[SOLVED] 40+ Blue Screens in the past 6 hours

[azpotato]

I’ve been having 40+ blue screens for the past 6 hours. Each screen has contained a different stop code, from memory management and IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL and 0x000021a are the most common. I've tried memory diagnostic and reseating GPU RAM, etc. I’ve also seen that some are having trouble with most recent windows update which gives them BSOD errors, but I can’t rollback the update because it just blue screens during the download. It even blue screens when i’m in the advanced options screen where you can reset your drive and open CMD and start up repair. Its even gotten to the point where I have tried to repair through an image of the Windows ISO on a flash, but it even blue screens when I boot from my flash drive. I've tried booting from my SSD (which has my OS), my HDD, and the flash drive.


With the initial blue screen, I had like an hour before it gave me another, but now I can't even boot to windows for 3 seconds before it gives me a BSOD.


I literally have no other options and I am desperate at this point. I need this computer to do school work and also communicate with others. Any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated.

EDIT: I did install a new windows update on the day of these issues so I think that may be the issue, but I can't rollback without BSOD.

 

[Colif]

1. Run memtest, 40 BSOD in such a short time, it would be 1st step -
Try running memtest86 on each of your ram sticks, one stick at a time, up to 4 passes. Only error count you want is 0, any higher could be cause of the BSOD. Remove/replace ram sticks with errors.
it creates a USB, it boots outside of windows

I have tried to repair through an image of the Windows ISO on a flash, but it even blue screens when I boot from my flash drive.

Are you sure its booting off the USB? What specs of the PC?

 

[Colif]

STOP 0xC000021A; STATUS_SYSTEM_PROCESS_TERMINATED

Symptom 1: 0xc000021A error screen
The 0xC000021A error is a Blue Screen of Death or BSoD error (related: Blue Screen of Death guide) that occurs when a Windows user-mode subsystem is compromised.

Description
Windows user-mode subsystems are: WinLogon or Client Server-Run Time Subsystem (CSRSS). These 2 sub-systems are mandatory for Windows to operate.

If these are compromised, Windows stops running and will show this error.

https://neosmart.net/wiki/0xc000021a/#About_the_82200xc000021A8221_error

Well, yes, windows isn't going anywhere. But should be able to boot off the USB as I can show a way to save some files off C drive (hopefully)

If secure boot is on, in the bios, then PC won't boot off the USB.

Its why I ask, as if you BSOD on the USB, its time to run memtest to check ram, and if its okay, make another USB,

 

[azpotato]

How do I run memtest86 if I can't boot out of bios with BSOD?
My specs are:
i7 6700k
rx590 8gb
16 gb ram (2 8 sticks)
128 sandisk ssd + 1 tb WD hdd

 

[Colif]

I did mean to say, Make Memtest on another PC. It is bootable off the USB.

I always forget that detail.

what motherboard do you have??

 

[azpotato]

I see.
Here is my motherboard: https://us.msi.com/Motherboard/H110M-GAMING.html

 

[Colif]

i so hate how motherboard makers don't include any instructions on the BIOS in the non overclockable boards, like the owners don't matter or something. Z boards, 24 pages, too much info, Your board... 2 pages. Nothing... /rant

sorry. It just bugs me and makes figuring this out more complicated as I have to assume a MSI Z170 boards bios internals are very similar to what pages you mostly see.

You have 2 ways to choose what drive to boot off
Leave C drive as boot drive
with the USB you want to boot from in the PC, go to Save & exit screen in BIOS
choose Boot override
pick USB from list and PC will boot from it on startup. that 1 time, and then go back to default.

If that doesn't work, can turn off secure boot - Go into BIOS
Settings/Advanced
under this menu there might be a header - Windows OS Config
Is Win 8.1/10 WHQL support enabled?
if it is, Secure Boot support should also show underneath the WIndow OS Config menu.
If it is enabled, disable it as until we fix win 10, it will stop you booting off USB.

 

[azpotato]

i so hate how motherboard makers don't include any instructions on the BIOS in the non overclockable boards, like the owners don't matter or something. Z boards, 24 pages, too much info, Your board... 2 pages. Nothing... /rant

sorry. It just bugs me and makes figuring this out more complicated as I have to assume a MSI Z170 boards bios internals are very similar to what pages you mostly see.

You have 2 ways to choose what drive to boot off
Leave C drive as boot drive
with the USB you want to boot from in the PC, go to Save & exit screen in BIOS
choose Boot override
pick USB from list and PC will boot from it on startup. that 1 time, and then go back to default.

