BSODs fairly frequent, 0xf4, no dump created

[PrimoOptimoso]

OK, let's see if I can get help here as both hardware guys I know are baffled...

First off, I have no dump files. I have set the machine up to create minidumps, I have a pagefile on the right drive, I have tried both having Windows manage the pagefile and setting it manually to a size well above my memory size, the whole nine. I didn't even have a Minidump directory until yesterday, when I manually created it to try to encourage it to write a dump!

The error is an 0xf4. Awhile back I got a 7A but everything for a couple weeks now has been f4. It occurs at random, completely, but the last few have been preceded by a general nonresponsiveness of the machine even though I retain full mouse control.

The BSOD never makes it past initializing for crash dump; probably why there aren't any .dmp files to be had. While there are no dump files, the event viewer seems to have quite a few "Atapi - Event ID:11 - The driver detected a controller error on \Device\Ide\IdePort0" errors in clusters.

I built the system, all brand new, just under 6 months ago. Hardware is as follows:
MOBO: BIOSTAR|A880GZ
CPU: AMD quadcore FX-4100 3.6gHz
GPU: MSI|N550GTX-Ti
PSU: ANTEC|BP550 PLUS
RAM: 4Gx2|GSKILL F3-12800CL9D-8GBRL
HDD: 500G|WD SATAIII WD5000AAKX
OS: Win7Pro x64

Tests I have run thus far:
Windows Memory Diagnostic - no problems
MalwareBytes full scan (1 infected found and removed - affiliate.downloader)
MSE full scan - no problems
sfc /scannow - no problems
chkdisk - no problems
WD Data Lifeguard - was running when I left the house this morning.

I have not done memtest86+, mainly because my flash drive didn't register as bootable, but then again I've heard it isn't great with AMD procs.

I have manually updated the BIOS to latest, and had to DL and install a new ethernet driver to eliminate a /!\ in Device Manager. The BIOS solved a temporary issue wherein the machine would not fully boot with my USB Wifi Adapter plugged in.

Error conditions:
Seems to be at random. I've not seen it BSOD while playing games or doing heavy Adobe CS work or anything obvious like that. For some reason I thought it was Google Chrome doing it, and when I stopped using that it remained stable for 2 whole days (so I thought I was right) and then crashed again. Yesterday, twice.

Note: though I built the machine, it was with heavy guidance from one of my hardware-savvy friends, so if you ask or tell me something about cabling and ports on the mobo, etc, you'll have to be very, very specific. I am not a HW guy.

Thanks in advance for any assistance here - pulling my hair out.

 

[PrimoOptimoso]

Addendum - 12 hours or so later, WD DataLifeguard test passed just fine.

 

[PrimoOptimoso]

Addendum 2 - I am attaching the Seven Forums ZIP from SFdiag.

I see in the system info that the pagefile is set to the exact size of my physical memory - but I have it set as custom size, min 8170MB, max 12255MB. That should easily accommodate the minidumps.

 

[PrimoOptimoso]

New data as of just a little while ago:
- I got a DIFFERENT bsod, kernel_inpage_data 0x7a, after which I booted into safe mode w/networking, and then...
- got another 0xf4 while in safe mode!

Come on... Nobody?

 

[HonorGamer]

Please be patient. We are all volunteers here, and the BSOD team is swamped.

Go to: C:\Windows\Minidump.

Are there files in there? If so, Zip them and attach them to your next post.

-Justin

 

[PrimoOptimoso]

Didn't mean to sound impatient, it's just getting more and more painful. As stated above, though, no dumps are being created despite the machine being set up to do them. Didnt even have a minidump folder until I created it manually.

Edit: last night's crash was in Safe Mode with Networking, this morning I got one in plain Safe Mode. These last two were simply while trying to offload my data as I assume I at least need to reinstall Windows.

