Question Multiple BSODs when trying to install windows.

Status
Not open for further replies.

Julyon

Commendable
Apr 4, 2019
22
0
1,510
Hello folks, I have a big problem that seems to be unfixable to me. This is my last resort...

Okay the story is as follows: Back when I was on the Win10 2004 Version I experienced occasional crashes on startup and shutdown of my system - like once a week. I talked to windows support and they told me to install the 20H2 Version. So I did and it absolutely messed up my PC. It crashed A LOT more, the HDD wouldn't show up in the Drive Management and I therefore couldn't use it and I just rolled back to the 2004 Version and chose to ignore the occasional crash.
Two days ago I updated to 20H2 anyway, hoping to get the issues fixed someone. And it seemed to be somewhat working as the only thing that didn't work was the HDD which wasn't recognized still. So after some non-working troubleshooting I decided to reset the system. That didn't help at all: I now DID experience BSODs and my HDD still wasn't recognized. So of course the next thing in my mind is doing a clean install of windows right? Created a bootable USB stick with 20H2, and tried booting from it - BSOD. Tried again, got to the Drive selection page and literally WIPED both of them. Nothing on there, no windows, no nothing. I thought I could now finally install windows but no, MORE BSODs. I tried with only my SSD installed - BSOD. I tried with only my HDD installed - BSOD. Neither of the two drives allow me to install Windows on it and I get a variety of different BSODs including:
IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL
PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA
SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION
-> Some of these are caused by fltmgr.sys, I've had some caused by storport.sys,
I think I've had one caused by rt640x64.sys (which is a realtek driver, even though my drives are wiped?)

I've used the HDD in a different Computer yesterday without problems. The SSD worked very well before and was recognized by windows. The windows tech guy told me the SSD was broken and I should get a new one - but why does the system still crash when I try to install windows on the HDD? Makes no sense. As you can see I have no clue what to do anymore. Any help is highly appreciated as I need this PC to work.

Specs:

Mobo: MSI B450 Tomahawk
CPU: Ryzen 7 2700X
GPU: Gigabyte 5700XT
RAM: 32GB Ripjaw V (2x16)
SSD: Corsair Force MP510 (~500GB)
HDD: Seagate Barracuda (2TB)
PSU: Riotoro Enigma 750w
 

Colif

Win 11 Master
Moderator
If I see BSOD during install I first think its ram (it can make drivers that should work look bad)

Try running memtest86 on each of your ram sticks, one stick at a time, up to 4 passes. Only error count you want is 0, any higher could be cause of the BSOD. Remove/replace ram sticks with errors. Memtest is created as a bootable USB so that you don’t need windows to run it

fltmgr.sys is file system filter. Its involved in anything to do with file system
storport.sys seems to tie into nvme drives.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Julyon

Julyon

Commendable
Apr 4, 2019
22
0
1,510
Thanks for the quick reply!
I am currently doing the first stick. I'll keep you updated.
I also updated the BIOS to the newest version. Thought I would share that. Btw I remember getting a BSOD caused by ntfs.sys as well if that's important information :)
 

Colif

Win 11 Master
Moderator
i doubt they caused by the named files as they all parts of windows. Often it mentions what crashed but its not normal for parts of windows to be cause.
ntfs.sys = new technology file system. Its what windows has used since the year 2000.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Julyon

Colif

Win 11 Master
Moderator
Do you have latest BIOS for motherboard?
https://www.msi.com/Motherboard/support/B450-TOMAHAWK

are the bsod always at same stage of install or it doesn't care? Have you tried it without internet attached - no WIFI or Ethernet

IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL
PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA
SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION
-> Some of these are caused by fltmgr.sys, I've had some caused by storport.sys,
I think I've had one caused by rt640x64.sys
all data related errors.
rt640x64.sys is realtek ethernet drivers, could be built into win 10 installer as they fairly common.
not ram, not storage drives since it happens on both

try running Prime 95, it will check the cpu & ram
Prime 95 bootable - https://www.infopackets.com/news/10113/how-fix-bootable-prime95-stress-test-hardware

Prime 95 how to use Guide: http://www.playtool.com/pages/prime95/prime95.html
 

Julyon

Commendable
Apr 4, 2019
22
0
1,510
Yes, I have installed the lastest BIOS yesterday. I will try Prime 95 and tell you what happens.
Edit: When the drives are fully formatted it only crashes when it's trying to install something. Can't tell you the exact step but it does the preparation just fine and when it comes to the first installing of something it crashes. On the next boot it crashes at random times (most likely because of the previous failed install and the data that was put on the drive).
 

