BSOD and Random Freezing

ZaLiTH · 11 Dec 2012

Greetings, I have been pulling my hair out trying to work out what's going wrong with my PC lately, not having much luck unfortunately... Hopefully somebody here could shed some light on the situation?

Last week I got a new drive (2TB Barracuda) and since I had the space, I decided to backup data and try set up my two 500GB Barracudas in a RAID0 array. I'm not sure if that has any bearing here, since I never actually got to the point of booting Windows (PC wouldn't POST with my SATA controller set to 'RAID'), but I mentioned it just in case. I have since set it back to AHCI, which I was already running.

Anyway, while my machine seems to be fine while running on the desktop, the problem I have is after 30 to 40 minutes of gaming it either locks up with no warning or error (everything stops dead, numlock doesn't work, and the last few milliseconds of sound get stuck in a loop), or I get a random BSOD and it restarts...

I've done thorough scans of all my drives in both Windows and Linux, and I've scanned the registry for problems (TuneUp Utils 2012), none of these steps showed any problems.

A few months back I did have problems with the 'nvlddmkm.sys' file, which I fixed by manually replacing the sys file from the same setup package (after reinstalling the drivers didn't fix it). That particular problem has not come up again since.

Attempting to run "sfc /scannow" gets to 11%, before leaving this nice message for me:

C:\Windows>sfc /scannow

Beginning system scan. This process will take some time.

Beginning verification phase of system scan.
Verification 11% complete.

Windows Resource Protection could not perform the requested operation.

I ran Prime95 for about 3 hours last night, the highest core temp reported by Speccy was 42 degrees and there were no errors or crashes. I've also run MemTest86+, again with no problems. I just ran the SF Diagnostics Tool and attached the output, not really sure if any other information is required for someone to help me? If so, just let me know..

Having just lost my installation files with drivers and utilities (stupid mistake on my part with GParted...), I'm kinda reluctant to download them all again to format and reinstall right now, so I'm hoping this can be fixed without a reinstall.

So, any bright ideas?

Arc · 11 Dec 2012

Hello mate. Bad news, indeed

It shows the display driver as the issue.

Code:

fffff880`090751c8  fffff880`0ffb1dc8Unable 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
 nvlddmkm+0x1b0dc8

Personally I can say that this particular version of the dispaly driver is kinda unstable, and I have dealt with a lot of crashes on this driver:

Code:

 lmvm nvlddmkm
start             end                 module name
fffff880`0fe01000 fffff880`10af5000   nvlddmkm T (no symbols)           
    Loaded symbol image file: nvlddmkm.sys
    Image path: \SystemRoot\system32\DRIVERS\nvlddmkm.sys
    Image name: nvlddmkm.sys
    Timestamp:        Tue Oct 02 23:51:13 2012 (506B3099)
    CheckSum:         00CD4613
    ImageSize:        00CF4000
    Translations:     0000.04b0 0000.04e4 0409.04b0 0409.04e4

I would suggest you to roll the driver back to the just immediate earlier version...

Download and install Driver Fusion.
Reboot the computer in Advanced Boot Options, safe mode. Search Driver Fusion in your start menu, and remove all components of your nVidia display driver.
Boot normally now. Go to Drivers - Download NVIDIA Drivers, Drivers > Beta and Legacy; search there with your cards particulars for GeForce 306.23 Driver, dated 13.9.2012 and install it.

You may want to see this thread as an example how this particular driver version works.

Also, stress test the Graphics Card using Furmark.
Video Card - Stress Test with Furmark

From one more crash dump, I am getting this one ....

Code:

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

WHEA_UNCORRECTABLE_ERROR (124)
A fatal hardware error has occurred. Parameter 1 identifies the type of error
source that reported the error. Parameter 2 holds the address of the
WHEA_ERROR_RECORD structure that describes the error conditon.
Arguments:
Arg1: 0000000000000000, Machine Check Exception
Arg2: fffffa8004c7c038, Address of the WHEA_ERROR_RECORD structure.
Arg3: 0000000000000000, High order 32-bits of the MCi_STATUS value.
Arg4: 0000000000000000, Low order 32-bits of the MCi_STATUS value.

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

The Arg1 indicates:

A machine check exception occurred.
These parameter descriptions apply if the processor is based on the x64 architecture, or the x86 architecture that has the MCA feature available (for example, Intel Pentium Pro, Pentium IV, or Xeon).[Source: Bug Check 0x124: WHEA_UNCORRECTABLE_ERROR (Windows Debuggers)

Arg2 indicates:

Code:

!errrec fffffa8004c7c038
===============================================================================
Common Platform Error Record @ fffffa8004c7c038
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Record Id     : 01cdd6493ec263c1
Severity      : Fatal (1)
Length        : 928
Creator       : Microsoft
Notify Type   : Machine Check Exception
Timestamp     : 12/9/2012 20:10:42
Flags         : 0x00000002 PreviousError

===============================================================================
Section 0     : Processor Generic
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Descriptor    @ fffffa8004c7c0b8
Section       @ fffffa8004c7c190
Offset        : 344
Length        : 192
Flags         : 0x00000001 Primary
Severity      : Fatal

Proc. Type    : x86/x64
Instr. Set    : x64
Error Type    : Micro-Architectural Error
Flags         : 0x00
CPU Version   : 0x0000000000100f42
Processor ID  : 0x0000000000000001

