Many crashes, even after re-building half of the PC

Hi everyone,

I brought an Acer Aspire M3641 about a year ago with the following specs:

- CPU Q660 Intel Core 2 Quad 2.4GHz
- 4GB DDR2 memory
- 640 GB HDD
- Blu-ray drive
- nVidia GeForce 7100
- Windows Vista 32 bit

I thought the PC would last a good few years with that spec, and didn't think I'd need to replace it for a while. Just after xmas I got lots of crashing and BSOD, then the power button broke, and I decided rather than buy a whole new PC I'd try and replace faulty parts. I couldn't re-install Windows Vista using the recovery disc as it kept crashing during the grey 'loading windows' screen. It would freeze up completely and I'd have to hold the power button to shut it down.

First I brought a 500GB western digital HDD and installed Windows 7, thinking Windows must be corrupt.. and it kept crashing when trying to install windows. Accessing BIOS information and anything before Windows was fine, just installing it on the new HDD proved a problem.

I took a stick of 512 MB DDR2 RAM from my old computer, and it worked fine, albeit very slowly. Thought I'd fixed the issue, so brought a brand new case for the computer (due to the power button being faulty on the original), and brought some new RAM. The new RAM is 4GB Crucial Ballistix with 800MHz DDR2 CL4 (the old stuff was CL5, no idea what specs the 512MB was), tried to replace the old ram as closely as possible.

Once I'd got the new RAM in, I checked the Windows panel and it said only 2.75GB was usuable, and I checked to see it was running okay, and the computer crashed. Nothing strenous, just being on firefox or installing something.

Decided maybe it wasn't getting enough power, or that one of the slots could be faulty, so I have brought a new power supply (X Power 580 watts) and am now running on one stick of RAM (2GB). Tried playing a low graphics game, Hospital Tycoon.. and the game crashes after less than 10 minutes of playing. I have also brought a new graphics card (the nVidia stuff was intregrated) so I'm now running ATI Radeon HD4850 1GB.

If this has been confusing, this is the computer's revised specs:

CPU - Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 - 2.4GHz
Motherboard - MSI nVidia MCP73PV
Memory - Crucial Ballistix DDR2 - 4GB (2 x 2GB) 800 MHz
Graphics Card(s) - ATI Radeon HD4850 1GB GDDR3 + nVidia GeForce7100
Hard Drives - Western Digital 500 GB + 640 GB
PSU - X-Power GTX Light 580 watts
Case - Antec nine hundred two
Cooling - 4 x fans (built into the case)

No idea whats wrong, really don't want to have to replace the motherboard and processor, could these be the problem, or is it RAM related..? Any ideas anyone? Could the motherboard be incompatible with all the upgrades? OR is it because I'm on Windows 7 32 bit not 64 bit?

Thanks for reading all of this, any help would be appreciated!

Sounds like you have a lot of good hardware here to work with. What version of win7 32bit is it & where did you get it? Have you run Memtestx86 on each ram stick one at a time. Do you have any mindump files you can attach here for one of our experts to analize ?

Memtest here at Major Geeks

|MG| Memtest86 3.5 Download

We will get somebody to look at your mindumps :)

Running the dumps now....

3 memory dumps, 3 different errors, 3 different causes - this is (IMO) the start of a pattern that says it's a hardware failure.

I would suggest starting with these diagnostics:

H/W Diagnostics:
Please start by running these bootable hardware diagnostics:
Memory Diagnostics (read the details at the link)
HD Diagnostic (read the details at the link)

Also, please run one of these free, independent online malware scans to ensure that your current protection hasn't been compromised: Malware (read the details at the link)

If they don't show anything, then try this:

CHKDSK /R /F:
Run CHKDSK /R /F from an elevated (Run as adminstrator) Command Prompt.
When it tells you it can't do it right now - and asks you if you'd like to do it at the next reboot - answer Y (for Yes) and press Enter. Then reboot and let the test run. It may take a while for it to run, but keep an occasional eye on it to see if it generates any errors. See "CHKDSK LogFile" below in order to check the results of the test.

Elevated Command Prompt:
Go to Start and type in "cmd.exe" (without the quotes)
At the top of the Search Box, right click on Cmd.exe and select "Run as administrator"

CHKDSK LogFile:
Go to Start and type in "eventvwr.msc" (without the quotes) and press Enter
Expand the Windows logs heading, then select the Application log file entry.
Double click on the Source column header.
Scroll down the list until you find the Chkdsk entry (wininit for Win7) (winlogon for XP).
Copy/paste the results into your next post.

And then this:

Try this free video stress test: FurMark: Graphics Card Stability and Stress Test, OpenGL Benchmark and GPU Temperature | oZone3D.Net
Try this free stress test: http://www.mersenne.org/freesoft/

Summary of the BSOD's:

Code:

Built by: 7600.16385.x86fre.win7_rtm.090713-1255
Debug session time: Sun Feb  7 09:44:19.183 2010 (GMT-5)
System Uptime: 0 days 1:01:29.853
BugCheck C5, {1e53cc, 2, 1, 82b30067}
*** WARNING: Unable to verify timestamp for ccHPx86.sys
*** ERROR: Module load completed but symbols could not be loaded for ccHPx86.sys
Probably caused by : ccHPx86.sys ( ccHPx86+1c7ed )
DEFAULT_BUCKET_ID:  VISTA_DRIVER_FAULT
PROCESS_NAME:  symcdefsv5i32.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Built by: 7600.16385.x86fre.win7_rtm.090713-1255
Debug session time: Sun Feb  7 10:29:37.688 2010 (GMT-5)
System Uptime: 0 days 0:00:10.748
BugCheck 124, {0, 863fb8fc, 0, 0}
Probably caused by : hardware
DEFAULT_BUCKET_ID:  VISTA_DRIVER_FAULT
PROCESS_NAME:  System
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Built by: 7600.16385.x86fre.win7_rtm.090713-1255
Debug session time: Sun Feb  7 11:32:48.358 2010 (GMT-5)
System Uptime: 0 days 0:00:29.418
DEFAULT_BUCKET_ID:  VISTA_DRIVER_FAULT
PROCESS_NAME:  System

I could not find the timing spec for your computer. Some Brand Name computers have the timing locked in the Bios by default.