If that doesn't work, can turn off secure boot - Go into BIOS
Settings/Advanced
under this menu there might be a header - Windows OS Config
Is Win 8.1/10 WHQL support enabled?
if it is, Secure Boot support should also show underneath the WIndow OS Config menu.
If it is enabled, disable it as until we fix win 10, it will stop you booting off USB.

Your BIOS looks very similar to mine, however I'm running into a new issue now where I cannot locate my SSD boot drive in the list of options it provides you. However, I can find it in the boot override list on the save & exit screen. Right now, I'm trying to boot off of 1 RAM stick to see if my memory is causing these issues.

 

[Colif]

is one of the options called WIndows Boot Manager as that could be your SSD (or should include the details PC needs to boot off the SSD)

 

[azpotato]

is one of the options called WIndows Boot Manager as that could be your SSD (or should include the details PC needs to boot off the SSD)

I will check right now.

 

[azpotato]

is one of the options called WIndows Boot Manager as that could be your SSD (or should include the details PC needs to boot off the SSD)

I do not see Windows boot manager as an option. I also just re-seated both sticks of ram after clearing CMOS and BSOD still immediately show up right after the automatic repair.

 

[Colif]

Well, windows is broken, that explains the BSOD.

It can't start windows if WInlogin is corrupted. That is one of the systems that can cause STATUS_SYSTEM_PROCESS_TERMINATED

Its why need to boot of the USB. Have you used that USB before? Its highly unlikely you get same error twice. Memory Management & IRQ errors can both be ram or drivers.. or ssd (but rarely - windows counts ssd as memory as its where the page file is).

Ram can cause all sorts of weird errors, its why I would run memtest if you can. If you know sticks are okay, then we can start from a semi solid base and try to reinstall win 10

Is there anything on C you want to save?
In command prompt
type notepad and press enter
in notepad, select file>open
Use file explorer to copy any files you need to save to USB or hdd

 

[azpotato]

Well, windows is broken, that explains the BSOD.

It can't start windows if WInlogin is corrupted. That is one of the systems that can cause STATUS_SYSTEM_PROCESS_TERMINATED

Its why need to boot of the USB. Have you used that USB before? Its highly unlikely you get same error twice. Memory Management & IRQ errors can both be ram or drivers.. or ssd (but rarely - windows counts ssd as memory as its where the page file is).

Ram can cause all sorts of weird errors, its why I would run memtest if you can. If you know sticks are okay, then we can start from a semi solid base and try to reinstall win 10

Is there anything on C you want to save?
In command prompt
type notepad and press enter
in notepad, select file>open
Use file explorer to copy any files you need to save to USB or hdd

The thing is, when I try to boot from my flash drive Windows image, it continues to blue screen, so I can't really open command prompt or even try to repair windows or back-track windows updates.

 

[Colif]

Is it the same BSOD each time?

if its the same BSOD everytime, and its talking about windows services, it can't be booting off the USB at all. Its not a common error

If its an IRQ error, it could be the ram. unless we test that we really don't know. I know its not the best time to be doing this, but any friends who can make USB for you?

Have you seen a WHEA error at all? I don't mind if you haven't.

if you had another PC you could make an UBUNTU live usb and try to boot off it, If you still get a BSOD in that about windows, I would be amazed. If it crashes, it could still mean it is ram.. its not a perfect test. just checks if PC really is booting off a USB.

 

[azpotato]

Is it the same BSOD each time?

if its the same BSOD everytime, and its talking about windows services, it can't be booting off the USB at all. Its not a common error

If its an IRQ error, it could be the ram. unless we test that we really don't know. I know its not the best time to be doing this, but any friends who can make USB for you?

Have you seen a WHEA error at all? I don't mind if you haven't.

if you had another PC you could make an UBUNTU live usb and try to boot off it, If you still get a BSOD in that about windows, I would be amazed. If it crashes, it could still mean it is ram.. its not a perfect test. just checks if PC really is booting off a USB.

I am getting various errors ATM, Kernel auto boost was the most recent, I am booting off of my USB and loading into the repair menu. I select restore to a previous installation, and it asks me to restart, I select uninstall most recent update, and it gives me an error, and then I select start-up repairer, and then it runs into a BSOD.

I also just tested both of my ram sticks by themselves and they both still gave BSOD after booting.

