Question Gaming PC/Windows 10/constant BSOD and/or crash freeze

[simonnorbert90]

Hi Everyone,

I have an issue wit a self-built gaming PC.

The problem is that I am constantly getting BSOD-s while playing games, even less demanding ones from 2010 or so. This started to occur after about 1.5 years since I build my PC. For more than a year I didn't have these issues, but recently it crashes a few t

The BSOD errors I encountered so far (they don't contain and filename in brackets following the error code):
kmode_exception_not_handled
memory_management
unexpected_kernel_mode_trap
interrupt_exception_not_handled
critical_process_died
irql_not_less_or_equal

As far as I researched the issue, it has to be driver or faulty hardware (CPU or RAM) problem.

What I tried so far:

1. Took the PC apart, reassembled it, reapplied thermal paste - several times;
2. Reinstalled Windows 10, got the latest updates;
3. Reinstalled all drivers, made sure they are all up to date;
4. Disabled/re-enabled all devices in Device Manager, no devices appear as faulty (yellow exclamation mark);
5. Ran several GPU stress tests - all passed;
6. Ran Windows Memory Check - no issues were identified;
7. Ran the Intel Processor Diagnostic Tool - all steps passed with green;
8. Disabled fast startup as I read that it helped some people.

Update1: I ran a Full Diagnostic Scan of my SSD using Samsung Magician's diagnostic tool. Passed with no incompatibilities or bad sectors. Nonetheless I got a notification that the Firmware is outdated so I updated it to the latest one (didn't realize I need to install any Firmware for SSD).
Update2: I noticed that nVidia Control Panel disappeared from the right click menu on desktop. GeForce Experience opened up with a 0x0003 error message. I wiped all nVidia drivers (including Physics and HD Sound) and performed a clean install of the latest driver.
Update3: I ran 4 instances of MemTest86, which resulted in 0 errors. That rules out the RAM as not guilty.
Update4: I ran a System File Check through cmd and as a result I got the message that corrupt files were found but they were repaired.
Update5: I ran a Prime95 torture test on the CPU. It ran for about 20 minutes or so until it crashed the PC. Temperatures were generally into the 70-80 degrees. I'm going to replace my CPU cooler next month.

Here is my build:
Motherboard: ASUS PRIME Z370-P
GPU: ASUS GeForce GTX 1070 Ti ROG STRIX GAMING 8GB GDDR5
CPU: Intel Core i5-8600K 3.6 GHz
RAM: Corsair 16GB (2x8GB) 2400MHz CL16 Vengeance LPX Black
SSD: Samsung 1TB 2,5" SATA SSD 860 EVO
PSU: Corsair RMx 750W 80 Plus Gold


I am using an activated version of Windows 10.

I am not overclocking any hardware. All of them are operating on factory setup.

Any advise is highly appreciated as I am slowly starting to be hopeless about the PC.

Thanks in advance,
Norbert

 

[Colif]

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 file sharing web site, and share the link in your thread so we can help fix the problem

since you are new, if you edit the thread it needs to be approved again, so if it disappears after an edit, there is the reason.. we are pretty fast to approve them.

 

[Colif]

All of the errors are data errors, so could be drivers

This is the exception - critical_process_died - as it only talks of Windows processes as being the reason error happens. Not the cause, as such, but if certain files don't work, neither does windows.

Do you have latest BIOS on motherboard?

 

[simonnorbert90]

Here is the link to my dump files:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1q8vgZqck6vrwdTxrbDxKq1VG0t5wGBFj?usp=sharing

I used WhoCrashed to read the dump files and seems that ntoskrnl.exe is the one causing the pain to my PC.

However when I googled how to fix it, I found only what I already new, that it can be drivers or faulty hardware.

I updated BIOS a few weeks back when the issue started. I don't think any update came out since then since the previous one was from a few years back, but I will check nonetheless.

 

[gardenman]

Hi, I ran the dump files through the debugger and got the following information: https://pastebin.com/Ly0VnWdS

Spoiler

File information:	042320-5000-01.dmp (Apr 23 2020 - 15:25:23)
Bugcheck:	IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL (A)
Probably caused by:	memory_corruption (Process: firefox.exe)
Uptime:	0 Day(s), 3 Hour(s), 08 Min(s), and 57 Sec(s)

File information:	042220-4984-01.dmp (Apr 22 2020 - 03:45:16)
Bugcheck:	KMODE_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED (1E)
Probably caused by:	memory_corruption (Process: svchost.exe)
Uptime:	0 Day(s), 0 Hour(s), 00 Min(s), and 58 Sec(s)

File information:	041920-4531-01.dmp (Apr 19 2020 - 15:50:49)
Bugcheck:	CRITICAL_PROCESS_DIED (EF)
Probably caused by:	ntkrnlmp.exe (Process: svchost.exe)
Uptime:	0 Day(s), 0 Hour(s), 00 Min(s), and 11 Sec(s)

File information:	041820-5250-01.dmp (Apr 18 2020 - 14:39:13)
Bugcheck:	UNEXPECTED_KERNEL_MODE_TRAP_M (1000007F)
Probably caused by:	memory_corruption (Process: ACOrigins.exe)
Uptime:	0 Day(s), 9 Hour(s), 09 Min(s), and 38 Sec(s)

File information:	041520-4843-01.dmp (Apr 15 2020 - 11:29:45)
Bugcheck:	UNEXPECTED_KERNEL_MODE_TRAP (7F)
Probably caused by:	memory_corruption (Process: firefox.exe)
Uptime:	0 Day(s), 0 Hour(s), 05 Min(s), and 23 Sec(s)

Possible Motherboard page: https://www.asus.com/us/Motherboards/PRIME-Z370-P/
You have the latest BIOS already installed, version 2401.

