[SOLVED] Windows crashes unless in safe mode

[Natezegreate]

My computer is randomly crashing. It used to only crash once in forever so I didn't think much of it, but now it crashed within a few minutes of startup at best. Sometimes it crashes and restarts from the login screen. I tried to reinstall windows and it crashed after the download was done and the install was at 1-2%.

The only time it seems to not crash is when I am in safe mode. I've run games in safemode even and no problem. Not sure what the problem is. I've tried updating drivers and running a few diagnostics but nothing shows up. On the reliabiliaty monitor, it only says windows was not shut down properly.

Any help you can give is much appreciated! Thanks

Edit to include pc build*

OS windows 10 64bit
cpu: Intel core i7-4790k CPU @ 4.00 GHz
Motherboard: asus Z97 pro
GPU: GTX 970
Power supply: TS XFX 550
Drive 1 (OS): samsung ssd evo 850 SCSI
Drive 2: WDC WD1003FZEX-00MK2 SCSI
Not sure what else needed.

 

[MeanMachine41]

Hi Nate and Welcome to the Forum

If the system runs in safe mode but not normally then you may have a driver issue be it a corrupt driver or possible hardware problem.

Go to Device Manager and check each category for Yellow triangles. If any are found then delete the offender and see if the system boots in normal mode. Obtain the correct driver from the manufacturers web site.

Also check your system32 files for corruption by running SFC /SCANNOW from an elevated Command Prompt. This will interrogate your windows system32 for any corruption and attempt a fix.

You system should have created a dump file following a BSOD which can be analyzed.
Go to C:\windows\minidump. Minidump files have a .dmp extension. Select all the .dmp files. Right-click sending the files to a compressed(zipped)folder. Upload this folder as a file here and someone can analyze for you or you can use Blue screen viewer to analyze yourself.

 

[Natezegreate]

Hi Nate and Welcome to the Forum

If the system runs in safe mode but not normally then you may have a driver issue be it a corrupt driver or possible hardware problem.

Go to Device Manager and check each category for Yellow triangles. If any are found then delete the offender and see if the system boots in normal mode. Obtain the correct driver from the manufacturers web site.

Also check your system32 files for corruption by running SFC /SCANNOW from an elevated Command Prompt. This will interrogate your windows system32 for any corruption and attempt a fix.

You system should have created a dump file following a BSOD which can be analyzed.
Go to C:\windows\minidump. Minidump files have a .dmp extension. Select all the .dmp files. Right-click sending the files to a compressed(zipped)folder. Upload this folder as a file here and someone can analyze for you or you can use Blue screen viewer to analyze yourself.

Hi,

Thanks for your reply! I've run the sfc scan in command prompt and there were no issues. Device manager doesn't have any triangles, and trying to manually reinstall drivers has done nothing.

My computer wasn't making minidumps, but I looked up how to set them up. I'll see if it works after I get home later. Should have info then.

Thank you so much!

 

[Natezegreate]

update, I am still not getting minidumps. I went into the startup and recovery area and changed settings to automatic dumps and set folder from %SystemRoot%\MEMORY.DMP to %SystemRoot%\minidump.

Did I do it right? It was set to overwrite so I turned that off as well. Do I need to do anything else? Should it just be a standard folder in windows or is it hidden somehow?

 

[Natezegreate]

Side question, does this have anything to do with event viewer, because I have access to that and can see system error logs?

 

[dorsai]

Yes you should investigate what the system error logs are indicating.

 

[Natezegreate]

One of the recurring event id's I saw last night was EVENT ID: 16953. It's description reads: The password notification DLL C:\Program files\WIDCOMM\Bluetooth Software\btwproximity cp.dll failed to load with error 126. Please verify that the notification is defined in the registry, hklm\system\currentcontrolset\control\lsa\notification package, refers to a correct and absolute path (<driver>:\<path>\<filename>.<ext>) and not a relative or invalid path. If the DLL path is corrct please validate that any supporting files are located in the same directory, and that the system accurately (cant see) to both the DLL path and any supporting files. Contact the provider of the notification DLL for additional support. Further details can be found at....

I am not sure this is the culprit, but I have weird things going on with the bluetooth. The strangest was after I saw this, I went into control panel to turn off bluetooth and as soon as I toggled it to off, the computer immediately crashed. I couldn't get this crash to repeat, but I though I might uninstall widcomm app. For some reason, when I went to uninstall it, I had a pop-up saying I needed a CD-Rom to access the program to uninstall. I went into device manager and deleted the bluetooth device, but I still had a crash. Would bluetooth be turned off in safe mode? could this be the problem? Am I completely off-base?

