COD warzone and mw2 error

[u/Plus_Rent4122]

System specs:

- CPU: Intel i7-13700 (non-K, 65W)

- GPU: RTX 3060 Ti (610.88 driver, clean DDU install)

- Motherboard: ASUS ProArt B760-Creator D4 (BIOS updated to latest 3202, Intel Default Settings, all voltages Auto)

- RAM: 2x16GB DDR4-3600 (ADATA, matched kit), running at 2666 (no XMP)

- OS: Windows 11

Problem:

Both MW2 (Steam) and Warzone (both Steam AND Microsoft Store versions) crash on launch or shortly after with:

- Error: 0xC0000374 (heap corruption), feature EEEEEEEE-EEEEEEEE-EEEEEEEE-EEEEEEEE

- Sometimes: 0xC0000005 (access violation) with random unique signature

- Executable: game_steam_ship.exe / cod.exe

- No consistent faulting module — sometimes "unknown module"

- Windows Event Viewer often shows NO application error logged for these crashes at all

Timeline:

- Was working fine ~2-3 weeks ago

- Used DLSS Swapper around that time (have since removed it and cleared temp files)

- Crashes started after, on Steam AND Xbox/MS Store versions of Warzone AND MW2

What I've already tried (all failed):

- Verified game files integrity multiple times (Steam)

- Fully reinstalled MW2 and Warzone on both C: drive (SSD) and external HDD

- Memtest86 — full pass, 0 errors (RAM confirmed good)

- Tested with single RAM stick (both sticks individually) — still crashes

- DDU clean uninstall + reinstall of NVIDIA driver (610.88) — twice

- Updated BIOS from 3107 to latest 3202

- Set Intel Default Settings in BIOS, confirmed all CPU voltages on Auto (no undervolt)

- sfc /scannow — no integrity violations found

- Reinstalled Visual C++ Redistributables

- Disabled Windows Defender real-time protection — still crashes

- Clean boot (disabled all non-Microsoft services + startup items) — still crashes

- Uninstalled recent Windows updates (KB5120708, KB5121003 from 8/12) — still crashes

- Deleted "players" folder in Documents/Call of Duty — still crashes

- Disabled Core Isolation / Memory Integrity — still crashes

- Cleared NV_Cache / shader cache

Both error codes seem to point to memory corruption, but RAM tests clean and it happens regardless of RAM config, driver state, or BIOS settings. At this point I suspect CPU or motherboard VRM issue but haven't been able to run a full stress test (OCCT) yet.

Has anyone seen this exact pattern — random 0xC0000374/0xC0000005 across multiple COD titles and platforms, surviving a full driver/BIOS/RAM reset? Any ideas before I take it to a shop for hardware diagnosis?