Daily bluescreens after getting the October 2018 update

[bartosz.ladzinski]

I have been using my build for a while know and never had issues. However, around a month ago I've started getting BSOD daily, sometimes even a few times a day. They come at random times, always the same reason: WHEA_UNCORRECTABLE_ERROR, which apparently means that it's something related to hardware/drivers. I've checked the Event Viewer and it seems that my PC started BOSDing out a day after I got the October 2018 update. Could be related, but obviously it's not a guranatee.

I've ran the Windows memcheck and it hasn't found any issues. Went on to reinstall some drivers, but that didn't help as well. Then went for a full Windows 10 reinstall, completely formatted the disk I install Windows onto and after I booted in, no longer than 30 mintues have passed and I got greeted by the same BSOD.

My system info below:
OS Name Microsoft Windows 10 Pro
Version 10.0.17134 Build 17134
Other OS Description Not Available
OS Manufacturer Microsoft Corporation
System Name DESKTOP-6G5PEJ6
System Manufacturer ASUS
System Model All Series
System Type x64-based PC
System SKU All
Processor Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-4690K CPU @ 3.50GHz, 3501 Mhz, 4 Core(s), 4 Logical Processor(s)
BIOS Version/Date American Megatrends Inc. 1204, 20/06/2014
SMBIOS Version 2.8
Embedded Controller Version 255.255
BIOS Mode UEFI
BaseBoard Manufacturer ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC.
BaseBoard Model Not Available
BaseBoard Name Base Board
Platform Role Desktop
Secure Boot State On
PCR7 Configuration Binding Not Possible
Windows Directory C:\Windows
System Directory C:\Windows\system32
Boot Device \Device\HarddiskVolume2
Locale United States
Hardware Abstraction Layer Version = "10.0.17134.285"
User Name DESKTOP-6G5PEJ6\Slowacki
Time Zone Central European Standard Time
Installed Physical Memory (RAM) 16,0 GB
Total Physical Memory 15,9 GB
Available Physical Memory 10,9 GB
Total Virtual Memory 18,8 GB
Available Virtual Memory 10,7 GB
Page File Space 2,88 GB
Page File C:\pagefile.sys
Kernel DMA Protection Off
Virtualization-based security Not enabled
Device Encryption Support Reasons for failed automatic device encryption: TPM is not usable, PCR7 binding is not supported, Hardware Security Test Interface failed and device is not InstantGo, Un-allowed DMA capable bus/device(s) detected, TPM is not usable
Hyper-V - VM Monitor Mode Extensions Yes
Hyper-V - Second Level Address Translation Extensions Yes
Hyper-V - Virtualization Enabled in Firmware No
Hyper-V - Data Execution Protection Yes

My build:
CPU: Intel i5-4690K
GPU: GeForce 970
Memory: Crucial Ballistix 16GB (2x8GB) DDR3 1600MHz 1.5V
SSD: Samsung 840 EVO - 2.5'' SSD - SATA 6G - 250 GB
HDD: Western Digital Caviar Blue, 3.5\'\', 1TB, SATA/600, 7200RPM
Motherboard: Asus Z97-A
PSU: Corsair RM Series 750W Modular 80Plus GOLD

Event Viewer events:

The computer has rebooted from a bugcheck. The bugcheck was: 0x00000124 (0x0000000000000000, 0xffffc08a10c14028, 0x00000000bf800000, 0x0000000000000124). A dump was saved in: C:\Windows\MEMORY.DMP. Report Id: cd0f44de-f4b4-47d8-b8c8-d49b236f0e86.

 

[Colif]

17134 is the April update, the October update still on hold.

WHEA = Windows Hardware Error Architecture, its an error called by the CPU but not necessarily caused by it. can be caused by Heat
remove any overclocks, remove any overclocking software
remove AI suite if its installed
remove MSI afterburner if installed

WHEA errors not normally caused by Windows Updates, the only software that normally causes them is overclocking software as they can change values of CPU even when not running.

