BSOD. Any clues please?

[martinlest]

I occasionally get this BSOD. I'd be grateful if anyone can analyse it on my behalf.

I use this PC almost exclusively for MS Flight Simulator and suspect it may be caused by a buggy sound driver (though wouldn't swear to it). I get a loud, rapid-fire, 'road drill'-like sound through the speakers whilst the BSOD is up. The PC runs Win7 x64, full retail version. I haven't reinstalled the OS in the last 18 months - which is about the age of the PC.

I have a utility installed called 'Who Crashed', which reports:

On Thu 07/06/2012 05:06:02 GMT your computer crashed
crash dump file: C:\Windows\Minidump\060712-13993-01.dmp
This was probably caused by the following module: ntoskrnl.exe (nt+0x7F1C0)
Bugcheck code: 0xC5 (0xC593C30, 0x2, 0x0, 0xFFFFF800033B69BC)
Error: DRIVER_CORRUPTED_EXPOOL
file path: C:\Windows\system32\ntoskrnl.exe
product: Microsoft® Windows® Operating System
company: Microsoft Corporation
description: NT Kernel & System
Bug check description: This indicates that the system attempted to access invalid memory at a process IRQL that was too high.
This appears to be a typical software driver bug and is not likely to be caused by a hardware problem. This might be a case of memory corruption. More often memory corruption happens because of software errors in buggy drivers, not because of faulty RAM modules.
The crash took place in the Windows kernel. Possibly this problem is caused by another driver which cannot be identified at this time.

Anyway, thanks for any help. Report attached.

Martin

 

[writhziden]

The crash you uploaded was DirectX/graphics card related. DirectX comes installed with Windows, so this may indicate Windows corruption. It may also be that you have corrupted drivers or a graphics card hardware problem.

• If you are overclocking any hardware, please stop.
  
  
• Check Windows for corruption. Run http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1538-sfc-scannow-command-system-file-checker.html up to three times to fix all errors with a restart in between each. Post back if it continues to show errors after a fourth run or if the first run comes back with no integrity violations. Use OPTION THREE of http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1538-sfc-scannow-command-system-file-checker.html to provide us with the sfcdetails.txt file if errors occur.

Follow the steps for Diagnosing basic problems with DirectX. To re-install your display card drivers as outlined in the DirectX link, use the following steps.

1. Download the drivers you want for your display card(s)
2. Click Start Menu
3. Click Control Panel
4. Click Uninstall a program
5. For NVIDIA:
   • Uninstall the NVIDIA Graphics Driver (this should uninstall all NVIDIA software and drivers)
   • Restart your computer
   • Make sure NVIDIA 3D Vision Driver, NVIDIA 3D Vision Video Player, NVIDIA HD Audio Driver, and NVIDIA PhysX System Software are not still listed under Uninstall a program through Control Panel
   • If any remain of the above, uninstall one at a time
   • If asked to restart after uninstalling any of the above, do so, and continue uninstalling any remaining NVIDIA items until all are removed
6. Restart your computer after uninstalling drivers for all display cards
7. Install the driver you selected for the display cards once Windows starts

Remember to try multiple versions of the graphics drivers, download them fresh, and install the freshly downloaded drivers.


Also, please refrain from using

Start Menu\Programs\Advanced Disk Cleaner	Public:Start Menu\Programs\Advanced Disk Cleaner	Public

for the duration of troubleshooting. It is probably deleting other .dmp files you've had that may have helped pinpoint the problem easier.

 

[martinlest]

Thank you very much for the reply.

My CPU is overclocked - the PC was set up like this by the manufacturer and has been stable at 3.8GHz since I got it 18 months ago. If the price is an occasional BSOD, then I can live with that. At 3.8GHz MS Flight Simulator runs beautifully smoothly. Without the overclock it's not quite so impressive..

I will investigate the drivers issue. I have not updated the drivers for a long while, mostly because I have found that many drivers will not retain my nVidia Control Panel settings after a reboot - I set the colour options to rather darker and with a little more contrast - a much better effect than the default. With many drivers I found that these settings go back to default every time I reboot. Anyway, I will investigate this.

I only use the disc cleaner periodically, and won't do so when troubleshooting this. I removed three dump files manually before uploading the information to this page: they were from last February and earlier and I guessed therefore irrelevant to the BSOD I just had.

By the way, I consider myself reasonably 'advanced' in my knowledge of PC software/hardware. How would I learn to analyze these dump files myself, to get to the same conclusions you have? Would it be a really steep learning curve? Where can I learn more? I did Google this but haven't come up with much of consequence yet.

Thanks again,

Martin

 

[kegobeer]

If you want to learn, here's a good place to start.

Crash and lockup debug 'How To' - Windows 7 Forums

Overclocking generates more heat, which in turn leads to an earlier death. It's conceivable that 18 months of overclocking may have damaged the CPU.

 

[martinlest]

Thanks.

As for the heat generated by overclocking, the CPU cooler is super-efficient and the case is always relatively cool - the air blown out is never more than just warm, and I use the PC in an air-conditioned room. All CPU diagnostic tests show no problem (and the i7-950 is well-known to be a great overclocker), but no one would deny the truth of what you say of course.

M

 

[writhziden]

How often do you clean the dust out of the system? Dust is a huge problem with overclocked hardware, which is why I ask.

 

[martinlest]

Post back if it continues to show errors after a fourth run or if the first run comes back with no integrity violations.

Good point - it is overdue that I check the dust, but I am moving away from Thailand in a few weeks and as the PC is a pain to haul out and inspect, I am waiting until I pack it away for the move to do this.

Meanwhile, re. above, two SFC checks (from elevated command prompts) show no violations... Have downloaded latest nVidia drivers but have not gone about installing them yet..

Martin

 

[writhziden]

Your dust steps are understandable, but still advised when you are able.

Good news on the SFC scan. Let us know how the display card drivers work out if/when you end up doing that step.

 

[martinlest]

Yes, will do.

M

 

[martinlest]

I installed the latest (non-beta) drivers, 8.17.12.9573 for the GTX470. I'll see how things go - all looks fine at the moment. Got a restore point just in case..

As for the BSODs, they were very rare as I said, so unless they become more frequent (please, not) then I won't be able to draw any conclusions any time soon. In under 2 months I am moving from Thailand to Greece, so the PC will be packed away for some months I guess until I can get it across to my new abode...

Martin

 

[writhziden]

That's alright. We'll be around whenever you are able to determine whether the problem was solved or not. Keep us updated.