'Random' BSOD, Freezes and resets. Suddenly started.

Kewne · 01 Feb 2012

System:

64-bit Athlon processor
1GB of DDR400 RAM x2
Graphics card: NVidia of some type.
PSU: 500W
Windows 7 and Windows XP on different partitions.

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I've tried running perfmon /report, but it says 'An error occured while attempting to generate the report.'

BSOD Dump & System File Collection app results are attached.

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I'm getting somewhat random BSOD, freezes and resets. Most often BSOD, which usually but not always says driver_irql_not_less_or_equal - it disappears quickly so I couldn't remember the whole thing. No .sys file is mentioned.

The reason I say somewhat random, is this; Windows 7 originally seemed to have one of the errors frequently, anywhere between every 2 to 20 minutes. I'm not doing anything in particular at the time, sometimes it's just after start up, sometimes while I'm browsing the Internet, sometimes when I'm away from the computer. I've since formatted that partition and reinstalled 7 and it seems less frequent - it just lasted about an hour or an hour and a half. XP seems to last quite a long time too. Windows 7 safe mode lasted about 6 hours and then I had to discontinue the test to turn the PC off. Due to safe mode working (and originally thinking XP was working due to not having a BSOD/Freeze/Reset during the first test) I thought it was a Windows or Software problem. It seems this isn't the case though.

I did recently use Partition Manager to increase the size of my Windows 7 Partition and decrease that of my Windows XP partition which made me think it may be something to do with the partition - but I thought a quick format when reinstalling Windows would've taken care of that.

I've run RAM checking tools (Can't remember software and since lost in format) and hard drive checking tools (SeaTools).

Any ideas what this problem may be and how I'd fix it?

writhziden · 01 Feb 2012

Code:

Microsoft (R) Windows Debugger Version 6.11.0001.404 X86
Copyright (c) Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.


Loading Dump File [G:\Kingston\BSODDmpFiles\Kewne\Windows_NT6_BSOD_jcgriff2\020112-20921-01.dmp]
Mini Kernel Dump File: Only registers and stack trace are available

Symbol search path is: SRV*C:\SymCache*http://msdl.microsoft.com/download/symbols
Executable search path is: 
Windows 7 Kernel Version 7600 UP Free x64
Product: WinNt, suite: TerminalServer SingleUserTS
Built by: 7600.16385.amd64fre.win7_rtm.090713-1255
Machine Name:
Kernel base = 0xfffff800`0264a000 PsLoadedModuleList = 0xfffff800`02887e50
Debug session time: Wed Feb  1 13:24:50.985 2012 (GMT-7)
System Uptime: 0 days 1:03:54.235
Loading Kernel Symbols
...............................................................
................................................................
..........
Loading User Symbols
Loading unloaded module list
....
*******************************************************************************
*                                                                             *
*                        Bugcheck Analysis                                    *
*                                                                             *
*******************************************************************************

Use !analyze -v to get detailed debugging information.

BugCheck D1, {fffffa800492f7b0, a, 8, fffffa800492f7b0}

Unable to load image \SystemRoot\system32\DRIVERS\nvlddmkm.sys, Win32 error 0n2
*** WARNING: Unable to verify timestamp for nvlddmkm.sys
*** ERROR: Module load completed but symbols could not be loaded for nvlddmkm.sys
Probably caused by : nvlddmkm.sys ( nvlddmkm+12a5b0 )

Followup: MachineOwner
---------

kd> !analyze -v
*******************************************************************************
*                                                                             *
*                        Bugcheck Analysis                                    *
*                                                                             *
*******************************************************************************

DRIVER_IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL (d1)
An attempt was made to access a pageable (or completely invalid) address at an
interrupt request level (IRQL) that is too high.  This is usually
caused by drivers using improper addresses.
If kernel debugger is available get stack backtrace.
Arguments:
Arg1: fffffa800492f7b0, memory referenced
Arg2: 000000000000000a, IRQL
Arg3: 0000000000000008, value 0 = read operation, 1 = write operation
Arg4: fffffa800492f7b0, address which referenced memory

Debugging Details:
------------------


READ_ADDRESS: GetPointerFromAddress: unable to read from fffff800028f20e0
 fffffa800492f7b0 

CURRENT_IRQL:  a

FAULTING_IP: 
+5c1b952f0289d864
fffffa80`0492f7b0 ??              ???

