WIN 10 updates cause constant rebooting - Microsoft blames CCleaner. . .?

[ttatum]

For the past couple of years, whenever a WIN 10 update is applied, my Dell desktop will reboot when stop using it and leave it on.  Annoying, but it has always fixed itself in a few days. . .until now it's happening continuously.  The blue screen error message I get is "Stop code:  PAGE FAULT IN NONPAGED AREA".  Last week I had two lenghty sessions with Microsoft WIN techs who connected remotely and investigated the problem.  They concluded that CCleaner was the problem.  Has anyone else experienced this?  How to fix it, without re-installing WIN 10???  Thanks.

[Andavari]

Could be anything really. And trying to find exactly what it is can be very time consuming.

Since it's Stop errors or BSODs:
* Where I'd start is with Windows Memory Diagnostic (usable by typing into Cortana/Search: Memory) - although Windows is usually rather good at finding faulty RAM on it's own during boot.
* Make sure all the drivers are up-to-date, for instance graphics card drivers can give allot of grief if an old or buggy version is used.

Edited March 29, 2021 by Andavari

[Dave CCleaner]

This sounds suspiciously like what we used to call the "vendor salute":

(ie: "blame someone else, usually Microsoft  )

That said, I would note that versions of CCleaner prior to 5.46 are no longer compatible with Windows 10 release 1809 and above. Anything above that (generally recommended to be one of the 3 latest releases for compatibility with other software on your computer) should be just fine.

Last time I had that error it was a hardware problem, consider:

1. Chksdk for disk errors
2. Checking for RAM problems (as per Andavari, above)
3. Checking for out of date device drivers

 

[nukecad]

15 hours ago, ttatum said:

 Annoying, but it has always fixed itself in a few days...

If it was CCleaner (or any other app that you have installed) causing the problem then it would keep causing the problem, it wouldn't suddenly stop causing it after a few days.
(Unless the offending app also got an update after a few days).

Like DaveCCleaner I suspect that the MS tech couldn't find the real cause and so was clutching at straws / blaming something else.

There are a multitude of things that can cause the error message 'Page fault in nonpaged area'.

As you say it happens following a Windows update, and that it does usually fix itself then I'd suspect it's a driver error (probably a dedicated Dell driver), and that the driver usually updates itself a few days after the Windows update.
(Microsoft updates are known for installling generic drivers and overwriting the manufacturers driver. NVIDIA is another set of drivers they  often mess up).

Other possibilities:
Have you changed the pagefile size at sometime in the past? That can sometimes cause paging faults.
A hard drive that is having problems, or even getting close to failing , can also be the cause.
Or it could be faulty or failing RAM.

Here are a few things to try, I'd do them in the order listed:
https://www.tomshardware.com/uk/news/how-to-fix-page-fault-error-windows-10,36234.html

[ttatum]

Thank you to all the suggestions.  FYI, the first Microsoft tech did go in and update all drivers and the bios.  I will try everything suggested, but if nothing works I'd rather just keep logging back on every time I want to use the computer rather than going through the pain of re-installing WIN 10.  Thanks again!

[nukecad]

Just to be certain, was this Microsoft themselves?

Or was it a company claiming to be 'Microsoft Technicians'?

Without wanting to be unnecessarily worrying there are a lot of 'Tech Support' scamers advertising on the internet.
Most scammers just want money, but some will keep taking more once they have your card number, the worst will even install malware on your machine.
If you give one of these scammers remote access to your computer then they can install anything that they want on there; and trick your antivirus into ignoring it.
(It may be innocent, but I particularly don't like the idea that they changed the BIOS).

As someone has remotely accessed your computer then if your computer starts to show any odd behaviours, (well more than already does), I would definitely get it checked over for possible malware.
We can't do that here but section 10 of the forum rules gives you sites you can trust and who will check your computer for free. (They may even find the answer to your original problem).
https://community.ccleaner.com/announcement/15-forum-rules%20/

PS. If you paid them with a credit/debit card then also keep an eye on the account for unauthorised debits.

More about Tech Support scams:
https://blog.malwarebytes.com/tech-support-scams/

 

[ttatum]

Thanks nukecad.  I went through the WIN 10 Update & Security page's Help button and asked for them to call me--wait time was about 23 minutes.  If those were scammers, Microsoft has a serious problem!  There was no payment asked for nor funds exchanged--if there were, I wouldn't have done it.  Thank you for the link to others who may be able to help.  

[nukecad]

That sounds fine then.

You may want to try one of those checking sites anyway. (TBH the same experts can be found working on more than one of them).
Whilst primaraliy set up to help clear malware they will also take a good look that finds other problems as well.
They don't remotely access your computer, they ask you to run certain things and collect logs that they then analyze for problems and tell you how to fix any they find.
(Occasionally if there are a lot, or awkward, fixes they will write a script to do it for you).

[ttatum]

Well, the issue has resolved itself, as it has in the past--just took weeks longer this time.  No more constant restarting and blue screen.  Very grateful. . .until next update. . .

[nukecad]

Definitely sounds like Windows Updates are screwing up a driver or other setting, and something is automatically fixing it later.