Brand new PC keeps crashing, as do games, usually as they're booting

[CaptainKristoff]

Morning @ubuysa and thanks for looking at the dump for me. I turned on my PC this morning to uninstall Bitdefender after seeing your message on my phone, when the computer started I got the usual single beep, but then not too long after I got a beep code of 1 long beep followed by 3 short. It continued booting and worked ok, I removed Bitdefender, which included a couple of restarts and the beep code hasn't occurred again. I have Cyberpunk to finish reacquiring the problem files, which is a further 25gb and won't be done before we head out for a socially distanced walk with the other side of the family we couldn't see at Xmas. Anyway, it'll be this afternoon before I can check for sure if uninstalling Bitdefender has rectified things so I shall have to report my findings later!

 

[ubuysa]

That POST beep code (1 long, 3 short) indicates an issue with the graphics card, so the graphics driver error might be a problem with the card. I would shutdown and switch off the mains switch at the back but leave the power cord plugged in (both ends). That way the case is always grounded - touch the case often (always if you can) to ensure that you're not carrying a static charge.

Then remove the graphics card and reseat it ensuring that it's fully home. Stuff does sometimes move in transit. That may solve the nvlddmkm.sys issue too.

You're well rid of Bitdefender, you're far from the first to have troubles with it.

 

[CaptainKristoff]

Hi @ubuysa, I had that beep code again earlier but tried re-seating the card and it hasn't happened since. The PC hasn't crashed since removing Bitdefender either, but it also isn't really playing games still. F1 2020 will start but crashes after a lap or so, Quake is still fine, Dirt 5 will last a race or so then crash and Cyberpunk works for about 1-2mins before a crash. I haven't removed the RAM yet, got some anti-static bags arriving tomorrow to store them in and I've looked up the manual so I know which slot is which so I remove the correct sticks. Once I've removed the correct sticks (from slots 2 and 4), If the comp does work ok with the 2 left in, do I then remove them and put the two I'd taken out into those slots (1 and 3) or into the slots they came from (2 and 4)?

 

[ubuysa]

Hi @ubuysa, I had that beep code again earlier but tried re-seating the card and it hasn't happened since. The PC hasn't crashed since removing Bitdefender either, but it also isn't really playing games still. F1 2020 will start but crashes after a lap or so, Quake is still fine, Dirt 5 will last a race or so then crash and Cyberpunk works for about 1-2mins before a crash. I haven't removed the RAM yet, got some anti-static bags arriving tomorrow to store them in and I've looked up the manual so I know which slot is which so I remove the correct sticks. Once I've removed the correct sticks (from slots 2 and 4), If the comp does work ok with the 2 left in, do I then remove them and put the two I'd taken out into those slots (1 and 3) or into the slots they came from (2 and 4)?

If slots 1 and 3 work with just two sticks then try the same sticks in 2 and 4. The do the same thing with the other two sticks.

 

[CaptainKristoff]

Hi @ubuysa, me again. The anti-static bags will be here at some point before 10pm so still not checked the RAM. Upon booting my PC today however I got the one long and 3 short beep code again, so once more I removed and reseated the card ensuring it was fully in, the clip clicked and screws were tight. I booted it again and, yep, a long beep followed by 3 short. I assume then that the card is the cause of my issues?

 

[ubuysa]

Hi @ubuysa, me again. The anti-static bags will be here at some point before 10pm so still not checked the RAM. Upon booting my PC today however I got the one long and 3 short beep code again, so once more I removed and reseated the card ensuring it was fully in, the clip clicked and screws were tight. I booted it again and, yep, a long beep followed by 3 short. I assume then that the card is the cause of my issues?

It does rather sound as though it may be. However, on an American Megatrends (AMI) BIOS that code refers to a RAM issue. You can check your BIOS manufacturer by entering msinfo32 as a command in the Run box. In the display that results your BIOS manufacturer is about a third of the way down....

 

[CaptainKristoff]

@ubuysa, the info I get is :

BIOS Version/Date American Megatrends Inc. 1212, 05/11/2020
SMBIOS Version 3.3
Embedded Controller Version 255.255
BIOS Mode UEFI

I presume that's what you're referring to? I don't personally know what it means though...

 

[ubuysa]

@ubuysa, the info I get is :

BIOS Version/Date American Megatrends Inc. 1212, 05/11/2020
SMBIOS Version 3.3
Embedded Controller Version 255.255
BIOS Mode UEFI

I presume that's what you're referring to? I don't personally know what it means though...

