Solved BSOD While Playing Games, 15 Minutes After Boot, and Completely Random

[SickOfTheBSOD]

Hello all,

As my username describes, I'm kind of sick of this BSOD problem I'm having. I will try not to talk too much.

My PC is close to 2 years old and has been going well up until now. You can see in the logs the specifics but it's an Alienware gaming Desktop PC. I've had to take it to a "retail" shop once already. We switched out the video card and now it has a brand new one in it. I still BSOD, so maybe it's not that. I've played some graphic-intensive games on it, such as Watch Dogs and GTA: V. I've also reinstalled the OS and updated most of my drivers (or at least believe I have through a driver updater program).

It does not matter if I'm playing a game, browsing the Internet, chatting in Steam, or just idling. For some reason or another, my Pc BSODs with IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL, SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION, PFN_LIST_CORRUPT, or some other BSOD error. I used to get a lot of TDR STOP ERRORs but these have ceased since the video card was changed. Lastly, my friends say it may be my RAM, but I'm not the kind of person to just pry open my PC and start exploring.

What I've tried to fix it:
-Taking it to a retailer
-Reinstalling the OS
-Updating the drivers
-Disabling McAfee (or at least trying to) (I have Avast too)
-Playing less hours (in case overheating is problem; my PC is an X51; it's very small)
-Cleaning the registry
-Defragging
-SFC /SCANNOW
-CHKDSK

What I haven't tried:
-Running a FULL Memtest (I did a few passes with no errors)
-Opening up the PC case
-"Playing" with RAM sticks
-Deleting McAfee from PC completely

Notable Behaviors:
-CPU pretty high (50-60C)
-After crash, Alienware's AlienFX process crashes and goes into Disabled Mode
-Screen freezes, followed by Blue Screen
-Playing a game in Unity Engine will cause immediate Blue Screen
-More than 4 IRQLs are mapped to the same # for hardware
-During crash, PC has a hard time making crash dumps

I hope you forum users can help me. I'm kind of at "wit's end". I'm considering making another trip back to the retailer or shipping it back to Dell/Alienware after buying an extended warranty (current one expired). The strangest thing is I'm able to play certain games, like APB: Reloaded and Depth, no problem but anything else will cause a crash. icnic:

NOTE #1: It says "OWNER" because I had my OS reinstalled while it was at the retailer.

NOTE #2: There may be a dump file that dates back to September. That is a remnant of the old BSOD problems before I took my PC to a retailer. During October, my PC was serviced at the retailer, so the other dump files record the BSOD problems AFTER it was serviced.

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Ok mate just for starters dump the MuckAfee ASAP - rubbish use the removal tool for doing that and if necessary delete any registry entries that may get left over - but back up the registry before you do that of course.

The memtest run it for at least 8 passes anything less you may as well not bother and use only this one
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/105647-ram-test-memtest86.html
the Windows feature is pretty pathetic.

Do that first and then we may have to move onto renewing the thermal compound etc

 

[Golden]

Start Menu\Programs\IObit Uninstaller	Public:Start Menu\Programs\IObit Uninstaller	Public
Start Menu\Programs\McAfee	Public:Start Menu\Programs\McAfee	Public

Uninstall the above applications.

*******************************************************************************
*                                                                             *
*                        Bugcheck Analysis                                    *
*                                                                             *
*******************************************************************************

Use !analyze -v to get detailed debugging information.

BugCheck 1A, {5003, fffff780c0000000, 4945, 4943000092aa}

*** WARNING: Unable to verify timestamp for aswMonFlt.sys
*** ERROR: Module load completed but symbols could not be loaded for aswMonFlt.sys
Probably caused by :[B][COLOR="Red"] aswMonFlt.sys[/COLOR][/B] ( aswMonFlt+9dea )

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

Uninstall Avast completely, reboot, then install MSE as a test and see if the system stays stable.

*******************************************************************************
*                                                                             *
*                        Bugcheck Analysis                                    *
*                                                                             *
*******************************************************************************

Use !analyze -v to get detailed debugging information.

