BSODs while playing games (Left 4 Dead 2, Borderlands 2)

[blackandblue]

Hi, so since last Saturday (6th September) I've been getting several BSODs almost every time I've tried playing games with my friends. On average I can play for about 20-30 minutes, I might get lucky once or twice and last for an hour, and a couple of times my pc has auto-rebooted itself after just being in the game for 5 minutes. The only one exception was one time I was merely browsing the internet and the machine just had a random BSOD (the machine is a custom build that I purchased from computerplanet.co.uk about 3 months ago). It's happening so often now that I can't really play with my friends until this problem has been resolved. This was the information of the last BSOD that happened:

Problem signature:
  Problem Event Name:	BlueScreen
  OS Version:	6.1.7601.2.1.0.768.3
  Locale ID:	2057

Additional information about the problem:
  BCCode:	116
  BCP1:	FFFFFA80106D04E0
  BCP2:	FFFFF8800EE507A0
  BCP3:	FFFFFFFFC000009A
  BCP4:	0000000000000004
  OS Version:	6_1_7601
  Service Pack:	1_0
  Product:	768_1

Files that help describe the problem:
  C:\Windows\Minidump\090814-5319-01.dmp
  C:\Users\Rick\AppData\Local\Temp\WER-15147-0.sysdata.xml

To save time and people asking the questions, I have already tried:

- Antivirus scan - Full computer scan with Microsoft Security Essentials: no problems at all
- System Restore - Went back a whole week and two Windows updates ago, BSODs still happened after that
- NVIDIA Driver - Reinstalled this (after system restore) and updated with latest version, still get BSODs
- Memory Diagnostics - Absolutely no problems reported there

There is one detail I feel is important to mention though: last Saturday was the day my Amazon delivery arrived: a BenQ XL2411Z Gaming Monitor, 24-inch, 1080p, 144hz. I cannot be 100% sure if a BSOD happened while I was using my regular monitor because I had regular crashes with L4D2 in the previous day or two before then that were not bluescreens, but I can't remember for certain if one of those crashes was heavy enough to force the pc to reboot itself. If I find the time to do it tomorrow, I'm going to unplug the BenQ and plug back in my old monitor and see if that makes a difference.

Anyway, the bluescreens have been happening with regularity ever since I've plugged in this new monitor. I can keep the computer on for hours non-stop, browse the internet, listen to music, watch videos and have no problems whatsoever, but playing games? My computer tires out and just auto-reboots at random times and there's no actual 'blue' screen, it just goes black and reboots and it's 50:50 if you see the BIOS or not.

I'm not savvy with computers so I really don't know what to make of this. What makes it hard to determine the root cause of this is that there isn't much that's consistent. It can't be a case of temperature because my PC exhales cold air when you put your hand next to the fan attached to the window panel on the side and needs a lot more than 5 minutes before that exhausted air starts to feel very warm. A couple of the BSODs have happened in less than 5 minutes. I don't believe it could be a form of physical damage to a component because how would my games be able to start or even last 30 minutes to an hour if that were the case? But my knowledge in this matter counts for little.

I've attached the zip and if you want to know my specs to see if that explains anything extra, they are on my profile.

Thanks

 

[essenbe]

Hello, blackandblue I'll see if I can help a little. First there were no files attached. Please run
http://www.sevenforums.com/bsod-help-support/96879-blue-screen-death-bsod-posting-instructions.html. Maybe easier, use option #2 and click the 'Grab All' button, then give it a few minutes to collect the information. Upload the Zip file with your next post. Please put them in a new post, so I get notified. This will tell you how to upload files and screenshots. http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/9733-screenshots-files-upload-post-seven-forums.html. I would also suggest you monitor system temps of both CPU and GPU. For COU I use either Core Temp or Real Temp. For your GPU, if your card does not come with a GPU program, you can use MSI Afterburner. Afterburner is an Overclocking utility, but it has some very good monitoring features and will even put the temps and fan speeds on screen so you can see them while playing. It will also allow you to set a custom fan profile so you can better keep your card cool, if that is a problem.

