Solved BSOD even after replacing RAM.

[soliunasm]

Alright, so a few weeks back I was having constant BSOD problems(Literally couldn't get it to start sometimes) and for the past week or so it's been perfectly fine on 2GB of RAM. No BSOD's or anything. Now just now I got a 3B error and I believe it cited a memory fault. I just got this brand new RAM to replace the old sticks I had not two days ago(Because I had thought they were faulty even though they passed the MemTest86x test three times each), and I'm not sure what I should think it is anymore. Could it be the Motherboard? Drivers?

I've also attached a log of the BSOD.

 

[zigzag3143]

Alright, so a few weeks back I was having constant BSOD problems(Literally couldn't get it to start sometimes) and for the past week or so it's been perfectly fine on 2GB of RAM. No BSOD's or anything. Now just now I got a 3B error and I believe it cited a memory fault. I just got this brand new RAM to replace the old sticks I had not two days ago(Because I had thought they were faulty even though they passed the MemTest86x test three times each), and I'm not sure what I should think it is anymore. Could it be the Motherboard? Drivers?

I've also attached a log of the BSOD.

No DMP files icluded in upload, try this method.



To enable us to assist you with your computer's BSOD symptoms, upload the contents of your "\Windows\Minidump" folder.

The procedure:

* Copy the contents of \Windows\Minidump to another (temporary) location somewhere on your machine.
* Zip up the copy.
* Attach the ZIP archive to your post using the "paperclip" (file attachments) button.



To ensure minidumps are enabled:

Go to Start, in the Search Box type: sysdm.cpl, press Enter.
Under the Advanced tab, click on the Startup and Recovery Settings... button.
Ensure that Automatically restart is unchecked.
Under the Write Debugging Information header select Small memory dump (256 kB) in the dropdown box (the 256kb varies).
Ensure that the Small Dump Directory is listed as %systemroot%\Minidump.
OK your way out.
Reboot if changes have been made.

 

[soliunasm]

That's the second time it hasn't had a dump file, oh well.
Just had another BSOD, Driver_IRQL_not_less_or_equal. Only thing I was doing was watching a speedrun of Metroid Zero Mission fullscreen via Firefox. This time there's a minidump attached, so I hope you folks can figure this out, I'm sick of the BSODs.

 

[MvdB]

Hello Soliunasm, welcome to SF!

You seem to have a couple of problems:

1. You've got a lot of unfinished or otherwise messed up Windows Updates. Please check your maintenance center to complete these, if needed, by doing them manually, one by one.

2. Problems with the video drivers. Please get the latest at AMD.com | Support & Downloads

But first delete Catalyst Center... install only the driver from that link...

 

[soliunasm]

Hello Soliunasm, welcome to SF!

You seem to have a couple of problems:

1. You've got a lot of unfinished or otherwise messed up Windows Updates. Please check your maintenance center to complete these, if needed, by doing them manually, one by one.

2. Problems with the video drivers. Please get the latest at AMD.com | Support & Downloads

But first delete Catalyst Center... install only the driver from that link...

Alright, well going to Windows Update only showed one Important and one Optional install, doing both now, and I've uninstalled the Catalyst Center, will install the drivers once this reboots.

Thank you for the help.

Edit: Well I downloaded and installed the drivers and only the drivers, but it also installed something called Catalyst Install Center. Is that alright or no?

 

[MvdB]

wasn't meant to as we wanted only the driver.. but, now that you have it, assuming the install went allright, lets first test and see if you're ok now?

 

[soliunasm]

wasn't meant to as we wanted only the driver.. but, now that you have it, assuming the install went allright, lets first test and see if you're ok now?

