Solved BSODs frequently on a Win8 Pro x64 installation; went back to 7.

[Ragnakak]

A few months ago I formatted my HDD and installed a fresh copy of Windows 8 Ultimate x64 and reinstalled all of my favorite programs game and utilities. After a month or so I started getting a BSOD approximately once a week. I wish I could give more information on the BSODs, but I hadn't saved the minidumps at the time. I can tell you that I googled what I could remember from the crash messages and checked several message boards that seemed to pinpoint it to a video card driver/hardware issue.

I wrote it off as a Windows 8 problem since I never had a BSOD using 7 so I recently formatted again, went back to Win7 Ultimate x64 and tried my luck again. Today I got another BSOD and I could remember what I read matched a lot of the information from the Windows 8 crashes. I have included my .zip of my minidump.

 

[Northernsoul55]

Hi Ragnakak,

STOP 0x0000003B: SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION
Usual causes: System service, Device driver, graphics driver, ?memory

This error has been linked to excessive paged pool usage and may occur due to user-mode graphics drivers crossing over and passing bad data to the kernel code.

fffff880`0af715a8 fffff880`048a835d*** WARNING: Unable to verify timestamp for atikmdag.sys
*** ERROR: Module load completed but symbols could not be loaded for atikmdag.sys
atikmdag+0x3635d

This is related to your ATI Video driver, there is a newer driver version you could try, found here:

:ar: http://support.amd.com/us/gpudownload/windows/Pages/radeonaiw_vista64.aspx#1

Also please update your Flash player plugin to the latest version:

:ar: http://www.adobe.com/support/flashplayer/downloads.html

Please run SFC to check the integrity of your system files:

Click on the Start > Type in search cmd
Right click cmd at top and Run as Administrator
Type SFC /scannow at the prompt (note the space between SFC and /scannow)

:ar: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1538-sfc-scannow-command-system-file-checker.html

Take memtest. Run for 8 passes and test each stick in a know good slot for an additional 6 passes.

:ar: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/105647-ram-test-memtest86.html

The goal is to test all the RAM sticks and all the motherboard slots.

Check your motherboard manual to ensure the RAM sticks are in the recommended motherboard slots. Some motherboards have very specific slots required for the number of RAM sticks installed.
If you get errors, stop the test and continue with the next step.
1. Remove all but one stick of RAM from your computer (this will be RAM stick #1), and run Memtest86 again, for 7 passes.
*Be sure to note the RAM stick, use a piece of tape with a number, and note the motherboard slot.
If this stick passes the test then go to step #3.
2. If RAM stick #1 has errors, repeat the test with RAM stick #2 in the same motherboard slot.
*If RAM stick #2 passes, this indicates that RAM stick #1 may be bad. If you want to be absolutely sure, re-test RAM stick #1 in another known good slot.
*If RAM stick #2 has errors, this indicates another possible bad RAM stick, a possible motherboard slot failure or inadequate settings.
3. Test the next stick of RAM (stick #2) in the next motherboard slot.
*If this RAM stick has errors repeat step #2 using a known good stick if possible, or another stick.
*If this RAM stick has no errors and both sticks failed in slot#1, test RAM stick #1 in this slot.
4. If you find a stick that passes the test, test it in all the other motherboard slots.
If Part 2 testing shows errors, and all tests in Part 3 show errors, you will need to test the RAM sticks in another computer and/or test other RAM in your computer to identify the problem.
In this way, you can identify whether it is a bad stick of RAM, a bad motherboard, or incompatibility between the sticks.

Errors are sometimes found after 8 passes.
Tip

Do this test overnight, before going to bed

Post back any outcome/results.

Cheers

Dave

 

[Ragnakak]

Thanks for the reply, Northernsoul55. I'm almost positive that the catalyst drivers and flash are the newest versions as I only installed them with the fresh windows 7 install a couple of days ago. Was the information in the zip saying otherwise? Strange, if so. Just in case, I have uninstalled the entire catalyst package, ran ccleaner after the reboot. Then installed version 13.1. I also reinstalled the latest version of flash from Adobe's page.

After running sfc, no problems were found.

I only have two ram slots on my motherboard since it is a micro-atx, but I will run memtest with the configuration the sticks are in now. Then, I will run it again after swapping positions.

I'll report back the results soon.

Thanks for you help.

 

[Northernsoul55]

Hi ragnakak,

yeah, im afraid your ati drivers were not the latest:

atikmdag atikmdag.sys Wed Dec 19 20:38:55 2012 (50D225DF)

The latest version is 1/17/2013, so its good that you have updated them,
as they were causing issues.

Cheers

Dave

 

[Ragnakak]

Ok, I just had another crash. This time there was no BSOD. The screen just froze up in a garble of colors then rebooted. I've made another .zip with my info if you would like to take a look.

 

[Ragnakak]

I forgot to add I also ran memory test the previous night for nine passes with no errors, so it doesn't look like RAM is the culprit.

 

[Northernsoul55]

Hi,

Please uninstall Daemon tools as it is well known for BSOD.

Start > click on Computer > Uninstall or change a program > choose Daemon tools. Reboot.

Once uninstalled please go here and remove the SPTD driver itself with this tool:

http://www.duplexsecure.com/en/downloads

:ar: http://www.duplexsecure.com/en/downloadshttp://www.duplexsecure.com/en/downloads

http://www.duplexsecure.com/en/downloads

If you see an Uninstall option for SPTD, click on it.

Otherwise, go to C:\Windows\System32\drivers, look for and delete SPTD.sys manually. Reboot

Seems from your logs that you are having issues updating.

Please follow this guide to reset your windows update, choose option 2:

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/91738-windows-update-reset.html

:ar: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/91738-windows-update-reset.htmlhttp://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/91738-windows-update-reset.html

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/91738-windows-update-reset.html

Please then try to update your system using Windows update and also
check to see if your AV (Microsoft Security Essentials) is also fully updated?

Post back results / observations

Cheers
Dave

 

[Ragnakak]

Everything seems to be doing fine for the time being. Are there any other alternatives to Daemon Tools that won't conflict with windows?

 

[Northernsoul55]

Hi,

Good News

You could try one of these, but I dont use ISO mounting software so I cant give you an honest opinion:

http://www.blogsdna.com/19185/freeware-tools-to-mount-iso-image-windows.htm

:ar: http://www.blogsdna.com/19185/freeware-tools-to-mount-iso-image-windows.htmhttp://www.blogsdna.com/19185/freeware-tools-to-mount-iso-image-windows.htm

http://www.blogsdna.com/19185/freeware-tools-to-mount-iso-image-windows.htm

Also Please mark the thread "Solved" if you feel as if your issue has been sorted.

Cheers

Dave