Understanding and Troubleshooting PC Auto-Restart During Gaming: A Technical Overview
Introduction
Experiencing unexpected system reboots during gaming sessions can be both frustrating and disruptive. This article delves into a recent case where a gaming PC exhibits automatic restarts specifically during gameplay, providing a detailed analysis of the troubleshooting process and potential underlying causes.
Case Overview
The affected system is configured with the following components:
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 5600
- RAM: Patriot Viper RGB DDR4 3200MHz, 32GB (2x16GB)
- Motherboard: ASUS A320M-K
- Graphics Card: Gigabyte Radeon RX 5700 Gaming OC
- Power Supply Unit (PSU): Seasonic M12 II 520W
The key symptom is that the system restarts automatically when engaging in gaming processes such as Dota 2, Counter-Strike 2, Valorant, and Roblox’s Saigon After Nightfall. Notably, the issue does not manifest during idle or non-gaming activities. Event Viewer logs reveal only Kernel-Power Event ID 41 errors without additional diagnostic codes, indicating unexpected shutdowns.
Diagnostic Approach
To identify the root cause, a systematic troubleshooting methodology was employed, including hardware component testing and swaps:
- Baseline Testing
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The system was subjected to OCCT’s 3D Adaptive and Power tests while running the affected games, to stress-test components under load.
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Memory Testing
- The RAM modules were swapped between two identical setups (one with Patriot Viper and the other with Corsair Vengeance RGB Pro).
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Observation: The auto-restart issue persisted when using Patriot Viper RAM, regardless of other variables, whereas the Corsair RAM did not trigger the problem.
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Graphics Card Testing
- The GPUs were swapped between the two systems.
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Observation: The issue did not follow the GPU swap, indicating the GPU was unlikely the primary culprit.
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Power Supply Testing
- Power supplies were exchanged, swapping the Seasonic 520W unit with a Corsair 750W PSU.
- Observation: The problem did not resolve or change, suggesting the PSU was not the root cause.
Summary of Findings
The sequential component swaps and tests revealed that:
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The RAM type appears correlated with the issue, as systems with Patriot Viper RAM experience reboots during gaming.
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The problem
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