BSOD's on new build Windows 7 x64

[Kachinadoll]

Could someone please help me find solutions for system errors that I have not been able to successfully resolve? I have done a lot of research during the past several weeks and feel like I am chasing my tail. I just stumbled across this forum and I am amazed at the professional and friendly manners displayed here. It seems the members really care and are helping folks to resolve their computer issues. Lots of really good info here.

To the best of my recollection, these are some events that have occurred up until this point. I built this system in February of this year (my first build) and I have been trying to keep it as clean as possible. Fairly new to the computer management world so still have tons to learn. I am a graphic artist and I plan to only load Graphics programs on this machine. (Click on System Spec's for particulars.)

I would so appreciate any guidance or assistance with these issues and I am not opposed to reinstalling the OS if need be. I would really like to understand what is happening so I can learn and prevent similar issues from occurring in the future. Hopefully this makes some sense, it's in the wee hours now. Thanks in advance for pointing me in the right direction!

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Chain of events:

​

6-25-2010

Windows Update installed several updates. Received 2 BSOD's as a result.

Safely removed Hardware "My Book External drive" to prepare for installation of WD Smartware software and New MyBook.

Installed new WD external hard drive with Smartware software. Installation successful. Tried to run the Smartware software to backup system and could not get it to initialize. Windows had installed wrong driver. Uninstalled
smartware software and safely removed external drive.

Resulting Issues

The fonts for Windows 7 became very small, very difficult to read and I was unable to launch Firefox Browser. Ran several Google searches to find solution to the issues. Unsuccessful.

6-27-10

Mozilla issued new updated version of firefox. I downloaded the updated version and it was successful. Connected old "My Book External drive" which holds no operating system files, just storage. When I rebooted, the windows fonts were
restored back to normal??

6-28-10

Tried to open Photshop CS 3 extended and received error that "Program was unable to initialize due to a system error."

Opened Administrative tools in control panel, clicked on Event Viewer to try and see why Photoshop would not open and received the folowing error:

"MMC has detected an error in a snap-in an will unload it."

Then a new error popped up:

"Unhandled Exception in Managed Code Snap-in FX:{b05566ad-fe9c-4363-be05-7a4cbb7cb510}
Exception type: System.Reflection.TargetInvocationException
at System.RuntimeTypeHandle.CreateInstance(RuntimeType type, Boolean publicOnly, Boolean noCheck, Boolean& canBeCached, RuntimeMethodHandle& ctor, Boolean&dSecurityCheck)
at System.RuntimeType.CreateInstanceSlow(Boolean publicOnly, Boolean fillCache)
at System.RuntimeType.CreateInstanceImpl(Boolean publicOnly, Boolean skipVisibilityChecks, Boolean fillCache)
at System.Activator.CreateInstance(Type type, Boolean nonPublic)
at Microsoft.ManagementConsole.FormView.InternalInitialize()"

7-13-10

Still unable to resolve the initilazation error for Photoshop CS3 and uninstalled the program. In fact uninstalled and reinstalled several times. The uninstall was
successful. Rebooted and received another BSOD. Still unable to open Event Viewer and Task Manager.

I have been unable to resolve these issues to date. I stumbled accross the Debugger tool and ran it on all four minidumps however, I'm not sure I did it correctly? Plus it's puzzling as to what all this info means.
​

 

[Jonathan_King]

I suspect the combination of ZoneAlarm and Kaspersky is the cause.

Please remove them both:

http://support.kaspersky.com/downloads/utils/kavremover10.zip

http://download.zonealarm.com/bin/free/support/cpes_clean.exe

Replace them with MSE: http://www.microsoft.com/security_essentials

...Summary of the Dumps:

