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Apparently, BSODs Still Exist!
Elvenshae
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
Okay, so, I noticed I had some Chrome and Windows updates that needed to be installed. So, I figure, during my lunch break, I'll quit out of Chrome and then restart my computer so that they can be applied. I usually let this happen automatically overnight, but was feeling all proactive and shit.
WRONG MOVE!
While attempting to restart to finish applying the Windows updates, my computer hit a BSOD with an error ("SYSTEM_THREAD_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED") and failed the update. It also failed to automatically restart after it reached 100% on the "Just collecting information, we'll restart for you" page and then sat there for ~15 minutes.
After manually restarting it, it BSODs with the same error on restart.
If I manually cycle it 3 times, I can get into safe mode (with networking) (hence being able to post this here). I can attempt to remove the latest updates (apparently, there were 2: KB4549951 and KB4534132, though these were supposedly released last month / February, and I've had numerous updates since, so I'm not sure why I'm getting them now), then my computer says it needs to restart to complete removing the updates. When it attempts to restart, it BSODs again, with an error related to a driver being stopped before requests are finished (rtwlanu.sys). I believe that driver is for the TP-LINK USB WiFi adapter I've got plugged in. So I've pulled that out and gone through the whole process again.
That'll allow Windows to look like it uninstalls one of the updates, except then it BSODs again when starting up. And the updates are still appearing like they're installed. Simply shutting down or restarting results in the same BSOD that started things off.
I've run a Malwarebytes check while here in safe mode and come up empty, just in case.
I noticed that my nVidia drivers were a bit out of date, and did a clean install on them, too, since apparently that's one of the common causes of this issue. Still doesn't fix the issue.
The startup repair tool accessed through the Windows Recovery Environment provides the following helpful advice: "A recent driver installation or upgrade may be preventing the system from starting." Apart from the nVidia drivers I just updated and Malwarebytes for the above scan, the only items installed recently are Steam games, Github for Desktop, and MS Office updates. Discord seems to have an update from the future (install date of 12/14/2020), but I just started it up again and it updated like it normally does.
So, uh ... What's my next step?
I'd prefer to not nuke things from orbit, but apparently I don't have any system restore points available (and I'm not sure why that got shut off).
WRONG MOVE!
While attempting to restart to finish applying the Windows updates, my computer hit a BSOD with an error ("SYSTEM_THREAD_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED") and failed the update. It also failed to automatically restart after it reached 100% on the "Just collecting information, we'll restart for you" page and then sat there for ~15 minutes.
After manually restarting it, it BSODs with the same error on restart.
If I manually cycle it 3 times, I can get into safe mode (with networking) (hence being able to post this here). I can attempt to remove the latest updates (apparently, there were 2: KB4549951 and KB4534132, though these were supposedly released last month / February, and I've had numerous updates since, so I'm not sure why I'm getting them now), then my computer says it needs to restart to complete removing the updates. When it attempts to restart, it BSODs again, with an error related to a driver being stopped before requests are finished (rtwlanu.sys). I believe that driver is for the TP-LINK USB WiFi adapter I've got plugged in. So I've pulled that out and gone through the whole process again.
That'll allow Windows to look like it uninstalls one of the updates, except then it BSODs again when starting up. And the updates are still appearing like they're installed. Simply shutting down or restarting results in the same BSOD that started things off.
I've run a Malwarebytes check while here in safe mode and come up empty, just in case.
I noticed that my nVidia drivers were a bit out of date, and did a clean install on them, too, since apparently that's one of the common causes of this issue. Still doesn't fix the issue.
The startup repair tool accessed through the Windows Recovery Environment provides the following helpful advice: "A recent driver installation or upgrade may be preventing the system from starting." Apart from the nVidia drivers I just updated and Malwarebytes for the above scan, the only items installed recently are Steam games, Github for Desktop, and MS Office updates. Discord seems to have an update from the future (install date of 12/14/2020), but I just started it up again and it updated like it normally does.
So, uh ... What's my next step?
I'd prefer to not nuke things from orbit, but apparently I don't have any system restore points available (and I'm not sure why that got shut off). 
Steam: Elvenshae // PSN: Elvenshae // WotC: Elvenshae
Wilds of Aladrion: [https://forums.penny-arcade.com/discussion/comment/43159014/#Comment_43159014]Ellandryn[/url]
0
Posts
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/drivers/debugger/bug-check-0x7e--system-thread-exception-not-handled
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/drivers/debugger/crash-dump-files
If you can find the crash dump/minidump using Telmarine's links you can see the full stack and possibly any other faulting drivers or components.
https://www.nirsoft.net/utils/blue_screen_view.html
https://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561197970666737/
Their kernel level anti cheat is causing a lot of blue screens on certain drivers (ones that hacks piggyback off of because they're designed poorly). rtwlanu.sys is one of those drivers IIRC
Yes, it's creating the minidump. Unfortunately, I don't have the Windows debugger installed yet, and I can't get it from the MS Store because that won't work in safe mode, and the standalone installer just fails halfway through. So that's fun.
That stops crashing on shut-down as soon as I just unplug it.
This one installs, though, and points to an issue with ha20x22k.sys, which is apparently a sound card driver. I don't think I've even used it (and I don't have speakers, just my headset), so I've uninstalled that entirely. Let's see if that helps solve the issue.
Thank you, everyone, for the assistance!
Steam: Elvenshae // PSN: Elvenshae // WotC: Elvenshae
Wilds of Aladrion: [https://forums.penny-arcade.com/discussion/comment/43159014/#Comment_43159014]Ellandryn[/url]
For about 30s.
Then it crashed again because Windows detected the "new" soundcard, installed the drivers automatically, and CRASH.
So now I've ripped out the hardware (which I wasn't actually using anyway), et voila, back to rock solid.
@TelMarine @bowen @Bendery It Like Beckham @BahamutZERO
Thank you again, everyone, for your help!
Steam: Elvenshae // PSN: Elvenshae // WotC: Elvenshae
Wilds of Aladrion: [https://forums.penny-arcade.com/discussion/comment/43159014/#Comment_43159014]Ellandryn[/url]
Steam: Elvenshae // PSN: Elvenshae // WotC: Elvenshae
Wilds of Aladrion: [https://forums.penny-arcade.com/discussion/comment/43159014/#Comment_43159014]Ellandryn[/url]
tbf it usually isn't, but I had a driver issue that persisted after a reinstall of Windows.
When a driver gets cranked like this it can be a real pain in the ass to get it corrected.
I enjoy shouting "Nuke it from Orbit" as much as the next person, but I'd argue with the advent of Windows Repair Installation/Replacement Installation/whatever else they call it, a lot of problems that called for "start over from scratch" can actually be solved if they are faults within Windows 10 itself. And if so, it's remarkably good at fixing them with very little effort on the user's part. This can include certain kinds of driver conflicts.
The catch is that you have to be able to boot into Windows 10 at least once in one mode or another. Which isn't always doable, as we know.
And depending on how broken it is, downloading the media creation tool and using it to perform a repair install is pretty great.
https://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561197970666737/
If memtest passes I may have to nuke it from orbit