ASUS CM5571 - Random Blue Screen Memory dump problem

[CaesarTheHun]

Hi Guys,
I'm new here. Bought this ASUS CM5571 6 months ago and like it a lot, except when every once in a while crashes , blue memory dump screen comes up for a few seconds ... not enough time to read the whole page.
Restarts... windows 7 finds no online solution for the problem. That's how I got here.
The crash is random. Sometimes nothing for weeks, sometimes 2-3 times a day. Little frustrating. I have another same model at my workplace with the same symptoms.

I attached the minidump.rar file for those who can read it....
Thanks for any help in advance

I don't know how to insert specifications from my profile here. Sorry!

 

[usasma]

You got lucky! Usually uploading just one minidump will result in a request for the rest of them (in the C:\Windows\Minidump folder). But it appears that the single minidump has identified the culprit.

It blames L1E62x64.sys - a driver component of your Atheros AR8121/AR8113/AR8114 PCI-E Ethernet Controller (NDIS6.20). It's most likely a driver problem, so let's try to remedy that first....

First, go to this link and download the driver under the "LAN" heading: ASUSTeK Computer Inc.-Support- It's the one that's labeled " Atheros AR8121/AR8113/AR8114 PCI-E Ethernet Controller V1.0.0.37 for Windows 32/64 bit XP(WHQL). "
Then, uninstall your current drivers using Control Panel...Programs...Uninstall a program
Then install the freshly downloaded drivers and monitor for further BSOD's.

Here's a summary of the BSOD:

Built by: 7600.16539.amd64fre.win7_gdr.100226-1909
Debug session time: Sat May 29 09:13:32.177 2010 (GMT-4)
System Uptime: 0 days 1:22:28.128
BugCheck A, {fffff880054420a4, 2, 0, fffff80002c7f616}
*** WARNING: Unable to verify timestamp for L1E62x64.sys
*** ERROR: Module load completed but symbols could not be loaded for L1E62x64.sys
Probably caused by : L1E62x64.sys ( L1E62x64+76b8 )
BUGCHECK_STR:  0xA
PROCESS_NAME:  firefox.exe

 

[CaesarTheHun]

Hello usasma,
First of all thanks for your time and help!
I did follow your recommendation with a little change. Meaning :

1. I visited : ASUSTeK Computer Inc.-Support- and downloaded the AtherosPCI-E_V10037_V10043_V10016.zip file what I found under the expandable LAN section.

2. "Then, uninstall your current drivers using Control Panel...Programs...Uninstall a program" I did not find this entry in the Programs and Features section so I went to Start->Computer(right click)->Manage-> In the Computer Management window picked Device Manager->Network Adapters-> Atheros AR8121/AR8113/AR8114 PCI-E Ethernet Controller( right click) ->Uninstall

3. Unpack AtherosPCI-E_V10037_V10043_V10016.zip -> Read the Readme file in Lan folder. Run setup.exe it lead me to this error message :

4. Not having internet because of the removed LAN controller I rolled back my system to a previous working stage. Start-> All Programs->Accessories->System Tools->System Restore

---------------------------------
What else can I try? What did I miss?
Thanks

 

[usasma]

Open up Device Manager and expand the Network Adapters category
What does it say there?
Right click on the device and select Properties, then the Details tab
In the dropdown box, select Hardware ID.
Let us know the 4 characters immediately after the VEN_ and the 4 characters immediately after the DEV_
We'll look them up online and see what exact adapter you have.

 

[CaesarTheHun]

Here we go! It crashed on me yesterday as well. Once. Thanks

 

[usasma]

The screen shot says that you have an AR8121/AR8113 PCI-E Ethernet Controller made by Atheros
That is exactly the card that you downloaded drivers for.
Therefore, there's likely to be an issue with the card itself.

I would suggest purchasing an ethernet card that you can return. They're fairly cheap at most retailers - around $15 (US). If the system is under warranty, I'd suggest having it repaired that way.

 

[CaesarTheHun]

I'm not really familiar with the hardware parts unfortunately, but what you are basically suggest that the ethernet card (Brand name : Atheros) is physically damaged and needs to be repared. This is a 6 months old computer and this sympthome goes back to the very first day I bought it. :-( I'll contact Asus and will see what I can do. Otherwise just walk to a computer store and ask for a ethernet card?
It crashed on me again mulitiple times since yesterday. I attached the dump file for verification.
Thanks

 

[usasma]

6 months old? Yes, it's still under warranty if purchased new.

You'll have to look in the case to see what kind of slots that you have (unless the store is close and has a return policy).

