I've been running a RTL-SDR dongle and dsdplus for several years with zero issues.The past month or so my pc keeps randomly rebooting on its own several times a day. I think I narrowed it down to the dongle, as I unplugged it a couple of days ago and have not had any reboot issues since. Anybody else ever have this issue ? Any ideas what is going on here ?
Dongle casing reboot ?
- Thread starter ajaphoto
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Have you looked at windows event viewer, for error/critical logs around the time of the reboot? Look for kernel-power errors, perhaps the psu is going bad?
Have you tried a different usb port? Perhaps the port has a short?
Try something like HWiNFO to watch your psu under a load
Have you tried a different usb port? Perhaps the port has a short?
Try something like HWiNFO to watch your psu under a load
BM82557
Member
This is a built in windows tool that is useful in this kind of situation --
support.microsoft.com
Use the System File Checker tool to repair missing or corrupted system files | Microsoft Support
Describes how to use the System File Checker tool to troubleshoot missing or corrupted system files in Windows.
support.microsoft.com
If it's a desktop, sounds like the thermal paste needs replacing on the cpu cooler, has probably dried out. This will cause random reboots.
How old is the computer, if more than 3 years that's a common problem with thermal paste.
Can also happen on laptops, but not that often.
How old is the computer, if more than 3 years that's a common problem with thermal paste.
Can also happen on laptops, but not that often.
dickie757
Resolved
Maybe a Windows driver update. Also, clean out USB ports.
VexingRaven
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This has not been an issue for at least a decade, likely 15 years at this point. A modern CPU will just throttle down if it gets too hot.
Hard to say without seeing what other events are occurring prior to this event, but this would certainly suggest some sort of scheduled task. Updates, for example. Or it could be something entirely external to your PC that happens around the same time every day, though that is remarkably consistent.
Beg to differ ASUS ROG motherboards (which all my pc's run on), and most newer motherboards, are designed to shutdown completely if they reach a certain temp, they don't throttle down as the cpu heats up, they just shutdown at a specified temp.
Also if you research thermal paste it is advised to replace every 3-5 years, as it dries out!
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VexingRaven
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The motherboard doesn't have any say in it, the CPU itself will throttle. The hard thermal cutoff is well above the point at which they throttle, you will only hit that if something is very wrong.
Replacing thermal paste is a myth that never dies, there's absolutely no need for it. No serious test has ever shown more than a small improvement from repasting. Yes, it dries out. It can still transfer heat just fine, as long as you leave it in place. You only need to repaste if you remove the heat sink and break the bond the thermal paste has formed.
Replacing thermal paste is a myth that never dies, there's absolutely no need for it. No serious test has ever shown more than a small improvement from repasting. Yes, it dries out. It can still transfer heat just fine, as long as you leave it in place. You only need to repaste if you remove the heat sink and break the bond the thermal paste has formed.
wtp
Member
try running it in safe mode and see if it still happens.
might be too much running.
get back to us if you can for other ideas then.
might be too much running.
get back to us if you can for other ideas then.
Not going to argue over it, but 40 years in IT computing tells me a different story.
Update:
I found a task in the Windows Task scheduler that happens within a minute or two of the reboot. Nvidia checks daily for a driver update. I disabled the task the but the next but it got enabled again somehow. I’m golng to uninstall the Nvidia software and hopefully that will work. Thanks for all the help, I’ll let you guys know how it goes.
I found a task in the Windows Task scheduler that happens within a minute or two of the reboot. Nvidia checks daily for a driver update. I disabled the task the but the next but it got enabled again somehow. I’m golng to uninstall the Nvidia software and hopefully that will work. Thanks for all the help, I’ll let you guys know how it goes.
dickie757
Resolved
@lrweb
Try this:
www.techpowerup.com
Then:
www.techpowerup.com
Try this:
Display Driver Uninstaller (DDU) 18.1.6.1 Download
Display Driver Uninstaller (DDU) is a tool that completely removes GPU drivers, ensuring no residual files or registry keys remain. This can help to
Then:
NVCleanstall v1.19.0 Download
NVCleanstall lets you customize the NVIDIA GeForce Driver package by removing components that you don't need (or want). This not only keeps things ti
saioke
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Kernel power 41 in my experience has always indicated either a bad or going PSU or thermal issues. It can also be driver problems, or even bad ram, but both of those issues will usually give a hint in the event viewer as well. Check your temps and make sure they aren't high first of all.
But yeah, don't listen to Raven above. I also repair PCs. Thermal paste DOES dry up, and it DOES need replaced occasionally. Yes, they will thermal down when they're too hot, but if it isn't adequate to cool it even in a throttled state, it WILL shut down to prevent damage. If a system is thermal throttling, you should get that addressed regardless.
Personally I replace thermal paste once every 6 months to a year on a laptop, and maybe once every year to 3 on Desktop. You used to be able to get away with replacing paste every 5-7 years on a Desktop but with how much heat these new quad-core CPUs and GPUs can generate, you need to do it more often. That being said, these days there's alternatives to paste, you can get a PTM pad and you can go several years without needing replacement. Liquid metal works too but I personally hate the stuff and I think it's dumb to put anything conductive near any component.
But yeah, don't listen to Raven above. I also repair PCs. Thermal paste DOES dry up, and it DOES need replaced occasionally. Yes, they will thermal down when they're too hot, but if it isn't adequate to cool it even in a throttled state, it WILL shut down to prevent damage. If a system is thermal throttling, you should get that addressed regardless.
Personally I replace thermal paste once every 6 months to a year on a laptop, and maybe once every year to 3 on Desktop. You used to be able to get away with replacing paste every 5-7 years on a Desktop but with how much heat these new quad-core CPUs and GPUs can generate, you need to do it more often. That being said, these days there's alternatives to paste, you can get a PTM pad and you can go several years without needing replacement. Liquid metal works too but I personally hate the stuff and I think it's dumb to put anything conductive near any component.
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Happened to me in the past, I am sure it was the drivers. I updated those and no problem since.
If I am actively scanning, if I switch antennas, the dongle freezes up. Unplugging a few seconds restores everything.
If I am actively scanning, if I switch antennas, the dongle freezes up. Unplugging a few seconds restores everything.
saioke
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Yeah in my experience the RTLSDRs that I use are very sensitive to disruptions. If you even barely touch them they'll lose connection. That's been my experience though, and it could be the USB hub I'm using. Been looking for a cheap powered hub. There's some cheap ones on Aliexpress but I wouldn't trust one of those to not destroy my USB port or my system.
Hot glue kind've helps as long as you let it completely harden for several hours and don't move them around too much. Also wouldn't want to get hot glue on any of the pins in the USB port because then you WILL have connectivity issues lol.
I hesitate to say this, but I think I may have solved the rebooting problem. I used the Nvidia uninstall recommended by @dickie757. That successfully removed the scheduled task set up by the Nvidia software, but he reboot problem came back. I searched the dump files for the crashes and it appeared to be caused by the HP One Agent software. An AI search confirmed that is a known issue for some. I uninstalled the program and so far so good, no reboots. Fingers Crossed
This illustrates a compelling reason for the "nuke it from orbit" approach to new Windows PCs!
Fortunately, Microsoft provides downloads of the Windows Install ISO, making it easy to take a new PC and wipe the drive, along with any extraneous software, and start with a fresh instance of Windows.
100%. When I worked in IT, I always planned a minimum of 2 hours just to remove the bloatware from a new Windows PC. I can remember certain printer or video "drivers" that were 50+ MB when the driver itself was less than 1MB. Then another hour to remove all the bloatware associated with that driver. Please. Can't I just install the driver?
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