BSOD during regular computer usage, error 0x00000124

[kukupo]

Occasionally while running my computer my computer would suddenly restarts itself or even worse BSOD. This happened for a few months now but it's starting to get pretty annoying so I wonder if anyone know what the problem is. I made no hardware changes for over a year. I would like to get this fixed but I have no idea what is even the cause of it atm but I'm guessing it's a driver issue.

Here's what I've tried.

I did a scan using AVAST and Malwarebyte AntiMalware with nothing detected
Updating everything within Windows Update
Used DiskChk on my HDD and fixed all errors
Defragged my HDD
Updated my Nvidia video drivers and DirectX
Ran MemTest86+ with no errors

I'm using Windows 7 Home edition 64bit is that's any help

Thank you

 

[koolkat77]

Welcome

I hope you haven't overclocked any hardware. If you have, please revert to factory clocks.

Start Menu\Programs\Advanced SystemCare 5	Public:Start Menu\Programs\Advanced SystemCare 5	Public
Start Menu\Programs\avast! Free Antivirus	Public:Start Menu\Programs\avast! Free Antivirus	Public
Start Menu\Programs\COMODO	Public:Start Menu\Programs\COMODO	Public
Start Menu\Programs\Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware	Public:Start Menu\Programs\Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware	Public
Start Menu\Programs\DAEMON Tools Lite	Public:Start Menu\Programs\DAEMON Tools Lite	Public
Start Menu\Programs\Spybot - Search & Destroy	Public:Start Menu\Programs\Spybot - Search & Destroy	Public

Please uninstall all these programs except Malware bytes.

I just listed it to make you know that you shouldn't be having those many antivirus/firewall programs installed in your computer. It will cause instability. After uninstalling them download and install MSE. Its free + known to be the most compatible antivirus with windows 7. (Great combination with Malware bytes)
:ar: Microsoft Security Essentials - Free Antivirus for Windows

Daemon Tools is a known cause for BSODs.

Check for an update on your BIOS version.

BIOS Version/Date	Award Software International, Inc. F11, 6/23/2010

Also look for an update on motherboard chipset drivers from here:
:ar: http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Default.aspx

Run the system file checker 3 times as mentioned in this tutorial:
:ar: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1538-sfc-scannow-command-system-file-checker.html

To make sure your hard drive is good, run disk check:
:ar: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/433-disk-check.html

Do the following and post back if your computer is stable. If not we'll do further troubleshooting.

 

[kukupo]

I actually wasn't aware I had a few of those things on my computer still. At the moment I use AVAST as an antivirus only and COMODO as my firewall only. Malwarebyte Anti-Malware is there in case it misses anything.

My BIOS are the latest version as well as my motherboard chipset according to the GIGABYTE website. There are no updates for my intel drivers either. Ran the sfc command and it said there are no integrity violations and I also ran Disk Check like usual.

Problem about my BSOD is that it isn't very consistent, sometimes it goes good for a few weeks while at times it BSOD all the time. I'll report back if anything else happens.

EDIT: Forgot to mention that none of my hardware is overclocked.

 

[koolkat77]

Uninstall those and keep MSE for the time being. (You can install them back afterwards.)
For more details on your bug check, go through:
:ar: http://www.sevenforums.com/crash-lockup-debug-how/35349-stop-0x124-what-means-what-try.html

 

[kukupo]

Ok I uninstalled AVAST, Comodo, Advanced SystemCare, Daemon Tools, and SpyBot. Installed MSE for the time being. My BIOs are up to date as well as my motherboard chipset drivers. Ran system file checker 3 times and got the message "no integrity violations" and also ran Check Disk for disk errors. For temperatures my CPU under stress seems to Caps at around 47C and my GPU under stress caps at around 61C. Memtest86+ shows no errors in RAM after running tests for 6 hours

After a while I ended up with the BSOD again. The error itself mentions hal.dll+12a3b and ntoskrnl.exe+18cb03. I also attached the more updated minidump with this latest BSOD. Any recommendations on what I should do? I'm starting to believe this is a hardware problem.

 

[koolkat77]

Getting the same bug check.

What is the age of your computer?
Is it under its warranty?
What were you doing at the time of the crash?

 

[kukupo]

My computer is from 2009 and it's self built. Most parts are no longer under warranty.

My computer gets the BSOD randomly from just regular usage, it can be from opening a file, browsing the web, playing a game, or even shutting down the computer.

 

[koolkat77]

Thanks for the information. Have you changed any of the parts in these years?

We'll do some hardware tests to see how your computer performs:

Hardware stress test with Prime95:
:ar: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/100352-hardware-stress-test-prime95.html

after that CPU stress test with IntelBurnTest:
:ar: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/220743-cpu-stress-test-using-intelburntest.html

During these test monitor your hardware temp with Speccy:
:ar: Speccy - System Information - Free Download

Possible to upload some screenshots during the tests:
:ar: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/9733-screenshots-files-upload-post-seven-forums.html

Will wait for your results

 

[kukupo]

Alright I did as you asked. These are all snaps of CPU temperature in Speccy.