PCI slot: Conventional PCI - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
PCI-E slot: PCI Express - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (compares to PCI in the picture)

 

[CaesarTheHun]

You won't believe what happened yesterday. My computer knee down...I have no idea whether these things are related, but I was installing Quick books 2010 Pro updates went slow....so left it alone, used my other computer. Once without asking I could here it restarts.. .I thought - naively - it restarted automatically because of the updates. C Drive Disappeared. OOOOuuuuuch!!!!!
Inserted the boot media Device for repairing the boot sector.It did managed it somehow.( Not even Norton ghost 15.0 found the C destination drive to restore your drive!!!!!) I was able to get into safe mood. Deleted the temporary files I knew about. Started normal mode after that... look everything normal again... I had the C drive OS . Started my outpost internet security suite for deep scanning viruses. It stuck at the temprorary folder what quickbooks created for the upload. So it got suspicious. Tried to get into that temp folder to see what's up and delete the content possibly and stopping the virusscan. Freeze! Cold boot by the power botton...
BIOS sees it , but right know only black screen and asks for the right media device and Ctrl+Alt+Del
Googled the problem it is not hardware related ... I mean....the motherboard and the hard drive don't talk anymore...
Any recommendation? Start a new thred possibly?

 

[usasma]

Nope, keep everything in this thread - that way we'll have all the info in one place!
MTF after I research a bit.....

 

[usasma]

OK, let's start with these free, bootable diagnostics:

H/W Diagnostics:
Please start by running these bootable hardware diagnostics:
Memory Diagnostics (read the details at the link)
HD Diagnostic (read the details at the link)

Then, try Startup Repair according to this guide: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/681-startup-repair.html

If those pass, post back and we'll try and figure out something else!

 

[CaesarTheHun]

So.... Tried to figure out who could solve the problem... Contacted Asus (online chat support is down) but surprisingly nice telephone technicians. I bought these computers from BestBuy 6 months and the other one like 1 month ago.Left the original hard drive untouched ( Wiindows 7 Home 64 bit). Inserted an extra one and set up for Windows 7 Ultimate 64 bit. Boths of them nice, clean Retail 64 bit Windows 7 ultimate. Since I have them both of them this memory dumb, crash issue. See attached .rar file.The Asus tech told me to take the tower to the BestBuy Geek Squad for diagnose and fixing the problem.
Back to the crashed hard drive. It booted again just before I was ready to take it back to BestBuy. I restored the system back to a couple of days early stage. Start scanning with Outpost Internet security. I'll give you the details of it and do the diagnostic as you suggested and will back to you with the details.

How is once I have a normal boot and then C disappears and then it is ok again???? Wierd.
Thanks

 

[usasma]

Check for PM....

Dump file blames your Atheros network card - again.

 

[CaesarTheHun]

Hey usasma,
Sorry for the recent disappearance.
I did as you suggested with the H/W Diagnostics.
I executed the step by step bootable memory diagnostic overnight as it was suggested. Result -> *** Pass complete, no errors, preww ESC to Exit ***
I run the HD diagnostic as well.... but wasn't sure I did it right. I'll get back to you with the photo image about it.
Two days ago my hard drive start giving me these click, click .... brrrrrrrrrr sounds.... again and again. Wanted to do a NORTON Ghost back up and it said I have really bad sectors and unable to make the image back up.
I was prepared with a quick die. Next restart windows seven run a boot sector diagnostic.... and since then ( 2 days = 3-4 restarts) have no cracking sound at all haven't even the memory dump thing appeared just yet.
I'm sure they are not gone.... just waiting for the most inconvenient time to crash the whole thing

 

[usasma]

Regardless of the results of the hard drive diagnostics - you have reason to suspect that the hard drive is dying.
Backup anything and everything that you can as there's no telling when it'll finally die for good.

Since it's under warranty, get them to fix it. I wonder if there's a motherboard problem instead of just a hard drive problem (because of the Atheros issues).

 

[CaesarTheHun]

The failing hard drive is not the one what came with the computer. I added my own and installed the OS.
I don't store anything on the C. Even the system was backed up with norton ghost like a month ago. I've already ordered the new hard drive.
Motherboard? how could we figure that out?

 

[usasma]

If the hard drive isn't part of the warranty package - then remove it and put the original hard drive in.
Then test to see if you get any further BSOD's.
Upload them here for us to have a look at.

My suspicion about the motherboard was because of the dying hard drive and the possible hardware problem with the network card (2 failures = most likely an issue with the lowest common denominator (the mobo))
I didn't recall that the hard drive wasn't a part of the original package.

 

[penfold007]

mini dumps

been having blue screens and tried everything trying to open the minidumps to find out why, but as yet have not been able to open one???
can anyone help???

 

[Tews]

[1 - Novice] How to ask for help with a BSOD problem

 

[ahstanford]

I can confirm this issue.

I've been posting on these forums here and there for a while, and came across this thread via a Google search. I also run the CM5571 and I also get random BSOD's with same specs and dumps pointing at the Atheros card. (check my past threads for dumps indicating the same thing)

Thing is, looking around the inside of the machine it doesn't seem to have a separate network card, but instead appears to be onboard. That said, I'm beginning to wonder if this is an issue with the mainboards that run in these machines. I'm replacing my mainboard and CPU next month - going with an ASRock P55 1156 mainboard and a core i5 750. If it is indeed the mainboard, I imagine that would resolve the problem.

About Asus - I've been a fan of their products for a long time. The door on the front of this PC broke in the first month and has random BSOD's. Contacting Asus results in the same "take it to Best Buy" non-sense which is ridiculous considering I'd not let one of the random morons at my local Best But touch anything I own. The fact that I'm going ASRock for a motherboard rather than Asus going forward is a good indication of my current opinion on Asus as a whole.