 

[HonorGamer]

A complete re-install may need to happen. But to be on the safe side make there there arent any viruses:

Do a full scan of your system using: Microsoft Security Essentials - Free Antivirus for Windows

Afterwards: Malwarebytes : Free anti-malware download

If nothing pops up for both of those,

try: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/166445-windows-defender-offline.html

-justin

 

[PrimoOptimoso]

Also stated in the OP but MSE and MalwareBytes both already done - MwB showed one infected file which it successfully got rid of and MSE showed no problem.

I suppose next up I will try Defender as you linked to. However, creating bootable media is not easy for me just due to resources (for instance, i am sure I have CDs *somewhere*....)

 

[HonorGamer]

Event[1387]:
  Log Name: System
  Source: Microsoft-Windows-WLAN-AutoConfig
  Date: 2012-02-23T19:25:41.238
  Event ID: 10000
  Task: N/A
  Level: Error
  Opcode: Info
  Keyword: N/A
  User: S-1-5-18
  User Name: NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM
  Computer: SteamCastle
  Description: 
WLAN Extensibility Module has failed to start.

Module Path: C:\Windows\system32\athExt.dll
Error Code: 126

There are a ton of those. Please make sure you have the latest WLAN drivers available.

-Justin

 

[PrimoOptimoso]

WLAN for me is via my TP-Link USB Wifi adapter. At one point, the computer would not even complete its boot sequence with this plugged in. If that's my only actual problem I'll be thrilled, though at this point a complete reinstall could still be beneficial, no? I will try to find drivers tonight.

 

[HonorGamer]

USB wireless adapters are known to cause BSODs with windows 7. For some reason Win7 does not like them at all. If you can, uninstall the drivers completely, and unplug the device. Then try to connect to your router via ethernet cable.

-Justin

 

[PrimoOptimoso]

Crap. USB is my only option. I'm too far away to use a cable without it running across the house, and my GPU covers the slot where I'd be able to put an internal wifi card on the board.

 

[HonorGamer]

Would you be able to move your GPU to a different slot?

-Justin

 

[PrimoOptimoso]

I don't think so... it's just pretty massive on this board, but I will doublecheck to be certain when I get home.

Edit: The board has only one PCIexpress slot, where the GPU connects and the bulk of its components and its fan hover over the two PCI slots to (my) left. I could probably plug something in to the farthest PCI slot, but the GPU's fan would be either in the way or dangerously close.

I can look into slot extender cables I suppose...

 

[HonorGamer]

Keep me updated.

-Justin

 

[PrimoOptimoso]

Thanks Justin - I did update my last post about the slots after looking at a picture of the board online. Just one slot for the GPU but we might have a way around with slot extension cables.

 

[zzsdkzz]

Hey there. I'm having the exact same issue as you. No dumps being created, same error, everything.

We even both have Western Digital HDDs. That's a common thread between the two of us. Before, I had a Seagate 1TB HDD and had absolutely no problems. But I switched it to a brand new WD Caviar Black, and from that day forward I've had this BSOD problem.

Reinstalls, Formats, Repairs, Chkdsks, Memtest, etc. all come back clean as a whistle. The only thing that is "new" is the HDD.

The strangest part about this BSOD for me is that it doesn't occur when I boot up and go straight into a game. It only occurs when I open my browser. If I've opened my browser, I can and often do BSOD during games. But as I said, if I go straight into a game from boot-up, I can play the game for HOURS without issue.

Open that browser? Good luck gaming for 20 minutes.

Hopefully we can get this figured out!

 

[HonorGamer]

zzsdkzz,

Please make your own thread and we can try and solve it. This way it saves the confusion.

But yes, give that a shot Primo,

-Justin

 

[zzsdkzz]

HonorGamer, I did make my own thread and no one replied to it yet. I know you guys are swamped right now, so I have no problem waiting my turn. Not trying to derail this thread by any means.

Goodluck Primo!

 

[PrimoOptimoso]

Well, my WD HDD has been in from day one, though, and has operated for at least 5 months without fail before this started happening.

Funny, the vast majority of the time I am running a browser and Steam and nothing else.

I do not have the luxury of swapping in another drive, though. I can barely figure out how I'm going to pay for a PCI wifi adapter.