Troubleshooting A Persistent PC Crash: A Personal Journey

Over the past few weeks, I have been battling an intriguing yet frustrating issue with my PC which has left me scratching my head. It all began shortly after I upgraded some key components in my system—specifically a new motherboard and CPU. Since then, my computer has been crashing unexpectedly, but strangely enough, without any accompanying blue screen of death (BSOD). Instead, it often boots directly to the BIOS.

The Background

The problem started approximately three weeks ago. After installing my new ASUS Prime x570-P motherboard and Ryzen 7 3700X processor, my system initially performed flawlessly. However, after a Windows update, things took a turn for the worse. Any attempt to access files or applications on my three storage drives led to sudden, hard crashes. While formatting these drives and reinstalling Windows temporarily resolves the issue, it inevitably resurfaces after about a week.

System Specifications

For those interested in the specifics of my setup, here are the details:

• CPU: Ryzen 7 3700X
• Motherboard: ASUS Prime x570-P
• GPU: EVGA FTW 1070
• RAM: G.Skill RipJaws V Noir Series 16GB DDR4-3200
• Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA 650 G2
• Storage:
• SATA SSD: SanDisk SSD Plus 240GB
• M.2 SSD: WD Blue M.2 1TB
• HDD: WD Blue 1TB 7200 RPM

Investigating the Root Cause

As the problem seems to affect all three drives—an SATA SSD, a SATA M.2 SSD, and a SATA HDD—was it a hardware flaw or Software glitch? Given that this issue appeared solely after my installation, it’s hard not to lean towards a hardware-related cause, but the absence of a BSOD makes it less clear-cut.

When the crash occurs, Windows often prompts an automatic repair. Despite the inconvenience, my operating system typically boots back into Windows without issue, leaving me puzzled.

Exploring Safe Mode

A significant discovery came when I booted the system in safe mode; everything functions as it should. This strongly indicates that the culprit may lie in the device drivers. However, I find myself at a crossroads in identifying and obtaining the correct drivers needed to ensure stability in