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Windows 11: Recurring application crashes and BSODs on an Intel i9-14900HX laptop

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Windows 11 instability: recurring BSODs and application crashes on an Intel i9-14900HX laptop despite clean reinstall

James Patrick-Gleed 0 Reputation points
2026-10-25T14:53:29.69+00:00

Been having issues for the last couple of months with my laptop suffering from frequent CTD and BSOD. Using WinDbg I've interrogated a few logs and they always seem to point back to Invalid_pointer_read_c0000005, which I understand is a generic error.

This error, and things like it, have been plaguing me for a long time now, with it affecting Edge, WinDbg, Steam, various games like Battlefield 6 and X4: Foundations (The debug below). It has survived a full and proper Windows 11 re-install (Complete wipe and reinstall from USB), Intel XTU seemed to make a dent in it for a little while, but nothing lasting, GPU driver reinstallation (especially from the Win11 reinstall), disabling Hyperthreading on the BIOS. A 10 pass MemTest86 revealed nothing and the built-in Asus Diagonstics didn't uncover any issues either.

Sometimes the error traces back to nvgpucomp64.dll, other times to the crashing application itself, other times to TiWorker (during repair and diagnosis attempts). Please help me, I'm at my wits end with this.

System Specs:

Manufacturer / Model: ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC. ROG Strix G16 G614JVR_G614JVR

CPU: Intel(R) Core(TM) i9-14900HX

CPU Cores / Threads: 24 / 24

Installed RAM: 15.63 GB

GPU(s): NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU, Intel(R) UHD Graphics

Motherboard: ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC. G614JVR

BIOS Version: G614JVR.322

BIOS Date: 10/01/2025 01:00:00

Windows: Microsoft Windows 11 Home

Windows Version: 10.0.26300

OS Build: 26300

System Type: x64-based PC

GPU Specific Information:

Name : NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU

DriverVersion : 32.0.16.2101

DriverDate : 19/10/2026 01:00:00

CurrentHorizontalResolution : 2560

CurrentVerticalResolution : 1600

Name : Intel(R) UHD Graphics

DriverVersion : 32.0.101.6790

DriverDate : 28/04/2025 01:00:00

CurrentHorizontalResolution : 1920

CurrentVerticalResolution : 1080

Example of the failure, taken from a WinDbg run against an X4 crash log:

************* Path validation summary **************

Response Time (ms) Location

Deferred srv*

  •                                                                         *

  •  MCP Server Bridge Attached (enabled , not running, not connected)      *

  •                                                                         *

************* Preparing the environment for Debugger Extensions Gallery repositories **************

ExtensionRepository : Implicit

UseExperimentalFeatureForNugetShare : true

AllowNugetExeUpdate : true

NonInteractiveNuget : true

AllowNugetMSCredentialProviderInstall : true

AllowParallelInitializationOfLocalRepositories : true

-- Configuring repositories

  ----> Repository : LocalInstalled, Enabled: true

  ----> Repository : UserExtensions, Enabled: true

Preparing the environment for Debugger Extensions Gallery repositories completed, duration 0.000 seconds

************* Waiting for Debugger Extensions Gallery to Initialize **************

Waiting for Debugger Extensions Gallery to Initialize completed, duration 0.032 seconds

----> Repository : UserExtensions, Enabled: true, Packages count: 0

----> Repository : LocalInstalled, Enabled: true, Packages count: 46

Microsoft (R) Windows Debugger Version 10.0.29661.1004 AMD64

Copyright (c) Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

Loading Dump File [C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\X4 Foundations\X4_900_2026_10_25_14_27_56.dmp]

User Mini Dump File: Only registers, stack and portions of memory are available

************* Path validation summary **************

Response Time (ms) Location

Deferred srv*

Symbol search path is: srv*

Executable search path is:

Windows 10 Version 26300 MP (24 procs) Free x64

Product: WinNt, suite: SingleUserTS Personal

Edition build lab: 26100.1.amd64fre.ge_release.240331-1435

Debug session time: Sun Oct 25 14:27:57.000 2026 (UTC + 0:00)

System Uptime: 0 days 0:01:22.609

Process Uptime: 0 days 0:00:41.000

................................................................

................................................................

................

This dump file has an exception of interest stored in it.

