A new Windows 11 installation is extremely unstable, with multiple issues arising?
A new Windows 11 installation is extremely unstable, with multiple issues arising?
After setting up Windows 11 via a third-party PE tool, the system remains unstable. The newest NVIDIA graphics driver and Armoury Crate cannot be installed. While Windows Update drivers can be added, some require several tries. The machine often suffers from BSODs (such as IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL, SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION, KERNEL_SECURITY_CHECK_FAILURE, HYPERVISOR_ERROR). Applications shut down unexpectedly, and Chrome tends to crash (status access violation).
Using a bootable USB from the official Windows installer causes the system to go black immediately after entering the activation prompt—whether or not you type in the key.
Before the OS can be installed, the SSD isn’t listed in the boot device list. Once installed, the “Windows Boot Manager” appears.
Previous problems included occasional BSODs during shutdown and unexpected reboots after Windows updates and the latest NVIDIA drivers failed to install. Initially, I tried a clean NVIDIA driver installation without using the dedicated app, but it still didn’t work. I thought Windows Update issues might be the cause, so I updated the OS.
The system-recommended repair version couldn’t be downloaded. Reinstalling Windows with files kept failing. While backing up data, I missed my Samsung external SSD, prompting me to reinstall its drivers. Unintentionally, I removed the internal SSD driver, which led to an immediate reboot and no further boot into Windows.
Reinstalling Windows repeatedly failed due to the same issues—SSD not detected and a black screen after the activation step.
I suspect a faulty SSD; I replaced it with the same model, but the problem continued.
Previous actions included updating BIOS, securely erasing the SSD, clearing CMOS, resetting BIOS settings, swapping components to verify GPU, RAM, SSD, and PSU functionality, and checking CPU and motherboard.
Hardware details:
CPU: Intel Core i9-13900K
Motherboard: ASUS ROG STRIX Z790-A GAMING WIFI
RAM: Corsair Vengeance DDR5 [16GB x 2] 6000MHz
SSD: Samsung 990 Pro 2TB
GPU: ROG STRIX RTX 4080
Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA 1000G XC
Welcome to the forums, newcomer!
After installing Windows 11 using a third-party PE system tool, the system is unstable.
Where did you source the installer for the OS? Did you install the OS in offline mode, while all necessary drivers were also installed in said elevated command, while in offline mode?
ASUS ROG STRIX Z790-A GAMING WIFI
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Updated BIOS
For the sake of relevance, please state the BIOS version you're on at this moment of time.
Swapped components to confirm the GPU, RAM, SSD, and PSU are functioning properly
Mentioning the make and models of the parts would lend some insight to the issue.
Suspecting a faulty SSD, I replaced it with the same model, but the problem persisted.
Either the issue is the BIOS/motherboard as it's made by Asus or you're encountering said issue due to a degradation issue on your processor as it's the 13th Gen.
EVGA SuperNOVA 1000G XC
How old is the PSU in your build and what did it power prior to the RTX 4080?
This is typical. The Windows Boot Manager serves as the entry point for UEFI mode.
Remove the graphics card from the system; it could be defective.
Ensure only a single RAM module is connected.
Turn off Intel RST and VMD controller.
Disable Secure Boot.
Turn off Fast Boot.
Deactivate XMP and set DDR voltage to 1.25V.
Configure CPU power settings: PL1 at 125W, PL2 at 188W, Iccmax at 249A.
Proceed with installing Windows.
I used the Laomaotao PE tool to start and set up Windows, with the actual installer sourced from the official Microsoft Windows 11 ISO. Laomaotao is a typical Chinese PE-based USB boot setup that allows you to create a WinPE disk and install Windows from a clean ISO file. It was run in offline mode. I also tried the official media installer, but the successful setup still faced the same instability problems. At BestBuy Geek Squad, they mentioned using Asus Bios Version 2001, though they didn’t specify which components were used. I’ve experienced occasional game crashes linked to the 13th Gen processors, and I updated my BIOS last year to address voltage-related issues. After upgrading, the damage from previous years still seems to be affecting my system. This device was purchased in October 2023 and only supports the RTX 4080 graphics card.
This matches the same problems my friends experienced with 13th and 14th generation CPUs. Games keep crashing to the desktop, some BSODs appear, and certain programs behave oddly or stop working. Send the CPU back to Intel for a replacement, but be sure to update the BIOS to avoid this happening again.