BSODs from potential hardware issue?

[Vrly]

Hey guys. I'm fairly computer savvy (or so I thought), but I'm having some BSODs, and I can't pinpoint what exactly is causing it. I got them initially from dust (long story, if needed I can post it), but now I'm still getting them (much less than after I semi-proved the dust theory).

Here's the minidumps I've got so far. Everything before the 16th was pre-cleaning. As you can see it occured less. The only major patterns I've tracked so far are (1) there are typically video artifacts before the system does the memory dump, and (2) ntoskrnl.exe came up in all but the most recent crash (on BlueScreenView it was flagged red for all but one crash--this isn't reflected in the .txt I saved from BSV).

I will be happy to give any other details you guys might want.

EDIT: .zip of the minidumps on 3rd post.

 

[DocBrown]

Welcome Vrly

Can you attach the minidump in .zip format ?

http://www.sevenforums.com/crash-lo...ice-how-ask-help-bsod-problem.html#post351429

 

[Vrly]

Wow, thanks for the expediency. I didn't expect a response so quickly!

Here you go.

 

[DocBrown]

Just a few more minutes, a specialist is working on it

 

[zigzag3143]

Wow, thanks for the expediency. I didn't expect a response so quickly!

Here you go.

These crashes are caused by many different files. When there are that many I have to think that there is a hardware issue. I would start with memory since several of the DMP reference that

Download memtestx86 and run it for at least 5 passes.

If the memory passes (and I suspect it wont)
run a system file check to verify and repair you win 7 OS files
(type cmd in search>right click and run as admin>sfc /scannow)

Your video driver is also referenced (though I think that is just a memory issue). You can uninstall the driver and install a fresh copy.

If you are overclocking or any other change from default revert back to default.

Let us know the results

It could also be a HD problem so you might want to run a chkdsk /r

Lastly it could be a heat issue. I would download cpu-z, and gpu-z (both free) to keep an eye on the temps.

Let us know if you need help with any of this


Ken

043010-16629-01.dmp    4/30/2010 9:50:10 PM    SYSTEM_THREAD_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED    0x1000007e    ffffffff`c000001d    fffff880`04a310c7    fffff880`043c79e8    fffff880`043c7250    atikmdag.sys    atikmdag.sys+24b5d4                    x64        C:\Users\K\Desktop\bsods\043010-16629-01.dmp    4    15    7600    
041610-16489-01.dmp    4/16/2010 11:49:10 PM    IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL    0x0000000a    fffffa7f`fffe7fe0    00000000`00000002    00000000`00000001    fffff800`02ab7209    atipmdag.sys    atipmdag.sys+3337b8                    x64        C:\Users\K\Desktop\bsods\041610-16489-01.dmp    4    15    7600    
042610-21840-01.dmp    4/26/2010 12:13:26 PM    SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION    0x0000003b    00000000`c0000005    fffff880`04601e30    fffff880`082f4070    00000000`00000000    dxgkrnl.sys    dxgkrnl.sys+313f                    x64        C:\Users\K\Desktop\bsods\042610-21840-01.dmp    4    15    7600    
041210-18501-01.dmp    4/12/2010 9:24:44 PM    SYSTEM_PTE_MISUSE    0x000000da    00000000`00000504    fffff6fc`40014250    00000000`00000020    00000000`0000284a    hal.dll    hal.dll+1d652                    x64        C:\Users\K\Desktop\bsods\041210-18501-01.dmp    4    15    7600    
042810-15412-01.dmp    4/28/2010 4:38:18 PM    KMODE_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED    0x0000001e    00000000`00000000    00000000`00000000    00000000`00000000    00000000`00000000    NETIO.SYS    NETIO.SYS+2173                    x64        C:\Users\K\Desktop\bsods\042810-15412-01.dmp    4    15    7600    
041310-26457-01.dmp    4/13/2010 9:52:26 PM    NTFS_FILE_SYSTEM    0x00000024    00000000`001904fb    fffff880`06277b18    fffff880`06277380    fffff800`02a918a6    Ntfs.sys    Ntfs.sys+213d8                    x64        C:\Users\K\Desktop\bsods\041310-26457-01.dmp    4    15    7600    
041210-32276-01.dmp    4/12/2010 11:37:08 PM    PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA    0x00000050    fffff7ff`fa8592b4    00000000`00000008    fffff7ff`fa8592b4    00000000`00000002    ntoskrnl.exe    ntoskrnl.exe+71f00                    x64        C:\Users\K\Desktop\bsods\041210-32276-01.dmp    4    15    7600    
041310-22198-01.dmp    4/13/2010 12:04:54 AM    SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION    0x0000003b    00000000`c0000005    fffff800`0288c99d    fffff880`02806040    00000000`00000000    ntoskrnl.exe    ntoskrnl.exe+71f00                    x64        C:\Users\K\Desktop\bsods\041310-22198-01.dmp    4    15    7600    
041210-25833-01.dmp    4/12/2010 11:35:38 PM    IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL    0x0000000a    fffffa7f`fffe7fd0    00000000`00000002    00000000`00000001    fffff800`028aa4c9    Unknown_Module_00000000`00000000    Unknown_Module_00000000`00000000+886d0                    x64        C:\Users\K\Desktop\bsods\041210-25833-01.dmp    4    15    7600    
042210-14476-01.dmp    4/22/2010 7:34:16 PM    SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION    0x0000003b    00000000`c0000005    fffff960`000f2ad3    fffff880`06be30d0    00000000`00000000    win32k.sys    win32k.sys+c2ad3                    x64        C:\Users\K\Desktop\bsods\042210-14476-01.dmp    4    15    7600

