Question Relentless ATTEMPTED_WRITE_TO_READONLY_MEMORY bluescreens after Windows reinstall

[finn183]

I currently have a Ryzen 3 2200G as the CPU and the Asrock AB350M-HDV as the mobo.
After updating my BIOS to the latest version (includes support for Zen 2) my Windows installation suddenly stopped working, sending me to the Recovery menu every time. I've noticed that the SSD partition (which is also the boot partition) is suddenly placed under the 2 hard drive partitions (so instead of the boot drive being labeled C:\, it's E;\ instead). After a long time of trying to find out the cause, I gave in and reinstalled Windows (to build 1903; for some reason the old installation [build 1803] just refuses to update outright).
Then not long after reinstallation I was bombarded with relentless freezes and bluescreens (6 unique BSODs at one point.) After installing drivers, the number of bluescreens has since reduced to just ATTEMPTED_WRITE (along with a few others here and there).
The system seems to crash seemingly at random (sometimes within a minute of rebooting from a bluescreen, other times several hours). That said a crash seems more likely if I access the system drive (such as opening Event Viewer or using a browser installed on C:\)
Here are the minidumps for the last 5 bluescreens. If MEMORY.DMP is requested I'll gladly provide that as well.
Before you ask, SFC, CHKDSK, DISM and resetting the PC didn't help. Memtest86 came out fine. Any other suggestions will be gladly accepted.

 

[Colif]

Clean install wipes entire ssd, so anything on there you want to save, I would copy to another USB or a cloud server like Onedrive or Google Drive, since you don't have another hdd.
Not sure backup of a broken install really helps to have.

I would try clean install first since it only costs time.

Download the Windows 10 media creation tool and use it to make a win 10 installer on USB (if you don't have it already)

follow this guide: https://forums.tomshardware.com/faq/how-to-do-a-clean-installation-of-windows-10.3170366/

 

[finn183]

Clean install wipes entire ssd, so anything on there you want to save, I would copy to another USB or a cloud server like Onedrive or Google Drive, since you don't have another hdd.
Not sure backup of a broken install really helps to have.

I would try clean install first since it only costs time.

Download the Windows 10 media creation tool and use it to make a win 10 installer on USB (if you don't have it already)

follow this guide: https://forums.tomshardware.com/faq/how-to-do-a-clean-installation-of-windows-10.3170366/

The windows installer is what I've been using to fix this stuff the whole time though. But sure, I'll go ahead and reinstall. If it don't work then it's off to the repair shop I go. Will update if any issue pops up during install.

 

[finn183]

Alrighty-o, reinstalled without a hitch. I think the next order of business would just be to reinstall drivers one by one until a bluescreen pops up (if any).

 

[Colif]

i would use the asrock appstore and check it thinks you have newest drivers

 

[finn183]

i would use the asrock appstore and check it thinks you have newest drivers

Well, dangit. Seems like the reinstallation didn't help. Even with only Microsoft stock drivers the thing would still bluescreen (yes, it's still 0xBE).

 

[PC Tailor]

Just to clarify, did you say this issue only started occurring after you updated your BIOS?

I'd also be tempted to run memtest again, purely on the basis that it's free, easy to do, and memtest technically checks some virtual memory and CPU cache, but can't test which one is at fault, being as you had a fault with prior memory sticks.

 

[Colif]

i hate posting when there is some small hope of a result as it always seems to jinx the result, so (as I said to PC Tailor last night), I often just like the post and hope that isn't enough to upset the balance

RMA my mobo (because BIOS update started this whole fiasco) or get it repaired (because I'm running out of options).

seems to me these are the only 2 choices now. Fresh install more or less removes chance it was drivers, for the most part.

 

[finn183]

Just to clarify, did you say this issue only started occurring after you updated your BIOS?

I'd also be tempted to run memtest again, purely on the basis that it's free, easy to do, and memtest technically checks some virtual memory and CPU cache, but can't test which one is at fault, being as you had a fault with prior memory sticks.

Lemme recap: BIOS update borked original Windows installation. After Windows reinstall I started to get bombarded by bluescreens which was stabilized with a reset (by stabilized I mean reduced to just one bluescreen frequently instead of six unique ones and random freezes).

 

[Colif]

If you can run asrock appstore and get all the newest drivers on, set PC up to create minidumps and we see if its still blaming the same things as normal

 

[finn183]

If you can run asrock appstore and get all the newest drivers on, set PC up to create minidumps and we see if its still blaming the same things as normal

Well if it's even worth looking at I'll just post the dump for the BSOD after reinstallation for now, with completely stock drivers.

