Solved Complete power failure when using video editors...?

[MrMii Win 7]

No clue if you can help with this but any pointers would help. So I'll start off by saying that I do YouTube videos for gaming, and I've used both VideoPad Video Editor (2.41) and Sony Vegas Pro 12 (build 3xx) for editing and rendering. The first problem I thought was a coincidence. I was downloading a music file from Chrome (which was open to YouTube) with VideoPad in the background, simply idling, when the PC just hard shutdown on its own. :huh: (Only had VideoPad, Chrome, and a folder window open) Me thinking it was a coincidence, I turned it back on and went back to doing the stuff from before. The problem only arose again last night when I decided to do a test render with Vegas 12. Only a four minute clip, I told it to render and walked out of the room. When I came back, the PC's power was off. Turned it on again, told Vegas 12 to render again, and the same thing happened, power failing at less than 10% complete. The thing that really makes me scratch my head is that all the diagnostic tools I knew how to use, including reliability history and event viewer, tells me nothing useful. The only event logged is that the previous shutdown was unexpected. No technical details were given. There is no BSOD, it just simply loses power. I have a feeling that this is related to my PSU.

 

[Barman58]

Not really my area but the freeware HWiNFO, HWiNFO32 & HWiNFO64 - Hardware Information, Analysis and Monitoring Tools will allow you to monitor your PSU voltages and if there is a glitch just before the shutdown or when working in Vegas pro - if so we can move your thread to a hardware section for better help

 

[Mellon Head]

How old is the power supply?

If you use the tools that Barman58 suggested, they will definitely tell you if you have a voltage going south on you, but you may have to actually use a meter and measure the voltages to be completely accurate. Sometimes software gives false readings of the voltages.

Also, use the programs that Barman58 suggested to monitor your temperatures as well. It could be that the stress of rendering is causing your CPU temp to go too high. The computer will shut down as a result of that. Open the case, and make sure that your CPU fan is turning properly and isn't caked by dust.

 

[Barman58]

Moved from software to hardware

 

[MrMii Win 7]

The power supply was brand new, bought this past July. However, I conducted my own test using SpeedFan, (unsure how reliable it is for reading temperatures but it was recommended by my instructor) and used it to monitor the CPU temp before and during rendering. Before, it kept within 100-110 degrees. While rendering however, it gradually rose up to 180+ before finally killing the power. I think I found the problem... And late reply...

 

[Layback Bear]

MrMii Win 7 do you mean 180+ degrees Celsius?

 

[Mellon Head]

If it's getting that hot, it's likely shutting down to reduce damage.

What kind of cooling do you have? And check to make sure that your heatsink/fan is mounted properly and the fan is working.

 

[Barman58]

MrMii Win 7 do you mean 180+ degrees Celsius?

Jack, I would assume, (and Hope), that these are Fahrenheit temperatures 180° F is seriously hot 180° C is an oven Temperature - useful for steaks but not so for a PC

Another option could of course be a sensor issue, but the cut off happening would tend to exclude this

 

[MrMii Win 7]

By 180 degrees I mean Fahrenheit. If it could reach that in Celsius before shutting down, I'd be amazed and wonder why Vegas made it get that hot in less than two minutes (356 F). Jokes aside, I'm only using the stock fans that my CPU and case came with. I would implement water cooling but that's a pain and I don't have the space in my case to put such a setup. And as far as I know, the CPU fan hasn't stopped spinning, even the moment before it kills the power. My only guess is that they can't spin fast enough to cool it down. Or...something... My mom says that I should clean out the fans, and although she's right, I think it goes beyond that.

 

[GEWB]

Any video rendering will cause that temp rise, any program. You must have proper airflow and seated cooler for the CPU. My primary video unit is set to shut down at 170F. At least I have manual control over some of my fans so I kick them to max before rendering.

Regards,
GEWB

 

[Mellon Head]

By 180 degrees I mean Fahrenheit. If it could reach that in Celsius before shutting down, I'd be amazed and wonder why Vegas made it get that hot in less than two minutes (356 F). Jokes aside, I'm only using the stock fans that my CPU and case came with. I would implement water cooling but that's a pain and I don't have the space in my case to put such a setup. And as far as I know, the CPU fan hasn't stopped spinning, even the moment before it kills the power. My only guess is that they can't spin fast enough to cool it down. Or...something... My mom says that I should clean out the fans, and although she's right, I think it goes beyond that.