 

[Vrly]

I used Seagate's tool for hard drive diagnostics, and it passed everything. I ran Windows memory diagnostic as well (passed), but I'll try memtest. As for the potential video issue, I reverted from ATi 10.4 (with CCC) to 9.12 (display only) and it alleviated crashing during Street Fighter 4, but I get random crashes on the desktop. Some of them don't save a dump, it just video artifacts and goes. I've got MSI Afterburner running with manual fan settings to make sure the fan doesn't keep the card from getting too hot.

I've got nothing overclocked, no voltage or anything tweaked, updated drivers (aside the ATi driver rollback), etc.

I'll post back with memtest results. (If I can find a blank disc to boot from.)

________________
Is it at all possible this is from loose, latent dust from cleaning? Perhaps some trapped in the GPU slot or something? These crashes are maybe a few per day and everything runs fine (good temps, no video lag, etc.) in between them.

______________
I have a stock fan on my CPU, and I've had SpeedFan and I never saw it get too hot, but perhaps my temp limit before protective shutdown is just set low or the cooling needs to be upgraded?

Also, thanks for everything so far.

 

[Vrly]

Is there any way to run memtest straight from Windows? Otherwise I'll have to put it off until I can get blank discs tomorrow.

EDIT:

Ran the command prompt as admin and the system scan came came up clean.

 

[DocBrown]

Sorry, I have been away for about an hour. From your specs this does not look like that old of a system. Why all the problem with dust ? Have you used compressed air to clean out excess dust ? When did the problems start ? How long has this been going on ? Could the Video card or Power Suppply be failing ? Any way to swap then out & test with other ones? Are your memory sticks in the correct slots as per the MB Manual ? Here is another list of questions we developed to run thru here at SevenForums Ususally pertaining to installation, but I thought I would at least link you to it as your problem my be one of those Trial & Error situations

http://www.sevenforums.com/installa...-use-help-installation-issues.html#post300660

 

[zigzag3143]

Is there any way to run memtest straight from Windows? Otherwise I'll have to put it off until I can get blank discs tomorrow.

EDIT:

Ran the command prompt as admin and the system scan came came up clean.

Nope it has to be run from outside the OS, and it will take a long time

 

[Vrly]

Okay, this is the history of my custom PC and the recent history of my crashing.

This is more or less my second/third build right now. I started out with mid-grade parts. Eventually I upgraded my my PSU and GPU. Then I upgraded my RAM, CPU and mobo--these three I've had for around a year now maybe. The one thing I've always kept was the cheap case, just some mid-size tower. About a week or two ago I bought an Antec 902. When I bought the case I also got a 4870x2 from a friend. The only issue he had was the typical fan/overheating issue with 4870x2's. (Going from my current card to my old regular 4870 didn't seem to change anything.)

