Question BSoD Issue - Attempted to write to read only memory.

[MentalThinking]

Hello -

For the last few weeks, I have had intermittent BSoD issues, always with the same stop code. I have run the suggested memory test on the Microsoft page related to this error and it says there's no issue with my RAM. I have also gone through the device manager and checked all drivers - all of which are up to date, including of course my graphics driver.

Using BlueScreenView is not helpful to me, as it only points towards ntoskrnl. So, I am here, asking the experts before I pull out my hair and reinstall windows. Linked below are two minidump files. Oddly, the latest minidump files refuse to upload, but the state of my computer was essentially the same in every single situation.

During each BSoD, I am playing a game via Steam, with a browser window open and perhaps Overwolf (a gaming overlay software).

Minidump 12/16/24
Minidump 12/17/24

Edit:
Computer Type: PC/Desktop
System Manufacturer/Model Number: Custom
OS: Windows 10 version is 22H2 (OS Build 19045.5247)
CPU: AMD Rayzen 5 7600 3.8GHz
Motherboard: Gigabyte B650M AORUS ELITE AX
Memory: G.SKILL Ripjaws S5 32GB (2x16GB)
Graphics Card: GeForce RTX 4070 WindForce 3 OC 12GB
PSU: Corsair RMx Series RM750x 80+ Gold Modular Power Supply 750W
SSD: Solidigm 670p QLC NAND PCIe 3.0 x4 NMVe m.2 2TB

All items in my PC are new, and were purchased in May of '23. The total used space on my SSD is 248GB.


Regards,

MT

 

[Ralston18]

Update your post to include full system hardware specs and OS information.

Include PSU: make, model, wattage, age, condition (original to build, new, refurbished, used).

Disk drive(s): make, model, capacity, how full?

Look in (as a starting point) Reliability History/Monitor for error codes, warnings, and even informational events be captured just before or at the time of the BSoDs. Click entries as applicable to obtain more details. The details may or may not be helpful.

Run "dism" and "sfc /scannow" to find and fix possibly corrupted files.

https://www.windowscentral.com/how-use-dism-command-line-utility-repair-windows-10-image

https://www.lifewire.com/how-to-use-sfc-scannow-to-repair-windows-system-files-2626161

 

[MentalThinking]

Ralston18 -

Thank you for your reply. I have updated my original post with the specified information. I did look through those files before posting, but was unable to find anything that seemed anomalous or problematic - certainly nothing that trumpets 'this is the problem, fix this.'. In fairness, I am not an IT professional, so it's possible I overlooked something.

I will run the commands you suggested.

Edit: I have run both the sfc and DISM commands as outlined in the links provided, and both came back clean and error free.

Regards,

MT

 

[Ralston18]

Open Reliability History/Monitor.

Expand the window so all can be seen.

Take two screenshots: the first using Days and the second using Weeks.

Post the screenshots here via imgur (www.imgur.com).

 

[MentalThinking]

Ralston18 -

Thank you for your reply.

Please see the following link.

https://imgur.com/a/VW1VV0v

View: https://imgur.com/a/VW1VV0v


Apologies for earlier stating that I had looked at this - I had not, but had looked instead at the event viewer. The details offered in the critical events in those screenshots are all along the lines of:

(For the Windows stopped working error)

The computer has rebooted from a bugcheck. The bugcheck was: 0x000000be (0xffffc1401719c5e8, 0x8a00000000800121, 0xffffce0eb98b6820, 0x000000000000000a). A dump was saved in: C:\Windows\Minidump\121624-9265-01.dmp. Report Id: 26a55d2e-1ec4-4bad-8fcf-5194dcdbbcff.

or

(For Windows was not properly shut down)

The previous system shutdown at 1:53:50 PM on ‎2024-‎12-‎18 was unexpected.

Regards,

MT

 

[ubuysa]

From looking at the dumps I rather suspect that this is bad RAM. Both dumps fail during memory management operations and there are no indications of any third-party drivers being called, so bad hardware is more likely.

You have two sticks of 16GB G.Skill 6000MHz RAM installed, although they are clocked at their SPD speed of 4800MHz. The most effective way to test that RAM is to remove one stick for a few days, or until you get a BSOD. Then swap sticks and run on just the other for a few days. If it BSODs on each stick on their own then it's probably not bad RAM - but we need to eliminate that first.

 

[MentalThinking]

Ubuysa -

You are perhaps right. Another forum suggested I run memtest86+ and an error was discovered relatively quickly during my test - I was told that if a single error was found, continued testing was not necessary -

I am not entirely positive what this means for my next steps - likely, I should do as you suggest?

Regards,

MT

 

[ubuysa]

You have bad RAM, that's what that means - that's the source of all your problems. Try running Memtest86+ with one stick removed (ie. test each stick on their own) to find out which stick is bad.

If you decide to replace the faulty stick you should do so in one of only two ways...

1. Buy a single new stick with EXACTLY the same part number as the existing stick.
2. Sell the one good stick to someone else and buy a new pack of two matched sticks.

Mismatched RAM causes all sorts of issues and you should avoid mixing RAM types and models like the plague.

 

[MentalThinking]

Ubuysa -

Thank you, I rather thought that might be the situation.

I consulted my motherboard manual (side note: I do not enjoy trying to read a PDF on my phone! I miss paper manuals.) discovered that one stick was already in the proper spot for a single stick to be used, and removed the other stick.

I am currently running memtest86 on the single stick, and it has completed 2 passes and has yet to throw an error.

I am off to bed now, but I will report back later with results!

Related: if this first stick does not turn out to be faulty, should I still take the time to run test on the second stick, just to rule out some other issue, or is it a given that the issue will lie with the second stick? I have not had this issue before, nor have I tried to troubleshoot myself.

I appreciate you mentioning the mixing of RAM - though, I think I've read it about four other places today. Both memory and motherboard manufacturers are quite clear that you ought not mix the sticks, as it were.

Regards,

MT

 

[ubuysa]

I would test the other stick, just to be sure.

 

[MentalThinking]

Hello -

The first stick ran all night and came up clean.

12 Passes, no errors.

The second stick is running now. Of note, when I seated the second stick, I wasn't fast enough to load into the boot options page, and attempted to restart once I reached the log on page.

The computer failed to do so, and I spotted a red light on my motherboard. This 'failure to restart' is an issue I've had since I've had this machine. Is it possible that a faulty RAM stick could have been at play the whole time, and degradation finally lead to my BSoD issues?

Regards,

MT