I have seen WHEA error before as well.

 

[Colif]

Do you use any wireless gear? Wifi adapter? external hdd? Bluetooth? they can all cause that last one - https://appuals.com/fix-kernel-auto-boost-lock-acquisition-with-raised-irql/

 

[azpotato]

My PC doesn't support bluetooth and I also don't use any wireless gear. I've been trying to fix this for 10 hours and it is now 6 AM and I don't know what to do anymore. I can only sometimes get to the installation key before a blue screen, this time it was a 0xc000021a error. When I get to the installer, I try to restore to a previous update, but the screen remains blue and I am not provided options and it tells me to restart and select a date to restore to. I am broken and so distraught, I need this PC to do school work and communicate with peers.

 

[Deleted member 14196]

Format and clean reinstall

 

[Colif]

yes, mandark, we are trying to do that. But clearly something is not working right in PC as shouldn't keep getting so many errors.

@azpotato go to sleep, we figure this out tomorrow.

 

[azpotato]

yes, mandark, we are trying to do that. But clearly something is not working right in PC as shouldn't keep getting so many errors.

@azpotato go to sleep, we figure this out tomorrow.

Ok I am up, I am going to try to data from the drives if I can. If there are so many errors, do you think there is another underlying issue that we are seeing?

 

[azpotato]

@Colif I will be on the entire day, and I need to fix this issue soon. Thanks for all your help so far.

 

[Colif]

I won't be as its 4.30am here.

I can only sometimes get to the installation key before a blue screen

SInce that screen is still before you choose which drive to install onto, I think problem is still ram.


BSOD while running or even booting off the USB means its running everything in ram. Its just odd its the same BSOD everytime unless the USB is also corrupted. That seems unlikely... it lets you run the tools off the USB.

The licence screen is 2 pages before the choice of custom install, so no other drives involved.

EDIT: I did install a new windows update on the day of these issues so I think that may be the issue, but I can't rollback without BSOD.

That could possibly be the blame for 1st lot of BSOD, and could have messed up windows but it shouldn't cause PC to not boot a USB or the errors you get when booting off USB, as the update isn't on the USB

I take it you don't have another PC? As I would make another installer on another USB and see if it too has same error. As this is very specific, ram errors don't often blame the same thing over and over again.

unplug any extra USB devices. We have tried most of these, a lot are impossible right now - https://windowsreport.com/fix-error-0xc000021a/#8

Maybe I need 8 hours sleep to work this out

 

[azpotato]

I won't be as its 4.30am here.

I see, if you have the time, I would really appreciate the help.

SInce that screen is still before you choose which drive to install onto, I think problem is still ram.


BSOD while running or even booting off the USB means its running everything in ram. Its just odd its the same BSOD everytime unless the USB is also corrupted. That seems unlikely... it lets you run the tools off the USB.

The licence screen is 2 pages before the choice of custom install, so no other drives involved.

Just to clarify, its not the same BSOD everytime, the most recent errors have been IQRLs etc, I don't think I have the allotted time required to do any repairs. It also seems like the error appears most when the computer goes into the "preparing automatic repair" screen.

That could possibly be the blame for 1st lot of BSOD, and could have messed up windows but it shouldn't cause PC to not boot a USB or the errors you get when booting off USB, as the update isn't on the USB

I take it you don't have another PC? As I would make another installer on another USB and see if it too has same error. As this is very specific, ram errors don't often blame the same thing over and over again.

Maybe I need 8 hours sleep to work this out

When the first several BSOD appeared and upon restart, I could still use windows and all my applications fine for about an hour, but it got the point now where I can't get past the preparing automatic repair screen with BSOD when booting from my OS SSD and blue screening on the installation key screen when booting from the flash drive.

I am preparing to do a memtest86 to see if it is for certain the ram.

 

[azpotato]

I am going to try to collect some mini-dumps if anyone can help analyze them and find the cause of my blue screening.

 

[azpotato]

After trying to collect mini-dumps using Linux and Ubuntu with no avail, I have tried to discharge the capacitors on my motherboard, as well as booting from a different flash drive with a new windows image. Linux and Ubuntu have not been functional after I try to boot them, and the flash drive with windows still returns a blue screen, different stop codes each time again. I am really unsure of what is happening at this point and of what I should do.

Some have suggested it is the motherboard, others CPU, or RAM. It would be really helpful if someone could take a look. I will promptly clarify if something is asked or suggested.