I changed CPU and RAM, now while playing CS2 it restarts.

Optimizing System Stability After Upgrading CPU and RAM: Troubleshooting a Restart Issue During Gaming

Introduction

Upgrading your PC components can significantly enhance performance; however, it may also introduce compatibility or stability challenges. Recently, a user upgraded their system from a Ryzen 5 5500 with 16GB RAM to a Ryzen 7 5800XT paired with 32GB RAM. Post-upgrade, they experienced unexpected system restarts while playing Counter-Strike 2 (CS2). This article explores the underlying causes and offers professional troubleshooting steps to resolve such issues.

System Overview

The upgraded configuration includes:

• Motherboard: ASRock B450M-HDV R4.0
• CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 5800XT
• RAM: 16GB x 2 of T-Force Vulcan Z at 3200MHz
• GPU: AMD RX 5700 XT
• Storage: Crucial P3 NVMe SSD 1TB
• Power Supply: Antec G850 80 Plus Gold
• Cooling Solution: DeepCool Gammaxx AG400

Initial Troubleshooting Attempts

The user has already undertaken several steps to diagnose the issue:

• Power Supply Swap: Replaced the original DeepCool PF750 (white 80 Plus) with the Antec G850, suspecting power issues.
• Memory Testing: Tried single modules (either XPG or T-Force), with inconsistent results. Using one 8GB module prevented restarts, while installing two modules or only 16GB of T-Force sometimes caused reboots.
• Memory Configuration: Disabled XMP profiles to rule out overclocking-related instability, and manually adjusted RAM speeds.
• BIOS Version: The motherboard is running BIOS version 10.10, which is reportedly compatible with the Ryzen 7 5800XT according to ASRock’s official documentation.

Potential Causes and Solution Strategies

1. Power Supply Limitations:
   Despite an 850W PSU, ensure it provides stable power under load. Test with a different high-quality power supply if available.

2. Memory Compatibility and Configurations:

3. Verify RAM modules are listed on the motherboard’s qualified vendor list (QVL).
4. Test each RAM stick individually for stability.

5. Ensure that RAM timings and voltage are correctly set in BIOS, matching manufacturer specifications.

6. **BIOS