Computer reboots/shuts down/hangs sometimes when loading KSP

[szputnyik]

I don't know if I should put this topic here, because this seems to be a general computer hardware issue, not a KSP issue, but it may have affected someone else playing KSP here.

About a week ago, a peculiar problem with my computer started to appear.

When I try loading KSP, it has about a 50% chance of loading correctly, or during the early stages of loading (right when the loading screen should appear) the computer either reboots, shuts down, or hangs in such a way, that I can only restart it by turning off the main switch on the power supply, then turning it back on again. It also happens most of the time if I alt+tab out of KSP.

This problem also affects another game that I play, Take on Mars, but on a much more severe scale.

I run Windows 8.1, my computer has an AMD fx 8120 8-core CPU, 8 GBs of RAM, and an Nvidia Geforce GT 640 graphics card.

I run KSP on Steam.

[SAI Peregrinus]

Check your system event logs. Check your temperatures, and clean your heatsinks just in case.

[vixr]

When my computer started doing this it turned out to be the power supply...once replaced everything was fine...

[szputnyik]

I thoroughly cleaned out my case and wiped down the fans of the power supply, graphics card and CPU with alcohol wipes yesterday evening, and today the problem didn't appear! Looks like the problem was inefficient cooling because of dust buildup. Thanks a lot for the tip!