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Author Topic: Random restart every few days - Windows 10  (Read 8366 times)

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Cloby

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    Random restart every few days - Windows 10
    « on: January 27, 2018, 01:58:27 AM »
    Current Specs
    CPU: A8-6500 APU (3.5GHz stock, 4.1GHz turbo)
    GPU: R7 240 2GB
    RAM: 12GB DDR3 1600MHz 1.5V (2x2GB 2x4GB)
    PSU: Corsair 450w (CX450M)
    HDD: WD 1TB Blue
    OS: Windows 10 64-bit
    (The computer is a pre-built. Model: HP Pavilion 500-326na. No overclocks.)

    The computer randomly restarts sometimes without any warning. This normally happens every 1-3 days. It has happened when under full load and also idle, so I very much doubt that it is a temperature issue. When it happens there is no BSOD, no "restarting" blue screen, no nothing. Just straight up off and on again. In the event viewer, i get the error "Critical Kernel-Power 41 (63)". I've had this issue for a few months now and it's driving me crazy.  >:(

    (Will provide logs, files and screenshots if needed)

    Things I've done to try and resolve the issue:
    • Purchased new PSU - Didn't fix it
    • Purchased new RAM to replace the old - Didn't fix it
    • Reinstalled windows - Didn't fix it (Tried 3x times)
    • Ran multiple system tests and scans such as memtest - All came back clear, no errors.
    • Ran multiple anti-virus and anti-malware scans - All clear, nothing found.
    • Cleaned the computer of dust - Didn't fix it, certainly not a heat problem.
    • Switched Power outlets - Didn't fix it.
    • Tried the most common "quick fix" solutions I could find - Didn't fix it
    • Changed windows 10 updating settings to not automatically restart - Didn't fix it.

    No joke, I literally can't afford to keep buying random new parts and hoping it fixes the issue. Is there anyway to find out how to fix the issue or to find what exactly is causing the issue?

    Any help will be very much appreciated.

    DaveLembke



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    Re: Random restart every few days - Windows 10
    « Reply #1 on: January 27, 2018, 06:45:10 AM »
    I would suggest adding a battery backup. And make sure the computer is plugged into the battery backup plug vs just the surge plug. This will completely eliminate the chances that the power to your computer getting interrupted from a short dip in power. This will also protect your computer for short power outages as well as power surges etc. You can get one for around $50.

    If the problem continues after this then it could be something with the motherboard or APU.

    Cloby

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      Re: Random restart every few days - Windows 10
      « Reply #2 on: January 27, 2018, 08:54:03 AM »
      I'm pretty certain that there aren't any issue with the power outlets since every other electronic device I use doesn't have this issue.

      Is there anyway to tell if it's the Mobo or CPU for sure? (I've already check the motherboard for faulty / bad looking capacitors, didn't find any)


      DaveLembke



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      Re: Random restart every few days - Windows 10
      « Reply #3 on: January 28, 2018, 01:29:14 PM »
      Are any other devices a PC?

      PC's are very sensitive to the slightest fluctuations in power to the home. A friend of mine had an apartment and couldnt figure out why his computer would randomly crash. He too tried different outlet etc. It wasnt until he added a battery backup that the problem was fixed. The issue was his power was shared with another tenant and he didnt know that at first until he realized that the battery backup with click to intervene one day when his neighbor was using the microwave when he left his door to apartment open for a friend and heard the neighbor next door start the microwave oven to make popcorn. He ended up contacting the landlord to check into why both tenants had shared power, it was because it use to be a large house that was bought and converted into an apartment. Landlord said your rent covers the electric bill so I never thought to put each person on their own meter. And something along the lines of that he isnt going to rewire the apartments to be on their own power. The good thing is that the battery backup was his solution. It might not be your solution for this or maybe it could be. Its not a bad power protection device to have with every PC to protect your hardware and data.

      As far as if its the Motherboard or APU. That would be the same troubleshooting method as what you have already been doing which is replacing components in hope that the problem goes away and when it goes away you then know the cause. Stress testing doesnt make it act up though and thats where it points my troubleshooting skills back to the power to the PC, in which the battery backup will eliminate this if its the problem. If its not the problem you will have protection that you didnt have before.  :)  You have already replaced the power supply with a good name brand power supply, so thats eliminated from cause. And all connections on the inside are secure and proper vs intermittent I am assuming. * wiggling a plug with very little force to see if you can get it to crash could be a troubleshooting method for a intermittent connection, but it can also damage hardware. Going to assume this is not the case and its still power related to the PC which is the more probable cause.

      Geek-9pm


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      Re: Random restart every few days - Windows 10
      « Reply #4 on: January 28, 2018, 01:49:11 PM »
      This is from dictation.
      Here is a general method to help anybody determine if the problem is from software or from hardware. The amount of time this method involves may very but expect it can take anywhere from 4 to 12 hours to produce meaningful results.
      Locate, borrow or buy a spare hard drive that is compatible with your system. Remove the existing hard drive completely and put this newly acquired spare hard drive in place install an operating system you have at hand and that you believe to be reliable. Possibly you have at hand an old copy of MS-DOS 6.22 or something like that. A copy of Ubuntu Linux would also do. Install the alternative operating system.
      Now then start up some program that will give you some sort of graphical interface or please something that will stay on the screen and give you a visual clue. Not just walk away and leave the computer by itself if your computer customarily reboots in every three hours, you should have your answer by the time four hours has gone. But to be sure, you might even wait overnight.
      If you come back later and you see that would have you had on the screen before is gone and the system has rebooted, then you know there is some kind of crooking your hardware that is causing the system to reboot. Otherwise, whatever message you had put on the screen would still be there. Of course, the thing is probably going into sleep mode or hibernate mode, and if so, you can touch a key in the keyboard and the system will come back to life.
      This method usually resolves a question of whether not so hardware the software. Basically what we did is just replace the hard drive and the operating system to see if that made a difference in the behavior. Most of the time you'll find that is not the hardware at all, it was something to do with the operating system or some program that is is operating in the background.
      End of dictation.

