Question PC bluescreens and sometimes crashes without BSOD

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May 27, 2020
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Hello.

For the past few months i've experienced a number of crashes and BSOD happening daily.
Most of the BSOD have the driver ntoskrnl.exe as the cause, which i've heard could be because of a hardware problem.
I've tried almost everything people have suggested, but nothing has helped.
Some things I've tried:
  • Clean install
  • MemTest86 (and tried another set of RAM)
  • Installing another graphics card
  • Stress tested CPU
  • sfc /scannow
  • Reinstalled graphics card drivers
If anyone have any ideas of how to solve it please let me know.

Some minidumps (I've attached a minidump from a driver verifier I just ran): https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1gyb6GCE4dMGL_-ytXLeVucALeFgPLO5d?usp=sharing
Speccy: http://speccy.piriform.com/results/zlRGXMB1KWFtidMWtp1dO4Z
 
Can you list your full hardware specifications. I'm sure you probably have offered them somewhere in this thread, but if so, they are all over the place. I don't see anywhere where the full hardware specs are listed all together in one place.

Please include EXACT model/part numbers where possible.

Also, if anything, including the CPU, graphics card or memory are overclocked, whether manually or using an automatic preset or utility, please indicate that.

Thanks.
 
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May 27, 2020
94
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Can you list your full hardware specifications. I'm sure you probably have offered them somewhere in this thread, but if so, they are all over the place. I don't see anywhere where the full hardware specs are listed all together in one place.

Please include EXACT model/part numbers where possible.

Also, if anything, including the CPU, graphics card or memory are overclocked, whether manually or using an automatic preset or utility, please indicate that.

Thanks.
I don't have the model/part numbers, is there any way for me to see them?

The parts in my pc are:
CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 3600 (automatically overclocked from 3.6 ghz to about 4-4.1 ghz (haven't done this myself, I think it's my motherboard))
CPU cooler: ARCTIC Freezer 34 eSports DUO
Motherboard: MSI B450 TOMAHAWK MAX
RAM: Corsair Vengeance LPX 16 GB (XMP profile enabled)
HDD: Seagate BarraCuda 1 TB
GPU: PowerColor Radeon RX 5700 XT
Case: NZXT H510i
PSU: Corsair TXM Gold 550 W 80+
 
May 27, 2020
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Nah, that's good right there except it would be good to know the exact model of your memory kit.

To get the memory kit part number open a command prompt and then copy/paste or type in the following and hit enter.

wmic memorychip get devicelocator, partnumber


Here's the result:

DeviceLocator PartNumber
DIMM 1 CMK16GX4M2A2400C14
DIMM 1 CMK16GX4M2A2400C14
 
Ok, so that raises a problem, or two.

Has the memory been changed at some point or is there some reason why we'd be seeing different memory part numbers?

Also, the CMK16GX4M2B3000C15 IS on the motherboard QVL list, so it is compatible with that motherboard, but the CMK16GX4M2A2400C14 kit is not on the motherboard QVL nor is it on the Corsair memory finder compatibility list for that motherboard. Now, that doesn't necessarily mean, for sure, that it can't work with that board, but it absolutely opens it up to the prospect of there potentially being problems using it.

I think we need to determine what memory is ACTUALLY installed, and I'm going to tend to believe the command line info, but just to be safe I would recommend that you download this, run it, and it see what it says.

Download the freeware version. Install it. Run it. See what it lists as the installed memory. Taking a screenshot of it and posting it here would be the best but just relaying the model to us would be ok too.

http://www.softnology.biz/files.html
 
May 27, 2020
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Has the memory been changed at some point or is there some reason why we'd be seeing different memory part numbers?
Yes it has been changed. I thought that maybe the RAM was the cause of the crashes, so I changed RAM with my dad, I've just forgotten to change back to my original RAM.
When I think about it, that might be why Prime 95 reported errors.
My fault, i'll change it when I get time.
 
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May 27, 2020
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I ran the command again with my original RAM and got this:
DeviceLocator PartNumber
DIMM 1 CMK16GX4M2B3000C15
DIMM 1 CMK16GX4M2B3000C15

Download the freeware version. Install it. Run it. See what it lists as the installed memory. Taking a screenshot of it and posting it here would be the best but just relaying the model to us would be ok too.

http://www.softnology.biz/files.html
should I still do this?
 
Ok, so no, you don't need to do that still.

And those sticks are compatible. I'll assume you do have them in the 2nd and 4th slots. Now that you have that memory installed again, the problem becomes that Ryzen does not like 3000mhz memory kits. 2933mhz is generally ok and 3200mhz is generally ok but 3000mhz almost always causes problems. Have you enabled XMP after switching back to the faster memory kit?

Have you run Memtest86 with that kit installed?

Memtest86


Go to the Passmark software website and download the USB Memtest86 free version. You can do the optical disk version too if for some reason you cannot use a bootable USB flash drive.


Create bootable media using the downloaded Memtest86. Once you have done that, go into your BIOS and configure the system to boot to the USB drive that contains the Memtest86 USB media or the optical drive if using that option.


