I've been having BSoD problems for a couple of months now...

[vieekk]

Yeah, what it says in the title. I bought this computer in March 2011 and a year later I started having BSoD's. They're not that usual, maybe one per week if that and it's mostly MEMORY_MANAGEMENT. I know I've had one PFN_LIST_CORRUPT too, but the process target seems to vary.

I am not an expert in dealing with minidumps, I never got the symbols correct so I used some web analyzer, but maybe you guys could take a look? Here are the tree latest ones:

062612-17440-01.dmp
062612-29343-01.dmp
070612-19578-01.dmp

I updated all the drivers I could find: chipset, USB, soundcard, Ethernet and graphics. The latest Nvidia driver seems unstable for me because of TDR's, which I'm thinking is a separate problem so I'm using 295.73.

My next step, I think, would be this Driver Verifier I've heard so much about or maybe Memtest86+ which I think I have lying around on a CD. I am running x64 and my specs should be visible.

Help a Swede out?

Edit: I missed the BSoD instructions. Here is my ZIP archive.

 

[karlsnooks]

have you installed service pack #1?

If yes, update your specs to reflect such and also tells us whether this a starter version, an ultimate version or just what.

If you have not install the service pack, then install the service pack.

Always install any and all updates offered by MS. This is Win 7 and not eXPired.

karl

 

[vieekk]

have you installed service pack #1?

If yes, update your specs to reflect such and also tells us whether this a starter version, an ultimate version or just what.

If you have not install the service pack, then install the service pack.

Always install any and all updates offered by MS. This is Win 7 and not eXPired.

karl

My bad, sorry. Yes, I have Service Pack 1 installed (I install most stuff from Windows Update) and it is the Professional version. Non-OEM if that is important, I got a free license via my university.

 

[karlsnooks]

Please download WVCheck from Artellos.com.

• Double click WVCheck.exe. (If you downloaded the zipped version you will need to extract it.)
• As indicated by the prompt, This program can take a while depending on your hard drive space.
• Once the program is done, copy the contents of the notepad file as a reply.

 

[vieekk]

Please download WVCheck from Artellos.com.

• Double click WVCheck.exe. (If you downloaded the zipped version you will need to extract it.)
• As indicated by the prompt, This program can take a while depending on your hard drive space.
• Once the program is done, copy the contents of the notepad file as a reply.

Isn't this primarily a tool for determining if I have a legitimate Windows installation? Well, I have and here is the Notepad output:

Windows Validation Check
Version: 1.9.12.5
Log Created On: 1032_07-07-2012
-----------------------

Windows Information
-----------------------
Windows Version: Windows 7 Service Pack 1 
Windows Mode: Normal
Systemroot Path: C:\Windows

WVCheck's Auto Update Check
-----------------------
Auto-Update Option: Download updates automatically, but ask me when I want to install them.
-----------------------
Last Success Time for Update Detection: 2012-07-07 07:34:18
Last Success Time for Update Download: 2012-06-26 02:38:17
Last Success Time for Update Installation: 2012-06-26 02:47:27


WVCheck's Registry Check Check
-----------------------
Antiwpa: Not Found
-----------------------
Chew7Hale: Not Found
-----------------------


