Windows crashes once or twice a day, I can't find an explanation to it, WHEA record always points to GUID: (8f87f311-c998-4d9e-a0c4-6065518c4f6d)

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Windows crashes once or twice a day, I can't find an explanation to it, WHEA record always points to GUID: (8f87f311-c998-4d9e-a0c4-6065518c4f6d)

Alejandro Dos 0

I’m feeling pretty desperate, and I need help to finally put an end to this problem with a real, practical solution. I don’t even know where to go from here or where exactly I should be asking for help.

The situation is long and complicated, so I’ll do my best to explain this whole mess.

I own an ASUS Vivobook Pro 16X OLED, one of those models that comes with a dedicated GPU.

Earlier this year, my laptop had an accident that ended up burning part of the motherboard (a charger issue that caused a small fire). After checking everything carefully, I discovered that only one specific section of the motherboard was damaged; the rest of the laptop (the screen, components, everything) was still in perfect condition. Since I didn’t have the money to buy a completely new laptop, I bought a brand-new replacement motherboard for this exact model from a store that sells specialized replacements parts. Doing this was much cheaper than buying a new computer.

I opened the laptop, removed all the screws, replaced the motherboard, applied thermal paste, and followed every step carefully.

But when I powered it on and the ASUS BIOS finished its initial configuration, something felt…off. The performance just wasn’t matching how the laptop used to run before the accident.

So I decided to completely wipe the system (reformat it). I reinstalled Windows 10 and start from scratch, hoping that would reset any BIOS or driver issues.

After installing all Windows updates, the laptop worked perfectly—actually even better than before. I thought the issue was solved!

And that’s exactly when a complete hell began.

Out of nowhere, several times a day, the laptop would suddenly crash. The screen would freeze, fill with random colored lines, stay stuck for a moment, and then Windows would automatically reboot. After restarting, everything would be normal again, as if nothing had happened, with no damage left behind.

Obviously You can’t work on a machine that randomly freezes and reboots at any time. And I was completely confused because this didn’t make sense as a hardware issue: the replacement motherboard was NEW, and I triple-checked every step of the installation. Nothing pointed to hardware damage.

After talking with Copilot for DAYS and trying everything, I finally found what seemed to be the cause: apparently, the latest Nvidia driver had been reported as unstable and causing issues for many users. Copilot suggested downgrading the Nvidia driver via Device Manager. So I downloaded the necessary .CAB file and manually installed an older, more stable version—specifically version 6607.

I installed it, and now the laptop was running on the 6607 driver instead of the most recent unstable one.

After the driver downgrade, my system looked like this:

DeviceName DriverVersion

NVIDIA Virtual Audio Device (Wave Extensible) (WDM) 4.65.0.3

NVIDIA Broadcast 1.0.1.13

NVIDIA Platform Controllers and Framework 32.0.15.8079

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop GPU 32.0.15.6607

At first, it really seemed like the problem was finally gone.

Before I did this change, whenever I opened FurMark2, the laptop would crash instantly, every single time, which confirmed that the issue happened whenever the dedicated GPU was being used too much.

But after installing the older driver, I was actually able to run FurMark2 normally, benchmark the GPU, and get good performance scores. It looked like everything was fixed.

Unfortunately, that relief didn’t last long. The HELL continued….the crashes didn’t stop.

The only difference was that the crashes happened less often. Instead of several times a day, they were reduced to about once or twice a day and it I was lucky none. But the problem was still there.

I spent weeks desperately looking for a solution, trying everything I could think of, and nothing worked. Eventually I gave up for a while and just lived with the crashes because I was exhausted.

Now I’m here asking for help again, hoping I can finally find a real solution.

So here’s a breakdown of the mysterious problem that still persists— and I don’t know WHY all this is happening:

Here is a video showing exactly what happens on my screen when the issue appears. In the clip, I was simply editing an image in Paint when suddenly the laptop froze, and the display filled with those glitchy lines. Every single time the problem happens, the pattern is identical: the system freezes and the screen shows these glitch lines.

Most of the time, Windows automatically reboots after being frozen for a few moments. But sometimes the freeze lasts several minutes, and I have to force a manual restart, the onr in the video was one of those instances.

Video link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1w6JOwHd8b91A6VMEe8nOwbYrogVpoyGD/view?usp=sharing

Every time this freeze happens and the system reboots, Windows generates a WHEA-Logger entry in Event Viewer. The link below contains a Doc with the last 6 logs, already decoded using WHEA Decoder.