BugCheck 116, {fffffa800d306010, fffff880055e3e90, ffffffffc000009a, 4}

Unable to load image \SystemRoot\system32\DRIVERS\nvlddmkm.sys, Win32 error 0n2
*** WARNING: Unable to verify timestamp for nvlddmkm.sys
*** ERROR: Module load completed but symbols could not be loaded for nvlddmkm.sys
Probably caused by : [B][COLOR="red"]nvlddmkm.sys[/COLOR][/B] ( nvlddmkm+8f0e90 )

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

start             end                 module name
fffff880`04cf3000 fffff880`057dc000   nvlddmkm T (no symbols)           
    Loaded symbol image file: nvlddmkm.sys
    Image path: \SystemRoot\system32\DRIVERS\nvlddmkm.sys
    Image name: nvlddmkm.sys
    Timestamp:        Sat[B][COLOR="red"] Aug 10 [/COLOR][/B]04:28:30 [B][COLOR="red"]2013[/COLOR][/B] (52053BD6)
    CheckSum:         00ABF6B7
    ImageSize:        00AE9000
    Translations:     0000.04b0 0000.04e4 0409.04b0 0409.04e4

Uninstall all NVidia products/drivers. Run Windows Update, and install the driver recommended in Optional Updates.

 

[SickOfTheBSOD]

Thanks for the replies. My McAfee expires in a few days and then I will remove it.

@Golden, I'll follow your instructions for uninstalling the Nvidia products/drivers. However, once I update to the latest version using Windows Update, how should I proceed for future updates? Should I just forget about Nvidia GeForce Experience and rely on WU by itself?

Damn, Avast too? Alright. Hopefully once this is resolved I can go back to Avast.

My last question is what is so bad about IOBitUninstaller? First the retailer repair team removed it and now you. Why is it so bad? (I will still remove it).

What is a good program to make sure most remnants will be removed when uninstalling another program?

@ICIT2LOL, my first thought was that it might have been the McAfee drivers, so I was planning on removing McAfee anyway. Once the time expires (couple of days) I'll get to it. I downloaded Memtest86+. I used MemTest to run my previous RAM check. Is there that much of a difference to the two?

@Both, thanks again for your suggestions. I'll get back to you with results in a couple of days.

 

[Golden]

Having multiple antivirus products resident at the same time is never a good thing. Avast is identified as one of the causes of the BSOD - reinstalling it will just make the BSOD return.

 

[SickOfTheBSOD]

Update on BSOD Analysis Status 12/28/15

Having multiple antivirus products resident at the same time is never a good thing. Avast is identified as one of the causes of the BSOD - reinstalling it will just make the BSOD return.

OK Golden and ICIT2LOL, I did the following:

1) Uninstalled McAfee
2) Uninstalled IOBit Uninstaller
3) Uninstalled Avast Antivirus
4) Updated Windows Defender
5) Scanned with Windows Defender
6) Installed Microsoft Security Essentials

1. Uninstalling McAfee:
a) Made a System Restore Point
b) Ran MCPR.exe
c) Restarted once complete
d) Checked for residuals (there ws a shortcut in StartUp; deleted it)
e) Checked Programs and McAfee did not show
f) Checked Search under Windows Search function; nothing came up
g) Deleted MVT from PC (had that to make sure McAfee was working properly one time)

Notes:
-I am not going to ply around with my registry if I don't know what I'm looking for. If you suggest I clean out my registry for traces of McAfee, please include details on what exactly to look for or an article Online that explains how to do so. The registry has been untouched.

2. Uninstalling IOBit:
a) Made a System Restore point
b) Uninstalled IOBit through Windows Add/Remove feature
c) Checked for Residuals (found some in the IOBit folder; removed/deleted it)
d) Checked again; found nothing (unless LiveUpdate is part of IOBit Uninstaller)

Notes:
-I have a program called Driver Booster by the same people who made IOBit U. Should I get rid of that too? I still want to know why IOBit U is so bad that I need to remove it. What program would you suggest then to take its place because it does a good job of deleting files that are left behind.

3. Uninstalling Avast:
a) Made a System Restore point
b) Ran avastclear.exe
c) Prompted to go into Safe Mode so I did
d) Rebooted after uninstallation
e) Checked for residuals (didn't find any)

Notes:
-I put MSSE on my PC now but I want to know exactly why Avast was causing me problems? I've read good things about it and I've heard good reviews of it.

4. Updating Windows Defender:
a) Was prompted to update it so I did
b) Scan completed

Notes:
-NONE

5. Scanning with Windows Defender:
a) Scanned with Windows Defender
b) Nothing harmful/malicious found
c) Rebooted

Notes:
-PC seems to be running a little faster and startup seems faster.

6. Installing MSSE:
a) Installed MSSE
b) Let it update (no problems)
c) Scanned PC (no problems detected)

Notes:
-While I was updating and going through the processes described, my PC was on for 15-30 minutes without a BSOD. This seems to be a good sign.




