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Random Crash Growing In Frequency!! What Is It?

Last response: in Systems

Hello All :hello: 

System Specs Below ;) 

I've been through this here on Toms already, I found no solution and it's getting more frequent. This started as a very random crash when I first built my computer, never found out the cause but I figured it will either get worse or bear some proof as to the problem(It hasn't). I just now noticed, as i am gaming more and more lately just how often this thing is crashing. Today it crashed to black and restarted 3 times, and it does it numerous times while I'm not even on it in the night, as I checked the event logs today(Critical Event Error Kernal Power Error Event 41.

The Probem: :fou: 
In short my PC will just shut off, dead, and restart to the login screen. If I'm there to witness it, it offers to start normal or start in safe mode and such, you know the drill. Now when this PC was fresh and new it happened once a week, now it's like i said 3 times today alone.

Solutions I've tried:

I thought the overclock was the issue, so ran Prime 95 for 12 hours, and Intel Burn Test for 8 courses successfully. OC at 4.5 Ghz BTW Nothing no crash(This was initially when it wasn't crashing often).

Then I had a friend suggest it may be an under-voltage in the CPU(they have a +-Voltage), he said this can produce strange effects. I uped the voltage incrementally .02V at a time (Monitering the temp with 3 programs the entire time, never over 68 degrees C) to .1V above where my OC was stable(1.35V) to no avail.

I have updated all drivers from the manufacturers websites(MoBo,GPU, Etc.).

I ran Memcheck overnight and it didn't crash During the test, woke up to it still running :ouch:  .

I tried running the ram at 1333Mhz , :pfff:  still crash.

I tried running a fan directly on the SB and the NB(was told heat here can cause strange things) , :pfff:  still crash.

Is it the power supply(My biggest suspect right now)? Is it the RAM? Is it drivers Competing? Is it a random fail in the RAM? Is it an issue with the GPU compatibility?

Please Help :cry: 

Asus P8P67 Deluxe
Intel Core i5 2500k Overclocked to 4.5Ghz
CoolerMaster V8 CPU Cooler
RipjawX 8Gb (4x4) 1600(12800)
XFX Radeon HD 6970 2GB 256 Bit
Samsung Spinpoint F3 1TB 7200RMP
Rosewill 1000W Bronze
LG Blueray burner and Asus DVD Burner

Have you tried removing all of your overclocks and running everything at default settings? If not do it, if so do you still get crashes?

Also I doubt it is your power supply, but you can get a volt meter and check it just in case.
a c 118 B Homebuilt system

It is possible the power supply is causing it. Although I agree with semp, removing all overclocking conditions would be a good start to see if the problem persists.

It could also be the electricity in your house. How old is the wiring? Do you experience any other interference with electronics?

Have you tried an outlet on another circuit in the house? Is your computer on a heavily loaded circuit, like sharing one with a microwave?
Related resources

Wiring is not great just rewired a couple decades or so ago but only 100 amp service, plus i can pop the breaker if I'm running another computer(custom and large wattage like mine) while I'm fixing for a friend and other things are running on the circuit like lights and a few things on the outlet. This a problem? Or maybe my power strip, i have one plugged into another? Like i said i can run prime 95 for hours on end shouldn't be a OC problem? When you say remove OC should i just use factory Optimums in bios?

Edit: Also I haven't tried the Ol' RAM switcheroo yet either think that's worth a shot?

Best solution

Yes, just go to the factory bios settings with everything set to automatic.

I would not worry about changing anything else, accept setting everything to factory default settings. When you are having trouble like this you HAVE to do only one thing at a time or you will never be able to isolate the problem. So just set bios to default with no overclocking. Also if you have any overclocking software disable or uninstall it.

I really doubt it would have anything to do with your house electrics. As long as you are not exceeding the ampage of the wall socket it should be fine. Which if you are most likely it would flip a breaker, and even if it does not, it is more likely your house would catch fire than it manifesting an intermittent computer crashing.

Well it must be the overclock, it hasn't crashed since sempifi posted the first reply. Funny that it would run prime 95 for that long and no issue but certain processes would kill it??

hillmanant said:

It could have been just a barely unstable overclock, but just to make sure keep running at stock settings for a period of time. Try a 48 hour p95 and a 24 hour run of memtest. If you can pass both no problems you can start going back to your overclocking. But this time when you do it, just change a single setting at a time and then make sure it does not cause crashes. Then you can move on to other changes. Just be sure to make them one by one and then verify stability afterwards.

Well thanks guys! I think it's fixed. I gamed on it for most of the evening and then ran prime 95 overnight for 7 hours and no crash. Thanks for suggesting it was OC sempifi. I can't believe it was the OC when it would still run Intel burn test and prime 95 for a few hours. I changed a few things around in the OC that I may have missed yesterday morning after putting it on factory settings for a day had produced no crash.

Again thanks sempifi99

Things I changed:
Fixed the mem clock at 1600 instead of auto setting
I had Enhanced Intel Speed Stepping turned off(thought it would slow down OC) turned it back on
Digi VRM/Load-Line Calibration (now I think this is what realy did it) I had auto and changed it to Ultra High
CPU Voltage to 1.35V
Dram Voltage to 1.65v
CPU Current Capability to 120% although not sure what this does

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