If you would, please add to your system specs, the make and model of your PSU as well as what CPU cooler you are using. Also in a new post, please run the http://www.sevenforums.com/bsod-help-support/96879-blue-screen-death-bsod-posting-instructions.html and use the option #2 and click the 'Grab All' button and give it time to complete the collection of data, which can take a couple of minutes. Then, in a new post upload the zip file results. this will tell you how to upload them http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/9733-screenshots-files-upload-post-seven-forums.html

If you have installed any new hardware other than your monitor recently, please let us know. The same with software. Any new software, please let us know.

 

[blackandblue]

Ok so before I read your reply, I did a couple more tests to see if I could diagnose more specifically what was happening. I played a game for 5 minutes before suffering a bluescreen and got this information which is almost exactly the same as the previous one:

Problem signature:
  Problem Event Name:	BlueScreen
  OS Version:	6.1.7601.2.1.0.768.3
  Locale ID:	2057

Additional information about the problem:
  BCCode:	116
  BCP1:	FFFFFA800D8D74E0
  BCP2:	FFFFF8800FBA5D1C
  BCP3:	FFFFFFFFC000009A
  BCP4:	0000000000000004
  OS Version:	6_1_7601
  Service Pack:	1_0
  Product:	768_1

Files that help describe the problem:
  C:\Windows\Minidump\091014-5772-01.dmp
  C:\Users\Rick\AppData\Local\Temp\WER-17300-0.sysdata.xml

Then, I tried something I hadn't done before which was to run cmd.exe as admin and type <sfc/scannow> which reported this:

Verification 100% complete. Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files but was unable to fix some of them. Details are included in the CBS.Log windir\Logs\CBS\CBS.log. For example C:\Windows\Logs\CBS\CBS.log

I did think for a second maybe I have to reformat my Windows 7, but then I noticed in the bottom right corner that something else unrelated about an update flagged up from the Action Center, so I went to click on that and that's when I saw that all the bluescreen related problems were flagged as "NVIDIA Graphics Driver has stopped working" so it was at that point where I did a bit more research and realised that my previous attempt at reverting to a previous driver was not done 'properly' so I redid it again the right way (still keeping to the previous version instead of the latest one).

After doing a correct reinstall, I fired up the same game in the exact same conditions which made me bluescreen in the space of 5 minutes in the previous test. This time, the game was a success; it lasted for an hour (which doesn't confirm anything on it's own because a couple of other games have ran for almost that duration before a BSOD occurs) but the point was that I completed a game for the first time in a week which I've never been able to do since this started. I don't want to jump the gun yet because that's the only test I've done so far.

I still don't believe that the GPU temperature was the reason why the BSODs happened because I put my hand against the side panel and the air didn't feel so warm at that point where it bluescreened after just 5 minutes, in contrast to my successful run where the air was really warm but went for an hour and ran just fine. The timing of previous BSODs have been too inconsistent to hint at temperatures. As for CPU temperature, the last couple of days I've had the PC on for 12+ hours each day and doing several things non-game related and with no errors or bluescreens whatsoever.

Apologies for the zip folder not there, I honestly thought I had it attached to the previous post. I've checked the folder and it definitely has files in it so I will try attaching it again (and the preview tells me it's there so should be no problem this time). I can't say when I will be able to do more tests but if I do and they're good or bad, I'll let you know.

Thanks!

 

[essenbe]

You need to monitor your GPU and CPU temps at all times, especially during gaming. I linked to a couple of programs that can do that already. As I understand it, you are no longer crashing, which is very good. For future reference, updating drivers for the GPU works well doing it this way.
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/327414-nvidia-drivers-avoid-problems.html . But, if it is working, don't do anything much to it. sfc /scannow may help if you run it 3 times with reboots in between. If you have corrupted system files, it will eventually come back to haunt you.

