Seeking Gurus' Advice on Random Shutdowns

[NutMan]

Morning all, would like some advice from experts please.

PC with issues is my wife's. She freelances from home for media companies and her desktop is crucial to her work.

Uses:

• Subtitling software - playback of video files and text entry
• MS Word
• PDF reader
• Filezilla FTP
• No content creation, e.g. Photoshop, Premiere, etc

Rig specs built in Nov 2019:

• Intel i5-9500 non-K
• Asus H370M-Plus CSM
• G.Skill RipJaws DDR4-2666 8BG x 2 (16 GB total)
• Samsung 970 Evo Plus 500GB SSD
• Toshiba 2TB x 2 in Windows 10 mirror setup
• Intel AX200 BT+Wifi6 PCIe card
• Zotac GT1050Ti GPU
• CM MWE 550 Gold PSU
• CM Masterbox NR400 M-ATX case (2 front fans intake, 1 rear fan exhaust)
• CM Hyper D92 CPU cooler
• Windows 10 Pro 64

Initial symptoms

• Slowdown of video file playback at around 10.30-11.00am in the morning.
• Then overall slowdown of system, mouse movements retarded in File Explorer.
• CPU temps hit 99 degrees.
• RAM consumption goes to 90%
• PC takes 20 mins to shutdown
• Happened 3-4 times over 2 days

Remedy 1

• I thought that the issue could be with the PC case, as the front mesh has allowed years of dust and cat fur to build up on the components.
• I changed to a CM Silencio case without front mesh, vacuumed and cleaned all components before reinstallation into new case.
• Reapplied thermal paste on CPU
• Updated BIOS, disabled CPU Turbo mode.
• Disabled News and Interest process in Win 10, which was causing the high CPU and RAM usage.
• Ran DISM and SFC /scannow
• But symptoms got worse.

Worsened symptoms

• System shuts down about 1 to 5 mins after startup - unusable for work
• Happens every time system starts up - tried for about 20x so PC is really unstable

Remedy 2
Bought new system components, but did not install the PCIe wifi card and GPU for stability testing.

New rig specs:

• Intel i5-12400 non-K
• Asus Prime Z690M Plus D4
• G.Skill Trident Z RGB DDR4-3600 8BG x 4 (32GB total)
• Samsung 970 Evo Plus 500GB SSD (reused from old rig, OS carried over)
• Toshiba 2TB x 2 in Windows 10 mirror setup (reused from old rig)
• CM MWE 750 Bronze PSU
• CM Silencio M-ATX case (2 front fans intake, 1 rear fan exhaust)
• CM Hyper 212 White edition CPU cooler (2 fans, push-pull)
• Windows 10 Pro 64

Assembled the new rig on Tue 23 Aug - did not reinstall Windows,.
Worked well for the whole day on Wed 24 Aug. Passed Windows Memory Diagnostics, but have not tried Prime95 yet.

Then this morning Thu 24 Aug the system froze: can see the desktop, but mouse and keyboard unresponsive.
Crtl-Alt-Del doesn't work. Had to reboot by long-pressing power button. So far so good - wife had not mentioned another freeze... yet.

Would appreciate advice on what the issue could be. Have changed the major components already. Starting to think that maybe it's really the OS being corrupted.

Am hoping that a clean install of Win 11 - though painful and troublesome - would help resolve the stability issue.

Thank you and sorry for the long post!

 

[86technie]

Not sure when you move to the new rig, I assume you just plug in the drive with OS?
By doing so if previous rig Windows have issue it will just carry over.
So try to do a clean install of Windows, her files are important so backup whatever files
first before doing a clean install. (PS clean install is not Windows reset.)

 

[Koenig168]

You can run smartmontools to check the health of the SSD and HDDs (look at the error logs).

I assume that you have replaced all the SATA cables when you got the new MB and scanned for viruses.

 

[Yongkit]

you may also try the check windows system files integrity as sample below link, windows will check and correct any systems files if necessary:

https://www.igorslab.de/en/troubleshooting/11/

 

[NutMan]

Thanks for the replies, everyone!

@86technie - Yes, I simply took the SSD with Win 10 from the old rig and transplanted it into the new one.
Not ideal, but my wife needed her system ASAP for work. I'll see if she has a window for a full wipe and reinstallation. Probably will go with Win 11 since it's supposed to better leverage 12-gen Intel processors.

@Koenig168 - Yes, had replaced the SATA cables with new ones. I'm wondering if I should replace the 2x 2TB Toshiba HDDs, since they've been in use since 2014. Thanks for the smartmontools suggestion! Will check it out and see if the error logs will reveal anything about this morning's freeze.

@Yongkit - Thank you, I'd used both the SFC and DISM commands to scan and repair Windows system files. The shutdowns persisted, which led me to to overhaul the system. Will give it a shot again, though I have a hunch that I really should wipe the OS and start clean since I've already put in so much time and effort on a technical refresh...

 

[Gymrat76]

Go with the Win11 install first. You'll find that it's really quick nowadays, 30 mins all done

 

[Phen8210]

can you elaborate on what your shutdowns mean?

suddenly power cut off?

 

[SEvsNK]

Just my 2 cents.

Your new rig issue might be a one off problem.

