Windows 10 Blue Screens, SFC Failures, and Windows Defender Failure

[Troubled PC User]

Preface: My PC has a MSI Z97 PC Mate Motherboard, Intel i5 Processor, a 120GB SSD (which has Windows 10 Pro installed and currently has 42.1GB free), a 1TB HDD (676GB free), a 1TB external HDD (that really is never used), an NVIDIA GTX 970 graphics card, 8GB RAM, and a CX 600 PSU. It is a general purpose PC, but mostly is used for gaming. The PC was assembled early January 2016.

Part 1 The Issues: I have had several issues with Windows 10 on my PC. Over Christmas holiday I could not get it to update to the latest version of Windows (turns out all the updates since November had been failing to update). My solution to this was to call Microsoft and see if they could help. Their help ended with me at the correct version of Windows, but unable to use any default apps (store, calculator etc.). I then decided to just reinstall Windows on my PC using the Windows 10 Pro OEM I have for my motherboard (I reformatted my SSD but did not change my HDD when I did this). Naturally, this put me back about a year's worth in Windows Updates. My computer again failed to update itself, so I used Microsoft's Media Creation Tool to make a bootable to update with (this did not work/update the system). I then used the Windows Refresh tool to reinstall Windows again. This time I ended up at the right version and had working default apps. All seemed fine, except that recently I have been experiencing a large number of Blue Screen of Death crashes. These have occurred while gaming (Fallout 4 and League of Legends), browsing the web, streaming YouTube, and just sitting at the desktop after signing in. The stop code given in the BSOD says "CRITICAL PROCESS DIED." Upon restarting my PC from the crashes 2 things have happened (not every time, but more than once and not mutually exclusively). 1. My Windows Defender and Windows Firewall were offline, I immediately received notifications about this, but attempting to turn them back on did not work. However, I restarted my PC to find that both were back online (this has happened twice as I recall). 2. When restarting my PC, after going through the BIOS MSI logo, the computer says there was an error reading the boot disk and to press CTRL ALT DEL to restart. My keyboard did not work when I tried the keys (even though it had power), so I used the reset button on the PC case. It gave the same can't read error. I restarted again with the same method, although this time (and every time it has happened since) I booted into the BIOS screen. I did not change anything just booted in and restarted again (using the button still). This time the PC booted normally (This has happen 3-4 times).

Part 2 Attempted Fixes: My first step was to run a chkdsk on my SSD, HDD and external drives. All scans came back normal (no bad sectors at all). Then, I ran a Windows Memory scan which also said there was no issue (I also wiggled the RAM sticks in the slots to make sure they were in all the way). The crashes persisted after these measures, so after some Googling, I decided to run my anti-malware just to make sure I didn't have anything nasty (I haven't downloaded anything sketchy that I know of since reinstalling Windows twice, and have never used Torrents etc.). I use MalwareBytes AntiMalware (Free Edition) and Windows Defender for my PC protection. Two full scans from MalwareBytes found nothing, but when trying a full scan with Windows Defender it stopped after running for about 20 minutes and gave the following error code: 0x800106ba. The recommended solution for this error was to run (in Admin privileged) command prompt these 2 scans:
CMD(admin):
powershell
sfc /scannow

and

CMD(admin)
sfc /scannow

The powershell scan found no errors, but the normal sfc could not complete the action. I tried running the same scan in Safe Mode but it failed in the same manner.

My Thoughts: Either I have some nasty Denial of Service virus (which I doubt), or some part of my hardware is failing. Logic says it is not the graphic card since the BSOD error message does not pertain to any graphics drivers. It is possible that my SDD is going bad, although I find it unlikely since the chkdsk scan found no problems with it. My motherboard doesn't seem to be the issue since the BIOS is working fine. There could be some weird interaction the SSD and HDD causing crashes, but Google has not revealed anything to suggest that. It might be that my Windows version it corrupt at some base level such that even reinstall/refreshing doesn't fix it (maybe due to the OEM?).

My Follow-up Questions:
Any advice or insight into my problem
From what I have described, is the possibility of malware/virus great enough that I should have a professional try to scan and quarantine my system?
Is it even possible for a bad OEM cause these kinds of issues? If so, can a new OEM be put on a motherboard that already has an OEM, or would I have to get a new motherboard?

 

[Paul NZ]

Reinstall windows again but unplug the other hdds when you do.

Get to setup / delete all partitions then reinstall windows

Things can screw up if you install windows when more than 1 hdd is connected and plugged in

If the same thing happens again with the ssd, then it maybe the prob

If you've still got the ISO mediacreation tool downloaded , use]http://rufus.akeo.ie/]use Rufus to extract the ISO to a flash drive[/url]

It'll probably work. If you use Rufus change partition type to GPT since the Mobo has a UEFI BIOS

Enable AHCI, secureboot and UEFI in the BIOS if it's 64 bit

 

[Troubled PC User]

Thanks for the advice, I will try it tomorrow morning. 2 quick questions though. I remember trying to reinstall using the new UEFI, when I was reinstalling for the 2nd time during Christmas, but I couldn't get the installer to let me choose it due to the SSD being in the wrong format (its in the MBR format I guess). Will Rufus let me change the format of the SSD or does "If you use Rufus change partition type to GPT since the Mobo has a UEFI BIOS" refer to the USB I'm installing from? Also, Do I need to wipe my HDD or just leave it unplugged when I reinstall?

 

[Paul NZ]

You change it to GPT in Rufus if you've got a UEFI BIOS.

Hopefully, once you do the above in Rufus, once you get to the windows setup, and delete all partitions, it MAY or SHOULD create a GPT partition.

I think you'll know if it's GPT partitioned, if you go to disk management after Windows has been installed

You'll have an 100 mb EFI partition and an 450 MB recovery partition

I dont think you get the 100 MB partition if the hdd is formatted in MBR

Nono if you install windows on the SSD, just unplug the others. You dont have to wipe them.

As long as power isnt going to them when you install windows. BUT if there are programs on one of the other 2 hdd (if theyre not Steam games, you'll have to reinstall them again)

You can reconnect the other hdds, after windows has been installed

 

[Troubled PC User]

Understood. Thanks! I'll post tomorrow once I have finished.

 

[Paul NZ]

Sweet

 

[Troubled PC User]

The reinstall went well. My PC is now in GPT format. I guess time will tell if the blue-screens are fixed. I'll update after a week for anyone who wants to know if its fixed.

Edit: An hour later, and it has blue screened again. This time the error was: Unexpected Store Exception. I was in the middle of downloading Fallout 4 to the C: Drive (SSD) and running an drive optimization program on the D: drive (internal HDD). Right before the crash the Fallout 4 download stopped due to a disk write error. So it sounds like my SSD needs replacement.

 

[Paul NZ]

Yeah doesnt sound too good if it's getting errors