Aurora R4, Radeon Rx 5700, Win10, BSOD in some games

Question

Hello all,

I have been having an issue with my Windows 10 64 bit system running the 24.8.1 (and possibly 24.7.1) radeon driver with my AMD RADEON RX 5700 graphics card. It first started when not even gaming, my pc started randomly (at different times, sometimes after 30 minutes, or an hour, or two hours say) blue screen of deathing with a MACHINE_CHECK_EXCEPTION error. I googled and found an article on my smartphone on how to test for various errors in windows that generate this error. I tried all the steps recommended but it didn't solve the issue. So also tried cleaning and reinstalling the 24.8.1 Radeon driver, but this made no difference. I booted into safe mode which was stable and backed up my important data from my OS drive which is an ssd. I have a Windows 10 recovery drive on a usb memory drive, so I reinitialised Windows 10 64 bit from that. Installed all windows updates since this snapshot and installed all pc drivers I have with the 24.8.1 Radeon driver again. The computer was stable through the 5-6 hours that this restore took and then 8 hours of general desktop use the following day (but I didn't game on these two days). Yesterday evening I tried launching star wars battlefront 2 (from 2017) over steam which I have been playing for the last month. Got to the game menu ok but when I chose to continue the single player campaign it started to load but crashed (blue screen of death - machine_check_exception)before it was able to show the graphics of the new mission I was starting. The computer generated the windows error memory dump and then restarted. It then booted into Windows 10 ok. I thought I would try to troubleshoot further so I ran some 3d benchmarks to further test stability. Directx 11 benchmarks Heaven and Valley ran stable for the three minutes I ran each of them and on the latest 3dmark I ran the Timespy DirectX 12 benchmark without issue. Does anyone know what's going on here, my feeling is that it could be the 24.8.1 and possibly 24.7.1 Radeon drivers that are causing this issue. What are people's thoughts on this please?

MattSAurora · Accepted Answer

All being well, I intend to replace my Aurora R4 with the latest model shortly after windows 10 is no longer supported in October next year.

I uninstalled 24.8.1, reinstalled 24.1.1 and the computer is stable for general use for about 10 hours over three days, so I think it's fine now. No blue screen of deaths appearing. By reinstalling windows 10 from recovery usb drive, I have saved some 60 odd GB is storage space from the os ssd from the previous install of win 10 - which was an free upgrade from windows 8.1 back in 2016. I can see widgets on login screen now (not before), and the desktop background updates periodically, which did not happen before. Windows also feels a bit snappier too. So all looks good.

MattSAurora · Accepted Answer

Just a quick update to say I found the reason for the blue screen of death errors I was getting. It was a software application loaded at startup of the Windows 10 desktop. I had fairly recently bought and downloaded Star Wars Battlefront 2 over Steam. The game, published by Electronic Arts, comes with an EA App that is setup and installed during the first launch of the game. It integrates with Steam and is set to startup in the background each time the computer boots to the desktop. I tested disabling all non essential windows desktop startup applications and then I had complete windows system stability for hours and hours now over three or four days. I have since uninstalled the EA App and Star Wars Battlefront 2. I have read online via a Google search that the EA App can produce blue screen of death errors.

(edited)

redxps630 · Answer

I would test the RX5700 in another desktop independently.

the R4 is an old AW model. even if it can still run for hours, its components are degenerating. machine error code is often non specific.

if you install a Nvidia card in R4 and all of sudden BSOD completely gone then we would agree yes indeed there is something wrong w RX, soft or hardware wise.

Vanadiel · Answer

If you are planning on replacing it with the latest model, I would do research before purchasing, to avoid headaches afterwards...

MattSAurora · Answer

@Vanadiel​  To avoid what sort of problems? There will be a new generation of intel core processors by then (if I purchase in Nov 2025), which should have sorted the stability problems like with 13th and 14th intel core processors. New generation graphics cards from Nvidia should have been out for a good few months by then all being well. DDR5 ram may be standard by then and Windows 12 might launch next year. I will read reviews of all the hardware I am thinking of getting with the new PC, as well as a review of the pc itself.

redxps630 · Answer

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Vanadiel · Answer

@MattSAurora​ The common problems users of Alienware encounter: Limited to no upgradability, having to deal with AWCC to control RGB, fans and temperature readouts, not being able to easily or not at all replace CPU cooling solution and case fans without the boot process throwing errors. Not to mention black boot screens if you manage to upgrade with an aftermarket card afterwards. I would do my research before splurging on a decked out Alienware...

Vanadiel · Answer

Not to mention the very limited BIOS options, lack of any type of VRM control, very limited OC tweaking BIOS functionality, very limited aftermarket RAM support, BIOS recovery that is hit and miss, CRC batteries that seem to need replacement every few years, etc...

Just a quick search on these forums will come up with examples.

