AdviceFresh Desktop is frequently crashing and you're unsure of the cause.
AdviceFresh Desktop is frequently crashing and you're unsure of the cause.
Hi all.
I recently built a desktop PC from a part list that was put together by a friend. It's the first time I've built a computer from scratch, but not my first time tinkering around with one.
Anyway, I believe the whole thing to be put together correctly; it's not that complicated after all. All the parts are brand new.
It runs just fine most of the time, but it consistently crashes whenever I try to run literally any game, or various programs.
When playing any game, it will be guaranteed to crash within a few moments to about 20 minutes or so. Some games run for longer, but only on rare occasions
When using the browser to stream a video, sometimes the page will just randomly stop working (if this happens again I'll update the post with the error it displays, because I can't remember off the top of my head
When programming, my IDE will just suddenly tell me there was an error (not what the error was, though) and that it needs to restart
During some game crashes, the game will just close. Other times the audio glitches and the whole PC crashes, either to black followed by a restart, or occasionally a BSOD
I've also had Steam restart itself during gameplay once, and it just kept trying to open and then closing itself over and over again with the game still running (apparently just fine) until I managed to painstakingly kill it with Task Manager (timing was everything!)
Frustratingly, almost every time I get a BSOD it's a different error, which is why I'm posting this.
I've tried everything to diagnose / fix the problem, and everyone I've spoken to about it or shown the computer to is as baffled as to what could be wrong with it as I am.
Here's a list of some of the BSOD error codes I've had:
SYSTEM_THREAD_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED (NetAdapterCx.sys)
SPECIAL_POOL_DETECTED_MEMORY_CORRUPTION
PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA
MEMORY_MANAGEMENT
DRIVER_IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL (dxgmms2.sys; ntoskrnl.exe)
REFERENCE_BY_POINTER
KERNEL_SECURITY_CHECK_FAILURE
DRIVER_VERIFIER_DETECTED_VIOLATION
ATTEMPTED_TO_WRITE_TO_READONLY_MEMORY
Some of these codes were presented before I bought new RAM, thinking that was the issue (and because the RAM I was using was placeholder until I could afford the more expensive sticks I wanted).
Here are some of the (many) things I've tried:
Re-Installing Windows from an OEM CD and, in separate instances, using the downloaded ISO from the Microsoft website
I've tried installing Windows on 3 separate drives. Now running it on a brand new SSD slotted directly into the motherboard
Running filesystem scans (/sfc scannow and the DISM one)
Ensuring Windows is up-to-date
Using Driver Booster Pro to ensure all drivers are up-to-date
Updating the BIOS
Resetting the BIOS to default settings and ensuring overclocking is disabled
Trying different memory profiles (A-XMP, EXPO) to see if the memory was running at the wrong speed (I don't know much about this, though)
Re-building the entire computer from the ground up and checking all cables and components for damage and correct placement
Seating the RAM in different slots (it's back to the recommended slots)
Running memtest86 (0 errors found)
Stress-testing the CPU and GPU (no problems)
Monitoring power usage and temperatures
...And many more!
The computer doesn't overheat (to the best of my knowledge); graphs show decent temperatures and the air coming out of it is never particularly hot. This shouldn't be a concern as the processor has a liquid cooling block attached with thermal paste applied.
The computer has sufficient memory (32 GB) and I've tried 2 sets of brand-new RAM sticks, they seem absolutely fine.
I suspect that it could be driver issues or a faulty component (REALLY hoping it's not the latter as I've spent enough on this cursed thing!).
I'm looking for assistance from someone with a little patience, so that I can get the machine up and running and return to normality. I'm missing out on several expansions that have just released on a few games, and unable to work on my programming projects, and already have limited time due to work.
Here are the specs, in case they're relevant:
Motherboard: MSI B650 Gaming Plus WiFi AX AM5
PSU: Corsair RM850e 850W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply
GPU: MSI Ventus 3X OC GeForce RTX 4060 Ti 8 GB
CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 7600X 6-Core AM5
RAM: G.Skill Trident Z5 RGB DDR5 (2 x 16 GB) 6000
Cooling: Corsair iCUE H150i Elite Capellix XT 65.57 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler
The PSU should be more than sufficient, according to PC Part Picker, but this is another thing I'm aware
could
be the problem.
I'm running Windows 11 23H2 (Build 22631.3810), and for graphics drivers, I typically use NVidia GeForce Experience to ensure I always have the latest game-ready drivers (especially important now that I've finally made the leap up to RTX).
If any more information is needed, ask away.
