lockup and bsod on gaming

20 memory dumps from 26 Mar 2010 to the present (about 2 months)
18 are STOP 0x124's (info here: https://www.sevenforums.com/crash-loc...-what-try.html ) Basically a STOP 0x124 means you either have broken hardware or incompatible hardware/software

There is a Driver Verifier error from 21 May that points to a Windows file. How did you run Driver Verifier? Did you ask it to verify Microsoft files? If not, then this is also indicative of a hardware error. Because it points to USB stuff, I'd suggest removing all USB stuff to see if that helps (but it's just a SWAG on my part).

I'd suggest providing us with the following file to see if we can see if we can identify any problem programs:

MSINFO32:
Please go to Start and type in "msinfo32.exe" (without the quotes) and press Enter
Save the report as an .nfo file, then zip up the .nfo file and upload/attach the .zip file with your next post.

If you're having difficulties with the format, please open an elevated (Run as administrator) Command Prompt and type "msinfo32 /nfo C:\Users\Public\Desktop\TEST.NFO" (without the quotes) and press Enter. Then navigate to the C:\Users\Public\Desktop directory to retrieve the TEST.NFO file. If you have difficulties with making this work, please post back.

I'll post back once the dumps are finished running...

Please remove or update these older drivers that were loaded at the time of the crash. Don't use Windows Update or the Update drivers function of Device Manager.
Please use the following instructions to locate the most currently available drivers to replace the one's that you uninstall OR remove:

How To Find Drivers:
- search Google for the name of the driver
- compare the Google results with what's installed on your system to figure out which device/program it belongs to
- visit the web site of the manufacturer of the hardware/program to get the latest drivers (DON'T use Windows Update or the Update driver function of Device Manager).
- if there are difficulties in locating them, post back with questions and someone will try and help you locate the appropriate program.

- - The most common drivers are listed on this page: Driver Reference
- - Driver manufacturer links are on this page: http://www.carrona.org/drvrdown.html

Here's the older drivers. Please pay particular attention to any dated 2007 or earlier:

Code:

pcouffin.sys Tue Dec 05 09:39:30 2006 -    low level access layer for CD devices (A  part of many different CD/DVD burning   programs) - http://www.carrona.org/dvrref.html#pcouffin.sys
Sahdad64.sys Mon Oct 27 23:56:11 2008 - Unknown driver - suspect it's part of Saitek/Sonic device  (Saitek HDD Filter Driver) - http://www.carrona.org/dvrref.html#Sahdad64.sys
Saibad64.sys Mon Oct 27 23:56:15 2008 - Saitek/Sonic Volume Filter Driver - http://www.carrona.org/dvrref.html#Saibad64.sys
SaibVdAd64.sys Mon Oct 27 23:56:20 2008 - Saitek/Sonic Virtual Disk Driver - http://www.carrona.org/dvrref.html#SaibVdAd64.sys

Summary of the BSOD's:

Code:

Built by: 7600.16539.amd64fre.win7_gdr.100226-1909
Debug session time: Sun May 23 19:41:12.783 2010 (GMT-4)
System Uptime: 0 days 0:00:09.812
BugCheck 124, {0, fffffa8004aff8f8, 0, 0}
Probably caused by : hardware
BUGCHECK_STR:  0x124_GenuineIntel
PROCESS_NAME:  System
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
Built by: 7600.16539.amd64fre.win7_gdr.100226-1909
Debug session time: Sun May 23 19:37:42.190 2010 (GMT-4)
System Uptime: 0 days 0:00:09.829
BugCheck 124, {0, fffffa8004e07468, 0, 0}
Probably caused by : hardware
BUGCHECK_STR:  0x124_GenuineIntel
PROCESS_NAME:  System
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
Built by: 7600.16539.amd64fre.win7_gdr.100226-1909
Debug session time: Fri May 21 23:14:55.604 2010 (GMT-4)
System Uptime: 0 days 0:00:14.648
BugCheck C9, {23b, fffff88001802818, fffff980090c8dc0, 0}
Probably caused by : HIDCLASS.SYS ( HIDCLASS!HidpMajorHandler+0 )
BUGCHECK_STR:  0xc9_23b
DEFAULT_BUCKET_ID:  VERIFIER_ENABLED_VISTA_MINIDUMP
PROCESS_NAME:  System
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
Built by: 7600.16539.amd64fre.win7_gdr.100226-1909
Debug session time: Fri May 21 19:54:31.487 2010 (GMT-4)
System Uptime: 0 days 0:00:09.500
BugCheck 124, {0, fffffa80049548f8, 0, 0}
Probably caused by : hardware
BUGCHECK_STR:  0x124_GenuineIntel
PROCESS_NAME:  System
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
Built by: 7600.16539.amd64fre.win7_gdr.100226-1909
Debug session time: Thu May 20 16:47:33.662 2010 (GMT-4)
System Uptime: 0 days 0:00:07.675
BugCheck 124, {0, fffffa800497c8f8, 0, 0}
Probably caused by : hardware
BUGCHECK_STR:  0x124_GenuineIntel
PROCESS_NAME:  System
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
Built by: 7600.16539.amd64fre.win7_gdr.100226-1909
Debug session time: Mon May 17 10:12:05.551 2010 (GMT-4)
System Uptime: 0 days 0:00:09.190
BugCheck 124, {0, fffffa8004e1f038, 0, 0}
Probably caused by : hardware
BUGCHECK_STR:  0x124_GenuineIntel
PROCESS_NAME:  System
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
Built by: 7600.16539.amd64fre.win7_gdr.100226-1909
Debug session time: Sat May 15 18:06:44.206 2010 (GMT-4)
System Uptime: 0 days 0:00:09.860
BugCheck 124, {0, fffffa800515c268, 0, 0}
Probably caused by : hardware
BUGCHECK_STR:  0x124_GenuineIntel
PROCESS_NAME:  System
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
Built by: 7600.16539.amd64fre.win7_gdr.100226-1909
Debug session time: Fri May 14 20:40:53.582 2010 (GMT-4)
System Uptime: 0 days 0:00:08.626
BugCheck 124, {0, fffffa8005137038, 0, 0}
Probably caused by : hardware
BUGCHECK_STR:  0x124_GenuineIntel
PROCESS_NAME:  System
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
Built by: 7600.16539.amd64fre.win7_gdr.100226-1909
Debug session time: Fri May 14 16:31:37.270 2010 (GMT-4)
System Uptime: 0 days 0:00:08.314
BugCheck 124, {0, fffffa8004c958f8, 0, 0}
Probably caused by : hardware
BUGCHECK_STR:  0x124_GenuineIntel
PROCESS_NAME:  System
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
Built by: 7600.16539.amd64fre.win7_gdr.100226-1909
Debug session time: Fri May 14 15:57:07.144 2010 (GMT-4)
System Uptime: 0 days 0:00:09.798
BugCheck 124, {0, fffffa800509b8f8, 0, 0}
Probably caused by : hardware
BUGCHECK_STR:  0x124_GenuineIntel
PROCESS_NAME:  System
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
Built by: 7600.16539.amd64fre.win7_gdr.100226-1909
Debug session time: Fri May 14 11:34:36.535 2010 (GMT-4)
System Uptime: 0 days 0:00:08.580
BugCheck 124, {0, fffffa8004c5b8f8, 0, 0}
Probably caused by : hardware
BUGCHECK_STR:  0x124_GenuineIntel
PROCESS_NAME:  System
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
Built by: 7600.16539.amd64fre.win7_gdr.100226-1909
Debug session time: Thu Apr 22 15:33:33.034 2010 (GMT-4)
System Uptime: 0 days 0:00:09.079
BugCheck 124, {0, fffffa8004c528f8, 0, 0}
Probably caused by : hardware
BUGCHECK_STR:  0x124_GenuineIntel
PROCESS_NAME:  System
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
Built by: 7600.16539.amd64fre.win7_gdr.100226-1909
Debug session time: Fri Apr 16 19:54:55.740 2010 (GMT-4)
System Uptime: 0 days 0:00:07.784
BugCheck 124, {0, fffffa8004ca08f8, 0, 0}
Probably caused by : hardware
BUGCHECK_STR:  0x124_GenuineIntel
PROCESS_NAME:  System
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
Built by: 7600.16385.amd64fre.win7_rtm.090713-1255
Debug session time: Mon Apr 12 22:23:33.348 2010 (GMT-4)
System Uptime: 0 days 0:00:08.392
BugCheck A, {0, 2, 1, fffff800032d1a13}
*** WARNING: Unable to verify timestamp for aswNdis2.sys
*** ERROR: Module load completed but symbols could not be loaded for aswNdis2.sys
Probably caused by : aswNdis2.sys ( aswNdis2+62aa )
BUGCHECK_STR:  0xA
PROCESS_NAME:  System
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
Built by: 7600.16385.amd64fre.win7_rtm.090713-1255
Debug session time: Thu Apr  1 18:19:23.332 2010 (GMT-4)
System Uptime: 0 days 0:00:08.987
BugCheck 124, {0, fffffa8004c848f8, 0, 0}
Probably caused by : hardware
BUGCHECK_STR:  0x124_GenuineIntel
PROCESS_NAME:  System
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
Built by: 7600.16385.amd64fre.win7_rtm.090713-1255
Debug session time: Thu Apr  1 17:36:53.083 2010 (GMT-4)
System Uptime: 0 days 0:00:08.127
BugCheck 124, {0, fffffa8004cbe8f8, 0, 0}
Probably caused by : hardware
BUGCHECK_STR:  0x124_GenuineIntel
PROCESS_NAME:  System
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
Built by: 7600.16385.amd64fre.win7_rtm.090713-1255
Debug session time: Thu Apr  1 17:29:20.849 2010 (GMT-4)
System Uptime: 0 days 0:00:08.503
BugCheck 124, {0, fffffa8004cbe8f8, 0, 0}
Probably caused by : hardware
BUGCHECK_STR:  0x124_GenuineIntel
PROCESS_NAME:  System
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
Built by: 7600.16385.amd64fre.win7_rtm.090713-1255
Debug session time: Fri Mar 26 22:45:44.662 2010 (GMT-4)
System Uptime: 0 days 0:00:08.316
BugCheck 124, {0, fffffa8004c958f8, 0, 0}
Probably caused by : hardware
BUGCHECK_STR:  0x124_GenuineIntel
PROCESS_NAME:  System
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
Built by: 7600.16385.amd64fre.win7_rtm.090713-1255
Debug session time: Fri Mar 26 22:38:17.490 2010 (GMT-4)
System Uptime: 0 days 0:00:07.534
BugCheck 124, {0, fffffa8004c988f8, 0, 0}
Probably caused by : hardware
BUGCHECK_STR:  0x124_GenuineIntel
PROCESS_NAME:  System
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
Built by: 7600.16385.amd64fre.win7_rtm.090713-1255
Debug session time: Fri Mar 26 22:32:32.098 2010 (GMT-4)
System Uptime: 0 days 0:00:08.143
BugCheck 124, {0, fffffa8004cd58f8, 0, 0}
Probably caused by : hardware
BUGCHECK_STR:  0x124_GenuineIntel
PROCESS_NAME:  System