 

[Ralston18]

Update your post to include full system hardware specs and OS information.

Include PSU: make, model, wattage, age, condition?

Disk drives: make, model, capacity, how full?

= = = = System Logs = = = =

Yes as mentioned by @dorsai check Event Viewer.

Also look in Reliability History. Reliability History is more user friendly and uses a timeline format that may help identify when the problems began and/or started to increase.

Right clicking errors will provide additional information about the entry. That information may or may not be helpful.

 

[Natezegreate]

Update your post to include full system hardware specs and OS information.

Include PSU: make, model, wattage, age, condition?

Disk drives: make, model, capacity, how full?

= = = = System Logs = = = =

Yes as mentioned by @dorsai check Event Viewer.

Also look in Reliability History. Reliability History is more user friendly and uses a timeline format that may help identify when the problems began and/or started to increase.

Right clicking errors will provide additional information about the entry. That information may or may not be helpful.

I'll update when I am home with full specs.

I've checked reliability history and it only is marked as "system shut down improperly" or something similar. No details. Outside of last night it would shut down once a night max while using. Last night it crashed at least 10-20 time unless in safe mode. I have had the pc at my apartment unsupervised and it seems to have crashed randomly every day or two from login screen because I wasn't there to login. longest break I saw was a week, but some of these may be power outages. I noticed my alarm clocks were reset.

 

[Bob.B]

I'll update when I am home with full specs.

I've checked reliability history and it only is marked as "system shut down improperly" or something similar. No details. Outside of last night it would shut down once a night max while using. Last night it crashed at least 10-20 time unless in safe mode. I have had the pc at my apartment unsupervised and it seems to have crashed randomly every day or two from login screen because I wasn't there to login. longest break I saw was a week, but some of these may be power outages. I noticed my alarm clocks were reset.

If you have power problems your might want to get a UPS and get that out of the mix.

 

[Natezegreate]

Had the same event error: The password notification DLL C:\Program Files\WIDCOMM\Bluetooth Software\BtwProximityCP.dll failed to load with error 126. Please verify that the notification DLL path defined in the registry, HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Lsa\Notification Packages, refers to a correct and absolute path (<drive>:\<path>\<filename>.<ext>) and not a relative or invalid path. If the DLL path is correct, please validate that any supporting files are located in the same directory, and that the system account has read access to both the DLL path and any supporting files. Contact the provider of the notification DLL for additional support. Further details can be found on the web at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=245898.

How do I resolve this?

I am still not getting mini-dumps saved into the windows folder and I have it configured the same as this link: https://www.windows10forums.com/articles/how-to-enable-minidump-logs-in-windows-10.50/

Thank you!

 

[MeanMachine41]

Had the same event error: The password notification DLL C:\Program Files\WIDCOMM\Bluetooth Software\BtwProximityCP.dll failed to load with error 126. Please verify that the notification DLL path defined in the registry, HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Lsa\Notification Packages, refers to a correct and absolute path (<drive>:\<path>\<filename>.<ext>) and not a relative or invalid path. If the DLL path is correct, please validate that any supporting files are located in the same directory, and that the system account has read access to both the DLL path and any supporting files. Contact the provider of the notification DLL for additional support. Further details can be found on the web at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=245898.

How do I resolve this?

I am still not getting mini-dumps saved into the windows folder and I have it configured the same as this link: https://www.windows10forums.com/articles/how-to-enable-minidump-logs-in-windows-10.50/

Thank you!

I found a thread where the OP deleted the WIDCOMM software which solved his issue. He cleaned the system with Revo uninstaller then reinstalled the software.

For minidumps please double check your settings here :

Start - Settings - Type in --> Advanced System Settings
Find at top and click on it - on left side of Advanced System Settings - Advanced tab - Startup and Recovery - Settings - System Failure - check the box to Write an Event to System Log

uncheck Auto Restart and make sure the Write Debugging is set to Automatic memory dump or small minidump and the default folder should look like %SystemRoot%\MEMORY.DMP or %SystemRoot%\Minidump.

Uncheck the "Disable automatic deletion of memory dumps......." box.

 

[Natezegreate]

Ok, I tried to delete the file but I haven't tried revo uninstaller. I'll give it a shot. I have the minidump set up like you said. I'll see if it records next time.

 

[RyzenNoob]

I suspect this could be a RAM problem, its best to use Memtest86+ and see what errors come up. First use the Windows Memory Diagnostic tool, if that doesn't come up with any errors then use memtest86+ for a deeper scan, just do a ten minutes to half hour scan

I can't believe that if your computer crashes in safe mode, then it can't be a hardware problem. Memory is the first thing I would suspect

 

[Natezegreate]

My computer doesn't crash in safe mode. It only crashes in normal windows, including log in and even when I attempt to reinstall windows.