 

[Colif]

Many bsod are caused because you using old drivers. ButI assume PC tailor will look at them.

just thought, I don't like advising people to spend money, not unless its obvious its not software. SO I always want to make sure.

 

[PC Tailor]

I ran the report and encountered various symbol errors no matter what I tried, seemed to be kernel symbols that were the issue. Considering that and the circumstances, instead of a full report I've just the loaded modules at the time:

ModuleName	Time Stamp	Company	Description
amdpsp.sys	05/06/2017, 22:25:16	AMD	AMD Chipset Driver
rt640x64.sys	22/10/2018, 15:34:45	Realtek	Realtek Audio Driver
AMDPCIDev.sys	12/04/2018, 07:14:57	AMD	AMD Ryzen OC Utility
nvlddmkm.sys	27/10/2017, 16:49:39	NVIDIA	NVIDIA Video Drivers
amdgpio2.sys	07/02/2019, 09:32:20	AMD	AMD GPIO Controller Driver
amdgpio3.sys	14/03/2016, 10:19:36	AMD	AMD GPIO Controller Driver

Helps narrow down the issue massively, only one I can see really is the AMDPSP purely as it's dated at 2017 - but the MB site only has a full packe of AMD tools, which I'm sure have already been covered - https://www.asrock.com/mb/AMD/AB350M-HDV/index.asp#Download

 

[Colif]

if your PC is attached to the internet, its also possible windows has downloaded drivers itself to match hardware, it does this via windows store so might not even show up as windows updates. Some motherboard makers have their own driver packs which they give microsoft to match the motherboards so its downloads 1 thing and updates it all (very much like the amd all in one driver but specific to hardware on board)

I take 1 thing back I said before - I would get it repaired as a repair shop can narrow down cause, better than wildly RMA motherboard, hate to have you come back and say it didn't fix it. I have been there before.

 

[finn183]

I ran the report and encountered various symbol errors no matter what I tried, seemed to be kernel symbols that were the issue. Considering that and the circumstances, instead of a full report I've just the loaded modules at the time:

ModuleName	Time Stamp	Company	Description
amdpsp.sys	05/06/2017, 22:25:16	AMD	AMD Chipset Driver
rt640x64.sys	22/10/2018, 15:34:45	Realtek	Realtek Audio Driver
AMDPCIDev.sys	12/04/2018, 07:14:57	AMD	AMD Ryzen OC Utility
nvlddmkm.sys	27/10/2017, 16:49:39	NVIDIA	NVIDIA Video Drivers
amdgpio2.sys	07/02/2019, 09:32:20	AMD	AMD GPIO Controller Driver
amdgpio3.sys	14/03/2016, 10:19:36	AMD	AMD GPIO Controller Driver

Helps narrow down the issue massively, only one I can see really is the AMDPSP purely as it's dated at 2017 - but the MB site only has a full packe of AMD tools, which I'm sure have already been covered - https://www.asrock.com/mb/AMD/AB350M-HDV/index.asp#Download

Bingo bango bongo, after I installed most of the drivers it BSOD'd (this time SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION which did occur from time to time) when I tried to install Nvidia drivers. Maybe there will be a difference? Who knows. Sorry for bothering you with this btw

 

[Colif]

BSOD are strange things, they make people celebrate seeing another one they haven't before... I sometimes say I want to see BSOD I haven't before, until it happens and I go um,,, how do I fix this.

 

[PC Tailor]

Exact same +1 HD Audio driver:

ModuleName	Time Stamp	Company	Description
amdpsp.sys	19/06/2019, 15:45:11	AMD	AMD Chipset Driver
rt640x64.sys	10/05/2019, 09:59:23	Realtek	Realtek Audio Driver
amdgpio2.sys	17/05/2019, 06:22:55	AMD	AMD GPIO Controller Driver
amdgpio3.sys	14/03/2016, 10:19:36	AMD	AMD GPIO Controller Driver
AMDPCIDev.sys	24/07/2019, 13:02:52	AMD	AMD Ryzen OC Utility
nvlddmkm.sys	27/10/2017, 16:49:39	NVIDIA	NVIDIA Video Drivers
RTKVHD64.sys	15/01/2019, 11:45:52	Realtek	Realtek HD Audio Driver

I can't recall the process steps we made previously, did we remove the GPU and retest?

 

[Colif]

what process was it blaming? ntoskrnl?

 

[PC Tailor]

what process was it blaming? ntoskrnl?

Got a bunch of symbol errors again so from what I saw yes, but it was the kernel symbols it was faulting on. So I never got a truly effective answer.