Thank you in advance!
[EDIT]
I managed to play Destiny 2 for all of about 3 minutes before it crashed, which was enough for me to glean some information. First of all, the GPU was making an ominous electrical buzzing sound while in use, which seemed to react to the game (the pitch or volume of the bussing shifts when looking around/switching weapon). During gameplay, Discord closed and re-opened itself. The game crashed about a minute later, wth the following log (cropped to protect some data which should not be shared):
It seems it was trying to read a completely invalid memory address. In other crashes I've had similar execution violations and asset streaming failures. This would SEEM to implicate something to do with memory, however I'm fairly sure at this point that the memory isn't the issue. Unless this is to do with VRAM. However, one other thing I forgot to mention is that I tried running the game with the GPU removed, using integrated graphics. It was PAINFULLY slow, of course, but the crashes still occurred eventually. So, the GPU shouldn't be the problem either. I might have to try that one again with a different game just to verify, but for now it's not on the list of suspects.
The motherboard in question?
https://download.msi.com/archive/mnu_exe...USWIFI.pdf
(Verify you have the correct manual.)
Yes, that's the one. At first, I put one of the two RAM sticks in slot DIMMB1 (I wasn't sure about positioning or the markings on the motherboard), but the computer instructed me to move it when it started up, which I did right away.
Attempt another try.
Power down and unplug.
Remove both RAM modules first.
Clear CMOS according to the User Manual - JBAT1, page 41.
Install RAM into DIMMA2 before DIMMB2.
Reboot the system.
Adjust settings only when needed.
Goal is to get a stable system.
Testing showed the boot process flagged an unsuitable configuration.
It seems the fix might have been too basic.
As a general idea...
I have implemented your advice. The EZ Debug LEDs displayed the following status: CPU red, DRAM amber, VGA off. After a short time they updated to CPU off, DRAM amber, VGA white. Eventually the system restarted and launched Windows. It indicated that settings were cleared and offered to enter BIOS or apply default configurations. Before I could decide, it kept booting to Windows, likely using default settings. Regarding the configuration warnings during startup, I haven’t encountered anything similar before. This appears to be modern MSI hardware. It even seems to activate the BIOS screen on the GPU... Unlike previous systems that ignored the GPU and relied on integrated graphics until drivers loaded, here the GPU remains connected and the BIOS display is visible.
What would you suggest as the next course of action?
For the "next step," it's suggested to just wait for a few restarts and updates.
It might take some time for Windows and other systems to fully clean up.
Keep observing the error messages and notes.
The goal is to identify any recurring issues or unexpected errors.
Pay close attention and monitor as much as possible.
Make sure all crucial data is regularly saved elsewhere, away from the affected system.
The computer continues to act in the same manner, displaying a fresh blue-screen error that hasn't appeared before:
UNEXPECTED_STORE_EXCEPTION
This occurred after I attempted to restart Destiny again; it stopped abruptly after about five minutes, but this time the game simply halted. The audio remained active while the application froze.
Thanks to this new error code, I discovered a post on Microsoft Answers* that appears to match the original user’s situation. However, as is typical with Msft Answers, it offers little real value—it’s mostly guesswork. Overall, the user believes their problem stems from a defective RAM module.
I remain doubtful about this being the root cause, since I recently replaced the RAM with new units and the chances they’re faulty are slim. These modules also came in better packaging—featuring ESD protection and soft padding to guard against damage.
Could it be related to the RAM connectors on the motherboard?
The board does slightly flex when inserting the RAM sticks. I attempt to hold it firmly to avoid excessive bending, but still need to press hard enough so the clips fully engage.
Other observations:
- The power supply unit appears to have minor coil whine. It’s not severe, but it fluctuates in pitch during certain actions like scrolling on a webpage.
- This might be connected to GPU power consumption?
The GPU is producing a faint buzzing sound that grows louder when gaming, and it seems affected by the amount of rendering—quieter when switching to a static game menu. The pitch shifts as I move over different characters in the character selection screen.
Before most crashes, Windows Event Viewer logs a warning from the NVIDIA OpenGL Driver:
DrvSetContext failed functionality indeterminant
(pid=14912 cncmd.exe 64bit)
(The process ID changes each time, naturally). This seems highly relevant to what’s happening.
I plan to update the graphics driver, hoping it resolves the issue, though I expect it won’t fully solve the problem since I’ve already tried multiple times without success.
*Link failure: The site marked the post as spam-like content.
Title: "Unexpected Store Exception Windows 11" by Matthew Wever, April 23 2023.*