You CAN use Memtest86+, as they've recently updated the program after MANY years of no updates, but for the purpose of this guide I recommend using the Passmark version as this is a tried and true utility while I've not had the opportunity to investigate the reliability of the latest 86+ release as compared to Memtest86. Possibly, consider using Memtest86+ as simply a secondary test to Memtest86, much as Windows memory diagnostic utility and Prime95 Blend or custom modes can be used for a second opinion utility.


Create a bootable USB Flash drive:

1. Download the Windows MemTest86 USB image.

2. Right click on the downloaded file and select the "Extract to Here" option. This places the USB image and imaging tool into the current folder.

3. Run the included imageUSB tool, it should already have the image file selected and you just need to choose which connected USB drive to turn into a bootable drive. Note that this will erase all data on the drive.



No memory should ever fail to pass Memtest86 when it is at the default configuration that the system sets it at when you start out or do a clear CMOS by removing the CMOS battery for five minutes.

Best method for testing memory is to first run four passes of Memtest86, all 11 tests, WITH the memory at the default configuration. This should be done BEFORE setting the memory to the XMP profile settings. The paid version has 13 tests but the free version only has tests 1-10 and test 13. So run full passes of all 11 tests. Be sure to download the latest version of Memtest86. Memtest86+ has not been updated in MANY years. It is NO-WISE as good as regular Memtest86 from Passmark software.

If there are ANY errors, at all, then the memory configuration is not stable. Bumping the DRAM voltage up slightly may resolve that OR you may need to make adjustments to the primary timings. There are very few secondary or tertiary timings that should be altered. I can tell you about those if you are trying to tighten your memory timings.

If you cannot pass Memtest86 with the memory at the XMP configuration settings then I would recommend restoring the memory to the default JEDEC SPD of 1333/2133mhz (Depending on your platform and memory type) with everything left on the auto/default configuration and running Memtest86 over again. If it completes the four full passes without error you can try again with the XMP settings but first try bumping the DRAM voltage up once again by whatever small increment the motherboard will allow you to increase it by. If it passes, great, move on to the Prime95 testing.

If it still fails, try once again bumping the voltage if you are still within the maximum allowable voltage for your memory type and test again. If it still fails, you are likely going to need more advanced help with configuring your primary timings and should return the memory to the default configuration until you can sort it out.

If the memory will not pass Memtest86 for four passes when it IS at the stock default non-XMP configuration, even after a minor bump in voltage, then there is likely something physically wrong with one or more of the memory modules and I'd recommend running Memtest on each individual module, separately, to determine which module is causing the issue. If you find a single module that is faulty you should contact the seller or the memory manufacturer and have them replace the memory as a SET. Memory comes matched for a reason as I made clear earlier and if you let them replace only one module rather than the entire set you are back to using unmatched memory which is an open door for problems with incompatible memory.

Be aware that you SHOULD run Memtest86 to test the memory at the default, non-XMP, non-custom profile settings BEFORE ever making any changes to the memory configuration so that you will know if the problem is a setting or is a physical problem with the memory.
 
You only need to run Memtest86 ONCE, BUT, you need to run all four passes DURING that one run. Four passes will take many hours to complete usually. The more memory, and the more DIMMs, the longer it takes. With 16GB in two DIMMs, it will still take several hours, but should be doable between the time you go to bed and wake up, which is usually how I run it unless it's on a secondary or client system.
 
May 27, 2020
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You only need to run Memtest86 ONCE, BUT, you need to run all four passes DURING that one run. Four passes will take many hours to complete usually. The more memory, and the more DIMMs, the longer it takes. With 16GB in two DIMMs, it will still take several hours, but should be doable between the time you go to bed and wake up, which is usually how I run it unless it's on a secondary or client system.
Oh ok, I get it now. I don't think I've let it run for all four passes before.
I'll start it when i head to bed.
 
Exactly. See, running Memtest86 for one pass, four times, is not the same as running it one time, for four passes. The test regiments get more difficult with each consecutive pass AND the memory warms up, which can sometimes be the trigger necessary for flaws to show up.
 

Colif

Win 11 Master
Moderator
glad you worked out why the ram in system didn't match what the bios was reporting in crashes - it had been switched. I was going to ask how that was possible myself :)

So have you run prime 95 on the right ram to see if it gets rounding too? or was it what got it? its hard to keep track :)
 
May 27, 2020
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glad you worked out why the ram in system didn't match what the bios was reporting in crashes - it had been switched. I was going to ask how that was possible myself :)

So have you run prime 95 on the right ram to see if it gets rounding too? or was it what got it? its hard to keep track :)
Well I ran Prime95 on the right RAM about a month or so ago, but i will run it again now
 
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May 27, 2020
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Well, some things have improved at least. The lack of rounding errors and the ability to pass Memtest86 for four passes is a good sign that things are MAYBE trending in the right direction.

Are you still getting crashes or errors, now?
Yup, I'm still getting as many crashes as I did before, some with, and some without BSOD.
Should I send the dump files?
 
May 27, 2020
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My recommendation would be to raise the memory (DRAM voltage) voltage by .010-.020v. And then save BIOS settings and see if there is a change. When you ran Memtest, did you run it with the memory at the default speed or the XMP configuration?
I ran the memtest with the default configuration as it said. Should i run it again with XMP enabled?