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Meerfin Dec 18, 2020 @ 11:31am
PC shuts down when playing The Witcher 3
Hi everyone!

While playing The Witcher 3 on medium settings, my pc sometimes randomly shuts down. No warning, just like someone pulled the plug.
There is not a certain point in the game or after a certain time of playing when it happens, it's completely random. My CPU and GPU are both around the 40-50 degrees celcius so not really overheating. The Witcher 3 is the only game where my pc shuts down so I have no clue how it happens. FarCry5 or Borderlands 2 run completely fine without issues.

I think it might have to do with my ram (16GB 1199 MHZ...) since it is a big open world and my ram is really bad, but other than that, no idea.

Does anyone have an idea?

SPECS:
AMD Ryzen 7 1800x
4095MB NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070
MBO: ASRock A320M-HDV R4.0 (AM4)
SSD: 996GB KINGSTON
SSD2: 447GB KINGSTON SA400S37480G (SATA-2 (SSD))
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Showing 1-13 of 13 comments
Runkel Dec 18, 2020 @ 11:52am 
My guess would be your PSU. Graphics Card and Processor using to much power and the build in breaker of your PSU triggers.

Experienced this in the past, after upgrading everything but the PSU, most games where running perfectly fine but when i started a very demanding game my PC turned off like someone pulled the plug.

I don't think it's your RAM, RAM problems usually cause Blue Screens.
Last edited by Runkel; Dec 18, 2020 @ 11:54am
#1
Washell Dec 18, 2020 @ 12:48pm 
Originally posted by Runkel:
usually cause Blue Screens.
Windows default is auto-reboot on a blue screen, so people don't see those anymore. But it would be a reboot, rather than the equivalent of a pulled plug, so you are right it isn't a blue screen.
#2
Meerfin Dec 18, 2020 @ 2:10pm 
Originally posted by Runkel:
My guess would be your PSU. Graphics Card and Processor using to much power and the build in breaker of your PSU triggers.

Experienced this in the past, after upgrading everything but the PSU, most games where running perfectly fine but when i started a very demanding game my PC turned off like someone pulled the plug.

I don't think it's your RAM, RAM problems usually cause Blue Screens.

That could be a possibility, I have a PSU Corsair VS650 watt.

It doesn't reboot /gives a blue screen so then I sadly think it is not the RAM indeed. It is weird tho cause other very demanding games don't have this problem...
Last edited by Meerfin; Dec 18, 2020 @ 2:16pm
#3
Iceira Dec 18, 2020 @ 3:03pm 
check bios setting do not have OC ram , some bios use turbo as default, and has been seen cause issue where atandard settings seem to get pc more stable , other then that try Full performance , Graphic card run in balance has been seen to crash then not give the power you already cant handle in max graphic setting , even older game it was seen as turn off shadow then you could actual get higher textures, but i can only say , then you dont or cant run at games max recommended setting it open for so many settings and fifddle with its option to tweak what your pc can handle.
Last edited by Iceira; Dec 18, 2020 @ 3:04pm
#4
Iceira Dec 18, 2020 @ 3:06pm 
Originally posted by Iceira:
check bios setting do not have OC ram , some bios use turbo as default, and has been seen cause issue where atandard settings seem to get pc more stable , other then that try Full performance , Graphic card run in balance has been seen to crash then not give the power you already cant handle in max graphic setting , even older game it was seen as turn off shadow then you could actual get higher textures, but i can only say , then you dont or cant run at games max recommended setting it open for so many settings and fifddle with its option to tweak what your pc can handle.

and i bet you have altready check all Driver and bios update, dont let us caught you in lack of update , that means Brand support or mortherboard support site.
#5
SeriousCCIE Dec 18, 2020 @ 4:06pm 
I agree it may be your PSU.

One method of trying to check this without doing any unpleasant cable pulling or opening the hood of the PC to peer inside at the innards... would be to honestly and truly set lower settings in the game for the graphics.

The better it looks and the higher the resolution, the more the video card consumes (and the system/CPU).

If you limit that artifically via lowering the graphical settings, for the purposes of your testing, you can reasonably determine if your system is drawing, or trying to draw, more electricity/power than the PSU can handle.

Windows also has system power settings--you can try setting balanced or low/battery saving just for the purposes of this testing.

I had a PSU go bad a while back, and to limp along until I got a replacement, I had to stick lower end one in there. As a result, I needed to underlock the CPU in the BIOS, and underclock my video card in the software that came with the card. That let me play ugly games but at least let me use the computer until my replacement arrived.

#6
Illusion of Progress Dec 18, 2020 @ 4:08pm 
Rule of thumb; restarting likely means BSOD (you can disable automatic restart on STOP error to find out), whereas shut down and stay off likely means either thermal (overheating) or electrical (PSU) issue.

If temperatures are fine, most likely it's the PSU.
#7
Meerfin Dec 19, 2020 @ 7:47am 
Thanks for the tips everyone! I'll try to put my settings on low and underclock for the sake of testing. I'll see if fixing my bad RAM will do anything to it aswell, but it sounds like it's just the PSU.
I've updated anything I could update, but that didn't help.
Bummer, since I just bought this pc and thought 650 watt would be sufficient :')
#8
JohnMars78 Dec 19, 2020 @ 8:50am 
Just a wild guess here, but...
The MB you're using is not exactly a proper match for a Ryzen 1800x. I know, it's supported and it works. However, the power draw might be a bit too much for the VRM to handle, at times.
So, yeah, might be a power delivery issue, but not necessarily caused by the PSU.
#9
hawkeye Dec 19, 2020 @ 9:49am 
There are several models of VS, but they are all junk.

https://linustechtips.com/topic/1116640-psucultists-psu-tier-list/
#10
JohnMars78 Dec 19, 2020 @ 10:37am 
Is this a pre-built system, Meerfin ?
#11
Meerfin Dec 20, 2020 @ 11:08am 
Originally posted by JohnMars78:
Is this a pre-built system, Meerfin ?

No I bought this 'second hand' by a guy who build it himself. I already replaced a few things. For example I ditched the hdd and got a ssd instead and i'm gonna replace my ram. But I'm just so comfused about the PSU thing cause 650 watt should be good...I thought
#12
Meerfin Dec 20, 2020 @ 11:13am 
Originally posted by Meerfin:
Originally posted by JohnMars78:
Is this a pre-built system, Meerfin ?

No I bought this 'second hand' by a guy who build it himself. I already replaced a few things. For example I ditched the hdd and got a ssd instead and i'm gonna replace my ram. But I'm just so comfused about the PSU thing cause 650 watt should be good...I thought

I am also really unfamiliar when it comes to building pcs, hardware and issues. This is my first desktop and I only know the basics. So this really sucks :') Spend loads of money already
#13
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All Discussions > Steam Forums > Hardware and Operating Systems > Topic Details
Date Posted: Dec 18, 2020 @ 11:31am
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