It means the beep codes are pointing to RAM not the graphics card.

Try running on two RAM sticks as we talked about earlier.

 

[CaptainKristoff]

It means the beep codes are pointing to RAM not the graphics card.

Try running on two RAM sticks as we talked about earlier.

OK, thanks, I'll try it as soon as the bags arrive

 

[CaptainKristoff]

Hi @ubuysa, my motherboard has 2 RAM channels with 2 slots each, A 1&2 and B 1&2. If you have 2 sticks the manual says to put them in slots A2 and B2, so I removed A1 and B1 and things work perfectly! I guess next I need to put one of the sticks I removed into the B2 slot, if that works, try the other in that slot and that will tell me which is the problem stick?

I'm going to do it tomorrow as I've been waiting since my PC arrived on Xmas eve to play Cyberpunk, so I'm treating myself to an evening playing it!

 

[ubuysa]

Hi @ubuysa, my motherboard has 2 RAM channels with 2 slots each, A 1&2 and B 1&2. If you have 2 sticks the manual says to put them in slots A2 and B2, so I removed A1 and B1 and things work perfectly! I guess next I need to put one of the sticks I removed into the B2 slot, if that works, try the other in that slot and that will tell me which is the problem stick?

I'm going to do it tomorrow as I've been waiting since my PC arrived on Xmas eve to play Cyberpunk, so I'm treating myself to an evening playing it!

That's encouraging. Yes try another stick in B2.

I remember reading somewhere else on here about some motherboards having issues with four RAM sticks? Does anyone else have more details on that? @SpyderTracks, @Scott, @AgentCooper, @Gavras?

 

[AgentCooper]

Yep, this has come up a few times. A fix (although not ideal) has been to use XMP to lower frequency until a stable point is found...

 

[AgentCooper]

And I've just found the thread I was looking for related to it...

Faulty RAM?

Hi all, 4 days ago I upgraded my RAM by adding two additional 8GB sticks so that I now have 4 x 8GB (32GB) in total. After switching on for the first time I immediately got 3 beeps and yellow MB lights to indicate memory issue but strangely the PC just restarted and then booted successfully...

www.pcspecialist.co.uk

 

[CaptainKristoff]

Hi @ubuysa, I've swapped the RAM sticks. The manual says B2 is the main slot, so I removed the stick from A2, booted the comp and got the one long 3 short beep code. I then removed that stick and put in the other, same beep code. I then put back in the one that was first in and that got the beep code too. It will boot up ok and I can play any game now, with or without the beep code with any combination of 2 sticks. So 2 sticks works where 4 doesn't, but I don't know why it's getting the code at the start...

 

[ubuysa]

Hi @ubuysa, I've swapped the RAM sticks. The manual says B2 is the main slot, so I removed the stick from A2, booted the comp and got the one long 3 short beep code. I then removed that stick and put in the other, same beep code. I then put back in the one that was first in and that got the beep code too. It will boot up ok and I can play any game now, with or without the beep code with any combination of 2 sticks. So 2 sticks works where 4 doesn't, but I don't know why it's getting the code at the start...

Does it beep with two sticks in A2 & B2?

 

[CaptainKristoff]

Does it beep with two sticks in A2 & B2?

Yes, sorry I wasn't clear before. I left a stick in B2 and then cycled through the other sticks putting them in A2. Slots A1 and B1 are now empty. In this config games etc all work, but it has the beep code at boot.
The configuration on the motherboard is A1 and A2 are next to each other, there's a small gap and then B1 and B2 are next to each other, if that's useful info

 

[CaptainKristoff]

Yes, sorry I wasn't clear before. I left a stick in B2 and then cycled through the other sticks putting them in A2. Slots A1 and B1 are now empty. In this config games etc all work, but it has the beep code at boot.
The configuration on the motherboard is A1 and A2 are next to each other, there's a small gap and then B1 and B2 are next to each other, if that's useful info

The penny's just dropped that I need to swap the stick in B2 as that could be the issue, I'll do that now.

 

[CaptainKristoff]

OK, just booted it after swapping that stick and I still get the 1 long, 3 short...

 

[ubuysa]

OK, just booted it after swapping that stick and I still get the 1 long, 3 short...

What frequency is your RAM running at?

 

[CaptainKristoff]

Juts had to Google it as I didn't know how to get the info you asked for. I went into the admin command prompt and got the info from there, each of the two sticks is 3400mhz