Solved A range of BSOD problems coming from a faulty piece of hardware

[Trini]

Hello Everybody,

Sorry for this being long but it should cover everything. See attached for BSOD zip files.

I have a Windows 7 32 Bit Toshiba Satellite A500 Laptop. Basic specs are a 500GB Toshiba Hard drive, 8GB of Ram, Intel Core 2 Duo P7450 CPU, Insyde H20 Version 1.8 Bios and a NVIDIA GeForce GT 230M graphics card. I use Avast Antivirus Free, Zone Alarm Firewall and Windows Defender for security.

For the past 6 months, i have been getting random BSODs. It started as once in a while but it started to get frequent as the months passed. I would get 3-4 BSODs on “cold start” while windows is loading before logging into it, and then the system would run ok for about a 2-3 hrs and then BSODs again.

I enabled boot logging to figure out the startup BSODs and i found that some of the errors were caused by the driver intelppm.sys. I disabled the driver and it ran ok for about 2 months but then more random BSODs. If i enable intelppm.sys, BSODs get worse so it is disabled for now.

Symptoms:

I would have to keep turning the power switch on/off 4-5 times since it gets stuck on POST on cold start.

When I get past this, I would have to leave the computer on the BIOS menu or Windows Startup options menu for about 10-15 minutes to warm the computer where I could then proceed to windows. On cold start, it restarts 2-3 times while windows is loading, or even if I do reach windows, i would get a random BSOD. By this time, the computer gets warm so I would not have this particular problem until the next cold start.

When I am on Windows, I may not have problems for 2-3 hrs then I would get some random programs crashing like Google Chrome, Firefox, Flash Player (While on YouTube), Microsoft Word and Windows Media Player while i’m using it. This would then graduate to BSODs.

Computer hangs after waking from sleep mode. BSODs from a cold start hibernation.

The audio driver crashes once in a while when playing audio where I would have to go to device manager to disable and enable it to run again.

Windows Explorer tends to malfunction causing some graphics distortions where I would be forced to restart.

My synaptics touchpad seems to malfunction occasionally.

BSODs while logged on to windows tends to happen often while I am connected to the internet. It triggers a lot while using Google Chrome. Offline it may trigger while using Windows Media Player or even on idle - (maybe a background program initiates triggering a BSOD)

Would get a random restart on Safe Mode.

Updates & Tests That I Ran:

Have the latest Windows 7 updates and all drivers including the BIOS are updated.

My processor runs on temperatures between 60-70 degrees Celcius. On intel’s website, the processor’s maximum temperature is 90 degrees so I am in the safe range.

Ran Antivirus and Malware scan which are all updated, no problems.

Did a fresh “clean” install of Windows 7, same problems

Prime 95 – Ran for a few hrs, no problems.

OCCT – No problems

Windows 7 Memory Test – No Problems

Memtest86 – Ran for 8+ hrs, no problems

Windows Chekdisk – No errors

Seatools for Windows – All passed.

Ran Driver Verifier – No problems

Disabled several drivers including Audio, Video and Wireless drivers – Same problems but less frequent as this time I would not be online.

DPC Latency Checker – High latency on wireless card (Realtek RTL8191SE 802.11n PCI-E NIC) which causes “popping” noises and delays when playing audio. This happens especially while browsing the web. No problems with this card otherwise.

Suspects:

CPU – I have a strong feeling this is the culprit. I figure a bad CPU would hang a computer on POST, the processor have to “warm up” to work and i guess any programs that are CPU intensive, such as Google Chrome would cause a BSOD. All this and yet it passes stress tests.

PSU – I never tested the PSU and i am aware that a faulty PSU can cause all kinds of errors mentioned above including a malfunctioning CPU. I am planning to switch to another CPU. If this fails, the PSU is next.

Display Card – I doubt it but right now the NVIDIA display card is disabled and the laptop is running on the windows basic driver but still got 2-3 BSODs after no problems for 3 hours.

Wireless Device – I doubt this is also but it causes latency issues while playing audio where most of the BSODs are caused while browsing the web.

All BSOD information is attached.