PrimeTest is running the stress test in Prime95 for approx. 90 minutes

Test 1 is running on Standard on IntelBurnTest, Test 2 is on High, and Test 3 is on Very High.

 

[koolkat77]

Those look normal.
Did you get more bsods during or after the test?

 

[kukupo]

Nope everything was well during and after the test.

 

[Layback Bear]

In my opinion once you use Advanced System Care or programs like it you could have so many problems that only a repair install or a clean install will solve your problems. Their is no way of knowing what such a program has done.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/3413-repair-install.html

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1649-clean-install-windows-7-a.html

 

[koolkat77]

Lets enable driver verifier to rule out buggy drivers.

Driver Verifier

I'd suggest that you first backup your data and then make sure you've got access to another computer so you can contact us if problems arise. Then make a System Restore point (so you can restore the system using the Vista/Windows 7 Startup Repair feature).

In Windows 7 you can make a Startup Repair disk by going to Start....All Programs...Maintenance...Create a System Repair Disc - with Windows Vista you'll have to use your installation disk or the "Repair your computer" option at the top of the Safe Mode menu .

Then, here's the procedure:
- Go to Start and type in verifier and press Enter
- Select Create custom settings (for code developers) and click Next
- Select Select individual settings from a full list and click Next
- Select everything EXCEPT FOR Low Resource Simulation and click Next
- Select Select driver names from a list and click Next
Then select all drivers NOT provided by Microsoft and click Next
- Select Finish on the next page.

Reboot the system and wait for it to crash to the Blue Screen. Continue to use your system normally, and if you know what causes the crash, do that repeatedly. The objective here is to get the system to crash because Driver Verifier is stressing the drivers out. If it doesn't crash for you, then let it run for at least 36 hours of continuous operation (an estimate on my part).

If you can't get into Windows because it crashes too soon, try it in Safe Mode.
If you can't get into Safe Mode, try using System Restore from your installation DVD to set the system back to the previous restore point that you created.
Driver Verifier - Enable and Disable

Verifier puts extreme stress on the drivers, bad ones will cause BSOD. If we change all those drivers we hope for no more BSODs, If you get no BSODs, then its not a driver and we look to hardware. With verifier on your computer may be a little laggy, but actually..its just doing its work.

Information
Driver Verifier runs in the background, "testing" drivers for bugs. If it finds one, a Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) will result; the corresponding dump file will hopefully show the faulty driver.

Driver Verifier monitors kernel-mode drivers and graphics drivers to detect illegal function calls or actions that might corrupt the system. It can subject the drivers to a variety of stresses and tests to find improper behavior.

Continue to use your system normally, and if you know what causes the crash, do that repeatedly. The objective here is to get the system to crash because Driver Verifier is stressing the drivers out. If it doesn't crash for you, then let it run for at least 36 hours of continuous operation.

 

[kukupo]

Sorry that I haven't replied been busy. Ok so I did what you asked and I'm constantly getting a BSOD before my computer even starts up so I'm running on safe mode at the moment (The BSOD doesn't even create a dump sadly) I can get back on non-safe mode if I disable the verifier but that wouldn't be helpful. I'm currently running safe mode on my problematic computer so what would you like me to do?

 

[koolkat77]

Upload the dump that verifier gave you. (Newest dumps as well)

 

[kukupo]

Upload the dump that verifier gave you. (Newest dumps as well)

Sorry I edited my post a bit too late. Problem about my BSOD is that it doesn't seem to create a dump. It just gets a BSOD and then it instantly restarts. It doesn't show the whole "creating dump" message.

 

[koolkat77]

Well.

When was the last time you re-installed windows 7?
I think you should give Laybackbears advice a go.

 

[kukupo]

I also noticed another problem, I can't seem to changed the system failure settings. When I try to disable "automatically restart on failure" and change the write debugging info to Small Memory Dumb (256kb) and then I click OK nothing actually ever changes. When I go back to the menu it's all checked and reset again. I can change every other settings EXCEPT the ones in the System failure area. Any idea how to fix this? Thing is I want repair windows to be my LAST possible option.

 

[koolkat77]

See if this helps
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/174459-dump-files-configure-windows-create-bsod.html

 

[kukupo]

Well I pretty much tried everything now. Clean install on Windows 7 was only a temp fix as after a week it started BSODing again. Running Verifier for about 24 hours and nothing came up and I can never reproduce this BSOD problem. I'm really starting to think it's some hardware issue. RAM and CPU seems find from previous tests but I'm pretty much getting tired of all this BS.