System stops working suddenly, often while playing a game.
System stops working suddenly, often while playing a game.
GPU model: 2070 super AORUS
CPU: 5960x
RAM: 16GB 2133
Background: Recently upgraded CPU from 5820k to 5960x. BIOS updated but technician damaged RAM slots during installation, forcing a downgrade to 16GB. PC crashed after a few weeks, possibly due to Windows corruption. Reinstalled Windows and formatted drives, which initially resolved the issue. However, crashes resumed recently. Now experiencing random crashes on games or YouTube videos, even with stress tests passing. Occasionally sees blue screens (WHEA_UNCORRECTABLE_ERROR). Memory tests and disk checks appear normal. Performance is stable for benchmarks, 3D Mark, and AIDA64. Tried removing and reinstalling GPU drivers without success. Temperatures remain stable thanks to multiple fans and a D14 cooler. I’m concerned about the BIOS changes and need advice.
Visit C:\Windows\Minidump to see if any minidump files exist. If present, return to the Windows directory and move the Minidump folder to the Downloads folder (use your desktop if needed). Compress the moved folder and include it in a post. Please adhere strictly to instructions since Windows doesn’t allow changes there. If no minidumps are found, verify the presence of a file named Memory.dmp in C:\Windows. This file can be quite large, but we must confirm its existence. WHEA indicates a hardware problem with the CPU or a PCIe device, and NVMe is currently the most frequent cause, often preventing dump creation.
The minidump folder was present and contained a file. Following the instructions, I compressed it and attached the Minidump.rar. I’m using a 1TB SSD along with two HDDs—a 1TB and a 4TB drive—as specified earlier. I performed stress tests on both the CPU and GPU, which seems unusual since one of them appears to be faulty. I also noted that a blue screen error with WHEA occurred twice, while most crashes were just the PC freezing without any response, making it difficult to restart normally. Another observation is that my keyboard’s numlock turns off after powering the PC back on (though I’m not sure if this is normal). Thank you for your assistance.
The crash indicates a hardware issue with the CPU, specifically a generic error when communicating with its L2 cache. Ensure no overclocking or undervolting is active. Disable Precision Boost Overdrive in the BIOS settings. Consider updating the BIOS if available; however, if flashback isn't supported (a motherboard update button), an update could damage the board. A faulty CPU or problems with the motherboard or power supply might also be responsible.