Lightroom causes Windows 10 laptop to crash when importing many photos.

[CKSSmith]

When importing a large number of photos (usually over 100  each of over 30Mb in size) from a memory card into Lightroom my laptop crashes. I have yet to see the error message it gives when it happens. I will leave the process to run occasionally checking to see what is happening. I will either come back during a screen informing me that Windows is recovering or will find that the machine has simply rebooted itself back to my normal start screen. I have a memory dump from the last time this has happened.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

[dj_paige · Accepted solution]

When the laptop itself crashes (as opposed to just Lightroom crashing), this is either a hardware malfunction or a bad/out-of-date/corrupted video driver.

First, re-install the video driver. If that doesn't work then you need to begin checking the hardware in your computer for malfunctions. It could be the memory, or the motherboard, or even fans not turning on causing your computer to overheat.

[CKSSmith]

Many thanks for your quick suggestion.

I have reinstalled the video driver and run Dell diagnostics which don't point to any specific problem. I will try the import again to see what happens.

[Penmar]

It isn't a hardware or out of date video driver, mine has been crashing for the last month or so & has continued to do so through the recent 9.3 update. LR is the ONLY program that crashes my computer, all other programs work fine including Photoshop, if it was a hardware or video driver issue, the problem would persist regardless of the program used. And it only crashes during import from an SD, CF card &/or another drive, it doesn't matter where the files are housed, usually in the middle of the import. My drivers are updated, I have GL turned off, I have reset preferences & optimized my catalog. My computer isn't overheating, either, I'll repeat, if it were an overheating problem the computer wouldn't just crash during the use of one particular program.  Diagnostics shows everything in working order. I've also run scans to identify issues with windows, all is in working order. 
AMD FX-4300 Quad-Core Processor
16 GB Ram
64 Bit
1 TB SSD Hard drive

Radeon RX 560 Series Graphics Card

[dj_paige]

I disagree with your logic. Lightroom is the only program that you run that causes the computer to crash, there are plenty of other programs out there, just like Lightroom, that cause the CPU to work harder and heat builds up, and the computer crashes.

Import causes stress on the CPU, more than most other programs, but certainly there are other programs that you don't own that would have the sam effect. Heat builds up. Computers crash.

[Hal P Anderson]

Like Paige says, you may have an overheating problem. Over time, dust builds up inside the case and can prevent proper cooling.

There are lots of free apps that display interior temperatures. Try running one of them while you're doing a large import.

Hal

[CKSSmith]

Many thanks.

I have reinstalled the video driver and run Dell diagnostics which don't point to any specific problem. I will try the import again to see what happens whilst running HWMonitor to monitor temperatures.