Attempting to identify a BSOD linked exclusively to a Windows 11 Update event
Attempting to identify a BSOD linked exclusively to a Windows 11 Update event
System details:
CPU: AMD AMD RYZEN 5 5600X WRAITHS
MOBO: MSI B550-A PRO ATX
GPU: MSI GeForce RTX 2070 DirectX 12 RTX 2070 ARMOR 8G 8GB
SSD: SAMSUNG 980 PRO SERIES 1TB
HDD: Seagate BarraCuda ST3000DM008 3TB 7200 RPM 64MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Hard Drive Bare Drive
RAM: (2 sets of) G.SKILL TridentZ RGB Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) 288-Pin DDR4 SDRAM DDR4 3200 (PC4 25600) Desktop Memory Model F4-3200C16D-16GTZR
Here’s what occurs:
1. A Windows update will be applied, typically during the night.
2. Upon restart, it triggers a BSOD, generally one of two types: CLOCK_WATCHDOG_TIMEOUT or CRITICAL_PROCESS_DIED.
3. The system cannot boot back to Windows, not even in Safe Mode.
4. Repair functions are disabled.
5. Restoring from a previous restore point is impossible.
6. I am unable to access or read any diagnostic files since I can’t enter Windows 11.
7. The only solution is a full reinstall of Windows 11 Home.
Initially, I suspected this was linked to Windows Updates, but now I’m certain. I intentionally postponed updates, and when one became available, I tested my hypothesis by restarting immediately. Unfortunately, it happened again right away.
How often has this occurred? At least four or five times so far. The intervals between BSODs range from a day to several months. My most recent successful window before testing was from March 12th to April 10th. Now I’m starting over with a clean install and trying to understand what’s wrong. Could it be my CPU, power supply, or motherboard? Last time I thought the issue was with an old Intel NVME, so I swapped it for the new Samsung parts, but it persisted.
What have I tried before?
1. Updated BIOS to the latest version.
2. Manually upgraded every hardware driver available.
3. Performed a diagnostic check on both storage drives (I don’t remember the exact tool).
I’m open to suggestions and will run any program I can to diagnose further. I’d prefer to keep the system running if possible. Between BSODs, it operates smoothly with no issues or crashes. This is perplexing, especially since performance remains excellent. I’m guessing if anyone has encountered this before, please share any advice. I searched extensively and watched several YouTube videos, but nothing has resolved the problem so far.
Sorry to hear that. You want to clarify your situation regarding the key purchase and USB creation.
Begin by checking Reliability History/Monitor for any error codes, warnings, or messages recorded just before or during the BSODs.
Other tools exist, but Reliability History/Monitor is user-friendly and can help identify patterns that may lead to the BSOD.
Create a new bootable USB; the existing one might be faulty or corrupted.
Run "dism" and "sfc /scannow" on the system to detect and repair any problematic files.
Refer to the provided links for guidance:
https://www.windowscentral.com/how-use-d...s-10-image
https://www.lifewire.com/how-to-use-sfc-...es-2626161
Thank you, here are the two images of the Reliability History/Monitor (I didn’t know about this and it looks really helpful!)
https://ibb.co/VV5VHRm
2024-04-11-18-09-19 shared on ImgBB
Image 2024-04-11-18-09-19 posted on ImgBB
ibb.co
Not sure which image uploader is best these days, but I hope it works.
I’m making new bootable media and will run both dism and sfc scannow this evening.
Thanks!
The CLOCK_WATCHDOG_TIMEOUT BSOD usually points to a CPU issue, though it can also stem from a faulty driver. The CRITICAL_PROCESS_DIED BSOD generally indicates a hardware fault. Together they may prompt a closer inspection of the CPU.
This type of BSOD is best understood using a complete kernel dump, which is only available once and gets overwritten each time a new BSOD occurs. If you encounter another CLOCK_WATCHDOG_TIMEOUT BSOD, save the file C:\Windows\Memory.dmp to another location immediately—such as a temporary folder—to avoid further overwrites. Then share that dump with a cloud service for analysis.
Given the likelihood of CPU involvement, it may be beneficial to execute Prime95 on the system... Download
Prime95
and use a CPU temperature monitor (CoreTemp will suffice).
Maintain the temperature monitoring throughout Prime95 execution; your CPU will heat up.
Execute each Prime95 test—smallFFTs, largeFFTs, and Blend—in sequence, running each for at least one hour, with two hours recommended for optimal results.
Should Prime95 produce error messages, cause the system to crash or display a BSOD, or reach a CPU temperature of 95°C (the maximum for your processor), cease the test and inform us of the outcome.
Please remember: a well-cooled and stable CPU should handle all Prime95 tests without interruption.
Note: The small FFT test tends to stress the CPU more than RAM, while the large FFT test primarily affects RAM, with the Blend test combining both.
DISM and SFC provided the following links:
https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/jax8...0-...nlto5&dl=0
https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/5hdl...3-...op60g&dl=0
https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/o56j...1-...q2mwa&dl=0
https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/iz0p...4-...5c3ug&dl=0
A log file was also shared: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/zn779n22r...pv6fl&dl=0
Additionally, a new bootable USB was created.
Review Open Reliability History/Monitor and focus on identifying errors (red X circles) while still considering other error types. Choose days or dates with several errors to detail below the timeline. Capture some screenshots and share them via imgur (www.imgur.com). Also, examine the update history. The log shows issues with updates and installs. Were there any failed or problematic Windows updates?