Question BSOD caused by ntoskrnl.exe ?

[verglas]

Hiya everyone. I'm new to this forum so I'll keep it direct.

I have been facing multiple BSODs months ago since at least June. On June, I figured one of the 8GB RAM sticks has a problem (it made clicking sounds when i pressed on it) so I replaced it and done two reset of my PC but the problem still kept on going. Couldn't figure out if the RAM stick causes the BSOD or its a driver issue.

On July, I play a game (VNs and FPS games) in Steam, my BSOD is bound to blue screen after playing (after 3 hours or so). Nowadays, it chooses to blue screen at random intervals when I leave it idle. Last Sunday, I used MemTest86 on both RAMs (though ended the test nearly when its done since I didn't had time) and it detected no errors. I reseated both RAMS again and it blue screens much faster when I leave it idle. I turned off sleep mode and fast startup, updated my BIOS (maxsun a520m), and my graphics driver (NVIDIA GTX 1660 Ti).

I feel like it could be overheating, but I have no idea why. Is it because of the PC case? The case of the PC case is broken and my hardware doesn't look too dirty but I'll have it cleaned next week if it is truly the problem.

Computer was a gift in 2023.

BSODs (July to August) minidumps and speccy
all caused by ntoskrnl.exe
• IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL
• ATTEMPTED_EXECUTE_OF_NO_EXECUTE MEMORY

 

[ubuysa]

You're running with mismatched RAM and from the dumps that looks to be the most likely source of your problems. The RAM part numbers you have are...

Ramaxel 8GB RMUA5110ME78HAF-2666
Teamgroup 8GB TEAMGROUP-UD4-3600

Mixing different RAM models is a well known cause of BSODs. Typically differences in internal timings is the cause. Always buy RAM in a pack of matched sticks.

I would remove one stick and run on just the one for a few days, or until you get a BSOD. Then swap the sticks over and run on just the other for a few days, or until you get a BSOD. You will most probably find that they run perfectly on their own, but you get BSODs with them installed together.

In that case I would ditch both RAM sticks (you may be able to sell them on) and buy a pack of matched sticks suitable for your motherboard. The Qualified Vendor List of tested RAM can be found in the support section of your motherboard page, buy new RAM in a pack from this list.

 

[verglas]

You're running with mismatched RAM and from the dumps that looks to be the most likely source of your problems. The RAM part numbers you have are...

Ramaxel 8GB RMUA5110ME78HAF-2666
Teamgroup 8GB TEAMGROUP-UD4-3600

Mixing different RAM models is a well known cause of BSODs. Typically differences in internal timings is the cause. Always buy RAM in a pack of matched sticks.

I would remove one stick and run on just the one for a few days, or until you get a BSOD. Then swap the sticks over and run on just the other for a few days, or until you get a BSOD. You will most probably find that they run perfectly on their own, but you get BSODs with them installed together.

In that case I would ditch both RAM sticks (you may be able to sell them on) and buy a pack of matched sticks suitable for your motherboard. The Qualified Vendor List of tested RAM can be found in the support section of your motherboard page, buy new RAM in a pack from this list.

I understand. But I have a question. Why does the original RAM stick (I had 2 Teamgroup 8GB TEAMGROUP-UD4-3600) caused the BSODs before I replaced it?

 

[beyondlogic]

I understand. But I have a question. Why does the original RAM stick (I had 2 Teamgroup 8GB TEAMGROUP-UD4-3600) caused the BSODs before I replaced it?

Run the ram at 3200 not 3600 higher speeds then 3200 aren't guaranteed and become unstable.

Also it can be a corrupt windows installation

 

[verglas]

Run the ram at 3200 not 3600 higher speeds then 3200 aren't guaranteed and become unstable.

Also it can be a corrupt windows installation

Corrupt windows installation?

 

[ubuysa]

I understand. But I have a question. Why does the original RAM stick (I had 2 Teamgroup 8GB TEAMGROUP-UD4-3600) caused the BSODs before I replaced it?

I've no idea. Troubleshooting is like peeling an onion, you start with the most obvious, given the data you have, and work inwards. Testing to see whether it's mismatched RAM is the first thing we must do.

 

[beyondlogic]

Corrupt windows installation?

Yes that ntoskrnl.exe is associated with a critical file missing in windows usually.

Only real fix is a full reinstall I would back up your games and saves to a portable drive

Do a full reinstall of windows

Also running the ram speed as I've said at 3600 can make system unstable.

3200 is max speed the CPU officially supports anything higher is basically hit and hit miss

 

[johnbl]

I looked at several of the memory dumps.
I would update the bios again to the beta version just to get the updated system fan setting. (on the assumption that the cpu is overheating)

amd chipset driver for a520 (updated)
(should be first fix attempt)

https://www.amd.com/en/support/downloads/drivers.html/chipsets/am4/a520.html

(my guess is overheated cpu, or power problem to cpu, to maybe old drivers for cpu chipset, sorry it is not very clear) I say this because there were bad memory values but the contents looked more like electronics timing issues that could be temp or power related.


