BSOD 0x7E iastor.sys consistently

Hi vsp. Read the entire post carefully before you proceed.

As you said, the BSODs are caused by iaStorA.sys, the Intel(R) Mobile Express Chipset SATA RAID Controller.

As we know, it is always problematic and not stable ever. As I find, it is always good to not use this driver.

Here arises the problem. You cannot simply uninstall/delete the driver cause it is SCSI, based on the BIOS setup. If you uninstall it, it will be rightly generated at the next restart. What you need to do is to disable it in the BIOS.

Boot into the BIOS. Disable Intel Rapid Storage, Intel Smart Response or anything in the same line. Then only you will be able to avoid this driver successfully. Then, change the Storage Controller mode from SCSI/RAID to AHCI.

Here arises another issue. A real and big issue.

As windows is installed in this computer based on SCSI storage controller, it will not be able to detect any storage controller during the next startup, so it will not be able to boot at all.

To avoid it, the only possible way is to perform a Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7 which will enhance windows native performance on this computer by throwing out all the factory bloatware in a single go.

So, it comes in a nutshell as ....

• Boot into BIOS. Disable the Intel IRST and Smart response options. Set the storage controller to AHCI.
• Do a Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7.

Then, if there is any further issue, let us know.

A little addition. You may ask why I am not suggesting to update the failing driver. That is an obvious and possible question. My answers will be.....
First answer: The driver is not really outdated.

Code:

fffff880`01402000 fffff880`016bc000   iaStorA  T (no symbols)           
    Loaded symbol image file: iaStorA.sys
    Image path: \SystemRoot\system32\DRIVERS\iaStorA.sys
    Image name: iaStorA.sys
    Timestamp:        Fri Aug 02 07:09:52 2013 (51FB0DE8)
    CheckSum:         000AC609
    ImageSize:        002BA000
    Translations:     0000.04b0 0000.04e4 0409.04b0 0409.04e4

Second Answer: I suggested to update earlier, in a number of threads. All they bounced back within 6 months with the exact same issue. So I learned that updating the driver is not a solution here.

Best of luck. Let us know for any further issue.

EDIT: The entire procedure may leave a 12 GB mSATA disc there. Dont worry. Be sure that the 12 GB is not enough space to use it effectively.
________________________________________________________________________________________

Code:

*** WARNING: Unable to verify timestamp for iaStorA.sys
*** ERROR: Module load completed but symbols could not be loaded for iaStorA.sys
*******************************************************************************
*                                                                             *
*                        Bugcheck Analysis                                    *
*                                                                             *
*******************************************************************************

Use !analyze -v to get detailed debugging information.

BugCheck 1000007E, {ffffffffc0000005, fffff8800146327c, fffff88003f6f7e8, fffff88003f6f040}

Probably caused by : iaStorA.sys ( iaStorA+6127c )

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

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

SYSTEM_THREAD_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED_M (1000007e)
This is a very common bugcheck.  Usually the exception address pinpoints
the driver/function that caused the problem.  Always note this address
as well as the link date of the driver/image that contains this address.
Some common problems are exception code 0x80000003.  This means a hard
coded breakpoint or assertion was hit, but this system was booted
/NODEBUG.  This is not supposed to happen as developers should never have
hardcoded breakpoints in retail code, but ...
If this happens, make sure a debugger gets connected, and the
system is booted /DEBUG.  This will let us see why this breakpoint is
happening.
Arguments:
Arg1: ffffffffc0000005, The exception code that was not handled
Arg2: fffff8800146327c, The address that the exception occurred at
Arg3: fffff88003f6f7e8, Exception Record Address
Arg4: fffff88003f6f040, Context Record Address

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


EXCEPTION_CODE: (NTSTATUS) 0xc0000005 - The instruction at 0x%08lx referenced memory at 0x%08lx. The memory could not be %s.

FAULTING_IP: 
iaStorA+6127c
fffff880`0146327c 488b4a38        mov     rcx,qword ptr [rdx+38h]

EXCEPTION_RECORD:  fffff88003f6f7e8 -- (.exr 0xfffff88003f6f7e8)
ExceptionAddress: fffff8800146327c (iaStorA+0x000000000006127c)
   ExceptionCode: c0000005 (Access violation)
  ExceptionFlags: 00000000
NumberParameters: 2
   Parameter[0]: 0000000000000000
   Parameter[1]: 0000000000000038
Attempt to read from address 0000000000000038

CONTEXT:  fffff88003f6f040 -- (.cxr 0xfffff88003f6f040)
rax=00000000ffe681b8 rbx=fffffa8007e631f0 rcx=fffffa8007e631f0
rdx=0000000000000000 rsi=fffffa800cc30ecc rdi=fffffa800789e000
rip=fffff8800146327c rsp=fffff88003f6fa20 rbp=fffffa800789e750
 r8=fffffa800cc30ecc  r9=0000000000000000 r10=fffffa800789e388
r11=fffffa800789e000 r12=fffffa80062aa0d0 r13=fffff8800141b104
r14=0000000000000000 r15=fffff88003704f40
iopl=0         nv up ei pl zr na po nc
cs=0010  ss=0000  ds=002b  es=002b  fs=0053  gs=002b             efl=00010246
iaStorA+0x6127c:
fffff880`0146327c 488b4a38        mov     rcx,qword ptr [rdx+38h] ds:002b:00000000`00000038=????????????????
Resetting default scope

CUSTOMER_CRASH_COUNT:  1

PROCESS_NAME:  System

CURRENT_IRQL:  0

ERROR_CODE: (NTSTATUS) 0xc0000005 - The instruction at 0x%08lx referenced memory at 0x%08lx. The memory could not be %s.

