BSOD at random intervals, no specific pattern even after clean install

[CliveK]

What manufacturer and model of motherboard do you have.

you should have an option for dram timings and dram voltage.

ASUS P5N-D motherboard.

Yes, there are options but the RAM does not state the timings and the voltage it does state is less than any option available in the BIOS.

 

[essenbe]

For future reference, your motherboard drivers, bios updates and manual can be found here. Optimized defaults is found under the exit menu, or by pressing F5. I'll update this post in a minute.

The lowest voltage for ram listed in the manual is 1.850 If your voltage is 1.80 like in the CPUz screenshots, 1.850 is fine.

 

[CliveK]

For future reference, your motherboard drivers, bios updates and manual can be found here. Optimized defaults is found under the exit menu, or by pressing F5. I'll update this post in a minute.

The lowest voltage for ram listed in the manual is 1.850

Thanks. I'd used Ctrl+F to find 'optimized' but couldn't. And yes, but the RAM says 1.8 on the sticker.

 

[essenbe]

In your bios, I think it is called set up default. F5 should bring it up. Then set the boot order, ram timings and voltage, and look at the sata mode to see what it is.

And never be afraid to ask questions. We don't mind a bit. I would rather you ask, than do something wrong, then have to fix it. The only dumb question is the one you didn't ask.

 

[CliveK]

In your bios, I think it is called set up default. F5 should bring it up. Then set the boot order, ram timings and voltage, and look at the sata mode to see what it is.

And never be afraid to ask questions. We don't mind a bit. I would rather you ask, than do something wrong, then have to fix it. The only dumb question is the one you didn't ask.

Brilliant, thank you!

Right. Set defaults, set the boot order and changed the DRAM voltage. I have attached the sata screenshot beneath but cannot find out what timings to set to my RAM.

View attachment 242229

 

[Britton30]

Can you post a snap of the boot priority screen?
Is the OS on the OCZ drive?

 

[CliveK]

Can you post a snap of the boot priority screen?
Is the OS on the OCZ drive?

View attachment 242234

The OS is on the OCZ solid state, yes.

 

[essenbe]

Do you have an option of choosing which hard disk? You have 2.

 

[Britton30]

OK, in his first Essenbe said to set the CDROM as the first boot device. This shows it is the HDD.

Try changing the !st device to CDROM, 2nd to HDD.

You should have the SSD attached to SATA1 and the CDROM IDE connected so it is the Master, usually the very end of the ribbon cable.

 

[CliveK]

Do you have an option of choosing which hard disk? You have 2.

Nope. That's the thing. The screenshot shows the options I have - of which it just states 'Hard Disk'. I thought the OCZ might be loose but it's not and it still registers in the BIOS as attached.

Most confusing!!

In the Boot menu it gives you the opportunity to change the order of the Hard Disk Drives but I'm not sure this would work.

 

[CliveK]

OK, in his first Essenbe said to set the CDROM as the first boot device. This shows it is the HDD.

Try changing the !st device to CDROM, 2nd to HDD.

You should havs the SSD attached to SATA1 and the CDROM IDE connected so it is the Master, usually the very end of the ribbon cable.

Right. I've altered the priority as suggested. Still no luck.

So shall I swap the SATA1 and 2 around and move the slave to master?

 

[Britton30]

Yessir. Then in Boot order, set the HDD order so the SSD is first.

 

[essenbe]

Try going to boot options and select hard disk and press enter and see if you have the option to chose which hard drive.

View attachment 242235

 

[essenbe]

OK, in his first Essenbe said to set the CDROM as the first boot device. This shows it is the HDD.

Try changing the !st device to CDROM, 2nd to HDD.

You should have the SSD attached to SATA1 and the CDROM IDE connected so it is the Master, usually the very end of the ribbon cable.

Gary, in the screenshot in post #65 it shows no master, the slave is the DVD and the OCZ is sata 2

CliveK, I would also enable hard drive smart monitoring seen in that same screenshot.

 

[Britton30]

I saw that Steve, which why I suggested the change so the one CDROM is Master.

 

[CliveK]

Yessir. Then in Boot order, set the HDD order so the SSD is first.

I swapped the SATA connections over but not the master/slave.

There doesn't seem to be a way to change the HDD order.

 

[CliveK]

Try going to boot options and select hard disk and press enter and see if you have the option to chose which hard drive.

View attachment 242235

It's not possible, unfortunately.

 

[CliveK]

Right. Cables swapped over but SATA order hasn't swapped - suggests I have done it wrong. I merely swapped the positions of the bunch of wires reading 'SATA' on the head between the HDDs.

I've set up the smart monitoring, too. Still the black screen with cursor.

So, do I attempt to make the CD Master, too or not?

 

[Britton30]

What is shown under each of the items outlined?

View attachment 242239

 

[CliveK]

Boot Device Priority:

1st - CDROM
2nd - Hard Disk
3rd - Disabled
4th - Disabled

HDD
Sata 1 - Samsung HD103SJ
Sata 2 - OCZ-AGILITY3

CDROM
1st Slave - HL-DT-ST DVDRAM GSA-4163B

Boot Settings Configuration
Case Open Warning - Enabled
Quick Boot - Enabled
Boot Up Floppy Seek - Disabled
Bootup Num-Lock - On
Typematic Rate Setting - Disabled
x Typematic Rate (Chars/Sec) - 6
Typematic Delay (Msec) - 250
OS Select for DRAM > 64MB - Non-OS2
Full Screen LOGO - Enabled
Halt On - All Errors