After factory-resetting my PC, Windows updates and downloads repeatedly failed. Resetting the BIOS seemed to let me install Windows from a USB drive, but once I reached the desktop, the computer began freezing completely. I have to hold the physical power button to shut it down, and it also restarts on its own, sometimes showing a blue recovery screen with error code 0xc0000001. The problems were happening even before the BIOS reset, and downloading files seems to make the freezing happen faster. The computer remains stable while I'm in the BIOS. What should I check to find the cause?
3 Answers
Because the machine is stable in the BIOS, Windows drivers or hardware being stressed under load are worth investigating. Recreate the Windows installer on a different USB drive if possible, install the motherboard chipset and storage drivers, and check temperatures and drive health. Avoid repeatedly forcing power-offs unless necessary, since that can further corrupt the Windows installation.
Since the system stays stable in the BIOS but fails in Windows, missing or incorrect drivers, corrupted installation media, BIOS settings, or failing hardware are all possible. Try testing with a Linux live USB if you can create one. If Linux also freezes, the problem is probably hardware rather than Windows. Also review the BIOS settings, especially storage mode, memory settings, Secure Boot, and boot mode, and return them to appropriate defaults.
The 0xc0000001 recovery error can result from damaged Windows boot files, but repeated hard freezes and spontaneous restarts point to something broader than just the bootloader. Reseat the RAM, graphics card, power cables, and storage drive, then try running with one memory module at a time. A failing SSD or RAM can also explain why downloads make the issue appear sooner.
I’m not sure what was changed in the BIOS because someone else handled that part. The issues existed before the reset, although there was also some trouble enabling Secure Boot. I’ll try to find another USB drive so I can test with Linux.