I see I still have some things to take care of:
-Test memory
-Remove/Uninstall all Nvidia products/Drivers; run WU and then update to driver specified.

I will get back to you with more info.

P.S: Updated the .ZIP of my PC for you to check if I missed anything described (specifically if I have some residuals I missed). Also to note, I typed all this form my PC while on the Internet. I'll keep testing my PC while I work on those other tasks.

P.P.S: What is the maximum amount of time a BSOD thread can stay open if a user has not confirmed the problem is solved yet? I'd like to know this so I can figure out a good test run and report back.

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Ok mate if you are not confident with the reg stuff then leave alone - it is quite simple once you get to know how to do it though, and as long as you keep a back up copy of it - it safeguards you making big mistakes. http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/4230-registry-backup-restore.html
Anyway if the bits left over from Iobits and whatever else you have removed are not causing any further problems the reg can stay as is. You might like to use this once everything has settled down it uses some reg changes and is written by one of the Admin staff who is just brilliant and it might give you some idea of reg things http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/11728-optimize-windows-7-a.html I follow this on all of my machines and it is surprising a) what you can learn from it and b) how much more efficient the machine runs.

 

[Golden]

I want to know exactly why Avast was causing me problems? I've read good things about it and I've heard good reviews of it.

Only the coders and programmers of Avasts will know that. Essentially Avast is conflicting with Windows to the point that it causes a crash. Why this only happens on some systems and not others is a mystery....perhaps even to Avast.

Iobit is not well regarded - search Google as to why that is, and form your own opinion.

This thread can open as long as you like, till you feel the BSOD has been solved.

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Agree with Golden and for what it is worth I have used IObits way back and it was a pig of a thing then and still is and used to be very hard to get rid of.

 

[axe0]

To the OP FYI

   Warning

Programs that claim to update your drivers install either the wrong or corrupted drivers.
If you have installed any driver with Driver Booster, please remove them as it may cause trouble.

 

[SickOfTheBSOD]

Ok mate if you are not confident with the reg stuff then leave alone - it is quite simple once you get to know how to do it though, and as long as you keep a back up copy of it - it safeguards you making big mistakes. http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/4230-registry-backup-restore.html
Anyway if the bits left over from Iobits and whatever else you have removed are not causing any further problems the reg can stay as is. You might like to use this once everything has settled down it uses some reg changes and is written by one of the Admin staff who is just brilliant and it might give you some idea of reg things http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/11728-optimize-windows-7-a.html I follow this on all of my machines and it is surprising a) what you can learn from it and b) how much more efficient the machine runs.

Thanks for this info. I will check over the registry and see if there are any remnants of IOBit if my PC BSODs again.

I want to know exactly why Avast was causing me problems? I've read good things about it and I've heard good reviews of it.

Only the coders and programmers of Avasts will know that. Essentially Avast is conflicting with Windows to the point that it causes a crash. Why this only happens on some systems and not others is a mystery....perhaps even to Avast.

Iobit is not well regarded - search Google as to why that is, and form your own opinion.

This thread can open as long as you like, till you feel the BSOD has been solved.

Alright. I'll accept that Avast just won't work on this PC. I have MSSE on it right now. What would you suggest then in place of IOBit? I heard Revo Uninstaller is a good choice.

Agree with Golden and for what it is worth I have used IObits way back and it was a pig of a thing then and still is and used to be very hard to get rid of.

OK, what would you suggest to take its place? I heard Revo Uninstaller mentioned a couple of times. I just want a program that can remove remnants better than the standard Windows "Remove/Uninstall Programs" option.

To the OP FYI

   Warning

Programs that claim to update your drivers install either the wrong or corrupted drivers.
If you have installed any driver with Driver Booster, please remove them as it may cause trouble.

That might be a problem. I updated a lot of drivers. If my Pc BSODs again, I will investigate further. I will cease using the program Driver Booster from this point on though. I was a little desperate when I started using it as I couldn't figure out what was causing the BSOD. Thanks everyone involved for helping me narrow down what the underlying causes could be. Before, I was completely in the dark about what was causing it.

