Windows 7: Blue Screen and random crashes

daswon72 · 29 Mar 2011

I was running Vista until several weeks ago when my HD crashed. We salvaged what data we could and then installed Windows 7 Home Premium 32bit on a second HD that's never had an OS installed on it. It was previously used for backup and storage. Everything was fine for 10 to 12 days then got a bluescreen and restart. It's happened a few times since but we also get random system crashes and freezing without the blue screen but requiring a restart. It doesn't seem to happen while doing any one particular thing but it actually crashed while running the BSOD dump & system file collection app. Sometimes it has problems rebooting and wants to run repair but it usually boots up eventually and it'll run fine for a while. I've not been able to pin it down to any specific software so I'm leaning towards a hardware issue but I don't know enough to decipher everything. I'm much closer to the intermediate level than expert.

The system is about 3 yrs. old. I've attached the zip file including my perfmon, NT6 BSOD file, and 4 minidumps that were created. I'm also using Avast antivirus and Adaware. I've read a couple of places that Windows 7 and Avast don't get along too well but I really have no idea if this is causing the problem. Any assistance provided would be greatly appreciated.

zigzag3143 · 29 Mar 2011

Quote: Originally Posted by daswon72

I was running Vista until several weeks ago when my HD crashed. We salvaged what data we could and then installed Windows 7 Home Premium 32bit on a second HD that's never had an OS installed on it. It was previously used for backup and storage. Everything was fine for 10 to 12 days then got a bluescreen and restart. It's happened a few times since but we also get random system crashes and freezing without the blue screen but requiring a restart. It doesn't seem to happen while doing any one particular thing but it actually crashed while running the BSOD dump & system file collection app. Sometimes it has problems rebooting and wants to run repair but it usually boots up eventually and it'll run fine for a while. I've not been able to pin it down to any specific software so I'm leaning towards a hardware issue but I don't know enough to decipher everything. I'm much closer to the intermediate level than expert.

The system is about 3 yrs. old. I've attached the zip file including my perfmon, NT6 BSOD file, and 4 minidumps that were created. I'm also using Avast antivirus and Adaware. I've read a couple of places that Windows 7 and Avast don't get along too well but I really have no idea if this is causing the problem. Any assistance provided would be greatly appreciated.

These were caused by memory corruption, probably a driver. Avast may be responsible, and adaware as well.

For BSOD's only the config that causes the least problems is MIcrosoft security essentials, and the win 7 firewall.

I would remove both to test

http://files.avast.com/files/eng/aswclear5.exe

http://www.microsoft.com/security_essentials/

I would also run a system file check to verify the OS files.

Run a system file check to verify and repair your system files.
To do this type cmd in search, then right click to run as administrator, then
SFC /SCANNOW

Read here for more information SFC /SCANNOW Command - System File Checker

Let us know the results from the report at the end.

AND run driver verifier to find out which driver is causing the crashes.

Quote:

I'd suggest that you first backup your stuff and then make sure you've got access to another computer so you can contact us if problems arise. Then make a System Restore point (so you can restore the system using the Vista/Windows 7 Startup Repair feature).

In Windows 7 you can make a Startup Repair disk by going to Start....All Programs...Maintenance...Create a System Repair Disc - with Windows Vista you'll have to use your installation disk or the "Repair your computer" option at the top of the Safe Mode menu .

Then, here's the procedure:
- Go to Start and type in "verifier" (without the quotes) and press Enter
- Select "Create custom settings (for code developers)" and click "Next"
- Select "Select individual settings from a full list" and click "Next"
- Select everything EXCEPT FOR "Low Resource Simulation" and click "Next"
- Select "Select driver names from a list" and click "Next"
Then select all drivers NOT provided by Microsoft and click "Next"
- Select "Finish" on the next page.

Reboot the system and wait for it to crash to the Blue Screen. Continue to use your system normally, and if you know what causes the crash, do that repeatedly. The objective here is to get the system to crash because Driver Verifier is stressing the drivers out. If it doesn't crash for you, then let it run for at least 36 hours of continuous operation (an estimate on my part).

If you can't get into Windows because it crashes too soon, try it in Safe Mode.
If you can't get into Safe Mode, try using System Restore from your installation DVD to set the system back to the previous restore point that you created.

daswon72 · 29 Mar 2011

Thanks so much for your quick response. I'm back at work now so I'll follow these suggestions when I get home tonight. Quick question though: it sounds like running driver verifier will be fairly tedious and may de-stabilize the system (I know, I know, it's already unstable or I wouldn't be here in the first place

). Should I wait to try that until I do the other things or just do it all at the same time? Thanks again for your help in restoring my sanity.

EDIT: As a side note, when I got home it BSOD'd on me again. I was able to look at it briefly before it flashed off and I caught something about a video adapter. Don't know if or how that fits into all this but thought I'd throw it out there. Thanks.

daswon72 · 29 Mar 2011

Uninstalled Avast and Adaware and installed MS Security Essentials.

Completed the system file check and got the result "Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations."

Should I go ahead and run driver verifier or wait to see if I get another crash? Thanks.

daswon72 · 30 Mar 2011

Well, still having multiple freezes/crashes so it's not likely that it was Avast or Adaware. I've had a couple of bugchecks in the last day. I was going to attach the memory dump but it's too large and I don't know if there's a way to extract the most recent data. I don't know if it would be any help anyway. I haven't run driver verifier yet so I guess that'll be my next step. If anyone has any other suggestions they would be greatly appreciated.

EDIT: I did have a new minidump generated this morning so I uploaded it.

daswon72 · 30 Mar 2011

OK, now I really need help. I ran driver verifier exactly as stated above. Tried to restart 3 times and it wouldn't go past the "Starting Windows" screen. Had to do a system restore to yesterday and it gave me a hard time even with that. Please, if anyone is reviewing this help before I find my hidden aresenic pill. Thanks.

daswon72 · 30 Mar 2011

No one's replied for a while now. Am I doing something wrong? Please let me know if there's more info needed (I have even more minidumps now). Just really trying to figure this out. Any and all help is appreciated.

DeanP · 31 Mar 2011

This is not Verifier dumps. Get more dumps from Verifier and then upload them.

daswon72 · 31 Mar 2011

Quote: Originally Posted by DeanP

This is not Verifier dumps. Get more dumps from Verifier and then upload them.

Thanks for your reply. Unfortunately, I tried to run verifier exactly as the instructions above state but I was never able to boot up when I did this. It would only go as far as the "Starting Windows" screen. I tried to boot it 3 times after running verifier and was unsuccessful. I had to do a system recovery to get back into Windows.

daswon72 · 31 Mar 2011

Well, it's probably all irrelevant now. I'm back at work so at least I'm on a stable computer. It took me three attempts to get on long enough to make that last post and then it crashed again immediately after. Now it won't even boot up, won't get to any kind of screen likes it's even attempting to boot. Power light comes on but that's about it. I'm really starting to think I've got a bad processor or motherboard issue. I unplugged the power from the case for a few minutes and then tried one last time to boot. It came up with a Pheonix Technologies screen which I'd never seen before but I believe it has something to do with my BIOS. It booted to Windows and then crashed before I could do anything.

It may just be time for a new system. Mine is almost 3 1/2 yrs. old and I'm at my breaking point with it. If anyone's got any other last ditch suggestions I would certainly be appreciative. Otherwise, thanks to the two that posted replies.

Windows 7: Blue Screen and random crashes

Blue Screen and random crashes problems?