My PC has been crashing with several different blue-screen errors, including Critical Process Died (0xEF), Unexpected Store Exception, and Kernel Mode Exception Not Handled (0x1E). It can happen during startup, after restarting for updates or software installations, or randomly while gaming.
The computer has already been inspected multiple times. The first diagnosis was faulty RAM, so I replaced the memory, but the crashes continued. The Windows installation was then wiped and reinstalled, which also made no difference. I tested different keyboards, mice, and headsets, and the motherboard and CPU were eventually replaced as well.
After getting the computer back, I removed the game anti-cheat software that had been suggested as a possible cause. The PC crashed with a blue screen again immediately after restarting. I have been dealing with this since early June and am not sure what to test next. Any advice would be appreciated.
3 Answers
The most useful next step is collecting the minidump files rather than guessing from the stop-code names. If Windows starts, look in C:WindowsMinidump and copy any files somewhere else before compressing them. If the folder is empty, configure Windows to create small memory dumps and reproduce the crash a few more times. Several dump files can show whether the same driver or storage component is involved.
Those stop codes can have several causes, but Unexpected Store Exception and Critical Process Died often point toward a problem with the drive that contains Windows or the page file. A failing SSD can produce inconsistent errors, and it may not always report useful health information. Run a drive-health tool such as CrystalDiskInfo and check the Windows drive for warnings. Also inspect the connections if it is a SATA drive, or reseat it if appropriate.
Since the RAM, Windows installation, CPU, and motherboard have already been changed, I would focus on the remaining parts: the system SSD, power supply, graphics card, and storage or power cables. Test with only the essential hardware connected, check the SSD independently, and make sure firmware and chipset/storage drivers are current. Replacing parts without examining the crash dumps can easily lead to several incorrect diagnoses.
I’ll check the drive health and look for the minidumps when I’m home. The shop has already had the computer for several weeks, so I’d really like to get some concrete evidence before replacing anything else.