I've already run a memory scan and no problems.

I have a bluetooth device that needs drivers that might be related and am trying to install them, but can't. The device is BCM20702A0. It is appearing under other devices and it seems to be a broadcom device. I've downloaded drivers 12.0.1.940 but i cant seem to install them. I run the setup and I get a prompt to make sure i want to install it, but then nothing happens. I've tried to manual install them from downloads, but nothing happens there either......very confused.

In all this, everytime I get a crash, I get the same event log error that I posted before.....I have since deleted that registry and am now waiting to see if it crashes again.

 

[Natezegreate]

Does this mean anything? I pulled it off the critical event that just happened.


- <Event xmlns="

http://schemas.microsoft.com/win/2004/08/events/event

">

- <System>

<Provider Name="Microsoft-Windows-Kernel-Power" Guid="{331c3b3a-2005-44c2-ac5e-77220c37d6b4}" />

<EventID>41</EventID>

<Version>8</Version>

<Level>1</Level>

<Task>63</Task>

<Opcode>0</Opcode>

<Keywords>0x8000400000000002</Keywords>

<TimeCreated SystemTime="2021-08-27T00:04:01.3428138Z" />

<EventRecordID>14949</EventRecordID>

<Correlation />

<Execution ProcessID="4" ThreadID="8" />

<Channel>System</Channel>

<Computer>Nate-PC</Computer>

<Security UserID="S-1-5-18" />

</System>

- <EventData>

<Data Name="BugcheckCode">0</Data>

<Data Name="BugcheckParameter1">0x0</Data>

<Data Name="BugcheckParameter2">0x0</Data>

<Data Name="BugcheckParameter3">0x0</Data>

<Data Name="BugcheckParameter4">0x0</Data>

<Data Name="SleepInProgress">0</Data>

<Data Name="PowerButtonTimestamp">0</Data>

<Data Name="BootAppStatus">0</Data>

<Data Name="Checkpoint">0</Data>

<Data Name="ConnectedStandbyInProgress">false</Data>

<Data Name="SystemSleepTransitionsToOn">0</Data>

<Data Name="CsEntryScenarioInstanceId">0</Data>

<Data Name="BugcheckInfoFromEFI">false</Data>

<Data Name="CheckpointStatus">0</Data>

<Data Name="CsEntryScenarioInstanceIdV2">0</Data>

<Data Name="LongPowerButtonPressDetected">false</Data>

</EventData>

</Event>

 

[MeanMachine41]

Does this mean anything? I pulled it off the critical event that just happened.

<EventID>41</EventID>

Event 41 is not an error. It just means the system was not shut down correctly.

 

[Natezegreate]

I've also found these 3 posts that are related:

1) one of the event had this information right after the crash: https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us...ce-bsods/54c7d1db-d989-4acf-a7f9-1f86ecc83905

2)https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us...ing-them/1939df35-283f-4830-a4dd-e95ee5d8669d (note, i am not technically getting a blue screen just black then restart)

3)https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us...behaving/f5cb4faf-556b-4b6d-95b3-c48669e4c983

 

[Natezegreate]

I read on one of these inks about getting dumps that if your ssd firmware is not updated sometimes you don't get dumps. I just got samsung magician and updated the firmware for my evo850.

Any next steps to try or info I can try to get out would be useful. Not sure what to do next.

 

[Deleted member 14196]

Clean install from usb format and reinstall

That doesn’t fix it it’s hardware

 

[Natezegreate]

Im

Clean install from usb format and reinstall

That doesn’t fix it it’s hardware

Not sure where my windows USB is. Is there a way to download to USB then reinstall?

 

[Natezegreate]

Im

Not sure where my windows USB is. Is there a way to download to USB then reinstall?

It's been 7 years since I built this PC.

 

[Deleted member 14196]

Im

Not sure where my windows USB is. Is there a way to download to USB then reinstall?

Yes use the media creation tool from Microsoft off of their website

 

[Natezegreate]

So, I reset windows and it still crashed...

 

[Natezegreate]

I am currently running stress tests on cpu and memory. No problems there with overheating or any crashes. Using intel burn and memtest64.

Is there a tool that can go through all my drivers and double check everything is good?

Anything I need to look for in event logs, etc that can help diagnose this since I am not getting minidumps? Is there a type of problem I should check that doesn't great minidumps but crashes?