Features/Specifications: Main Specifications Product DescriptionAcer Aspire M3641-ED2200A - Pentium Dual Core E2200 2.2 GHzTypePersonal computerForm FactorMicro towerDimensions (WxDxH)14.6 in x 17.9 in x 7.2 inLocalizationUnited StatesProcessor1 x Intel Pentium Dual Core E2200 / 2.2 GHz ( Dual-Core )Cache Memory1 MB L2 cacheCache Per Processor1 MBRAM4 GB (installed) / 4 GB (max) - DDR2 SDRAMStorage ControllerSerial ATA ( Serial ATA-300 )Hard Drive1 x 500 GB - standard - Serial ATA-300Optical StorageDVD±RW / DVD-RAMCard ReaderYesMonitorNone.Graphics ControllerNVIDIA GeForce 7100Audio OutputSound card - 7.1 channel surroundNetworkingNetwork adapter - Ethernet, Fast Ethernet, Gigabit EthernetOS ProvidedMicrosoft Windows Vista Home PremiumManufacturer Warranty1 year warrantyGeneralTypePersonal computerProduct Form FactorMicro towerWidth14.6 inDepth17.9 inHeight7.2 inLocalizationUnited StatesProcessorTypeIntel Pentium Dual Core E2200 / 2.2 GHzMulti-Core TechnologyDual-Core64-bit ComputingYesInstalled Qty1Max Supported Qty1Cache MemoryTypeL2 cacheInstalled Size1 MBCache Per Processor1 MBMainboardChipset TypeNVIDIA GeForce 7100 / nForce 630iData Bus Speed800 MHzRAMInstalled Size4 GB / 4 GB (max)TechnologyDDR2 SDRAMForm FactorDIMM 240-pinConfiguration Features2 x 2 GBStorage ControllerType1 x Serial ATA - integratedController Interface TypeSerial ATA-300StorageHard Drive1 x 500 GB - standard - Serial ATA-300Optical StorageTypeDVD±RW / DVD-RAMCard ReaderTypeCard readerSupported Flash Memory CardsCompactFlash Card type I, CompactFlash Card type II, Memory Stick, Memory Stick PRO, Microdrive, MultiMediaCard, SD Memory Card, Memory Stick Duo, xD-Picture Card, Memory Stick PRO Duo, miniSD, RS-MMC, MultiMediaCardmobileMonitorMonitor TypeNone.Graphics ControllerGraphics Processor / VendorNVIDIA GeForce 7100Digital Video StandardHigh-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI)Audio OutputTypeSound card - integratedSound Output Mode7.1 channel surroundCompliant StandardsHigh Definition AudioSpeaker(s)2 x right / left channelInput DeviceTypeMouse, keyboardKeyboardInterfaceUSBLocalization and LayoutEnglishMouseInterfaceUSBNetworkingNetworkingNetwork adapter - integratedData Link ProtocolEthernet, Fast Ethernet, Gigabit EthernetExpansion / ConnectivityExpansion Bays Total (Free)4 ( 3 ) x internal - 3.5" x 1/3H
2 ( 1 ) x front accessible - 5.25" x 1/2H
2 ( 2 ) x front accessible - 3.5" x 1/3HExpansion Slots Total (Free)1 ( 0 ) x processor
2 ( 0 ) x memory
2 ( 2 ) x PCI
1 ( 1 ) x PCI Express x1
1 ( 1 ) x PCI Express x16Interfaces1 x network - Ethernet 10Base-T/100Base-TX/1000Base-T - RJ-45
1 x display / video - VGA - 15 pin HD D-Sub (HD-15)
1 x headphones - output - mini-phone stereo 3.5 mm
1 x microphone - input - mini-phone 3.5 mm
1 x display / video - HDMI
1 x IEEE 1394 (FireWire)
1 x serial - RS-232 - 9 pin D-Sub (DB-9)
1 x mouse - generic - 6 pin mini-DIN (PS/2 style)
1 x keyboard - generic - 6 pin mini-DIN (PS/2 style)
6 x audio
8 x Hi-Speed USB - 4 pin USB Type A ( 4 in front )PowerDevice TypePower supplyPower Provided300 WattOperating System / SoftwareOS ProvidedMicrosoft Windows Vista Home Premium - English / FrenchSoftwareAdobe Acrobat Reader, Acer Empowering Technology, Microsoft Works 8.5, McAfee Internet Security Suite (Trial), Acer GameZone, Acer Arcade Live, eSobi (OEM), Microsoft Office 2007 Home and Student Edition (60 days trial), NTI CD&DVD-Maker Gold (OEM)Manufacturer WarrantyService & Support1 year warrantyService & Support DetailsLimited warranty - 1 year