Windows 7: Regular but seemingly random BSODs, please help?

Planetspectra · 30 Jun 2010

Hi. For months I've been getting BSODs (of the DRIVER_IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL and UNEXPECTED_KERNEL_MODE_TRAP variety) but recently they are happening a few times everyday.

After installing a new Nvidia driver update on the 28th I thought I'd finally got to the bottom of it but it appears not. Now I'm determined to put a stop to these remaining BSODs!

After reading around your forum a bit I've started using BlueScreenView and MyEventViewer but I must admit its now beyond me. The events seem to occur seemingly randomly but (since updating Nvidia) have mostly been caused by either amdk8.sys or halmacpi.dll.

According to Windows 7 all my drivers are update. Can anyone please shed some light on this? I sure could use some help.

Code:

System Manufacturer/Model Number:
pcspecialist.co.uk (custom build Mar 2008)
 
OS:
Win 7
 
CPU:
AMD Athlon 64 X2 6400+ (3.2GHz) 2X 1MB L2 Cache (Socket AM2)
 
Motherboard:
ASUS M3A: AM2+, DUAL DDR II, S-ATA II, 3 PCI, 2 PCI-E
 
Memory:
4.00 GB CORSAIR XMS2 800MHz (3.25 GB usable)
 
Graphics Card:
NVIDIA GeForce 8500GT
 
Sound Card:
8 Channel Realtek ALC883 High Definition Audio
 
Monitor:
Samsung SyncMaster 2232BW
 
Resolution:
1680x1050
 
Hard Drives:
500Gb Serial ATA II Hard Drive with 16Mb Cache (internal)
500Gb Seagate (external) USB2.0
x2 1Tb WD My Books (external) USB2.0
 
PSU:
500W (peak) Quiet Dual Rail PSU + 120mm Case Fan
 
Case:
Black AluminiumTrigon Case + 2 Front/Side USB
 
Cooling:
Super Quiet 22 dBA AMD CPU Cooler
 
Keyboard:
Microsoft Wireless Multimedia Keyboard 1.1
 
Mouse:
Microsoft Wireless Mouse 2000
 
Internet Speed:
up to 4MBPS
 
Other Info:
Wacom Bamboo Pen & Touch, Zune, AVG Internet Security

ttran · 30 Jun 2010

Hi there,
It would be best if you can upload your minidump files to us
http://www.sevenforums.com/crash-loc...d-problem.html
Some were caused by your amdk8.sys file. That file is only needed if you are running the cool and quiet. I would not run it to test and see if the problem resolves itself.

Also, I wanna ask you this: Where did you get your window 7 OS?

Regard,
Tuan

Planetspectra · 30 Jun 2010

Sorry for my noobness!

My OS is Windows 7 Home Premium 32-bit, clean install after XP, bought from Amazon (UK)

EDIT:

I've been into the BIOS to look at cool & quiet as you suggested. Smart Q-Fan Function was 'Disabled'. AI Overclocking was set to 'Auto', I changed this to 'Standard' as the BIOS hint said to go to the default setting that if the system becomes unstable. When I then looked at cool & quiet that was already set to 'Disabled'.

When I rebooted my system went BSOD once again within a minute of starting. My wireless mouse was also behaving erratically this time, I don't know if that has anything to do with it?

I've attached a new minidump for you, thanks

EDIT again:

Went out for a walk, came back and the machine had obviously recovered from another event. A different reason this time so I have attached a third minidump. Thanks

CarlTR6 · 01 Jul 2010

This is a lot of dumps! It will take me a while. I looked at the six most recent dumps. I will look at more of them later.

Your have several stop error codes; a variety of stop error codes generally means a hardware problem.

Quote:

You have 2 instances of stop error code 7F in six dumps.
STOP 0x0000007F: UNEXPECTED_KERNEL_MODE_TRAP

Usual causes: Memory corruption, Hardware (memory in particular), Installing a faulty or mismatched hardware (especially memory) or a failure after installing it, 3rd party firewall, Device drivers, SCSI/network/BIOS updates needed, Improperly seated cards, Incompatible storage devices, Overclocking, Virus scanner, Backup tool, Bad motherboard, Missing Service Pack

You have three instances of D1.
STOP 0x000000D1: DRIVER_IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL

Usual causes: Device driver

STOP 0x0000008E: KERNEL_MODE_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED

Usual causes: Insufficient disk space, Device driver, Video card, BIOS, Breakpoint in startup without having a debugger attached, Hardware incompatibility, Faulty system service, 3rd party remote control, Memory

Four of the six dumps list amdk8.sys as the probable cause.

At this point, I recommend that you test your RAM. I will look further at the dumps and give you some more suggestions.