The stored exception information can be accessed via .ecxr

(5a04.12a8): Access violation - code c0000005 (first/second chance not available)

+------------------------------------------------------------------------+

| This target supports Hardware-enforced Stack Protection. A HW based |

| "Shadow Stack" may be available to assist in debugging and analysis. |

| See aka.ms/userhsp for more info. |

| |

| dps @ssp |

| |

+------------------------------------------------------------------------+

For analysis of this file, run !analyze -v

ntdll!NtGetContextThread+0x14:

00007ff9`c5683ca4 c3 ret

0:076> !analyze -v

................................................................

................................................................

................

  •                                                                         *

  •                    Exception Analysis                                   *

  •                                                                         *

KEY_VALUES_STRING: 1

Key  : AV.Type

Value: Read

Key  : Analysis.CPU.mSec

Value: 359

Key  : Analysis.Elapsed.mSec

Value: 666

Key  : Analysis.IO.Other.Mb

Value: 0

Key  : Analysis.IO.Read.Mb

Value: 1

Key  : Analysis.IO.Write.Mb

Value: 0

Key  : Analysis.Init.CPU.mSec

Value: 156

Key  : Analysis.Init.Elapsed.mSec

Value: 4705

Key  : Analysis.Memory.CommitPeak.Mb

Value: 229

Key  : Analysis.Version.DbgEng

Value: 10.0.29661.1004

Key  : Analysis.Version.Description

Value: 10.2608.26.1 amd64fre

Key  : Analysis.Version.Ext

Value: 1.2608.26.1

Key  : Failure.Bucket

Value: INVALID_POINTER_READ_c0000005_X4.exe!Unknown

Key  : Failure.Exception.Code

Value: 0xc0000005

Key  : Failure.Exception.IP.Address

Value: 0x7ff6a6e7ca59

Key  : Failure.Exception.IP.Module

Value: X4

Key  : Failure.Exception.IP.Offset

Value: 0xcca59

Key  : Failure.Hash

Value: {df714cae-9b1e-1fd7-5d8d-519fe1e91d66}

Key  : Failure.ProblemClass.Primary

Value: INVALID_POINTER_READ

Key  : Faulting.IP.Type

Value: Paged

Key  : Timeline.OS.Boot.DeltaSec

Value: 82

Key  : Timeline.Process.Start.DeltaSec

Value: 41

Key  : WER.OS.Branch

Value: ge_release

Key  : WER.OS.Version

Value: 10.0.26100.1

Key  : WER.Process.Version

Value: 9.0.0.0

FILE_IN_CAB: X4_900_2026_10_25_14_27_56.dmp

CONTEXT: (.ecxr)

rax=0000028b39350948 rbx=0000028b39350820 rcx=0000028b39350800

rdx=00001b6d0005d200 rsi=000018e1c6d0ca00 rdi=0000000000000008

rip=00007ff6a6e7ca59 rsp=000000eee6bfe8d0 rbp=0000000000000000

r8=0000000000000008 r9=0000000000000001 r10=00007ff6a6db0000

r11=000000eee6bfe940 r12=0000000000000008 r13=0000000000000001

r14=0000000000000000 r15=0000028b36b3d180

iopl=0 nv up ei pl nz na pe nc

cs=0033 ss=002b ds=002b es=002b fs=0053 gs=002b efl=00010206

X4!GetNumBlacklistTypes+0x17899:

00007ff6a6e7ca59 8b441ee0 mov eax,dword ptr [rsi+rbx-20h] ds:00001b6d0005d200=????????

Resetting default scope

EXCEPTION_RECORD: (.exr -1)

ExceptionAddress: 00007ff6a6e7ca59 (X4!GetNumBlacklistTypes+0x0000000000017899)

ExceptionCode: c0000005 (Access violation)

ExceptionFlags: 00000000

NumberParameters: 2

Parameter[0]: 0000000000000000

Parameter[1]: 00001b6d0005d200

Attempt to read from address 00001b6d0005d200

PROCESS_NAME: X4.exe

READ_ADDRESS: 00001b6d0005d200

ERROR_CODE: (NTSTATUS) 0xc0000005 - The instruction at 0x%p referenced memory at 0x%p. The memory could not be %s.

EXCEPTION_CODE: (NTSTATUS) 0xc0000005 - The instruction at 0x%p referenced memory at 0x%p. The memory could not be %s.

