Computer turns off while gaming

Hey all
I am a bit of a newb but have some tech experience. I am really at a loss here in what to do.

I recently had a computer built from ibuypower.com and for about a month things have been fine. Recently, while playing either World of Warcraft or Dragon Age: Origins, my computer will turn off. A few moments later it will boot back up, seemingly fine. It happens more frequently with DA:O then WoW. This is a brand new computer and I am really upset this is happening.

My specs:
Intel i5 760 @ 2.80GHz
4.0 GB RAM
Win 7 64
Nvidia Gefore GTX 460

I've run speedfan and malware bytes and I run Kapersky IS 2011. I've run Memtest86 a few times and the ram tests out ok. Nothing is overheating as far as I can tell. When I've called ibuypower tech support they told me to try to replace the video card with my old one from my last computer. I'm a little hesitant to start pulling out the video card just yet.

Any suggestions, or help would be so greatly appreciated. Please help me!

 

You should send it back but just to give you more ammunition to shove in their faces is to run OCCT as it stresses everything to %100 and charts all aspects of your PC, up to the point of shutdown of course. Could be a weak power supply if you didn't specify one. The GTX460's do take some heavy current.

 

Just to show you some typical GPU temps and fan speeds as there are no games that use more GPU or CPU than I do.:-D

http://img215.imageshack.us/img215/2775/taskmanagerjeszzc.th.png

 

Thank you for the help!
I've begun using OCCT to test everything. As of right now I have tested the GPU and so far it has done as expected and the computer has turned off while testing. The CPU and MEMTESTs both went fine, so I think it is clearly a GPU problem.

I have not tested the Power Supply yet because it warned about being an unstable test. I have a 700W PSU, so I don't think power is the issue. Should I test the PSU just to be sure? Or do you think I can safely assume its the GPU?

Thanks again for the assistance.

 

The main thing is to find out about your GPU and why it crashed. Was it heat or something else? Take a look at the charts, it will be easy to spot the rapidly climbing line if it was heat related.

As to the PSU test, all it will do is turn everything on to full at the same time so if your PSU is weak, it will find it. You say yours is a 700W and as long as it's a quality PSU, it should be OK

However, to recount a personal case of mine that just happened, if I may. I just bought a new PSU and it passed all tests, worked well for a week and then just died. I'd rather find that out when the warranty still applies than baby the thing until it dies.

You seem to have found the weak point, go get 'em!

EDIT: Go into the documents library under OCCT and check the xxx GPU-1.png file.

 

Easy way to prove if it's the GPU: Pull it and put in your old card, and repeat the test. If it passes with your other video card, then you know it's the 460. The fact that it happens when gaming also points to the video card, unfortunately...

On the plus side, it's one of the easier components to RMA when they go bad, most of them come in and out with a lot less hassle than a CPU or motherboard.

 

I agree, however why should it be up to the OP to have an extra GPU card just happening to lay about in the 'junk box' as many of us builders do. It's a new machine and they shouldn't be telling anyone to try 'another card'.

If the OCCT results ain't enough for them then I'd shy away from those people. JMO.

 

I agree. I'm only suggesting it because he said he has an old card.

After a looong day of being on the tech support agent side of things, I am going to decline to comment on the policies and work ethic of a company that won't help their customers unless they have spare parts laying around to do all the work with.

 

Buahahahaha!!!! Well and diplomatically said too!roflmao Now back to the OP's issue.:-D

 

Hey all, thanks again.
Just to clarify, yes I have an old card. Its about 4 years old and one of the reasons I decided to get a new computer. My old GPU was having issues as well, hence why testing it probably won't tell me much. I probably should have mentioned that previously. When I told this to the tech support at ibuypower, I was told to 'just try it anyway'.

I just got home so I will have to wait for tomorrow morning to call them back. I'll let you know how it goes. Thanks again for the help.

 

That is wrong on SO many levels. You can't use a questionable card for troubleshooting! Any computer tech with a tenth of a brain knows that, and should not be suggesting it! :banghead

Go with augie's suggestions instead. Run OCCT and pull the logs, and use that info to force them to replace the parts for you. You paid them for a working computer, make sure that's what they give you.

 

I agree with what Mimsy and Augie are saying. If it is a new computer, make them test video cards in it. Like Mimsy said, if your old card is questionable, how is that going to diagnose the issue? I would run all the software tests you can, and then send it back, or have them send you a good GPU to test in your computer.

You paid extra to have it built for you, get what you paid for! :-D

Is there any reason you can't send the offending computer back to it's maker?

 

I have parts warranty for up to a year. I figure it would be easier to figure out which part is wrong myself and then have them send a replacement and just install it myself. That way I'm not without a working computer while they do it for me. I've replaced computer parts before so assuming they just send me the same model GPU no reason I can't just pop it in and send them back the bad one to RMA. Also, their level of tech support doesn't really inspire a lot of faith from me, I wouldn't expect them to test throughly on their own.

 

hey all, been awhile but thought I would update. I got my new card from ibuypower.com this weekend, but I still seem to be having the same problem. I installed the new card (same model, GTX 460) and played WoW at ultra settings for a good amount of time no problem. I ran OCCT GPU test and got no errors, so I assumed it was fine. Then I started up Mass Effect 2 from steam, and after about 15 mins my computer turned off again suddenely. Could it be an overheating issue even though speedfan/occt show them running fine. I am going to call ibuypower.com again this week and see what they think now. Any ideas/ammo you guys have for them would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.
Lok

 

Check the temperatures in the BIOS as well. I recently had a situation where the BIOS was misreading temperature, so though the CPU actually was fine, the BIOS incorrectly assumed it was over-heating and shut down. A BIOS update took care of that.

Check your PSU as well... sudden unexpected shut-downs are often somehow caused by that part.

 

how do i check the temp in the bios? and how do I update the bios?

 

Who makes your motherboard? The manufacturer's website is where you would get the BIOS update. Where the temperature settings and info is varies, but it's usually called "hardware monitor" or something similar.