My Windows 11 PC has been crashing several times a week. Sometimes it runs for a few days, while other times the crashes happen much closer together. The blue screen reports CRITICAL_PROCESS_DIED (0xEF), stays at 0%, and never produces a crash dump. Afterward, the computer sometimes reboots straight into the BIOS. I've already tried sfc /scannow, DISM, and checking Event Viewer, but haven't found a clear cause. Specs: Ryzen 7 5800X, RTX 3070 Ti, 32 GB DDR4, and an ASUS ROG STRIX B550-F GAMING WIFI II motherboard. What should I test next?
3 Answers
If hardware tests look fine, a clean Windows reinstall may be worth trying. However, don’t jump straight to reinstalling before checking BIOS defaults, RAM stability, drive health, and power delivery. A corrupted system installation is possible, but the reboot into BIOS also makes a hardware or storage issue worth investigating first.
A PSU that is beginning to fail can cause sudden crashes and BIOS returns, especially when the GPU or CPU is under load. There isn’t a reliable software test for PSU health, so check its model, wattage, cables, and age. The best confirmation is testing with a known-good PSU that has enough capacity for the RTX 3070 Ti.
The likely causes include a failing power supply, unstable hardware settings, storage problems, or a damaged Windows installation. Start by loading BIOS defaults and disabling any overclocking or memory profile, then update the motherboard BIOS, chipset drivers, GPU drivers, and storage drivers. If the crashes continue, test the system with OCCT and check the drive’s health with CrystalDiskInfo. Watch which component causes the failure during testing.
The PC was built around 2022, so I wasn’t sure the PSU could already be the problem. I’ll check its specifications and try another unit if the other tests don’t find anything.