In short, the more that you remove - the greater the chance that you'll remove what's causing the issue.
Just keep track of what you've removed so you can reconstruct the system.

Those instructions were written by jcgriff2 (who also posts here). He's an outstanding BSOD analyst and I'd recommend using any tools that he's published. I've also written a Driver Verifier "how-to" here: Driver Verifier Settings It's a bit different than jcgriff2's.
BUT, there's not much use in running Driver Verifier to fix and STOP 0x124 errors (but it can't hurt!).

Remove the ReadyBoost drive until we've solved the issue.

BTW - I missed this BSOD, and it's (IMO) an important one:

Code:

Built by: 7600.16385.amd64fre.win7_rtm.090713-1255
Debug session time: Mon Apr 12 22:23:33.348 2010 (GMT-4)
System Uptime: 0 days 0:00:08.392
BugCheck A, {0, 2, 1, fffff800032d1a13}
*** WARNING: Unable to verify timestamp for aswNdis2.sys
*** ERROR: Module load completed but symbols could not be loaded for aswNdis2.sys
Probably caused by : aswNdis2.sys ( aswNdis2+62aa )
BUGCHECK_STR:  0xA
PROCESS_NAME:  System

This is a component of your Avast protection. Please do the following to eliminate it as a cause:

Anti-Virus Removal:
Please do the following:
- download a free antivirus for testing purposes: Free AntiVirus
- uninstall the Avast from your system (you can reinstall it, if so desired, when we're done troubleshooting)
- remove any remnants of Avast using this free tool: http://www.avast.com/eng/avast-uninstall-utility.html
- IMMEDIATELY install and update the free antivirus
- check to see if this fixes the BSOD's

Another STOP 0x124 error.
Do you have 2 antivirus' running? If so, please only leave one resident in memory.

So, we'll have to go back to the basics:

H/W Diagnostics:
Please start by running these bootable hardware diagnostics:
Memory Diagnostics (read the details at the link)
HD Diagnostic (read the details at the link)

Also, please run one of these free, independent online malware scans to ensure that your current protection hasn't been compromised: Malware (read the details at the link)

*****
Additional tests for certain specific circumstances:
Try this free video stress test: FurMark: Graphics Card Stability and Stress Test, OpenGL Benchmark and GPU Temperature | oZone3D.Net

FurMark Setup:
- If you have more than one GPU, select Multi-GPU during setup
- In the Run mode box, select "Stability Test" and "Log GPU Temperature"
Click "Go" to start the test
- Run the test until the GPU temperature maxes out - or until you start having problems (whichever comes first).
- Click "Quit" to exit

Try this free stress test: Free Software - GIMPS

Prime95 Setup:
- extract the contents of the zip file to a location of your choice
- double click on the executable file
- select "Just stress testing"
- select the "Blend" test. If you've already run MemTest overnight you may want to run the "Small FFTs" test instead.
- "Number of torture test threads to run" should equal the number of CPU's times 2 (if you're using hyperthreading).
The easiest way to figure this out is to go to Task Manager...Performance tab - and see the number of boxes under CPU Usage History
Then run the test for 6 to 24 hours - or until you get errors (whichever comes first).
The Test selection box and the stress.txt file describes what components that the program stresses.

One of the FurMark screenshots shows 103º C with 2 video cards, the other shows 67º C with one video card.

I would suspect that you would have issues with the 103º C and 2 video cards - and not have issues with the 67º C and 1 video card.

Is that true?