PC began freezing and shutting down while idle.
PC began freezing and shutting down while idle.
Hello. Over the past couple of months, my computer began freezing and shutting down unexpectedly while idle or waking up from sleep. It was manageable as it would occur only a few times each week. Recently, however, the problems intensified, and I can no longer boot without freezing or abrupt shutdowns.
My system details:
Processor
Ryzen 7 5800X
RAM
64GB RAM (2x16 DDR4-3200 Kingston Fury KF432C16BBK2/32 + 2x16 HyperX DDR4-3200 HX432C16FB4K2/32)
Motherboard
Asus ROG Strix B550 E Gaming
Storage
Samsung 980 PRO 250GB (M2), Samsung 870 QVO 1TB (SATA)
Graphics Card
Asus RTX 3060 Ti Dual Mini V2 LHR
Power Supply
ASUS ROG Strix 750W Gold
What actions I attempted:
Reviewing the Windows event logs before a complete failure, I found a critical error: Kernel-Power 41 63. The next log entry mentioned "Service finished registering the driver," but the service name was empty. No minidump file was created.
Removing and reinstalling the graphics card driver using DDU, along with updating all other drivers to their latest versions. Updating the BIOS and re-flashing it from a USB stick.
Testing safe mode, where Windows would freeze as well, then rebooting—still no proper startup. Only a black screen appeared briefly before freezing again.
Running memtest86 confirmed no errors or freezes.
After that, I suspected the issue wasn’t with the CPU or RAM, but possibly related to the PSU or GPU. I attempted a LiveUSB installation with Arch Linux to capture detailed logs, but it froze during the process.
I also tried reinstalling Windows, which would freeze randomly. Disconnecting all SATA and M.2 drives from my motherboard didn’t resolve the problem. Replacing the motherboard didn’t help either.
I was hopeful that swapping the new motherboard would fix things, but uncertainty remains. The only stable points were the BIOS and memtest86. I’m uncertain about the CPU or motherboard condition, though. The repeated "Copying rootfs image to RAM" error left me doubtful. At this stage, I’m questioning every component and might need to buy a new PC just to confirm the cause.
I’d appreciate any advice from others who’ve faced similar issues—perhaps a quick fix or shortcut could save time.
P.S. I almost overlooked that my PC never restarted or froze under heavy workloads like gaming. It only happened during light tasks such as web browsing or reading.
Using just one RAM configuration allows me to complete the installation from USB, but the system keeps freezing or restarting unpredictably during setup (Microsoft login, language choice, or OneDrive sync). I have tried running Windows setup with each RAM setup in different orders, but the results remain consistent.
You might have tried this before, but consider using one of the matched RAM sets, clearing CMOS, leaving "XMP" off, and checking for stability again. I expect you've already verified all connections and ensured no pins are pushed back out.
I encountered a comparable issue with my i5 13500, where the PC would frequently restart during sleep at unpredictable intervals, even when idle. Are you using Windows 11?
I verified all connections carefully. The RAM was securely placed in its slots, and I pushed it until I detected clicks at both ends of the stick. I cleared CMOS by briefly interrupting CLRTC pins as per Asus instructions, but it didn't resolve the issue. The system froze during the configuration phase. I left my computer to complete some tasks at home, and upon returning, I saw a blue screen displaying SYNTHETIC_WATCHDOG_TIMEOUT. Earlier, when Windows was functioning normally, I encountered DPC_WATCHDOG_VIOLATION error messages occasionally.
I might have overlooked that. It was initially a functional setup, but once this problem grew frequent enough, you attempted a full reset? You indicated it can run in safe mode too, so I likely misinterpreted. Will the machine start in BIOS and show current temperatures?
Initially, I experienced freezes and restarts occasionally, once or twice a week. Recently, the issue became more frequent without any apparent cause. Over the past week, I encountered Kernel Power 41 63 critical error and DPC_WATCHDOG_VIOLATION bluescreen multiple times daily until I took action. After researching, I found that 80% of these cases were linked to faulty drivers. I removed the NVIDIA drivers using DDU, rebooted, and reinstalled the latest drivers from NVIDIA with a clean install. I also updated all my drivers through Windows Update Center and Driver Booster, but it didn’t resolve the problem. I further flashed the BIOS to the newest version, which worked successfully. The system started, I logged in, and opened Chrome to watch videos—after a few minutes, it crashed again. I tried booting into safe mode to check for software or driver issues, but it froze once more. After another reboot and another attempt at safe mode, there was no interface, only a black screen with the mouse cursor. The Task Manager would occasionally blink. Eventually, I attempted a fresh Windows 11 installation using a Media Creation Tool stick, but the process ended abruptly. The interface became unresponsive, leading to a bluescreen that sometimes triggered an automatic restart as if I had pressed the reset button.
Yes, I can import into BIOS, adjust configurations, monitor temperatures and more. BIOS remains stable, never causing crashes, freezes, or restarts of my PC regardless of how long I use it.
Another warning sign is "Driver Booster." Avoid relying on it. Updates from Windows and your own work should suffice.