EXCEPTION_PARAMETER1:  0000000000000000

EXCEPTION_PARAMETER2:  0000000000000038

READ_ADDRESS: GetPointerFromAddress: unable to read from fffff8000370f100
GetUlongFromAddress: unable to read from fffff8000370f1c0
 0000000000000038 Nonpaged pool

FOLLOWUP_IP: 
iaStorA+6127c
fffff880`0146327c 488b4a38        mov     rcx,qword ptr [rdx+38h]

BUGCHECK_STR:  0x7E

DEFAULT_BUCKET_ID:  NULL_CLASS_PTR_DEREFERENCE

LAST_CONTROL_TRANSFER:  from 0000000000000008 to fffff8800146327c

STACK_TEXT:  
fffff880`03f6fa20 00000000`00000008 : fffffa80`07d85568 fffffa80`07d85568 fffff880`014645da fffffa80`0789e000 : iaStorA+0x6127c
fffff880`03f6fa28 fffffa80`07d85568 : fffffa80`07d85568 fffff880`014645da fffffa80`0789e000 fffff880`0144bf15 : 0x8
fffff880`03f6fa30 fffffa80`07d85568 : fffff880`014645da fffffa80`0789e000 fffff880`0144bf15 fffffa80`07e631f0 : 0xfffffa80`07d85568
fffff880`03f6fa38 fffff880`014645da : fffffa80`0789e000 fffff880`0144bf15 fffffa80`07e631f0 fffffa80`0cc30ecc : 0xfffffa80`07d85568
fffff880`03f6fa40 fffffa80`0789e000 : fffff880`0144bf15 fffffa80`07e631f0 fffffa80`0cc30ecc fffffa80`0740f990 : iaStorA+0x625da
fffff880`03f6fa48 fffff880`0144bf15 : fffffa80`07e631f0 fffffa80`0cc30ecc fffffa80`0740f990 fffff880`0146457e : 0xfffffa80`0789e000
fffff880`03f6fa50 fffffa80`07e631f0 : fffffa80`0cc30ecc fffffa80`0740f990 fffff880`0146457e fffff880`0148d1e0 : iaStorA+0x49f15
fffff880`03f6fa58 fffffa80`0cc30ecc : fffffa80`0740f990 fffff880`0146457e fffff880`0148d1e0 00000000`00000000 : 0xfffffa80`07e631f0
fffff880`03f6fa60 fffffa80`0740f990 : fffff880`0146457e fffff880`0148d1e0 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 : 0xfffffa80`0cc30ecc
fffff880`03f6fa68 fffff880`0146457e : fffff880`0148d1e0 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 fffff880`03f6fb00 : 0xfffffa80`0740f990
fffff880`03f6fa70 fffff880`0148d1e0 : 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 fffff880`03f6fb00 fffffa80`ffe681b8 : iaStorA+0x6257e
fffff880`03f6fa78 00000000`00000000 : 00000000`00000000 fffff880`03f6fb00 fffffa80`ffe681b8 fffff880`0144bcd5 : iaStorA+0x8b1e0


SYMBOL_STACK_INDEX:  0

SYMBOL_NAME:  iaStorA+6127c

FOLLOWUP_NAME:  MachineOwner

MODULE_NAME: iaStorA

IMAGE_NAME:  iaStorA.sys

DEBUG_FLR_IMAGE_TIMESTAMP:  51fb0de8

STACK_COMMAND:  .cxr 0xfffff88003f6f040 ; kb

FAILURE_BUCKET_ID:  X64_0x7E_iaStorA+6127c

BUCKET_ID:  X64_0x7E_iaStorA+6127c

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

3: kd> lmvm iaStorA
start             end                 module name
fffff880`01402000 fffff880`016bc000   iaStorA  T (no symbols)           
    Loaded symbol image file: iaStorA.sys
    Image path: \SystemRoot\system32\DRIVERS\iaStorA.sys
    Image name: iaStorA.sys
    Timestamp:        Fri Aug 02 07:09:52 2013 (51FB0DE8)
    CheckSum:         000AC609
    ImageSize:        002BA000
    Translations:     0000.04b0 0000.04e4 0409.04b0 0409.04e4

vsp said:

Arc,
Thank you so much for the detailed answer. Just finished backing up all my data so I can do a clean reinstall as per your advice. Quick question about resetting the storage controller to AHCI - my hard drive is set up as a 500 GB SATA with a 32 GB SSD that is used for speeding up cache. I am guessing this is why ISRT (SATA/RAID controller) is required. If I reset the controller to AHCI, will that affect the use of SSD for caching?

Yes, the SSD (12 GB) will be disabled. But in the normal level of usage (domestic or professional), there is no visible performance drop for it at all.

vsp said:

Also, I've started getting BSODs every 10 mins now and wondering if this is a hardware issue (had dropped my laptop 5 weeks ago). Does anything in the reports indicate it might be a hardware issue?

Indicates. The bugcheck code is not very uncommon for hard drive issues. And, iastor.sys is the hard drive driver only. So it might be looked upon from that perspective.