Also, since I still nee to uninstall and reinstall the Nvidia drivers, I want to make sure I do it properly. What is the CORRECT way to do this? I'd rather not mess up my PC further through error. I've heard a couple of ways to remove driver software from Nvidia effectively. One of them involves DDU (Device Driver Uninstaller; originally Driver Sweeper). Would you recommend me to do it this way? Since this is the next step, I want to make sure I do this right so, if you can, please tell me how to a) uninstall correctly and b) how to install correctly just so I make sure I don't mess up anything further.

P.S: Here is an attached text file of my MemTest86+'s output on the screen. If I put anything up there that is considered private, I apologize. I just want to be as thorough as possible so that you can help me as much as you can. Thanks again, everyone.

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Thanks for the replies. My McAfee expires in a few days and then I will remove it.

@Golden, I'll follow your instructions for uninstalling the Nvidia products/drivers. However, once I update to the latest version using Windows Update, how should I proceed for future updates? Should I just forget about Nvidia GeForce Experience and rely on WU by itself?

Damn, Avast too? Alright. Hopefully once this is resolved I can go back to Avast.

My last question is what is so bad about IOBitUninstaller? First the retailer repair team removed it and now you. Why is it so bad? (I will still remove it).

What is a good program to make sure most remnants will be removed when uninstalling another program?

@ICIT2LOL, my first thought was that it might have been the McAfee drivers, so I was planning on removing McAfee anyway. Once the time expires (couple of days) I'll get to it. I downloaded Memtest86+. I used MemTest to run my previous RAM check. Is there that much of a difference to the two?

@Both, thanks again for your suggestions. I'll get back to you with results in a couple of days.

Sorry I missed that bit about the memtest if it was the one linked in that tutorial then yes it is the one to use but you must run it for at least 8 passes as I described before (I think).

 

[SickOfTheBSOD]

I'm currently testing my PC to see if anything else will bring up a BSOD. So far, so good. Was able to play GTA: Online for a good two hours. I'm also having luck idling my PC for 15-30 mins without problems.

I will monitor this for about a week and will then decide if the problem is fixed or not. Thank you all who were involved in helping me.

 

[SickOfTheBSOD]

EMERGENCY!!!

After a few very good test runs, I assumed my PC was good to go; however, when I went to turn it on today, it won't even boot!!! I don't know what to do! It just powers on, fan turns on, makes a beep, then shuts down; it will continue to do this until I cut power to it. I'm aware this isn't BSOD-related but I need help, otherwise it's another trip to the retail store. UGH!!!

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Hmm suspect a heat problem with the CPU myself is there any way you can see what the temps are running at?? If you can that may be there in the BIOS have a look and post back.

Just as matter of interest how fast do the fans spin at - if they spin extremely fast it would bear out my suspicions.

 

[Golden]

Check the BIOS beep codes for the motherboard on the Dell site - try to determine what a single beep means. That points to the error.

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Yep that is a point and the codes are here Understanding Beep Codes on a Dell Desktop PC | Dell US and if the one beep is anything to go by it looks to be motherboard or BIOS corruption.

 

[SickOfTheBSOD]

Thanks for the quick replies. Sorry to make it so urgent but I panicked again. I used to have this problem back when I was getting BSODs from the old GPU. So, after talking to the people who fixed my PC before, the supervisor explained it was a "boot loop error". I described to him exactly what happened and he told me that it could have been my RAM didn't "flush correctly" and had some temp files or something that weren't acting right. So, in other words, even though my PC had a clean shutdown, something in the RAM wasn't "cooperating", so I was instructed to power down (unplug, hold power button, "flush" all power out my PC).

So, my PC could not turn on during the afternoon; however, when I tried later last night, it booted up normally. I'm going to chalk this up as an "incomplete RAM flush" and call it a day. I will monitor this for the future and let you know if it happens again. As for the progress since you all helped me, my PC is working just as it used to. Thank you for the info and quick replies. I'll keep this up a little longer and then mark it solved if no other problems are encountered.

Is it possible that any further "boot loops" could be a result of a bad RAM stick?

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Absolutely in my book mate and it would be worth a try depending on what size sticks you have - if the problem starts up again try removing the sticks one by one and see if that makes any difference.

I am sure another memtest might be worth it too - never know if a previous one did not pick up anything - doubtful but possible as is everything.

 

[SickOfTheBSOD]

Update (1/16/16)

Hello all.

I've been quite busy and haven't really had any time to further update you all, but, I'm on my PC now and previous tests have shown normal operation.

One question before I "Mark as Solved" though:

If I encounter any further problems AFTER I mark this thread as solved, can I request it to be reopened?

If not, do I just make a new BSOD thread?

Thanks.