Very intermittent BSOD – How to solve?

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I get a very intermittent BSOD which only happens at startup within the first minute on starting the laptop. When I restart the laptop after the BSOD, everything is fine. The BSOD problem started after I installed the August Windows 10 updates. So I installed the Sept Windows updates to see if that fixes the problem – it did not!!
Unfortunately Windows never creates a BSOD dump file – event viewer displays an error that dump file could not be created – so I have been unable to determine the source of the BSOD.

My system:
Windows 10 Home version 22H2; Sept updates have been installed
HP BIOS is up to date
Laptop HP 17-BY1053DX [purchased Nov 2019], 256GB SSD, Intel Core i5-8265U CPU @ 1.60GHz, 8GB Micron 3200MHz memory

What I have done to try to discover the problem:
Use Windows Device Manager to ensure all drivers up to date
Ran all HP diagnostics several times over several days – all passed
Ran memory test using Memtest86
Scanned entire machine several times over several days – nothing found: Malwarebytes, SuperAntiSpyware, Windows Defender
Ran “DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth”
Ran “sfc /scannow”
Ran “chkdsk /f” on the SSD – nothing found
Ran CrystalDiskInfo which reported no problems

Speccy output can be found at:
http://speccy.piriform.com/results/dYo7ZbNoJ6SeT6gBeLgRuWL

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You created a Topic about this back in January. Did any of the suggestions there solve the problem.

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satrow

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And another 5 days ago. https://www.askwoody.com/forums/topic/dump-file-does-not-get-created-on-blue-screen/
And one 2 days ago. https://www.askwoody.com/forums/topic/dump-file-does-not-get-created-on-blue-screen/#post-2587434

cheers, Paul

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satrow

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Hi edsel1924:

Further to PKCano’s post # 2587538, you’ve started multiple threads in this forum about these BSODs including your 01-Jan-2023 thread Windows 10 22H2 Intermittent Blue Screen. Did you try any of the suggestions in that thread like disabling the FastStartup power option (see my post # 2519536 in that thread for instructions) to see if this at least reduced the frequency of your BSODs?

Is your system configured to create automatic memory dumps at Settings | System | About | Advanced System Settings (link) | Advanced (tab) | Startup and Recovery | System Failure | Write Debugging Information as TechTango suggested in post # 2586682 of your 11-Sep-2023 thread Dump File Does Not Get Created on Blue Screen.  Note: Changing that setting  from “Automatic Memory Dump” to “Complete Memory Dump” might force your system to generate a dump file.

Also note that full dump files named MEMORY.DMP are created at C:Windows, but some BSODs may create mini-dump files in a protected folder at C:Windows\Minidump. Try running a free utility like NirSoft’s BlueScreenView and/or Resplendence’s Who Crashed to interpret and summarize the Bug Check (BC) codes in any recent Windows mini-dump files. See my 14-Oct-2020 post in LawrenceJohnston’s My Vista Machine Frequently Gets the Blue Screen of Death – Help in the MS Answers forum for instructions on using BlueScreenView.
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Dell Inspiron 5584 * 64-bit Win 10 Pro v22H2 build 19045.3324 * Firefox v117.0.1 * Microsoft Defender v4.18.23080.2006-1.1.23080.2005 * Malwarebytes Premium v4.6.2.281-1.0.2131 * Macrium Reflect Free v8.0.7279

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windbg

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edsel1924 wrote:

… Use Windows Device Manager to ensure all drivers up to date …

Hi edsel1924:

This might actually be part of the problem. If you are not using HP Support Assistant or some other HP utility to install the graphics driver and other hardware drivers recommended on your HP 17-by1053dx support page at https://support.hp.com/us-en/drivers/selfservice/hp-17-by1000-laptop-pc/23238505/model/29890066 then you might have installed a hardware driver that is not certified for your HP BIOS (currently F.69 Rev.A, released 02-May-2023).

