CRITICAL_STRUCTURE_CORRUPTION error, re-install of windows 10, can't get 2004 ver.

[AidanJLowe]

So less than a year on from my purchase I'm running into issues. I play games and watch streaming services, that's it yet the past 3-4 weeks I'm just doing my thing and I get the blue screen of death and the CRITICAL_STRUCTURE_CORRUPTION which as most windows errors gives no definitive answer and it's a guessing game of like a dozen different things to troubleshoot and do a process of elimination.

I ran memory testers, memory is fine.
I ran repair corrupt files, the first time I did this it did actually find and replace some corrupt files however the problem went away for several days and returned.
I ran Samsung Magician to check the health of my M.2s / SSDs, fine.

So I used my media creation PC Specialist USB to re-install windows 10, so far so good. However now, I simply cannot drag and drop, like at all, can't highlight text even in this message I'm writing now, checked another mouse same issue but can drag icons across the taskbar and use the right side of webpages to scroll up and down. Windows 10 bug perhaps?! Ran repair tool & found corrupt files again?! how are files corrupt after a fresh install, very fishy OS.

Windows has updated to version 1909 yet was on 2004 prior to the wipe. NOW the upgrade tool says my PC isn't supported yet and I am unable to get ver 2004 which is stopping me using ray tracing in games like Shadowlands Beta etc.

Something really is amiss with the system or OS and for someone who watches shows and plays games I'm bewildered how errors are occurring 11 months in.

I really don't like Windows 10 which was the only downside to the PC I purchased from these stellar people.

Processor (CPU)	AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2950X 16 Core CPU (3.5GHz - 4.4GHz, 40MB CACHE)
Motherboard	ASUS® ROG ZENITH EXTREME ALPHA (DDR4, WIFI, CrossFireX/SLI) - RGB Ready!
Memory (RAM)	32GB Corsair VENGEANCE DDR4 2933MHz ~ (4 x 8GB)
Graphics Card	8GB ASUS ROG STRIX GEFORCE RTX 2080 SUPER - HDMI, DP

 

[SpyderTracks]

Firstly, are your drives in RAID?

Secondly, to do a reinstall, you need to do a clean install as in option one here:

How to do a Clean Install of Windows 10 the Easy Way

The Windows 10 upgrade process drags old files, settings, and programs from your previous Windows system to your new one.

www.howtogeek.com

But hold off doing that for now.

 

[AidanJLowe]

No they aren't in RAID.

Looking at my update history the last update to my PC was a Culminative Update Preview patch for 1909, did I accidently install a beta patch with bugs?! If I'm running a beta patch would explain why I can't update to 2004 release patch I guess..

I'm the kind of user that installs most things available to me, I'm not a user who knows which updates / optional updates should be downloaded so go for everything.

It seems the new issues only happened after that, the dragging & dropping and Origin Launcher won't let me play Fifa 21, it just constantly loops around without the ability to launch games.

 

[SpyderTracks]

No they aren't in RAID.

Looking at my update history the last update to my PC was a Culminative Update Preview patch for 1909, did I accidently install a beta patch with bugs?! If I'm running a beta patch would explain why I can't update to 2004 release patch I guess..

I'm the kind of user that installs most things available to me, I'm not a user who knows which updates / optional updates should be downloaded so go for everything.

It seems the new issues only happened after that, the dragging & dropping and Origin Launcher won't let me play Fifa 21, it just constantly loops around without the ability to launch games.

I would do a clean install then as above. Start from there.

 

[ubuysa]

Before you do the clean install, are there any minidumps in C:\Windows\Minidumps or is there a kernel dump in C:\Windows\Memory.dmp? If so, please upload them all to the cloud somewhere and post a link here, I'll gladly take a look.

That BSOD you mention could be a RAM issue, so download Memtest, make a bootable USB stick fro the downloaded tool and boot that USB stick. Memtest will start running. Leave it overnight and let it complete all four iterations of the various tests (which will take several hours on your 32GB of RAM). Memtest is the best memory testing tool we have and way more thorough than the one provided in WIndows.

