Consider seeking guidance on handling your concerns.
Consider seeking guidance on handling your concerns.
I built my computer about three years ago, and it performed well until recently. Now I’m facing serious problems: frequent BSODs and significant file damage have forced me to reinstall Windows twice. At first I suspected a hard drive fault, but testing revealed corruption on an old HDD in my system. After replacing the drive, the problems persisted. I ran MemTest and found memory issues with my G.Skill TridentZ RGB series 2 (16 GB, 3600 MHz). I returned the faulty drives and received replacements, which I tested and confirmed were fine. The situation worsened, so I tried Prime95, which pointed to a CPU memory controller problem on my Ryzen 5 5600X. Fortunately, I’m still covered by AMD’s three-year warranty, so I plan to return it for a replacement—or at least save money if I fix it myself. My main concern is figuring out what caused the damage to both my CPU and RAM. It’s unlikely I got two defective parts, but it’s possible either the motherboard or power supply unit was faulty. I’m unsure if testing these components would help, so I’m wondering if swapping them out is the best approach or if there are other solutions. Thanks in advance for any guidance.
RAM and storage dies occur frequently. However, memory controller problems might have led to a misleading RAM test result. Testers still need to engage with the controller. PSU issues are rare, though they can happen. The motherboard is a potential cause, but you wouldn’t usually notice replaced RAM passing tests unexpectedly. AMD’s 5000 series generally has fewer voltage-related faults, so adjusting the voltage could resolve the issue. First, check if your board supports a voltage offset setting—adjust CPU Core and SoC offsets to +0.050v (read twice: 0.05v). Second, apply a static voltage configuration: Core at 1.3v, SoC at 1.1v. This approach works well for higher-end 5000 chips like 5800x, 5900x and 5950x during crashes. Also review the BSOD dump files located in C:\Windows\Minidump. If available, copy the Minidump folder to Downloads and zip it before sharing.
I included the minidump files I previously downloaded, and I re-downloaded Windows just under a week ago, which means there aren’t many available. I’ll test the voltage offsets and let you know the results. Thanks for the file.
I also tried static voltage and offset settings, but errors kept appearing with prime95. I might consider letting memtest run a full test again just in case the problem lies with my RAM, though it's less than a month old and I checked it at purchase, making me think it’s not the cause.
The dump files indicate memory issues that originate from RAM, the CPU's memory controller, or the storage device. When it comes to storage, you typically see roughly half of the blame on storage or its drivers, which isn't present here, so storage isn't a major concern. The points I made earlier about the PSU and motherboard remain valid, though they are less likely causes.