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

[Britton30]

To verify RAM is bad you'll need to test each stick in each slot to rule out a bad board. 7 passes each time unless you have even one error, you can stop and go on.

 

[Dave76]

Agree with Britton30, when you get errors with all RAM cards installed you need to run memtest86+ on one RAM card at a time, follow the procedure in the tutorial linked previously. You can stop the test if you get any errors, one is too many.

Sometimes RAM errors can be stopped by making some BIOS adjustments.

Can you download CPUZ and post a snip of the CPU, Mainboard, Memory, and SPD tabs.
For posting the information , enter 'Snipping tool' in the Start button > Search box, hit enter. Select the area you want to post and save to a convenient place.
How to Post a Screenshot in Seven Forums
Go to your BIOS and tell us what the CPU, RAM and the CPU integrated memory controller voltages are.

Use Real Temp , to check the CPU temps when at idle, under load and/or testing.
Let us know the minimum and maximum temps you get.

From your System Event Logs:
This usually indicates the CPU is overheating.
When was the last time you re-applied the CPU thermal paste?

Event[24146]:
  Log Name: System
  Source: Microsoft-Windows-Kernel-Power
  Date: 2012-11-13T14:06:40.579
  Event ID: 89
  Task: N/A
  Level: Information
  Opcode: Info
  Keyword: N/A
  User: S-1-5-18
  User Name: NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM
  Computer: Clive-PC
  Description: 
[COLOR="Red"]ACPI thermal zone ACPI\ThermalZone\THRM has been enumerated. [/COLOR]            
_PSV = 346K             
_TC1 = 4             
_TC2 = 3             
_TSP = 6000ms             
_AC0 = 346K             
_AC1 = 0K             
_AC2 = 0K             
_AC3 = 0K             
_AC4 = 0K             
_AC5 = 0K             
_AC6 = 0K             
_AC7 = 0K             
_AC8 = 0K             
_AC9 = 0K             
_CRT = 348K             
_HOT = 0K             
_PSL - see event data.

 

[CliveK]

Right. I removed the old RAM and I had no BSODs in two whole days! But now it's back to its old tricks. Very annoying.

Here are the screenshots, bearing in mind that they only feature the two identical newer RAM:

View attachment 242122
View attachment 242123
View attachment 242124
View attachment 242125

CPU min was 38 and max was 49.

I could only find my Vcore in my BIOS and not the others but that's at 1.21V.

New heatsink and paste applied in July of this year. I've also attached dump files, too.

View attachment 242126

 

[Britton30]

What were the memtest results testing one at a time in all slots?

 

[CliveK]

What were the memtest results testing one at a time in all slots?

I have not yet done that. I hope to do it later today.

 

[Dave76]

Your motherboard has 7 BIOS updates since your 0601 version.
Update your BIOS to v1401.

BIOS > Advanced > JumperFree Configuration > Voltage Control
DRAM voltage
NB Chipset voltage

Let us know how the memtest86+ went on each RAM card.

 

[CliveK]

Your motherboard has 7 BIOS updates since your 0601 version.
Update your BIOS to v1401.

BIOS > Advanced > JumperFree Configuration > Voltage Control
DRAM voltage
NB Chipset voltage

Let us know how the memtest86+ went on each RAM card.

Many thanks for this.

I updated my BIOS with the ASUS Updater software but now my PC won't boot. Even when I put in my Windows DVD and change the Boot Priority to use the disk drive it just won't boot and keeps on asking to insert boot CD. I can access the BIOS screen fine but Windows doesn't want to load.

I couldn't get MemTest to work prior to BIOS update, either, but haven't tried running it since - mainly because I'm slightly concerned that updating my BIOS seems to have left me locked out of Windows.

 

[Britton30]

Try downloading the BIOS file again and re-flashing it. Sometimes a file will be corrupted in a download. Use what ever tool they have for flashing within BIOS, not from w7 if possible.

