Windows 7: Multiple BSOD, F4 and 7A, Computer will not produce a Minidump

I've been having a lot of problems with my computer for the last few weeks, I thought I had fixed them but since it's crashed 5 times today I was obviously just lucky.

The errors I've had have been F4 (mostly) and 7A (a few) and the full descriptions are below in case they are of use:

STOP: 0x000000F4 (0x0000000000000003, 0xFFFFFA8008CE9B30, 0XFFFFFA8008CE9E10, 0XFFFFF80003582350)

STOP: 0x000000F4 (0x0000000000000003, 0xFFFFFA8008CE9B30, 0XFFFFFA8008CE9E10, 0XFFFFF8000358A350) [Given the similarity between this and the first, differing only the fourth last digit of the last hexadecimal, I'm not sure if I made a typo on one of these]

STOP: 0x0000007A (OXFFFFF6FC40006008, 0XFFFFFFFFC0000000, 0X000000021A151860, 0XFFFFF88000C01000)

The crashes occur while using multiple programs: VLC, Minecraft, Firefox (notably Youtube and the Google Drive spreadsheet program), and also sometimes while left idle. Leaving one of the above programs idle for moderate periods of time (say 30 minutes) seems to lead to a significantly higher chance of crash. Some programs however run completely without incident (younger brother has been playing Skyrim on it solidly for several days without a single crash)

Further complicating the matter is that I cannot get the computer to produce a Minidump file or at least not one that I can find, I have used all three options suggested here but to no avail.

Computer Specs are in the description below.

Any help that can be offered would be much appreciated and if there's any more information needed I'll gladly provide it.

Is the firmware for your SSD up-to-date?

If not, check for one and update it, let us know if you get further BSOD's.

Just checked my firmware version, 2.06 current is 2.25 so I will try an update. However, before I do so I need to backup my data. Are there any particularly recommended tools for this? I know that reloading an image to an SSD used to have issues with alignment, not sure how relevant that is now. I know of Acronis and I'm willing to pay for it if it's the best way to minimise the chance that something goes wrong but I'd be interested to know if there are any other options?

Many people here use Macrium Reflect (free), I use Paragon Migrate OS to SSD ($19.95), if you have an extra hard drive. It transfers the entire OS and aligns the SSD. I use it for backups too. You can always do a clean install, if necessary and just back up your Data with Microsoft Synctoy. SyncToy - Backup User Data. Most firmware updates are not destructive, and in many cases the Manufacturers just tell you to do that 'just in case'.

Thanks for the help. I have now updated my SSD firmware but unfortunately the problem still persists. One thing that I forgot to mention is that sometimes when it crashes (often while using Google Drive) the computer locks up rather than going straight to BSOD. The mouse moves but nothing can be clicked on. I have left it for over an hour without it changing state, either going to BSOD or unfreezing.

Any idea why it's not producing a Minidump when it crashes? That would seem to be the easiest way to solve the problem.

I'm aware of the error codes you are receiving. They are usually related to storage (hard drive)

Upload a screenshot using:

CrystalDiskInfo

For how to upload a screenshot or file, read here

Test your Hard Drive by running:

Hard Drive Diagnostic Procedure

Use the System File Checker tool and Run Disk Check:

Repair Windows 7 System Files with System File Checker

Run Disk Check in Windows 7 for Bad Sectors & Errors

Crystal Disk screenshots below for each of the three drives on my computer:
Attachment 279572
Attachment 279573
Attachment 279574

To clarify, the third drive is completely empty (hence I have not yet run chkdsk on it). The second drive does have programs installed as well as files stored. The I:\ drive was an external drive I forgot to unplug before load Crystal Disk.

I ran the System File Checker and it came back 100% verified.

I am looking into finding some hard drive diagnostic tools now.

I attempted to run chkdsk on C:\ (scheduled to run at boot) but it came up with an error stating that Autochk could not be run due to a new piece of installed software and that I had to System Restore to undo it. However, I have no idea what piece of software could have caused such a thing, a driver update perhaps? I did update some of my drivers not long before the first BSOD. Is there an easy way to check if I have the correct drivers installed? There was also an error code of some description but the computer booted before I could take it down and I cannot find a record of it in the Event Viewer.

I ran chkdsk on E:\ drive (1st Samsung) and got back this report (from Event Viewer):

Log Name: Application
Source: Microsoft-Windows-Wininit
Date: 03/08/2013 17:56:10
Event ID: 1001
Task Category: None
Level: Information
Keywords: Classic
User: N/A
Computer: Mark-PC
Description:


Checking file system on E:
The type of the file system is NTFS.
Volume label is Data 1.

A disk check has been scheduled.
Windows will now check the disk.