Colif

Win 11 Master
Moderator
if you happen to have an old installer of win 10 it might be worth a try too, if the installer you are using is the latest anyway. I seen people have problems installing 20H2 in recent months. Not often but more than previous versions.
 

Julyon

Commendable
Apr 4, 2019
22
0
1,510
if you happen to have an old installer of win 10 it might be worth a try too, if the installer you are using is the latest anyway. I seen people have problems installing 20H2 in recent months. Not often but more than previous versions.

I expierienced crashes on the 20H2 boot stick so I downloaded the Win10 2004 ISO and created another stick using Rufus with the old version. Thats the stick I am currently using and it doesn't work either...
Edit: That version used to work fine on my computer that's why I chose it.
 

Colif

Win 11 Master
Moderator
If the only tech guy you talked to was with Microsoft, I would be tempted to get an actual repair person to look at it physically as online help can only go so far. If PC worked fine before and now it doesn't, its going to be hardware of some sort.

have you tried different sata cables?
 

Julyon

Commendable
Apr 4, 2019
22
0
1,510
If the only tech guy you talked to was with Microsoft, I would be tempted to get an actual repair person to look at it physically as online help can only go so far. If PC worked fine before and now it doesn't, its going to be hardware of some sort.

have you tried different sata cables?

I have not tried different sata cables but since my SSD is an m.2 NVMe and still crashes I figured that's not the problem. I am running Prime95 right now (or so I think at least) - It's displaying [Worker #Nr etc.] But nothing is changing. I suppose that's just how it is? What can I expect to happen now? Like will it tell me if it fails or succeeded? I honestly have no idea what's going on anymore lol...
 

Colif

Win 11 Master
Moderator
I expierienced crashes on the 20H2 boot stick so I downloaded the Win10 2004 ISO and created another stick using Rufus with the old version. Thats the stick I am currently using and it doesn't work either...


did you try multiple different USB sticks? not ISO, I mean different physical sticks. As it could be the USB stick, I seen stranger.
 

Julyon

Commendable
Apr 4, 2019
22
0
1,510
So none of the workers are doing anything?
you may not have set it up right, try again

I have seen that happen if its not set up right

sata cables, win 10 version, your PC rejecting all my possible answers.

I was wrong, they are doing stuff, I just didn't realize. It's done a few test and so far it has passed them. Will there be something like a "conclusion" at the end? Or will it just stop in case anything fails?

Could this SOMEHOW be a driver issue of the Mainboard or something related to my GPU? I have had a few problems with the GPU before that I could fix on my own but it wouldn't surprise me if it was the culprit again.
Maybe storage drivers? Anyway I have no idea where drivers are stored so that could be complete nonsense...
 

Julyon

Commendable
Apr 4, 2019
22
0
1,510
did you try multiple different USB sticks? not ISO, I mean different physical sticks. As it could be the USB stick, I seen stranger.
I actually wanted to try that as well and will do that after the Prime95 test. I read somewhere this is gonna take like 8 hours or something is that correct?

I am going to prepare another USB with the 20H2 Version and see what happens then.
 

Colif

Win 11 Master
Moderator
I was wrong, they are doing stuff, I just didn't realize. It's done a few test and so far it has passed them. Will there be something like a "conclusion" at the end? Or will it just stop in case anything fails?
It creates a text file in the folder its installed in called stress.txt. It may also show on screen, I haven't actually had a need to run it myself. I also am not sure how long it runs for

Could this SOMEHOW be a driver issue of the Mainboard or something related to my GPU? I have had a few problems with the GPU before that I could fix on my own but it wouldn't surprise me if it was the culprit again.
Maybe storage drivers? Anyway I have no idea where drivers are stored so that could be complete nonsense...
it could be something to do with a hardware item. The errors aren't common GPU related errors. its possible but its impossible to test as you can't run PC without it (why a repair shop is a choice, as they should have spare parts they can swap in to see what cause is)

it shouldn't be drivers if its failing during the install process. Windows uses generic drivers that generally work on any hardware so if its having issues, its not going to be a 3rd party driver as there aren't any.
 

