I'm facing issues installing the operating system, experiencing frequent freezes or crashes.
I'm facing issues installing the operating system, experiencing frequent freezes or crashes.
In advance, I’d like to express my apologies for my English. What’s the issue? I’m unable to set up an operating system on my PC. Already tried Windows 10, 11 and Ubuntu Linux. PC Specifications: AMD Ryzen 5900X G.SKILL 32GB KIT DDR4 3600MHz CL14 Trident Z Neo Seasonic Prime PX-850 - 850W ASUS ROG STRIX X570-E GAMING - AMD X570 Samsung SSD 980 PRO, M.2 - 1TB Fractal Design Define 7 Black - Dark TG Noctua NH-D15 chromax.black ROG Strix Asus RTX 3090 OC 24GB (O24G). What happened? I had my computer almost two years ago. I upgraded the BIOS half a year back. Then switched to W11 about one and a half years ago. When I changed to W11, I began seeing blue screens. At first it was just one screen every week, then it doubled. This week it was five screens daily... I decided to reinstall Windows. I couldn’t complete the setup of W11. It would freeze after running for 1-2 minutes or restart unexpectedly during various steps. Sometimes files copied, sometimes I’d rename my PC or try logging into my Microsoft account. I never finished the installation. The freezing seemed linked to moving the mouse or trying to enable the numlock key on my keyboard. There was also an unexpected auto-restart when I crashed. I couldn’t finish the W10 setup either. Same went for Ubuntu. I tried installing 6-7 different BIOS versions via USB flashback, but nothing changed. I unmounted and mounted my RAM and CPU, but no improvement. Running with just one memory stick didn’t help. First attempt with no change. Second attempt also no change. I checked my CPU and RAM on a friend’s machine; they were fine. We ran benchmarks and everything was normal. So we assumed the issue was with the CPU or RAM. I bought a new MB ASUS ROG STRIX B550-XE GAMING Wifi, hoping it would fix the problem. It didn’t. Still facing the same issues. From now on, all tests are being done on new hardware. I’ve tried multiple BIOS updates and even swapped out my GPU card (GTX960 from a friend) to see if that helped. No difference. I removed my SSD and installed an OS on another one connected via SATA 6. Still no improvement. At this point, I disconnected all front I/O ports, USB ports, and case fan headers, leaving only the CPU fan. I started my PC using the screwdriver, but nothing changed. As a last resort, I tried connecting a 24-pin and an 8-pin CPU from different power supplies. I swapped one PSU before and ran normally with it. Normally, I used a new PSU and still got freezes during installation. Another concern: I can’t run my PC with DOCP (XMP) enabled on both my Asus boards, but it works on my friend’s system. I removed the SSD I thought was faulty and tried installing an OS on another SSD that connected via SATA 6. Still nothing. Currently, I’m only able to boot in safe mode with a 2488Mhz RAM. I can always access my BIOS. My suspicion is leaning more toward the CPU or RAM issue. Tomorrow I’ll visit my friend to borrow his RAM and see if it works. If you have any questions, feel free to ask. I’m really struggling here...
Start Ubuntu in live mode and experiment with the installation first to verify everything functions correctly. Don’t install Ubuntu until you confirm it works. Only proceed after testing, then install and select "Something Else." This process lets you delete partitions from the drive, ensuring it’s empty. After that, let Ubuntu auto-format the disk and carry on with the setup. If you plan to dual boot Windows, uncheck the "Update while installing" box, as Windows will overwrite everything automatically. Otherwise, permit updates to download, though this step can be postponed. The reason I suggest this method is that I’m not familiar with doing it on Windows, yet I acknowledge it’s feasible. Remember, for Windows to function, it must be installed first.
Attempted to run Ubuntu Live without installing; experienced freezing before OS loads from USB. Boots occasionally after a few seconds, sometimes works but stalls later. Tested various USB drives—no issue with them. Formatted an SSD multiple times during setup before freezing, then reformatted the second SSD before connecting it.
What operating system is active? The BIOS must be version 2606.
After another tough day, I upgraded to an AMD 5800X3D and combined it with the old components. Everything now functions properly. Still puzzled why my friend's system with the same RAM worked well under stress, but mine didn't. Short version: the issue was a faulty CPU. Fixed by switching to the AMD 5800X3D.