I never really had crashes/bsods or anything until I got Battlefield: Bad Company 2. My custom rig(s) has always run just fine. But when I started playing BC2, I'd get crashes to the desktop, etc. This made me start looking into my computer's health and all that (to make sure it was an issue with the game itself), and I noticed that idle my CPU ran at 52 degrees C. So I got an air duster, took off one side panel of my tower, and started blowing some crap out. It was after this point that I started to get bsods and everything. After running all sorts of diagnostics and scouring tech forums, I ran into a guy in my exact situation: good custom rig, arbitrary bsods on a clean install of Windows 7. He did a major cleaning, and he only crashed once afterward and stopped posting in the thread beyond that point.

So, I took a major cleaning to my computer when I still had the old case. I used q-tips and went through almost 2 spray dusters. I got out a massive amount of dust and my temperatures dropped by 20 C. My crashing and so forth dropped dramatically after the huge cleaning, and have only recently returned to a more frequent problem. As you can see in the dump files that were saved, I had 6 days of no problems. At first I assumed it was just hiccups from what dust I missed, but at this point I'm thinking I've managed to trap dust in my GPU slot after reassembling my system or somehow damaged part of my motherboard
while cleaning or reassembling.

Any ideas at this point? The frequency and range of files and addresses for the crashes I've been getting have me completely stumped.

Thank you guys so much for the help so far.
Also, here's a new dump file.

P.S. Nothing running fishy in safe mode. How much hardware use does safe mode disable? Are there any potential drivers that could be causing this? (I used Driver Sweeper when I reverted to the 9.12 ATi video drivers.) I almost want to just keep running in safe mode to see if I get any bsods or video artifacts and other crashing.

 

[Vrly]

And here's one more. My computer crashed while I was sleeping.

Exact same crash as from the 30th of April. File, address, everything.

Any thoughts on the continuing dust theory? If nothing holds water there, is it more likely to be the GPU than the RAM since video artifacts accompany most crashes?

As for memtest... I won't have time to run that until after work tonight, which is around 9:30 CST. I'll be able to make the boot disc before though.

 

[Vrly]

Memtest came up absolutely spotless after running for 9 passes.

 

[Vrly]

I've reinstalled my OS, and I still crash. Seagate's HD diagnostic came up clean after another run through all of the tests.

Any ideas?

 

[Vrly]

Tried updating my BIOS. Nothing yet so far, going to try some games, even though I feel like you guys just kind of abandoned the thread since your RAM theory fell apart.

 

[Vrly]

Dump from yesterday and one from a few minutes ago.

 

[Vrly]

Running Prime95 makes me crash every time within a few minutes if not less. SpeedFan said my core was in the low 40s every time it happened too. I know that temperature is a composite, is there any real chance one of the 4 cores is heating up too fast?

Should I just hit up AMD for the warranty?

 

[Jonathan_King]

Running Prime95 makes me crash every time within a few minutes if not less. SpeedFan said my core was in the low 40s every time it happened too. I know that temperature is a composite, is there any real chance one of the 4 cores is heating up too fast?

Should I just hit up AMD for the warranty?

I would.

 

[Vrly]

I've sent AMD the request, but in the meantime, is there anything I can do to pinpoint the issue even more? Obviously it's CPU related, but maybe the firmware got screwed up somehow, or my temperature safety limit got reset to something unusually low (e.g. 40 something).

Anyways, I'm just hoping I can somehow avoid having to reinstall a processor and heatsink/fan, so if there's any other troubleshooting I can do, please let me know.

This is pretty messed up for a processor I just bought at the end of August.

 

[Jonathan_King]

Processors, like any other piece of hardware, can fail unexpectedly and without remedy. I'd just wait for the new one to come, and not risk voiding the warranty doing stuff like baking it in the oven, shorting connections, etc.

 

[Vrly]

Does the intermittent character of the issue suggest anything in regards to CPU? As in, could it possibly be my mobo or at this point is it all but certain my CPU needs replacement? I've only had it for 9 months and never overlocked a thing. =\