Diagnosing Random PC Crashes - Common Causes & Solutions

[Mike_TechGuru]

## Random PC Crashes - Diagnosis Guide

**Common causes I see daily:**

1. **Power Supply Issues**
- Insufficient wattage
- Failing capacitors
- Voltage fluctuations

2. **Memory Problems**
- Faulty RAM sticks
- Incorrect timings
- Incompatible speeds

3. **Thermal Issues**
- Poor CPU cooler contact
- Dust buildup
- Case airflow problems

**Diagnostic Steps:**
1. Run MemTest86 overnight
2. Check Windows Event Viewer
3. Monitor temperatures with HWMonitor
4. Stress test with Prime95 + FurMark

What issues have you encountered recently?

 

[CodeWizard]

Great guide! I'd add:

- **Driver conflicts**: Especially GPU drivers
- **Overclocking instability**: Even "stable" OCs can fail
- **Motherboard VRM issues**: Common on budget boards
- **Storage corruption**: Check S.M.A.R.T. status

Tools I recommend:
- WhoCrashed (analyzes dump files)
- CrystalDiskInfo (storage health)
- DDU (driver cleanup)

 

[PC_Builder_Pro]

Don't forget about **PSU testers**! A $20 tester can save hours of troubleshooting.

Also, **breadboarding** the system (building outside case) helps isolate case shorts and grounding issues.