A persistent
BSOD (Blue Screen of Death) with the
"Memory Management" error when installing a resource-heavy game like Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 indicates potential issues with your system memory (RAM), storage, or even system-level drivers. Let’s go deeper with more steps to try since the previous suggestions didn’t resolve it.
1. Diagnose Your RAM
This error often relates to faulty or failing memory sticks.
Steps:
- Open Windows Memory Diagnostic:
- Press
Win + R
, type mdsched.exe
, hit Enter.
- Choose Restart now and check for problems.
- Run MemTest86:
- Grab MemTest86 from https://www.memtest86.com/ and create a bootable USB.
- Boot your computer from the USB stick to run a thorough memory diagnostic.
- If errors are detected, test each RAM stick individually to pinpoint which one is faulty.
2. Check Storage Health
The issue could also be linked to a failing SSD/HDD or corruption in the game’s installation files.
Steps:
- Run Check Disk:
- Open Command Prompt (Admin) and run:
Follow prompts to schedule it for the next reboot.
- Verify SSD/HDD Health:
- Use tools like CrystalDiskInfo or Samsung Magician (if you have a Samsung SSD) to check the health of your drive.
- Look for values like reallocated sectors, pending sectors, or read errors.
3. Update or Reinstall Graphics Drivers
Microsoft Flight Sim 2020 is GPU-intensive; outdated or corrupt graphics drivers are a common culprit.
Steps:
4. Run SFC and DISM Commands
System file corruption can cause "memory management" BSODs, especially during intense operations like installing large games.
Steps:
- Open Command Prompt (Admin).
- Run these commands one at a time:
sfc /scannow
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
Reboot after running these commands and try the installation again.
5. Monitor Temperatures
Flight Sim 2020 taxes your system heavily during installation, which may push it beyond its thermal limits.
Steps:
- Install monitoring tools like HWMonitor or MSI Afterburner.
- While installing the game, check:
- CPU, GPU, and RAM temperatures (keep them under 85°C for safe operation).
- If overheat issues are present:
- Clean your PC, reapply thermal paste (if experienced), or improve case ventilation.
6. Disable Overclocks
If you've enabled any overclocks (CPU, GPU, or RAM via XMP/DOCP), they might cause instability.
Steps:
- Enter BIOS (usually
Del
or F2
during boot).
- Reset to Default/Optimized Settings or disable overclocking manually.
- Retry the installation after disabling overclocking.
7. Check Virtual Memory (Pagefile) Settings
If your system runs out of virtual memory due to the heavy installation, it could trigger the error.
Steps:
- Press
Win + S
, search for Advanced system settings, and hit Enter.
- Under Performance, click Settings > Advanced > Change (under Virtual Memory).
- Ensure it’s set to Automatically manage paging file size for all drives.
- If not, manually set the paging size to:
- Initial size: Equal to your RAM size.
- Maximum size: 1.5x your RAM size.
- Example for 16GB RAM: 16,384MB initial and 24,576MB maximum.
8. Perform a Clean Boot
Background software could be interfering with the installation.
Steps:
- Press
Win + R
, type msconfig
, and hit Enter.
- In the Services tab, check Hide all Microsoft services and then disable all non-essential services.
- In the Startup tab, disable all startup items and reboot.
- Try the installation in this minimal environment.
9. Reinstall Windows (as a Last Resort)
If none of the above works, a fresh installation of Windows can resolve lingering system-level corruption.
Steps:
Summary Checklist:
- RAM health verified (with MemTest86).
- Storage is healthy with no errors (using chkdsk or diagnostic tools).
- Drivers updated (GPU, motherboard chipset, etc.).
- System files repaired (SFC/DISM commands).
- Temperatures monitored and overclocks disabled.
- Background software minimized (via Clean Boot).
Give these a try and let me know which step makes a difference or where things still seem stuck. We’ll figure this out!