BSOD after hardware upgrade

Jun 16, 2018
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Upgraded Ram,Cpu and motherboard.
Keep getting blue screen of death issues (system thread not handled). Everything boots but can only get to safe mode, trouble shooting and the BSOD. Tried to update graphics drivers in safe mode and then update motherboard bios but didn't work. Specs are: i5 9600k, gtx 1060 6gb, gigabyte z370p d3(optimized for 9th gen) please help really want to try new hardware!
 
Solution
You don't update the bios IN Windows. You update IN the BIOS. So no, you don't have to do that. Download the bios update from a different machine or device, unzip or unpack the files in the bios update to a flash drive, go into the bios and find the update utility and run it. Point it to the updates image. I HIGHLY suggest that you find a tutorial on updating the bios and watch it.

Here's one, you might be able to find one for your specific model, but I'd watch several until I was fully comfortable with the process, and THEN update. Better to take your time right now and do it right then do something wrong and brick the board. It's perfectly safe so long as there are no actual problems with the motherboard such as it shuts off when you...
Did you do a clean install of Windows after the upgrade? IF you did not, that is one of the things I'd most recommend as a first step. Even if your previous system was an Intel based platform, it's just about one of the most common problems we see after upgrading due to differences and incompatibilities with drivers. Storage controllers, audio (This is a very common one), network adapters and even the chipset drivers all can, and do, cause problems after the platform change.

I would recommend that you do all of the following EXCEPT that I would do the clean install of Windows immediately after the bios update IF one is available that is newer than your current version and THEN update the drivers from the motherboard product page and lastly, update the Nvidia drivers using the latest version from their support page.

Here are the first steps to take when trying to solve these kinds of hardware problems. If you have already tried these steps, all of them, exactly as outlined, we can move along to more advanced solutions.

If there are any you have NOT done, it would be advisable to do so if for no other reason than to be able to say you've already done it and eliminate that possibility.

If this is a no-POST issue, then refer to these instructions.

**Click here for help troubleshooting hardware and No-POST issues

Otherwise, continue on.



First, make sure your motherboard has the MOST recent BIOS version installed. If it does not, then update. This solves a high number of issues even in cases where the release that is newer than yours makes no mention of improving graphics card or other hardware compatibility. They do not list every change they have made when they post a new BIOS release.

Second, go to the product page for your motherboard on the manufacturer website. Download and install the latest driver versions for the chipset, storage controllers, audio and network adapters. Do not skip installing a newer driver just because you think it is not relevant to the problem you are having. The drivers for one device can often affect ALL other devices and a questionable driver release can cause instability in the OS itself. They don't release new drivers just for fun. If there is a new driver release for a component, there is a good reason for it. The same goes for BIOS updates.

IF you have other hardware installed or attached to the system that are not a part of the systems covered by the motherboard drivers, then go to the support page for THAT component and check to see if there are newer drivers available for that as well. If there are, install them.

The last thing we want to look at, for now anyhow, is the graphics card drivers. Regardless of whether you "already installed the newest drivers" for your graphics card or not, it is OFTEN a good idea to do a CLEAN install of the graphics card drivers. Just installing over the old drivers OR trying to use what Nvidia and AMD consider a clean install is not good enough and does not usually give the same result as using the Display Driver Uninstaller utility. This has a very high success rate and is always worth a shot.

If you have had both Nvidia and AMD cards installed at any point on that operating system then you will want to run the DDU twice. Once for the old card drivers (ie, Nvidia or AMD) and again for the currently installed graphics card drivers (ie, AMD or Nvidia). So if you had an Nvidia card at some point in the past, run it first for Nvidia and then after that is complete, run it again for AMD if you currently have an AMD card installed.

Here are the full instructions on running the Display driver uninstaller and CLEAN installing new drivers.

*Graphics card CLEAN install tutorial using the DDU*


Windows 10 Clean install tutorial


In the unlikely even this does not cure your problems, it would be helpful to not only know what the specs for your previous system were, but also what your EXACT power supply model is.

Also, make sure that your memory is in the correct slots. For two modules, they should be in the A2 and B2 slots. Might also be helpful to know WHAT your memory configuration IS?

 
Jun 16, 2018
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Thanks for the speedy reply, I am now trying a clean install of windows now and if it doesn't work I will try your other solutions. My psu is the evga 650w bronze and the ram is the Corsair vengeance lpx 2666mhz 1x8gb the motherboard manual said to put the stick in the far right slot. It's the only configuration that seems to allow it to boot.
 
Yes, the far right slot is the DDR4_1 slot (AKA the B2 slot on many boards) and is fine. You could also use the A1 (DDR4_2) slot and it should work fine but it really doesn't matter at this point.

A single memory module is not a recommended configuration. Memory should be purchased in pairs so that the system configures itself for dual channel operation which doubles the memory bandwidth. Those pairs should consist of matched sets that are purchased together. Certainly what you have should WORK though, but you should consider returning that module and buying a 2 x4GB or 2 x8GB kit instead.

I would check your motherboard product page to see if the latest bios version is newer than what you have installed and if there is a newer version, update BEFORE installing Windows.

If you are not on version F10, and you are running that 9th gen processor, THAT is probably most if not ALL of your problem. Any bios version for that board prior to F10 does not support the 9th gen processors adequately, or in some cases, at all.
 
Jun 16, 2018
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Ok thanks, in order to update bios I need to go into safe mode as that is the only way to get to my desktop. Does safe mode save every change made because we already tried to update the bios through there but it didn't save?
 
You don't update the bios IN Windows. You update IN the BIOS. So no, you don't have to do that. Download the bios update from a different machine or device, unzip or unpack the files in the bios update to a flash drive, go into the bios and find the update utility and run it. Point it to the updates image. I HIGHLY suggest that you find a tutorial on updating the bios and watch it.

Here's one, you might be able to find one for your specific model, but I'd watch several until I was fully comfortable with the process, and THEN update. Better to take your time right now and do it right then do something wrong and brick the board. It's perfectly safe so long as there are no actual problems with the motherboard such as it shuts off when you are in the bios or in any pre-windows environment and so long as you do the process correctly using the correct update files.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ze4Dg11W3hU
 
Solution
Jun 16, 2018
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After quite a few hours of struggle, think I finally fixed it, I updated the bios like you said and all the drivers etc and reinstalled windows and it seems to be working. As to how stable it is I'm not sure but thanks so much! Had to wipe pc when reinstalling windows so now downloading game library. Thanks again!