how do I identify the faulty hardware

Question

Currently I have no idea why but every damn time I play some games I never played before on my PC the whole system just crashes. The PC turns of and back on again. No errors on screen. No errors in the system logs. No overheating.

I have tried in the past already and I had first thought it was the CPU temperature which went to high so I bought me a water-cooling system for the CPU. The GPUs only reach about 50°C-70°C at max if even.

Here are my system specs since this is just really odd.

Mainboard: ASUS Prime X299-Deluxe
CPU: Intel Core i9-7940X
RAM: G.Skill 16GB DDR4-3200 (2x) (F4-3200C16D-16GVKB, Ripjaws V)
GPU: ZOTAC GeForce RTX 2080 Ti AMP! Edition (x2) (including the needed link for the SLI)
Power: Enermax Platimax D.F 1050W
Main Disk: Samsung 970 Pro 512GB (m.2)
Additional Disks: 2x 4TB WDC WD40EZERZ-00WN9B0 + 1x1 TB Samsung SSD 850 EVO (for the games)
OS: Windows 10 Pro
Screens: Acer Predator XB321HKbmiphz 81 cm

I don't know which of them is the hardware with the errors. I thought it was something system related but the only logical reason here must be that it is related to some kind of hardware issue. Otherwise it would show me something like a blue screen or a stop on error screen or something.

So every time when I play a game (BioShock, Sniper Elite 3, GTA V (just now)) it runs perfectly fine but then all of a sudden it just shuts down the PC for now reason. Does anyone have any idea what I can test to figure out what piece of hardware is responsible for this issue.

I also sometimes have random issues with the screens where the G-Sync does´t seem to work properly but most of the time it´s fine. Also when I play Warframe in 4K for hours at a time everything is perfectly fine and there are no issues what so ever. The PC also is not older than 6 months.

Answer 1

Here is an update. I replaced the mainboard after nothing seemed to help but in the end it seems to be the CPU. I was fooled into believing that everything is fine by testing the mainboard with a game running for half a day after a BIOS update, which did fix a CPU compatibility issues with my current CPU but didn't solve the overall issue. I discovered the faulty CPU by using the IPDT (Intel Processor Diagnostic Tool).

Here is how to test some computer parts for vaults or at least how I did it. Make sure to test for more than just a few hours if nothing goes wrong.

• RAM: Normally each PC got 2 bars of RAM. Remove them individually and place them separately into the mainboard. If possible try with a different set of RAM.
• HDD/SSD: If you have install Windows on your PC but on a different HDD/SSD if possible. Works best with a new disk to rule out any issues related to it.
• GPU(s): In case you have put in two GPUs then remove one of them and try with only one. If it still happens then test the other one.
• CPU: If you have an Intel CPU you can download and execute the IPDT which tests your CPU after the installation. If it crashes mid test on the same test then it is the CPU.
• Power Supply: First make sure your PSU can handle / covers the total Watt of your PC. Second if possible test a second PSU.
• Mainboard: Check for BIOS Updates online and install them. If this doesn't solve the issue or if your PC still crashes without any error message then it is very likely the mainboard.

This is basically how I tested some of my parts and it was an aggony to find out myself. Will update in case it's not yet over. And yes I am still working on the same PC-issue.