BSOD for me

[Cromartie]

Well, I came home from work this morning to see my PC hung on bootup. After resetting, Windows began the Startup Recovery utility. That appeared to work, but I've been experiencing random BSODs ever since. I can't even restart without it bluescreening while shutting down. I'm attaching the last 3 dmp files, as I *just* set it to not overwrite previous files. Not sure if I should include any more info, this is my first time posting here. I did a search for BSODs on Win 7 and this seemed like a knowledgeable bunch of folks. Hope someone can help me figure this out.

 

[Tews]

Your .dmp file shows a corrupted ntfs.sys file..This stop error means that your ntfs file system is corrupt (damage in the file system, bad hard drive data, corrupt SCSI or IDE drivers or a corrupt ntfs.sys file). You can do several things, but a re-install may be necessary..

1. from an elevated command prompt, run sfc /scannow to see if this will repair the faulty .sys file.
2. do a repair install from the install DVD.
3. if none of the above work, back up your data and do a clean install...

Hope this helps.....

 

[Cromartie]

Well, i ran the system file check, and it found nothing wrong. >.< After running that, though, Windows did gracefully restart without bluescreening during the shutdown phase...

Holding off on a repair/reinstall for the time being...

 

[Tews]

Sounds like the thing to do for right now... just be ready...

 

[usasma]

H/W Diagnostics:
Please start by running these hardware diagnostics:
Memory Diagnostics (read the details at the link)
HD Diagnostic (read the details at the link)

Also, please run one of these free, independent online malware scans to ensure that your current protection hasn't been compromised: Malware (read the details at the link)

CHKDSK /R:
Run CHKDSK /R from an elevated (Run as adminstrator) Command Prompt.
When it tells you it can't do it right now - and asks you if you'd like to do it at the next reboot - answer Y (for Yes) and press Enter. Then reboot and let the test run. It may take a while for it to run, but keep an occasional eye on it to see if it generates any errors. See "CHKDSK LogFile" below in order to check the results of the test.

Elevated Command Prompt:
Go to Start and type in "cmd.exe" (without the quotes)
At the top of the Search Box, right click on Cmd.exe and select "Run as administrator"

CHKDSK LogFile:
Go to Start and type in "eventvwr.msc" (without the quotes) and press Enter
Expand the Windows logs heading, then select the Application log file entry.
Double click on the Source column header.
Scroll down the list until you find the Chkdsk entry.
Copy/paste the results into your next post.

 

[Cromartie]

So, a new development... Thinking there may be a BIOS issue in the mix here as well. I've had a few occasions where the boot process would freeze on the BIOS splash screen. Do you think it would be worth it to flash the BIOS, test/replace the CMOS battery?

Also, I found a procedure using an XP disk to copy the ntfs.sys file from that disk to my system32/drivers folder. Would this seem like a worthwhile step to take?

On the subject of a chkdsk, I had Windows run a full chkdsk on my system drive at boot, and it found no errors. Is the chkdsk you suggested any different, more thorough, etc?

Also, also I noticed in the event logs that prior to my crashes, the Virtual Shadow Copy Service had started. Has this ever been known to cause any issues?

Ok, I'm done rambling. Just trying to put this stuff down while it's still in my head, I'm at work and my troubleshooting time at home has been pretty sparse since this started. I checked out Brink's thread on the Repair Install, and I'm thinking that'll be my next course of action once I've ruled out other hardware.

 

[Cromartie]

Ok, got the chkdsk log. Just an fyi, its source in the Application log is wininit. (I was looking for chkdsk) >.>

 

[usasma]

Freezing on the BIOS splash screen changes everything!
I would seriously suspect a hardware issue - and would run the H/W diagnostics listed above.
Asus has nice BIOS/Hardware Information screens - check these for issues with system components.

If you can get into Windows...
Check the temps on the processor also (Speedfan/CPU-Z)
Check the video card with this stress test: FurMark: Graphics Card Stability and Stress Test, OpenGL Benchmark and GPU Temperature | oZone3D.Net

The chkdsk showed no problems (and it's not significantly different from what I suggested) - so the file system (NTFS.SYS) isn't the problem.

I can't recall when I wrote the canned speech about chkdsk - but I suspect that the CHKDSK column was for Vista (wininit is for 7, and winlogon is for XP). I've gotta get a Vista system to check this on....

CMOS battery is always worth replacing. They're less than $5 US and will save a lot of time troubleshooting.
A sometimes clue is the time on the system clock changing - but that's not always reliable.

As for a BIOS flash, what version do you have? Do any of the later versions have changes that seem to apply to your situation? If you're way out of date, don't change more than 2 versions at a time (if you're at A1 and the current is A10, go to A3, A5, A7, A9, then A10). Yes, it's a PITA, but there's enough stories on the web about BIOS flash disasters that it's worth the trouble.

 

[Cromartie]

Good News Everyone!

So, I took a stab in the dark and flashed my BIOS. Not a single hiccup since. I forgot to check my previous version, but I think I was maybe one or two versions behind. I flashed to the most recent (P5K-E/WiFi-AP BIOS 1305) and have not seen a single crash, failed boot or BSOD since. I appreciate all the input folks, thanks and I'll be keeping an eye on these boards in the future.

 

[usasma]

Thanks for letting us know!
Good luck!