I assume you are using rtcore64 to check gpu temps?
(rather than overclocking the gpu)

your motherboard vendor has not updated cpu chipset drivers since 2023.

I might consider turning off the amd power management driver. (block c states in bios maybe, or disable the amd power management driver)
(you may find that installing the amd ryzen master driver can help)
I would consider trying to download the amd cpu chipset drivers directly from amd.

(I would check the power supply voltages in bios if you can to see that they are within specs)
blow dust out of cpu fans, power supply fans and gpu fans.




-----------------
cpu came out july of 2019


8: kd> !sysinfo cpuinfo
[CPU Information]
~MHz = REG_DWORD 3593
dentifier = REG_SZ AMD64 Family 23 Model 113 Stepping 0
ProcessorNameString = REG_SZ AMD Ryzen 5 3600 6-Core Processor
Update Status = REG_DWORD 1
VendorIdentifier = REG_SZ AuthenticAMD

8: kd> !sysinfo cpumicrocode
Initial Microcode Version: 00000000:08701035
Cached Microcode Version: 00000000:00000000
Processor Family: 17
Processor Model: 71
Processor Stepping: 00
Note: Cached Microcode Version is not detected!

8: kd> !sysinfo machineid

BiosVersion = 5.17
BiosReleaseDate = 03/25/2025
SystemManufacturer = MAXSUN
SystemProductName = MS-Challenger A520M
BaseBoardManufacturer = MAXSUN
BaseBoardProduct = MS-Challenger A520M

 

[ubuysa]

Yes that ntoskrnl.exe is associated with a critical file missing in windows usually.

This isn't entirely accurate. The ntoskrnl.exe executable is the Windows kernel and that's not at fault. Typically what happens is that a third-party driver fouls up in some way, but the error isn't discovered until control returns to the kernel. It's there that the kernel realises the driver has fouled up, but the kernel has no way to know why the driver fouled up, nor does it have any way to go back to the driver to ask for the issues to be fixed. Also, and this is the important bit, since the kernel doesn't know whether the driver foul up will damage or destroy user data it has no choice but to halt the system with a BSOD. The module that was in control when the BSOD occurred was, of course, ntoskrnl.exe, that's why in the resulting dump the failing module is identified as ntoskrnl.exe. But of course that's not the module at fault at all and we need to backtrack in the dump to discover which driver fouled up.

Incidentally, sometimes we see ntkrnlmp.exe instead, this is the Windows multi-processing kernel and is equally not at fault.

 

[verglas]

Yes that ntoskrnl.exe is associated with a critical file missing in windows usually.

Only real fix is a full reinstall I would back up your games and saves to a portable drive

Do a full reinstall of windows

Also running the ram speed as I've said at 3600 can make system unstable.

3200 is max speed the CPU officially supports anything higher is basically hit and hit miss

That's odd because I already did two full resets of Windows and the problem still persisted. Though, I will try limiting the RAM voltage in the BIOS.

 

[verglas]

I looked at several of the memory dumps.
I would update the bios again to the beta version just to get the updated system fan setting. (on the assumption that the cpu is overheating)

amd chipset driver for a520 (updated)
(should be first fix attempt)

https://www.amd.com/en/support/downloads/drivers.html/chipsets/am4/a520.html

(my guess is overheated cpu, or power problem to cpu, to maybe old drivers for cpu chipset, sorry it is not very clear) I say this because there were bad memory values but the contents looked more like electronics timing issues that could be temp or power related.


I assume you are using rtcore64 to check gpu temps?
(rather than overclocking the gpu)

your motherboard vendor has not updated cpu chipset drivers since 2023.

I might consider turning off the amd power management driver. (block c states in bios maybe, or disable the amd power management driver)
(you may find that installing the amd ryzen master driver can help)
I would consider trying to download the amd cpu chipset drivers directly from amd.

(I would check the power supply voltages in bios if you can to see that they are within specs)
blow dust out of cpu fans, power supply fans and gpu fans.




-----------------
cpu came out july of 2019


8: kd> !sysinfo cpuinfo
[CPU Information]
~MHz = REG_DWORD 3593
dentifier = REG_SZ AMD64 Family 23 Model 113 Stepping 0
ProcessorNameString = REG_SZ AMD Ryzen 5 3600 6-Core Processor
Update Status = REG_DWORD 1
VendorIdentifier = REG_SZ AuthenticAMD

8: kd> !sysinfo cpumicrocode
Initial Microcode Version: 00000000:08701035
Cached Microcode Version: 00000000:00000000
Processor Family: 17
Processor Model: 71
Processor Stepping: 00
Note: Cached Microcode Version is not detected!

8: kd> !sysinfo machineid

BiosVersion = 5.17
BiosReleaseDate = 03/25/2025
SystemManufacturer = MAXSUN
SystemProductName = MS-Challenger A520M
BaseBoardManufacturer = MAXSUN
BaseBoardProduct = MS-Challenger A520M

I'll try updating the chipset driver, thanks