So last year I purchased components for a new Desktop PC based upon recommendations from some users on SG.
The PC was an absolute dream, running everything well and screaming along.
Then in November the motherboard BIOS0 ceased working, luckily the BIOS1 kicked in - for 2 days. After that it went and I had to get the motherboard replaced.
Everything has worked well since the replacement, until yesterday...
While playing Doom (the new 2016 version) the PC randomly reset.
I thought it might be overheating (Due to running in 4K) but it my CPU never went above 60C and the GPU not above 75C.
I've tried a few more games (Doom again at 1080p, Fallout 4 at 1080p, even Minion Masters started a reset!) and every time it comes under a medium to heavy load, it resets.
The BIOS0 light is red again so I know I'm booting off BIOS1 and it's only a matter of time before the board goes out again. I contacted the store I bought it from and they send I can still send it back for replacement/repair, but they suggested that the issue might lie with my other hardware as this is the second board with the same issue.

My Current Specs are:
CPU: i5 6600K @ Stock (3.5GHz)
MoBo: ASRock Fatal1ty Performance D3
RAM: 24GB DDR3 Team Zeus (2x4GB,2x8GB) Gaming RAM
CPU Cooling: Cooler Master Maelstrom 240
SSD: Kingston 480GB SSD
HDD: 2xSeagate SSHD Hybrid 2TB
GPU: XFX RX480 Black 8GB (1288MHz factory OC'd Version) @ Stock
GPU2: Intel's onboard graphics.
PSU: Cougar 1200w Modular (Bronze 80+ Rated)
I am also running 2 USB powered devices:
1x Octane Keyboard
1x Octane Mouse
and my 2x24inch Viewsonic Freesynch Monitors. (1 off the 480's DP, the other off the onboard video via HDMI)

Nothing is overclocked (it doesn't need to be), the PSU is from my old machine, but is still less then 2 years old. At 1200W it's not exactly straining to power this machine...
I've been working on PC's since the XT was common and the 286 was a dream machine (Figure about 30 years), so I'm not exactly a newb at making and repairing PC's but I'm stumped at what could be causing this. I'm pretty sure it's just a sh!t board, but in case I'm wrong, and before I make a fool of myself when I begin to have a go at the repair guy who thinks it's my fault, I thought I'd get a second/third/infinite opinion...

Anyone have any Ideas?

Update:
To check Temp settings etc, I just spent 4 hours straight playing ARK - Survival Evolved at 1080p on Epic settings - My GPU Load was 100% Temp maxed out at 90C on the GPU and CPU was sitting on a comfortable 65C at a 70% load. This is the most intensive game which stresses my system to the limit that I own. It was fluctuating frame rates between 40 and 60fps, but I had no resets at all... Considering that Doom, Fallout 4 and Minion Masters all run at less temps and I get the resets, I think I can safely assume It's not a temp issue.

Update:
Looks like it was the RAM - things have settled down since I Under-Volted it. I'll just keep running like this until next month when I'll get a new DDR4 motherboard and some DDR4 RAM. I'll send this motherboard back for replacement and get some DDR3L before I throw it in my sons machine.
Thanks for the help guys :).

6 years ago*

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Kinda long shot, but try to compare power values on different voltages on PSU

My pc was restarting because i had older psu with different power division, despite its overall W power was more than enough.

And forced restarts could damage MB i guess.

6 years ago
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most likely:
simply a crap mobo (see ratings amazon & co) https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157634
^ ... not the right mobo, DDR3 you said - can't even find it for user reviews, but Skylake + DDR3 seems(ed) to have issues

unlikely:
PSU overkill (with that much headroom it doesn't run as efficient as well): https://outervision.com/b/L7Rtso

good luck figuring this one out:
DDR3 on Skylake: http://wccftech.com/skylake-does-not-support-ddr3-damage-ddr3l-only/

6 years ago*
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1) If I had read that before hand I wouldn't have got it :/
2) Yeah I went overkill because I was going to Quad Xfire the R9 380, but finances hit a wall when the wife wanted a new car.
3 ) I knew about the DDR3 issue, but I was told that it was only an issue If I over clocked my RAM. I don't overclock so no issue? (right?!?!)

