random shutdowns/bsod on pc
random shutdowns/bsod on pc
I shared this update with my sister two weeks ago. I swapped her RX 570 for my old RX 580, fixed the drivers, and everything seemed fine at first. After a couple nights, she’s reporting repeated errors—especially with the kernel data page. She’s trying to play modded Minecraft while doing it. So far, I’ve reinstalled GPU drivers, run DDU, checked for disk issues, done memory tests, and even swapped the PSU after it shut down completely. Still no fix. She’s planning to buy thermal paste later today and wants to know if reapplying helps. My instructor suggested trying a Windows reinstall as a last resort. I only have two options left before we’re stuck. Any suggestions?
Specs: Ryzen 5 3600, 16GB RAM, 3200MHz, MSI B450 Tomahawk Max (old GPU), XFX RX 570 8GB, Red Devil RX 580 8GB (old PSU), Thermaltake Smart 500W (new PSU), EVGA 700 GD 700W, Windows 10.
Performing a fresh setup of Windows—backing up data and formatting the drive—would eliminate the operating system and any possible malware. However, a defective storage device remains, along with some mods still active (if the issue is limited to games, it might be an update problem or a game malfunction).
she mentioned it also failed when running roblox, so she wasn't sure. i'm more worried about bad drivers because of the bsod error, but thermal issues might be worse given the shutdowns plus the thermal paste getting smudged years ago during assembly (she accidentally touched the pre-applied paste, and there was a fingerprint in the middle when I removed the cooler). i don't get why it would show both blue-screened and shut down.
A BSOD typically forces a system shutdown for rebooting. Your motherboard might prevent this, causing a simple stop. The problem lies in the kernel, which stops the operating system entirely—not the GPU. The error is specific to Windows and the kernel, likely due to a driver or GPU issue, not thermal concerns. Before reinstalling, run SFC and DISM (follow the Windows manual, execute as administrator). If it fails, you'll see details about errors. If SFC takes too long, storage may be faulty or there could be an infection slowing progress. Running a malware scan with a free tool like Malwarebytes is wise before backing up data. RAM failure is possible only if the system was overclocked manually.
i meant to shut it down completely, like unplugging the computer or turning off the power supply while the game was running. i didn’t think about doing a malwarebytes scan at that time—i couldn’t run it until i replaced the thermal paste, which i had cleaned the night before. would the sfc catch anything chkdsk missed? both drives were new purchases from december 2021, by the way.
Chkdsk examines the storage device directly whereas sfc verifies the Windows setup for faults. This explains why abrupt power cuts occur after crashes or even without warning. If the system shuts down suddenly like a switch flip, it likely indicates the motherboard is safeguarding itself. The timing raises questions—if GPU problems existed, they’d have triggered earlier. Thermal management should be addressed first; then retry. Should BSOD appear after shutdown, it suggests BIOS is disabled for recovery. Updating to the latest BIOS helps avoid stability risks from upcoming Windows patches or drivers. Consider reverting to a previous version if recent automatic updates were triggered.
occasionally the system would shut down completely or cut power off entirely. whenever it restarted after a shutdown, I had to reapply thermal paste. now I’m using the SFC tool.