Increasing BSODs over time; most recent 3b and 1e

Dave76 said:

For a quick stability test run OCCT.
OCCT stability checking tool
Run the CPU:OCCT test for at least 30 minutes, be sure to monitor your CPU and GPU temps.
Set the time before you start.
When its done, pass or fail, it will make some graphs. Post these here as they are useful for analyses.

Let us know the results.

Here's that test run for 30 minutes (1 idle at beginning, 5 idle at end):

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As for the voltage adjustment and Memtest, I'll be setting that now before I goto sleep, and let it run throughout tomorrow's football games.

When you mentioned the voltages reversing under load and idle, it brought back a recollection of when I was experimenting with overclocking on this box. At the time, I had to use the CPU Multi-Step Load Line to correct the Vcore voltages. Set at Level 4, it kept it at the necessary voltage to keep the system stable (at least, from what I recall). I believe I reverted back to stock settings as it was hitting summer and I wasn't too pleased with the temperatures I was seeing on the CPU. In any case, I had left the Multi-Step Load Line activated and still set to Level 4.

Realizing this, I went back into BIOS and disabled that setting. A test in OCCT showed the voltages in the Vcore acting more proper: low when idle, fluctuates in general use, higher and at a peak when under full load.

At this point, I figured it possible the problem was resolved. Two days of heavy usage and no blue screen. Of course, if I'm making this post, that means something went wrong.

Today, from a cold boot, just after I log in to Windows and everything (which is, not much) is still loading, BSOD. Code? 1e. Comedy.

(dump attached to this post)

So, after a reboot and creating a dump, I also did a 40 minute OCCT run. I'll add them here to see if they're of any use.

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My next step will be clearing the CMOS and resetting the BIOS, a step I wanted to avoid doing as there are certain settings I'll need to put back in place (motherboard ports I don't use, onboard audio to disable, hard drive order, etc.). However, at this point I'm really starting to think it's some hardware failure, and I'm almost hoping it's the RAM so I can just get that replaced and end this hassle. Though, if something else can be done to not require that, that would be nice.

Dave76 said:

Check all of the BIOS settings you want to change later, good idea to keep a BIOS settings template (list of your preferred BIOS settings).
Re-set the BIOS to Optimized Defaults, re-boot.
Shutdown, Clear CMOS.
Re-set the BIOS to Optimized Defaults, re-boot.
Then make your changes.
You can save the setting in BIOS, on the BIOS Save & Exit page, there should be a Save and a Load option.

Your CPU frequency is stationary at 3.31GHz, it should be going to 1.6GHz when at idle.
This is why I would re-set BIOS to optimized defaults, it will clear any other settings that may be causing issues.
BIOS settings can and will cause many issues if they aren't set correctly.

Did this in the order stated (and confirmed CMOS reset by seeing that ugly Full Screen LOGO that I always disable), made my changes, and the results are... curious. Note that the only BIOS changes I made had to do with Integrated Peripherals and Advanced BIOS features (Hard Disk Boot Priority, Boot Device Order, disabling Full Screen LOGO and changing Init Display First to PCIE x16). Everything else - all memory timings, CPU settings, etc. - were left at their default settings that the loading of BIOS Optimized Defaults set them as.

The Vcore is still acting more proper, but the core speed is not dropping to the much lower mark it should when idle (it used to do this, I recall, many months ago). The multiplier also seems to be defaulting to x34, with Turbo active thus fluctuating up to x37 at times. Any idea as to why the lower-idle speed (Intel's C1E, I believe it's called) isn't kicking in?

In addition, here's a quick seven minute OCCT test I ran after doing the resets. I'm no expert on voltages, but compared to my previous tests some look a bit... strange.

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Preemptive tl;dr: no blue screens in a week. Now, for the explanation and current status:

When you mentioned Power Options, I checked for it in BIOS, but could find nothing. However, with that mention, it made me think of the Power Options in Windows - which made me consider the EIST not functioning properly could be on Windows' end.

I remember altering the Power Options when I first installed Windows 7, as it had a tendency to turn off my hard disks after some time, which became very annoying very quickly. However, I didn't touch anything else, and never visited the options again.

Some research later, and I discover the Processor power management in the advanced settings had a different default setting to what it had at the time. Default, the Minimum processor state is 5%, which is what mine had to be at one time. For whatever reason, my custom settings had it at 100%. The only thing I can think of that would've caused this is, when I did the beta video card drivers update back in November, I probably also did a Windows update at the same time. It's possible that in this update, it changed my custom power plan. Not sure why, but that's the only thing I can think of.

Anyways, I changed the Minimum processor state to 5%, went back to BIOS to switch everything back to auto and defaults - along with turning off Turbo for the purpose of this test - and checked it. Result: EIST seems to be acting normal; the CPU's core speed being in flux, and highest when under full load.

After week of it set like this, and no blue screens, I'm thinking this was probably the problem - the voltage would drop when idle or not under full load, but the CPU would stay at the static core speed.

I did an OCCT test after a cold boot today. I'll post the results below. After this, if nothing looks out of the ordinary, I think I'll test with getting the RAM back to the desired 1600 speed. For now, glad to at least have the system stable (or so I hope, knock on wood).

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To my eyes, everything looks correct here, except for the +VCC and VCC3 dropping in voltage some when under full load. It's not much in the way of voltage, but I just want to check to see if it's normal.

Currently, I'm testing the system with Turbo re-enabled (so far so good). I think tomorrow I may set the RAM back to 1600. What settings would you recommend I change to do this?