Here's the thing. You need to check to see that your cooler is properly fastened to the CPU before you operate your computer any more. You could severely damage the CPU if the cooler is loose. It also wouldn't hurt to put new thermal paste on the CPU when you check the cooler.

You also need to clean those fans, and the cooler.

What is your CPU temp at idle? How fast is your CPU fan turning? Use something like HWInfo to find out, or better yet, take a screenshot of HWInfo so that we can see it, and give you better advice.

 

[Layback Bear]

I think the first thing to understand is all computer temps are in Celsius around the world. No matter what country one is in.

100 F = 38 C which is very good.

180 F = 82 C which is to hot but with proper cooling can be lowered to proper working range.

Because of the limits of your case, I thinking a AIO water cooler would work well for you along with proper case fan arrangement for air flow.

 

[MrMii Win 7]

My fans, with the exception of the side panel, are not controllable as they're 3 pin. Even with the side panel fan being connected directly to the PSU, I haven't found a way to control the speed of even that one. (Although I'm sure there are programs that can let you do that) They do seem to increase in speed as the temperature rises however, but that's probably a normal thing. I am (or at least before, I haven't tested it since I began crashing) able to render with my other, lower end editor. The last time I checked, the fans do not even increase their speed if I use that. But I did note in the original post that the program (VideoPad, not Vegas) was only sitting in the background when I crashed. I like this stuff, but then also hate it... Urgh...

 

[MrMii Win 7]

I checked the CPU cooler and it's still firmly in place. The thermal paste is also still looking good. I also checked the orientation of my fans and as far as I can tell, they're all pointing in the right direction. (Only one had an indicator but when I did remove them, such as while building the PC, I made sure they went back on the same way they came) And as for idling temperature, the CPU idles around 90-105 Fahrenheit. (32.2-40.6 C) And in case these would help, I have some pictures of the current inside situation. The wires aren't behind my other side panel because most are too short, now especially with the 970 in there.

 

[Mellon Head]

I see a potential problem. The 12V CPU power line is possibly touching the CPU fan, and it may cause it not to spin properly. This may not be a problem when the case is upright, but I would still move the power cable to the side of the CPU fan assembly.

As for CPU cooling, a 36C idle temp is not outlandish for a cooler like that, but I would suggest that for video rendering that you consider a better cooler, such as a Coolermaster Hyper 212 EVO, or even a small all-in-one water kit, like the Corsair H80i. Both would fit and offer superior cooling to what you have, because the cooler that you have now is not doing the job.

 

[MrMii Win 7]

I've already spent no short of $900 on this machine in total, including stuff I've upgraded since building, so I'll likely go with the Hyper 212 Evo, since it's only $35. The other issue is whether my mom will let me spend more on it xD But you know, when you compare a $350 970 to a $35 cooler that will probably extend the lifespan of my system and save me from perilous potential data loss from sudden crashes while rendering, it's a considerable buy. (She's very VERY conscious of how I spend my money so yeah, I'll see how it plays out) If that cooler doesn't work out, I could try for the Corsair you mentioned, though I've always been uneasy about water cooling because of potential leaks...

 

[Mellon Head]

All in one water cooling systems are pretty leak proof these days, and even if they do leak, the coolant isn't water. It's non-conductive. You still have to clean everything, but it doesn't short out the electronic components. So I'm told...

The Hyper 212 EVO is a good buy and works well to keep your CPU cool. Almost anything will be an improvement at this point. Just make sure to apply new thermal paste when you pop the new cooler on. And get some good thermal paste, like Arctic Silver. Your processor runs hot (most AMD FX series chips do) and everything you can do to cool it will help.

 

[MrMii Win 7]

I looked up reviews and installs of the Evo and thinking that it might not fit in the case. Are there popular ones (with good reviews obviously) that just go on top of the CPU like the stock one that's currently installed? Or is that the reason why it doesn't cool well?

 

[whs]

MrMii Win 7 do you mean 180+ degrees Celsius?

Jack, I would assume, (and Hope), that these are Fahrenheit temperatures 180° F is seriously hot 180° C is an oven Temperature - useful for steaks but not so for a PC

Another option could of course be a sensor issue, but the cut off happening would tend to exclude this

Nigel, that was worth a good laugh. You made my day.

 

[MrMii Win 7]

Any recommendation for a CPU cleaner? Or should I just put the new thermal paste right on? (Note that I haven't bought anything yet but will tomorrow) Or is there such a thing as a cleaner besides like, a tissue...?