This information can be used by others to help you. I can't help you with this. Someone else will post with more information. Please wait for additional answers. Good luck.

 

[simonnorbert90]

Thanks gardenman. I have to mention that Assassin's Creed Origins seemed to wreak havoc on many people's rigs out there, as I found out while doing some research since it gave me some headache as well. It crashed my PC more than a few times so I'm not 100% sure but maybe it could have corrupted some of my system files as well?

 

[Colif]

games themselves don't normally cause BSOD. Its usually drivers... there are always exceptions. Some AV programs can cause them.
ntoskrnl - windows kernel. It does so much behind scenes that whocrashed often fingers it. It might have crashed but it was the victim.

I was going to sleep but thought I look through dumps... maybe I should have just slept. I might see more in them tomorrow.

Could, try updating LAN drivers - https://www.realtek.com/en/componen...0-1000m-gigabit-ethernet-pci-express-software
Your realtek audio drivers are from 2016 but I doubt they cause these.

update this
Jul 12 2018 - TeeDriverW8x64.sys - Intel Management Engine Interface driver https://downloadcenter.intel.com/
newer version under chipset drivers here - https://www.asus.com/au/Motherboards/PRIME-Z370-P/HelpDesk_Download/

newest Nvidia drivers could cause them but I don't see evidence in dumps.

 

[Calvin7]

i5-8600K
Supported memory: DDR4-2666

 

[simonnorbert90]

Thank you Colif, will check out the drivers linked asap.

@Calvin7: Could you elaborate, please? I've been using the same setup for about 2 years but the BSOD-s started occuring just a few weeks ago. Thank you.

 

[simonnorbert90]

Another BSOD occured today. I uploaded the minidump to the same folder as I shared earlier.
It was KMODE_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED.

 

[gardenman]

Hi, next time please upload to a new folder and give a direct link each time. It gets confusing for me having to sort through folders with dumps I've already seen and have not seen. Thank you.

Results: https://oscularstop.htmlpasta.com/

File information:	042620-5390-01.dmp (Apr 26 2020 - 13:19:55)
Bugcheck:	KMODE_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED (1E)
Probably caused by:	memory_corruption (Process: Registry)
Uptime:	0 Day(s), 2 Hour(s), 15 Min(s), and 29 Sec(s)

This information can be used by others to help you. I can't help you with this. Someone else will post with more information. Please wait for additional answers. Good luck.

 

[Colif]

I was going to mention needing a new link each time but GM beat me to it.

I guess you didn't have a newer version of Intel management Engine then. as its still same driver.
I see a few updates, a newer Nvidia driver, newer WIFI.

What is Citrix for? Have you used that from before BSOD occured? just looking at drivers since BSOD didn't really tell me a lot.

 

[simonnorbert90]

I actually uninstalled the Realtek ethernet driver since I installed a WiFi module 2 days ago and I completely switched to it, drivers are the latest.
I just installed the Intel Management Engine components from the chipset drivers - I never had these before.
nVidia is on auto-update for whenever a new version of the driver comes out.
Citrix is used for work to connect to a remote environment. My company has a BYOD policy and this is necessary to have. There is no option to remove it or to update it. BSOD was occuring before I had Citrix installed so I would rule it out.

 

[Colif]

Re: citrix - Just thought I would ask.

Did I mention sound before?

Date	Driver	Description
Jun 03 2016	RTKVHD64.sys	Realtek Audio System driver

newest on Asus website are 2019 - https://www.asus.com/us/Motherboards/PRIME-Z370-P/HelpDesk_Download/
Realtek audio drivers are a little more complicated to find now, so glad they might have newer there.

The only other driver we haven't touched then is Nvidia. I don't recall last driver they have released that I wasn't suspect off.

Last BSOD happened in registry, but no drivers actually named in the error text, just windows functions... so its hard to point a finger at anything.

 

[simonnorbert90]

OK - updated the audio driver as well.

Now that I recall: a few months back I was playing Assassin's Creed Unity which is known to be conflicting with Realtek audio drivers so I had to disable it in order not to have the game - and my PC - crashing.

I'm thinking still what could be diagnosed or updated. As far as I read on quite a few forums, there is no way of running a diagnosis for GPU. Nonetheless, when I'm running the benchmarking tool , it performs as expected. Drivers should be in place since it's on auto-update, but do you know of any way to test the drivers against the rest of the system files and/or drivers?

Thank you for the help so far.

 

[simonnorbert90]

Hello again.

