BSOD - IRQL not less or equal, Page fault, Memory Management, etc.

It started a few months ago, a game that I play often; Arma 2 crashes, a little while after I got an error saying that my system has recovered from a screen error or something like that.. I ignored it because it was just once..
I had it more often later on, started to look around on the internet for a fix, couldn't find any.. so yet again ignored it and kept on playing..
Untill yesterday, my game crashed again, so i restarted the game.. while doing so I instantly got a BSOD.. Because I wasn't really impressed (had more BSODs on older computers I used to have) I rebooted my PC, and started the game again.. leading into another BSOD.. rebooted, now on startup I got another BSOD... IRQL not less or equal..
So I booted into safe-mode, looked around on this forum, tried to fix it but made it worse, while on safe-mode I had a BSOD while doing 'sfc /scannow'..
Now everytime I try to start my PC normally or on safe-mode it just reboots (on normal it reboots when shown 'windows is starting', on safe-mode while its loading .sys files)
So I downloaded a windows 7 iso from a Dell site, which was redirected to on this forums... I burned it onto a DVD.. on startup, it asks if I want to boot from cd press any key, I press a key and it goes to a next window showing: [EMS] Windows install or something like that, and Tools: Windows memory Diagnostic, so I choose Windows Install.. and it shows 'Windows is loading files'.. the bar goes to 95% and is stuck...
So I have no way of using my PC atm..

Desperately waiting for help, memtest which I done before resulted > 1.5 million errors, while stuck on 56%.. sfc scannow didnt do much since it gave me a BSOD on 23% and the other time it was stuck at 18%..

I don't have the money to buy new parts for this PC atm, so I hope it's fixable..
specs:
Intel I7 860 2.80 GHz
Nvidia Geforce GT 330 2GB
8GB RAM
2x1TB HDD

I cannot go in safe or normal mode to get any dumpfiles, so uhhhm... :/


Best regards, Martin

Welcome to SevenForums.

You ran memtest and it gave you errors so it seems that you found the problem already.

Test the RAM sticks each in different slots of the MB (I don't mean you have to take memtest again). See how the computer performs.

You may also see if changing the speed/clock of the ram helps or not.

Okay thanks, I've already checked the RAM a little bit, as I saw there were 3 sticks identical to eachother (all blue-colored) and 1 was different (green colored) so I removed that one and tested again, it still gave me a BSOD.
All I'm wondering is; Is RAM able to break all out of sudden? a few days ago my PC worked... (already had symptoms though)

Do the same thing with all other sticks. That's the only way to find out which stick is the bad one.
RAM Failure: Symptoms and Diagnosis

Ok, so I removed the first 2GB ram stick in the row from right to left, and my computer booted normally.. Though, this is the first time my PC booted TODAY, it has been off for a while... It might (don't think so though) been an overheating problem too? Anyway, I'll put my dumpfiles in a rar and on an USB stick immediately, now I'm still able to access them, so once I get another BSOD I will be able to post dumpfiles..

This is not solved yet, I'll leave my computer on for a while and see whether I get another BSOD..
Thanks alot, koolkat77.

Sure,waiting for the dump files.

PS. For monitoring the heat/celsius of the system, use Speccy or HWinfo:

• Speccy - System Information - Free Download
• CPUID - System & hardware benchmark, monitoring, reporting

I am now on my computer (Yay ^^) but, for some reason it shows that I only have 4GB of ram.. 3x2GB ram sticks are in the PC.. I am pretty sure the one I took out before fits in now perfectly..
Do you have any idea?

edit: I did the windows performance index (coz it asked to...) and for some reason its unable to measure my videocard, or something alike that.. odd

Have you tested all the RAM sticks and all the motherboard slots using the MemTest86+ program?

Well, I ran MemTest86 yesterday, with all sticks in and it gave me atleast 1.5 million errors, while still going up RAPIDLY and stuck on 56% so I stopped it.. and now, all I did was plug out one RAM stick and booted my PC, noticing it worked (as I type right now).
What is an estimation of how long Memtest86 runs?


EDIT: Speccy shows this: 6,00 GB Single-Channel DDR3 @ 531MHz (7-7-7-20)
So uhhm... I do have Windows 7 64 bit, not 32-bit.. should I be concerned about it?
Just because Task Manager and Computer says 4GB..

So you only have 2 sticks of RAM now?

What have you done with the bad RAM module?

