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The other day I set some video files converting, around 15 minutes later I noticed that the PC had turned off and the 2 front LEDs were flashing. I turned the power off and restarted it (The GPU made a loud whirring noise as if it had overheated) and everything worked fine until about 1 minute 20 seconds after logging in the display just cuts off. The fans and LEDs are on but no video and holding the power button doesn't turn the PC off, I have to do it at the mains. I tried this a few times and it always cuts off at 1 minute 20 after logging in.

I have tried -

  • re-installing the GPU drivers (still fails)
  • using a different GPU in the PC (still fails)
  • Using a different hard-drive in the PC (This worked fine)

I then booted in safe mode and everything works fine. This first led me to believe that it is a software issue, and some driver/service is causing the problem. I then put the hard-drive in another PC and it worked fine.

I decided that I would just format the drive and install a fresh copy of Windows, the problem is that when it gets to 'Expanding Windows Files' the same thing happens.

Why would it work in safe mode but not normally?, and I'm really unsure what piece of hardware is causing the issue.

Any help would be much appreciated,

Thanks.

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    Have you tried running a liveCD like Ubuntu to determine if it fails there with the same hardware? It's not clear in your question if your second bullet point was successful or not.
    – Raystafarian
    Commented Dec 21, 2013 at 13:15
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    sounds to me like a faulty soldered joint and the GPU or some mainboard chip will exit at a certain temperature
    – Gotschi
    Commented Dec 21, 2013 at 13:26
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    My guess is that you overloaded something. Either the power supply or something on the main board.
    – Daniel R Hicks
    Commented Dec 21, 2013 at 13:42
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    Safe Mode may limit processing or on-board GPU processing. If the HSF is properly seated, I'd swap the PSU and see if it continues. After that, aside from buying a mobo, you can cannibalize the other system to check individual components. Hardware troubleshooting is never fun.
    – Raystafarian
    Commented Dec 21, 2013 at 13:44
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    It could be a bad voltage, so the GPU doesn't get powered. In safe mode you are in effect running without the GPU.
    – Daniel R Hicks
    Commented Dec 21, 2013 at 13:48

1 Answer 1

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I'd bet money this is caused by an under powered or dying Power Supply (PSU). If the PSU is giving unstable voltages or just not enough power it can cause strange symptoms and crashing just as you described.

Running the computer in safe mode often turns off several features of the OS, which in turn, don't use all the hardware installed. For example, the GPU will not be at full power in safe mode since it's using the basic drivers. These changes can lower a computer power draw and can actually make it more stable on a dying PSU.

If you have the means, try swapping out the PSU, also, just to be sure, run a Memory test and make sure no errors are reported.

Good Luck!

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  • Thanks @tbenz9, pretty much narrowed it down to the motherboard. Bought a new MB and CPU since then and everything's working fine. Cheers.
    – RJSmith92
    Commented Dec 31, 2013 at 2:53

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