Restarting under load - is it PSU?

iCobble

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For a long time now my computer restarts while gaming. Event viewer just shows a kernel-power, 41 ID. I don't overclock. I've tried the following to troubleshoot:

Ram - I've run memtest for around 14 hours, no errors.
Video - I've run heaven benchmark and furmark with no problems. Temps seem fine too.
CPU/ram - computer restarts (not immediately) on blend test, no errors are given. CPU temps are fine, around 65 degrees.

So temps all seem to be ok, ram seems to be ok, is the only option really the PSU failing under load? Thanks for all your help.

Specs:
CPU: i5 2500k 3.3ghz
GPU: GTX 970
RAM: G skill 8gb DDR3 1600mhz
PSU: OCZ ZS series 650W 80+ bronze PSU
MOBO: Asus P8P67 Pro rev 3.1
 
is that 65c cpu temp under load or while it's idle? If your running 65c at idle then it's time to clean out your fan & heatsink because that's too high for idle. The max temp that cpu is rated to handle is 72.6 c
 
is that 65c cpu temp under load or while it's idle? If your running 65c at idle then it's time to clean out your fan & heatsink because that's too high for idle. The max temp that cpu is rated to handle is 72.6 c
That's under load. I recently cleaned my computer and reinstalled the heatsink with new thermal paste.
 
Try cleaning the fan, and while you're at it the other fans. How much wattage does your computer need to run exactly? Having to much is basically dead weight and can also cause your computer to run weird. Head over to Cooler Master: Power Supply Calculator
Put in all your computer information and it will recommend what you need. Don't try to over-shoot the PSU and don't under-shoot. I run a 400w which is 75 watts over what I need and still runs perfectly fine.
http://www.coolermaster.com/power-supply-calculator/
 
Usually for optimal efficiency you want a slightly oversized PSU.... If you only need 450w of power, then aim for an 800w PSU. Most will peak efficiency wise around 50% to 70% load.

That aside, I doubt the PSU is the issue... Usually a system will flat out power down instead of restarting.

I have the exact same PSU running a whole heck lot more equipment and it's not flaked once.
 
Usually for optimal efficiency you want a slightly oversized PSU.... If you only need 450w of power, then aim for an 800w PSU. Most will peak efficiency wise around 50% to 70% load.

That aside, I doubt the PSU is the issue... Usually a system will flat out power down instead of restarting.

I have the exact same PSU running a whole heck lot more equipment and it's not flaked once.
I was always told if you need 400w then get a 450/500 cause anything over was just useless. Suppose whoever told me that a couple years ago was wrong lol.
 
Even a quality PSU will drop off a good bit when nearing 90-100% load in terms of efficiency. It's all about aiming your PSU around two things, what your maximum power load would be, and what the typical power load will be.

Not sure what todays average PSU on the higher tiers would do, but I assume they still handle mid-wattage loads more efficiently than at a higher wattage.

Even if one does get a PSU that's a few hundred watts over the top, it's not necessarily waste, though your pocket might regret it. In theory since it's not killing it self it could last longer, but I don't think anyone has ever actually tried to test that theory on a large scale in a controlled environment. I certainly wouldn't want my PSU to be under maximum potential load for hours on end.
 
Quality PSUs are rated at continuous usage which is why they have an overhead before triggering a protect. Units like the P2 in my server, or even the G3s I've built with recently are efficient for almost the complete wattage range. The gold units are at 90% in the middle with varying percentages the rest of the board. The complete band is still within gold spec though. Not to mention, most of the people recently on the boards have been buying some low end stuff, looking at barely pushing 250W, OP barely pushing 300. Let's not get back into yee olden days where everybody is recommending a 1000W PSU for nothing.
 
I think c0rr0sive is is referring to the peak efficiency of a power supply as explained here:
If you see a typical efficiency curve, you will notice that efficiency varies according to the power being delivered. Usually, the power supply achieves its highest efficiency when delivering between 40% and 60% of its maximum capacity.

Because of this effect, it is recommended that you buy a power supply with double the power you are actually going to pull. This explains the offer of high-wattage power supplies above 700 W. Manufacturers don't expect you to pull the full power from their units, but that you operate them around 50% load for a higher efficiency.
Everything You Need to Know About Power Supplies - Efficiency of 15 - Hardware Secrets
That's not saying that a 80+ or a 90+ PSU won't operate at it's rated efficiency, but it will operate at it's best @ 50% load
 
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