Hey everyone, I'm trying to figure out a frustrating issue with my PC that I haven't been able to resolve. I'd appreciate some help identifying the potential cause.
My current PC specs
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 7700X3D
- GPU: NVIDIA RTX 5070
- Motherboard: Gigabyte B650 AORUS Elite AX
- RAM: Corsair Vengeance DDR5 6000MHz CL36
- PSU: MSI MAG A650BN 650W 80+ Bronze
- Storage: SSD carried over from my previous PC
- OS: Windows 10, optimized using the Chris Titus Tech Windows Utility
Everything in my current build is brand new except for the PSU, which is approximately seven months old. My SSD was also carried over from my previous PC.
The problem
My PC randomly and unexpectedly shuts off. When it happens, the screen suddenly goes completely black, and the entire PC powers off. The computer doesn't simply lose display output while continuing to run.
From what I've observed, this seems to happen most often while watching YouTube videos in a web browser, although I can't say for certain that this is the only trigger. The shutdowns are unpredictable, and I haven't found a reliable way to reproduce them.
What's particularly confusing is that I can play demanding games for extended periods without any issues. For example, I recently played games for around two hours without experiencing a single shutdown. However, the PC may randomly power off while I'm doing something as simple as watching YouTube.
This makes it difficult to determine whether the problem is related to the PSU, hardware, memory stability, or software.
An important detail about my RAM and EXPO
When one of the shutdowns occurred, my Corsair Vengeance DDR5 6000MHz CL36 RAM was running with AMD EXPO enabled at 6000MHz.
I've since disabled EXPO and reverted the RAM to its stock configuration to see whether that makes a difference. However, because the shutdowns happen so unpredictably, I haven't been able to determine whether EXPO was actually responsible.
I understand that EXPO applies a memory profile beyond the default JEDEC settings and that memory instability is possible even with a compatible kit. I just don't know whether that would explain these particular symptoms.
My Windows installation
I'm running Windows 10 optimized using the Chris Titus Tech Windows Utility.
I'm mentioning this because I'm unsure whether any of the changes made by the utility could potentially contribute to the random shutdowns. I haven't established a direct connection between the Windows configuration and the issue, but I want to include it as a possible factor rather than rule out software prematurely.
The strange part: This happened on my old PC, too
My previous PC experienced essentially the same random shutdown problem. In fact, that was the original reason I purchased the MSI MAG A650BN PSU.
Replacing the old PSU appeared to improve the situation, and the shutdowns became less frequent, but they never completely disappeared. They would still happen occasionally.
I've now built an entirely new PC with a new CPU, GPU, motherboard, RAM, and other components, but the problem has appeared again.
The PSU is the main component carried over from my previous system, along with my SSD. This makes me suspicious of the PSU, but I'm also wondering whether something else could explain why the same problem occurred across two different builds.
Additional troubleshooting details
- The screen suddenly goes black, and the entire PC powers off.
- The shutdowns are random and unpredictable.
- YouTube in a browser seems to be a common circumstance, but I haven't confirmed a definite trigger.
- I've played games for approximately two hours without a shutdown.
- EXPO was enabled at DDR5-6000MHz when a shutdown occurred. I've now disabled it and reverted to stock memory settings, but I haven't had enough evidence to determine whether that fixed anything.
- I've seen Kernel-Power Event ID 41 in Windows Event Viewer after a shutdown. I understand that this event records an unexpected shutdown and doesn't, by itself, identify the root cause.
- Browser hardware acceleration has also been part of my troubleshooting, but I haven't established whether it is related.
- Windows 10 has been optimized using the Chris Titus Tech Windows Utility, which could potentially be relevant to troubleshooting the software side.
My questions
- Does this behavior sound consistent with a faulty PSU, even though the unit is only around seven months old?
- Could EXPO or DDR5-6000MHz memory instability cause this type of sudden shutdown, or would that more commonly produce crashes, freezes, or blue screens?
- Does the fact that this happened on both my old and new PCs point toward the PSU or something shared between the systems, such as the SSD, electrical outlet, or software?
- Is it possible for a PSU to handle demanding games for hours but still cause random shutdowns during light desktop use?
- Could the Chris Titus Tech Windows Utility or its optimization changes plausibly cause this kind of complete power loss?
- What troubleshooting steps would you recommend before I spend money on another PSU?
- If I replace the PSU with a reputable, higher-quality 750W unit and the shutdowns continue, would that substantially narrow down the possible causes?
I'm trying to avoid replacing parts unnecessarily, especially since nearly everything in this system is brand new. I also don't want to assume the PSU is responsible without enough evidence.
Any help or insight from people who have experienced similar issues would be appreciated. Thanks.