Link: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1KWZs1gVp93zYYHyArf2uWjbpTQBjaRHe5_BRGh7pPkA/edit?usp=sharing

These logs are created right after the reboot, following freezes identical to the one shown in the video.

You may wonder: where is the crash dump?

There is none.

For some reason, Windows has never generated a crash dump during these incidents. Even when I tried forcing one (by disabling automatic restart so I would be taken to the blue screen), the system would just remain frozen for several minutes without going to blue screen. I wasn’t going to wait hours and risk damaging the laptop, so I just didn’t want to stop that.

I have no crash dumps, only WHEA logs—and I have absolutely no control over when the freeze happens, so capturing one manually feels like almost impossible.

When reviewing the WHEA logs, there’s one consistent pattern:

They are all triggered by the same component: (SocFirmwareType2)

They all reference the same FirmwareRecordExt GUID: (8f87f311-c998-4d9e-a0c4-6065518c4f6d)

I searched online and found people suggesting rolling back certain Intel drivers through Device Manager. It sounds logical, since I have a hybrid GPU system (Nvidia + Intel).

But here’s the thing:

I once manually disabled the Nvidia GPU and forced the laptop to use only the Intel integrated graphics. In that configuration, I ran FurMark2 without any issues—and I did not get any freezes like the one in the video.

Which doesn’t make sense if the problem is supposedly caused by the Intel drivers…

So what is actually happening here??? That little experiment I did seems to rule out that the problem is the Intel drivers, at least the graphics ones.

After talking a lot with Copilot, I was given a suggestion that I’ve never tried because I was afraid it might make things worse instead of fixing them;

COPILOT:

“

Enable MSI for the NVIDIA GPU

This avoids shared IRQ conflicts that can trigger firmware errors.

reg query "HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Enum\PCI" /s | findstr /i "VEN_10DE"

Locate the GPU’s Device Parameters, then:

reg add "HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Enum\PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_25A2...\Device Parameters" /v MSIEnabled /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f

Reboot.

“

But Copilot couldn’t really explain how this registry tweak relates to the actual error, so I didn’t feel confident modifying REGEDIT without understanding the consequences.

6)

Here is some additional information about my system:

a) Yes, all advanced BIOS features are disabled.

b) Nvidia driver versions (as mentioned before):

DeviceName DriverVersion

NVIDIA Virtual Audio Device (Wave Extensible) (WDM) 4.65.0.3

NVIDIA Broadcast 1.0.1.13

NVIDIA Platform Controllers and Framework 32.0.15.8079

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop GPU 32.0.15.6607

c) Intel driver versions:

DeviceName DriverVersion

Intel(R) Dynamic Tuning Manager 8.7.10802....

Intel(R) Power Engine Plug-in 10.0.19041...

Intel Processor 10.0.19041...

Intel(R) Serial IO GPIO Host Controller - INT34C5 30.100.241...

Intel(R) SPI (flash) Controller - A0A4 10.1.24.6

Intel(R) SMBus - A0A3 10.1.24.6

Intel® Smart Sound Technology for Bluetooth® Audio 10.29.0.7767

Intel® Smart Sound Technology for USB Audio 10.29.0.7767

Intel® Smart Sound Technology Detection Verifica... 1.0.2251.0

Intel® Smart Sound Technology OED 10.29.0.7767

Intel® Smart Sound Technology BUS 10.29.0.7767

Intel(R) Dynamic Tuning Generic Participant 8.7.10802....

Intel(R) LPC Controller/eSPI Controller (U Premi... 10.1.24.6

Intel RST VMD Managed Controller 09AB 18.7.6.1010

Intel(R) Management Engine WMI Provider 2408.5.4.0

Intel(R) Management and Security Application Loc... 2316.5.1.12

Intel(R) iCLS Client 1.71.99.0

Intel(R) Dynamic Application Loader Host Interface 1.44.2023.710

Intel(R) Management Engine Interface #1 2120.100.0...