CHKDSK is verifying files (stage 1 of 5)...
Cleaning up instance tags for file 0x6743.
104960 file records processed. File verification completed.
63 large file records processed. 0 bad file records processed. 0 EA records processed. 0 reparse records processed. CHKDSK is verifying indexes (stage 2 of 5)...
118312 index entries processed. Index verification completed.
0 unindexed files scanned. 0 unindexed files recovered. CHKDSK is verifying security descriptors (stage 3 of 5)...
104960 file SDs/SIDs processed. Cleaning up 17 unused index entries from index $SII of file 0x9.
Cleaning up 17 unused index entries from index $SDH of file 0x9.
Cleaning up 17 unused security descriptors.
Security descriptor verification completed.
6677 data files processed. CHKDSK is verifying Usn Journal...
33591032 USN bytes processed. Usn Journal verification completed.
CHKDSK is verifying file data (stage 4 of 5)...
104944 files processed. File data verification completed.
CHKDSK is verifying free space (stage 5 of 5)...
141849053 free clusters processed. Free space verification is complete.
Windows has made corrections to the file system.

976656383 KB total disk space.
408985864 KB in 91240 files.
40668 KB in 6678 indexes.
0 KB in bad sectors.
233635 KB in use by the system.
65536 KB occupied by the log file.
567396216 KB available on disk.

4096 bytes in each allocation unit.
244164095 total allocation units on disk.
141849054 allocation units available on disk.

Internal Info:
00 9a 01 00 8a 7e 01 00 a4 a7 02 00 00 00 00 00 .....~..........
bb 0b 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 ................

Event Xml:
<Event xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/win/2004/08/events/event">
<System>
<Provider Name="Microsoft-Windows-Wininit" Guid="{206f6dea-d3c5-4d10-bc72-989f03c8b84b}" EventSourceName="Wininit" />
<EventID Qualifiers="16384">1001</EventID>
<Version>0</Version>
<Level>4</Level>
<Task>0</Task>
<Opcode>0</Opcode>
<Keywords>0x80000000000000</Keywords>
<TimeCreated SystemTime="2013-08-03T16:56:10.000000000Z" />
<EventRecordID>32684</EventRecordID>
<Correlation />
<Execution ProcessID="0" ThreadID="0" />
<Channel>Application</Channel>
<Computer>Mark-PC</Computer>
<Security />
</System>
<EventData>
<Data>

Checking file system on E:
The type of the file system is NTFS.
Volume label is Data 1.

A disk check has been scheduled.
Windows will now check the disk.

CHKDSK is verifying files (stage 1 of 5)...
Cleaning up instance tags for file 0x6743.
104960 file records processed. File verification completed.
63 large file records processed. 0 bad file records processed. 0 EA records processed. 0 reparse records processed. CHKDSK is verifying indexes (stage 2 of 5)...
118312 index entries processed. Index verification completed.
0 unindexed files scanned. 0 unindexed files recovered. CHKDSK is verifying security descriptors (stage 3 of 5)...
104960 file SDs/SIDs processed. Cleaning up 17 unused index entries from index $SII of file 0x9.
Cleaning up 17 unused index entries from index $SDH of file 0x9.
Cleaning up 17 unused security descriptors.
Security descriptor verification completed.
6677 data files processed. CHKDSK is verifying Usn Journal...
33591032 USN bytes processed. Usn Journal verification completed.
CHKDSK is verifying file data (stage 4 of 5)...
104944 files processed. File data verification completed.
CHKDSK is verifying free space (stage 5 of 5)...
141849053 free clusters processed. Free space verification is complete.
Windows has made corrections to the file system.

976656383 KB total disk space.
408985864 KB in 91240 files.
40668 KB in 6678 indexes.
0 KB in bad sectors.
233635 KB in use by the system.
65536 KB occupied by the log file.
567396216 KB available on disk.

4096 bytes in each allocation unit.
244164095 total allocation units on disk.
141849054 allocation units available on disk.

Internal Info:
00 9a 01 00 8a 7e 01 00 a4 a7 02 00 00 00 00 00 .....~..........
bb 0b 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 ................
</Data>
</EventData>
</Event>

There may not be a crash dump per se, still post it following the Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) Posting Instructions. It will give us some ideas about what is going on there.

I do apologise, somewhat unintelligent of me to not skip to Step 2.

Attachment 279686

The device is OCZ-VERTEX3 ATA Device, your 120 GB SSD.

Update the firmware oft your SSD: OCZ Toolbox: Firmware & BIOS Updates
Update the storage controller, JMicron JMB36X Controller. ftp://driver.jmicron.com.tw/SATA_Controller/Windows/

Let us know the results.