Windows 11 System Continues to Crash Frequently
Windows 11 System Continues to Crash Frequently
Hello, I recently assembled a new Mini ITX PC and it has been experiencing frequent crashes. These occur at unpredictable times—sometimes multiple times each night, other times just once every few days—often during gaming sessions or while browsing the web. This isn’t my first attempt with a Mini ITX build, so I suspect the issue isn’t due to my workmanship.
Here are the details of the system:
- Intel Core i5-13500
- GIGABYTE B760I AORUS PRO
- 32 GB G.SKILL Trident Z5 DDR5 6000
- ASUS DUAL RTX 3060 V2 12GB
- EVGA Supernova 650W 80+ Gold
- Crucial BX500 2TB SATA SSD
Originally, the build used Corsair RAM with a comparable specification. After some troubleshooting and seeing others online, it became clear that the RAM I replaced was likely the cause of the recurring problems. Even after a complete Windows reinstall during the setup phase—during which a few blue screens appeared—I managed to get the system back online.
Until then, crashes were usually screen-locked situations where holding the power button didn’t restore the machine. After several attempts, the computer eventually rebooted successfully. Once I left a 4K video playing overnight to mimic the crash environment, the issue disappeared.
Later, while trying to play Baldur’s Gate 3, I encountered another game crash that I resolved by checking the installed files. Ten minutes later, the screen froze again. A system file check completed at about 61% and warned me to restart in one minute. After a reboot, the check passed without issues. Then I ran the sfc /scannow command, which also reported no problems.
At this stage, I’m unsure what’s causing the instability. I suspect it might be related to the SSD, CPU, or motherboard. Before making any changes, I wanted to ask for advice from anyone who might have encountered similar issues. Thank you for your time.
So, first things first.
What is the currently installed motherboard BIOS version? This is the MOST common problem on newer builds especially if the problem seems to be memory related and is random. You make no mention of BIOS version or updating.
Next, what is the EXACT model of your EVGA Supernova 650w Gold, because there are a lot of various models that fit that description and they vary in quality and performance from exceptional to exceptionally bad. And approximately how old is this PSU? (How long has it been in service?)
How old is your SSD and have you run any health tests on it yet? Do you have any other drives you might try to use with a clean install to eliminate or convict the drive as being the problem?
Speaking of clean install, when you built this system did you do a clean install of Windows or are you riding an installation that was in use with other hardware/different system previously before this system was assembled?
Have you tried removing the graphics card and using only the integrated graphics from the CPU through one of the motherboard video outputs to eliminate any chance that it might be related to a problem with the video card?
If none of these things bring fruit, then I'd suggest you may definitely want to pull the CPU cooler and CPU and do a very close examination of the motherboard CPU socket pin bed to check for any bent or even slightly deviating pins.
All of this is assuming that you've already eliminated the possibility that there is an issue with one of your USB devices such as mouse, keyboard, printer or hub(s), by swapping them out for other peripherals or simply eliminating them if possible. Obviously you need a mouse and keyboard to do anything, so in that case swapping them out for a backup or borrowed device would be a good idea. Yes, problems with USB devices can absolutely act like something far more serious and it's pretty common for one of them that's bad or going bad to regularly, randomly or intermittently cause the system to freeze, crash or otherwise act stupid.
I've been busy at work and attempting the tasks you recommended throughout the week. I performed a BIOS update (my version was several months out of date) and it worked fine. Now I'm using GIGABYTE BIOS version F7, which is newer but not a full release. I also completed a clean Windows installation again. My PSU is an EVGA 650 GM Gold (P/N 123-GM-0650-Y1). The SSD is brand new and the health check came back normal. When the system was initialized, it was running a fresh copy of Windows 11 with no shared parts or software between systems. I haven't tried connecting the GPU yet, but after following your instructions, I'm still facing blue screens and issues launching Google Chrome. It seems like the problem might be related to the motherboard or CPU, so replacing them and returning the old unit could be my next move. Any suggestions? Thank you for your assistance.
I believe you're heading in the right direction. Let's check if swapping out the replacement hardware fixes the problem. It's likely that the motherboard might be the root cause at this stage. However, as with any motherboard concerns, it's a gamble since we can't definitively prove an issue without clear visual signs. We just need to rule out other possibilities.
It's fine. I'll miss you during the holidays and won't receive an update for a while, but I'll inform you once I try a new motherboard.
Appreciate your support by investing in this with me.
I've tested a new motherboard but still experiencing similar issues. Windows files aren't being corrupted, though when I first tried playing a game on the new board the screen would freeze and show strange rainbow patterns for about 20 minutes. This is the first time I've noticed something like that during any freezing incident. I understand it's unfortunate to build a computer with both a faulty motherboard and graphics card, but it seems the file errors and software glitches have disappeared, leaving only the screen freezes. The rainbow artifacts are definitely signs of a problematic GPU. I'm puzzled about how the card managed to remain undetected for so long, masking itself as a bad motherboard. I've just reinserted the card and am running Unigine Heaven to check if it crashes again. If it does, I'll likely replace the card.
I've noticed some cards that might work for Heaven or Furmark, though they didn't perform well. If you're already modified the board, it might be worth trying again. Consider testing it on another system or using a different graphics card to check if the issue persists with this card.
New card still causing issues, not limited to games but also happening in Heaven again, so it’s not just a game problem (Baldurs Gate 3 if you’re interested). I’m prepared to discard this computer completely.
I was just browsing my event viewer, not anticipating discovering anything new, and the system folder is filled with these errors. After checking the event ID and vendor ID, it leads back to the PCIE data bus. Given that this Mini ITX computer uses a riser cable, others have reported issues causing those error codes and system instability. It’s probably due to EMR interference. I’ll delay replacing the CPU and instead explore if LIAN LI provides replacement riser cables.