PC Rebooting while playing Portal 2

[ungluedflyer]

Hello people, first time posting in the fourm I recently finished building my first "gaming" nothing astronomically powerful just something better than my 8 year old xp machine. I've built it from the ground up and have had no issues until recently. I installed 3 games on my machine: Minecraft, Portal, and Portal 2. Everything but Portal 2 runs just fine, but when I play Portal 2 (Most graphically intensive game I own) my computer randomly decides to restart itself in the middle of the game. When it powers back on it boots to post telling me it shut itself down due to a power surge from an unstable power supply. I know I have a safe, steady power supply with a surge protector backing it up. Keep in mind this is ONLY when I play Portal 2. I monitored the temps of my equipment and nothing is getting too hot. The hottest component in my system while playing Portal is my GPU which hovers around 54*C (within operating temp). My drivers are all up to date. I did a diagnostic test using a program called "GPU Caps Viewer" Where it tested my GPU while putting it under load. It peaked at 80*C where I stopped the test. This started getting me thinking, if it's not failing when being put through the test that makes it work even harder, why is it failing with Portal? Maybe it isn't my gpu after all? I'm stumped.

Here are my specs: aacd50dd40d1405b36edfa4b21a3fa3c.png

 

[BlackSparrow]

First off, Welcome to the Forums ungluedflyer.

I don't see what's wrong with your computer, everything seems to be perfect for Portal 2... But it could just be that the game graphics are going too fast when you are moving around, making the computer restart itself.

 

[ungluedflyer]

How would I prevent it from happening then? Someone recently pointed out that my psu was dangerously close to being underpowered.

 

[Richardc269]

Then that is more than likely your problem.

 

[AstaLaVista]

Stupid question but... have you patched the game to the latest version?

The ATI control panel always causes problems with me so I always try to fully uninstall it and just install the video driver, usually that fixes BSODs or things like that.

You have a 550W PSU, it should be capable to work with the HD6700 I would think but I don't know... have you check the requirements for your GPU?

Also, could it be that you have plugged the wrong cable to power your card?

 

[SlasherIT]

@OP - Actually, I have experienced this problem before. On a pirated version. The Steam version runs fine, so if you do have pirated, get it on Steam. If you actually do have it on Steam, the we'll work from there.

@AstaLaVista - Btw Steam autopatches all games, if he has it legally on Steam that is...

 

[AstaLaVista]

When I pay for something I like to touch it, I don't like to be told what I can and can not do with an item I have purchased with my own money, more so when I don't do Online Gaming (purely Campaign) it so I don't do Steam... thanks for the crash course though

 

[ungluedflyer]

*update*

Forgot about this post. I found the problem and it was in fact my psu. I bought a 750W and that did the trick. Might I just say that Portal 2 is a brilliant game. Thanks for your input and being so welcoming. I've just about got my dream machine running at it's full potential now.

 

[SlasherIT]

Good to hear .

 

[sygnus21]

When I pay for something I like to touch it, I don't like to be told what I can and can not do with an item I have purchased with my own money, more so when I don't do Online Gaming (purely Campaign) it so I don't do Steam... thanks for the crash course though

For the record...

Steam isn't an on-line game per se; it is a game manager that manages games. Valve owns Steam, and Steam itself does not produce games. What happens is the game developer/company chooses to use Steam as a requirement to get the game. So for example - Valve (who owns Steam) says in order to play the Portal you must download it through Steam.... any other way of obtaining the game is illegal.

So…. Even though there is a physical box with a physical disk in it…. The actual files are downloaded from Steam.

Fallout New Vegas, Skyrim, and Deus Ex: Human Revolution for example works the say way in that the files are downloaded from Steam…. Even though these aren’t Valve/Steam developed games.

BTW want to play Mass Effect 3? - The only legal way to do so is through Origin (EA's version of Steam).

And I guess you won't be buying many games as this is the way the industry has going has been going for some time now, mainly due to pirating. And yes, Steam based games are very problematic…. If not run through Steam. In short, pirated.

Oh and read any EULA agreement and you'll understand you don't own any of the software you have.... you're just buying a license to use it

My two cents.

 

[Wishmaster]

Personally, I love Steam. No physical disc, but you can make your own very easy with its built in back up tools. So you can still have a hard copy of your games.

But the sales are excellent and Steam is my first choice for any PC game.

 

[sygnus21]

I agree but there are the doubters as well.

Anyway this is a debate for another thread.

Peace