PC shuts off during gaming.

[PsvyXlone Aeon]

I searched the forums in an attempt to find if someone else suffered this problem. I found similar problems, but none of them are 100% what I'm grappling with.

The problem is simple and affects on every single game that is on my computer. Unreal III, FarCry2, Prototype, all of the games I play on the PC are only playable for about ten, fifteen minutes at most when without warning, the computer shuts down, and then starts up on its own. After it restarts, it takes me to a menu where it tells me that the computer as not shut down properly. It asks if I want to run in Safe Mode, Safe Mode with Command Prompt, and a few other options. The thing is, it only does this during games. All non-gaming programs run flawlessly.

I know it's not anything involving a bad graphics card or insufficient memory, I purchased a new graphics card less then four months ago, and it didn't fix the problem. I have 6 gigs of RAM, so I know the memory isn't an issue. The only paths I haven't explored yet are insufficient power supply, or overheating. I don't think it's overheating though but I could be wrong. I constantly update the graphics card.





[Saving space, attachment deleted by admin]

[patio]

Overheating...DLoad install and run SpeedFan...
Post your temps

[PsvyXlone Aeon]

During gaming? If so, I'm not sure if the data will remain after the restart.

[jkolak]

You should be able to alt-tab between your game and the Windows desktop to observe SpeedFan while the game is running.

If not, at least post the temps without a game running.

[PsvyXlone Aeon]

Okay the first image includes the temperatures before I played FarCry 2, and each one after that was saved in about five minute increments until the last one which was taken about 25 seconds before the computer shut off.

[Saving space, attachment deleted by admin]

[jkolak]

Right. All of those flame icons tell us that your system is too hot and your hardware thermal protection is shutting you down. You can see the temperature progression from one screenshot to the next as it gets hotter and hotter.

What's the spec on that fan? It maxes out around 1800, and takes a while to get that high like its old or dirty. If it is supposed to be a 5000 RPM fan, that would definitely be the cause of your problem. Even if it is supposed to be a 3000 fan. But a large fan might spec 1800, so I don't know what it is supposed to be.

Did you build this yourself? Did you apply thermal paste between the fan and CPU? Is it a laptop? Is it on a hard surface that doesn't allow the cooling vents to be blocked? If it is a desktop or tower computer, remove the panels and observe the fans. The screenshot only shows one fan. Is it the CPU fan? Maybe the CPU fan is dead and the fan being monitored is a secondary fan case fan or power supply fan. So look for the CPU fan spinning, and search for another case fan to see if it is spinning, and check to see if the power supply fan is blowing out its vents.

[PsvyXlone Aeon]

I purchased almost as is. I've only added some peripherals like speakers, custom keyboard and mouse, (default graphics card burned out and was replaced somewhat recently as stated above).

I just realized the "fire" icon implications and ran Speedfan without a game running and it's giving me the same thing. I guess I am overheating even when no games are running. I clean the fan every once in a while.

Not sure what you mean when you say 1800/3000/5000. I don't know how to determine if it's a fan that's supposed to run at that speed.

[jkolak]

RPM is Revolutions Per Minute, which is how fast the fan spins. My Athlon CPU uses a small fan at 5000 RPM. My Pentium 4 CPU uses a larger fan that spins at 3000 RPM. Since you have an Intel Quad CPU, I'm betting you have the same fan as my Pentium 4. So if you are only running 1800 RPM when you are supposed to be running 3000 RPM, you are getting only half your CPU cooling air supply.

You can contact Gateway to confirm the fan speed.

[PsvyXlone Aeon]

Okay. I took off the side panel and kind of dusted off the fan, which is surrounded by a large, black cylinder which I think funnels cool air onto the board. I think that the compound between the heat sink and the fan or whatever is getting old. Maybe not, I didn't check very well. But I left the side of it off and the computer is running a little bit cooler. How do I get the fan to run at full capacity?

[jkolak]

You should replace it. They are not very expensive. You can try to remove it and lubricate it, but I would not consider that to be a reliable fix.

[PsvyXlone Aeon]

Well I just tried something. I shut down the computer, started it up again and went to BIOS and realized that the fan regulation was on. I turned that off and continued and now I've almost gotten it to go three times faster than before. No overheating or anything as of yet. I'm going to play a game in a minute and see how it handles it.

[Saving space, attachment deleted by admin]

[jkolak]

Much better. Only 2 red marks for increasing temps at Core 0 and Core 1. Keep an eye on those.