32GB RAM issue, New Win11 Install PC/Device needs to repaired, the digital signature for this file couldn't be verified. Error code: 0xc0000428.

[ara360]

Hello,

I'm new to Techpowerup forum but not new to the website/tools, I thought of reaching out the community in hopes of figuring out my issue.

I seem to have a really odd problem and quite stumped by this issue:

I have a PC that I built quite a while a go and I had Win 10 installed with G.Skill Aegis DDR4-3000 with x4 8GB Ram sticks, on Asus B350-F, AMD Ryzen 7 3700X, which was working fine until I had an issue with the search bar not working, tried to fix it re-indexing, re-building MBR, but to no avail. So I decided to might as well install Win 11.

I installed using the Win 11 upgrade in Win 10. That worked fine until the PC restarted, it showed the
"Win11 PC/Device needs to repaired, the digital signature for this file couldn't be verified" Tried going to repair startup, it said it could not repair it.

Looked for answers, tried booting from Win 11 USB drive, it was still giving an error, but I found a solution from Microsoft community that it might be the RAM. Win 11 installed 1 stick for RAM and booted properly, so I backed-up my data just in case it happens again. Downloaded updated BIOS, just in case.

I did a Memtest86 extended test, via USB with all x4 RAM sticks plugged-in and it passed everything.

I decided to clean install Win11, via USB downloaded from another PC, with all x4 sticks, and it. I tried to boot into the UEFI installer and it gave me the same error, "Win11 PC/Device needs to repaired, the digital signature for this file couldn't be verified" So I tried booting into legacy installer, but found out Win 11 does not allow this.

I was able to install Win 11 via UEFI boot by pulling 1 RAM stick out. No errors, on boot. So I decided to put that RAM stick in, and again it would give the same error of "the digital signature for this file couldn't be verified"

It might be the RAM slot, so I moved things around/moving RAM stick around
A1 A2 B1 boots
A1, A2, B2 boots
A1, A2 boots
B1, B2 boots

I also tried to disable/Re-reenable DOCP (XMP), lower the speed, but nothing worked except for pulling out 1 stick of RAM,
It does not matter which RAM it would be, as long it only has 3 sticks.

The issue is only when all 4 RAM slots are in. Never had an issue with Win 10 when all 4 sticks are installed.

Thank you, appreciate the help.

 

[FreedomEclipse]

Ever tried kicking it down to 2x8GB and seeing what happens?

 

[ara360]

Ever tried kicking it down to 2x8GB and seeing what happens?

No issues with that, only with 32GB

 

[FreedomEclipse]

No issues with that, only with 32GB

Yeah. Thats the memory controller on your CPU telling you it doesnt like 4x8.

Doing it like that puts a lot of stress on the memory controller and can result in your machine becoming unstable. I would recommend and suggest selling off your current ram and getting either 2x16 or 2x32 depending on your requirements. Your system would 100% be a lot happier with that sort of setup.

 

[ara360]

Yeah. Thats the memory controller on your CPU telling you it doesnt like 4x8.

Doing it like that puts a lot of stress on the memory controller and can result in your machine becoming unstable. I would recommend and suggest selling off your current ram and getting either 2x16 or 2x32 depending on your requirements. Your system would 100% be a lot happier with that sort of setup.

Yeah I was thinking about that prior to your post.
I have a new set of RAM just in case and hoping to test it soon.

The only thing I can't figure out why Win11 but it's not an issue under Win10.
I guess it just handles memory differently?

 

[FreedomEclipse]

I cant explain why but sometimes memory controllers can get a little tired, degrade and start to cause issues. I hope for you this isnt the case but you wont know until the new RAM goes in and you've spent some time running your machine doing what you normally do.

Be it gaming or whatever else you use your PC for.

 

[68Olds]

Are you running the latest BIOS? Sometimes memory support is improved with newer BIOS versions.

Look for the SoC Voltage in BIOS and change it from Auto to 1.1v or 1.2v. That can sometimes help stabilize four sticks of RAM.

 

[ara360]

Are you running the latest BIOS? Sometimes memory support is improved with newer BIOS versions.

Look for the SoC Voltage in BIOS and change it from Auto to 1.1v or 1.2v. That can sometimes help stabilize four sticks of RAM.

I'm running on the latest BIOS, I changed it from auto to 1.2volts, can't go lower than that,
PC would not post.

So the new RAM kit came it's a PNY 32GB (2x16GB) DDR4 DRAM 3600MHz. PC started up fine.

Just as a little experiment, I added back 2 sticks of my old RAM back. PC booted to Windows with no problem.
So I shutdown the PC again, and pulled the 2 old sticks. Then I switched to the other two old sticks also, it also started with no problem.

I understand that mixing RAM from different kits/speeds is not ideal but I thought it's odd that it would startup fine with no issues with all 4 slots filled-in

 

[johngalt]

So, here is a bit of context for you.

I had an old X58 based mobo that gave the exact same issue - if all slots were populated (6 in my case) Windows would give idiosyncratic issues during install. The recommendation was to reduce the number of DIMMs in play *during installation*, after which install would go fine, and then you would simply re-add in the remaining DIMMs. This was particularly true when I took that ancient behemoth and made it a Win 10 box, from the Betas forward.

I'm happy to report that my own X570 mobo (MSI MEG X570 GODLIKE) has not had those issues, as I have 4x 32GB always installed and I just did (yet another) clean install of Windows 11. But, having run into that in the past, my advice has been the same as @FreedomEclipse's - if you get weird issues during Windows 1x installation, take out a couple sticks of you RAM and get through the install - then stick them back in and all should be good.

The really sad part is that no one has ever been able to actually identify why this happens, but it's a known thing nonetheless.