Well, the past week it's been running perfectly fine, no crashes whatsoever...up until the past few minutes that is. I'd just installed Battlefield Bad Company 2 an hour or so ago and decided to play it. Crashed as soon as the map on the server I was joining loaded but it didn't produce a dump file. Rebooted and tried playing it a bit more, worked perfectly fine up until I tried playing the Vietnam portion. Again, I loaded up the map, except this time I was able to spawn and move around for like 2 minutes, then it Blue Screened on me again, IRQL_Not_Less_or_Equal with a 0A error(Not sure if this is the Dump file I have or not, I also think it mentioned win32k.sys). Then when I rebooted and logged into my account again and it immediately bluescreened, had to be manually turned off(Produced no error message nor dump). Then I rebooted it and now it's working fine again, although I haven't tried playing Bad Company 2 again. I've had this happen to me before as well, several months ago, although I'm not sure if it's my graphics card, my CPU, or my drivers. I'd also like to mention that this copy of windows is more or less fresh, the install is only like a month or two old, I haven't installed anything that should be causing any problems, etc.

I've attached the report as always.

 

[MvdB]

It seems to be still, or again, your video drivers, dump below for future reference:

Lets have one more try updating your drivers. There is a tut on that with updated info: http://www.sevenforums.com/graphic-...alyst-video-driver-windows-7-a.html#post17671

BugCheck D1, {fffffa80badcb002, b, 0, fffff88003f7ee16}

Unable to load image \SystemRoot\system32\DRIVERS\atikmpag.sys, Win32 error 0n2
*** WARNING: Unable to verify timestamp for atikmpag.sys
*** ERROR: Module load completed but symbols could not be loaded for atikmpag.sys
Probably caused by : dxgmms1.sys ( dxgmms1!VidSchiProfilePerformanceTick+68a )

Followup:

*******************************************************************************
*                                                                             *
*                        Bugcheck Analysis                                    *
*                                                                             *
*******************************************************************************

DRIVER_IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL (d1)
An attempt was made to access a pageable (or completely invalid) address at an
interrupt request level (IRQL) that is too high.  This is usually
caused by drivers using improper addresses.
If kernel debugger is available get stack backtrace.
Arguments:
Arg1: fffffa80badcb002, memory referenced
Arg2: 000000000000000b, IRQL
Arg3: 0000000000000000, value 0 = read operation, 1 = write operation
Arg4: fffff88003f7ee16, address which referenced memory

Debugging Details:
------------------


READ_ADDRESS: GetPointerFromAddress: unable to read from fffff80002d0a100
 fffffa80badcb002 

CURRENT_IRQL:  b

FAULTING_IP: 
dxgmms1!VidSchiProfilePerformanceTick+68a
fffff880`03f7ee16 8b5004          mov     edx,dword ptr [rax+4]

CUSTOMER_CRASH_COUNT:  1

DEFAULT_BUCKET_ID:  VISTA_DRIVER_FAULT

BUGCHECK_STR:  0xD1

PROCESS_NAME:  System

TRAP_FRAME:  fffff88002f1b160 -- (.trap 0xfffff88002f1b160)
NOTE: The trap frame does not contain all registers.
Some register values may be zeroed or incorrect.
rax=fffffa80badcaffe rbx=0000000000000000 rcx=fffffa80062a5bd0
rdx=fffffa800553b410 rsi=0000000000000000 rdi=0000000000000000
rip=fffff88003f7ee16 rsp=fffff88002f1b2f0 rbp=0000000000000000
 r8=fffffa8006007640  r9=0000000000000000 r10=fffff88000000000
r11=0000000d9455a0f4 r12=0000000000000000 r13=0000000000000000
r14=0000000000000000 r15=0000000000000000
iopl=0         nv up ei pl nz na pe nc
dxgmms1!VidSchiProfilePerformanceTick+0x68a:
fffff880`03f7ee16 8b5004          mov     edx,dword ptr [rax+4] ds:b648:fffffa80`badcb002=????????
Resetting default scope