In effect, it was a symbol error that it blamed - but i was only getting symbol erros on kernel symbols.

 

[Colif]

long threads should have a note area where you can record things already tried, as after 3 pages it gets difficult to remember what you have tried already

Have you tried booting off a linux USB and see if it has any problems? If 2 OS have problems with hardware, it makes it obvious - https://itsfoss.com/create-live-usb-of-ubuntu-in-windows/

Sorry If I already suggested this

 

[finn183]

long threads should have a note area where you can record things already tried, as after 3 pages it gets difficult to remember what you have tried already

Have you tried booting off a linux USB and see if it has any problems? If 2 OS have problems with hardware, it makes it obvious - https://itsfoss.com/create-live-usb-of-ubuntu-in-windows/

Sorry If I already suggested this

No you didn't suggest it yet, you're good. I did boot Linux Mint from a live USB once and it seemed... fine. Might as well do more extensive testing later.

 

[Colif]

i made a few notes - reminder of progress so far
Mb: Asrock AB350M-HDV
Newest BIOS
CPU – Ryzen 2 2200G
GPU - Gigabyte Windforce GTX 1060 3GB
Ram – 8gb RAM (replaced ram once already)
New ram passes memtest 10 passes/no errors
Storage
1 ssd – 250gb
2 HDD – 1 TB
PSU

Run a few tests on linux

All started after updating BIOS
BSOD in safe mode
Fresh install, still BSOD
ATTEMPTED_WRITE_TO_READONLY_MEMORY


I don't want to jinx you (ok, if i really meant that I wouldn't post) but as you get BSOD on a clean install, its still likely hardware.
How did you test the storage drives? I don't think its them as the error is always same one.
Did I ask what PSU you had?
Do you get same errors without GPU?

I have other questions, I will read thread again tomorrow and see if I already asked them - its getting late

 

[finn183]

i made a few notes - reminder of progress so far
Mb: Asrock AB350M-HDV
Newest BIOS
CPU – Ryzen 2 2200G
GPU - Gigabyte Windforce GTX 1060 3GB
Ram – 8gb RAM (replaced ram once already)
New ram passes memtest 10 passes/no errors
Storage
1 ssd – 250gb
2 HDD – 1 TB
PSU

Run a few tests on linux

All started after updating BIOS
BSOD in safe mode
Fresh install, still BSOD
ATTEMPTED_WRITE_TO_READONLY_MEMORY


I don't want to jinx you (ok, if i really meant that I wouldn't post) but as you get BSOD on a clean install, its still likely hardware.
How did you test the storage drives? I don't think its them as the error is always same one.
Did I ask what PSU you had?
Do you get same errors without GPU?

I have other questions, I will read thread again tomorrow and see if I already asked them - its getting late

Yeah SMART for both drives says they're good but I don't exactly have a surefire way to test them though.
PSU is a Cooler Master MWE 400 (kinda cheaped out there, I know)
Feel free to throw at me any questions while I go ahead and prep my USB for Linux Mint. I only have 1 hard drive btw.

 

[finn183]

But yes, using Linux Mint on this machine seems to be okay. No kernel panics or anything.

 

[finn183]

i made a few notes - reminder of progress so far
Mb: Asrock AB350M-HDV
Newest BIOS
CPU – Ryzen 2 2200G
GPU - Gigabyte Windforce GTX 1060 3GB
Ram – 8gb RAM (replaced ram once already)
New ram passes memtest 10 passes/no errors
Storage
1 ssd – 250gb
2 HDD – 1 TB
PSU

Run a few tests on linux

All started after updating BIOS
BSOD in safe mode
Fresh install, still BSOD
ATTEMPTED_WRITE_TO_READONLY_MEMORY


I don't want to jinx you (ok, if i really meant that I wouldn't post) but as you get BSOD on a clean install, its still likely hardware.
How did you test the storage drives? I don't think its them as the error is always same one.
Did I ask what PSU you had?
Do you get same errors without GPU?

I have other questions, I will read thread again tomorrow and see if I already asked them - its getting late

Alright alright I eventually noticed a pattern with these BSODs: they often occur when I open Chrome and use it while another program is running (often a slightly CPU-bound task like installation or loading). Opening Event Viewer and waiting for the logs to load can crash it as well.
Emphasis on "often", as many of these can occur without reason (for example crashing before even logging into Windows).

 

[Colif]

Try running some tests using linux, I don't use it myself so I can't offer any suggestions, but if we can test every part of PC with it and it comes out clean, I will have to scratch my head.