A few years ago a Windows Update unexpectedly installed a hardware driver that caused a BSOD on my Dell Inspiron 5584 laptop, and since then I’ve taken steps to ensure this doesn’t happen again – see my 15-Sep-2023 post # 2587541 in your thread Mandatory Updates – How to be Selective?. The Intel Driver & Support Assistant utility currently recommends that I install the latest v31.0.101.2125 graphics driver for my Intel UHD Graphcis 620 GPU, but for now I will be using the older graphics driver recommended on the support page for my Inspiron 5584 (and by the Dell Update v5.x utility)  as long as this graphics driver does not cause any issues.
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Dell Inspiron 5584 * 64-bit Win 10 Pro v22H2 build 19045.3324 * Firefox v117.0.1 * Microsoft Defender v4.18.23080.2006-1.1.23080.2005 * Malwarebytes Premium v4.6.2.281-1.0.2131 * Macrium Reflect Free v8.0.7279 * Intel Driver & Support Assistant v23.3.25.6

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windbg

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edsel1924 wrote:

…  Scanned entire machine several times over several days – nothing found: Malwarebytes, SuperAntiSpyware, Windows Defender… Speccy output can be found at: http://speccy.piriform.com/results/dYo7ZbNoJ6SeT6gBeLgRuWL

Hi edsel1924:

One other thought.  Speccy snapshots don’t list recent errors logged in the Event Viewer so they aren’t of much help diagnosing BSODs but your snapshot does show that your  Malwarebytes Service does not start at boot-up.  Does that  mean that you use Malwarebytes Free, or do you have a paid version of Malwarebytes Pemium?

If you have Malwarebytes installed on your system you might want to post in their BSOD, Crashes, Kernel Debugging board and request assistance there.  If the SysnativeBSODCollectionApp software they recommended in the posting guidelines <here> can’t find any dump files on your system then another utility like the Malwarebytes Support Tool that summarizes the recent errors logged in your Event Viewer might help them diagnose the cause of your intermittent BSODs.
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Dell Inspiron 5584 * 64-bit Win 10 Pro v22H2 build 19045.3324 * Firefox v117.0.1 * Microsoft Defender v4.18.23080.2006-1.1.23080.2005 * Malwarebytes Premium v4.6.2.281-1.0.2131 * Macrium Reflect Free v8.0.7279

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windbg

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Thank you all for your help.  To answer all questions:

(1) I am using Malwarebytes free

(2) Advanced System Settings is set correctly to create minidump files although they never do get created.  Also looked in c:\windows and there is no dump file.

(3) I found the problem!!!  In the August Microsoft updates, there was an update for “Hp Inc”. that was installed.  This update installed without my knowledge the HP JumpStart program which included an exe “BridgeCommunication.exe” in 2 different folders.  I noticed this new exe listed twice in Task Manager after the August updates; have never seen it before.  After much cursing because of file permissions, I was able to move the 2 exes so that they will never again be executed.  Voila!!!  I have now booted more than 35 times with no BSOD.  I really hate this practice of installing new stuff on MY machine without my knowledge.  Finding and fixing this problem took about 5 hours.

(4) I removed HP Support Assistant from the laptop.  I do not trust HP to properly place new software on my machine.  Not sure if this was the best idea, but that is what I will do for now.  Can always reinstall and have the Support Assistant tell me if there are new updates and then at that time decide whether to install them.  I realize that user Imacri recommended that I use HP Support Assistant so that proper drivers are installed.  In the future I will be careful of using this tool.  Don’t want this type of problem to happen again.

(5) In the future I will use WuMgr for Microsoft updates so that I can screen the updates and decide which ones to install.

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edsel1924 wrote:

I found the problem!!! In the August Microsoft updates, there was an update for “Hp Inc”. that was installed. This update installed without my knowledge the HP JumpStart program which included an exe “BridgeCommunication.exe” in 2 different folders….I was able to move the 2 exes so that they will never again be executed. Voila!!! I have now booted more than 35 times with no BSOD.