Although flaky RAM is a possibility that BSOD is much more likely due to a badly coded (or even wrong) driver that has attempted to trample over Kernel code regions. When you do the reinstall run Windows Update repeatedly until no more updates are found, this will install all necessary drivers. Once there are no more updates available open Device Manager and check that there are no yellow triangles with black exclamation points in them. If there are come back on here and we'll tell you how to get whatever drivers are missing.

That BSOD could also be the result of malware attempting to modify kernel code, so after your clean reinstall and Windows Update running, test your system out for a few hours without installing any other software at all. Don't plug in any external hardware either. If it behaves itself in that pristine state then you don't have a hardware error and your problems were caused by malware or a bad driver.

Getting the dumps will help localise the BSOD and may well point more closely at what actually caused it, so it's worth uploading them, if you can.

Windows 10 is an excellent and stable OS, I've not had an ounce of bother from it, and I'm certain your issues are either hardware related (unlikely) or are driver or malware related. Out of interest what antimalware tools do you run?

 

[AidanJLowe]

Sorry for not getting back before now, unfortunately UBUYSA before I got your message as soon as I saw the reply SpyderTracks sent me I went for the clean install.

I'm back at version 2004 now, for some reason I must of installed what can only be described as a beta version of a 1909 patch on my last reinstallation of Windows 10 therefore it wouldn't allow me to upgrade to the latest current release (2004) and that's where most of my functionality issues seems to have come from as they are now non-existent.

It's been up and running for about 5-6 days now without any BSOD, I am leaning towards it being an issue with drivers as I remember windows update a few months ago showing some version of windows, like I mentioned I rely on Microsoft knowing exactly what my computer needs and rarely take notice so downloaded and installed it.

But I now remember having trouble installing programs, for some reason I went from Windows 10 Home to Windows 10 S, researching this I'm not sure why this was an option for a personal computer as it's intended for schools or education systems to limit what they can do. Anyway I recall then having to re-activate 10 Home which I'm starting to think now is when the BSODs started to occur and possibly conflictions.

Again my problems seem to be self-inflicted by not reading and just installing anything but why I'm seeing education versions of Windows and beta patches is beyond me, it'll teach me to read what I'm downloading.

I don't use any programs other than base implemented security features so any recommendations are welcome although this machine is literally watching Twitch via Google Chrome and gaming, that's it so malware via .exes I allow seems unlikely. It was initially bought for video editing before anyone notices the CPU choice and scratches their head when I say I only game.

 

[AidanJLowe]

I hate Windows 10, 20H2 was offered to me to install and promised better stability & less bugs and now my Windows Audio service doesn't run, doesn't detect my creative headphones or ASUS monitor to play audio, went through numerous attempts to fix and looks like I cannot roll back.

Do they even test the releases? It cannot just be me having rotten luck with endless problems, everyone of my problem has been down to the OS 10. I miss 7..

 

[SpyderTracks]

I hate Windows 10, 20H2 was offered to me to install and promised better stability & less bugs and now my Windows Audio service doesn't run, doesn't detect my creative headphones or ASUS monitor to play audio, went through numerous attempts to fix and looks like I cannot roll back.

Do they even test the releases? It cannot just be me having rotten luck with endless problems, everyone of my problem has been down to the OS 10. I miss 7..

Have you checked your audio drivers? Are you using a soundcard or anything? It's very rare for any computer to use the microsoft drivers at all.

I haven't had any issues at all on windows 10, and I use an audio lab with soundcard, gaming rig, laptop, there shouldn't be any issues with windows itself, it's likely driver related.

 

[AidanJLowe]

Have you checked your audio drivers? Are you using a soundcard or anything? It's very rare for any computer to use the microsoft drivers at all.

I haven't had any issues at all on windows 10, and I use an audio lab with soundcard, gaming rig, laptop, there shouldn't be any issues with windows itself, it's likely driver related.

I use a Creative pair of headphones directly into the jack in the front, the Windows Audio service in services.msc simply will not start, it says "Windows could not start the Windows Audio service on local computer."