WVCheck's File Dump
-----------------------
C:\Windows\System32\slwga.dll
Size: 14336 bytes
Creation; 7/6/2011 3:30:6
Modification; 20/11/2010 13:21:24
MD5; 19f75d71e4256f5113d64ce2bb66b838
Matched: slwga.dll
-----------------------
C:\Windows\SysWOW64\slwga.dll
Size: 14336 bytes
Creation; 7/6/2011 3:30:6
Modification; 20/11/2010 13:21:24
MD5; 19f75d71e4256f5113d64ce2bb66b838
Matched: slwga.dll
-----------------------
C:\Windows\winsxs\amd64_microsoft-windows-security-spp-wga_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7600.16385_none_5b467ba9bd0679bb\slwga.dll
Size: 14848 bytes
Creation; 14/7/2009 1:52:11
Modification; 14/7/2009 3:41:54
MD5; cc03cf9f24946dcbd70acb3e1b2f05bf
Matched: slwga.dll
-----------------------
C:\Windows\winsxs\amd64_microsoft-windows-security-spp-wga_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7600.16723_none_5b856235bcd79403\slwga.dll
Size: 15360 bytes
Creation; 30/3/2011 3:6:36
Modification; 21/12/2010 7:15:31
MD5; b7213e92b270761b88b313b62ba0e13b
Matched: slwga.dll
-----------------------
C:\Windows\winsxs\amd64_microsoft-windows-security-spp-wga_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7600.20862_none_5be2bf06d6168a3a\slwga.dll
Size: 15360 bytes
Creation; 30/3/2011 3:6:36
Modification; 21/12/2010 7:9:5
MD5; 86b7d4d7a87ecb9e6bded44c52c8d5d9
Matched: slwga.dll
-----------------------
C:\Windows\winsxs\amd64_microsoft-windows-security-spp-wga_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7601.17514_none_5d778f71b9f4fd55\slwga.dll
Size: 15360 bytes
Creation; 7/6/2011 3:30:12
Modification; 20/11/2010 14:27:26
MD5; b6d6886149573278cba6abd44c4317f5
Matched: slwga.dll
-----------------------
C:\Windows\winsxs\x86_microsoft-windows-security-spp-wga_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7600.16385_none_ff27e02604a90885\slwga.dll
Size: 13824 bytes
Creation; 14/7/2009 1:36:22
Modification; 14/7/2009 3:16:15
MD5; 01fe4bdd0b47a7d8bf34d78d2bc23ddb
Matched: slwga.dll
-----------------------
C:\Windows\winsxs\x86_microsoft-windows-security-spp-wga_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7600.16723_none_ff66c6b2047a22cd\slwga.dll
Size: 14336 bytes
Creation; 30/3/2011 3:6:36
Modification; 21/12/2010 6:38:16
MD5; 2008845b41d561fb77b77bbe0045099e
Matched: slwga.dll
-----------------------
C:\Windows\winsxs\x86_microsoft-windows-security-spp-wga_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7600.20862_none_ffc423831db91904\slwga.dll
Size: 14336 bytes
Creation; 30/3/2011 3:6:36
Modification; 21/12/2010 6:29:6
MD5; 2332de32759ebcc691850e092b2564a6
Matched: slwga.dll
-----------------------
C:\Windows\winsxs\x86_microsoft-windows-security-spp-wga_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7601.17514_none_0158f3ee01978c1f\slwga.dll
Size: 14336 bytes
Creation; 7/6/2011 3:30:6
Modification; 20/11/2010 13:21:24
MD5; 19f75d71e4256f5113d64ce2bb66b838
Matched: slwga.dll
-----------------------


WVCheck's Dir Dump
-----------------------
WVCheck found no known bad directories.


WVCheck's Missing File Check
-----------------------
WVCheck found no missing Windows files.


WVCheck's MBAM Quarantine Check
-----------------------
There were no bad files quarantined by MBAM.


WVCheck's HOSTS File Check
-----------------------
WVCheck found no bad lines in the hosts file.


WVCheck's MD5 Check
EXPERIMENTAL!!
-----------------------
user32.dll - 5e0db2d8b2750543cd2ebb9ea8e6cdd3


-------- End of File, program close at 1037_07-07-2012 --------

 

[karlsnooks]

vieekk,

Excellent. Glad to see that your most recent update was on 7/7 and that all your system appears to be healthy.

That eliminates one possible error area.

Now, I am not a BSOD analysis expert, but rather a computer expert.

Our bsod analysis experts are heavily overloaded, consequently, I will sometimes come in and help with the lift-yourself-up-by-the-bootstraps approach until then can get caught up.

I will impart some knowledge. More than 75% of all bsods are caused by out-of-date or wrong drivers. This is a figure from MS and the percentage is actually more than 80%.

Other sources of problems are ram, your disk drives, and heat (especially prevalent here).

Many out-of-date drivers can be updated by going to the motherboard or computer mfg's website to fetch the latest drivers, especially looking for a bios update and a "chipset" update.

 

[karlsnooks]

Is this a custom build computer or does the computer have manufacturer and a model number?

Add the info to your system specs. Sometimes we can immediately supply a suggestion based upon that info.

thanks,
karl

 

[vieekk]

vieekk,

Excellent. Glad to see that your most recent update was on 7/7 and that all your system appears to be healthy.

That eliminates one possible error area.

Now, I am not a BSOD analysis expert, but rather a computer expert.

Our bsod analysis experts are heavily overloaded, consequently, I will sometimes come in and help with the lift-yourself-up-by-the-bootstraps approach until then can get caught up.

I will impart some knowledge. More than 75% of all bsods are caused by out-of-date or wrong drivers. This is a figure from MS and the percentage is actually more than 80%.