Hi edsel1924:

That’s good news. If your BSODs re-appear be sure you post in Malwarebytes’ BSOD, Crashes, Kernel Debugging board so someone can do a proper analysis of your diagnostic logs.

Also note that TheWindowsClub article What is BridgeCommunication.exe from HP in Windows 11/10? recommends that users uninstall the entire HP JumpStart app instead of deleting  the bridgecommunication.exe file manually.  Using a utility like Revo Uninstaller Free (which I use for removing installed programs listed at Control Panel | Programs | Programs and Features) or DISM++  [which I use for removing UWP apps listed at Settings | Apps | App and Features – see geekdom’s post # 2554921 in my April 2023 thread Can’t Remove Remnants of Some Old UWP (Microsoft Store) Apps] usually do a good job of removing orphaned registry entries and/or files that are often left behind by a “regular” uninstall.

edsel1924 wrote:

Advanced System Settings is set correctly to create minidump files although they never do get created. Also looked in c:\windows and there is no dump file

Does that mean you’ve selected Small Memory Dump in your Startup and Recovery settings at System Failure | Write Debugging Information to always create mini-dump files? If so, that’s not the setting you should choose if you want to create a full dump file at C:\Windows\MEMORY.DMP. See the Windows Central article How to Manage Crash Dump Settings on Windows 10 for more information.

edsel1924 wrote:

I removed HP Support Assistant from the laptop. I do not trust HP to properly place new software on my machine.

I’m guessing the equivalent utility on Dell computers is Dell SupportAssist (I think both utilities are based on PC-Doctor diagnostic software – see my comments in post # 2419768 of Fred Langa’s Jan 2022 Let Your PC Start the New Year Right! – Part Two about HP Support Assist), and I’ve also chosen to removed Dell SupportAssist from my Dell Inspiron laptop because it’s too buggy and hogs too much RAM and CPU when it loads at boot-up. I installed the lighter Dell Update for Windows Universal v5.x app that does not load automatically at boot-up and only checks for Dell software and driver updates if I launch it manually, but I’m not sure if there’s an equivalent utility for HP laptops.

As a general rule, I allow Dell Update for Windows Universal v5.x to install updates for my Dell software and drivers (unless I am offered an update I want to decline / uncheck) except for updates to my Dell BIOS firmware.  I always download the .exe installer for my BIOS updates from the support page for my Inspiron 5584 and install them manually as instructed by Dell in the release notes.
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Dell Inspiron 5584 * 64-bit Win 10 Pro v22H2 build 19045.3324 * Firefox v117.0.1 * Microsoft Defender v4.18.23080.2006-1.1.23080.2005 * Malwarebytes Premium v4.6.2.281-1.0.2131 * Macrium Reflect Free v8.0.727 * Dell Update for Windows Universal v5.0.0

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Drats, I spoke too soon.  After many, many cold boots, the laptop suddenly had 2 BSODs in a row.

I do like the idea of reseating all cards and cables since I never get a BSOD once the system is running.

Any other ideas?

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Hi edsel1924:

You neglected to mention that you cross-posted yesterday in BleepingComputer’s Windows Crashes and Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) Help and Support board at Windows 10 – Very Intermittent BSOD and are already receiving assistance there from one of the BC Advisors. I don’t want to interfere with their troubleshooting so I’ll step out of this thread now.
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Dell Inspiron 5584 * 64-bit Win 10 Pro v22H2 build 19045.3324 * Firefox v117.0.1 * Microsoft Defender v4.18.23080.2006-1.1.23080.2005 * Malwarebytes Premium v4.6.2.281-1.0.2131 * Macrium Reflect Free v8.0.7279

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I solved this problem quite easily by wiping the hard drive and reinstalling WIndows 20 Home.  Such an easy solution.

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