This summary of the video was created by an AI. It might contain some inaccuracies.
00:00:00 – 00:14:03
The video centers on troubleshooting and resolving a computer's random shutdown issues following a BIOS update, spearheaded by Anthony after Linus encountered the problem. Anthony conducts a thorough step-by-step diagnostic process starting with verifying wall power, UPS, and power cables. He quickly checks these components and rules out physical connection issues. Turning to system monitoring tools like HWiNFO and Task Manager, he assesses CPU temperatures, voltages, and processes, suspecting that voltage fluctuations may be the culprit, particularly with an overclocked Threadripper 3000. By examining Windows Event Viewer logs, he identifies relevant events such as critical bug check items and ACPI power management errors, suggesting potential voltage issues.
Focusing on power management, Anthony explores C states, which are power-saving states of the CPU. He disables C states in the BIOS to test if this resolves the shutdowns and confirms success after a few days of stable operation. The video concludes with a mention of an upcoming comprehensive PC build guide, recommendations against enabling unnecessary power-saving features on desktop PCs, and a promotional segment for Pulseway, an IT infrastructure management tool. Overall, the key takeaway is the importance of systematic troubleshooting in diagnosing and resolving complex hardware issues, emphasizing system monitoring, event log analysis, and power management adjustments.
00:00:00
In this part of the video, Linus explains he has an issue where his computer randomly shuts off after updating the BIOS, and he can’t troubleshoot it himself due to an impending vacation. He calls Anthony for help. Anthony, just back from his own vacation, decides to walk through his troubleshooting process. After quickly thanking the sponsor, Anthony begins by verifying if the wall power and UPS are functioning correctly and checks the power cables and connectors. Finding no issues there, he considers the possibility of CPU socket pin problems due to over-tightening but dismisses it as the symptoms don’t match. He reluctantly decides to power on the system and continue the investigation, hoping for some good luck.
00:03:00
In this part of the video, the presenter begins by opening a system monitoring tool like HWiNFO and Task Manager to check temperatures, voltages, and running processes. The CPU is operating at a low usage with temperatures in a tolerable range despite slight heat from GPU idle mining. The importance of monitoring software-reported CPU voltages, which can be inaccurate and fluctuate quickly, is emphasized, especially for an overclocked Threadripper 3000. Voltages can range from 0.6 to over 1.4 volts depending on the load, and inconsistent voltages could potentially cause random blue screens or shutdowns. The presenter also demonstrates how to use Windows Event Viewer to investigate unexpected power-offs by checking system logs for relevant events.
00:06:00
In this part of the video, the presenter explains how to determine when Windows was shut down and restarted using the event log. They highlight the significance of event log items labeled as critical, such as bug check items, which indicate blue screen errors, and how these details can be useful for diagnostics. They note the presence of ACPI events related to power management, potentially indicating voltage issues. The segment also covers the general nature of different event log entries, the importance of identifying relevant items, and how some entries like distributed COM events on fresh installs can be benign. The presenter advises checking the application log for recurring problems and mentions the limited relevance of security logs on single-user PCs, unless investigating logon issues or potential hacking. The video concludes by discussing setup logs from Windows updates, the differences between C states (low power) and P states (performance-oriented) in CPU power management, and the possible role of C states in the observed issues.
00:09:00
In this part of the video, the presenter focuses on reducing power consumption by managing C states in a desktop PC. They explain how to enter the BIOS, specifically mentioning methods such as pressing F2 or using advanced options in Windows. The presenter searches for and disables C states, discusses the steps to save and reset BIOS settings, and checks if the change has resolved random power-off issues. After letting the system run for a few days, they confirm that disabling C states has prevented the random shut-downs, indicating the fix was successful. The presenter also touches on the complexity and variability of power management across different systems.
00:12:00
In this segment, the presenter concludes by highlighting the upcoming PC build guide, which is touted as the most comprehensive and longest video they’ve produced. The discussion shifts back to power management, noting it’s generally more suitable for laptops than desktops, where many features like PCI Express are disabled by default. The presenter advises against enabling these features on desktops unless necessary to troubleshoot hardware issues. The segment wraps up with a brief mention of C states and the importance of understanding power management to diagnose problems. Finally, the video promotes Pulseway, a tool for managing IT infrastructure, outlining its features such as process management, password resets, and auto remediation for critical failures. The segment closes by encouraging viewers to try Pulseway for free and to check out other content from Linus.