Other sources of problems are ram, your disk drives, and heat (especially prevalent here).

Many out-of-date drivers can be updated by going to the motherboard or computer mfg's website to fetch the latest drivers, especially looking for a bios update and a "chipset" update.

Thank you for your reply once again. I have already grabbed the latest drivers for most hardware, except for BIOS, graphics (the latest graphics driver gives me errors), mouse, keyboard, and TV card. Could I use this Driver Verifier to pin-point the faulty driver if there is one? I also saw one driver named Intel Rapid Storage Technology, but I did not know its purpose?

I updated all the drivers I could find: chipset, USB, soundcard, Ethernet and graphics. The latest Nvidia driver seems unstable for me because of TDR's, which I'm thinking is a separate problem so I'm using 295.73.

I will also burn Memtest86+ 4.20 (4.10 did not work with my CPU I noticed) and try out the memory overnight. I read that you should continue for as long as test #8...

How to test the harddrive I do not know? And heat—wouldn't this escalade when playing graphics heavy games? Most often it BSoD's when I'm browsing the web or when in idle.

 

[vieekk]

Is this a custom build computer or does the computer have manufacturer and a model number?

Add the info to your system specs. Sometimes we can immediately supply a suggestion based upon that info.

thanks,
karl

It is a custom build, but it is not built by me, as I'm not very well-versed in hardware. (Soon a civil engineer in computer science, but my major is in software.) A Swedish computer company has ensured the compability of the components and they also put it together.

 

[karlsnooks]

Please go to this site and download the latest version of Live Update for your motherboard.

Read the instructions very carefully.

This is a marvelous program which will let you know what needs to be updated on your motherboard and has special instructions regarding the bios.

MSI Global - Live Update 5 Manual

 

[vieekk]

Please go to this site and download the latest version of Live Update for your motherboard.

Read the instructions very carefully.

This is a marvelous program which will let you know what needs to be updated on your motherboard and has special instructions regarding the bios.

MSI Global - Live Update 5 Manual

Thank you! I did not know of its existence, I will get cracking on that in a minute!

Edit: Horrible UI design on that application though.

 

[writhziden]

I have not yet provided my analysis yet because Karl's suggestions are in line with things I would suggest based on what I have analyzed. I also was waiting to see the system health information prior to jumping in.

Your crashes are pointing to a possible driver conflict. Follow Karl's advice prior to doing any other troubleshooting steps. Verifier is one of my recommendations if Karl's advice does not pan out, but at the moment, I see no reason to run Verifier until you have exhausted all driver/BIOS updates available to the system.

Please follow Karl's instructions carefully. His methods are excellent in troubleshooting systems from the ground up, and despite what he says about not being a blue screen expert, he has solved his fair share of blue screen crashes with those methods. His computer expertise serves him, and those he helps, well.

 

[vieekk]

I have not yet provided my analysis yet because Karl's suggestions are in line with things I would suggest based on what I have analyzed. I also was waiting to see the system health information prior to jumping in.

Your crashes are pointing to a possible driver conflict. Follow Karl's advice prior to doing any other troubleshooting steps. Verifier is one of my recommendations if Karl's advice does not pan out, but at the moment, I see no reason to run Verifier until you have exhausted all driver/BIOS updates available to the system.

Please follow Karl's instructions carefully. His methods are excellent in troubleshooting systems from the ground up, and despite what he says about not being a blue screen expert, he has solved his fair share of blue screen crashes with those methods. His computer expertise serves him, and those he helps, well.

I will definitely take Karl's instructions to heart then! When you say "driver conflict" one thing pops up in my mind. I had an old ATI Radeon card in while my Nvidia was on service... It was on the same installation, but I have tried using Driver Sweeper to rid the computer of the ATI drivers, but the entry still shows up. Although I do not know if there is still something there. The computer worked perfectly for half a year after this service business. Just putting it out there.

 

[karlsnooks]

Driver Sweeper is your ENEMY and not your FRIEND!

Do not ever use Driver Sweeper. That program does harm and more harm.

Simply first, try with the normal Microsoft update, then you can go to the manufacturer's website and download there. If any questions, then be sure and let us know. Remember: Don't just jump on installing a driver update.

 

[writhziden]

Driver Sweeper is your ENEMY and not your FRIEND!

Do not ever use Driver Sweeper. That program does harm and more harm.

