[SOLVED] Windows 11 not responding at all after reboot, when Steam is installed?

[min4to]

Hello everyone!

Yesterday I've built a new PC (first time ever) and everything worked out somehow in the end.

Did the EXPO to 6000 MHz at 30CL, and PBO curve with negative 30. After a lot of stress testing the system was stable.

I've installed all the default programs that I usually use and Steam was among one of them.
After a reboot the PC boots into Windows but loads everything super super slow(it says that it's loading but doesn't do anything really).
So today I resorted to the system restore point where nothing was installed and made a list of all the programs that I installed yesterday.
After installing each one I restarted the PC to see if it's gonna cause those issues and Steam came on top as the one causing it.

I did a clean Windows install today again and created a new restore point just before I installed Steam and the same issue occurred.

How is it possible that Steam is causing all this? Am I looking at it from a wrong angle, could something else be the culprit?


Every answer will be much appreciated!!!

 

[CelicaGT]

Based on the nomenclature used I'm assuming AMD....but please list all hardware specs so we know what we;re dealing with. Anyways, -30 PBO is a pretty aggressive undervolt and a very possible candidate for your issues. Most can only get -15 all core stable, some -20. Synthetic stress testing does NOT show when an undervolt is stable, quite the opposite, it tells you nothing. Most issues will happen under light load such as basic desktop usage. If you have set your curve on All Core, try setting your cores individually with the Preferred or Fastest cores using a less aggressive curve. Better yet, back off to -15 All Core or stock to see if your issue persists. If it cleans up, then proceed to undervolt if you wish, using less optimistic settings.

 

[min4to]

The whole problem is exactly as mine and described in this reddit post:
https://www.reddit.com/r/WindowsHel..._functional_after_installing_steam/?rdt=37033

I disabled PBO and everything and the problem still occurs..

 

[RodroX]

Did you tried Windows 10?

 

[min4to]

Did you tried Windows 10?

I have not sadly since someone said it's gonna be end of life soon so I went with windows 11 but do you think win10 would be a better option?

 

[RodroX]

Windows 10 end of support, is due to october 2025. So yeah kinda soon, but still over a year of updates/patches.

 

[min4to]

Moderator edit to remove self-awarded Best Answer. Marking thread solved.]

I've installed Windows 10 just as you suggested but the same problem reoccurred there as well so I had to go back to the last restore point just before I installed Steam.
After the installation I immediately disabled Steam as a startup process and did a restart and the PC is working fine now even with Steam installed..
I'm really curious with what the conflict is at the startup that makes Windows lose it like this..

 

[RodroX]

I've installed Windows 10 just as you suggested but the same problem reoccurred there as well so I had to go back to the last restore point just before I installed Steam.
After the installation I immediately disabled Steam as a startup process and did a restart and the PC is working fine now even with Steam installed..
I'm really curious with what the conflict is at the startup that makes Windows lose it like this..

Thats some crazy stuff, I have seen worst, but thats crazy indeed.

So are you able to use steam once you are already logged into Windows ?

 

[min4to]

Thats some crazy stuff, I have seen worst, but thats crazy indeed.

So are you able to use steam once you are already logged into Windows ?

Yup, Steam works completely fine after I launch it so I'm really curious what the issue is with between Windows and Steam on startup..