Windows 10: Random Black Screens While Using Laptop

Honestly... I'm beggining to think your problem are not the drivers, but a cripled update...
If you have a restore point or a backup of any nature to roll back, do so, because seems there is an update trying to install itself, that BSODs you, and is not a driver.

You may ask why to do this? Simple, if WU tries to update again, specialy if we talk about security updates (necesary), you will get a BSOD again...

Just my two cents.

 

The problem here is that Anniversary Edition installed last week, and wiped my entire update list, and this problem started maybe the day before that anniversary update. I don't know if I can go back to a restore point without having a two hour turnaround.

Additionally, the updates that ARE installed seem to have wiped themselves on my last BSOD. I can't understand why There is nothing to uninstall.

Finally, I have nothing BSODing right now with update downloads off (via metered connection settings). It's only happened within an hour after any updates. So since nothing's updating, it seems fine.

Sometime, I'll go download and install updates myself, and have it reboot when done; this will probably be when I know I'll not be using the machine for a bit during the day. I'm just going to keep metered connection on because that seems to be solving my problem. I can always reset Windows if necessary, since it looks like I can keep my documents that way. Hopefully I get my situation improved and get a PC soon and the laptop will just be a casual thing to use. *Biggrin In that case, I would be able to work out the laptop BSOD problem while using the PC.

 

OK, so I went back and checked System Restore since that post, wanted to make this as a new reply.
I found this set of restore points available. Clicking on any of the three C++ ones shows that the affected program is "AMD Radeon Settings 2017.0424.2119.36535". So again, i think it's creating the restore point, trying to update the settings (as such disobeying me when I try to disable it), doing the black screen thing, BSODing me an hour later, and then - because of the BSOD - it never actually finishes the update that it started doing. It this a potentially correct analysis?

I have no idea what the Windows Module Installer one is. Nothing is affected, and that was this morning, about the time I turned the laptop on.

 

“My top row does have a button that can immediately allow a user to black the entire screen”
--- I’m curious: what purpose does that serve?
--- And when would it be used?

On my 1607 computer, advanced options: Choose how updates are installed it reports
Note: Windows Update might install itself automatically first when checking for other updates.
--- That’s a pretty good statement of what you are up against.

If it’s been less than 11 days, you might be able to revert back to the prior version.
--- If that’s possible, consider doing so and get all updates up-to-date.
--- I’ve looked up some recommendations on how to do that but I can’t tell which one is most reasonable for you: look up what you can but do it quickly, preferably before the 10th day.

There’s more to be said about gaming issues and BSOD’s but if the computer ran fine on your prior version, see if you can revert.

 

I actually had a problem with BSOD before Anniversary Edition updated in, as well. The problem seems to have carried over. But now going into my third overnight on metered connection and it couldn't be better. If I ever need to update, I can run updates manually and reboot at will. I'll see if I have problems with that with updates in a week or so.

Meanwhile, I'll try playing games on Steam again and see if the BSOD from there resurfaces (for some reason, shortly after the computer wakes up in the session following one where some kind of game is played, I get a thread stuck in device driver as the most common BSOD; I reproduced it on two consecutive days, one with a 000001d8 or something like that instead), and try to get events from any crashes when I do eventually try to update, if there are any crashes. Based on my restore points and the time of day they were created, I do remember seeing two black screen events on the 18th and one on the 19th. I do remember that. I also remember all three were in the morning, and am sure they were between 10 a.m. and noon, which also matches (I know I went for lunch after both BSODs). The three restore points line up. So it was something with those C++ updates, since I BSODed within the next hour each of those two days, and then hit metered connection to stop Windows Update from doing anything without my approval. That's why nothing else has happened. I honestly don't think the Anniversary Update is to blame, but the way it now reenables a disabled Windows Update without permission led to me getting all these unpermitted updates and the eventual BSODs each time. I had a BSOD 4-5 days in a row (I think one before the anniversary update, too, as I only had 2 since then and took action) before hitting metered connection.

Also, my entire top row of function keys are all things that are various PC functions. For instance, instead of F2, I have the abilitty to lower volume. Instead of F3, I raise volume (the former F1 mutes while the old F4 just closes a window or application without asking if you're sure).. F11 and F12 are replaced by screen brightness adjustment, while F10 now gives me casting options. One of them is replaced by the ability to black the screen; the only purpose this can serve is hiding some top secret information from someone going by, and pushing the button again restores it. I've had panicked moments trying to figure out a black screen to realize I pushed the button. The black screens I describe in the posts above are not caused by this button. I can still use the functions, but I have to hold a Fn key to use it instead of the special trigger option.

