Random shutdowns : Windows 7 : Kernel Power error?

Draeger · 14 Nov 2010 at 18:24

I made the jump a few weeks ago from Vista x86 Ultimate to Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit.

I'm now getting random shutdowns for no apparent reason. There's no pattern to it. I can for instance, one minute be sat playing CoD : Black Ops and it will shutdown and restart or I can be simply browsing online and it will do the same. No warning, no BSOD, just the PC cutting out and restarting.

I have had a look in the event viewer and it shows this :-

- Provider

[ Name] Microsoft-Windows-Kernel-Power
[ Guid] {331C3B3A-2005-44C2-AC5E-77220C37D6B4}

EventID 41

Version 2

Level 1

Task 63

Opcode 0

Keywords 0x8000000000000002

- TimeCreated

[ SystemTime] 2010-11-14T18:16:13.708810900Z

EventRecordID 8515

Correlation

- Execution

[ ProcessID] 4
[ ThreadID] 8

Channel System

Computer Logic-PC

- Security

[ UserID] S-1-5-18

- EventData

BugcheckCode 0
BugcheckParameter1 0x0
BugcheckParameter2 0x0
BugcheckParameter3 0x0
BugcheckParameter4 0x0
SleepInProgress false
PowerButtonTimestamp 0

So I Googled this "Kernel Power" issue and it appears to be Windows 7 operating systems that it affects but I don't really know what to do next to try and address the issue?. Any ideas or advice would be appreciated folks, many thanks.

Destination · 14 Nov 2010 at 19:43

I assume you've checked the power button doesn't have a short within it?
Wire moving as things expand?

Firegod · 14 Nov 2010 at 19:55

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2028504

Interestingly enough, it does mention that a potentially failing PSU maybe to blame.

I take it you've monitored the CPU temp, as if it's hitting the limit set on your mobo (perhaps a dirty HS or an incorrectly seated HS) this would cause the PC to shutdown instantly.

Hope this helps.

Draeger · 14 Nov 2010 at 20:33

Thanks for the link. My CPU temp is sat at about 27 deg C idle and immediately after quiting CoD Black Ops, its reading 35 deg C so think that is ok.

However, what I have just done is installed RivaTuner and ramped up the fan speed on my 9800GTX+. It was reading 50 ish deg C at idle sat at the desktop and after a CoD session, about 65 deg C. After ramping the fan speed up with RivaTuner I've just sat and played through 2 entire levels of the game without any crashes/shutdowns. I'm thinking therefore that it could be an overheating GPU. Just about to open the case up and have a look to see if there is a film of dust/gunk on the fan/heatsink and clean it out as required.

Destination · 14 Nov 2010 at 21:24

Let us know if that sorts it.

Draeger · 14 Nov 2010 at 21:33

Hikari Kisugi said:
Let us know if that sorts it.

Unfortunately no.

I've just had the damn thing restart again for no reason at all. Temps for both CPU and GPU are well below anything "dangerous". I haven't a clue what to look at next. My PSU is a Coolermaster Real Power 520w Modular and is approx 2 years old. Is there a program I can use to check the rails etc on it to monitor whether they are falling over a wee bit and perhaps causing the problem?.

SiriusB · 14 Nov 2010 at 21:55

When my PC did this a few years ago it was a failing PSU. You could be on it for 10 minutes or 4 hours before it would instantly switch off.

I ran software to stress my system and it made no change to the pattern of shutdowns [could last an hour under stress or 5 minutes at idle!]. All the monitoring software I could find for voltages showed nothing out of the ordinary either.

I had to take it into a PC repair place simply because I had no way of knowing for sure what the cause was and I didn't have the spares [or money to buy spares] to test myself. [Got my PC back fully working with new PSU within 3 hours!

]

theheyes · 15 Nov 2010 at 17:57

I had this in the event log on a laptop once and it turned out to be the Ati graphics driver causing the problem, which an update fixed.

But, in this case, it does sound like the PSU.

Draeger · 15 Nov 2010 at 19:47

I'm not so sure it is the PSU. This afternoon I found some more info on the issue being caused by an audio device conflict. I had nothing extra in that respect in my device manager but upon Right Clicking the Realtek icon on the taskbar there was my Realtek Audio in there, 5:1 stuff and also a "Digital Device". I disabled the Digital Device and so far ( touch wood ) have had no crashes even during a long session of CoD : B Ops this afternoon. Might be too soon to say for sure but it could have done the trick, I'll maybe find out I'm wrong in a bit though!!.