 

[blackandblue]

This morning, I played Borderlands 2 for about 5 minutes before suffering a bluescreen, so I took your advice and ran a program to monitor the temperatures. As well as always playing on maximum settings, I had OBS in the background to stream and after almost 10 minutes, another BSOD triggered. The gpu temperature got as high as 54 degrees celsius and the cpu temperature at 49. When outside of games, both are comfortably around low 30s. The side panel always felt the same for temperature ever since I've first had the machine and it's been working fine for 3 months until the past week. The difference with this one though is the BCCode which you can see here:

Problem signature:
  Problem Event Name:BlueScreen
  OS Version:6.1.7601.2.1.0.768.3
  Locale ID:2057

Additional information about the problem:
  BCCode:d1
  BCP1:FFFFD39900000003
  BCP2:0000000000000002
  BCP3:0000000000000000
  BCP4:FFFFF8800F6887D1
  OS Version:6_1_7601
  Service Pack:1_0
  Product:768_1

Files that help describe the problem:
  C:\Windows\Minidump\091314-5210-01.dmp
  C:\Users\Rick\AppData\Local\Temp\WER-20295-0.sysdata.xml

So if it's not the temperature that's causing it and doing a clean installation of nvidia graphics drivers doesn't resolve the issue then as a friend of mine said, all the clues hint towards there being a problem with my Windows 7, which he suggested I reformat. The only two things I can think of before doing that are either redoing the latest windows updates which I haven't done since the system restore, and/or doing something to directly address the corrupt files that cmd.exe reported (twice, now that I ran it again this morning after the first BSOD).

If it leads to a reformat, I don't know what to do specifically because even though I have a Windows 7 disc with a product key, the 64bit CD has an actual crack on the central rim and I doubt it would work. Also, when I received the machine from computerplanet.co.uk, it appeared to have come with a pre-installed version of Windows 7 64bit already, all I needed to do was enter my product key and it was ready to use. What's the best way to go if I have to reformat?

 

[blackandblue]

Just a quick update: I fully updated my Windows 7, but cmd.exe still reports that Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files and cannot fix them. Is it worth trying to fix them, or should I just go ahead with a reformat?

 

[blackandblue]

I found the thread which explains how to create a sfcdetails.txt and gathered the results from the latest sfc/scannow that I just did after making sure Windows is fully updated. The results are attached to this post.

 

[essenbe]

I would use a 64 bit and download a clean copy. These are official download links for a clean ISO and very legal. The download links are the same place that Microsoft would send you to if you bought a key from them. Windows 7 Direct Download Links, Official Disk Images from Digital River

This is exactly how to clean install one. http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1649-clean-install-windows-7-a.html

You should have no corrupt files after a clean install with those ISO files and following the instructions in the clean install. Make sure you download the one that your activation number is for. It will not activate a different version.

 

[blackandblue]

Ok, I will do a clean install tomorrow when I have more available time.

There is one more thing that I noticed just now: when checking completely for any other outstanding updates, it had 3 optional updates: one regarding MSE and the other two being these:

Intel Corporation - Graphics Adapter WDDM1.1, Graphics Adapter WDDM1.2, Graphics Adapter WDDM1.3 - Intel(R) HD Graphics 4600

nVidia - Graphics Adapter WDDM1.1, Graphics Adapter WDDM1.2, Graphics Adapter WDDM1.3 - NVIDIA GeForce GTX 770

I never knew about these updates before, they may have been automatically installed at some point before I did the system restore or maybe they were always there as just optional updates. I doubt that installing these would be enough to resolve the problem completely, as the sfcdetails.txt shows that there are at least 12 missing files that I counted. But just wondering if it had any relevance.

 

[essenbe]

Personally, I would install the MSE but if you have a graphics card you do not need the Intel Graohics because the on chip graphics are disabled when you have a GPU instaloled, and I never install GPU Drivers from Windows update. I am sure you have the latest driver already. If you don't want to install them, right click them ans select hide. But, always install the MSE ones, they are definition updates which need to be installed. But, if you are doing a clean install, it doesn't matter anyway.

 

[essenbe]

If you want me to tell you how I do it, I'll be happy. But if you get all your drivers on a USB drive, all the program installers you want to install on a USB flash drive, all activation numbers for any software, back up your email (if necessary) the install will be pretty painless. In other words, get everything you need in front of you and you can be up and functional in a short time.