EXCEPTION_CODE_STR: c0000005

EXCEPTION_PARAMETER1: 0000000000000000

EXCEPTION_PARAMETER2: 00001b6d0005d200

STACK_TEXT:

000000eee6bfe8d0 00007ff6a6e7c9a5 : 00001b6d0005d200 000000eee6bfe980 00001b6d0005d200 00007ff6a7d97990 : X4!GetNumBlacklistTypes+0x17899

000000eee6bfe900 00007ff6a6e97ded : 0000028b36b3d180 0000000000000008 0000000000000000 000000eee6bfeb10 : X4!GetNumBlacklistTypes+0x177e5

000000eee6bfe950 00007ff6a6ed3794 : 0000028b39350940 000000000000029e 0000000000084020 0000028b39350940 : X4!IsMouseEmulationActive+0x6f8d

000000eee6bfe9f0 00007ff6a733ffa4 : 000000000000029e 000002890000029e 0000028b057bbd80 0000028b377ef790 : X4!IsMouseEmulationActive+0x42934

000000eee6bfea30 00007ff6a6e964c8 : 0000028b36b3d180 0000000000000005 0000000000000005 0000028b057bbd80 : X4!GetGameVersion+0x23b574

000000eee6bfea80 00007ff6a6e966e5 : 0000000000000000 0000028b377ef780 000000eee6bfec69 000000eee6bfeda0 : X4!IsMouseEmulationActive+0x5668

000000eee6bfeae0 00007ff6a6e9670f : 0000000000000000 0000028b377ef980 0000000000000000 000000eee6bfeda0 : X4!IsMouseEmulationActive+0x5885

000000eee6bfeb10 00007ff6a6e9670f : 0000028b377ef780 0000028b377efa80 0000000000000000 000000eee6bfeda0 : X4!IsMouseEmulationActive+0x58af

000000eee6bfeb40 00007ff6a6e9670f : 0000028b377ef980 0000028b377efc80 0000000000000000 000000eee6bfeda0 : X4!IsMouseEmulationActive+0x58af

000000eee6bfeb70 00007ff6a7345974 : 0000028b377efa80 0000028b377efd80 0000000000000310 0000000000000310 : X4!IsMouseEmulationActive+0x58af

000000eee6bfeba0 00007ff6a763d642 : 0000028b377efd80 0000028b377efc80 0000000000000000 00007ff6a8267100 : X4!GetGameVersion+0x240f44

000000eee6bfecb0 00007ff6a77e0313 : 0000028aefc19d80 000000eee6bfefa0 000000eee6bfef00 000000eee6bfef00 : X4!GetGameVersion+0x538c12

000000eee6bfee70 00007ff6a77a52d3 : 00000289d4f21a00 00000289d4f21a00 000000eee6bfefa0 0000028b3adffd48 : X4!IsExternalViewActive+0x34233

000000eee6bff000 00007ff6a779dc16 : 00007ff6aaac9a30 0000028b0c3000a0 00000289c0b85480 000000000000000a : X4!GetGameVersion+0x6a08a3

000000eee6bff0e0 00007ff6a7861457 : 00007ff6aaac96f0 0000028b0c300400 000000eee6bff300 0000028b0c3000a0 : X4!GetGameVersion+0x6991e6

000000eee6bff290 00007ff6a7fdb823 : 00000289c0a42e80 00000289c0ac0ee0 0000028b0c3000a0 00000289c0a42fa0 : X4!IsExternalViewActive+0xb5377

000000eee6bff540 00007ff6a7ca46b6 : 000000003022c81e 0000000000000003 0000000000000000 00000289c0b90200 : X4!ToggleDrones+0x720493

000000eee6bff720 00007ff6a826779a : 0000028b1450d510 3fd0000000000000 3f8829f8210e6c00 0000028b152a0080 : X4!ToggleDrones+0x3e9326

000000eee6bff8e0 00007ff6a87cb9fe : 00000289cb599de0 0000000000000000 0000000000000000 0000000000000000 : X4!ToggleDrones+0x9ac40a

000000eee6bff910 00007ff9c35ddda7 : 0000000000000000 0000000000000000 0000000000000000 0000000000000000 : X4!ToggleDrones+0xf1066e

