Windows 11 crashes with several error messages.
Windows 11 crashes with several error messages.
Hey everyone, this is my debut here. I’m struggling to understand why my PC keeps freezing into a BSOD. I just installed Windows 11 about two weeks ago and have experienced around four crashes. The main one is a System Error Exception, while the latest one I saw was IRQL Not Less Or Equal. Before this upgrade, my PC had some problems, but rarely faced a BSOD crash. I’ve attached the most recent MiniDump files in case anyone can help diagnose the issue and prevent me from needing to take it to a repair shop.
PC specs: Gigabyte OC 4080 i7-14700K, 64GB DDR5 RAM, Corsair Vengeance RAM (XMP enabled, 6400MTM), MSI Z790 PRO-A Max Wi-Fi, two 2TB SSDs (970 EVO Plus), Western Digital SSD, and a NZXT 360 Kraken cooler.
I’ve tried reinstalling all drivers from the motherboard software, run SFC/SCAN and DISM checks via CMD (as admin), both passed with no corrupt files. I also performed Windows Memory Diagnostics and saw no problems with my RAM. There’s a minor underclock on the CPU to help manage temperatures. Occasionally, I see Blue Screens while gaming or browsing, but nothing serious.
I just updated the graphics drivers and haven’t made any other changes in the past year and a half. If anyone can help interpret these MiniDumps, it would be a huge relief!
Thanks for your time.
Having two dump files isn't enough to identify whether the crashes stem from random drivers or if a specific driver is responsible. These incidents often involve unpredictable data corruption, leading to blame on random software. In your two crashes, you experienced an exception within a Windows process—likely related to a language error—or a page fault linked to the Intel Ethernet driver. Since these issues seem unrelated, memory problems are probably more likely.
The memory controller is part of the CPU, and a failure there can mimic memory errors. Most dumps after this point tend to point to storage or drivers, but here we lack that context. I’ll share my guidance on memory concerns anyway, as they’re the most probable cause.
Memory issues can stem from RAM that’s not functioning correctly. Windows moves low-priority RAM data into the page file when needed, making storage appear as memory. If storage performance drops, it often triggers a page fault. Since these two problems don’t share common causes, memory is the likely culprit.
Check your RAM regularly—especially if it’s DDR4 or newer, as memory testers can miss faults. Overclocking or incorrect voltage settings can also trigger these errors. For Intel CPUs, a voltage issue could permanently damage the processor.
These 14th generation Intel chips have been patched for memory bugs since September 2024, with a final fix released in May 2025. If your system was built before that patch, it might still be vulnerable. Running the PC normally with one RAM stick at a time can help isolate the problem.
If only one stick causes crashes, that stick is likely faulty. If both cause issues, the CPU or storage may be at fault. Since you have a 14th gen Intel processor, consider verifying its voltage settings and ensuring it’s within the recommended range.
The warranty for these CPUs is still active—Intel covers them for five years, and the latest release was October 2023. If your PC came prebuilt, the warranty follows the manufacturer’s terms, not Intel’s. Unless you used standard parts, you’re likely protected.
I reset the BIOS to its original configuration completely, then tried running the game again. I didn’t expect RAM problems, so I’ll test one stick at a time to check for crashes. I also forgot to note that I have two fake RAM modules installed, which might influence the results. If both sticks perform without issues, it could point to a CPU problem. As for my CPUs, they’re set to the standard Intel configuration through BIOS, so everything should be normal. Could an overly aggressive undervolt setting trigger a crash? My PC was assembled by me, and this is my first build, so I’m not too surprised if something went wrong. I attached the two additional BSOD MiniDumps files for reference: 122225-23265-01.zip and 122725-31046-01.zip.
Intel offers the Processor Diagnostic Tool (IPDT) for troubleshooting. You can download the 64-bit MSI version here: https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/...-tool.html. Regarding RAM problems, most issues stem from voltage levels outside the acceptable range or incorrect timing values. A memory chip may fail in a specific address range repeatedly, indicating a voltage or timing fault. Random failures often point to timing, voltage, or CPU problems. MemTest86 is another reliable diagnostic tool for testing RAM.
Did you attempt to remove the Ethernet adapter, then reinstall a standard Intel driver via Windows' automatic setup, followed by uninstalling and reinstalling the Nvidia drivers using DDU in Safe Mode?
Thanks for the update! I'll download and test my CPU to verify. Regarding the RAM, I haven't made any changes since installation—XMP is already active. During the fresh Windows setup, I didn't reset BIOS settings, so it retained the previous OS configurations. I attempted to manually download and reinstall drivers from the motherboard support page, but I'm open to trying it again!
Undervolt might definitely lead to these kinds of problems. The two recent cases highlight another memory corruption failure and an additional exception, this time affecting a different process, which makes it less likely to stem from Windows corruption. Typically, you'd encounter the same process repeatedly during corruption unless it's a severe issue. Since I haven't worked with fake RAM, I don't have any insights on that.