 

Thanks for those explanations. It sounds like you can keep track of time frames & results pretty good. When I help people I try to do the same when problems are pretty daunting: I use a full size notebook dedicated to a persons issues and it's helpful to eventually focus on a major source of what to deal with. I've looked at my notes on how to deal with BSOD's: unfortunately I can't determine yet on what to focus on yet.

 

No problem. *Smile I'm going to start some game tests this evening and see, by playing a different game each time, whether any specific game triggers my other blue screen problems. I'm looking at the Steam summer sale now and have a couple games I want to try, and I know they'll work fine for playing (like others). If they don't trigger it I'll try another game that I know triggered it. I'm curious if the anniversary update fixed this problem. This problem might be a different thread, however. An interesting tidbit is I did turn on the .net framework for Windows 7 because at least one game has to have it to run. I don't think that can be the blue screen cause as I've had the issue with other games before doing that (The Golf Club is one game I've had issues with even mid-game).

Regarding this thread, I'll run updates next week or so and do a fresh reboot. I don't think this problem will resurface as I will not be leaving updates to run in the background again until I wind up on a better connection, and hopefully when I actually run updates I can make any C++ ones install properly and fully with the reboot. Background updates are a bad thing; I actually was watching a stream yesterday, and mid-stream, the guy's McAfee (the most horrid software ever) started running a system scan, in addition to other simultaneous updates, and this resulted in a very frozen stream with perfect audio. My two pieces of advice were to get rid of McAfee and turn on metered connections, and he'll never have that problem again. *Smile I think he just turned off McAfee real-time scanning instead of removing it completely, so we'll see in the future I guess for him. LOL

 

OK, so posting an update (I know it's 3-4 weeks later). The blue screens have started happening again, two days in a row now. I might have overloaded the first time, but the second, I was still within 24 hours of the prior reboot and I got a blue screen while casually doing stuff in Tabletop Simulator. Previously, I had been in that game (at times for an entire day) and not had any issues, even tabbing out to check messages and do other activities. So now I'd like to try to diagnose these errors.

The good news is that this has nothing to do with the driver updates. Metered connection works brilliantly to stop Windows from forcing itself upon me via inappropriate advances.

From my Event Log:

Log Name: System
Source: EventLog
Date: 2017-07-19 12:05:33 PM
Event ID: 6008
Task Category: None
Level: Error
Keywords: Classic
User: N/A
Computer: DESKTOP-2EBBH5I
Description:
The previous system shutdown at 11:27:06 AM on ‎7/‎19/‎2017 was unexpected.

Log Name: System
Source: Microsoft-Windows-Kernel-Power
Date: 2017-07-19 12:05:14 PM
Event ID: 41
Task Category: (63)
Level: Critical
Keywords: (70368744177664),(2)
User: SYSTEM
Computer: DESKTOP-2EBBH5I
Description:
The system has rebooted without cleanly shutting down first. This error could be caused if the system stopped responding, crashed, or lost power unexpectedly.

I know those won't provide a solution to my problem, but I am looking in the event log and see nothing I can use. It seems when the system collects error information and reboots, it's not actually creating anything in the event log.

I found the Reliability listings and found the following. Yesterday, I got a bugcheck at 5:29 p.m.: "The computer has rebooted from a bugcheck. The bugcheck was: 0x000000ea (0xffff910a89aae7c0, 0x0000000000000000, 0x0000000000000000, 0x0000000000000000)". The one moments ago was similar: "The computer has rebooted from a bugcheck. The bugcheck was: 0x000000ea (0xffffe6057e6717c0, 0x0000000000000000, 0x0000000000000000, 0x0000000000000000)". So what are these bugchecks? I was just casually playing and this happened. It seems to only happen when playing games, as I avoided playing games for three weeks (not even rebooting) and nothing happened, and even for a week when I started gaming again nothing happened. These two bugcheck reboots came within 24 hours of each other.

One more note: most of the time, the error is THREAD STUCK IN DEVICE DRIVER. It makes me wonder if something is wrong with the graphics card (it's a laptop one).