For it to not pick any audio device up is a real mess up of a confliction from their end, bear in mind like I mentioned before I install nothing. So to go from 2004 to 20H2 will minimal system changes has completely remove a core component of the PC for me as I game and watch TV/Movies, I'd prefer the days I get viruses / trojans lol at least that was the cause of someone malicious, everything seems to be going wrong on a up-to-date PC from the geniuses who are payed big salaries.

The internet icon when moused over says no internet access yet am writing this post, and trying to update drivers via update the downloads remain at 0% for over 5 minutes.

I'm getting it back to 2004 and not touching it again until a video game won't run because of something I need from Microsoft.

 

[SpyderTracks]

I use a Creative pair of headphones directly into the jack in the front, the Windows Audio service in services.msc simply will not start, it says "Windows could not start the Windows Audio service on local computer."

For it to not pick any audio device up is a real mess up of a confliction from their end, bear in mind like I mentioned before I install nothing. So to go from 2004 to 20H2 will minimal system changes has completely remove a core component of the PC for me as I game and watch TV/Movies, I'd prefer the days I get viruses / trojans lol at least that was the cause of someone malicious, everything seems to be going wrong on a up-to-date PC from the geniuses who are payed big salaries.

Windows runs absolutely fine, you just need to know how to manage and configure it.

So you're using the motherboard soundcard then? Try reinstalling drivers from the manufacturers website.

 

[Sirius867]

Hi, AIDANJLOWE. Firstly let me say I'm sorry to hear of the problems that you are having with Windows 10, 20H2. I can't offer you any help at all but just wanted to you to know that I am suffering too running that build of Windows.

In my 40 years or so of Personal Computing - starting with Sinclair ZX80 - I have never been at such a low point (computer speaking) than I am now. I purchased my latest PC five months ago - which wasn't penny pinching in any way - to run the up and coming Microsoft Flight simulator 2020.

I struggled for three weeks after its launch in August to actually download it and then only after doing a refresh start of Windows (??)- first time in my life that I have done that! I have run the programme successfully since then for 2 months - although the programme itself is a can of worms - up to last week. I am now in all sorts of trouble, not only with FS2020 but most other things as well, and tomorrow I have been advised to remove my M.2 SSD drive, physically, to try to gain access to my BIOS so that I can do a totally clean re-install of windows from a USB drive!!!

At my time of life, I don't need this

Hope you get sorted.
Best wishes

 

[AidanJLowe]

Windows runs absolutely fine, you just need to know how to manage and configure it.

So you're using the motherboard soundcard then? Try reinstalling drivers from the manufacturers website.

Then I need you to tell me how to stop Windows Update from offering me beta/preview/insiders builds because I'm currently on 20H2 19042.630 which was only announced a few days ago: https://blogs.windows.com/windows-i...dows-10-insider-preview-build-19042-630-20h2/ which is part of Windows Insider Programme.

I don't want anything other than a stable release to be offered me to download. Doing more research it seems from a reddit thread the 20H2 build has played havoc with a lot of Creative SoundBlaster products and they were in correspondence with Microsoft about issues across their products.

You're saying it works fine if you manage and configure it correctly, all I ever do is go on Windows Update once a night before I turn it off and see if there are any updates available, I expect Microsoft to be able to accurately give me hotfixes & builds for my OS that I need, if I see a new version of windows is available for me my instinct is to download it to stay up to date only to find out it isn't entirely a stable release, I am quite positive I did not opt into any such thing.

For the basic user like me Windows 10 is just tonnes of bloatware of which I have no need.

And I have tried re-installing the drivers, it seems a wipe is in order again as it seems to be directly linked to the Windows 10 services not being able to run.

And Sirius I feel you, I had the same problems with MSFS2020. XP/7 while nowhere near perfect I'll take them over 10 anyday.

 

[AidanJLowe]

Right so my machine is goosed completely now.

Attempting to do a clean install via the USB drive and get BUGCODE_NDIS_DRIVER followed by an error and this error loops restarting, error, restarting, error.

