PC Boot problem / Blue screen / constant crashing

V

Visiontwist

Member
Hi All,

Yesterday I had my PC on all day and at about 4PM I noticed the following screen was showing...

https://image.ibb.co/gvPu2f/20181029-204420.jpg

https://image.ibb.co/jFhE2f/20181029-204435.jpg

I have had to force shutdown and restart several times and it keeps popping up with the blue screen with CRITICAL_PROCESS_DIED as the error.

A few times I have managed to boot up and log in but it only lasts so long before it crashes again. I have managed to run Avast smart scan and fix a few errors... still crashes. I have ran all of the obvious torubleshooters and it can't find any problems.

I even tried to restore the PC back to a previous update (approx 25-10-18) but it didn't work properly.

In the updates section it suggets thats it tried to install and update recently and it failed. Could that be part of the problem?

Also, I paid for silver warranty with PC Specialist. The first year has expired but I have 3 years cover for labour. What is the procedure for getting this fixed if I can't solve it myself?
 

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S

Shepard

Enthusiast
Morning,

this does sound more like a software issue than hardware, so it might be possible to fix over the phone instead of having to sent it back to us. Please be so kind as to follow the support: [email protected]

To get the needed files sent over, please do the following:
Go to Start -> Control Panel -> Administrative Tools -> Event Viewer.
In here, please go to Windows Logs, then go to Application. Right Click it and go to ‘Save Events As…’, save it somewhere you can find, then attach it to the email and send it here. Please do the same with the ‘System’ log.
Then, go to C:\Windows\Minidump as copy these files over to us as well. You may have to copy the files to the desktop to attach them through email if they do not attach correctly due to permissions. Please note that this folder may be empty.

Ta
 
V

Visiontwist

Member
Thanks for the prompt response.

I did open up the PC, clean all the dust and check all components were plugged in. All seems ok so yeah, it must be a software issue.

I will follow your instructions later on tonight when I return home.

Many thanks.
 
ubuysa

ubuysa

The BSOD Doctor
Visiontwist said:
Hi All,

Yesterday I had my PC on all day and at about 4PM I noticed the following screen was showing...
Click to expand...

Those are your BIOS screens, it looks like it's asking for the boot device to use (probably the Toshiba disk).

I have had to force shutdown and restart several times and it keeps popping up with the blue screen with CRITICAL_PROCESS_DIED as the error.
Click to expand...

This BSOD means that a Windows process that is essential for the proper running of Windows has crashed. Your Windows system is messed up if this is happening.

I even tried to restore the PC back to a previous update (approx 25-10-18) but it didn't work properly.
Click to expand...

Then a clean reinstall of Windows is your only option.

In the updates section it suggets thats it tried to install and update recently and it failed. Could that be part of the problem?
Click to expand...

Yes, definitely. This is almost certainly your problem.

Also, I paid for silver warranty with PC Specialist. The first year has expired but I have 3 years cover for labour. What is the procedure for getting this fixed if I can't solve it myself?
Click to expand...

This is a software error and thus not PCS's responsibility.

Your best (and probably only) option now is to do a completely clean reinstall of Windows. You'll want to try and backup your data before you do that. There are a number of ways you could do that.
 
ubuysa

ubuysa

The BSOD Doctor
Visiontwist said:
Thanks for that ubuysa,

should I not follow Shepards advice before doing a clean reinstall?
Click to expand...

Shepard works for PCS and you should always follow the advice of someone from PCS on here!

If you do send the files over you'll need to hold off on the reinstall just in case PCS find a simple solution.

What was the KB number of the update that failed? I'll take a look at what that update was doing and I might be able to tell you how likely it is to have caused your problem (though it depends on how and why it failed). I think it's pretty clear your Windows system is seriously broken and a failed update is a huge red flag...
 
S

Shepard

Enthusiast
Hi Visiontwist,

you don't necessarily have to follow my instructions first. If you prefer, you can do a reinstall - maybe that does the trick, but get back to us if it starts acting up again. And if it does send us the files as I explained earlier.
 
V

Visiontwist

Member
Hi Guys,

I have sent the requested files in an email to [email protected]. I could not find a Minidump folder on my system though.

Last night when I fired up my PC, it crashed and I got this error screen: http://oi66.tinypic.com/1498txh.jpg

I then tried to do a reset by clicking on 'Reset this PC: Get started' and then clicking on the 'keep my files' option...

https://image.ibb.co/fboEnf/20181030-210949.jpg

My PC then performed a reset but the problem persists.

