We're now a Steam Curator. We post objective reviews about technical aspects of Windows games, such as optimization, engine, framerate, etc.

Due to 200 characters limitation, we're not able to post a full detailed review.

We may soon decide to host a blog on our server in order to post detailed technical reviews.

Have a nice day!
-Melody

Hi Jonno,

I see it only happens when both Steam and Google Chrome are running.

Both Google Chrome and Steam use the CEF (Chromium Engine Framework), this scenario makes me think that some weird collision happens with the WebGL renderer and/or the Video Hardware Decoding features in both Steam and Chrome. Programmers all know how CEF is messy at times, so that may be a possible cause.

Need to ask you a few more questions.
What does the BSoDs actually say? Is your Paging File enabled? Which Antivirus do you use (except uninstalled McAfee and Windows Defender)? Is DEP (Data Execution Prevention) enabled in your system? Are you using 'useplatformclock' as a boot option?

Some people reported that, sometimes, rebuilding the index does not work alone: you also need to kill the Cortana process (it will automatically restart). I can't confirm that, though.

This applies to all Windows Operating Systems.

People may have told you to disable your paging file if you have a lot of RAM (ie. 16 GB, 32 GB, etc.). Definitely don't do that.

Paging file exists for years for several reasons. The most important thing you have to know is that your paging file also prevents Physical Memory Fragmentation.

Without a paging file, your Physical Memory cannot be defragmented and compressed, meaning you'll be losing more and more physical memory with time, while fragmentation slows down your memory with time and will require you to perform an imminent reboot due to slow memory and lost memory.

Virtual Memory allows physical memory to be moved ("swapped") around to your Paging File so, in addition to several pros, it allows your physical memory to be defragmented.

If you're having troubles finding existing programs and files in your Start Menu it's because the Search Index has been broken by the KB4034674 update.

Fix it in a few simple steps:

• Go to the Run dialog (press the Windows Key and the R key at the same time to open it)
  
• Type in "control srchadmin.dll" (without quotes)
  
• Click Advanced
  
• Click New index
  
• Click OK
  
• Let it rebuild the Search Index, this may take a while

This will rebuild the entire Search Index from scratch.

Originally posted by 𝓘𝓷𝓕𝓲𝓝𝓲𝓣𝔂:

Yes it helped but i want to ask for more details on the componets like intel core i 7 with 3.5 GHZ ETC in order to buy them directly .And yes for mouse and keyboard i use myria i know its not a god company but its making ther job well. thanks for the sugestion .and yes i will try to buy them as fast as i cant

Well, a perfect configuration you won't have to replace soon and doesn't require an absurd amount of money would be something like the following:

• 1 TB HDD storage
  
• Intel Core i7-7700
  
• 16 GB of RAM
  
• NVIDIA GTX 1080
  
• 600W PSU
  
• Some cheap case and motherboard

This should keep you around 1000€ (in Italy, at least).

I know AMD stuff is cheaper, though AMD stuff always used to fail based on my own experience. I had a lot of AMD stuff and it all failed after around 2 years. My AMD FX-6300 failed after 3 months, FX-4300 failed after 2 years and Radeon R9 295X2 failed after 6 months. My Intel i7-3770 is still alive since 2011 and my NVIDIA video cards still work.

Hope this helped,
-Melody

Hi again!

All I can suggest is putting a nice processor in it, since CPUs have longer life spans in terms of performance. I'd suggest an i7 as CPU, then put from 8 GB to 16 GB of RAM. The GPU would be any from the NVIDIA GTX 10 series, such as 1050, 1050 Ti, 1060, etc. My suggestion is putting a GTX 1080 as GPU so your gaming system will last for more time. Regarding Mouse and Keyboard, I highly suggest buying Logitech products, but it's a personal suggestion.

Personally, I hate AMD so I won't even suggest about AMD counterparts of CPU/GPU.

Hope I helped,
-Melody

Hi 𝓘𝓷𝓕𝓲𝓝𝓲𝓣𝔂 and thanks for posting in our forums. I'm not really expert about Macs, but I'll do my best.

