My computer has been restarting without warning (it turns black and restarts) or freezing, requiring a long press of the power button to shut it down

[Ganassinsd]

There are no error messages. What could be causing this?

 

[beautifulbroccoli]

Hey, there are a few common reasons why your computer might be restarting or freezing like that

• Overheating: Check your CPU and GPU temperatures. If they're running hot, your computer might be shutting down to prevent damage. Make sure your fans are working properly and consider cleaning any dust from inside your case.
• Power Supply Issues: A failing power supply can cause random restarts. If you have another power supply, try swapping it out to see if that solves the problem.
• Faulty RAM: Bad RAM can cause crashes and freezes. You can run a memory test to check for issues. Try using the built-in Windows Memory Diagnostic tool or MemTest86.
• Driver Issues: Outdated or corrupted drivers can cause instability. Make sure all your drivers are up to date, especially your graphics and chipset drivers.
• Software Conflicts: Sometimes, recently installed software or updates can cause issues. Try to recall if you installed anything new around the time the problems started and consider uninstalling it.

Hope this helps!

 

[W10PowerUser]

You should also check your Event Viewer for any error logs that might give more clues about what’s going on. Here's how you can do it:

1. Press Win + R to open the Run dialog.
2. Type eventvwr.msc and press Enter.
3. In the Event Viewer, go to Windows Logs > System.
4. Look for any critical errors or warnings around the time your computer restarted or froze. These logs can sometimes point you in the right direction. Post any suspicious logs here, and we can help interpret them.

Also, try booting into Safe Mode to see if the problem persists. If it doesn't, it might be a software issue.

 

[Ganassinsd]

I checked the temperatures, and everything seems normal there. I also ran a memory test, and it came back with no issues. My drivers are all up to date, too. I did look in the Event Viewer, and I saw a few critical errors related to Kernel-Power with Event ID 41. Not sure what that means, though.
Haven't tried Safe Mode yet, but I'll give that a go next.