Why Your Computer Crashes When Downloading Large Files or Games

If your Windows PC crashes while downloading large files or games, the solutions described in this article can assist you. While faulty hardware may be the root cause of this issue, it is advisable to try these solutions first before concluding anything.

Why Does My Computer Crash When Downloading Large Files or Games?

Refer to the suggestions below if your Windows 11/10 computer crashes during the download of large files or games.

1. Disconnect any external storage devices (if applicable)
2. Reinstall the Network driver
3. Repair system image files
4. Troubleshoot in Clean Boot mode
5. Check the issue in Safe Mode
6. Reset Network settings
7. Check RAM health

All these remedies are explained in detail below:

1] Disconnect External Storage Devices (if applicable)

If you are using an external storage device while downloading files, disconnect it and transfer the files to your internal hard drive. Monitor if the problem persists; if your computer does not crash this time, the issue may be with the external storage device, potentially due to bad sectors. You can perform a Chkdsk scan on your external hard drive.

If there’s no external storage connected, be sure to run the Chkdsk scan on your internal hard drive instead.

2] Reinstall the Network Driver

A corrupted Network driver might be contributing to your issue. It is recommended to reinstall your Network driver to see if it resolves the problem. First, download the latest version of your Network driver from your computer manufacturer’s official website.

Follow these instructions:

1. Open Device Manager.
2. Expand the Network adapters section.
3. Right-click on your Network driver and select Uninstall device.
4. Run the installer file to reinstall the Network driver.

3] Repair System Image Files

Your system image files may be corrupted. Utilize the System File Checker and DISM tools to scan your computer for any corruption. These scans may take time, so please be patient and do not interrupt them. Once completed, check if the download issue is resolved.

4] Troubleshoot in Clean Boot Mode

A background application or service may be responsible for your issue. If this is the case, the problem should not occur in Clean Boot mode. Boot your computer in Clean Boot mode and attempt the download again.

If the download works in Clean Boot mode, identify the problematic application or service by re-enabling some of the startup applications and restarting your computer. Download the file again to determine which specific program is causing the crash. Conversely, use MSConfig to identify problematic third-party services.

5] Check the Issue in Safe Mode

Boot your system into Safe Mode with Networking and attempt to download the file. If your computer downloads successfully without crashing in Safe Mode, you may have a problem with your graphics card driver.

Please note that WiFi may not function in Safe Mode; instead, consider using an Ethernet cable for internet connectivity.

In Safe Mode, download the latest graphics card driver and the DDU utility. Use the DDU utility to completely remove the existing graphics card driver from your system, and then reinstall the graphics card driver using the installer file.

6] Reset Network Settings

Reset your network settings on Windows 11/10 and check if it resolves the issue. This process will automatically restart your system after a few minutes, so ensure that you’ve saved any unsaved work before proceeding.

7] Check RAM Health

Faulty RAM can also lead to crashes when downloading large files or games. To diagnose RAM health, use the built-in Windows Memory Diagnostic Tool.

Alternatively, if you have multiple RAM sticks, test each stick individually by booting your computer with one stick at a time. This will help identify which stick may be faulty. Additionally, you may try inserting the RAM sticks into different slots to determine if the RAM slots or the sticks are at fault.

That’s it! I hope these tips help you.

Can High Memory Usage Cause a PC to Crash?

High memory usage can impede your system’s performance and may even lead to crashes, as Windows struggles to manage sufficient memory for running programs and essential background services.

Can Too Much RAM Hurt Your PC?

While adding more RAM generally enhances PC performance, it’s crucial not to overlook other hardware upgrades, like switching from an HDD to an SSD, to achieve optimal system performance.

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