Intel(R) Serial IO I2C Host Controller - A0EA 30.100.2129.8

Intel(R) Serial IO I2C Host Controller - A0E9 30.100.2129.8

Intel(R) Serial IO I2C Host Controller - A0E8 30.100.2129.8

Intel® PROSet/Wireless WiFi Software extension 23.1160.0.1

Intel(R) Wi-Fi 6 AX201 160MHz 23.170.0.1

Intel(R) Wireless Bluetooth(R) 23.170.0.3

Intel RST VMD Controller 9A0B 18.7.6.1010

Intel(R) Tigerlake Telemetry Aggregator Driver 10.0.19041...

Intel(R) GNA - 9A11 10.1.43.5

Intel(R) TypeC PCIE - 9A23 10.1.43.5

Intel(R) PEG60 - 9A09 10.1.43.5

Intel(R) Camarillo - 9A03 10.1.43.5

Intel(R) Graphics Control Panel 32.0.101.7040

Intel(R) Iris(R) Xe Graphics 32.0.101.7040

Intel(R) Host Bridge/DRAM Registers - 9A14 10.1.43.5

d) BIOS version, motherboard, and installed RAM:

SMBIOSBIOSVersion: X7600PCB.300

Manufacturer: American Megatrends International, LLC

ReleaseDate: 2022-02-25

-

Product: X7600PCB

Manufacturer: ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC.

Version: 1.0

-

Capacity Speed Manufacturer PartNumber

17179869184 3200 Samsung M471A2G44AM0-CWE

(16 GB Ram total)

===================

Windows 10

Please, I really need help.

What I’m looking for is guidance on exactly what diagnostic process or tool I can use to finally determine the real cause of this issue inside Windows is. I am convinced this is a software or firmware-level problem—not hardware— as the crashes they don't seem to impair the PC's performance/state, and if it's a lucky day when none of them happen, the PC works perfectly and very well all day.

I just need a reliable way to identify the root cause once and for all, even if it turns out to be something simple like a audio driver causing conflicts. And once the cause is found, I can know how to fix it permanently. Because my biggest problem is that I don't know what the cause of the problem is, or even what causes it.

Thank you very much for taking the time to read all of this.

1 answer

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Answer 1

It sounds like you're experiencing a complex issue with your ASUS Vivobook Pro 16X OLED, particularly after the motherboard replacement. Given the details you've provided, here are some steps and considerations that may help you diagnose and potentially resolve the crashes:

Check for Driver Conflicts: Since you mentioned that the crashes seem to occur more frequently when using the dedicated GPU, ensure that you have the latest drivers for both the NVIDIA GPU and the Intel integrated graphics. Sometimes, conflicts between these drivers can lead to instability. You might also want to try using the Display Driver Uninstaller (DDU) to completely remove the NVIDIA drivers and then reinstall the latest stable version.
Review WHEA Logs: The WHEA (Windows Hardware Error Architecture) logs you mentioned indicate that the issue may be related to hardware or firmware. Since they point to SocFirmwareType2, it might be worth checking for any firmware updates for your motherboard or BIOS updates that could address compatibility issues.
Enable MSI for NVIDIA GPU: The suggestion to enable Message Signaled Interrupts (MSI) for the NVIDIA GPU could help avoid shared IRQ conflicts. This is a registry modification that can improve performance and stability. However, ensure you back up your registry before making any changes. The command you provided seems appropriate, but if you're unsure, consider seeking assistance from someone familiar with registry edits.
Run Hardware Diagnostics: Since you've replaced the motherboard, it's essential to ensure that all other hardware components are functioning correctly. Run diagnostics on your RAM and hard drive to rule out any underlying hardware issues. Tools like Windows Memory Diagnostic and CHKDSK can be helpful.
Check Event Viewer: Continue monitoring the Event Viewer for any critical errors or warnings that coincide with the crashes. This can provide additional insights into what might be causing the system to freeze.
Test with Minimal Configuration: If possible, try running the laptop with minimal peripherals and software running. This can help isolate whether a specific device or application is causing the crashes.
Consider a Clean Installation: If you haven't already, consider performing a clean installation of Windows again after ensuring all drivers are up to date. Sometimes, remnants of old drivers or configurations can cause instability.
Seek Professional Help: If the issue persists after trying these steps, it may be beneficial to consult with a professional technician who can perform more in-depth diagnostics, especially since the issue arose after hardware changes.

By following these steps, you should be able to gather more information about the root cause of the crashes and potentially resolve the issue.

References:

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Windows crashes once or twice a day, I can't find an explanation to it, WHEA record always points to GUID: (8f87f311-c998-4d9e-a0c4-6065518c4f6d)

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