LAST_CONTROL_TRANSFER:  from fffff80002ada2a9 to fffff80002adad00

STACK_TEXT:  
fffff880`02f1b018 fffff800`02ada2a9 : 00000000`0000000a fffffa80`badcb002 00000000`0000000b 00000000`00000000 : nt!KeBugCheckEx
fffff880`02f1b020 fffff800`02ad8f20 : 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 : nt!KiBugCheckDispatch+0x69
fffff880`02f1b160 fffff880`03f7ee16 : fffff880`02f1b3b0 fffff800`02a222ec fffffa80`0553b410 00000000`00000000 : nt!KiPageFault+0x260
fffff880`02f1b2f0 fffff880`03f7b65a : fffffa80`05568e60 fffffa80`0553b410 fffffa80`05568000 fffffa80`05568000 : dxgmms1!VidSchiProfilePerformanceTick+0x68a
fffff880`02f1b3b0 fffff880`03f7b172 : fffffa80`05568000 00000000`00000000 fffffa80`00000001 fffff880`02f1b540 : dxgmms1!VidSchiProcessIsrCompletedPacket+0x1da
fffff880`02f1b440 fffff880`03f7af76 : 00000000`001ea36d 00000000`00000000 fffffa80`05562000 00000000`00000001 : dxgmms1!VidSchDdiNotifyInterruptWorker+0x1ea
fffff880`02f1b490 fffff880`03e8213f : fffffa80`04bee480 00000000`00000000 fffffa80`05562000 00000000`00000003 : dxgmms1!VidSchDdiNotifyInterrupt+0x9e
fffff880`02f1b4c0 fffff880`03b8d0c6 : fffffa80`04bee480 fffffa80`04c68400 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 : dxgkrnl!DxgNotifyInterruptCB+0x83
fffff880`02f1b4f0 fffffa80`04bee480 : fffffa80`04c68400 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 fffffa80`04c682c0 : atikmpag+0x50c6
fffff880`02f1b4f8 fffffa80`04c68400 : 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 fffffa80`04c682c0 fffff800`02ae103a : 0xfffffa80`04bee480
fffff880`02f1b500 00000000`00000000 : 00000000`00000000 fffffa80`04c682c0 fffff800`02ae103a fffffa80`04543ac8 : 0xfffffa80`04c68400


STACK_COMMAND:  kb

FOLLOWUP_IP: 
dxgmms1!VidSchiProfilePerformanceTick+68a
fffff880`03f7ee16 8b5004          mov     edx,dword ptr [rax+4]

SYMBOL_STACK_INDEX:  3

SYMBOL_NAME:  dxgmms1!VidSchiProfilePerformanceTick+68a

FOLLOWUP_NAME:  MachineOwner

MODULE_NAME: dxgmms1

IMAGE_NAME:  dxgmms1.sys

DEBUG_FLR_IMAGE_TIMESTAMP:  4ce799c1

FAILURE_BUCKET_ID:  X64_0xD1_dxgmms1!VidSchiProfilePerformanceTick+68a

BUCKET_ID:  X64_0xD1_dxgmms1!VidSchiProfilePerformanceTick+68a

Followup: MachineOwner
---------

 

[soliunasm]

Alright, well I've installed the hotfix driver and whatever else it wanted me to, will report back if anything bad happens once again. Strange thing is that prior to that format a few months back BFBC2 was running fine, no crashes whatsoever. It was running slow though(Like 30-40 FPS on the defaults it left me at) and now it's at 50-60 constant on the defaults it left me at.

 

[MvdB]

I sure hope that was it..... fingers crossed

 

[soliunasm]

I sure hope that was it..... fingers crossed

Welp, it definitely wasn't. Just blue screened at the end of the match I was playing(Again, IRQL and 0a), on boot up it wouldn't power up the screen(Probably a fail to even boot the BIOS) so I moved the RAM around(Which fixed it last time) and now it works. It ran a startup repair, said it couldn't fix it, was a Driver problem.

Are we sure this isn't probably a problem with my Motherboard? The RAM isn't the problem, it's brand new. Literally like a week or two old.

I'm thinking I should uninstall the drivers and reinstall them, maybe that might help.

Edit: It seems that every time the computer BSOD's and goes into a "Unable to even boot up into BIOS" mode(Monitor is on but it's not doing anything, same with the tower but nothing is happening) I have to reseat the RAM to get it to boot back up. Could this be related?

 

[MvdB]

Maybe, not sure. When you reboot... and it doesn't work, after which you reseat the RAM... the reboot was that with a full power-off? If it happens again, reboot after switching off your power supply. Without shifting RAM and restarting...

 

[soliunasm]

Maybe, not sure. When you reboot... and it doesn't work, after which you reseat the RAM... the reboot was that with a full power-off? If it happens again, reboot after switching off your power supply. Without shifting RAM and restarting...

Did nothing. I switched off the power supply for about five minutes after the BSOD happened(Just a few minutes ago) and it didn't do anything. Then when I was about to reseat the RAM(I was going to open the computer up again) it started working(Although this same thing has happened before without me needing to reseat the RAM or turning the PSU off). It also froze while I was in the BIOS looking at some settings.

 

[MvdB]

That last statement is important... " It also froze while I was in the BIOS looking at some settings." That means it is HW and/or BIOS and not (or not only) W7.

I don't have personal experience with you mobo but please go to the manufacturer site and see if they have mobo testing stuff and/or a newer BIOS version? If you need help on that, post back. We'll see what we can do.

 

[soliunasm]

That last statement is important... " It also froze while I was in the BIOS looking at some settings." That means it is HW and/or BIOS and not (or not only) W7.

I don't have personal experience with you mobo but please go to the manufacturer site and see if they have mobo testing stuff and/or a newer BIOS version? If you need help on that, post back. We'll see what we can do.

Alright, well there isn't a newer BIOS version, I tried doing that prior to the format a few months back, and it didn't find any newer versions. I can't seem to find a test for the mobo though, so I've been thinking of getting a new mobo, however I'm not sure if I should go with this one:
Newegg.com - MSI 870S-G46 AM3 AMD 870 SATA 6Gb/s ATX AMD Motherboard

From the feedback a lot of people are getting a dead on arrival motherboard which worries me, and I don't really trust Biostar after this whole debacle so I'd rather not get a refurbished one if absolutely necessary.

Edit: Uhh, I don't know how but the Blue Screens stopped in Bad Company 2, I played like four hours straight without anything happening, closing it and opening it every hour just to make sure nothing would happen. Not sure what to make of that...

 

[MvdB]

If by closing and opening you mean saving the game, closing, opening and continue....if that works whilst continuous play does not... then you have 2 different problems.
1. the mobo (as it failed in BIOS). This could also be caused by other hardware (PSU for example)
2. The game could have a memory leak.

 

[soliunasm]

If by closing and opening you mean saving the game, closing, opening and continue....if that works whilst continuous play does not... then you have 2 different problems.
1. the mobo (as it failed in BIOS). This could also be caused by other hardware (PSU for example)
2. The game could have a memory leak.

It works with continuous play as well, spent two hours doing just fine, while yesterday it wouldn't even work for a few minutes without a BSOD.

Edit: Oh, and the game nor Windows updated anything over the course of the day as well.

 

[MvdB]

Temperature difference in your house?

 

[soliunasm]

Temperature difference in your house?

Nope, it's a bit warm, but we've got it set up in the basement(It's always cold down here year round) and we've got a dehumidifier AND air conditioner going, so it's never warm, and even then the CPU has never gone past 45 degrees Celsius(I was told this is about average heat for things) and I have either two or three fans going inside the case, I can't recall at the moment. I doubt it's a heat problem.

 

[MvdB]

Something must've changed though.... for it to function well now...
Are you sure there was no windows update or something like that? Did you check the maintenance center to see?