Simply first, try with the normal Microsoft update, then you can go to the manufacturer's website and download there. If any questions, then be sure and let us know. Remember: Don't just jump on installing a driver update.

I agree with the assessment of Driver Sweeper 100%. I see many recommend Driver Sweeper, but I stopped doing so after helping someone and having it damage Windows so simple drivers no longer functioned that were not even among those Sweeper was supposed to touch.

Also, to add to what Karl is saying about using Windows Update: For motherboard related drivers, I recommend going to the motherboard site before Windows Update. That's my personal preference and what I have found works best for me; others may disagree/have their own preference.

For other hardware installed with PCI cards, such as graphics cards, sound cards, etc. it is often better to rely on Windows Update. I have an older ATI card myself that the newer ATI drivers do not work well for. Windows Update provides a better driver for my system to be stable and work smoothly; that driver is over a year old. I can download that same driver from ATI, but I would not know which older version is the best without the Windows Update version to tell me.

 

[vieekk]

Driver Sweeper is your ENEMY and not your FRIEND!

Do not ever use Driver Sweeper. That program does harm and more harm.

Simply first, try with the normal Microsoft update, then you can go to the manufacturer's website and download there. If any questions, then be sure and let us know. Remember: Don't just jump on installing a driver update.

Oh, that is news for me! I will be uninstalling it now.

How do I go about Windows Update (it's Windows, not Microsoft, isn't it?) then? I usually install everything I deem important when it popups (I ignore things like media player, etc.). When opening Windows Update from the Control Panel there are only three optional downloads (Microsoft Security Essentials, Microsoft SQL Server and something for Windows 7 x64).

After what I'm supposed to do here, I will try the MSI Live Update application?

I agree with the assessment of Driver Sweeper 100%. I see many recommend Driver Sweeper, but I stopped doing so after helping someone and having it damage Windows so simple drivers no longer functioned that were not even among those Sweeper was supposed to touch.

Also, to add to what Karl is saying about using Windows Update: For motherboard related drivers, I recommend going to the motherboard site before Windows Update. That's my personal preference and what I have found works best for me; others may disagree/have their own preference.

For other hardware installed with PCI cards, such as graphics cards, sound cards, etc. it is often better to rely on Windows Update. I have an older ATI card myself that the newer ATI drivers do not work well for. Windows Update provides a better driver for my system to be stable and work smoothly; that driver is over a year old. I can download that same driver from ATI, but I would not know which older version is the best without the Windows Update version to tell me.

Okay. As for the graphics card I think I'll stick to Nvidias webpage when finding drivers. Even though they seem to get worse and worse, I would like to have a somewhat optimized experience when playing games, which I do occasionally and my card is pretty up-to-date so I would like to have it performing at a maximum.

The driver page for my mobo can be found here: MSI Global ? Mainboard - P67A-C45 (B3)

Although, I think I have installed most of them. I'm working up the courage to do the BIOS.

By the way, my soundcard is integrated on my motherboard (I'm not an audio buff) so I've used the driver that MSI provides. These driver installations were made before I made this thread, so I'm not trying to not follow both of your advice.

 

[karlsnooks]

Let me hear from you after you have updated your bios and applied the other updates which MSI Live Update recommended.

thanks,
karl

 

[vieekk]

Please go to this site and download the latest version of Live Update for your motherboard.

Read the instructions very carefully.

This is a marvelous program which will let you know what needs to be updated on your motherboard and has special instructions regarding the bios.

MSI Global - Live Update 5 Manual

I made a scan now and...

Only the BIOS then. Never done this before, I'm afraid. From what I've heard I can put it on a USB memory stick, reboot and go into BIOS via F12 (or something like that) and install from USB?

 

[karlsnooks]

Do NOT listen to what you heard!

Follow the procedure that MSI gives.

They also provide a description,which is more complicated, of performing that update using a pen drive, however, they and I both recommend that you use the "automatic" approach.

Incidentally, the instructions you mentioned are only part of the story.

Do not creative or listen to your techie friends. Listen to and follow the advise of MSI.

 

[vieekk]

Do NOT listen to what you heard!

Follow the procedure that MSI gives.

They also provide a description,which is more complicated, of performing that update using a pen drive, however, they and I both recommend that you use the "automatic" approach.

Incidentally, the instructions you mentioned are only part of the story.

Do not creative or listen to your techie friends. Listen to and follow the advise of MSI.

Actually, it was the computer firm from which I bought the computer from who told me so. Following MSI's tutorial seems more logical and less work, so I will do so.