Question Can't reload OS - Nightmare edition

[Turb007]

Hello everyone! What I got for you today is the long awaited no-cuts book version of The Lord of the Rings! Along with a slight headache from a computer I can't figure out. Basically, I can't get this computer to reload an OS properly, I'll write full details below along with a summary cuz this might get long.

PC specs:
- MB: ROG STRIX Z690-I GAMING WIFI (Known good MB: ASUS ROG Strix B760-I Gaming WiFi)
- CPU: i9-13900KF
- GPU: RTX 3070 (I believe; might be a 3080, not at work right now and forgot)
- RAM: G.SKILL Ripjaws S5 Series (Intel XMP 3.0) DDR5 64GB (2x32GB) 6000MT/s
- PSU: Don't remember but tested with a known good 750W

Full story:

I work as an IT Tech for a small business and a customer brought their computer in that they had built themselves less than a year ago. He said there are two issues: 1. Sometimes USB drives could not be read / wouldn't show up even when plugged into the motherboard. He said that the USB issue was present since the day he built it. Recently (new issue), it would BSOD on him after 10-15 minutes specifically when playing any game.

I ran a diagnostic on the computer with a flash drive tool called "PC Doctor" (this tests all hardware; RAM, CPU, GPU, etc.) and I got all greens on everything.

So I thought, ok then, lets fire it up normally and see what happens. I could never get the OS to load up - would always BSOD. I decided to grab a known good SSD and throw it in there for a quick test - while I was reloading Windows 11 on to it, I got an error: "Windows installation encountered an unexpected error. Verify that the installation sources are accessible, and restart the installation. Error code: 0xC0000005"

I have used that same USB flash-drive to reload hundreds of computers but just in case, I tried various others (some with Windows 10, some with 11) all giving me the same error. These were made with the Media Creation Tool from Microsoft; I tried a few that I just made with Rufus as well - all giving me the same error, although rarely I would get "Error code: 0x8007025D" instead.

I checked out the BIOS and it was all on default, nothing looked weird to me as well other than needing an update, which I then updated it which had no effect on the issue. Despite the hardware diagnostic tool showing all greens, I wasn't sure what else to do other than to start throwing some darts at it. Tried an M.2 drive (previously a 2.5" SSD), known good RAM, known good power supply, tried the USB drive in every single one of the USB ports (on the motherboard and on the front), unplugged everything from the MB that isn't vital, and still stuck with the same error(s).

I thought to myself, well, it has to be the motherboard right? It's not reading the drive properly, maybe a short or something. So I swapped that out with a known good one (listed in specs) and I made some progress, albeit small. That "verify installation sources" error is now gone - however, upon reloading the computer, it ends up in a boot loop of 3 different BSOD's. The three screens I get in no particular order nor pattern: "KERNEL_SECURITY_CHECK_FAILURE", "PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA", "SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION".

I finally managed to actually boot to the OS after reloading it by taking out one of the two sticks of RAM (a test I did with the previous MB and had no luck in). However, upon the last stage of reloading, I get a lightening fast BSOD before it reboots itself and "loads" the OS. With that, I could not do any OS updates nor run a DISM or SFC scan - it would not let me. So clearly, issue is not fixed.

I stared at the BIOS and tried random weird things like enabling Intel Rapid Storage, enabling/disabling XMP, amongst other things and nothing is bringing me any closer to a resolution. I don't have a ton of experience with DDR5 RAM yet, there isn't some weird extra step that I'm missing right?

I have tried connecting a new SSD with Win. 11 already on it and it seems to boot to it just fine - I have not done much testing with that however, as I think I'm kind of skipping over the problem if I do that / band-aid fixing.

Besides the CPU and GPU, I feel like I've thrown every dart I have against this thing - and at least to my understanding, this issue shouldn't have anything to do with a CPU or GPU, unless I'm missing something? I would try a new CPU just in case but those are quite expensive for a small business so if we picked one up and it wasn't the issue - boss man would not be happy; Not to mention, I ran our diagnostic tool on this computer a dozen times and the CPU never failed anything.

The long story short:

- Error upon trying to reload computer: "Windows installation encountered an unexpected error. Verify that the installation sources are accessible, and restart the installation. Error code: 0xC0000005"
- With known good MB - Reload ends in a BSOD boot loop of 3 different errors: "KERNEL_SECURITY_CHECK_FAILURE", "PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA", "SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION"
- With known good MB and only one stick of known good RAM - Too-fast-to-read BSOD at last stage of reload, then can load into the OS but everything is broken

If anyone has any ideas or suggestions, I would be super glad to hear them. I hope you all enjoyed my book and I would greatly appreciate any thoughts even if they're far-fetched

 

[KingLoki]

Just a thought regarding OS and some weird incompatabilty/settings. Have you tried to install Windows 10 from a fresh install?

 

[Ralston18]

How well do you know that customer?

Question, for the present, is just more inquisitive than anything.....

Any sense that the customer is running pirated OS or other pirated gaming software?

Where is the customer getting the USB drives?

As a more practical and viable suggestion: go online and look for the motherboard's User Guide/Manual being sure that you obtain the User Guide/Manual directly from the manufacturer's website.

Take a close look at the customer's system, its' components, and how all are installed and configured.

On the customer's computer: also look in Reliability History/Monitor and Event Viewer for any related error codes, warnings, or information events.

