Forum Discussion
JoshuaParkson
Aug 18, 2025Iron Contributor
PC is crashing unexpectedly, and the BIOS load time
Since around July 3rd, it appears that my computer has been shutting down unexpectedly, but I'm unsure where the issue is occurring. I have performed scans such as Malwarebytes Scan, Bitdefender S...
Keithssoun
Sep 08, 2025Iron Contributor
A failing or underpowered PSU is a prime suspect for random shutdowns, especially under load (e.g., gaming, video editing).
The Sniff Test: Physically open your case (with the power off and disconnected) and smell the PSU. A burnt or ozone smell is a dead giveaway.
The Stress Test Link: If the stress tests from Step 1 cause an immediate shutdown, and your temperatures are fine, the PSU is the #1 suspect. It can't supply the needed power when the components demand it.
The only true test is to swap in a known-good, adequate-wattage PSU. If the problem stops, you found the culprit.