The fact I’ll have to wait now post lockdown to find someone local to fix it is laughable.

 

[AidanJLowe]

Right last post on these forums, sorry for being whiny but during the early hours of the morning a non-working PC is the last thing I need.

Turns out to re-install windows I had to go into BIOS and completely disable the WiFi controller, from past experience with previous Windows is a completely new thing which at least to me makes absolutely no sense whatsoever why Windows could not be installed and why I'm beginning to absolutely despise 10. And when I re-enable the WiFi controller post installation of Windows I get the red dialog box over and over until I disable it again, I prefer Ethernet anyway.

So me getting dodgy versions of Windows builds is down to the Windows Insider Program (an idiotic move to allow inexperienced users to be enrolled into it) now after going onto https://insider.windows.com/en-us/leave-program it appears my OS / machine simply enrolls itself because it says to opt out of it completely it asks you to to a complete clean install of Windows, like are they for real? What part of a clean install is easier than an opt out toggle button, my Microsoft has gone downhill. None of the three suggestions work and it even says this email address is not registered as a Windows Insider yet I've received preview builds from my past posts in this thread. I mean hell the other day I was on https://blogs.windows.com/blog/tag/windows-insider-program/ 19042.630 (20H2) which is a preview build announced 5 days ago on the Windows Insider Programme so I hope you guys can understand my frustration as at least my version of the OS is completely botched by the sounds of it.

Currently on 1909 and it is once again offering me Windows 10 20H2 instead.

Not updating the machine past that because frankly I don't trust the OS, when installing Windows I opt out / decline everything I can which sends data to Microsoft and yet still get enrolled into a program I did not give them permission to do and even has the audacity to tell me I'm not enrolled in it yet am being offered preview builds that are in development.

 

[ubuysa]

Attempting to do a clean install via the USB drive and get BUGCODE_NDIS_DRIVER followed by an error and this error loops restarting, error, restarting, error.

At what point in the install do you see this? It's 99.99999% a driver error, which may be the case if it happens during the install and you're using WiFi during the install. Some wireless cards don't run well with the installation system drivers. It would be much safer to cable connect to your router whilst you do the install, LAN cards are well supported by the installation system.

If this bug check happens after you've booted your installed Windows system then again don't use WiFi at first and use a cable connection. Once you've run Windows Update to completion and installed all drivers you can switch back to WiFi.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with 20H2, I have it running without issue as do thousands of others. If you're having problems then it's either because of a hardware problem (which is possible of course), an issue with your wireless card (as mentioned above), or an issue with the way you're doing the install. It's vital when doing a clean install to use a Custom Install and to delete all existing UEFI partitions. There will be four of them (MSR Reserved, System, Recovery, Primary). Click (to highlight) the unallocated space that results and then click the Next button. The installer will create the correct partition structure and install Windows into the correct partitions.

 

[ubuysa]

Not updating the machine past that because frankly I don't trust the OS, when installing Windows I opt out / decline everything I can which sends data to Microsoft and yet still get enrolled into a program I did not give them permission to do and even has the audacity to tell me I'm not enrolled in it yet am being offered preview builds that are in development.

I also opt out of everything, most people do I think. Although the data that is sent to Microsoft is anonymised.

If Microsoft think that the Microsoft userid you login with is enrolled in the Insider Program then it is. It's very easy to unregister, see https://insider.windows.com/en-us/leave-program. Note that if you've asked to stop getting preview builds but nor de-registered you will still get emails.

Microsoft are not out to get you or out to trick you and it's no good blaming Microsoft for things that are within your control.

 

[AidanJLowe]

I also opt out of everything, most people do I think. Although the data that is sent to Microsoft is anonymised.

If Microsoft think that the Microsoft userid you login with is enrolled in the Insider Program then it is. It's very easy to unregister, see https://insider.windows.com/en-us/leave-program. Note that if you've asked to stop getting preview builds but nor de-registered you will still get emails.

