BSOD 0x7A, seemingly random

[Theblaze973]

So for the past few days, I have been utterly plagued by this BSOD, sometimes my computer freezes at startup, then startup repair does nothing, a chkdsk will find files fix them but then BSOD anyways. There is no consistency, except that there is a limited time before the BSOD and I ran for about 6 hours in normal windows without one (I restarted) and 12+ hours in safe mode (I restarted). Steps I have taken from threads I have read on this forum:

1) Memtest86+ runs perfectly fine for ~8 hours.
2) SeaGate SeaTool - all basic tests passed
3) Chkdsk /f - found errors, repaired them
4) CCleaner - registry cleanup
5) SFC /scannow - run 3 times with restarts in between
6) Configure windows to save minidumps - note: there are none that I can find
7) Malwarebytes full scan - clean
8) AntiVirus (Symantec Endpoint) Full Scan - clean
9) Uninstall Intel Rapid Storage Technology
10) Stop any overclocking (I only overclocked my GPU, I also disabled XMP on my RAM)
11) Disk Defrag

This leads me to believe it may be a driver or a program. I can't figure it out. This DOES NOT happen coming out of hibernation/sleep.

EDIT: I (as far as I can remember) get 0x7A Kernel_Inpage_Data_Error, usually if it doesn't flash by it says ntfs.sys

 

[Theblaze973]

Help?

 

[essenbe]

Theblaze973, unfortunately, you have no dump files, which is what we use to debug with. Either your computer did not create them or your use of cleaning tools deleted them which many will do by default, unless those items are deselected.

What seems obvious, is check disk finds errors when there should be none. Yet it keeps finding them. BSODs mentions NTFS file system. The problem, just from your description lies somewhere between the ram and your hard drive. At least that is the first place I would look. Memtest must be run for 8 complete passes before it runs a complete test. It won't run 8 complete passes in 8 hours. Norton is a cause of BSODs. You said you ran sfc /scannow for 3 times with reboots in between, but never said what the results were. So, if you would, please configure your computer for small memory dumps. Make sure you have a C:Windows Minidump folder. if not, create one. http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/174459-dump-files-configure-windows-create-bsod.html

Create a system restore point http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/697-system-restore-point-create.html

Next enable Driver Verifier

Driver Verifier - Enable and Disable
Run Driver Verifier for 24 hours or the occurrence of the next crash, whichever is earlier.

   Information

What is Driver Verifier:
It puts stress on the drivers, and therefore it makes the unstable drivers crash. Hopefully the driver that crashes is recorded in the memory dump.

How we know that DV is enabled:
It will make the system bit slow and sluggish.

   Warning

Before enabling DV, make it sure that you have earlier System restore points made in your computer. You can check it easily by using CCleaner looking at Tools > System Restore.

If there are no Restore points, make a System Restore Point manually before enabling DV.

   Tip

• If you fail to get on the Desktop because of DV, Boot into Advanced Boot Options > Safe mode. Disable DV there. Now boot normally again, and try following the instruction of enabling DV again.
• If you cannot boot in Safe mode too, do a System Restore to a point you made earlier.

Let us know the results, with the subsequent crash dumps, if any.

 

[Theblaze973]

Is there anything that would clean dumps without me running manually? I have not run any cleaning tools after the last few BSODs and my configuration (as per instructions found a few days ago) is below. Would RAM randomly have issues after only a year of use? When I first got it I did a 30 hour Memtest with no errors.

Result of SFC /scannow, the first one found and fixed corrupted files, the second and third didn't. and I just ran a fourth (after another BSOD today) with no errors. I'm going to run Memtest again (for longer) and report back. I don't see a point in pushing my system to BSOD (with DV) if it isn't logging anything. am obviously missing something.

 

[essenbe]

There is nothing in Windows that would automatically clean out dump files. Disk Cleanup would, if that option was checked as would CCleaner, but they both have to be run manually. If you have any of those Windows optimizers or other utilities that run automatically, they probably would and should be removed from your system anyway. they cause more problems than they solve. If you have McAfee or Norton installed, they might and they are both causes of BSODs in themselves. There are special removal tools for them, but it is very difficult to remove them in any case.

As far as the ram, I really can't say except that ram will occasionally go bad for unknown reasons. With the error reports I saw and what you described, I would look at the hard drive again too as well as Windows Updates. There were references to the NTFS file system and your reports of windows scanning the disks is in many cases a warning of a hard drive going bad.

Driver Verifier is supposed to make your system crash so the dump will catch the offending driver. It would be best to make sure your system will create dump files before enabling it.

 

[Theblaze973]

Memetest86+ 8 passes ~10 hours no errors. More BSODs, no minidumps still. It says on the BSOD that it is collecting data, then initializing then physical memory dump complete. Anyways, new errors:

0x7A once, then Chkdsk (It said something about a sector then my computer restarted and it ran againw tih no errors), then 0xF4 twice, then:

Stop c000021a {Fatal System Error}
Verification of a Knowndll failed. System thread has terminated with code:
0xC0000222 (0x4a5a450 0x0)

Then two more 0xF4s. Then my computer would not boot (in safe mode it froze at CI.dll). Then Startup repair failed to do anything twice. Then it said fixing disk errors and then my computer booted into safe mode.