 

[Turb007]

Just a thought regarding OS and some weird incompatabilty/settings. Have you tried to install Windows 10 from a fresh install?

Yep, I have tried installing both Win. 10 and 11.

How well do you know that customer?

Question, for the present, is just more inquisitive than anything.....

Any sense that the customer is running pirated OS or other pirated gaming software?

Where is the customer getting the USB drives?

As a more practical and viable suggestion: go online and look for the motherboard's User Guide/Manual being sure that you obtain the User Guide/Manual directly from the manufacturer's website.

Take a close look at the customer's system, its' components, and how all are installed and configured.

On the customer's computer: also look in Reliability History/Monitor and Event Viewer for any related error codes, warnings, or information events.

New customer, never met him before. Can't really answer any of those questions, however I don't think it should matter if it was a pirated OS or not considering this issue is still present using one of our company's known good motherboard and drive, right? I have the hard copy of the motherboard manual and read every word, nothing special for install listed. That is true about event viewer, I'd have to throw in a drive with Windows already installed on it just to access event viewer though.. I wonder if I'll see anything.. I'll have to try that tomorrow.

 

[USAFRet]

Yep, I have tried installing both Win. 10 and 11.


New customer, never met him before. Can't really answer any of those questions, however I don't think it should matter if it was a pirated OS or not considering this issue is still present using one of our company's known good motherboard and drive, right? I have the hard copy of the motherboard manual and read every word, nothing special for install listed. That is true about event viewer, I'd have to throw in a drive with Windows already installed on it just to access event viewer though.. I wonder if I'll see anything.. I'll have to try that tomorrow.

( I promised myself I would not comment in here, but...)

1. A pirated OS can absolutely make a difference. No telling what it is or isn't doing.

2. Troubleshooting this, with a drive that already has an OS on it....um...I don't even know where to start with that.
Just....don't.
Really. Don't.

 

[Turb007]

( I promised myself I would not comment in here, but...)

1. A pirated OS can absolutely make a difference. No telling what it is or isn't doing.

2. Troubleshooting this, with a drive that already has an OS on it....um...I don't even know where to start with that.
Just....don't.
Really. Don't.

I don't see how a pirated OS can make any difference here? The drive I am using is a known good drive, it has never had a pirated OS on it, along with that, this testing is being done with basically a brand new motherboard that has never had an OS on it. I have essentially built a brand new computer at this point with only the customer's CPU, GPU, and electrical connections left. Unless your telling me that a pirated OS can somehow ingrain itself into the CPU, there should be no trace of anything of his old OS on here As far as troubleshooting with a drive that already has an OS on it, I might as well take a peek as I'm not getting anywhere with anything else. Although I'm doubtful to find anything useful.

 

[USAFRet]

I don't see how a pirated OS can make any difference here? The drive I am using is a known good drive, it has never had a pirated OS on it, along with that, this testing is being done with basically a brand new motherboard that has never had an OS on it. I have essentially built a brand new computer at this point with only the customer's CPU, GPU, and electrical connections left. Unless your telling me that a pirated OS can somehow ingrain itself into the CPU, there should be no trace of anything of his old OS on here As far as troubleshooting with a drive that already has an OS on it, I might as well take a peek as I'm not getting anywhere with anything else. Although I'm doubtful to find anything useful.

Trying to run or install a pirate OS can have all sorts of consequences.

And unless and until you try a fresh OS install, with a known good install direct from Microsoft, this is in jeopardy of being closed.

 

[Turb007]

Trying to run or install a pirate OS can have all sorts of consequences.

And unless and until you try a fresh OS install, with a known good install direct from Microsoft, this is in jeopardy of being closed.

Trying to do a fresh OS install is what this entire post is about

 

[USAFRet]

Trying to do a fresh OS install is what this entire post is about

Obtained from where?

 

[Turb007]

Obtained from where?

Microsoft Media Creation tool, used the same flash-drive on over a hundred computers to install Windows. If your referring to an activation key, don't need that just to install basic Windows.

 

[USAFRet]

Microsoft Media Creation tool, used the same flash-drive on over a hundred computers to install Windows. If your referring to an activation key, don't need that just to install basic Windows.

Fair enough.

 

[USAFRet]

So, following this, where exactly does it fail?
(screencaps preferred)

How To - Windows 11 clean install tutorial

Windows 11 Clean install tutorial This tutorial is intended to help you, step by step, to perform a clean install of Windows 11, version 23H2 or newer but can be equally applied to earlier versions which may have some basic differences in the screens you see but will largely remain similar in...

forums.tomshardware.com

 

[Turb007]

So, following this, where exactly does it fail?
(screencaps preferred)

How To - Windows 11 clean install tutorial

Windows 11 Clean install tutorial This tutorial is intended to help you, step by step, to perform a clean install of Windows 11, version 23H2 or newer but can be equally applied to earlier versions which may have some basic differences in the screens you see but will largely remain similar in...

forums.tomshardware.com

Step 9 is where it will do a lightening fast BSOD upon "Starting services" - the computer then reboots and boots straight into the OS skipping all of the rest, OS has almost no functionality at that point but I was able to open up settings and CMD (although I wasn't able to do much of anything in either)

 

[KingLoki]

If it does eventually get in on the original install, do you have enough functionality to 'msconfig' or the alternative way to boot into safe mode. If it's successful, then try an inside upgrade of win11?
Might get a bit closer to hware or software problem ?