PC BSOD during game launch
PC BSOD during game launch
Hello, I've experienced intermittent bluescreens while gaming recently. They appear only during extended sessions, especially after playing GTA V Legacy for about an hour. Usually, restarting the PC resolves them, but they return after a few hours. About a week ago, installing GTA V triggered a critical error (CRITICAL_PROCESS_DIED). The system would restart rapidly, and I disabled automatic restarts afterward. Event Viewer showed the issue was stuck at 0% with no clear error message. A dump file creation failed, and the process ended abruptly. I checked for crashes but couldn't capture any.
Now, using GTA V Enhanced (RT on), loading into story mode takes a minute and causes the same bluescreen repeatedly. RAM passed testing with MemTest86, and I tried swapping memory sticks or using different GPUs. Switching my GPU to a GTX 550 Ti helped reduce frames but didn't eliminate the problem. I tested it on another system with a B450 chipset and R5 5500 24GB RAM, which ran smoothly for over an hour.
My GPU isn’t the issue, RAM is fine, SSD is healthy (1TB KC3000). I turned off performance enhancements like Core Boost, NX mode, and other settings. The BSOD seems linked to power issues or motherboard faults—possibly a VRM problem. I disabled boot timers and tried various configurations, but the crashes still occur randomly. I can play for hours without hyper-threading enabled, yet they still appear. I haven’t managed to record any minidumps because they aren’t being generated. My drives have enough space, and I’ve set the page file to auto. I’ve explored all options from Write Debugging info, but nothing resolves the issue.
Possible causes: PSU instability, motherboard fault, or firmware conflict. I suspect a hardware problem rather than software alone.
RAM problems seem to be the main concern here. The error message strongly suggests an issue with memory, but direct testing tools like memtest aren't reliable for games. You might still run some diagnostics, though. If no errors appear, it doesn’t confirm RAM failure. I’d suggest the Trident Z, especially if you locate a kit with a Ryzen sticker—those are most likely to work.
I checked the RAM and the other models I used were HyperX Fury’s. It’s surprising how much it affected the results. I ran it through memtest using the HCI design tool, not the regular Windows version. They don’t boot up on any other system besides mine. That’s why I’m doubting the motherboard—it’s the only one I haven’t replaced.
Storage is likely the main concern here. A Windows process crashing repeatedly usually points to storage problems, even though many crashes can stem from various causes. If you notice this happening often, storage is a strong suspect. Missing space on the drive can trigger the dump file, which is a major warning sign. Factors that stop dump creation include insufficient room for the page file—Windows may move data there based on RAM usage plus extra space. A small or improperly sized page file can cause issues, especially if you manually adjusted its size; it should match or exceed the recommended amount. Encrypted drives block the dump process, so check if your SSD uses Bitlocker or similar encryption. If the drive is near the GPU, overheating may occur due to heat from the graphics card. Try moving it to another slot. Finally, ensure the M.2 slot is correctly seated; improper installation often leads to connectivity problems.
It turned out the power supply was the issue—it wasn’t broken, just insufficient. I should have noticed earlier since everything began when I swapped my GPU (RTX 3060) with another (RTX 3070). The notifications weren’t too frequent, so it didn’t bothers me much at the time (a few months ago). I don’t know why it became so noisy now. I haven’t changed anything else. Also, the power supply works great in another build (it also worked before upgrading, with a cooler master vs 550), but I assumed it would suffice for my setup—probably not. Now I have a 700W unit and it functions perfectly.