Mac is not meant for gaming in the first place. Mac is more like a system used by Audio producers (music, etc.), graphics designers (Photoshop, Illustrator, etc.) and video producing (iMovie, etc.) and more professional-like purposes.

Most Mac systems ship with an Intel integrated graphics and Intel does not provide working gaming drivers for Mac. As a result, most games won't work on Macs if you're running an Intel video card.

Regarding dedicated video cards (AMD/NVIDIA), Mac only supports OpenGL, while Vulkan does not work by design. This marks even more the incompatibility of games with Macs. OpenGL performance is also way better on both Windows and on Linux, if compared with Macs.

If you need to play games, I suggest installing Windows or Linux using bootcamp. Bootcamp is a tool provided by Apple that lets you install dual-booted Windows with drivers and everything on your existing Mac, without compromising the system.
https://support.apple.com/it-it/boot-camp

Hope this helped.
-Melody

Avast has been reported many times to brick the system due to the following driver:
Many users reported a system brick (even in Safe Mode) due to the system unable to load this driver.

It doesn't happen instantly, it usually happens after a few months the user installed the Avast software.

aswbidsha.sys has been reported to be "Application Activity Monitor Helper Driver" by "AVAST Software s.r.o.", so it's clearly part of the Avast Software.

Only Avast users are getting this system brick.

There's no known way to fix that without using advanced utilities, such as a Windows Installation Media, since no special start options work (including Safe Mode).

Possible (untested) solution without formatting:

• Boot from a Windows 7 or Windows 10 installation media
  
• Choose your Keyboard Map and click Next
  
• Press SHIFT + F10 to open a Command Prompt
  
• Identify your Windows Installation Folder by using mountvol[technet.microsoft.com] and dir[technet.microsoft.com] commands.
  
• Identify the Avast driver by using the dism[technet.microsoft.com] utility:
  If your Windows's installation letter is D:
  Get a list of drivers with:
  
  dism /image:D:\ /get-drivers
  Find the driver and remove the INF file with:
  
  dism /image:D:\ /remove-driver /driver:oemXXX.inf
• Exit and Reboot
  
• Press F8 repeatedly and boot in Safe Mode
  
• Uninstall Avast
  
• Reboot normally

Once you uninstall Avast you need to find another Antivirus. The safest Antivirus to use with Windows 7 is Microsoft Security Essentials, since it has been made by Microsoft:
Download: https://www.microsoft.com/en-US/download/details.aspx?id=5201
It is unlikely that Microsoft Security Essentials causes system bricks: in my experience, no one experienced system bricks/issues with MSE.
Note: MSE only works with Windows Vista and Windows 7.

Hope this helped.

Slightly older Notebooks supporting the AMD Dual Graphics Technology get a Blue Screen of Death on startup when installing the Crimson ReLive 17.7.1 drivers. The Blue Screen of Death says "IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL" and it's easily fixable. Just follow this guide.

After two BSoDs in a row, the system should boot in recovery mode on restart.

• Click "Troubleshoot"
  
• Click "Advanced options"
  
• Click "Start-up Settings"
  
• Click "Restart"

Windows should now reboot and will show a blue screen reporting all the available options. You need to enter Safe Mode.

Once in Safe Mode, the system should have booted correctly. Proceed downloading DDU (Display Driver Uninstaller) using another system and store it in a flash drive. Plug the flash drive in the Laptop and proceed running it.

• Click "Clean and DO NOT restart" and wait for it to finish
  
• Click "Set Windows Automatic Driver installation to default"
  
• Reboot

The system should reboot without video drivers. Connect to the Internet and proceed downloading the Crimson ReLive 17.4.4 drivers.

Just install them and reboot, you should be fine.

Links:
Crimson ReLive 17.4.4 drivers: https://www2.ati.com/drivers/whql-win10-64bit-radeon-software-crimson-relive-17.4.4-may3.exe
DDU (Display Driver Uninstaller): https://www.wagnardsoft.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=832
DDU (Display Driver Uninstaller) - Alternative Link: http://www.guru3d.com/files-details/display-driver-uninstaller-download.html