The PC is experiencing random freezes, reboots, or loss of monitor signals, requiring a restart.
The PC is experiencing random freezes, reboots, or loss of monitor signals, requiring a restart.
I'm experiencing quite bothersome problems with my PC. It occasionally freezes unexpectedly, making it impossible to move the mouse, chat on Discord, or hear any sound. The audio usually cuts off abruptly after about ten seconds of freezing. The only solution is to press the power button on my case (or unplug it) and restart; afterward it works normally again.
Another concern is that my PC becomes extremely slow. This doesn't typically occur during games, but does sometimes when playing videos. I notice the video stutters without loading completely, so I suspect the issue isn't with my internet connection. There are brief stutters or freezes where audio also lags or sounds robotic. These interruptions last about a minute or two before the PC restarts. My monitors lose signal during these moments, and I often see them restart.
Occasionally, after a freeze or forced reboot, when I turn my PC back on, both monitors remain black. Windows identifies it as a second monitor but doesn't receive a signal. I unplug the display port cable, switch to single monitor mode in Windows, and plug it back in. This fixes the problem, though it might hint at something wrong with my system.
Today I also encountered my first Blue screen error. It might have happened before, possibly during forced restarts, but because I rarely lose signal to my monitors, I might not be able to see the actual message. I checked the reliability monitor and will share some screenshots below via Imgur:
https://imgur.com/a/D1JjR4p
What I've tried:
- Running Windows CMD to check for corrupted or missing system files (no results found);
- Performing a Windows upgrade and fresh installation;
- Removing unused applications;
- Closing almost all apps and disabling them to see if the issue persists (couldn't link it to one app);
- Inspecting PC connections (cables, ports);
- Monitoring temperatures (no overheating detected);
- Testing different monitors (HDMI, TV, DisplayPort, DP 1x HDMI, ultrawide), none helped;
- Exploring alt-tabbing effects on certain apps (stopped temporarily; issue persisted after closing a game or watching videos);
- Updating drivers and uninstalling unused ones.
PC Specifications:
Windows version: Win11 Home 23H2
Memory: TUF GAMING B550-PLUS-WIFI 2 (wifi adapter not connected, directly linked to router via fiber)
CPU: Ryzen 7 5800x3d
GPU: MSI RTX 3070 VENTUS 3X OC
RAM: G.Skill DDR4 3600MHz (2x8GB)
Storage:
C: Samsung 850 EVO 250GB
D: WDC HDD 465GB
E: WDC HDD 1.5TB
F: Samsung 980 PRO 2TB (boot drive)
I'm ready to send more screenshots or provide further details if needed, but I'm uncertain what else might be relevant at this stage. Please feel free to ask if anything seems missing or if you'd like help narrowing down the cause. I'm open to troubleshooting and could even replace a component if it's confirmed to be faulty, though I'm not entirely sure which part is problematic right now. Hopefully, it's not my GPU, so I can wait for the 5000 series update.**
So here’s a recap of what you’ve shared. You’re still working through some details and need a bit more time to understand everything clearly. I just installed memtest on a USB drive and will run it soon to get some results that might help with the problem. In the meantime, I looked into your chipset drivers—your device manager shows you’re using the Standard SATA AHCI Controller, and the driver update seems to have been applied. For BIOS, the Windows System Information lists your BIOS version as American Megatrends Inc., 0303, dated 11/09/2021. The latest driver version listed on their site is 3607 from April 3, 2024. Should updating be necessary?
Hello, thank you for your reply! I ran DISM and sfc /scannow again, as I just installed Windows. DISM returned clean results with no component store issues. sfc /scannow detected corrupt files. Reviewing the logs and searching for 'corrupt' using ctrl+f gave me these entries: [Pnp] Corrupt file: C:\Windows\System32\drivers\bthmodem.sys. There aren't many other corrupted files noted in the logs. I'm not sure if there are more issues to investigate, but if you have any suggestions, please let me know.
Concerning the reliability monitor errors for the 'windows stopped working' problems, I found these bugchecks:
0x116: VIDEO_TDR_FAILURE (4 occurrences)
0x119: VIDEO_SCHEDULER_INTERNAL_ERROR (2 occurrences)
0x133: DPC_WATCHDOG_VIOLATION (2 occurrences)
I reviewed the logs over the past few days and these are the bugchecks listed for those issues, along with their descriptions and frequency. I attempted to consult the documentation but found it difficult due to limited technical knowledge.
Another point worth mentioning is the Windows installation failure:
Installation Failure: Windows failed to install an update with error 0x80073D02: 9NMPJ99VJBWV-Microsoft.YourPhone.
This issue occurred more than once over several days, though other Windows installations were successful. I'll check the Event Viewer and appreciate the link you provided!
Bthmodem.sys
FYI: Information only.
https://www.minitool.com/news/bthmodem-sys.html
Please refrain from applying or trying any fixes.
Additional details are required.
Could you check which Bluetooth devices are connected to your system?
Regarding the other errors, please examine Event Viewer for further insights.
I am currently relying solely on a single BT device—a Logitech wireless keyboard paired with one of those trackpads. I link it to my PC via a BT dongle. Even after removing the dongles, the problem persists. Since I’m not using any wireless components, everything remains connected through cables. With wired internet, my PC lacks Wi-Fi functionality because the WiFi antennas aren’t plugged in.
For cable-connected setups:
- USB for keyboard
- USB for mouse
- USB for game controller
- USB for Astro A40 Mixamp headset
- USB for Fiio K5 PRO Amp
- Ethernet cable
- Two DisplayPort cables for monitors
- Occasionally an HDMI plug-in for TV during sim racing, though this also causes issues without it
I also have two monitors, both using DisplayPort. One is an MSI Optix 24" (1920x1080), and the other is an iiyama ultrawide (3440x1440). I’ll keep exploring in the Event Viewer to uncover more details. Thanks for your assistance so far!
It is recommended to continue running until finished, but you can stop it now.
I have another attempt to try. Download DDU from
https://www.wagnardsoft.com/content/Down...-DDU-18078
Download the newest driver for your GPU.
Run DDU in safemode and remove the video drivers. If you can, disconnect the PC from the internet (to prevent Windows from installing drivers when it restarts).
After restarting once DDU is done, install the downloaded GPU driver.
Test