Question Numerous BSOD, including during clean windows 10 install.

[J_White_BE]

So usually I am not one for posting my own threads on a forum, but I have tried many-a solution and am currently running out of options and looking for advice.
Before I go any further, below are my PC specs:

• Ryzen 7 3700X
• Sapphire Pulse Radeon RX5700 XT
• Asus Tuf X570 Gaming Plus (Wi-Fi)
• LPX Corsair Vengeance 2x8 GB 3200 mhz
• Corsair TX-M Series TX850M V2
• Seagate Barracuda ST2000DM008 2TB - 3.5"
• Samsung 970 EVO Plus 500GB

The issue at hands seems to be that my PC suffers from BSOD during random moments in time, these can be once every few days to once per hour (Note: I have only had these issue 1 year after my build, no issues prior). BSOD error codes have been varying from PAGE_FAULT_IN_NON_PAGED_AREA to many others) and always usually pointed to ntoskrnl.exe, which doesnt offer much in the way of information. I suspected issues with Windows, so decided to do a clean install via USB but was met with numerous BSOD occurring during the clean installation process, leading to the PC often having to reboot midway through. So I figured it needed to be a hardware issue. Started by removing SSD and trying on HDD only, followed by the other way around. Both didnt solve my issue. Have reseated everything, bought new RAM (so tick off RAM on the checklist), still the same problems. I contacted the people where I bought most of my parts from, sent in MoBo + CPU as they suspected the issue to be related to CPU. They tested it but were unable to detect any issues (So tick off CPU + Mobo?). I'm currently waiting for those parts to return, but I am anxious to test as the problem most likely will not have been resolved.

So here I am looking for guidance on how to further tackle my BSOD nightmare. The only parts on my computer I haven't gone to check are the GPU and PSU. Would it be possible that my GPU gives problems during a clean windows install AND randomly during PC usage (I have played games for hours on end with no issue, so it's not a straining issue)? Further, is it even a thing to suspect my PSU, seems unreasonable...

Hope any of you can help me out!

Edit: I also had issues with chrome tabs crashing, not sure if relevant but might as well throw it in the mix.

 

[Ralston18]

Yes - you can and should suspect a PSU.

Especially if heavily used for gaming, video editing, bit-mining etc.,.

Do you have a multi-meter and know how to use it? Or know someone who does?

https://www.lifewire.com/how-to-manually-test-a-power-supply-with-a-multimeter-2626158

Not a full test as the PSU is not under load. However, any out of spec voltages would indicate a problem.

 

[J_White_BE]

Yes - you can and should suspect a PSU.

Especially if heavily used for gaming, video editing, bit-mining etc.,.

Do you have a multi-meter and know how to use it? Or know someone who does?

https://www.lifewire.com/how-to-manually-test-a-power-supply-with-a-multimeter-2626158

Not a full test as the PSU is not under load. However, any out of spec voltages would indicate a problem.

I'd have to ask around to see if I can get a hold on somebody who does.
Seems a bit strange though as, yes, I have indeed used my PC for gaming, but I wouldn't say under any heavy load and haven't used it for any video-editing or bit-mining.
What made me doubt it being the PSU is the fact that the BSOD occured at random times when using the PC (anywhere in between from once every few hours to once every few days), but when I tried performing my windows reinstalls from USB they seemed to almost always occur. I think I tried about 10 clean installs and only managed to get to my windows start screen once without BSOD interruption (alas BSOD occurred shortly after).

Knowing this, would you still suspect the PSU?

 

[Ralston18]

Look in Reliability History and Event Viewer for error codes and warnings.

Especially any errors that you can match to any given BSOD.

Not sure how complete or extensive the logged results will be based on all that you have done.

If there are numerous and varying errors that, to me, makes the PSU suspect. So yes to that question.

And even if you cannot see any errors per se, the overall system behavior is supportive of a PSU problem. Further indicated by the physical troubleshooting that eliminated other possibilities.

And power glitches during a windows reinstall may cause file corruption that, in turn, becomes the reason for even more problems.

As for "heavy load" anything that requires the PSU to continually provide wattage in near the wattage rating is going to degrade the PSU's capabilities over time. And, as for most products, PSUs have a designed in EOL (End of Life). After so many cycles of on/off, heating/cooling, and expansion/contraction something will give.

Maybe catastrophically or some more insidious "make and break" pattern that is difficult to pin down.

 

[spacejunk]

Have you updated your BIOS yet ? And if so what speed is your RAM running ?

Also are you positive you have the latest chipset/SATA drivers installed ?

Did you run Check-disk on it yet ?

 

[J_White_BE]

I did update my BIOS in order to check if it would fix the issues but it didn't have any effect. I checked my RAM speed and it was running at 2133 Mhz, so below the advertised speed, altering it to it's advertised speed also didnt provide any solutions. I did switch my RAM slots, performed memtest and even stuck in 2 new RAM sticks. No solution.

I did also run Check-disk but that didnt return any problems.

As the people who requested the Mobo/CPU to be returned for warranty said they ran it with testhardware extensively and had no issue, I've started to look away from CPU/Mobo/RAM and again towards GPU/PSU/Drives.

But as issues persisted with either only SSD, only HDD or both connected I figured it probably wasn't related to my drives.
I should be able to get hold of a multimeter soon, will try to check my PSU.

So far the GPU has never been pointed at as faulty. Out of curiosity, could it be related to VRAM?

 

[J_White_BE]

So, I got my hands on a multimeter, used it to check all connectors for GPU, CPU and Motherboard, Most were spot on, I did get one -12.18 instead of -12V but I read that as long as it is in right range it should be fine. Does this mean I can count the PSU as safe?

 

[spacejunk]

Hmm that's a tough one then. It sounds software related to me. I've heard so many reports of drivers causing BSOD's under win 10 now. Just make sure you rule that out thoroughly. Hope you get it sorted and sorry I couldn't be of more help

 

[J_White_BE]

So I got my CPU/Mobo back, put everything back together and did a secure erase on the SSD via Samsung Magician USB Boot. Still got BSOD during my Windows 10 install... I'm really running out of options and starting to doubt my GPU as well as even doubting the people who did the testing on my Mobo/CPU wether they did thoroughly go through a testing process that includes a windows 10 install as it seems to be the only reliable way to reproduce BSODs on my system.
Seems like I can for certain exclude my disks and RAM.
Thanks for all the help so far, unfortunately I've hit a brick wall...