I think I'm going to initiate an RMA with WD unless I can get minidumps working.

 

[essenbe]

If you still have driver verifier enabled, disable it. You may have to boot your Installation DVD or the repair CD. Restore to a previous point, which you should have created before enabling DV. See Option 2 http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/700-system-restore.html

you may also want to run Western digital's diagnostic test data Lifeguard for DOS WD Support / Downloads / SATA & SAS / WD Black instructions are there

If that won't work, use Seatools SeaTools for DOS | Seagate

Whichever one you can get to work, run the short and the long test.

 

[Theblaze973]

Screen just goes blank when I run the WD program from DOS. Following the WD instructions.

SeaTools for DOS can't find my HDD.

 

[essenbe]

There is no reason it should do that. Do you see anything to begin with? Your graphics should work just fine, just like in BIOS. The hard drive is not being used and the drivers are not being used. What happens when you boot from the CD?

 

[Theblaze973]

I was just putting in the CD now.

Following the Instructions for installation disc. It did not find my OS installation so I can't do a restore (which I did make/verify).

 

[essenbe]

Do you have an external drive? If you do, plug it in and boot from the DVD again, click through until you get to the page of 'where do you want to install windows' at the bottom under advanced options, push 'load drivers' you will get a dialogue screen. Find your hard drive and copy all of your personal files from your western Digital to the external drive. It should be a simple copy and paste. This is slightly different, but it works the same. http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/93347-copy-paste-windows-recovery-console.html

 

[Theblaze973]

I don't have an external with me, but I have my personal files backed up on an external I have access to this weekend.

Oh what the hell? It just found the installation and told me to run chkdsk.

The startup repair diagnosis/repair details shows this:

"Root cause found: System volume on disk is corrupt.
Repair action: File system repair (chkdsk)
Result: Completed succesfully
Time Taken: 138357 ms"

 

[Theblaze973]

I got to a system restore screen, it says I have no restore points.

 

[essenbe]

Try to boot into Windows, if you can get in, see option 2. It is easy to turn off.http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/101379-driver-verifier-enable-disable.html

 

[essenbe]

I think your drive is going or gone. The most important thing is to back up your personal files and your email, if you have it on your computer.

 

[Theblaze973]

My roommate is lending me his external. If I can back stuff up, do you think a format is worth a shot?

 

[essenbe]

Yes, I will tell you what to do. It will take several hours. But, If I was going to send My hard drive in for an RMA, I would want to know it is pretty darn clean of all the data on it.

 

[Theblaze973]

Yes, I will tell you what to do. It will take several hours. But, If I was going to send My hard drive in for an RMA, I would want to know it is pretty darn clean of all the data on it.

So right before I was going away for the weekend, I got access to my external HDD. I booted up my computer and instead of letting me choose startup repair, etc. All I got was:

"Disk read error.
Ctrl + Alt + Del to restart."

HDD is still recognized and listed in BIOS. So I tried to use a Linux LiveUSB to see if I could mount the HDD and Ubuntu 14/Lucid Puppy Linux can't find the drive. I tried launching of Windows 7 installation disc (to try the transfer files as you linked previously) and it can't find my drive either.

At this point, I found out that I have most of my computer backed up to an external (back up from August 24, so all it is missing is some music I have on another computer/some anime). Is there any way I can wipe the drive?

 

[essenbe]

I seriously doubt it. Disconnect all other drives except that one. Just disconnect 1 cable from them will be fine. Boot from the installation disk, the first window will be 'select your Language', don't select it, hold down the Shift Key and while holding it down, press F10. You will get a command prompt window. In the command prompt type diskpart and press enter. In a couple of seconds, it will reply diskpart, type list disk and press enter. If it sees your disk it will list it with a number next to it on the left side, because you only have the 1 disk connected, it should be disk 0 (the number 0) type select disk 0 and press enter, it should come back and say disk 0 is the selected disk. Type clean all and press enter. If you get this far, and it works, it will take several hours. What it is doing is writing zeros to every sector on the disk. It will look like it is doing nothing, but it is. If it runs into an error, which I suspect it will, it will tell you. If it does not tell you that an error occurred, it will take 5 or 6 hours or maybe more to complete. If it completes, someone will have to want your info real bad to be able to get it. Try that and see what happens. If Linux can't see it and Windows recovery console can't see it, I honestly don't think it will work, but it's worth a try. But, once you do that, there will be no data recovery from it by you.

 

[Theblaze973]

There are no fixed disks to show. I guess I just wait for my new HDD and that's it. Right now I am so glad I spent the extra money ($5) on a WD drive to get the longer warranty.

Thanks for all the time you spent trying to help me solve my problem.