Question Unexpected System Shutdowns and Motherboard Concerns - Seeking Community Advice

[hunnybnny]

Message Body:

Hello Tech Enthusiasts,

I hope this message finds you all in good health. I'm reaching out today with a concerning issue regarding my computer's motherboard, and I'm hoping to tap into the collective wisdom of this community for guidance.

Issue Description:
Over the past week, I've been experiencing unexpected system shutdowns, which have raised concerns about potential issues with the motherboard. These shutdowns occur without warning, and there are no clear triggers that I can identify.


Details:

Motherboard Model: ASUS ROG Strix Z490-E Gaming
CPU: Intel Core i9-10900K
RAM: 32GB Corsair Vengeance LPX DDR4
Graphics Card: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080
Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA 850W
Specific Symptoms:
Sudden Shutdowns: The system abruptly powers off without any warning or error messages.
No Overheating Signs: Temperatures for CPU and GPU appear to be within normal ranges, and there are no signs of overheating.
Power Supply Test: I've conducted a power supply test, and it appears to be functioning properly.
Reboot Issues: Occasionally, the system struggles to reboot after a shutdown, requiring multiple attempts.
Steps Taken So Far:
In my effort to troubleshoot this issue, I've taken the following steps:

Cleaned Components: I've checked for any loose connections or dust buildup and ensured all components are properly seated.
Updated Drivers: I've confirmed that all drivers, including motherboard drivers, are up-to-date.
Monitored Temperatures: I've closely monitored temperatures using monitoring software to rule out overheating as the cause.
Community Insights Request:
I would greatly appreciate any insights, recommendations, or potential solutions from the community. Has anyone encountered similar issues with their motherboard? Are there specific diagnostic tests or troubleshooting steps I should consider for further investigation?

Request for Motherboard Expertise:
If there are members with expertise in motherboards, I kindly request your assistance in identifying potential causes and solutions for this unexpected shutdown issue. Your insights will be invaluable in helping me resolve this concern.

Thank you all for your time and expertise. I'm eager to get to the bottom of this issue and ensure the stability of my system.

 

[fralexandr]

Do the system shutdowns happen during idle or low load tasks (web browsing/office work)? or only when significant load is applied (gaming/editing/updating/etc)?

Is anything overclocked?
Have you run a memtest?

Memtest86+ | The Open-Source Memory Testing Tool

Memtest86+ is an advanced, free, open-source, stand-alone memory tester for 32- and 64-bit computers (UEFI & BIOS supported)

www.memtest.org

While it could be the motherboard, there are a few more things to look at first.

 

[Brainonska511]

I assume you're running Windows?

Anything in the Event Viewer once you restart? If there is, you may see an error code or have a dump file to analyze. There could be a few folders dmp files like to hide in (beyond the standard ones you often see online): using a dmp file reader/analyzer, like BlueScreenViewer, might provide some insight as to what could be causing your crashes as well, if they are being recorded. I used this method a few months ago to figure out my GPU needed an RMA (and confirmed the issue prior to RMA by running Furmark and seeing immediate crashes).

I agree that it could be a number of things. Any pattern to the crashes? Any recent updates/changes (drivers, bios updates?)?

 

[Mantrid-Drone]

I'd suggest the program WhoCrashed.

Resplendence Software - WhoCrashed, automatic crash dump analyzer

WhoCrashed, automatic crash dump analyzer for Windows

www.resplendence.com

It will not only find and analyse dump files it will also make a best guess as to the cause of the 'event' that resulted in the error screen or crash.

After I had problems with random BSOD on one PC it suggested a RAM problem just what somebody here had suggested too from my description of the trouble. I then ran MemTest86 which they'd had recommended I do as well and that identified a faulty RAM module.

Replacing that (in fact I replaced and upgraded all the RAM) fixed the problem.

Hope this is something as easy to fix as that.

 

[igor_kavinski]

Reboot Issues: Occasionally, the system struggles to reboot after a shutdown, requiring multiple attempts.

That points to a hardware issue. Some component like a capacitor could be dying on the mobo. You could try replacing it with this: https://www.ebay.com/itm/285474554134

 

[In2Photos]

I ran into a similar issue on my son's system. It worked fine for months and then all of a sudden it would crash while gaming, straight to a black screen. I tried all sorts of things, new PSU, drivers, Memtest, etc. In the end a BIOS update fixed it for him. This was on a Ryzen 5600X with an MSI B550 Tomahawk motherboard. If you wish to see everything we did troubleshooting wise it is in this thread: https://forums.anandtech.com/threads/need-help-troubleshooting-a-new-pc-thats-crashing.2601642/

 

[BonzaiDuck]

I had the same symptom, but it was a loose PSU connector plug for a modular Seasonic 650W PSU. This began to occur after I had replaced a motherboard with a blown-out USB controller. The problem kept resurfacing once every couple weeks, then weekly. It took me the good part of six months to determine what it was.

But this symptom could be common to any number of other causes.