===============================================================================
Section 1     : x86/x64 Processor Specific
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Descriptor    @ fffffa8004c7c100
Section       @ fffffa8004c7c250
Offset        : 536
Length        : 128
Flags         : 0x00000000
Severity      : Fatal

Local APIC Id : 0x0000000000000001
CPU Id        : 42 0f 10 00 00 08 03 01 - 09 20 80 00 ff fb 8b 17
                00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 - 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
                00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 - 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00

Proc. Info 0  @ fffffa8004c7c250

===============================================================================
Section 2     : x86/x64 MCA
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Descriptor    @ fffffa8004c7c148
Section       @ fffffa8004c7c2d0
Offset        : 664
Length        : 264
Flags         : 0x00000000
Severity      : Fatal

Error         : Internal unclassified (Proc 1 Bank 0)
  Status      : 0xfe500000fe0004af
  Address     : 0x000004affe5004af
  Misc.       : 0x0000000000000000

So I would suggest you to stress test the CPU.
Hardware - Stress Test With Prime95

You need to install Service Pack 1 .

Code:

Windows 7 Kernel Version 7600 MP (3 procs) Free x64
Product: WinNt, suite: TerminalServer SingleUserTS
Built by: 7600.17118.amd64fre.win7_gdr.120830-0334

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

Let us know the results.

ZaLiTH · 11 Dec 2012

Hi Arc, thanks for the reply..

Arc said:

Personally I can say that this particular version of the dispaly driver is kinda unstable, and I have dealt with a lot of crashes on this driver:

[snip]

That does make sense, considering the crashes have all only been while gaming.. I'm familiar with Driver Sweeper, so I'll give that a go and get a fresh set of Nvidia drivers running.

Arc said:

You may want to see this thread as an example how this particular driver version works.

Just skimmed through this thread now and it does look promising, so I'll give them a go. Honestly, I've generally just gone with the latest WHQL drivers whenever they needed to change, haven't ever bothered with testing all the versions available.

It would make more sense to try Furmark after sorting out the drivers, so I'll download that in the meantime.

Arc said:

From one more crash dump, I am getting this one ....

[snip]

So I would suggest you to stress test the CPU.

I did what I thought was a pretty decent run of Prime95 last night, left it running for around 3 hours without any problems. But still, it definitely wouldn't (shouldn't) hurt to do it again though.

Arc said:

You need to install Service Pack 1.

[snip]

Let us know the results.

Will do and will do.. Not really sure why I haven't done SP1 yet, suppose procrastination is only fun until things start going wrong hey?

By the way, I have just played 2 hours of NFS Hot Pursuit without any problems.. I was half expecting it to crash again, but it never did. Either way, some good suggestions here, so I'll sort that out tonight and see how she goes.

Edit... Eh, lovely. I'm getting a whopping 30kb/s from the Nvidia site. 175mb at that speed? This may take a while...

Arc · 11 Dec 2012

OK mate, let us know how it all went.

But, you should pay more attention to the stop 0x124 thing, IMO, it is a major problem than a display driver related issue.

ZaLiTH · 11 Dec 2012

I have read through this thread in the past, it's actually the top Google search result when searching that stop code... But I don't generally overclock my PC very much, currently I don't have any OC, so the alternative (hardware issues) is a scary thought. And thanks to a less-than-optimal-financial situation, not one I can really do much about right now.

While I'm waiting for things to download, I do have one other question.. Did you perhaps see anything in the information from the SF Diagnostics Tool that might explain why SFC keeps failing? It does it religiously at 11% on my current install, I haven't managed to work out why though.

Arc · 11 Dec 2012

ZaLiTH, dumps dont show the SFC information. But if SFC fails, it should be due to some changes in UAC, or user permission/ownership and modded system files, I guess.

ZaLiTH · 11 Dec 2012

Yeah, fair point.. I was just curious.

I do have some modified/customized files, mostly for interface tweaks and Windows themes though, so that might be it. I'll try it after SP1 before modifying anything and see what happens.

ZaLiTH · 11 Dec 2012

So, just a quick update..

Win7 SP1 is now installed
Nvidia 306.97 uninstall and cleaned with Driver Fusion (which looks much better than the previous Driver Sweeper that I knew)
Nvidia 306.23 installed (excluding Updater, HD Audio drivers and 3D drivers, don't need those)
Furmark run full screen at 1440x900, as per settings in linked thread
Prime95 for an hour, using 'blend' mode

So far, so good.. GPU shot up to 80 degrees Celsius really quickly, but then settled at 86 about 5 minutes in, I stopped it after 10 minutes with no artifacts. In average gaming, EVGA Precision never shows it going higher than about 75 anyway, so the temps are good. CPU temps with Prime95, as with the previous time I ran it, didn't go much over 40 degrees core temp (measured with Speccy), with no errors.

I'm on leave from the end of this week, only heading back to work in January, and I've got a good LAN session planned for next week with some friends, so I'll see how she runs and post back after that. In the meantime though, it definitely looks promising.

So, thanks again Arc, seems you actually know about computers after all...

Hehe.. Just playing. I really appreciate the help, if I could, I'd buy you a beer or three.

Arc · 12 Dec 2012

You are welcome mate :)

Let us know the results when you have time ..

ZaLiTH · 15 Dec 2012

So, just to follow up on this.. I haven't had any more BSODs or and random freezes after I did SP1 and the driver cleanup. I think it's safe to say the problem is fixed.