Diagnosing the issue: was the problem due to insufficient RAM or a overheated system? (Clue: neither was present)
Diagnosing the issue: was the problem due to insufficient RAM or a overheated system? (Clue: neither was present)
I purchased a lightly used MSI GS 65 laptop for $800. It has 16 GB RAM, an i7-8750H CPU with six cores, a 15.6-inch display, 512 GB storage, and a NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 graphics card. My role as a classroom music teacher is very demanding, so I upgraded it with an additional 1TB SSD and increased RAM from 16GB to 32GB (Amazon: Crucial Ballistix 2666 MHz DDR4 DRAM Laptop Gaming Memory Kit 32GB). I also connected a second HDMI output for a 4K monitor.
I run multiple high-performance applications at once: a DAW with advanced audio effects, Reaper, Zoom, XSplit, Brave, and Tidal. The laptop supports 1080p video and streaming, and I use it for virtual piano via a connected audio interface.
Running several powerful programs simultaneously is challenging. My typical tasks include using Reaper with multiple microphones and a MIDI keyboard, streaming YouTube videos, editing spreadsheets, and playing music apps like Tidal. Occasionally, I experience a Blue Screen of Death, especially during intensive games such as Cities Skylines, which causes random crashes.
This issue started after upgrading RAM. I tried several fixes: using Windows memory diagnostic, Memtest86, and adjusting XMP profiles. The RAM showed no errors in both tests, yet the crashes still occurred intermittently—usually every 20 to 180 minutes.
I suspect a thermal problem might be involved. There’s a buzzing noise from one fan, which suggests possible overheating or loose components. Despite having good venting and robust internal cooling when I opened it for upgrades, the situation remains frustrating. The RAM appears functional per diagnostics, but performance drops sharply under load.
I’m finding it hard to keep lessons on track because of these interruptions. It’s stressful to lose class time due to the laptop failing unexpectedly. Anyone have suggestions or solutions?
Check for all error codes first—it suggests a software problem rather than a hardware fault. Open Command Prompt with admin rights and type: sfc /scannow. If it detects issues, proceed with dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth for extra protection.
It reminds me of a classic "chicken before the egg" scenario. System file mistakes might lead to blue screens, and those blue screens can trigger further errors. It's useful to review the event logs to see what the system was doing just before it crashed.
If you revert and experience no problems, it might indicate the change was the cause.
I need to check performance under load, which can only be done on-site tomorrow. Following @manikyath's advice and restoring health right away, the outcome will become clear. If the issue is indeed related to RAM from a critical component, I'm curious whether replacing it via RMA would yield the same result or if another brand could work better. The RAM was bought quite some time ago—on April 7, 2021. I’m using quotes because both diagnostic tests returned empty results, so I’ll try a 16 GB downgrade and update later.
Could the problem stop if you reinstall the 8GB drives today? The latest Windows update seems to affect stability, and it looks like MSI might have driver or BIOS updates available for your laptop. Your machine used to crash randomly before software patches helped, but now updates are causing more issues—especially when trying to wake up after a sleep. It’s not a major problem, though it’s definitely a concern.