CUSTOMER_CRASH_COUNT:  1

DEFAULT_BUCKET_ID:  VISTA_DRIVER_FAULT

BUGCHECK_STR:  0xD1

PROCESS_NAME:  System

TRAP_FRAME:  fffff80000b9c690 -- (.trap 0xfffff80000b9c690)
NOTE: The trap frame does not contain all registers.
Some register values may be zeroed or incorrect.
rax=0000000000000001 rbx=0000000000000000 rcx=fffffa8002a702e0
rdx=0000000000000003 rsi=0000000000000000 rdi=0000000000000000
rip=fffffa800492f7b0 rsp=fffff80000b9c820 rbp=0000000000000003
 r8=0000000000000000  r9=0000000000000000 r10=0000000000000000
r11=fffff880048a2090 r12=0000000000000000 r13=0000000000000000
r14=0000000000000000 r15=0000000000000000
iopl=0         nv up ei ng nz na pe nc
fffffa80`0492f7b0 ??              ???
Resetting default scope

LAST_CONTROL_TRANSFER:  from fffff800026bb469 to fffff800026bbf00

FAILED_INSTRUCTION_ADDRESS: 
+5c1b952f0289d864
fffffa80`0492f7b0 ??              ???

STACK_TEXT:  
fffff800`00b9c548 fffff800`026bb469 : 00000000`0000000a fffffa80`0492f7b0 00000000`0000000a 00000000`00000008 : nt!KeBugCheckEx
fffff800`00b9c550 fffff800`026ba0e0 : 00000000`00000114 fffffa80`02a702e0 fffffa80`019172a0 fffff880`0492f5b0 : nt!KiBugCheckDispatch+0x69
fffff800`00b9c690 fffffa80`0492f7b0 : 00000000`00000001 fffffa80`02a92000 fffffa80`019172a0 fffff880`0492f5b0 : nt!KiPageFault+0x260
fffff800`00b9c820 00000000`00000001 : fffffa80`02a92000 fffffa80`019172a0 fffff880`0492f5b0 fffffa80`02a6d9f0 : 0xfffffa80`0492f7b0
fffff800`00b9c828 fffffa80`02a92000 : fffffa80`019172a0 fffff880`0492f5b0 fffffa80`02a6d9f0 fffffa80`019172a0 : 0x1
fffff800`00b9c830 fffffa80`019172a0 : fffff880`0492f5b0 fffffa80`02a6d9f0 fffffa80`019172a0 fffffa80`019172a0 : 0xfffffa80`02a92000
fffff800`00b9c838 fffff880`0492f5b0 : fffffa80`02a6d9f0 fffffa80`019172a0 fffffa80`019172a0 fffff880`04943c69 : 0xfffffa80`019172a0
fffff800`00b9c840 fffffa80`02a6d9f0 : fffffa80`019172a0 fffffa80`019172a0 fffff880`04943c69 00000000`0000000a : nvlddmkm+0x12a5b0
fffff800`00b9c848 fffffa80`019172a0 : fffffa80`019172a0 fffff880`04943c69 00000000`0000000a fffffa80`019172a0 : 0xfffffa80`02a6d9f0
fffff800`00b9c850 fffffa80`019172a0 : fffff880`04943c69 00000000`0000000a fffffa80`019172a0 00000000`00000002 : 0xfffffa80`019172a0
fffff800`00b9c858 fffff880`04943c69 : 00000000`0000000a fffffa80`019172a0 00000000`00000002 fffff880`0494ea77 : 0xfffffa80`019172a0
fffff800`00b9c860 00000000`0000000a : fffffa80`019172a0 00000000`00000002 fffff880`0494ea77 fffffa80`019172a0 : nvlddmkm+0x13ec69
fffff800`00b9c868 fffffa80`019172a0 : 00000000`00000002 fffff880`0494ea77 fffffa80`019172a0 fffff880`049806e5 : 0xa
fffff800`00b9c870 00000000`00000002 : fffff880`0494ea77 fffffa80`019172a0 fffff880`049806e5 fffffa80`019172a0 : 0xfffffa80`019172a0
fffff800`00b9c878 fffff880`0494ea77 : fffffa80`019172a0 fffff880`049806e5 fffffa80`019172a0 00000000`00000000 : 0x2
fffff800`00b9c880 fffffa80`019172a0 : fffff880`049806e5 fffffa80`019172a0 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 : nvlddmkm+0x149a77
fffff800`00b9c888 fffff880`049806e5 : fffffa80`019172a0 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 fffffa80`02a6d9f0 : 0xfffffa80`019172a0
fffff800`00b9c890 fffffa80`019172a0 : 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 fffffa80`02a6d9f0 00000000`00000000 : nvlddmkm+0x17b6e5
fffff800`00b9c898 00000000`00000000 : 00000000`00000000 fffffa80`02a6d9f0 00000000`00000000 fffff880`0493b75e : 0xfffffa80`019172a0


STACK_COMMAND:  kb

FOLLOWUP_IP: 
nvlddmkm+12a5b0
fffff880`0492f5b0 ??              ???