Can you follow option one on the following link - here
and then do this step below: Small memory dumps - Have Windows Create a Small Memory Dump (Minidump) on BSOD

that creates a file in c windows/minidump after the next BSOD
copy that file to documents
upload the copy from documents to a cloud server and share the link here and I will get someone to convert file into a format I can read

Do you have latest BIOS? I know Asus Z97 boards have a beta bios that was released this year but as far as I know, it just fixes the Intel bugs (I have a Asus Z97 Pro). Perhaps update it to 2801 and see if it helps - https://www.asus.com/au/Motherboards/Z97A/HelpDesk_BIOS/ - your manual should have details showing how to update it - https://dlcdnets.asus.com/pub/ASUS/mb/LGA1150/Z97-A/E9378_Z97-A_UG_V2_WEB.pdf

 

[bartosz.ladzinski]

17134 is the April update, the October update still on hold.

WHEA = Windows Hardware Error Architecture, its an error called by the CPU but not necessarily caused by it. can be caused by Heat
remove any overclocks, remove any overclocking software
remove AI suite if its installed
remove MSI afterburner if installed

WHEA errors not normally caused by Windows Updates, the only software that normally causes them is overclocking software as they can change values of CPU even when not running.

Can you follow option one on the following link - here
and then do this step below: Small memory dumps - Have Windows Create a Small Memory Dump (Minidump) on BSOD

that creates a file in c windows/minidump after the next BSOD
copy that file to documents
upload the copy from documents to a cloud server and share the link here and I will get someone to convert file into a format I can read

Do you have latest BIOS? I know Asus Z97 boards have a beta bios that was released this year but as far as I know, it just fixes the Intel bugs (I have a Asus Z97 Pro). Perhaps update it to 2801 and see if it helps - https://www.asus.com/au/Motherboards/Z97A/HelpDesk_BIOS/ - your manual should have details showing how to update it - https://dlcdnets.asus.com/pub/ASUS/mb/LGA1150/Z97-A/E9378_Z97-A_UG_V2_WEB.pdf

For a day I actually though the issue was fixed because it didn't happen, but it did happen again yesterday.

Here's the minidump file: https://we.tl/t-BK7o0zB6Eg

 

[bartosz.ladzinski]

I might have found the solution. I've actually changed the 'EZ system tuning' profile in the BIOS some time ago from normal to 'Performance' which AFAIK slightly overclocks the CPU. I've completely forgotten about it and just noticed it now after checking BIOS.

Returned back to the 'Normal' profile, let's see if that helps.

 

[gardenman]

I might have found the solution. I've actually changed the 'EZ system tuning' profile in the BIOS some time ago from normal to 'Performance' which AFAIK slightly overclocks the CPU. I've completely forgotten about it and just noticed it now after checking BIOS.

Returned back to the 'Normal' profile, let's see if that helps.

Hi, I hope you've fixed it. Overclocks will often cause BSODs, particularly WHEA errors. If not, here's the info on the dump file you posted which can be used by others to help you out.

Dump Info: https://pste.eu/p/2CwJ.html
File: 111018-3562-01.dmp (Nov 9 2018 - 19:08:15)
BugCheck: [WHEA_UNCORRECTABLE_ERROR (124)]
Probably caused by: GenuineIntel (Process: System)
Uptime: 0 Day(s), 5 Hour(s), 48 Min(s), and 35 Sec(s)

Motherboard: https://www.asus.com/us/Motherboards/Z97A/

 

[Colif]

It was the 1st thing I said. Asus motherboards also have a tendency of running faster even if you don't set them to be in performance mode

if it comes back, remove AI Suite if its still installed, you have a driver file called Asus Input Output driver running that can cause WHEA errors as well

 

[bartosz.ladzinski]

Yeah, seems that the EZ system tuning was the reason. 48h uptime and counting.

Thanks for your help guys