[Z-390F] Windows 10 crashing when installing drivers

[xancex]

Specs:
- Asus Strix Z-390F
- Intel i5-9600k
- 8 GB DDR4 3000 Mhz
- Samsung Evo 850, 870, 970 SSD's
- GPU (Optional): Gainward Nvidia GTX 1080 Ti 11GB
- PSU: Gigabyte P850GM

[Introduction]

Everything started when I got random freezes and crashes, when moving/writing on my C drive (SSD Samsung Evo 870), since it is a little bit old, I was thinking that it's time to change it with a new one.
I replaced the SSD with a Crucial MX500 SSD and cloned the old one in the new one.
Everything booted right, everything felt right, until I tried updating my GPU. BOOM! BSoD: CRITICAL_PROCESS_DIED.
I did a complete fresh install, removed the GPU and found out, that even when I try to install the drivers with Windows Update, I get the same BSoD screen.

[Problem]

I can install Windows 10 perfectly fine, but as soon as I try to install a driver, I get a BSoD.

[What I tried]

- New SSD (Crucial MX500) in a different PC.
- RAM Stick on different machine.
- Stress tested the GPU on different machine.
- Test a different GPU on my PC.
- Different PCIe_x16 slot.
- Different SATA-port and different SATA-cable.
- Checked the voltages on my motherboard.
- Updating BIOS and ME Firmware to the latest version.
- C:\Windows\Minidump file attached in the first comment

[thismarkjohnson]

It sounds like a driver conflict or corrupted Windows installation. Since fresh Windows works until you install drivers, try these steps:

• Use DDU (Display Driver Uninstaller) in Safe Mode to remove any old GPU drivers completely.
• Install the latest chipset drivers first, then GPU drivers.
• If BSoD persists, test with minimal hardware connected (one SSD, RAM stick, no GPU) to rule out peripheral conflicts.

If it still crashes, it could be a motherboard PCIe or firmware issue, and contacting ASUS support may be necessary.

[xancex]

Hello, thanks for your reply.

I can also reinstall Windows 10, so I don't need to use DDU and stay sure everything is clean.
I don't want to use the GPU anymore, that's why it says "optional", but I can't even install any update from Windows Update.
So GPU, 850 SSD and NVMe removed. I'll give it a try asap and I will 100% post here the results.

Btw. what could Asus support do? How to contact?

The minidump result is gone, even if I posted it two times here already. I'll put it here blow:

====================================================
CRASH DUMP ANALYSIS
====================================================

BUGCHECK_CODE: EF (CRITICAL_PROCESS_DIED)

BUGCHECK_P1: ffffb28eee1df080
BUGCHECK_P2: 0
BUGCHECK_P3: 0
BUGCHECK_P4: 0

FILE_IN_CAB: 102225-5140-01.dmp
FAULTING_THREAD: ffffb28eee343080

PROCESS_NAME: services.exe
CRITICAL_PROCESS: services.exe

EXCEPTION_RECORD: 0000000000001000 -- (.exr 0x1000)
Cannot read Exception record @ 0000000000001000

ERROR_CODE: (NTSTATUS) 0xee343080 - <Unable to get error code text>

BLACKBOXBSD: 1 (!blackboxbsd)
BLACKBOXNTFS: 1 (!blackboxntfs)
BLACKBOXPNP: 1 (!blackboxpnp)
BLACKBOXWINLOGON: 1 (!blackboxwinlogon)

CUSTOMER_CRASH_COUNT: 1

----------------------------------------------------
STACK TRACE
----------------------------------------------------
TRAP_FRAME: ffff800000000000 -- (.trap 0xffff800000000000)
Unable to read trap frame at ffff800000000000
Resetting default scope

STACK_TEXT:
ffffd78d`c34d7c08 fffff807`4b10d6d2 : 00000000`000000ef ffffb28e`ee1df080 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 : nt!KeBugCheckEx
ffffd78d`c34d7c10 fffff807`4b019207 : 00000000`00000001 fffff807`4aab8c11 00000000`00000002 fffff807`4aab8b3b : nt!PspCatchCriticalBreak+0x10e
ffffd78d`c34d7cb0 fffff807`4ae83420 : ffffb28e`00000000 00000000`00000000 ffffb28e`ee1df080 ffffb28e`ee1df4b8 : nt!PspTerminateAllThreads+0x175f6b
ffffd78d`c34d7d20 fffff807`4ae8321c : ffffb28e`ee1df080 00000000`00000001 ffffffff`ffffffff 00000000`00000000 : nt!PspTerminateProcess+0xe0
ffffd78d`c34d7d60 fffff807`4ac11235 : ffffb28e`ee1df080 ffffb28e`ee343080 ffffd78d`c34d7e50 fffff807`4af32672 : nt!NtTerminateProcess+0x9c
ffffd78d`c34d7dd0 fffff807`4ac023d0 : fffff807`4ac7a7f5 ffffd78d`c34d8958 ffffd78d`c34d8958 ffffffff`ffffffff : nt!KiSystemServiceCopyEnd+0x25
ffffd78d`c34d7f68 fffff807`4ac7a7f5 : ffffd78d`c34d8958 ffffd78d`c34d8958 ffffffff`ffffffff 00007ff6`15bd1000 : nt!KiServiceLinkage
ffffd78d`c34d7f70 fffff807`4ac11bec : 00000000`00001000 ffffd78d`c34d8a00 ffff8000`00000000 00000000`00000000 : nt!KiDispatchException+0x141485
ffffd78d`c34d8820 fffff807`4ac0d53d : 00000000`00000000 ffffb28e`efbb7040 00000000`00000000 ffffb28e`00000000 : nt!KiExceptionDispatch+0x12c
ffffd78d`c34d8a00 00007ffc`fe7812ae : 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 : nt!KiPageFault+0x43d
000000f5`10d80f30 00000000`00000000 : 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 : 0x00007ffc`fe7812ae

----------------------------------------------------
MODULE INFORMATION
----------------------------------------------------
SYMBOL_NAME: nt!PspCatchCriticalBreak+10e
MODULE_NAME: nt
IMAGE_NAME: ntkrnlmp.exe
IMAGE_VERSION: 10.0.19041.3803

STACK_COMMAND: .process /r /p 0xffffb28eee1df080; .thread 0xffffb28eee343080 ; kb
BUCKET_ID_FUNC_OFFSET: 10e
FAILURE_BUCKET_ID: 0xEF_services.exe_BUGCHECK_CRITICAL_PROCESS_ee343080_nt!PspCatchCriticalBreak

----------------------------------------------------
SYSTEM INFO
----------------------------------------------------
OS_VERSION: 10.0.19041.1
BUILDLAB_STR: vb_release
OSPLATFORM_TYPE: x64
OSNAME: Windows 10
FAILURE_ID_HASH: {a606d60f-0f41-149d-0db0-dc54b79769f6}

Followup: MachineOwner
----------------------------------------------------

[xancex · Accepted solution]

Thanks for your reply!

It really doesn't matter what driver I install, even using Windows Update. Same results.
I am even testing without a GPU now...
Will try with minimal hardware like you said, I will report here ASAP.