Download a copy of Memtest86+ - Advanced Memory Diagnostic Tool and burn the ISO to a CD using http://isorecorder.alexfeinman.com/Windows 7. Boot from the CD, and leave it running for at least 5 passes.

Post back with the results.

Planetspectra · 01 Jul 2010

Thanks!

My BSOD events continue today in the same fashion as previously described.

CarlTR6 · 01 Jul 2010

I found this very obsolete driver on your system and it is a known cause of BSOD's: ASACPI.sys Aug 12 2004. Please visit this link: ASUSTeK Computer Inc.-Support- download_item_mkt

Scroll down to the Utilities category, then scroll down to the "ATK0110 driver for WindowsXP/Vista/Windows 7 32&64-bit " (it's about the 8th item down).
Download and install it.
Go to C:\Windows\System32\drivers to check and make sure that the ASACPI.sys file is date stamped from 2009 or 2010 (NOT 2004).

Reboot and let's see what happens with your system. Upload any new BSOD's.

CarlTR6 · 01 Jul 2010

I found the following obsolete drivers on your system. I hope you have already taken care of the ASACPI.sys driver. Windows 7 does not like obsolete drivers.

Quote:

adfs.SYS Thu Aug 14 10:57:15 2008 (48A447CB)
amdxata.sys Tue May 19 13:57:35 2009 (4A12F30F)
ASACPI.sys Thu Aug 12 22:52:52 2004 (411C2D04)
iviaspi.sys Thu Sep 11 02:36:53 2003 (3F601805) (this is a pre-Vista driver)
pcouffin.sys Tue Dec 05 09:39:53 2006 (457584B9)
SCDEmu.SYS Fri Mar 14 02:04:29 2008 (47DA156D)
seehcri.sys Wed Jan 09 03:41:37 2008 (478488C1)
wacommousefilter.sys Fri Feb 16 13:12:29 2007 (45D5F40D)
wacomvhid.sys Wed May 20 15:54:02 2009 (4A145FDA)
WacomVKHid.sys Thu Feb 15 18:11:07 2007 (45D4E88B)
WacomVTHid.sys Wed May 20 18:14:28 2009 (4A1480C4)
wdcsam.sys Wed Apr 16 04:27:02 2008 (4805B856)

These obsolete drivers are definitely not contributing to the stability of your system. Looking at them and looking at you system specs, I need to ask if you did an upgrade install of Win 7 or a clean install (formatting the hard drive first)? I ask this because I find an obsolete mouse driver that does not seem to match up with the mouse you have listed in your specs.

How to find drivers:

- search Google for the name of the driver
- compare the Google results with what's installed on your system to figure out which device/program it belongs to
- visit the web site of the manufacturer of the hardware/program to get the latest drivers (DON'T use Windows Update or the Update driver function of Device Manager).
- if there are difficulties in locating them, post back with questions and someone will try and help you locate the appropriate program.
- - The most common drivers are listed on this page: Driver Reference
- - Driver manufacturer links are on this page: Drivers and Downloads

Please ask for help if you have problems with this.

Planetspectra · 01 Jul 2010

OK, trying what you have suggested now and will get back to you asap.

In answer to your other question -My Win 7 was a clean install yes. Previously I was running XP so I followed the instructions in the box for an XP upgrade - ie run Windows Upgrade Advisor, get the new drivers Upgrade Advisor listed (I remember they were for my MS wireless mouse and keyboard - coincidentally?) in readiness, back-up my essential data and clean install Windows 7 etc.

Planetspectra · 01 Jul 2010

OK, first off I ran the ATK0110 driver like you said. Afterward re-boot the ASACPI.sys says 'date modified 13/05/2009'

After what you said about the mouse driver I found a newer edition software from Microsoft and have installed that.

I then looked at iviaspi.sys. This apparently belonged to InterVideo WinDVD Creator 3 (the link on the Driver Reference page took me to a Corel website so I assume the have bought them out?) Anyway I uninstalled the software and iviaspi.sys is apparently no longer present in C:\Windows\System32\drivers\.

Lastly I looked at pcouffin.sys. As far as I could tell this was being used by DVD Fab Platinum. I have uninstalled said software but when I looked after re-booting pcouffin.sys was still present in C:\Windows\System32\drivers\.

No BSOD yet but I'm not going to feel safer for a few days or so...

Thanks ever so much for your help so far.

What do you think?

ttran · 01 Jul 2010

Thanks carl for continue the thread
@Planetspectra; You're fine now, for the pcouffin.sys, if after uninstall the software, if it is still there, change the name to .bak or remove it, How do u think Carl?

have good day everyone

Windows 7: Regular but seemingly random BSODs, please help?

Regular but seemingly random BSODs, please help? problems?