Microsoft are not out to get you or out to trick you and it's no good blaming Microsoft for things that are within your control.

As you can see by this screenshot I am not enrolled in the program. I can't unregister from something I am not registered to seeing as nobody it seems believes me.

You mention it could be the way I've done the install? That was simply an issue for re-installing Windows, I want to stop the fact I feel the need to do clean installs because I've been spoon fed builds I shouldn't be getting to begin with, for two consecutive times now I've been offered a preview build of 2004 and now a 6 day old build of 20H2 were installed and both times my OS had glaring issues upon restart, not major issues but still like not being able to drag anything, like not a damn thing anywhere, not being able to use the backspace button on anything. My PC not recognizing any audio device I could throw at is because Windows audio services simply refuse to start with no hint on what the cause was. This should not be the case, I should be offered stable builds like it seems most people are.

I've never in my life received as many BSODs as I have with this machine with this OS.

SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION
BUGCODE_NCIS_DRIVER
KERNAL_SECURITY_CHECK_FAILURE
CRITICAL_STRUCTURE_CORRUPTION

I was even offered to move over to Windows Home S (no god damn clue why) which I unfortunately did months ago, you honestly cannot tell me that is normal Windows behavior to allow a user who has a license of home edition to move to S with restricted functionality like it popped up in my updates windows as if it was this brand spanking new feature patch but to my dissatisfaction it wasn't, sure you could say it's my fault for negligence to research prior to installing but it shouldn't be my job to google search builds/editions that are being presented to me to download freely with what seems the bare minimum build notes.

I should be getting stable versions rolled out to me, that's it. That's all I want but that it seems is too much to ask for

 

[ubuysa]

If you're clean installing Windows and allowing Windows Update to install drivers and you're still getting BSODs then you must have some sort of hardware issue.

Windows itself is not your problem. Something else is.

It rather seems as though you've got it stuck in your mind that Windows is broken, especially 20H2, and that's not true. In your anger and dismay you've chased the wrong rabbit down the wrong rabbit hole, it's going to take a clear head to get yourself out of there - but get out of that hole you must.

It's quite possible that your copy of the Windows installation files is corrupted somehow or that the medium on which they're stored is corrupted somehow. It's also entirely possible you have a hardware issue with your PC, but we'll get to that later.

The first thing I'd suggest then is that you go out and buy a brand new (and good quality) 8GB (min size) USB stick. Then, on a different PC (you can't trust yours at the moment), download the Windows Media Creation Tool and use that to write the Windows 20H2 installation files to that USB stick and make it bootable.

Now you'll know you have good install media.

Boot that USB stick on your own PC and choose a Custom Install. The drives on here are identified only by number (0, 1, 2 etc) so you need to identify which numbered drive is your preferred system drive. You should delete ALL partitions on your system drive. Since your'e having so much trouble I would also delete all partitions on all other drives to be sure. You will have to backup the data on here first of course, or remove the drives before you start.

Click on (to highlight) the drive where you want Windows installed and click the Next button. The installer will do the rest.

Once Windows is installed you'll boot into the initial setup (it's called the Out Of Box Experience, or OOBE). Take your time with the OOBE. Be sure you understand each screen and what the various options will do. Pay particular attention to the userid you use, if you use a Microsoft ID Windows will sync a number of options (like the desktop image) - since you're having big problems it might be wise to use a local account at first, you can always switch back to your Microsoft account when everything is working properly.

Once the OOBE is completed run Windows Update. Don't do anything else at all, go straight in to Windows Update. You will have to reboot at some point, when Windows reboots run Windows Update again (nothing else, just Windows Update). Keep running Windows Update after every reboot until it says that no more updates are available.

I realise you'll now have a very limited set of apps, but try and test the system as much as you can without installing anything else and without making any configuration changes. At this point you'll have the most reliable software platform you can get, so if it BSODs in this state you have a hardware issue of some sort.

If it doesn't BSOD then your problem was software related, and it's not impossible it's a problem you have installed, so proceed slowly, installing one app at a time and testing the system afterwards to be sure it's still stable.