The system frequently stops during updates.
The system frequently stops during updates.
Long ago, I convinced my friend to upgrade from PS4 to PC for $300 using a Newegg bundle. It included a Ryzen 5 2400G, 8GB G.Skill RAM, and an ASRock A320M-HDV. During setup, we encountered a problem installing Windows—though the USB worked fine, the initial setup crashed with a black screen. We changed RAM, GPU, OS versions, and even replaced the motherboard, but nothing resolved it. Eventually, we moved the hard drive to another machine, reinstalled Windows there, and then swapped it back.
Later, he upgraded his graphics card from an iGPU to a GTX 1070 deal after a crash, added a VR headset, and still ran into issues. He was stuck on Windows 1803, and when updating, the setup froze with a stuck circle. After waiting nearly half an hour, a forced reboot helped, but it kept freezing during the update screen. We tried various fixes—disabling services, using disk tools, disabling all except Microsoft apps—but nothing worked.
We eventually considered swapping his SSD to another PC for a fresh install, though I’m unsure if that would help. The solution seemed questionable. Thanks to anyone who followed our story.
And confirm the BIOS is compatible with a second-generation Ryzen processor.
It's unlikely the QVL components were essential for RYZEN at launch, but now with their extensive support, it's not a big concern. The issue seems to stem from a Windows installation problem—Windows tends to dislike setting up the OS on a different system or when hardware changes occur. Try removing the GPU and updating while the display is connected to the motherboard. The new 1070 might be the cause, as mentioned by @guyman70718.
The PC kid model works with the second-gen Ryzen and has the newest BIOS. I haven’t fully verified RAM compatibility, but I’ve tested other RAM sticks before. Still, I’ll check it out. @CharminUltraStrong I’m aware it might not be ideal, but we really invested time trying to set it up and it just wouldn’t work. I can attempt without the GPU though. Appreciate your advice—I’ll try both.
He’s using an AMD-approved support option. It seems unrelated to compatibility issues. I actually located the matching setup.
It seems the problem was probably with the board. B350 models don’t work well with the latest Ryzen processors and need a BIOS update.
I had already installed an older Athlon APU. The issue was that my RAM wasn’t in the Qualcomm Version List. Once I changed it, the system booted up and ran for about five minutes before crashing.
Starting from a second computer for installation or updates is definitely a good approach. The common myths about Windows rejecting hardware changes are incorrect. Windows is a universal operating system that works with all types of hardware. Changing the motherboard or other components won’t alter your system—only drivers specific to your current setup will be used. Occasionally, startup drivers might cause issues, but if your system boots into the desktop without errors, it means the right drivers are installed and everything is functioning properly. The main concern usually lies with the update process itself. Try turning off XMP and CPU overclocking during the Windows update to see if that resolves the problem.