6 years ago
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about 3) not sure; depends ... DDR3 has a different default voltage 1.5V / while DDR4 1.2V
the thing about that hard to figure is whether it could really have a disadvantage/problem in real usage, going as far as to cause damage on the mobo over the processor (far fetched but i literally don't know, i'm only aware of the many mobo issues skylake had with ram, bios and some models)

6 years ago*
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3) The problem is that Skylake only supports DDR3L, which works at 1.35V. Standard DDR3 works at 1.5V. So you're straining the CPU memory controller by overvolting it by 11%. 11% of overvoltage is not going to kill it, but will make it degrade much faster. This will only affect the CPU, though, not the MoBo.

6 years ago
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is there some sort of coincidence that the only time i've ever heard of a bios failure is when the motherboard has dual bios? never heard of a single bios based motherboard's bios ever die.
it's like they planned it. :/

6 years ago
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I can't help you, but I know this situation can suck. So, have a bump so that someone who can help you might see this :)

6 years ago
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Sure this looks like a PSU with irregular voltages or the motherboard is faulty because of capacitors gone bad and need a replacement.

Also check if your RAM modules are ok, just make a memory test to make sure (it takes long) faulty RAM modules can trigger random behaviours.

6 years ago
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Yeah I ran memtest first up, just to be sure - 4 hours later It all came back fine.

6 years ago
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If so, it looks like a power surge problem, some component did not get enougth power when stressed out and failed. Try to lower GPU and CPU clock so they drain less power and check if resets.

Also check capacitors visually, sometines you can see if one of them is leaking.

6 years ago
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I suppose it would vary by motherboard, but if your system was actually overheating it should shut itself off and stay off. If the PC restarts you are getting a blue screen but your system is set to automatically restart on system failure so you never see it. If you know how, you can analyze the dumps to find out exactly what is causing the problem. If you don't know how to deal with the dump files I wouldn't recommend you try and learn, it is rather complicated; instead, try and find a support forum where they can do it for you.

6 years ago
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Don´t trust the temps it gives you. I´ve had a similar "reset on performance spike" problem many years ago playing Operation Flashpoint Cold War Crisis and only with that game, everything else ran fine (like Crysis or Far Cry, don´t remember). Temps never showed anything suspicious.

To make a long story short, the CPU´s thermal grease had somehow vanished from the processor die.
Reapplied grease, problem solved.

6 years ago
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As TLDRGLUE said, you are getting a blue screen each time but you can't see it because your system is set to automatically restart on system failure. You can use this utility to troubleshoot blue screens: http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/blue_screen_view.html

BlueScreenView scans all your minidump files created during 'blue screen of death' crashes, and displays the information about all crashes in one table. For each crash, BlueScreenView displays the minidump filename, the date/time of the crash, the basic crash information displayed in the blue screen (Bug Check Code and 4 parameters), and the details of the driver or module that possibly caused the crash (filename, product name, file description, and file version).

Also I suppose you have your motherboard bios updated to the latest version, don't you?

6 years ago*
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You can try the suspect games with one stick of RAM at a time. Also, don't you reset your BIOS options again? Is the battery new? Check the voltage of it.
Edit: Even if Memtest ran through.

6 years ago
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Yeah I reset BIOS (Full Clear and reset). I'll try removing all the sticks bar 1, then lowering the Clocks. I'll let you know.

6 years ago
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OK.. I set my voltage from 1.5v to 1.3v and managed to play Doom for about an hour with no issues - Looks like it's something to do with that.
I think I've talked my wife into letting me get a new DDR4 motherboard next month, as well as some RAM, So thx :)

6 years ago
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Updated - no major changes in it but We'll see how it goes.

6 years ago
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sounds like a power supply issue and seeing you have an off brand psu im going to go on a limb and say its your power supply. maybe borrow one from another system to test it out?

6 years ago
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Off Brand? It's a Cougar CMX 1200W - One of the best rated Name Brand power supply's' on the market.. - But I'll try and find another to test it.

6 years ago
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Closed 6 years ago by Druss.