Question Windows 11 System Keeps Crashing

[TheJHigg]

Hi, I recently built a new Mini ITX PC and over the course of a couple months it keeps crashing. It happens at seemingly random intervals, sometimes 2-3 times a night and sometimes once every couple days, between gaming or surfing the web. This is not the first Mini ITX build I have done, so I don't think this is poor assembly on my part.
Here are the specs:
Intel Core i5-13500
GIGABYTE B760I AORUS PRO
32 GB G.SKILL Trident Z5 DDR5 6000
ASUS DUAL RTX 3060 V2 12GB
EVGA Supernova 650W 80+ Gold
Crucial BX500 2TB SATA SSD

Originally, the PC used Corsair RAM of a similar spec but after initial troubleshooting and seeing others online had similar problems with the common denominator being that RAM I swapped it. Though clearly, the problem is persisting. After changing the RAM kit, I did a full clean install of Windows; which during the prep phase before the computer resets, caused a couple blue screens. Up until that point, every crash had been one where the screen locks and nothing short of holding the power button would reset the computer. However, after a couple tries I finally got the computer to reset itself. The install went fine and all the drivers installed no problem. After the setup, I left some 4k video playing on it overnight to try to recreate an environment in which it was crashing last time. The problem did not repeat. However, while trying to play Baldur's Gate 3 today I first experienced a game crash that I fixed by verifying the installed files. Then 10 minutes later the computer experienced the same screen freeze that has been happening for months. After that, I ran a system file check that stopped at around 61% and presented the message that my computer needed to restart in one minute. I left it to restart on its own and after it powered back on I ran the file check again which resulted zero issues. Then I ran the sfc /scannow command which again resulted zero issues.

At this point I am at a total loss. I know that if I continue using my computer in its current state it will continue to crash even though all the game files and Windows files I've scanned are not corrupted. I am not a computer engineer but I have to imagine somewhere in the writing and rewriting of data that the information is becoming corrupted. I feel like it has to be the SSD, CPU, or motherboard. But before opening that can of worms I wanted to ask on here if anyone has some assistance they can lend me.

Thank you for your time.

 

[Darkbreeze]

So, first things first.

What is the currently installed motherboard BIOS version? This is the MOST common problem on newer builds especially if the problem seems to be memory related and is random. You make no mention of BIOS version or updating.

Next, what is the EXACT model of your EVGA Supernova 650w Gold, because there are a lot of various models that fit that description and they vary in quality and performance from exceptional to exceptionally bad. And approximately how old is this PSU? (How long has it been in service?)

How old is your SSD and have you run any health tests on it yet? Do you have any other drives you might try to use with a clean install to eliminate or convict the drive as being the problem?

Speaking of clean install, when you built this system did you do a clean install of Windows or are you riding an installation that was in use with other hardware/different system previously before this system was assembled?

Have you tried removing the graphics card and using only the integrated graphics from the CPU through one of the motherboard video outputs to eliminate any chance that it might be related to a problem with the video card?

If none of these things bring fruit, then I'd suggest you may definitely want to pull the CPU cooler and CPU and do a very close examination of the motherboard CPU socket pin bed to check for any bent or even slightly deviating pins.

All of this is assuming that you've already eliminated the possibility that there is an issue with one of your USB devices such as mouse, keyboard, printer or hub(s), by swapping them out for other peripherals or simply eliminating them if possible. Obviously you need a mouse and keyboard to do anything, so in that case swapping them out for a backup or borrowed device would be a good idea. Yes, problems with USB devices can absolutely act like something far more serious and it's pretty common for one of them that's bad or going bad to regularly, randomly or intermittently cause the system to freeze, crash or otherwise act stupid.

 

[Darkbreeze]

Still looking for help with this or no?

 

[TheJHigg]

Still looking for help with this or no?

Yes, I have been busy at work and trying to do the things you have suggested all week.

I did a BIOS update (my version was one a couple months old) and it was successful. I am now running GIGABYTE BIOS version F7, there is a newer one than that but it's not a full release. Followed by a clean windows install (again).
My PSU is an EVGA 650 GM Gold (P/N 123-GM-0650-Y1).
The SSD is brand new, and I ran a health check on it that came back OK.
When the system was built, it was using a fresh copy of Windows 11. No part or software sharing between systems.
I have not tried the pulling the GPU yet, but at this point even after trying the steps you gave me I am still experiencing blue screens and even trouble launching Google Chrome. I feel like it has to be motherboard or CPU related so buying a replacement and returning the old one will most likely be my next step. Unless you have something else in mind?