Unfortunately another BSOD occured while playing AC: Origins. Here is the link to the minidump file:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1rVA1X4pTpvZj7J5yp-6NUKXCW__ZGO3L

Since my last post I updaded C++ to the latest version:
https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/help/2977003/the-latest-supported-visual-c-downloads

And ran another system file check:
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4026529/windows-10-using-system-file-checker

Both these options were sugegsted by Ubisoft customer service but the problem is not fixed. I'm in contact with them as well in the meanwhile.

 

[gardenman]

I ran the dump file through the debugger and got the following information: https://quadrifidmoorhen.htmlpasta.com/

File information:	042820-5546-01.dmp (Apr 28 2020 - 14:27:27)
Bugcheck:	UNEXPECTED_KERNEL_MODE_TRAP_M (1000007F)
Probably caused by:	memory_corruption (Process: firefox.exe)
Uptime:	0 Day(s), 3 Hour(s), 15 Min(s), and 12 Sec(s)

This information can be used by others to help you. I can't help you with this. Someone else will post with more information. Please wait for additional answers. Good luck.

 

[simonnorbert90]

@gardenman thank you for that.

I noticed that Firefox appeared a few times at "Probably caused by". Would it make sense to switch to any other browser or the problem lies deeper than this and Firefox is the mere "victim"?

 

[gardenman]

Firefox isn't what caused the crash. It's either a bad driver, or bad hardware. Firefox doesn't have drivers itself. But sometimes it can point you in a direction.

Firefox connects to the internet, which means a networking driver is being used. It could be the networking driver (or hardware) that is the real issue. Try updating it if you haven't already, or trying an older version. Just because a driver is new, that doesn't mean it has no bugs in it.

Or the issue could be something completely different. Bad RAM, bad CPU, even a bad PSU could be the issue and sometimes they point you in the wrong direction by blaming things like networking drivers.

Also many people have multiple issues causing BSODs. Fix one and the BSODs are cut in half, but still happen until it's all fixed. I prefer to let Colif or others try to figure it out. I think he's been busy the last few days but should reply again soon.

 

[simonnorbert90]

I diagnozed all hardware except PSU and GPU, for which I can't find any diagnosys software.

Regarding networking: I switched from LAN cable to a WiFi module which I installed a few days ago. This means that I got rid of the ethernet adapter drivers and fetched the WiFi module drivers, so I would rule this out as well.

Since it's crashing during games most of the time, I would look for the issue around the GPU drivers but yet again, this is just a haunch and (for now) I don't have the means to confirm it.

Also, there was no BSOD until I started up a more demanding game. It's worth mentioning tho that this game is notorious for it's compatibility issues.

 

[Colif]

Try running DDU and instead of getting drivers from Nvidia, run windows update and let it find drivers for the card. Having newest drivers from Nvidia isn't always best idea
https://forums.tomshardware.com/faq...n-install-of-your-video-card-drivers.2402269/

I see a lot of dumps, I seem to see win32kfull.sys crash a lot around Nvidia drivers. Its part of the Windows Kernel, and its not prone to crashing by itself. I only mention it as the only line of text in that dump is
fffffb8ab4792740 0000000000000000 : 0000000000000000 0000000000000000 0000000000000000 0000000000000000 : win32kfull!xxxRemoveQueueCompletion+0x12

so it could just be a hunch. As you tested everything else, apart from GPU & PSU, its somewhere to look.

as for actual tests for them,
Only tests for GPU are (don't run these at same time) benchmarks
https://geeks3d.com/furmark/

https://benchmark.unigine.com/heaven

PSU is even harder
the paper clip method - https://forums.tomshardware.com/threads/what-is-the-paperclip-method-of-testing-a-psu.1336402/
or multimeter,
or in the BIOS to check the +3.3V, +5V, and +12V. - https://www.lifewire.com/power-supply-voltage-tolerances-2624583

 

[simonnorbert90]

Thank you @Colif .

I went with the DDU procedure right away. I will run some more demanding games during the following days and will revert in case any BSOD occurs.

 

[gardenman]

Hardware testing isn't perfect. I've seen false positives when it comes to hardware. For example, RAM can pass memtest86, yet still be faulty (maybe just incompatible with motherboard). I read on another site that sometimes RAM may take 50 or more passes in memtest86 before the actual error shows up. While I cannot say if that's true or not, I have seen other similar cases of false results in hardware tests.

OCCT may allow PSU testing. Just keep in mind that it's more difficult to test a PSU with software than other PC parts, and you could just as well get a false result as stated above. I haven't used this software. https://www.ocbase.com/

 

[simonnorbert90]

I just had 2 more BSOD-s one after the other. No minidumps were saved this time, however there were the problematic filenames mentioned on blue screen:

ntoskernel.exe
win32kfull.sys

I'm going to wipe my C: drive clean and reinstal windows. Maybe replacing the system files will help... Starting to lose hope here really.

 

[Colif]

ntoskrnl - windows kernel
win32kfull.sys is also part of the windows kernel. Its also the file I see a lot with Nvidia crashes.

Clean install might fix it, if only cause it forces windows to get all new drivers again. Let it install gpu drivers and test my theory.