      Cloby

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        Re: Random restart every few days - Windows 10
        « Reply #5 on: January 30, 2018, 08:12:05 AM »
        I tried leaving the system running at a friends house for a couple days; It still has the problem. So it 100% isn't a power issue.
        Also tried a running Linux distribution (Lubuntu to be exact) on another hard drive, again, it didn't fix the issue.

        Seeing as I've tested everything else, it's gotta be the motherboard right?

        Allan

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        Re: Random restart every few days - Windows 10
        « Reply #6 on: January 30, 2018, 08:19:08 AM »
        Download BlueScreenView:
        http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/blue_screen_view.html
        unzip downloaded file and double click on BlueScreenView.exe to run the program.
        when scanning is done, go to EDIT - Select All
        Go to FILE - SAVE Selected Items, and save the report as BSOD.txt
        Open BSOD.txt in Notepad, copy all of the content, and paste it into your next reply

        patio

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        Re: Random restart every few days - Windows 10
        « Reply #7 on: January 30, 2018, 09:29:45 AM »
        Note:...could still be a power issue depending on which PSU you bought...
        " Anyone who goes to a psychiatrist should have his head examined. "

        Cloby

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          Re: Random restart every few days - Windows 10
          « Reply #8 on: January 31, 2018, 09:54:10 AM »
          It's not a blue screen issue, BSView comes up with nothing. No logs, no nothing.

          The PSU is perfectly fine. Works without issue on other systems + it's only a few weeks old.

          Allan

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          Re: Random restart every few days - Windows 10
          « Reply #9 on: January 31, 2018, 10:21:16 AM »
          It's not a blue screen issue, BSView comes up with nothing. No logs, no nothing.

          Okay. Just to be sure, please go to System Properties - Advanced - Startup & Recovery Settings and UNcheck "automatically restart". Either way, there's no harm in changing that setting.

          patio

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          Re: Random restart every few days - Windows 10
          « Reply #10 on: January 31, 2018, 11:21:30 AM »
          + 1

          One of the dumber default MS settings....i've seen many others.
          " Anyone who goes to a psychiatrist should have his head examined. "

          Geek-9pm


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          Re: Random restart every few days - Windows 10
          « Reply #11 on: January 31, 2018, 11:39:35 AM »
          This is from dictation.
          Did he say he tried a Linux distribution and it had the exact same behavior? And he even took it to a neighbors house and showed the same exact behavior?
          That is very hard to understand. Are there any other indications that something is going wrong? Such as loss of time and date, or extremely slow Internet connection or anything to indicate a major hardware fault.
          Here's my best guess. Something has got into the firmware, either a very strange setting, core very improbably some kind of virus in the firmware. The possibility of a virus firmware is almost impossible because people who make viruses find their much easier targets than people's firmware.
          Anyway, if it is a firmware issue, the solution would be to greet install new firmware by downloading the firmware update from the manufacture and going through the update process. In very rare cases the firmware becomes unreliable and this is near impossible to troubleshoot with ordinary tools. The only diagnostic is to try flashing the firmware again and see if that changes the behavior.
          I am only mentioning this because the things that reported seem to be so unlikely and improbable.
          End of dictation.

          patio

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          Re: Random restart every few days - Windows 10
          « Reply #12 on: January 31, 2018, 11:45:51 AM »
          Quote
          "Critical Kernel-Power 41 (63)"

          It's not a blue screen issue, BSView comes up with nothing. No logs, no nothing.

          The PSU is perfectly fine. Works without issue on other systems + it's only a few weeks old.

          This tells us nothing...What Make and Model PSU is it ? ?
          " Anyone who goes to a psychiatrist should have his head examined. "

          Cloby

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            Re: Random restart every few days - Windows 10
            « Reply #13 on: February 01, 2018, 06:50:25 AM »
            I've already tried the "uncheck automatically restart", no luck unfortunately.

            The power supply is the Corsair CX450M (Like I've already said, it certainly not a power supply or outlet issue). The system starts to randomly freeze now too, causing me to have to switch it off and on again.

            "Did he say he tried a Linux distribution and it had the exact same behavior?" - Yes, with a new hard drive too.
            "And he even took it to a neighbors house and showed the same exact behavior?" - Yes.


            nil

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              Re: Random restart every few days - Windows 10
              « Reply #14 on: February 01, 2018, 07:35:43 AM »
              So am I correct that the one thing that has been constant through all your attempts is the motherboard?

              Is it possible that you have determined that's the only thing that could still be causing the problem?
              Do not communicate by sharing memory; instead, share memory by communicating.

              --Effective Go