Best is to monitor further before doin more unnecessary work.

 

[NutMan]

Thanks all!

@Gymrat76 - Yes, the initial installation is indeed a breeze. It's the setting up of all the programmes, login credentials, NAS backup schedules, etc which is the headache. But going from one chipset to another, I suppose a clean install is the best practice.

@Phen8210 - Shutdown as in the power totally cuts off, then the PC boots into Windows, then power cuts out again between 2 - 5 mins. Suspected that it could be a PSU or mobo issue, so took the plunge and assembled a new rig, but reused the SSD with OS from the old system.

@SEvsNK - That's definitely a possibility. Wife needs her computer for work, so I'd only be able to work on it over the weekend. Am thinking that even though it might be stable for now, the chipset change and 30+ power cutoffs may have corrupted the OS, I think. So despite running diagnostics, a clean install may still be a better option in the long run.

To share, my wife's PC always seems to break down every 3-5 years...
The last 2 major breakdowns occurred on CNY eve. Holiday mood killer.
Very sian trying to fix a PC and hope that Sim Lim is open on CNY Day 1 or Day 2 - she works over that period too.

This time's breakdown is not during CNY, thankfully.

But it's the regular curse at work.

 

[cscs3]

Morning all, would like some advice from experts please.

PC with issues is my wife's. She freelances from home for media companies and her desktop is crucial to her work.

Uses:

• Subtitling software - playback of video files and text entry
• MS Word
• PDF reader
• Filezilla FTP
• No content creation, e.g. Photoshop, Premiere, etc

Rig specs built in Nov 2019:

• Intel i5-9500 non-K
• Asus H370M-Plus CSM
• G.Skill RipJaws DDR4-2666 8BG x 2 (16 GB total)
• Samsung 970 Evo Plus 500GB SSD
• Toshiba 2TB x 2 in Windows 10 mirror setup
• Intel AX200 BT+Wifi6 PCIe card
• Zotac GT1050Ti GPU
• CM MWE 550 Gold PSU
• CM Masterbox NR400 M-ATX case (2 front fans intake, 1 rear fan exhaust)
• CM Hyper D92 CPU cooler
• Windows 10 Pro 64

Initial symptoms

• Slowdown of video file playback at around 10.30-11.00am in the morning.
• Then overall slowdown of system, mouse movements retarded in File Explorer.
• CPU temps hit 99 degrees.
• RAM consumption goes to 90%
• PC takes 20 mins to shutdown
• Happened 3-4 times over 2 days

Remedy 1

• I thought that the issue could be with the PC case, as the front mesh has allowed years of dust and cat fur to build up on the components.
• I changed to a CM Silencio case without front mesh, vacuumed and cleaned all components before reinstallation into new case.
• Reapplied thermal paste on CPU
• Updated BIOS, disabled CPU Turbo mode.
• Disabled News and Interest process in Win 10, which was causing the high CPU and RAM usage.
• Ran DISM and SFC /scannow
• But symptoms got worse.

Worsened symptoms

• System shuts down about 1 to 5 mins after startup - unusable for work
• Happens every time system starts up - tried for about 20x so PC is really unstable

Remedy 2
Bought new system components, but did not install the PCIe wifi card and GPU for stability testing.

New rig specs:

• Intel i5-12400 non-K
• Asus Prime Z690M Plus D4
• G.Skill Trident Z RGB DDR4-3600 8BG x 4 (32GB total)
• Samsung 970 Evo Plus 500GB SSD (reused from old rig, OS carried over)
• Toshiba 2TB x 2 in Windows 10 mirror setup (reused from old rig)
• CM MWE 750 Bronze PSU
• CM Silencio M-ATX case (2 front fans intake, 1 rear fan exhaust)
• CM Hyper 212 White edition CPU cooler (2 fans, push-pull)
• Windows 10 Pro 64

Assembled the new rig on Tue 23 Aug - did not reinstall Windows,.
Worked well for the whole day on Wed 24 Aug. Passed Windows Memory Diagnostics, but have not tried Prime95 yet.

Then this morning Thu 24 Aug the system froze: can see the desktop, but mouse and keyboard unresponsive.
Crtl-Alt-Del doesn't work. Had to reboot by long-pressing power button. So far so good - wife had not mentioned another freeze... yet.

Would appreciate advice on what the issue could be. Have changed the major components already. Starting to think that maybe it's really the OS being corrupted.

Am hoping that a clean install of Win 11 - though painful and troublesome - would help resolve the stability issue.

Thank you and sorry for the long post!

Very well explained on your symptom and troubling shooting process.
Have you look into possibility of CPU heatsink is not been mounted properly or CPU fan has intermittent issue that cannot spin up to speed.

Another area to check is the fan on the graphic card.

Not to forget the possibility of PSU.

 

[Goodshot]

Always have a cheap used system as a spare comp , carosell alot selling $200-250

 

[wongminmin]

• Samsung 970 Evo Plus 500GB SSD (reused from old rig, OS carried over)
• Toshiba 2TB x 2 in Windows 10 mirror setup (reused from old rig)

always fresh install window. the corrupted drivers will cause the freezing....

for me, i will install fresh window on new ssd. then the old drives as secondary drive.