My computer started behaving strangely after a message appeared on screen saying "save the files dumbass," followed by a shutdown. After that, both monitors initially stopped displaying anything, but removing one RAM stick allowed the system to boot again. It continued crashing until I updated the BIOS, after which I could enter Windows normally.
The system still crashes to a black screen with an error after less than ten minutes. Windows recovery, Command Prompt tools such as DISM and sfc /scannow, resetting Windows, and installing Windows onto a different SSD all fail or cause another restart. I can access the BIOS, and the computer has an ASUS Prime Z790-A WiFi motherboard, an i9-14900K, 32 GB of RAM, an RTX 4090, and a 2 TB SSD.
I am worried that malware may have infected the motherboard or BIOS. Could this actually be a motherboard infection, or is a failing hardware component more likely? What should I test before replacing the motherboard or rebuilding the entire PC?
3 Answers
A normal malware infection is extremely unlikely to be living in the motherboard. Firmware infections exist, but they are rare and this symptom pattern does not prove one. Since the machine crashes even when you try to install Windows to another SSD, focus on hardware stability rather than the old Windows installation.
Start by recording the exact error or stop code. Then load BIOS defaults, clear CMOS if necessary, and temporarily remove overclocks or memory profiles. Test each RAM stick individually, run a memory test, and check CPU temperatures. Also check the power connections to the RTX 4090 and try another known-good PSU if possible. A bad RAM module, motherboard, CPU, GPU, storage device, or power supply can all cause black-screen crashes.
Make the installer USB from a different, known-clean computer using the official Windows media tool. Boot directly from that USB through the motherboard's one-time boot menu rather than launching setup from the existing Windows installation.
In the installer, delete every partition on the target SSD and select the resulting unallocated space. Disconnect any other drives during installation so Windows cannot place boot files on the wrong disk. If the computer crashes or reboots while running the installer, that points much more strongly to hardware or firmware settings than to files on the old SSD.
I already tried booting from a Windows USB and using a new SSD, but it still goes to a black screen and reports an error. I will make another installer on a separate machine and disconnect the other drives.
The first priority is figuring out exactly where the failure occurs. Confirm whether the system reaches the motherboard logo, whether the SSD is visible in BIOS, whether the USB appears in the boot menu, and what happens immediately after selecting it. A photo of the error or stop code would be useful.
Because removing one RAM stick changed the behavior, memory or the memory settings deserve special attention. Run with BIOS defaults and one stick at a time in the recommended slot. If it still crashes from a clean USB installer, test with the minimum hardware setup and consider having the PSU, RAM, GPU, and motherboard tested before buying replacements. There is no reason yet to build an entirely new PC.
It does show the motherboard logo, I can enter BIOS, and after the BIOS flash I can reach the desktop. The crashes happen during resets, recovery commands, and clean installation attempts, so I will document the exact point and error instead of describing it only as Windows refusing to install.
The system can reach the Windows desktop after the BIOS update, but it usually crashes within ten minutes, especially when I try recovery or a reset. I will check the exact error and test the hardware instead of assuming the motherboard is infected.