PC Keeps crashing

[R4Liam]

I am using Windows 8 (which is terrible btw)

Specs (Is this everything you need to know?):

Basically I get that blue screen with a "" face and some error which I can't remember. I notice my CPU sometimes fluctuates and gets quite high. I can't tell what process crashes my system because it crashes before I can open task manager. It happens when I'm doing fairly casual things like internet browsing (although granted last time it crashed I had at least ten tabs open), listening to Spotify, and then Photoshop, Fruity Loops, sometimes they are running at the same time too.

Surely my computer should be able to cope though. It never crashes when I'm playing even the most demanding video game on full graphic settings. So why when using the PC for general tasks does it crash?

I mean sure, I also use Rainmeter and Rocketdock but the most CPU they use combined is maybe 1% of the CPU and 16mb or RAM, tops (with task manager as reference).

Please help because I'm starting uni in September and I don't want it crashing when I'm in the middle of a an Photoshop etc. project.

 

[Tom Bombadildo]

Make sure Windows is creating dump files (to make sure, follow the instructions here: http://blog.nirsoft.net/2010/07/27/how-to-configure-windows-to-create-minidump-files-on-bsod/ it should be the same process as the Windows 7 tutorial).

Then, download this http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/blue_screen_view.html and take a screenshot of the crashes.

 

[R4Liam]

Make sure Windows is creating dump files (to make sure, follow the instructions here: http://blog.nirsoft.net/2010/07/27/how-to-configure-windows-to-create-minidump-files-on-bsod/ it should be the same process as the Windows 7 tutorial).

Then, download this http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/blue_screen_view.html and take a screenshot of the crashes.

Okay, it is set to create dump files as instructed in that first link.

I installed the program from your second link but I don't know how to view the actual screenshot of the crash. I have a print screen of the properties of the last dump:

 

[Tom Bombadildo]

That's good enough

What kind of network devices do you have on this PC? It appears the crash is being caused either by corrupted network-related hardware drivers or incompatible software somewhere along the line.

Try re-installing any drivers for network devices you might have (including ethernet if you use it) and see if you get any kind of BSODs then.

 

[R4Liam]

I am using a USB WIFI connection but the PC started crashing fairly recently and I've had the USB for a while before that. In terms of drivers, I have been using 'iobit driver booster' which regularly keeps me up to date with new driver updates for all my hardware. However recently I have begun to question its credibility I feel like it's giving me fake updates that are incompatible just to make me buy the pro version. Is this plausible?

On a side note, I've noticed Firefox does take up a lot of cpu when loading new pages but then subsides. So a network problem would make sense.

I'll try and re-install the network drivers and get back to you.

 

[R4Liam]

These are the network devices I can see in device manager. I have re-installed the usb wifi driver I think (I clicked uninstall and unplugged it, replugged it and it re-appeared in device manager):

 

[R4Liam]

sorry to bump this but the problem is still persisting. I am sure it is to do with a network issue because it only seems to happen with heavy Firefox use. I keep getting that blue screen with the sad face and an error forcing me to restart

Could it be because I'm using iObit Malware Fighter and Avast at the same time?

 

[natkoden]

Buy a PS4

It's Sony and it runs Uncharted 4

 

[osirisjem]

sorry to bump this but the problem is still persisting. I am sure it is to do with a network issue

Probably is.

Okay, it is set to create dump files as instructed in that first link.

if you google: netio.sys windows 8 - you see your problems aren't unique.

Could it be because I'm using iObit Malware Fighter and Avast at the same time?

unlikely.


it's probably the ASUS USB-N53
[source]

How far is the router ? (or can you move your PC to the router location)
run a temporary cable directly to the router see if that helps.
if not maybe uninstall the USB wireless.
and see if that helps.

USB wireless sounds like a bad plan to me.

Do you have a PCI card for wireless ? Try that ?

Update the USB wireless drivers ?

Read that link about N53 and Windows 8.

 

[R4Liam]

Alright, I have been looking quite a bit and can't find a way to fix it.

A PCI card sounds like the best bet (although my usb wifi device is actually very fast in terms of no lag and decent download speeds)

Could someone suggest a good PCI card at a decent price?

 

[Originality]

I've gotten some amazing speeds out of this one: http://www.amazon.co.uk/PCE-AC68-Wi...mputers_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=08X2KVS0QFREABCJ6A31
But then again, when you say decent price, I imagine you're expecting something in the £20-30 range.

 

[R4Liam]

I've gotten some amazing speeds out of this one: http://www.amazon.co.uk/PCE-AC68-Wi...mputers_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=08X2KVS0QFREABCJ6A31
But then again, when you say decent price, I imagine you're expecting something in the £20-30 range.

Yeah I thinking £30 is my max. I am not after a really fast connection, just one that works well; the high end of average maybe. Plus I don't even know how to add thing to my motherboard :S

 

[crownroyalcode]

Before you go and order a PCI-based WLAN solution, please try the following:

I have seen your problems before.. Even on Windows 7! (it's not OS-tied (sort of, more about that later..!**), it's WLAN-chipset tied (mostly).

The download on the ASUS page links to an older version of the RT2870 driver your WLAN-USB is using. You should try downloading it directly from Mediatek (used to be Ralink).

ASUS one dates from 2012, Mediatek on September 2013.

http://mediatek.com/en/downloads/usb/

** - Could it be possible your problems happened since the update from Windows 8 to Windows 8.1? If applicable ofcourse!

In other words: did you install it using a Windows 8.1 installation medium, or using a Windows 8 one?

 

[R4Liam]

Before you go and order a PCI-based WLAN solution, please try the following:

I have seen your problems before.. Even on Windows 7! (it's not OS-tied (sort of, more about that later..!**), it's WLAN-chipset tied (mostly).

The download on the ASUS page links to an older version of the RT2870 driver your WLAN-USB is using. You should try downloading it directly from Mediatek (used to be Ralink).

ASUS one dates from 2012, Mediatek on September 2013.

http://mediatek.com/en/downloads/usb/

** - Could it be possible your problems happened since the update from Windows 8 to Windows 8.1? If applicable ofcourse!

In other words: did you install it using a Windows 8.1 installation medium, or using a Windows 8 one?

Yes it happened after the 8.1 update now I think about it. Thank you for the updated driver too. I'll be sure to put my network under some pressure to see if it happens again

Thanks!