Computer keeps crashing every month

Question

Hello, my computer keeps crashing while I'm in the middle of playing games or doing work.

I'm not sure what is going on and I have no idea how to fix it

Here are the dump files from the past few months

https://1drv.ms/f/c/5c94ef162da8de01/IgD18lHEluFrRL6RK-LjBXmZAd-Z3tii6RVqTh3Dspt3fLs?e=sU3qxz

Thank you anyone for taking a look.

Answer 1

Hello, the information you provided indicates that a driver issue is causing the problem.

Please try performing a system repair first. Open PowerShell as administrator and enter the following commands:

Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth

Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth

Dism /Online /Cleanup-image /RestoreHealth

sfc /scannow

Answer 2

Hi, Based on the crash dump analysis, the blue screen appears to be caused by a third-party driver. Specifically, it looks like it might be related to an anti-cheat or game protection system. Do you have any games installed that use miHoYo's anti-cheat (like Genshin Impact, Honkai: Star Rail, etc.) or Tencent's ACE anti-cheat (used in games like Naraka: Bladepoint or Valorant China version)?

These types of drivers sometimes conflict with Windows kernel components (in this case, pcw.sys) and can trigger a PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA crash. If you do have such software installed, temporarily uninstalling it or disabling the anti-cheat service might resolve the issue.

Let me know!

Answer 3

Thanks for providing the new minidump files. I’ve analyzed them for you and found some critical leads regarding your recent Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) issues:

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1. Incomplete Driver Cleanup

While the services or files for HoYoKProtect.sys (miHoYo) and ACE-BASE.sys (Tencent ACE) might have been deleted, their kernel hook callbacks or memory mappings may still be lingering in the system. Once a Windows kernel driver is loaded, if it doesn't properly unregister its callbacks, it can lead to system call exceptions and trigger a BSOD, even if the service itself is "gone."

2. Mandatory Anti-Cheat Reinstallation

Whenever you launch Genshin Impact, Honkai: Star Rail, or Tencent-related games (like Valorant or Naraka: Bladepoint), their launchers will automatically reinstall the corresponding anti-cheat drivers. This is a forced behavior and cannot be bypassed if you want to play the games.

3. High-Risk Combo: Kernel-Level Conflict

Both miHoYo’s HoYoKProtect and Tencent’s ACE run at Ring 0 (kernel level) and deeply hook into critical system functions. They are fundamentally incompatible; when both are present, they often fight for resources, cause memory conflicts, or corrupt the callback chain. There are numerous documented cases of this in both Microsoft and gaming communities.

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✅ Recommended Solutions

Option 1: Streamline Your Game Library

The most direct test is to temporarily commit to one ecosystem. Completely uninstall one set of games (e.g., remove all Tencent games), reboot, and observe the system's stability for a few days.

Option 2: Use Isolated Windows User Accounts

Create two separate local Windows user accounts:

• User A: Only for miHoYo games.

User B: Only for Tencent/Riot games. When you switch users, the system reloads a cleaner driver environment, which can significantly reduce the probability of driver contention.

Option 3: Ensure System and Driver Integrity

As you mentioned, keeping everything up to date is vital:

BIOS: Ensure you are on the latest version from your motherboard’s official website.

GPU Drivers: Perform a clean install directly from NVIDIA/AMD (avoid letting GeForce Experience simply "express install" over old versions).

Chipset/Network/Audio: Use the driver packages provided by your motherboard manufacturer.

[!WARNING] Avoid third-party "Driver Update" tools (like Driver Booster or similar utilities). They often install incorrect versions that lead to more instability.

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❌ What to Avoid

Manual .sys deletion without a reboot: This leaves active "ghost" hooks in the kernel.

Expecting standard uninstallers to be 100% clean: Anti-cheat software often requires specific removal tools or a clean reboot to fully clear.

Running both types of games in the same session: Even if one game is closed, its anti-cheat driver might still be active in the background.

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Next Steps

If you'd like to proceed with testing, I suggest uninstalling one category of games first. After a reboot, you can simply use the PC as normal to check for stability.

If the BSOD occurs again, please feel free to share the new dump file, and I will dive deeper into the specific error codes.

Answer 4

Looks like a clean boot is the only way. Check the official Microsoft guide for instructions: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/how-to-perform-a-clean-boot-in-windows-da2f9573-6eec-00ad-2f8a-a97a1807f3dd