My computer has been crashing randomly for about a week, and now I've seen a blue screen mentioning a hardware problem. A memory test is running. I upgraded the RAM several months ago and plan to reseat it. What else can I check without buying parts?
Windows 11 keeps crashing and now shows a blue screen. What should I check?
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t83~clkhold_592
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Let the memory test finish and note the result. If it reports errors, RAM is a reasonable place to start, though that doesn't automatically prove a stick is bad. Check whether XMP or EXPO is enabled in the BIOS and turn it off for testing, along with any custom memory timings or voltages.
If errors continue, shut down, unplug the computer, and test one RAM stick at a time. Check the motherboard's guidance for which slot to use with a single stick. Intermittent crashes can take a while to reproduce, so a short error-free run isn't conclusive.
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Before changing settings, check that your important files are backed up and that you can access the backup. Then grab the crash details if Windows will start, including the blue screen stop code and any files in C:\Windows\Minidump.
You can copy the minidump folder to the desktop and compress it for someone to analyze. The logs may help narrow things down, but a hardware message alone doesn't tell you which component failed.
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Don't write off the computer yet. RAM isn't the only possibility, and an SSD or other instability could also be involved. If there's any GPU overclock, return it to stock while troubleshooting so there's one less variable.
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a37!bitshift_912:
Reseating the sticks is worth trying too. Make sure they're fully seated before powering the computer back on.