 

[CliveK]

Try downloading the BIOS file again and re-flashing it. Sometimes a file will be corrupted in a download. Use what ever tool they have for flashing within BIOS, not from w7 if possible.

Easier said than done. USB doesn't seem to work, I don't have a floppy drive and I cannot get into Windows...

Not sure if there's a way I can currently update my BIOS. But the file was from the ASUS website and the BIOS is showing it as the latest version.

 

[CliveK]

Right. Managed to update using USB, finally. Restarted and Windows still does not boot.

 

[Britton30]

You may need to reset you boot priority since a new BIOS will reset everything to defaults.

 

[CliveK]

You may need to reset you boot priority since a new BIOS will reset everything to defaults.

I had already set HD to be first and the rest are disabled, as it was before. I am at a loss what else I can do.

 

[Britton30]

What exactly happens when you try to start Windows?

You might give Start up Repair (again?) from here. http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/666-advanced-boot-options.html

 

[CliveK]

What exactly happens when you try to start Windows?

You might give Start up Repair (again?) from here. http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/666-advanced-boot-options.html

I turn the tower on, it then loads to the normal motherboard screen and then instead of getting to Windows it is just the black screen with flashing cursor.

F8 merely presents a Boot Menu to select Boot First and not an advanced one. If I insert the Windows DVD and try again it still presents the same problem.

 

[Britton30]

The black screen with cursor means bad hardware. Which one is the hard part to figure out. If possible, pull your graphics and reseat it to make sure it's fully in, check it's power cables too.

I'll ask for some more help.

 

[essenbe]

Go into bios and list the DVD drive as first boot device and the hard drive as second device, insert the windows DVD and save and exit. When it boots from the DVD you should see a message to push any key to boot from DVD, push a key. Once in there, on the second or third screen, in the bottom left corner there should be an option of repair my computer ( if it is the installation DVD).

Also, when you updated BIOS, did you go back in and set optimized defaults first? You really should do that. Then set bios the way you want it. If you were in AHCI mode with the SSD, you will want to make sure you still are after setting optimized defaults, if not, set whatever mode it was in before.

 

[CliveK]

The graphics card is well and truly secured and the power cables are all correctly placed/secure.

Go into bios and list the DVD drive as first boot device and the hard drive as second device, insert the windows DVD and save and exit. When it boots from the DVD you should see a message to push any key to boot from DVD, push a key. Once in there, on the second or third screen, in the bottom left corner there should be an option of repair my computer ( if it is the installation DVD).

Also, when you updated BIOS, did you go back in and set optimized defaults first? You really should do that. Then set bios the way you want it. If you were in AHCI mode with the SSD, you will want to make sure you still are after setting optimized defaults, if not, set whatever mode it was in before.

I have listed the disk drive as 1st and the hard drive to 2nd but to no avail. I'm beginning to think that my disk drive maybe faulty as that's why MemTest doesn't normally work too. Could this be?

With regard to the BIOS I do not know what the optimised default is nor the AHCI mode is. Sorry.

 

[essenbe]

At this point, anything is possible. Set your bios to optimized defaults. Set the boot order, set the ram voltage, frequency and timings. That will be on a sticker on the ram sticks or on the package the ram came in. Look at the sata configuration to see what mode it is in. Save and exit, let us know if it boots and what the sata mode is set to.

 

[CliveK]

At this point, anything is possible. Set your bios to optimized defaults. Set the boot order, set the ram voltage, frequency and timings. That will be on a sticker on the ram sticks or on the package the ram came in. Look at the sata configuration to see what mode it is in. Save and exit, let us know if it boots and what the sata mode is set to.

Sorry for so many questions, but how does one go about setting them to optimised defaults? I cannot seem to find that option in the BIOS. The details on the sticker for voltage, for example, are too low for any options in the BIOS.

And how does one go about finding out the sata config?

 

[essenbe]

What manufacturer and model of motherboard do you have.

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