Julyon

Commendable
Apr 4, 2019
22
0
1,510
It creates a text file in the folder its installed in called stress.txt. It may also show on screen, I haven't actually had a need to run it myself. I also am not sure how long it runs for

Alright so I will run Prime95 for like another 5 hours or so and then test another USB. If that doesn't work I'll probably have to get in touch with a technician. I'll keep you updated anyway. If you have any more suggestions I would be very happy to hear them. Thanks in advance :)
 

Julyon

Commendable
Apr 4, 2019
22
0
1,510
Okay great now Prime95 didn't show any problems in the 5 hours I've run it. I decided to stop and focus on the USB stick. I now use the new USB to try to boot and I found it still crashing. It crashes at the "preparing files for installation" step. I tried three times now and have gotten the kmode_exception_not_handled BSOD storport.sys is what failed. Any ideas? Or is it time to give up :(
 

Colif

Win 11 Master
Moderator
Try installing ubuntu on the PC and see if it has any problems. https://itsfoss.com/create-live-usb-of-ubuntu-in-windows/
if it works, run some tests on it. test all the hardware.

by giving up, you mean
If the only tech guy you talked to was with Microsoft, I would be tempted to get an actual repair person to look at it physically as online help can only go so far. If PC worked fine before and now it doesn't, its going to be hardware of some sort.
then yeah.

well, the prep stage is where its copying onto ssd so maybe your ssd works sometimes and not others... yes, I know the hdd also has errors. Neither is new. repair store could install on a hdd they know works and see if its same thing
 
Last edited:

Julyon

Commendable
Apr 4, 2019
22
0
1,510
Try installing ubuntu on the PC and see if it has any problems. https://itsfoss.com/create-live-usb-of-ubuntu-in-windows/
if it works, run some tests on it. test all the hardware.

by giving up, you mean

then yeah.

well, the prep stage is where its copying onto ssd so maybe your ssd works sometimes and not others... yes, I know the hdd also has errors. Neither is new. repair store could install on a hdd they know works and see if its same thing

Okay another update: I have swapped out the GPU with another, that didn't change anything. I've created another USB with the old 2004 Version, still crashing. I even cleared CMOS... Cuz why not.

Are any drivers on the motherboard somehow? Like LAN and USB drivers and such? If so is there a way to update them? I can't explain otherwise.
It seems so stupid that both the SSD and HDD stop working at the same time... Could I run chkdsk on them using another Computer or use the ultimate boot CD stick that I created for Prime95 to test them? If so, could you explain how?

Otherwise I have no frickin clue what else could be bad as I have checked literally everything...
 

Colif

Win 11 Master
Moderator
drivers only exist in windows. If you can't get windows on, there are no drivers that will help.

you could put them in another PC and run chkdsk on them. or run programs on them to make sure they okay.

SSD: Corsair Force MP510 (~500GB)
HDD: Seagate Barracuda (2TB)
i would suggest a corsair program to scan ssd but I don't know of one. i don't know if this works - https://www.techspot.com/downloads/6075-corsair-ssd-toolbox.html
there is https://www.seagate.com/au/en/support/downloads/seatools/seatools-win-master/ for the seagate.
and there is chkdsk

chkdsk c: /f if its a ssd
chkdsk c: /f /r if its a hdd (difference is ssd don't have physical sectors so can't repair them, ssd looks after itself mostly)

i have my doubts both drives are bad but we have to check.
 

Julyon

Commendable
Apr 4, 2019
22
0
1,510
i would suggest a corsair program to scan ssd but I don't know of one. i don't know if this works - https://www.techspot.com/downloads/6075-corsair-ssd-toolbox.html
there is https://www.seagate.com/au/en/support/downloads/seatools/seatools-win-master/ for the seagate.
and there is chkdsk

chkdsk c: /f if its a ssd
chkdsk c: /f /r if its a hdd (difference is ssd don't have physical sectors so can't repair them, ssd looks after itself mostly)

i have my doubts both drives are bad but we have to check.

I will do this tomorrow or the day after. I might try to run Prime95 again for a longer period just to make sure and see if I can use UBCD to check for any other problems. Wish me luck. I really need it.
 
Some thoughts:

1: The fact the HDD worked on another PC makes me think that's not the problem. You could hook it up to another PC and check the SMART data to see if there are any obvious errors, but my suspicion is the HDD is not the problem.

2: IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL, PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA, and SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION generally get thrown when something has caused data corruption. And considering they are being generating during an install of Windows (where there aren't any OS/Driver issues to worry about), this makes me immediately suspicious of RAM and the Motherboard. I don't see how any other HW failure could cause these specific BSODs to be generated.

My recommendation: Try running the Windows install with only ONE stick of RAM installed. If you get an error, try using a different stick of RAM in a different physical slot. This would eliminate either a bad stick of RAM (memtest86+ is good, but some errors do fall through) or a bad physical slot on the motherboard (rare, but they do show up from time to time). If this fails across multiple RAM/Slot combinations, then I would suspect either a BIOS configuration issue, or some sort of motherboard failure (as pretty much everything else has been eliminated). There's only so many things that could fail a fresh install of Windows on a clean HDD.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.