Random Crashing

I have this problem where my computer will just crash and restart.
It sometimes happens when I try to play a game(like GTA IV)

Most of the time I'll play and everything will be fine, but sometimes when I try to start it, it just crashes and the whole computer will restart.

I installed the program WhoCrashed to try to find out why it crashed, but nothing seems to be logged is the crash dumps.

How do I find out why it keeps crashing?


Thanks.

 

Is there anyway to tell what is causing the problem?

 

If there are no crash dumps, it could be heat, security (malware?), a drive/cable problem - difficult to tell without opening it up for cleaning/connection checking, listening carefully to it, checking the BIOS temps/voltages and cross-checking with software.

Test the drive from USB with SeaTools and run chkdsk /R /f then SFC /scannow and check the logs.

If all the hardware side checks out fine, look to bad drivers/malware.

Initial diags.

 

I don't think it is heat related because I it only crashes when I try to start the game.
I have an antivirus and run scans all the time, so I don't think it malware.


One time it crashed and there was some memory error.

I'll run the memory diagnostic form that link you sent and see what I find.

 

But it has never crashed while I have been playing, no matter how long.

Only when I try to start it.:confused

 

Greetings, Atlantic44.

Interested to know the results of the memory diagnostics.

Do you happen to have a spare power supply unit available? With any kind of "ramping up" or "startup surge" types of symptoms I always add the PSU to the usual suspects list.

 

http://i1360.photobucket.com/albums/r655/Peter_Corduan/IMG_0909_zps1f794915.jpg
The memory test did not find anything...

I do not...
The power supply fan I have makes noises and when allot of things start running it gets really loud.


Most of the time when I start my game (GTA IV) all the menus will load, but when I start the actual game the whole computer will restart.
Sometimes i will be able to start it and everything will run fine, but the game will "forget" to load things like other cars and the game will crash if I try to run around.
Just a bunch of weird problems :/

 

I replaced the power supply fan and everything works fine, but after using it today for a while the power supply started getting very hot and I could even smell it

So something is wrong there, also my new video card gets very hot when I run games.


Maybe something is wrong with the PSU fan setup? Or maybe something else is causing everything to overheat?

Any help would be great.
Thanks!

 

I think you really need to consider replacing the power supply - a hot/smelly PSU can't be good.

Don't know if that's your only problem - there could very well be something motherboard-related causing the symptoms. Check all connections, look for any obvious burn tracks/scorch marks, bulging capacitors, make sure nothing's grounding to the case, etc.