BSOD - pfn list corrupt & memory management

[writhziden]

Does it matter which module? If not, I suspect it is a motherboard problem. There is also a small possibility that for some reason, the RAM modules themselves are incompatible with each other, but I assume it was bought as a kit, so that is highly unlikely. Which would be easiest to RMA, the RAM or the motherboard?

You could also see if you can get a pair from a friend and try it in your system dual channeled to rule out the RAM as the culprit.

 

[Cpuk]

Both modules work fine individually in single channel and yes they were bought as a kit. They both passed multiple times when tested using memtest so I too, do not believe it is a Ram issue. I was hoping to avoid returning the motherboard if possible and was hoping for another solution.

 

[writhziden]

I understand. As I said, you could do more testing with a different pair of RAM modules (as long as it is not designed for AMD processors) and see if the problems still reside. There still is a small possibility there is something wrong with the RAM and not the motherboard, so it may be worth ruling it out.

 

[Cpuk]

Apologies for ressurecting this thread as it is quite old now but I have still not found the cause of my problems.

I was wondering whether the symptoms mentioned could possibly be caused by a bad PSU? My PSU is 850W, I am not sure of the brand but I am fairly confident that it is not one of the big players (Corsair, Antec etc) but it is a fair few years old and it is the only thing that I hadn't replaced. I didn't have the problems until I upgraded everything else and I am thinking that maybe the extra power required to run the upgraded hardware is too much for this old and probably cheap PSU.

 

[writhziden]

If you suspect the PSU, you could borrow one from a friend with a desktop PC who has a comparable wattage. If not, try buying one from a store where you could return it for a full refund if it did not resolve the crashes.

 

[Cpuk]

I don't really know anybody that would have a suitable PSU available (most use laptops). I am considering buying something like a Corsair HX650 but it is going to cost me £90-£100.

What I would like to know is whether the problems I am experiencing sound like they could well be being caused by my current PSU being old and cheap?

Would it potentially explain the BSOD's I am getting while running 2 Ram sticks as well as my computer restarting 10-15 mins into playing any modern game?

 

[writhziden]

Potentially, yes. Guaranteed, no. The PSU and the motherboard are the two most difficult pieces of hardware to debug, especially when doing so via the internet. If you have the tools to do so, you can test them with a multimeter and determine whether the voltage/current are where they should be and whether connectivity is an issue.

When they do not work, the symptoms can be very random and may point to other hardware. This is because the PSU and the motherboard are both intricate parts to the whole system.

http://www.sevenforums.com/hardware-devices/201055-psu-testing.html#post1688197

 

[Cpuk]

I am just thinking that with the motherboard being new and the PSU being old, that the PSU is the more likely culprit.

 

[writhziden]

I understand your logic. You could run HWiNFO (HWiNFO, HWiNFO32 & HWiNFO64 - Hardware Information and Analysis Tools) and do a system log to a csv file. Do what you normally do to cause crashes, compress (zip) the csv file up, and upload it here. The voltage sensors may help us determine whether they are fluctuating substantially.

 

[Cpuk]

I have replaced the power supply with an XFX 850 and it seems to have partially solved my problem.

I no longer get 'memory management' BSOD.

I do however still get the 'pfn list corrupt' BSOD on occasion. It isn't an overly regular occurance (usually once or twice per evening) and tends to happen most when I am exiting from a game (or 'alt-tab' ing to come out of a game to browse the internet) or when I click 'shutdown' to turn off my computer. I do very rarely get it while just browsing the internet etc also.

Do any of you guys have any ideas on how to solve this final part of my problem?​

 

[Cpuk]

Hi guys,

I just thought I would update this as my problem has now been solved just incase the solution is of any assistance to anybody else with similar problems..

As i had posted previously I have replced my PSU with an XFX 850 which resolved most of my blue screen crashes all apart from 'pfn list corrupt'. I finally got around to contacting corsair support regarding the RAM and they advised to RMA the set. I have done that and had replacements sent and that has solved all of the other problems too.

So in summary, it turned out to be bad memory and a poor PSU, after replacing both; my computer now runs fine.

Thanks for all of your help