My Lenovo Legion T5 has been unstable for a while. It can run demanding games such as Escape from Tarkov, Monster Hunter, and Elden Ring for hours, but it sometimes crashes during light browsing or while sitting idle, showing a system path error before shutting down completely.
I tried resetting the PC and performing a fresh Windows installation, but the reset failed. I created Windows installation media on a USB drive, and the installer repeatedly reaches about 95% before freezing completely. There is no error message, and the computer may restart once or twice before becoming unresponsive. The original Windows installation is no longer available.
Before attempting the reset, I ran system file and disk checks. One reported repairing corrupted files, but the crashes continued, while the disk check did not report a hardware problem. The system uses an AMD Ryzen processor, although I am still checking the exact specifications. What should I test next, and how can I determine whether the problem is the RAM, storage drive, USB installer, or another component?
4 Answers
Start by testing the RAM with MemTest86 or another bootable memory diagnostic. A faulty DIMM can cause random crashes and can also make Windows installation fail at different points. Test one stick at a time if you have multiple modules.
It would also be useful to disconnect the existing storage drives and try installing Windows to a known-good spare SSD. If the installation succeeds there, the original drive is probably failing even if a basic disk check did not detect it.
Work through the hardware in a controlled order: load BIOS defaults, remove any overclock or memory profile, reseat the RAM, and try installing with only one memory module and one storage drive connected. Check whether the SSD is detected correctly in firmware. If MemTest86 reports errors, replace or isolate the bad memory before continuing. If memory passes but installation still freezes on multiple USB drives, test another SSD and consider power supply or motherboard instability.
Since the old Windows installation has already been wiped, the previous repair commands cannot tell you much now. System file checks only repair Windows files; they do not rule out failing RAM, an unstable motherboard, power problems, or a drive that is beginning to fail. The fact that it crashed while idle but handled games does not prove the hardware was healthy.
Recreate the installer from scratch using a different USB drive if possible. Plug it directly into a rear motherboard USB port rather than a front-panel port, and verify that the ISO or installation media was created successfully. A defective flash drive or corrupted installer can make setup freeze near the end without showing a useful error.
If it still freezes with a different USB drive, that points more strongly toward the PC hardware or the target SSD than the installation media.
I am checking the exact Ryzen and system details now. The PC is a prebuilt, and I have already replaced its motherboard once. I will try testing the memory and another drive before attempting the installation again.