000000eee6bff940 00007ff9c559ee4c : 0000000000000000 0000000000000000 000004f0fffffb30 000004d0fffffb30 : kernel32!BaseThreadInitThunk+0x17

000000eee6bff970 0000000000000000 : 0000000000000000 0000000000000000 0000000000000000 0000000000000000 : ntdll!RtlUserThreadStart+0x2c

IP_IN_PAGED_CODE:

X4!GetNumBlacklistTypes+17899

00007ff6`a6e7ca59 8b441ee0 mov eax,dword ptr [rsi+rbx-20h]

SYMBOL_NAME: X4+cca59

MODULE_NAME: X4

IMAGE_NAME: X4.exe

STACK_COMMAND: ~76s; .ecxr ; kb

FAILURE_BUCKET_ID: INVALID_POINTER_READ_c0000005_X4.exe!Unknown

OS_VERSION: 10.0.26100.1

BUILDLAB_STR: ge_release

OSPLATFORM_TYPE: x64

OSNAME: Windows 10

IMAGE_VERSION: 9.0.0.0

FAILURE_ID_HASH: {df714cae-9b1e-1fd7-5d8d-519fe1e91d66}

Followup: MachineOwner

Windows for home | Windows 11 | Performance and system failures
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  1. AI answer

    2026-10-25T14:53:53.4033333+00:00

    The X4 dump shows a user-mode access violation (0xc0000005) in X4.exe, which means the process tried to read invalid memory. That by itself does not prove Windows is the root cause. Microsoft’s debugger guidance states that access violations are commonly caused by dereferencing an invalid pointer, and the fault can be in the function that crashed or in an earlier function that passed bad data.

    Because the same machine is also showing system-wide instability across multiple apps and occasional BSODs even after a clean reinstall, the most useful next steps are to isolate driver, graphics, and hardware causes.

    1. Prioritize driver isolation
      • If a crash or bug check identifies a specific driver, disable that driver or check with the manufacturer for an updated version.
      • This is especially relevant because some crashes reportedly point to nvgpucomp64.dll, which is graphics-driver related.
    2. Make sure graphics software and games are fully updated
      • Verify graphics-related software is current.
      • Ensure affected games and graphics-intensive apps are fully patched.
      • Microsoft specifically recommends this for graphics timeout and game-related crash scenarios.
    3. Use Safe Mode to narrow the cause
      • Safe Mode loads only the minimum required drivers and services.
      • In Windows Settings, go to Update and Security > Recovery > Advanced startup.
      • After restart, choose Troubleshoot > Advanced Options > Startup Settings > Restart.
      • Then select option 4, 5, or 6 for Safe Mode.
      • If stability improves there, that strongly points to a third-party driver or service rather than the base OS.
    4. Run Windows Memory Diagnostic even though MemTest86 passed
      • Save work and close apps.
      • Press Windows + R, type mdsched, and select OK.
      • Choose Restart now and check for problems (recommended).
      • For a more thorough pass, press F1 during the diagnostic, switch Test Mix from Standard to Extended, then press F10.
      • After sign-in, review the result notification, or check Event Viewer for MemoryDiagnostics-Results.
      • A clean MemTest86 result is useful, but Windows still recommends validating memory with its own diagnostic path when chasing crash behavior.
    5. Check for stop-code evidence when BSODs occur
      • A Windows bug check means the OS halted to protect system integrity.
      • If dump creation is enabled, a crash dump is created and can help identify whether the issue is a driver, memory, or hardware path.
      • Capture the exact stop code and any module name shown on the blue screen for correlation with the next dump.
    6. Test hardware/driver stability outside normal boot
      • Run any hardware diagnostics supplied by the laptop manufacturer.
      • If the BSODs are graphics-related, Microsoft also recommends checking new hardware compatibility and using manufacturer diagnostics.
    7. If a recent change preceded the issue, use recovery options
      • If instability started after a driver, app, or update change, use System Restore or Startup Repair from Windows recovery options.

    What the provided dump supports:

    • INVALID_POINTER_READ_c0000005_X4.exe!Unknown is an application access violation, not a definitive Windows kernel fault.
    • Repeated crashes across unrelated apps after reinstall make driver or hardware instability the stronger direction to investigate.
    • Since graphics components are mentioned in the failures, the graphics driver path is a high-priority suspect.
    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.