Random BSOD, usually when gaming, error 0x00000124

Hello, this is my first post so I hope I'm doing it correctly.

I get BSODs frequently (maybe once or twice a week) but I can't seem to relate them to anything in particular. Sometimes it happens browsing, sometimes after I play some games... I can't see a specific pattern.

I've noticed that sometimes the audio freezes and starts looping the same "frame" over and over, and then the BSOD appears. Another strange thing is that my computer doesn't restart when the BSOD happens.

I've uploaded some files but they have older BSOD dumps as well. The relevant BSOD dumps are the most recent (since October). I had a problem a while back that made BSODs happen almost once a day, but I found it was a combination of faulty RAM and using RAM from different manufacturers. That issue should be solved now.

My biggest fear is that the culprit turns out to be my GPU, I hope I don't need to replace it. That's just a wild guess though.

Hope you can help me. Thanks.

Debugging Analysis:

Code:

BugCheck 124, {4, fffffa8007ae8038, 0, 0}

Probably caused by : GenuineIntel

The first parameter indicates that the error was sourced from your PCIe bus, therefore it is most likely associated with this type of bus or a device connected to it.

Code:

7: kd> !errrec fffffa8007ae8038
===============================================================================
Common Platform Error Record @ fffffa8007ae8038
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Record Id     : 01cee18371d6b18f
Severity      : Fatal (1)
Length        : 672
Creator       : Microsoft
Notify Type   : PCI Express Error
Timestamp     : 11/15/2013 1:12:43 (UTC)
Flags         : 0x00000000

===============================================================================
Section 0     : PCI Express
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Descriptor    @ fffffa8007ae80b8
Section       @ fffffa8007ae8148
Offset        : 272
Length        : 208
Flags         : 0x00000001 Primary
Severity      : Recoverable

Port Type     : Root Port
Version       : 1.1
Command/Status: 0x4010/0x0507
Device Id     :
  VenId:DevId : 8086:340e <-- Device
  Class code  : 030400
  Function No : 0x00
  Device No   : 0x07
  Segment     : 0x0000
  Primary Bus : 0x00
  Second. Bus : 0x00
  Slot        : 0x0000
Dev. Serial # : 0000000000000000
Express Capability Information @ fffffa8007ae817c
  Device Caps : 00008021 Role-Based Error Reporting: 1
  Device Ctl  : 0107 ur FE NF CE
  Dev Status  : 0003 ur fe NF CE
   Root Ctl   : 0008 fs nfs cs

AER Information @ fffffa8007ae81b8
  Uncorrectable Error Status    : 00014000 ur ecrc mtlp rof UC ca CTO fcp ptlp sd dlp und
  Uncorrectable Error Mask      : 00000000 ur ecrc mtlp rof uc ca cto fcp ptlp sd dlp und
  Uncorrectable Error Severity  : 00062010 ur ecrc MTLP ROF uc ca cto FCP ptlp sd DLP und <-- These are our important flags
  Correctable Error Status      : 00002000 ADV rtto rnro dllp tlp re
  Correctable Error Mask        : 00000000 adv rtto rnro dllp tlp re
  Caps & Control                : 0000000e ecrcchken ecrcchkcap ecrcgenen ecrcgencap FEP
  Header Log                    : 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 <-- Contains the Header for TLP error
  Root Error Command            : 00000000 fen nfen cen
  Root Error Status             : 00000000 MSG# 00 fer nfer fuf mur ur mcr cer
  Correctable Error Source ID   : 00,00,00
  Correctable Error Source ID   : 00,00,00

===============================================================================
Section 1     : Processor Generic
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Descriptor    @ fffffa8007ae8100
Section       @ fffffa8007ae8218
Offset        : 480
Length        : 192
Flags         : 0x00000000
Severity      : Informational

Proc. Type    : x86/x64
Instr. Set    : x64
CPU Version   : 0x00000000000106a5
Processor ID  : 0x0000000000000007

The most relevant part here is the AER (PCI Express Advanced Error Reporting), it's been a while since I've had a Stop 0x124 with a PCI/PCIe slot being the source of the problem.

MTLP seems to point to malformed transaction layer packet (TLP). This layer is used for accepted and sending TLPs, which are messages used for I/O and memory reads and writes. The Header log contains the TLP Header which is 32-bits long or 4 bytes. I believe this packet is empty with no data present.

A malformed TLP being received, should mean that no receivers should update their flow information. I'm guessing a receiver did in fact update their flow information leading to the other error below.

ROF is a receiver overflow, reading the specifications, it seems that a TLP packet is consuming more than the specified amount of control flow credit. I believe the credit system is a way of controlling TLPs and their buffer sizes.

FCP is Flow Control Protocol error, this indicates a flow control protocol rule has been broken.

DLP Data Link Protocol error has been reported, this layer sits between the TLP layer and the Physical layer, and is primarily used for sending TLPs between two devices on a link.

Caps & Control corresponds to the AER Capabilities and Control Register, which is used for ECRC Error Checking. It appears all the options have been enabled here. It checks the TLPs and their Digest field.

#############################################
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Things to do:

Your VenID and DevID fields appear to point to your Intel 7500 Chipset PCIe Root Port, do you have the latest chipset drivers?

I would suggest some graphics card testing too, please run the test for a few hours, and do not let the temperature exceed 80*C/90*C.

Graphics Card:

• Video Card - Stress Test with Furmark

   Warning

Read all the steps within the hardware test tutorials very carefully, as stress tests is designed run components to their maximum capacity, in order to point out failing or faulty hardware components

Use the following program to monitor your hardware temperatures during the stress test:

• CPUID HWMonitor

Code:

7: kd> !sysinfo machineid
Machine ID Information [From Smbios 2.6, DMIVersion 0, Size=1818]
BiosMajorRelease = 8
BiosMinorRelease = 16
BiosVendor = Dell Computer Corporation
BiosVersion = A04
BiosReleaseDate = 10/21/2010
SystemManufacturer = Dell Inc.
SystemProductName = Studio XPS 9100
SystemFamily = High-End Desktop
SystemVersion = 00
SystemSKU = 0
BaseBoardManufacturer = Dell Inc.
BaseBoardProduct = 05DN3X
BaseBoardVersion = A00

Your BIOS seems to be a little outdated, I would suggest checking for any potential BIOS updates. Ensure you flash the BIOS with the correct version for the exact model of your motherboard, otherwise you could completely corrupt the BIOS.

Do suffer from power outs?

For the DLP error, you may want to turn off the link state power management - PCIe Link State Power Management - Turn On or Off in Windows

Thanks for your advice everyone,

I swapped my GPU with an older one and could not see a crash, but I only tested for a few hours. I put my GPU back and ran the benchmark software for a while with no BSODs whatsoever. Today I tried playing Sim City and it worked fine the first time, but after entering the second time the BSOD came back (same error code).

I also ran the benchmark on another computer when the cards were swapped and got no crashes. At the moment I don't think I can discard the GPU nor the motherboard as the culprits. Do you think it's more likely that the motherboard has a problem and the GPU is fine? If so, what motherboards can you recommend that work with my computer (I'd prefer not to contact Dell for a replacement, if I need to replace I'd like something that I'm sure is new).

If it ran fine with your old GPU and crashed with the other GPU, then I assume that the GPU may be an issue.

Please follow the Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) Posting Instructions for each new crash you have.

Have you turned off link state power management?