SYMBOL_STACK_INDEX:  7

SYMBOL_NAME:  nvlddmkm+12a5b0

FOLLOWUP_NAME:  MachineOwner

MODULE_NAME: nvlddmkm

IMAGE_NAME:  nvlddmkm.sys

DEBUG_FLR_IMAGE_TIMESTAMP:  4a0c8387

FAILURE_BUCKET_ID:  X64_0xD1_CODE_AV_BAD_IP_nvlddmkm+12a5b0

BUCKET_ID:  X64_0xD1_CODE_AV_BAD_IP_nvlddmkm+12a5b0

Followup: MachineOwner
---------

kd> lmvm nvlddmkm
start             end                 module name
fffff880`04805000 fffff880`0530cb00   nvlddmkm T (no symbols)           
    Loaded symbol image file: nvlddmkm.sys
    Image path: \SystemRoot\system32\DRIVERS\nvlddmkm.sys
    Image name: nvlddmkm.sys
    Timestamp:        Thu May 14 14:48:07 2009 (4A0C8387)
    CheckSum:         00B1940A
    ImageSize:        00B07B00
    Translations:     0000.04b0 0000.04e4 0409.04b0 0409.04e4

Your display card driver is rather old; it is also pre-Windows 7 and probably the reason for your crashes in Windows 7. Update the display card using the following steps.

Download the latest drivers for your display card(s) NVIDIA DRIVERS 285.62 WHQL
Click Start Menu
Right Click My Computer/Computer
Click Manage
Click Device Manager from the list on the left
Expand Display adapters
Do the following for each adapter (in case you have multiple display cards)
- Right click the adapter
- Click Uninstall (do not click OK in the dialog box that pops up after hitting Uninstall)
- Put a tick in Delete driver software for this device (if this option is available, otherwise just hit OK) and hit OK
Restart your computer after uninstalling drivers for all display cards
Install the latest driver for the display cards once Windows starts

Alternatively:

Login as an adminstrative user
Download the latest drivers for your display card(s) NVIDIA DRIVERS 285.62 WHQL
Click Start Menu
Click Control Panel
Click Hardware and Sound
Click Device Manager (the last link under Devices and Printers)
Expand Display adapters
Do the following for each adapter (in case you have multiple display cards)
- Right click the adapter
- Click Uninstall (do not click OK in the dialog box that pops up after hitting Uninstall)
- Put a tick in Delete driver software for this device (if this option is available, otherwise just hit OK) and hit OK
Restart your computer after uninstalling drivers for all display cards
Install the latest driver for the display cards once Windows starts

mgorman87 · 01 Feb 2012

Once you finish updating your video driver, please take the time and install your Windows updates. You have zero installed.

Learn how to install Windows 7 Service Pack 1 (SP1)

Kewne · 01 Feb 2012

I will do both - thank you for your advice.

I do not believe these would be the problem though. Before my re-installation of Windows 7 it was fully up to date and my graphics card driver had been updated within the past 3 months.

writhziden · 01 Feb 2012

After you update the graphics card and update Windows, post back any new crash reports. New crash reports would indicate possible reasons why it continues to crash even when everything is up to date.

Kewne · 01 Feb 2012

Will do - I've just had it do a random freeze, is there anything I should post after that? Or will it not notice it, since I'll just be resetting.

writhziden · 01 Feb 2012

If you post the crash reports after a freeze, it may have relevant information. We will have to see after one happens whether the new information is useful or not. The crash report outlined in https://www.sevenforums.com/crashes-d...tructions.html includes application and system logs so we can determine if any errors occur or reoccur.

Kewne · 02 Feb 2012

This is after a reset (possibly a BSOD one - I was away from the PC so I don't know for certain) and also after a freeze.

I'm not sure why it claims in perfmon that I've not got an anti-virus - it did come up with that warning yesterday in Action Centre, but I've since installed one and the warning is gone.

I've no idea what 'Unknown' is in hardware. It was there long before the problems started too.

Kewne · 02 Feb 2012

Attached images of my BIOS screens, in case they're helpful at all.

writhziden · 02 Feb 2012

You should find the device associated with Unknown before proceeding. To determine this, get its hardware ID from Device Manager using the following method. Post here and we will help you track down the hardware and its drivers.

Click Start Menu
Right Click My Computer/Computer
Click Manage
Click Device Manager from the list on the left
Right click the Unknown device and click Properties
Go to the details tab
Change the property to Hardware Ids
Post each Id on here.

Alternatively:

Login as an adminstrative user.
Click Start Menu
Click Control Panel
Click Hardware and Sound
Click Device Manager (the last link under Devices and Printers)
Right click the Unknown device and click Properties
Go to the details tab
Change the property to Hardware Ids
Post each Id on here.