And of course, and this is just in my opinion, the biggest issue if all: no AMD machines anymore at this time. This means limited user options and takes away roughly 50% of the available consumer choices.

MattSAurora · Answer

Hi, Thank you for your replies. The only thing I would be looking at upgrading say 6,7 maybe 8 years down the line would be the graphics card, by buying a high end one at the time of purchasing a pc. You mentioned black boot screens when adding aftermarket cards, do you mean graphics cards when you say this? Can you provide more information please? I intend to buy enough storage space on SSD (4TB) and ram (64Gb) with the computer that I will need for it's lifetime, so I shall not upgrade this later on during the lifetime of the pc, only the gfx card will I change years down the line. There are no reliability issues I need to be aware of are there? I have read good reviews of the current R16 model.

MattSAurora · Answer

@Vanadiel​ Hi, Thank you for the replies. I only intend to change the graphics card maybe 6,7,8 years after purchasing the pc to replace a high end one that comes with the pc. You mentioned black boot screens after adding aftermarket cards. Do you mean aftermarket gfx cards? Can you provide more information please? I intend to purchase enough storage as nvm SSD (4TB) and 64 GB ram to last the lifetime of the pc, so I wouldn't be looking at later upgrading anything else other than the gfx card years down the line. Are there any reliability issues with the current aurora models that I need to be aware of? I have read good reviews of the current R16 model online and also separately on the dell website from user reviews it's highly rated. I am very happy with my Aurora R4 for another year. The only thing I had to change was the graphics card during its current lifespan. Goodness knows how powerful the latest high specced alienware auroras are. I bought my R4 in December 2013.

Vanadiel · Answer

RTX 5000 cards are around the corner as to speak. I would hold of until those arrive before purchasing a new PC regardless of OEM, because rumor has it it will have PCI-e version 5.0 support for the bus.

Technology changes so fast I would not try to figure out if a video card from 6 years in the future will fit, as it likely will not or be a very bad option if it does.

Upgradability is the biggest issue with any of these systems, as they are not designed with that in mind. They also don't like retail parts often, which makes upgrading them afterwards rather costly.

Best advice I can provide is order it the way you want it, even if it costs more versus what is on sale. Buying with upgrading afterwards is going to give you a headache...

MattSAurora · Answer

@Vanadiel​ Thank you for your reply. Yes, I intend to upgrade in November/December 2025. But will do my research in the run up. Thanks for your advice.

redxps630 · Answer

That is still 12 months in the future

vanadiel comes from a background of gaming pc enthusiast who like complete control of machine w historical preference for AMD and built your self than Intel and Dell prebuilt.

Intel 13/14 gen cpu issue has reinforced this opinion.

the last AW for vanadiel was R10 which was regrettable apparently

there are no unbiased opinions

Watch Steve Burke gamers review on R10-R13/14 which is another biased channel critical of AW. He does praise Dell RTX4090

On line review almost always praises Dell AW whenever a new model comes out. Do not be swayed by those.

users report is erratic. Some had R16 lemon, others love it or hate its new look

buying the latest newest Dell AW end of 2025 or whenever is taking unknown risk but if you want your money to be spent on latest tech like buying the newest Tesla model that comes out, that is the path to take: take your own risk after reading all the ostensible positive reviews. Hopefully you will love the next AW you buy after the last R4 12 years ago.

there is nothing grossly wrong with Dell new AW but it will always have imperfections not just unimportant blemish but some user unfriendliness.

redxps630 · Answer

R13/14/15 and R16 use same Dell oem server type psu also used in XPS 8950 8960. XPS users report premature psu fan noise degradation.

Example of a small annoying quality issue that only appears after some time of use which would not reveal on online first look review.

R4 and R5-12 uses microATX motherboard with some proprietary components

R13-16 motherboard are all non standard form factor. New AW will not reverse this direction.

Other prebuilt such as ibuypwer has always used standard motherboard in comparison. What makes AW attractive is plastic LED shell wrapped around an oem metal case skeleton, and Dell oem high end gpu in a package price compared to individual retail gpu price. Dell AW price tag often beats sum total of built your self gaming pc when there is a premium market for latest gpu.

MattSAurora · Answer

I have read on the Alienware desktop forums that it is not possible to upgrade to aftermarket full length graphics cards in the R16 say a number of years after purchasing the pc, because they will not fit inside the case and even if it does the aftermarket graphics cards are not compatible? Is there truth to this? If so, this seems extremely limiting and would deter me from purchasing a future Alienware desktop with this limitation in place. It's the only change I made on my Aurora R4, by upgrading from an AMD Radeon R9 290x to an MSI AMD Radeon RX 5700 over clocked retail card without issue.

Alienware Desktops

Aurora R4, Radeon Rx 5700, Win10, BSOD in some games

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