Windows 7: BSOD Issues; Memory_Management, dxgmms1.sys, +Others

Since I purchased my computer in May of 2012, I have been having a lot of BSOD issues.

The main errors that I can remember are:

Memory Management
IRQL Not Less Than Or Equal
PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA

and the only driver or whatever that is ever listed is dxgmms1.sys


When I noticed this happening, I was of course using the computer, often playing various games or watching movies/videos through VLC Media Player or online, like Netflix. Originally it seemed to happen most often when I was utilizing a second display (a LCD TV connected via HDMI to DVI cable) with a video on one display and a game on the other, but the errors were not exclusive to this use (the second display is always plugged in, however, though at times it does not register that the second display is plugged in, not sure if this issue is related but there you go).

It has also happened when I was away from the computer, not actively doing anything on the system, ie downloading things via uTorrent or the system simply sitting there, possibly with Chrome open to pages other times with nothing at all open or running. ie I have woken up or come home from work to find the a message stating "Windows has recovered from a crash..." etc or simply walked away from the system for a moment and found the error upon my return.

It has also occurred whilst I was listening to music, both streaming via Google Play and with Windows Media Player.




In my attempts to remedy the issues, I ran programs to record temperatures to see if anything was over heating around the time of the crashes but I could find no such correlation. I ran memtest and it reported no errors and in a final attempt, I reinstalled Windows. The reinstall has seemed to reduce the number of BSODs I have received but has not eliminated them. Both prior to the reinstall and after I have updated all drivers to the best of my knowledge. During the majority of the BSOD issues prior to the reinstallation, the built in graphics card did have an out of date driver but the issues continued to occur after the driver was updated. I have also uninstalled the 3D drivers for my graphics card in hope that these were causing the issues but they still occur.

There does not seem to be anything triggering the BSODs that I can tell nor do they always happen under the same circumstances. I have played a game for hours before receiving one and later played the same game only to receive on within 30 minutes or so of starting. Generally when I do receive one, I receive several subsequently and then none at all.

Any help at all from this would be greatly appreciated. I am willing to do nearly anything to fix this issue! (even if that involves repeating steps, but I hope reinstalling Windows is not needed further).


Thank you

Welcome to SevenForums.

Please uninstall this software for troubleshooting purpose:
Update this driver:
Source and Description: Driver Reference Table - Rt64win7.sys

Methods for reinstalling:

Upgrading drivers for pre-existing device

1. Open Driver Install - Device Manager
2. In the Device Manager locate the device you wish to update the drivers for/look for a
3. Right-click the device and click Properties.
4. In the Properties window click the Driver tab.
5. Click the Update Driver button.
6. In the Hardware Update Wizard point Windows to the location of the updated drivers on your hard drive

Once drivers have been installed reboot.

OR

Sometimes drivers remain, not completely uninstalled. Follow this tutorial for complete removal of drivers of the particular program:

• Drivers - Clean Left over Files after Uninstalling

Roll back to a last known stable display driver for your video card.
Video Card - Stress Test with Furmark:

• Video Card - Stress Test with Furmark

Monitor your temps during these tests:

• Speccy - System Information - Free Download

Video Memory stress test for 20 passes at least:

• |MG| Video Memory Stress Test 1.7.116 Download

Go through this link as well:

• How to troubleshoot video card problems

Perform a System File Check:

1. Click on the start
2. Type CMD on Search
3. Left click and Run as Administrator
4. Type SFC /scannow

Full tutorial here:

• SFC /SCANNOW Command - System File Checker

Disk Check on your hard drive for file system errors and bad sectors on it:

• Disk Check

Reduce items at start-up. Nothing except anti-virus is required plus improves the time for logging in windows.

• Startup Programs - Change
• Troubleshoot Application Conflicts by Performing a Clean Startup

If the above does not bring stability test RAM in the following manner:

Take memtest. Run for 8 passes and test each stick in a know good slot for an additional 6 passes.

• RAM - Test with Memtest86+

Let us know the results.

I have not found any errors in any of the tests I have done. Attached are the two screenshots of test results. The FurMark test caused no artifacts or over heating or any other issues.

The problems may be above my expertise level to figure out/fix

Let's run driver verifier and see if it catches any misbehaving drivers:

• Driver Verifier - Enable and Disable

I may have found the problem...

My system may be over heating... I opened the side panel and put a box fan there and haven't had any BSODs since and have been putting it through all the paces that caused the most BSODs (playing a game on the main screen and watching a movie on the secondary monitor).

I will advise if there are more BSODs even with the fan

I see. Thanks for the update.

OK! We could probably mark this as solved because due to my insane amount of lack of experience I finally decided to just unplug one (randomly) of the memory sticks to see if anything changed and so far I haven't had a BSOD in 31 hours, which is a record (at least for those times when the computer was turned on).

Hopefully I don't have any other issues, though I am confused as to how the memory could be the issue but memtest not come back with errors.

It happens. That's why memtests aren't always reliable. Sometimes errors can show up after 20/22 passes and sometimes never. So the best practice would be to get a new pair of RAM or borrow from someone.

Glad you got it sorted anyway and a job well done!

SHould I replace both sticks or just the one that I removed? I may be able to get one or both replaced by warranty

If you can, get tem both replaced by a kit. A kit is tested to ensure both sticks work well together. As strange as it may seem, sometimes 2 sticks of ram just don't work well together even if they are the same model and size. When running memtest, remember we are checking the ram sticks as well as the dimm slots the memory fit in. On occasion, the memory can be good, but the dimm slot can be bad. Memtest is not infallible, but it is the best test we have. It is correct in about 98% of the cases, but does miss things sometimes. Are they the same sticks that came with the computer or have you changed memory. Make sure they are compatible with you computer.