Article Number: PIBRMATS2

Overview

System stability issues is a term used to describe a PC that exhibits problematic symptoms during normal use. Common system stability symptoms include random reboots, crashes or hangs, TDRs, BSODs, and WHEA hardware error events. These symptoms are often caused by one or more of the following:

  • Outdated and incorrectly configured BIOS
  • Unstable overclocking and overheating
  • Unsupported or faulty hardware
  • Corrupt/outdated/known operating system and driver issues

Isolating system stability issues requires thorough and systematic troubleshooting. Firstly, ensure that the PC is running in a stock configuration and is fully up to date. This article provides troubleshooting suggestions and resources to identify and resolve common causes of system stability issues.

Stock Configuration

It is best practice to ensure that the PC is up to date, using the factory default settings and if feasible, running with the original hardware configuration. This ensures that the PC is following the manufacturer specification and could also help to resolve any stability issues. A stock configuration may be required by the system or component vendor for technical and warranty support.

To bring the PC back to a stock configuration, follow the steps below:

  1. Verify that the motherboard is running the latest BIOS version available from manufacturer. If there is a newer version available, refer to the motherboard user manual for instructions on how to update the BIOS. Confirm that the motherboard BIOS is using the optimized factory default settings. Refer to the motherboard user manual for instructions on restoring BIOS default settings. For other helpful information, watch the video on How to Update Motherboard BIOS.
  2. Ensure the Operating System (OS) is compatible with the hardware used and is up to date, running the latest OS build and security updates. For instructions, refer to Microsoft article: Windows Update: FAQ.
  3. Confirm that all devices connected to the PC are using the latest firmware and driver/software packages. For information on how to update the AMD Radeon™ graphics driver, refer to article. For information on how to update the AMD Ryzen™ chipset driver, refer to article.
  4. Disable any 3rd party system/performance monitoring applications and overclocking utilities. To rule out any potential software conflicts that might be caused by hardware monitoring software or RGB software, disable any non-Microsoft services and start-up items by performing a selective start-up using the System Configuration Tool. For instructions, refer to Microsoft forum article.
  5. Remove any non-essential peripheral hardware devices such as video cameras, headsets, Bluetooth devices, etc from the PC. Ensure that all PC hardware components are running at their factory default settings.
  6. Remove all aftermarket custom PC accessories, such as PCIe® riser cables or sleeved power supply extension cables. For more information about PCIe® risers compatibility refer to article. For power supply troubleshooting tips, refer to article.
  7. Clear dust and tidy loose cables to improve airflow through the system to maintain suitable operating temperatures for internal hardware components. For more information, watch this video on Cooling Tips for AMD Ryzen™ Processors.

If the system stability issue persists after restoring the PC back to a stock configuration, the issue might be with the processor. Check if the CPU has been installed correctly according to installation instructions. If feasible, reseat the CPU and the cooler or perform a swap test with a known working CPU to verify stability. For more information, watch this video on How to Install AMD Ryzen™ Processors.

If the issue persists, warranty service may be required. When requesting warranty service, please be sure to provide details of your stock configuration as outlined above which will help us quickly evaluate your warranty claim. However, if system stability issues are no longer experienced with the PC running in a stock configuration, additional troubleshooting is required to isolate the root cause. For troubleshooting suggestions continue to the next section.

Troubleshooting

With the PC running in a stock configuration, follow the suggestions below to troubleshoot common causes of system stability issues.

Unsupported or faulty hardware

  1. Verify that the RAM, storage drives, and CPU are qualified and operating as per the motherboard guidelines. Refer to the motherboard manufacturer’s website or documentation for the qualified vendor list (QVL) and supported hardware configurations.
  2. Confirm that the system memory kit(s) is seated and installed correctly in the recommended DIMM slots. Please refer to the motherboard user manual for recommendations. If you have more than one memory stick (DIMM), test with each stick separately. This could help identify a faulty memory stick and/or DIMM slot. Consider using an application that scans the system memory for errors, such as MemTest86, a third-party utility.
  3. For PCs with a discrete GPU, confirm it is seated correctly in the primary PCIe® slot on the motherboard and connected to the PSU using independent cables directly from the power supply. For more information refer to video: How to Install Your AMD Radeon™ Graphics Card.
     

Note! If using a PCIe® riser cable, remove it and seat the graphics card directly onto the primary PCIe® slot of the motherboard. For more information about PCIe® risers/cable refer to this article.

  1. Check that the PSU meets the recommended power requirements for the system and is connected to a known good power source. Also verify the Power Supply Idle Control option in the BIOS is set to Typical (this option should be available in the Advanced section of the BIOS). For more information on troubleshooting PSU, refer to article: How to Troubleshoot Power Supply Issues.

Corrupt/outdated/known operating system and driver issues

  1. Perform a clean install of the AMD Radeon™ graphics driver by using the Factory Reset option during installation, for instructions, refer to article.

  2. Check the release notes for the graphics driver version installed to see if the specific issue is documented. For release notes information, refer to article. If it is a known issue with a temporary workaround/fix, apply it. If a workaround/fix is not yet available, consider reverting to an earlier graphics driver version where the issue may not exist.

  3. Verify any problematic applications and or games installed are updated to the latest version or patch. Check with the application/game vendor for available updates and information on known issues.

  4. To rule out any potential software conflicts, disable any non-Microsoft services and start-up items by performing a selective start-up using the System Configuration Tool. For instructions, refer to Microsoft article.

  5. Run the System File Checker tool. For instructions refer to Microsoft article: Use the System File Checker tool to repair missing or corrupted system files.

  6. Use System Restore to roll back Windows to a previous working state. Instructions for the available recovery options are available in Microsoft article: Recovery options in Windows.

  7. Ensure that your anti-virus software definitions are up to date and run a full system scan to remove detected malware.

  8. If you still encounter stability issues the OS or hard drive might be corrupt, therefore installing the OS on a different hard drive is recommended. For instructions refer to Microsoft article: Reset or reinstall Windows.

    Note! Backup important files before attempting a clean installation of the Windows operating system.