When I start having problems with mine, I will try to fix it. If it takes or is going to take me more than an hour to fix it, I do a clean install. From working these cases, I have learned that in the time it takes to find the problem then the time it takes to fix it, I could have done a clean install 10 times, with a few hours left over. That is what I do. I have a folder of all up to date drivers on my computer and most of the installers for the main programs I use in another folder as well as activation numbers for software in a folder. I have a USB flash drive with all of them on it, put up somewhere. If I need to do a clean install, I get that flash drive and the Flash drive with the installation files on it and just do it. After I get to the desktop, I install the drivers and then install the Windows updates, most of which I have put into the installation files, and can be up and functional within a couple of hours after I finish the Windows Updates. It is not that bad, really. Just as long as you are prepaired. That is just the way I do it. A little forethought will make it much easier than all the horror stories you have heard about.

I do a lot of stuff with my computer, most people don't do. So, I guess because of what I explained above, I end up doing a clean install at least every 6 months. I have it down to a fine science. A lot of people do it different. They are not wrong, there are many ways to do it and none of them wrong. That is just my way.

 

[blackandblue]

Honestly, I don't have that much to back up. All the essential files and folders I need are already on USB memory sticks, the rest is not that important so I can just do a complete install.

I'm looking at the page for downloading the ISOs however, and I'm not exactly sure which one I should pick. Both the original retail copy and the pre-installed version of Windows that I have are Home Premium 64bit but I don't know which ISO I should pick when they have (media refresh) (old) (RTM) next to them in their descriptions.

Also this is going to sound like a dumb question, but even if my original DVD has a slight crack on the rim, is it worth trying that first to see if it can work or will it cause problems?

EDIT: In reading about it some more, an ISO file is usually burnt onto a CD/DVD, which I don't have any spares lying around. Is there an alternative way with an ISO?

 

[essenbe]

Yes, if you have a blank USB Flash drive at least 4 GB. It will erase everything on the drive, but will create the installation media from the ISO file http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/31541-windows-7-usb-dvd-download-tool.html

 

[essenbe]

I do not see a UK edition which comes with no Internet explorer or Media Center, I believe (thanks to the EU), I would download the X64 Media refresh US edition which does come with those. It should be in the second group labeled
X17-58997.iso as best as I can tell.

 

[blackandblue]

I had installed the new iso yesterday evening, got all my programs up and running so far and "no integrity violations" when scanning via the elevated command prompt, so windows seems in good running now. I only played one game last night with a friend for about half an hour and it seemed fine, but I will obviously need to do more testing before I can confirm anything on the gaming front.

Today, Windows is saying that it will automatically update the next time I shut down the pc: it lists 169 updates as being "important" and these are the ones that are ticked as being automatically installed. It seems like a hell of a lot of updates, should I be cautious about this in any way?

Oh and also, my SSD still has my previous windows system in a folder titled Windows.old. I don't need to keep it for any reason within my knowledge because I'm already up to speed with this clean install, but does it carry any risks if I try to delete it? It's taking up a bit of space on my SSD which has a max capacity of 120 GB.

 

[essenbe]

it is and is common, look at the updates and don't install the ones for your GPU, just un check it. It is a much longer process, but it's easier to only update about 20-25 at a tine. Also, go to Windows updates and install them manually, when you uncheck the ones you don't want clock OK at the bottom, then click install. When it is finished, it will tell you to restart, do so and once finished, use th computer for a while to make sure it runs ok, then install the next 20-24. That way, if an update causes you problems, you will have a good idea of which one.

The windows old will have your old data if you need to copy it back. This will tell you how to delete it when you are done, http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/19151-windows-old-folder-delete.html

 

[blackandblue]

Yesterday, I did a session of L4D2 that I played for 30 minutes and another this morning for 50 minutes and now, I've just concluded the 3rd gaming session that I've done since the Windows reinstall and I decided to replicate the exact same conditions I had the last time I conducted a test and got bluescreens. The results? I played BL2 for 1.5 hours straight and NO bluescreens!

Games couldn't last longer than an hour when I was suffering from bluescreens, so the fact that this is the longest I've played a single session in 2 weeks, means I'm confident that the Windows reinstall fixed the underlying problem behind the bluescreens.

Massive thanks to you essenbe for your assistance.

 

[essenbe]

You are more than welcome. I am glad I helped a little, but you deserve a lot of credit too. You did all the work. I hope your good luck continues. Give it enough time to make sure it is fixed, then please mark this thread solved and give us another update. Thanks for giving us feedback.