Question PC keeps getting BSOD and installations don't work properly

[loadt4]

So, I often turn off my PC by pressing Alt + F4 multiple times to close all the windows I have open and then select "Shut Down" from the window that appears.

Yesterday I had only Audacity open and I tried to shut down using Alt + F4 but it didn't work and as this has happened again in the past I thought that Windows didn't recognize what to close so I kept pressing it until Audacity went to "Not Responding" condition. Then I tried to open Task Manager and realized that the whole PC wasn't responding at all. I tried Alt + Ctrl + Del and nothing. After 1 min i get BSOD but I thought "OK..it happens".

After the "repair" completed, it couldn't find a Boot Device (this has been a problem since the beginning of its life with some Drive Settings issues, specifically with the NVMe RAID mode in BIOS), so i went to BIOS and fixed it and after a restart it booted. I'm getting prompted to upgrade to Windows 11, I decline it and the startup is complete. Try to find Audacity through the shortcuts and nothing (everything is bugged), trying through the Start Menu, nothing there too and message appears "Results in this PC may be incomplete". After I found it and started working on it, a message from Windows Center appears that I need to restart to start Drive Repair. I do it as soon as I finish my work.

Now after the restart, there is a notification that Razer needs to install new Driver (completes), after that Nvidia needs to install a new one too (completes). Try to launch Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege and I get errors from an application associated to the game. After some error fixing failed attempts, I get BSOD again. After the restart, I get the same notifications for Razer and Nvidia and I complete them again. Try to fresh install the application associated to the game that had an error and I get error on installation. Try to fresh install Ubisoft Connect (main Ubisoft App) and I get error on running. BSOD one more time. After the restart i just turn off my PC disappointed.

Today, I come back just to see that it hasn';t turned off properly because I see lights on in the case and hear some low volume sounds. I press the button to turn on and it does. As soon as the startup is complete I tried to open Nvidia Geforce Experience (where you manage the drivers) and when i pressed it BSOD again.

Any advice? Anyone knows what's going on? I run a simple health check on CMD via S.M.A.R.T. and status is "OK", CrystalDiskInfo shows "Good" health condition of both drives. My main Drive is a Kingston SSD where Windows is installed and all the apps that don't work are installed there (except for Audacity which is installed on my HDD)

Note: After every BSOD I get prompted to upgrade to Windows 11

EDIT: Windows 10 Pro Version: 21H2 OS Build: 19044.2846 My setup is:

• AMD Ryzen 5 5600X 6-Core
• Hyper-X Predator 8GB DDR4 3000MHz
• NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 6GB
• SSD Kingston NVMe 250GB
• HDD WesternDigital Blue 1TB

UPDATE: Whenever something doesn't respond and I keep trying to interact with it I get BSOD. Installations don't work. Every program I updated it keeps asking for update again. 2 applications that I installed yesterday are not here

 

[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

1. Open Windows File Explore
2. Navigate to C:\Windows\Minidump
3. Copy the mini-dump files out onto your Desktop
4. Do not use Winzip, use the built in facility in Windows
5. Select those files on your Desktop, right click them and choose 'Send to' - Compressed (zipped) folder
6. Upload the zip file to the Cloud (OneDrive, DropBox . . . etc.)
7. Then post a link here to the zip file, so we can take a look for you . . .

if things aren't installing, it could be the nvme. Kingston ssd software might show something - https://www.kingston.com/en/support/technical/ssdmanager

try running this on HDD - https://support-en.wd.com/app/answers/detailweb/a_id/31759/~/download,-install,-test-drive-and-update-firmware-using-western-digital

Note: After every BSOD I get prompted to upgrade to Windows 11

what happens if you shut PC down without getting BSOD? It sounds to me like the fact it crashes means windows isn't saving your answer anywhere. Shutdown could fix it.

Whatever is broken erases all your progress since last startup. Makes me think drive isn't saving anything.

software can't identify hardware faults, if problem is caused by controller on nvme, for instance, it can't tell.

 

[ubuysa]

Notwithstanding the advice above, and just based on what you've described, my first suspect would be that Kingston NVMe drive. You might want to download the Kingston SSD Manager and use that to check the drive. There might even be a firmware upgrade.

Sometime M.2 drives can benefit from being removed and reinserted fully, I've seen a few niggly issues caused by re-seating an M.2 drive.

 

[loadt4]

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

1. Open Windows File Explore
2. Navigate to C:\Windows\Minidump
3. Copy the mini-dump files out onto your Desktop
4. Do not use Winzip, use the built in facility in Windows
5. Select those files on your Desktop, right click them and choose 'Send to' - Compressed (zipped) folder
6. Upload the zip file to the Cloud (OneDrive, DropBox . . . etc.)
7. Then post a link here to the zip file, so we can take a look for you . . .

if things aren't installing, it could be the nvme. Kingston ssd software might show something - https://www.kingston.com/en/support/technical/ssdmanager

try running this on HDD - https://support-en.wd.com/app/answers/detailweb/a_id/31759/~/download,-install,-test-drive-and-update-firmware-using-western-digital


what happens if you shut PC down without getting BSOD? It sounds to me like the fact it crashes means windows isn't saving your answer anywhere. Shutdown could fix it.

Whatever is broken erases all your progress since last startup. Makes me think drive isn't saving anything.

software can't identify hardware faults, if problem is caused by controller on nvme, for instance, it can't tell.

I installed Kingston software and it just shows an empty menu like it doesn't recognize my SSD at all.
If I shut down my PC correctly it will not actually turn off (lights in case will keep blinking and I can hear a low volume sound like it's still working) and when I turn it on again same thing happens: installations are not there

 

[loadt4]

Notwithstanding the advice above, and just based on what you've described, my first suspect would be that Kingston NVMe drive. You might want to download the Kingston SSD Manager and use that to check the drive. There might even be a firmware upgrade.

Sometime M.2 drives can benefit from being removed and reinserted fully, I've seen a few niggly issues caused by re-seating an M.2 drive.

Everything points to SSD yes. I'll give it a try and update you

 

[loadt4]

Minidump folder is empty but I managed to get a photo of the BSOD error code and message

This time i got BSOD when I tried to install Nvidia driver

 

[loadt4]

New BSOD after failed attempt to run sfc /scannow (error: Windows Resource Protection couldn't complete this operation)

 

[loadt4]

Message from Windows System I got now and after the first BSOD

 

[ubuysa]

I think the SSD is almost certainly flaky. I would backup any user data on there NOW.

 

[loadt4]

got another BSOD different this time

 

[loadt4]

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

I tried that but still can't get dump files. I eventually managed to run a chkdsk on C: and this is what I got

funny thing is that it said that it can't run because it's on use but it reached Stage 2 and the index entries related with Audacity and some songs are on D: which is my HDD not on C: