Solved BSOD happens on different processes after few min of work

[alpinegoose]

I've started getting BSODs lately. It happens usually after 5-10 min of work - doesn't matter if I'm gaming / browsing / using Picasa.

I've tried the following to rule out issues:

1. Started Windows in safe mode. It happened there as well but it took longer than usual for the BSOD to appear.
2. Checked the CPU temperature. It's around 30 degrees C at all times, which looks normal. All other temperatures look normal as well.
3. Booted the computer with an in-memory OS called Puppy Linux. It happened there also. Not a BSOD, but the computer restarted after around 15-20 min. That's why I ruled out re-installing the OS.
4. Tried disconnecting/replacing different hardware parts: tried a different graphics card, tried replacing the memory cards, disconnected the CD drive. Nothing changed the BSOD behavior.
5. I also tried leaving the computer idle on the BIOS setup screen for a whole night. That time it didn't crash, but I don't know what I can make of it.

I saved dumps from 3 consecutive crashes that happened on the same evening. You can find them here: alpinegoose - Pastebin.com

I don't have an extra motherboard or CPU to try and replace them, and if I'm going to buy a new part, I want to be sure that the part I'm replacing is really the faulty one.

I'm kind of helpless right now, so any help would be appreciated.

 

[Windows Sniper]

Hey there Alpinegoose, and welcome to SF!

Sorry it has taken a while to reply, but it's the festive season after all

Now onto your problem. I can't actually check your Pastebins at the moment, but can i take a guess and say your getting Bad_Pool_Headers?

Could you also tell me what your Ram Kit consists of? Whether it is 2 x 2Gb or 4x 1Gb or 1 x 4Gb?
This is so i can ask you to try only running with one stick of RAM to eliminate the possibility of RAM Errors.

Another check that would be recommended, is to run Memtest+.

MEMTEST

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/105647-ram-test-memtest86.htmlthis one you will need to make a bootable disk set the BIOSto optical (or USB if preferred) boot the machine and let it run for at LEAST 8passes unless the errors come up straight away. Takes fair time to complete andsome leave it running overnight.

As my friend has posted here.


Hope this helps!

 

[alpinegoose]

Thanks for the reply and happy holidays

I have a 2x2GB sticks.
I tried running with one stick, and the behavior was the same - BSOD after a few minutes.

I also ran MemTest (forgot to mention that in the original post) for more than 8 passes, and it did not find any memory problems.

 

[Windows Sniper]

Thanks for the reply and happy holidays

I have a 2x2GB sticks.
I tried running with one stick, and the behavior was the same - BSOD after a few minutes.

I also ran MemTest (forgot to mention that in the original post) for more than 8 passes, and it did not find any memory problems.

Interesting,

Did you try with both sticks going solo?

Thats fine, no harm done.

The reason for sticking with the RAM for the moment is that Live disks load from the RAM.

puppy boot process
layout when the live-CD boots: vmlinuz, the Linux kernel, loads into RAM, followed by image.gz, which loads into a fast "ramdisk" .
http://puppylinux.org/wikka/howPuppyWorks

And if that crashed, it indicates an error with the RAM or CPU, eliminating the HDD.

Can you check in your Bios to see what it's safe running temps are set to?
Usually this is in the advanced area but it depends on your Bios/Uefi.


Quick question, do you have any thermal paste?
The only reason i ask is that i just remembered a system i worked on had the same issue but the cooler TP was old and dusty. Replaced it and it had no more issues.

Even with your CPU running at 30c your actual heatsink will be hotter because it is conducting the heat, so it may not be dispersing it properly.

 

[alpinegoose]

Can you check in your Bios to see what it's safe running temps are set to?

I'll take a look, but if my temps are around 30C, I'm pretty sure it's safe.

Quick question, do you have any thermal paste?
The only reason i ask is that i just remembered a system i worked on had the same issue but the cooler TP was old and dusty. Replaced it and it had no more issues.

I'll go buy some thermal paste today and update on the results in the evening.

 

[alpinegoose]

Ok, I'm back after buying some thermal paste.

Even before applying the thermal paste the computer kept restarting while booting. When Windows starts loading, whether if it's in regular mode or safe mode, after a few seconds I see a flash of a BSOD, too fast to read what it says, and then the computer restarts immediately.

So full of hope I applied the thermal paste, and after restarting... nada. Keeps restarting in the middle of booting.

I don't really know what to do next. I'm kinda close to tears...

 

[alpinegoose]

OK, another update:

Looks like the problem is fixed now!

The last issue I had where Windows would not even boot happened because I set the SATA mode in the BIOS to AHCI in one of my tries to fix the problem. After changing it back to IDE, it booted normally.

What really fixed my original issue was applying thermal paste as Windows Sniper suggested. So thanks a lot for that dude, you saved me.

Lesson learned: Even if the thermometer indicates low CPU temperatures, there still might be heating issues because the CPU cooler is not dispersing the heat well enough.

Wish you all a good weekend

 

[Windows Sniper]

OK, another update:

Looks like the problem is fixed now!

The last issue I had where Windows would not even boot happened because I set the SATA mode in the BIOS to AHCI in one of my tries to fix the problem. After changing it back to IDE, it booted normally.

What really fixed my original issue was applying thermal paste as Windows Sniper suggested. So thanks a lot for that dude, you saved me.

Lesson learned: Even if the thermometer indicates low CPU temperatures, there still might be heating issues because the CPU cooler is not dispersing the heat well enough.

Wish you all a good weekend

Hey there!

So sorry that i haven't replied, but you know how it is around the holiday season.

I'm glad your issue(s) are fixed. I know it seems strange but even for a simple fix there are sometimes a couple of issues!

Anyway I hope you had a good holiday, Don't be a stranger!