[font=lucida console]
Built by: 7600.16539.amd64fre.win7_gdr.100226-1909
Debug session time: Tue Jul 13 03:32:26.523 2010 (UTC - 4:00)
System Uptime: 0 days 1:40:00.553
BugCheck 1000009F, {4, 258, fffffa8005518680, fffff80004059510}
Probably caused by : ndis.sys ( ndis! ?? ::LNCPHCLB::`string'+4fcb )
BUGCHECK_STR:  0x9F
PROCESS_NAME:  System
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
Built by: 7600.16539.amd64fre.win7_gdr.100226-1909
Debug session time: Sat Jun 26 01:44:01.180 2010 (UTC - 4:00)
System Uptime: 0 days 0:09:41.210
BugCheck 19, {3, fffff880089920b0, fffff880089920af, fffff880089920b0}
Probably caused by : Pool_Corruption ( nt!ExFreePool+536 )
BUGCHECK_STR:  0x19_3
PROCESS_NAME:  rundll32.exe
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
Built by: 7600.16539.amd64fre.win7_gdr.100226-1909
Debug session time: Sat Jun 26 00:38:28.151 2010 (UTC - 4:00)
System Uptime: 0 days 1:15:47.181
BugCheck 19, {3, fffff900c27db010, fffff900c27db010, fff900c27db01000}
Probably caused by : Pool_Corruption ( nt!ExFreePool+780 )
BUGCHECK_STR:  0x19_3
PROCESS_NAME:  csrss.exe
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
Built by: 7600.16539.amd64fre.win7_gdr.100226-1909
Debug session time: Sat Jun 12 01:19:21.654 2010 (UTC - 4:00)
System Uptime: 0 days 0:34:02.684
BugCheck 4A, {74bf2dd9, 2, 0, fffff8800464fca0}
Probably caused by : ntkrnlmp.exe ( nt!KiSystemServiceExit+245 )
PROCESS_NAME:  vsmon.exe
BUGCHECK_STR:  RAISED_IRQL_FAULT
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
Built by: 7600.16385.amd64fre.win7_rtm.090713-1255
Debug session time: Thu Apr  1 06:43:33.782 2010 (UTC - 4:00)
System Uptime: 0 days 0:01:34.812
*** WARNING: Unable to verify timestamp for vsdatant.sys
*** ERROR: Module load completed but symbols could not be loaded for vsdatant.sys
BugCheck 1000007E, {ffffffffc0000005, fffff8800484c2db, fffff8800337e978, fffff8800337e1d0}
Probably caused by : vsdatant.sys ( vsdatant+f2db )
PROCESS_NAME:  System
BUGCHECK_STR:  0x7E
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
Built by: 7600.16385.amd64fre.win7_rtm.090713-1255
Debug session time: Thu Mar 25 06:35:59.905 2010 (UTC - 4:00)
System Uptime: 0 days 23:56:45.825
BugCheck 9F, {3, fffffa80062a3060, fffff80004053518, fffffa800b59fd30}
Probably caused by : pci.sys
BUGCHECK_STR:  0x9F
PROCESS_NAME:  System
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
Built by: 7600.16385.amd64fre.win7_rtm.090713-1255
Debug session time: Sat Mar  6 11:47:41.696 2010 (UTC - 4:00)
System Uptime: 0 days 6:23:01.726
BugCheck 9F, {3, fffffa80062bc060, fffff80000b9c518, fffffa8008f946c0}
Probably caused by : pci.sys
BUGCHECK_STR:  0x9F
PROCESS_NAME:  System
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
Built by: 7600.16385.amd64fre.win7_rtm.090713-1255
Debug session time: Sun Feb 28 21:06:10.145 2010 (UTC - 4:00)
System Uptime: 0 days 9:53:47.176
BugCheck 9F, {3, fffffa80062bea20, fffff80003c59518, fffffa8009b98590}
Probably caused by : pci.sys
BUGCHECK_STR:  0x9F
PROCESS_NAME:  System
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
  
  
 
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[Kachinadoll]

Thanks for your quick response. I will give it a try and check the results. May I ask what clues led you to feel Zone alarm could be the problem? I have never installed Kaspersky, however I believe Zone Alarm does use one of their engines. Just curious.

Will my browser and e-mail be vulnerable if I remove Zone Alarm? Still trying to get my head wrapped around configuring Anti virus and firewall stuff. I am behind a router that has a firewall. Also, I currently have Windows defender and UAC turned off, would I need to turn these features back on?

If this solution does not resolve the MMC snap in error for the Event Viewer and Task Manager, is there a way I could re-install the administrative tools from the install disk? Or would I need to do a repair install of windows 7 to make that happen?

Thanks so much for your help, I will be sure to post my results in either case. Have a great evening!

 

[severedsolo]

Hi Kachinadoll. Can I just weigh in with my own experiences with Zone Alarm?

Firstly you are right, ZA's engine is actually Kapersky. if oyu uninstall Zone alarm, it will uninstall Kapersky too.

I have used Zone Alarm for about 10 years, it has always done the job remarkably well, I loved everything about it.

When I upgraded to Windows 7 I was getting BSOD after BSOD and couldn't figure out why, everything seemed to point to a failing hard drive.

Then one day, I noticed that Zone Alarm wasn't stealthing my ports properly, so I uninstalled it. From that day forth, I have never seen a BSOD again.

Moral of the Story? Zone Alarm rips up your File System like it's confetti

 

[Kachinadoll]

Thanks for the input severedsolo! I have only been using Zone Alarm on this new build. I previously had Norton 360 and hated that! Still trying to find the right fit. hehe

May I ask what what Anti virus and Firewall you are now using with Windows 7? Also, do you activate Windows defender and UAC? I had turned these off since I installed Zone alarm. Just curious.

I so need for all these error issues to go away. Have not been able to work in a couple of weeks! Booo! Starting to have withdrawals. haha

 

[Capt.Jack Sparrow]

Hello,

Here is a small explanation in why you have issues with Zone Alarm and other Internet Security. BSOD vs. Internet Security !! « Captain Debugger

- Captain

 

[Kachinadoll]

Sweet! Thanks so much for the link! Evil Zone Alarm! Grrrrr! Hopefully I can get my puter back in shape after the beatings it has had to endure mostly due to User Error! hehe

Love your screen name! Capt'n! Arrrr... Take a peek at my Pirate image if you like, it's in my Deviant Art gallery here: Dead Men Tell No Tales... by *Kachinadoll on deviantART

 

[Kachinadoll]

Update: I uninstalled Zone Alarm and cleaned away all traces of it. Installed Microsoft Security Essentials and Pooof! Magic! My MMC is back to normal, no more errors for a whole day!!!! I could just kiss you guys! Thank you so much, all is well with the world! Weeeeeeee!

 

[Jonathan_King]

Great, thanks for the update. Glad it's working for you now!

Be sure to let us know if you need anything else...we will be happy to answer it.

 

[Capt.Jack Sparrow]

Update: I uninstalled Zone Alarm and cleaned away all traces of it. Installed Microsoft Security Essentials and Pooof! Magic! My MMC is back to normal, no more errors for a whole day!!!! I could just kiss you guys! Thank you so much, all is well with the world! Weeeeeeee!