Thank you for helping me get through this! All contributions are welcome

 

[matts6887]

I believe you are right in suspecting a bad cpu as a possible culprit because if memory serves correct; if and when a cpu starts failing; it will generate quite a few bsod's like the ones you have uploaded because its the processor which is the main heart of the system other than the system board. I would definitely switch out cpu's if you know how to do it carefully. And yes after that definitely test the psu.

 

[Trini]

I believe you are right in suspecting a bad cpu as a possible culprit because if memory serves correct; if and when a cpu starts failing; it will generate quite a few bsod's like the ones you have uploaded because its the processor which is the main heart of the system other than the system board. I would definitely switch out cpu's if you know how to do it carefully. And yes after that definitely test the psu.

Thank you Matts6887 for going through my post. Yeah i'm going to do a CPU switch next week. Did you go thru the BSOD files i uploaded by chance?

 

[Golden]

BugCheck 124's are difficult to solve and almost always hardware-related.

If you suspect the CPU, follow this and report the results:
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/220743-cpu-stress-test-using-intelburntest.html

BUGCHECK_STR:  CLOCK_WATCHDOG_TIMEOUT_2_PROC

CUSTOMER_CRASH_COUNT:  1

DEFAULT_BUCKET_ID:  WIN7_DRIVER_FAULT

PROCESS_NAME:  [COLOR=Red][B]AvastSvc.exe[/B][/COLOR]

CURRENT_IRQL:  1c

ANALYSIS_VERSION: 6.3.9600.16384 (debuggers(dbg).130821-1623) amd64fre

BugCheck 1000008E, {c0000005, 8346269f, abcdf51c, 0}

*** WARNING: Unable to verify timestamp for [B][COLOR=Red]aswSnx.sys[/COLOR][/B]
*** ERROR: Module load completed but symbols could not be loaded for aswSnx.sys
*** WARNING: Unable to verify timestamp for vsdatant.sys
*** ERROR: Module load completed but symbols could not be loaded for vsdatant.sys
Probably caused by : aswSnx.sys ( aswSnx+188c5 )

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

WinDBG shows Avast as a culprit. Uninstall and replace with MSE

 

[Trini]

BugCheck 124's are difficult to solve and almost always hardware-related.

If you suspect the CPU, follow this and report the results:
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/220743-cpu-stress-test-using-intelburntest.html

BUGCHECK_STR:  CLOCK_WATCHDOG_TIMEOUT_2_PROC

CUSTOMER_CRASH_COUNT:  1

DEFAULT_BUCKET_ID:  WIN7_DRIVER_FAULT

PROCESS_NAME:  [COLOR=Red][B]AvastSvc.exe[/B][/COLOR]

CURRENT_IRQL:  1c

ANALYSIS_VERSION: 6.3.9600.16384 (debuggers(dbg).130821-1623) amd64fre

BugCheck 1000008E, {c0000005, 8346269f, abcdf51c, 0}

*** WARNING: Unable to verify timestamp for [B][COLOR=Red]aswSnx.sys[/COLOR][/B]
*** ERROR: Module load completed but symbols could not be loaded for aswSnx.sys
*** WARNING: Unable to verify timestamp for vsdatant.sys
*** ERROR: Module load completed but symbols could not be loaded for vsdatant.sys
Probably caused by : aswSnx.sys ( aswSnx+188c5 )

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

WinDBG shows Avast as a culprit. Uninstall and replace with MSE

Hello Golden,

Thank you for your input! I ran Intelburntest and is either 2 things happened:

1. Intelburntest would freeze within 10 seconds and then a BSOD. (Bugcheck 124)

2. An error message that linpackexe has stopped working. When i do restart the program, i'll get #1.

It even happened on safe mode.

This is more proof that the CPU is failing. I did shut down avast and keep getting BSODs with different bugchecks. When i switch my CPU i will update you all.

Thanks!

 

[Golden]

The fact that IBT doesn't complete is almost certainly evidence of a problematic CPU or poor CPU cooling.....do yourself a favour and reapply the thermal paste and cooler before you purchase a new CPU. This might be all that is needed.

 

[Trini]

I forgot to update this.

The CPU wasn't the problem. It was in fact the GPU instead. Hope this helps someone.

Thank you everyone for your help.

 

[Golden]

The CPU wasn't the problem.

You should run IBT again to be sure...if it doesn't pass you might still have a CPU/CPU cooling problem.