Solved Random, frequent BSOD. Mostly 0x124. Still happening after new install

[KenjiJU]

Will be editing this as I go as I may BSOD. I lost my longer post being logged out.

Started last Saturday playing the new Resident Evil. I'd been playing a week already. I don't think it was particularly taxing on my system. Hit a BSOD, likely 0x124. Afterwards it was occurring consistently after login, or near login. Occasionally happening during the windows animation and in safe mode.

-disconnected other drives
-Removed Video Card (still removed)
-Uninstalled graphics drivers and remnants
-updated BIOS and motherboard drivers
-memtest86 (first time ran fine), ran a second time after updating BIOS and gave errors immediately
-replaced RAM sticks, same results
-ran verifier and cleaned a couple old drivers out (powerISO, clonedrive)
-ran Malwarebytes and MSE when I was able (MSE destroyed after BSODing while it was busy)
-ran diskcheck with no errors, ran sfc scannow with repairs, startup repairs

Attempted Reinstall - BSOD on first attempt. Second attempt successful, with BSOD shortly after installing network adapter.
-disabled network adapter, BSOD still occurred

 

[Golden]

Host Name:                 KENJI-PC
OS Name:                   Microsoft Windows 7 Professional 
OS Version:                6.1.7600 N/A Build [COLOR="Red"][B]7600[/B][/COLOR]
OS Manufacturer:           Microsoft Corporation
OS Configuration:          Standalone Workstation
OS Build Type:             Multiprocessor Free
Registered Owner:          Kenji

Its pointless troubleshooting a BSOD on an installation with outdated system files. The first thing to do is update Windows 7 fully - you have a quite a lot of updates to install.

 

[KenjiJU]

The BSODs are interrupting downloads and updates frequently. A full update is significantly further off for me, if even possible.

Should I try to gather the old minidumps before the new install?

 

[Golden]

-memtest86 (first time ran fine), ran a second time after updating BIOS and gave errors immediately
-replaced RAM sticks, same results

Check RAM with 8 consecutive passes of MemTest86+

 

[KenjiJU]

Did it have to be 86+ specifically, or will 86 work? I couldn't get 86+ working on either USB/DVD.

I just tested the two brand new corsair sticks I bought and they came up full of errors right away and stopped memtest from going further. I tried all 4 sticks in various slots one at a time and they all BSOD. It gets quicker every time now.

Since there's a parade of errors, is the mobo suspect? I checked for damage on all of my sticks and didn't see anything.

Also forgot to mention I haven't OC'd anything in my machine.


Thanks for your time, Golden.

 

[Golden]

It must be MemTest86+......MemTest86 is not good enough, I have seen it report errors where there weren't any, and vice versa.

See if this helps:
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/105647-ram-test-memtest86.html

 

[KenjiJU]

That got it running. Yea, they're still coming back with errors immediately and go until the program drops out.

 

[Golden]

That got it running. Yea, they're still coming back with errors immediately and go until the program drops out.

What do you mean by "program drops out"? It should just keep running......can you take a photo of what you are seeing during the test, and upload that here so we can be sure please?

 

[KenjiJU]

The errors go up immediately and around 7-12 errors it just hangs/freezes or black screen restart. This is the same as what was happening in Memtest86. One time it did say 'Unexpected Interruption'.

Edit: Hmm.. looking up other peoples' images with hundreds to thousands of errors racked up, mine seems to be acting strange then.

Before I flashed my BIOS as part of the troubleshooting, memtest86 wasn't acting like that. It may have eventually given me some errors ( I didn't run it very long), but the difference between the two states was all clear vs immediate errors. Though, as far as BSOD frequency before and after the BIOS flash, it was about the same.

Tomorrow I'll try installing Win on my other SSD and see if my current one is the culprit. I'll try an earlier BIOS version as well, in case the new one was causing bad readings.

 

[Golden]

In the BIOS, are the RAM timings set to auto?

 

[KenjiJU]

Yes. The timing settings shown match what my sticks have on the stickers. The default setting has it running 1333, with an alternate profile of 1600. All my sticks are 1600 on the stickers. I tried with both settings just to make sure, but 86+ gave the same results.


I just read this thread, it's a bit old, but it sounds like he ran into something similar.
http://www.sevenforums.com/bsod-help-support/232681-bsod-locks-up-randomly-bccode-124-a-3.html

His solution was upping the voltage to 1.7. Is that safe?

 

[Golden]

OK. And the CPU? Not being overclocked?

 

[KenjiJU]

Correct. CPU is default. No intel turboboost or whatever it's called either.

It's a 3770k running at 3.5ghz I believe.

 

[Golden]

His solution was upping the voltage to 1.7. Is that safe?

No not necessarily - it depends on several factors.

I'll ask Steve (Essenbe) to look at this thread - he'll know more than I on the hardware side.

 

[KenjiJU]

Thanks for your help. I wish I would've signed up here sooner.

 

[Golden]

No worries. I've dropped Steve a message. He'll drop by when he logs on. Sit tight.

 

[essenbe]

What are your stock voltages? I would suspect the Dram Voltage is 1.5V. If that is true, then 1.7V is way too much. You are usually safe raising them 10%, but no more. However, if the ram is rated to run a the timings and voltage on the ram sticks, it should not be necessary to increase the voltage.

If you are failing memtest86+ at the correct timings, Voltage and Frequency, I think that is your answer. If you don't already have it, please Download and install CPUz CPU-Z | Softwares | CPUID And upload screenshots of the Memory tab and the SPD tab. You can select each SPD tab from a dropdown in the upper left. Just post screenshots of the Dimm Slots with ram in them.
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/9733-screenshots-files-upload-post-seven-forums.html

 

[KenjiJU]

My voltage is set to auto. I've seen it around 1.55-1.6 in the BIOS when I have both my 8GB sticks in there.

Will post some images shortly.

Edit: As of now, I can't get to the windows animation anymore. It just goes to a black screen. It can go as far as bringing me to 'select startup repair or start windows normally'.

Edit: Different sata cable fixed that.

 

[essenbe]

Have you tried running startup repair or safe mode?

 

[essenbe]

See if you can get into BIOS, and set optimized defaults. Make sure your sata controller is set to what it is right now, set your boot order, save and exit. I would look and see if my Ram, hard drive and Graphics cards are recognized by bios.