Please upload screenshots of memory tab with CPUz

• http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/9733-screenshots-files-upload-post-seven-forums.html
• CPUID - System & hardware benchmark, monitoring, reporting

I have 3 sticks of RAM plugged in on my computer, yet its showing only 2..
heres more specific info from Speccy
Total memory slots 4
Used memory slots 2
Free memory slots 2
Memory
Type DDR3
Size 6144 MBytes
Channels # Single
DRAM Frequency 532.0 MHz
CAS# Latency (CL) 7 clocks
RAS# to CAS# Delay (tRCD) 7 clocks
RAS# Precharge (tRP) 7 clocks
Cycle Time (tRAS) 20 clocks
Command Rate (CR) 2T
Physical Memory
Memory Usage 59 %
Total Physical 3.96 GB
Available Physical 1.60 GB
Total Virtual 7.92 GB
Available Virtual 5.03 GB
SPD
Number Of SPD Modules 3
Slot #1
Slot #2
Slot #3

and what do you mean with the bad RAM module? as I'm more a software person other than a hardware person :/

oh and do you still need CPU-Z? coz I just gave you the specs from Speccy

You had errors with the MemTest86+ program, which means that a motherboard DIMM slot or a RAM module must be bad, earlier in the thread you stated that you have 3 2GB RAM modules (see post #7), therefore you have inserted the bad RAM module back into the computer.

I believe koolkat77 wants you to take a screenshot of your memory tab using the CPUz program.

Ah, the actual slot can be bad too?
just to clarify, I have a total of 4x2GB ram sticks, I pulled the odd one out, tested it.. had no changes (still BSOD), so put it back in, turned my PC off, now today I pulled the first in a row from right to left out, and had no BSOD. So I should have 6GB ram, but only shows 4GB on Task Manager and properties of Computer.

CPU-Z down below.


edit: I have a feeling that there might be something wrong with my GPU..

CPU-Z says it is 6 GB already. Let us see another screenshot ....

Press "WIN + PAUSE/BREAK" and upload the screenshot of the resulting window.

You need to test each RAM stick individually, so run MemTest86+ on each RAM stick, if an error is found then place the same RAM module in a different slot and test again; if an error is found in every slot then you have a bad RAM module, but if no errors are found in a different slot for the same RAM, then you have a bad motherboard slot.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/105647-ram-test-memtest86.html

You could run a stress test for your graphics card:

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/160729-nvidia-amd-video-card-test-occt.html

I'll do memtest tomorrow, as I have to go in a bit, i'll run that stress test now and ill edit the post whether it works or not, Arc, trust me all you're going to see on that window is Windows 7 Home Premium SP1, 4GB ram, 64-bit operating system and 5,9 for performance index.. nothing much.

Thanks alot for all your help guys, much appreciated.
As said, blueRobot, the results of the MemTest will be posted tomorrow.


edit: I have another question, I just checked my CPU on CPU-Z, and it shows that it sometimes drops to 1197MHz, and little time later up to 2925MHz, OCCT constantly shows 1197MHz, but I don't quite trust that program.. is the speed supposed to drop and increase like that?

Best regards, Martin

PhonicStudios said:

Arc, trust me all you're going to see on that window is Windows 7 Home Premium SP1, 4GB ram, 64-bit operating system and 5,9 for performance index.. nothing much.

Click to expand...

Still we needed to compare it. It is strange that the RAM volume will be shown different in different locations.

Martin, you have the best of the best helping you with the issue on your machine. Please provide them with the information requested - it will make problem resoultion all the easier.

Having said that (my standard help us help you speech), I'd like to see the full Speccy report.

Launch Speccy, let it collect system information, then PUBLISH (Speccy file menu -> publish) the report - Speccy will give you a URL, please post that URL here.

I'd also like to see more information in your system specs -> Use the Easy System Specs link in my signature so you don't have to type all of the information - the small exe in the tutorial will fill in the information for you if you're logged on to SF and you select that option (my other standrard help us help you speech).

Why? Because I don't know if you built this machine, it's an OEM machine, if you remembered all of the components..... you get the idea. The utility does all of that for you, the only thing it might not do is specifiy the model of an OEM machine, please enter that manually. Take a look at some of the users system specs on this thread (lower left of any post) and that will give you an idea.

The more information you provide, either thorugh your feedback, the output from a utilty, and screen shots, the better and quicker your outcome.

Thanks,

Bill
.

Here's speccy: http://speccy.piriform.com/results/kw1nhtjjDuWqkSIajoMiLT7
If you look at the temperatures.. they're high because I'm running Battlefield 3 (1280x720 LOW) at this moment.

I have noticed that my computer is alot slower now, games take longer to load, I actually saw Battlefield 3 rendering in-game (I never seen that before), and my mouse sometimes is stuck while alt-tabbing out of BF3, purely because of lagg.. which hasn't occured before either..