I assume I have to click on the other option at the bottom; 'Learn how to fresh start with a clean installation of windows'?

Before I do this I want to wait and see if there are any other solutions. My PC won't stay on long enough to perform a back up so it looks like I may lose everything?

I have an SSD C drive and a 1TB HDD D drive. Will the clean reinstall wipe everything on my 1TB D drive? I have managed to back up a few personal files on a USB stick. Generally, there isn't anything too important on my PC. Just games and photos.

I will try and find out the failed update KB number later on.
 
ubuysa

ubuysa

The BSOD Doctor
Visiontwist said:
Hi Guys,

I have sent the requested files in an email to [email protected]. I could not find a Minidump folder on my system though.
Click to expand...

It might be called MEMORY.DMP and be in the root of your Windows folder (ie. C:\Windows\MEMORY.DMP), that's the default location on Windows 10.

Last night when I fired up my PC, it crashed and I got this error screen: http://oi66.tinypic.com/1498txh.jpg
Click to expand...

That indicates that the Windows boot partition was not found or was corrupt, the BIOS has run down the list of bootable devices and the last entry is a network boot (which you can't do) and that's why you see that message. As I've said, your Windows system seems to be broken.

I then tried to do a reset by clicking on 'Reset this PC: Get started' and then clicking on the 'keep my files' option...

https://image.ibb.co/fboEnf/20181030-210949.jpg

My PC then performed a reset but the problem persists.
Click to expand...

A Windows Reset is not the same as a clean install and if the component store has been corrupted then a reset will always result in the same problem.

You could try fixing the component store via the DISM command but I'd advise against that. It's going to be much more reliable to do a clean install.

I assume I have to click on the other option at the bottom; 'Learn how to fresh start with a clean installation of windows'?

Before I do this I want to wait and see if there are any other solutions. My PC won't stay on long enough to perform a back up so it looks like I may lose everything?

I have an SSD C drive and a 1TB HDD D drive. Will the clean reinstall wipe everything on my 1TB D drive? I have managed to back up a few personal files on a USB stick. Generally, there isn't anything too important on my PC. Just games and photos.

I will try and find out the failed update KB number later on.
Click to expand...

A clean reinstall will not touch your D: drive (as long as you're careful) so everything on there will be preserved.

To do a clean install you need bootable Windows installation media. This can be the DVD that PCS supplied or it could be a copy you downloaded via the Media Creation Tool (which you can write to a USB stick).

Insert the installation media and boot that - you will probably need to enter the BIOS to tell it which drive to boot.

Click the big Install button and then choose a Custom Install.

On the dialog that shows you all your drives and partitions check very carefully before you do anything to be sure you can identify which drive is your C: drive and which drive is your D: drive (they will be called drive 0 and drive 1). Once you're certain you've identified your C: drive delete every partition on there (if you use UEFI then there will be several) so that the whole drive shows as unallocated space. Don't do anything at all to the drive which is your D: drive. Then create one partition the size of the whole unallocated space (if you use UEFI then several partitions will be created automatically). Ensure that the largest of these new partitions is highlighted (it is by default) and then format it (click the Format button). When that's done click Next to begin the installation of Windows into that partition, the PC will reboot itself during installation, you need do nothing until it's installed.

Once Windows is installed you'll enter the OOBE (Out Of Box Experience) where you specify region, language, userid etc. etc. Once all that's done run Windows Update repeatedly (rebooting if requested) until there are no more updates available. This should install all your drivers as well as necessary updates.
 
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V

Visiontwist

Member
Thanks for that. I think i can follow most of it. the only thing I'm a bit unsure about is partitions but i'm sure I'll get my head around it.

Again, many thanks for your advice.
 
SpyderTracks

SpyderTracks

We love you Ukraine
Visiontwist said:
I have tried to follow your instructions and have the following problem...

https://image.ibb.co/eJN7a0/20181031-184541.jpg

https://image.ibb.co/edB3hf/20181031-184554.jpg

https://image.ibb.co/d5d5v0/20181031-184609.jpg

I can't create a partition that will allow me to install Windows?
Click to expand...

Windows will need a partition of much more than 128mb, more like 35Gb... That being said, are you just trying to fully reinstall from scratch?

If so, you need to delete all existing partitions and then create one that utilises all the space and then windows will partition as necessary.
 
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