I got it from somewhere I can return until the end of Jan so that gives me plenty of time to test and hopefully get a replacement from EVGA if indeed it does turn out to be the cause. The PSU I have has some horrible coil whine or fan noise though when it ramps up, it then shuts up (Lian-Li Edge Gold 1200).
I'll also keep an eye out for any deals on a 1200 in case I decide to go with one of those and sell the EVGA replacement, or just keep as a spare perhaps.
 
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Spoke too soon. This morning (idling on desktop) it reset itself (and bios reset) too.
I'm beginning to wonder if the fact the BIOS keeps resetting it points to something wrong with the motherboard, in which case I'm probably going to leave this a while because I really cannot be bothered with the hassle of changing that.

I suppose I should also try a different plug socket and or power cable (using the same kettle lead)
 
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i know im probably way off here
but isnt crashing during idle a vaguely common symptom of an unstable oc on am5?
im probably wrong on this one though
 
i know im probably way off here
but isnt crashing during idle a vaguely common symptom of an unstable oc on am5?
im probably wrong on this one though

Could well be mate, but I've had the crashes on default bios settings too, and the pc had previously restarted when it was in the bios screen itself. It's odd because normally googling this stuff means you'd find someone with a similar issue, but I haven't found someone with these symptoms together(random restarts + bios resetting when it does)
 
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Is there anything in event viewer before the shutdowns? I'd also check the cmos battery with the BIOS losing settings when this happens. The weirdest problems can occur when the cmos battery is done.
 
It points towards some type of power issue. As to what and with what component is anyone’s guess.

Yeah it's really annoying, especially with the fact it can go 12h without doing it, makes diagnosis really hard.
Is there anything in event viewer before the shutdowns? I'd also check the cmos battery with the BIOS losing settings when this happens. The weirdest problems can occur when the cmos battery is done.

No just the standard kernel fault because it detected unexpected shutdown. I'm not really sure what I can check with CMOS battery other than removing it and making sure it's still sat properly. The motherboard is only a couple of years old but I suppose anything can happen.
If they are cheap I could just get a new one anyway I guess to rule that out too.

Edit. Oh apparently it's just a CR2032, I have one spare.
 
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If you had it working on a previous BIOS, downgrade it.

Unfortunately I cannot roll it back to the version I was on before because they put a cut off. I could only roll it back two versions.
 
When say "Bios reset" is that back to out of the box factory settings, or a last known good (i.e it retains at least some custom settings)?

For it totally reset to factory settings says it's not overclock/RAM settings, or power to me. That feels more like a BIOS/board hardware issue, or maybe something to do with UEFI.
 
When say "Bios reset" is that back to out of the box factory settings, or a last known good (i.e it retains at least some custom settings)?

For it totally reset to factory settings says it's not overclock/RAM settings, or power to me. That feels more like a BIOS/board hardware issue, or maybe something to do with UEFI.

Yes out the box settings, I only had about 4 settings changed in total prior to when this kicked off, and I've left everything default since.
Until it happens again I can live in denial and put it down to the kettle lead which I've changed..
The inconsistency of the restarts is the most frustrating thing, I can't seem to do anything to make it happen.
 
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When it resets does the time and date reset too?

If it does I'm inclined to think it's a BIOS battery like @Tart suggested. Did you replace it in the end?
 
When it resets does the time and date reset too?

If it does I'm inclined to think it's a BIOS battery like @Tart suggested. Did you replace it in the end?

Oh I didn't notice that actually. I assume that because it's been back into Windows now it will have updated the clock somehow (showing correct), so I'd have to check next time it happens.
Not done the battery as GPU is in the way, will do after work. Although I'm not going to know if that was the issue for a day potentially lol
 
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Have you got a multimeter? I'd check the voltage on the old one, if it's below 3v that might explain things. Very uncommon for a 3 year old BIOS battery to fail I admit, but it definitely feels like something in this area.

You'd have the check the clock in BIOS before getting back into Windows else it'll automagically reset it via NTP.
 
Have you got a multimeter? I'd check the voltage on the old one, if it's below 3v that might explain things. Very uncommon for a 3 year old BIOS battery to fail I admit, but it definitely feels like something in this area.

You'd have the check the clock in BIOS before getting back into Windows else it'll automagically reset it via NTP.

I'll have to dig around for one I definitely did have one.. Slightly interesting thing, the bios button on my motherboard is now not starting the update process since I rolled it back two versions, so I currently have no way to update it as neither method works.

Will fish out that battery asap, will be interesting to see if the EZflash in the bios works again after that.
 
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