Thanks again for your help.

 

[Darkbreeze]

I think you're on the right track. Let's see if the replacement hardware resolves the issue and go from there. Chances are probably pretty likely at this point that the motherboard could definitely be the issue. But as always with motherboard issues it's a crapshoot because there is really no way to convict the motherboard if there is no visual evidence of a problem with it, other than eliminating everything else.

 

[TheJHigg]

I think you're on the right track. Let's see if the replacement hardware resolves the issue and go from there. Chances are probably pretty likely at this point that the motherboard could definitely be the issue. But as always with motherboard issues it's a crapshoot because there is really no way to convict the motherboard if there is no visual evidence of a problem with it, other than eliminating everything else.

Sounds good. I'll be gone for the holidays so I won't have an update for a few weeks, but I'll let you know when I try a new motherboard.
Thanks for taking an investment in this with me.

 

[TheJHigg]

I think you're on the right track. Let's see if the replacement hardware resolves the issue and go from there. Chances are probably pretty likely at this point that the motherboard could definitely be the issue. But as always with motherboard issues it's a crapshoot because there is really no way to convict the motherboard if there is no visual evidence of a problem with it, other than eliminating everything else.

So I tried a new motherboard and still getting similar crashes. I will say that now Windows files aren't being corrupted, but the first time I tried playing a game with the new motherboard the screen froze and displayed some weird rainbow artifacts about 20 minutes in. This is the first time I have seen something like that any of the times the computer froze. I know that it would be pretty unlucky to build a computer with a faulty motherboard AND graphics card but at this point it seems like all the file errors and software problems have gone away leaving just the screen freezes. Not to mention the rainbow artefacts which are the hallmark of a bad GPU. I just can't believe if the card was bad all this time, that it was able to hide so well behind the guise of a bad motherboard. I just reseated the card in the slot and I'm running Unigine Heaven to see if it crashes again. If it does, I'm probably going to swap the card.

 

[Darkbreeze]

Well, I've seen a few cards that could run Heaven or Furmark, fine, but were bad, so, I mean, if it's doing it in games and you've already changed the board, I think it's probably time to try, if possible, running the card in another system or running a different video card in this one to see if the behavior follows the card or not.

 

[TheJHigg]

Well, I've seen a few cards that could run Heaven or Furmark, fine, but were bad, so, I mean, if it's doing it in games and you've already changed the board, I think it's probably time to try, if possible, running the card in another system or running a different video card in this one to see if the behavior follows the card or not.

New card, still crashing. Not just in games but also in Heaven again so it's not a game issue (Baldurs Gate 3 if you're curious). I'm ready to throw this computer out a <Mod Edit> window. Is there any chance it could be the power supply or a bad CPU. I know bad CPU's are pretty rare but I don't know what else it could be at this point. I have also ran file checks and they keep coming back clean so it's super weird that swapping all these parts has solved some problems but not everything. I was monitoring the CPU temps the last time it crashed and they were all within normal values.

 

[TheJHigg]

Well, I've seen a few cards that could run Heaven or Furmark, fine, but were bad, so, I mean, if it's doing it in games and you've already changed the board, I think it's probably time to try, if possible, running the card in another system or running a different video card in this one to see if the behavior follows the card or not.

So I was just poking around my event viewer, not really expecting to find anything I haven't already seen and the system folder is just bombarded with these errors. After looking up the event ID and vendor ID it points back to the PCIE data bus. Since this computer is Mini ITX it's using a riser cable and others have reported online that it's causing those error IDs and system instability. Most likely due to EMR interference. I'll hold off on replacing the CPU right now and instead try to see if LIAN LI offers replacement riser cables.

 

[TheJHigg]

SOLVED!!!!!!!!! I played BG3 all last night and have been running Unigine Heaven for a couple hours this morning and no crashes. Also, all the WHEA-Logger warning messages in event viewer went away. So before buying a new riser cable I remembered that this LIAN LI case came with a PCIE 3.0 cable. Since both the card and MB are 4.0 I guess they were trying to communicate at a faster speed than what the cable could keep up with and caused a crash. I simply went into the BIOS and changed the bus speed from gen 4 to 3. For anyone wondering, in GIGABYTE BIOS just search for "Link Speed" and it should pop right up. Now that being said, I don't know when exactly in this charade that the PCIE bus speed was the final issue waiting to be solved. I was still experiencing file corruption and software issues a couple months ago that surely came from faulty hardware. I am so glad that this debacle is finally over and I hope this journey was able to help others with similar issues along the way. Thanks again Darkbreeze for all your help.