Computer Crashes - Unknown Cause
Computer Crashes - Unknown Cause
My friends computer has been experiencing frequent crashes over the past few weeks, with the issue becoming more intense lately. It’s now starting to crash only when loading Chrome. I’ll try to gather as much detail as possible from him, though it might take some time because he doesn’t seem to grasp how computers function despite being a software engineer. Getting it out of him is often very difficult. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated—please let me know what information you can provide to help more effectively. It’s also worth noting this device was built about a year and a half ago.
By crash do you mean a system reboot with a BSoD or just becoming unresponsive to any input? Please be aware, if you want your troubleshooting to proceed more efficiently, the system should remain accessible to minimize delays. What is the current BIOS version for your motherboard? Before the RXTX3070 was installed, what components were included in the build? How recent is the power supply unit in your setup? Is X.M.P enabled within the BIOS? Are the RAM slots A2 and B2 being populated on the motherboard?
I know it would be simpler if I had direct access to the system, but unfortunately I don't. When I mention crashing, I mean completely shutting it down. The BIOS version is E7C56AMS.AB0. He has no idea since he bought it secondhand online; the PSU is new when assembled, about 1.5 years ago. X.M.P is active, and RAM is installed in slots A2 and B2.
As a hardware engineer, I noticed that some software developers seemed indifferent to the complexities of hardware configurations, provided they were able to work. It’s similar to someone who avoids getting their hands dirty with car maintenance—you don’t need to understand the engine to drive. Personally, I had only a general idea about how ASIC code was created.
This situation is concerning. I’ve bought many second-hand items and had to do some repairs. Most components worked well, though some were failing or arrived dead. It’s much like buying a used car—just rely on the seller.
If someone can’t explore the BIOS and figure out how to adjust settings themselves, they should consult a local expert. Attempting to assist a beginner remotely is risky and often leads to failure due to misunderstanding.
First things first: reset the BIOS back to the default setting, likely 2400MT/s for DDR4.
If someone insists on running XMP at 3200MT/s, try adjusting the CL (CAS) timing from 16 to 18. Changing CL allowed me to run at DDR4-3000 on an AMD 2600X rated at 2933MT/s max. The system became unstable when XMP was enabled at 3000MT/s until I adjusted CL.
Check if PBO is enabled on the Ryzen 5900X—if yes, turn it off.
If any GPU has been overclocked using OverDrive, switch it off. Stress-test the GPU with FurMark or similar tools. A second-hand GPU might have been used for BitCoin mining or heavily overclocked by the previous owner.
Run "sfc /scannow" from the Command Prompt with administrator privileges.
Then execute "chkdsk c:" without using the /F /R options initially.
Proceed with dism (see below).
https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/7808...image.html
Currently, it’s hard to determine whether the issue is hardware-related, due to BIOS settings, or an OS problem. To test for the latter, install Windows on another SSD.
What could have shifted since things seemed normal?
Hardware rarely fails on its own.
I’d check for software problems.
Could he have caught a virus or malware?
Maybe a poor-quality Windows version was set up.
Think about using system restore to return to a stable state.
(Before doing this, make sure you’ve saved a user checkpoint in case you need to revert.)
And... does he have external backups?