Solved Frequent BSOD crashes

[Jonathan_King]

That's the error I'm looking at...any ideas what pfc.sys is being used by?

Isn't it past your bedtime in NY?

I've become more of an owl since I left my dairy farming job in January, but I'm headed to bed now.

 

[zigzag3143]

Pfc.sys is a system driver installed along with the drivers for many CD and DVD writers.

It is associated with the Advanced SCSI Programming Interface (ASPI), a standard developed by Adaptec that lets PC software control optical drives.

It was originally developed for SCSI but now is used for other interfaces as well.

Terminating this driver may cause software errors when using your optical device.

 

[Bob Pickering]

Pfc.sys is a system driver installed along with the drivers for many CD and DVD writers.

It is associated with the Advanced SCSI Programming Interface (ASPI), a standard developed by Adaptec that lets PC software control optical drives.

It was originally developed for SCSI but now is used for other interfaces as well.

Terminating this driver may cause software errors when using your optical device.

Yes, I had read that somewhere. If it actually is optical drive 2, I am wondering if I should disconnect it for a while and see if I still have a problem. Maybe when it is reinstalled later, any driver problem may no longer exist?

 

[Bob Pickering]

I have tried this to see if it will avoid the problem. Will post again in a while (after Jonathan has had his dairyfarmer's nap).


This error is caused by DEP (Data Execution Prevention). To fix it ...

Right click the My Computer icon, select Properties, in the new dialog, click the Advanced tab, in the Performance group click the Settings button, now click the Data Execution Prevention tab, now select Turn on DEP for all programs and services except those I select:, now click the Add button at the bottom and browse to C:\Windows\SysWow64\drivers\pfc.sys (assuming Windows is installed in the Windows folder on your C: drive) and select Open, ensure there is a tick next to the file you just added in the list, then click Apply. Close all open windows and restart your PC, the problem should now be gone.

 

[zigzag3143]

Do you by chance have Nero? That uses pfc.sys

 

[Bob Pickering]

Do you by chance have Nero? That uses pfc.sys

Yes. I have Nero 10. I also have other apps that may use pfc.sys. For example, IMG.BURN, Adobe Audition 1.5, MPEG Video Wizard DVD, ConvertXtoDVD4. Am using ConvertX now. The PC crashed during converting a short time ago in ConvertX. I saw the desktop icons vanish a few seconds earlier. But it seems to be doing OK now after I restarted, having converted the files and has burned result to DVD+RW disk in drive 2. Obviously creating the DEP exception hasn't eradicated problem.

 

[Bob Pickering]

another list of events

 

[Bob Pickering]

Well, it seemed all was going along fine. I programmed some tv to record. Crash, bang! no good. When I came to check well after the scheduled task should have begun, everything had locked up. Screen saver frozen. Did a restart, and saved events viewer. I notice it reported an unexpected shutdown occurred earlier. Interestingly it seems to me that it is reporting a problem with my second optical drive (at position 3). Any suggestions guys? If I am right, should I try to disconnect that drive, maybe even put another one in its place??

 

[Jonathan_King]

We're not looking at physical problems with the optical drive hardware, but rather an error for a driver that's trying to load. Namely, pfc.sys. Take care of that and we'll go from there.

 

[Bob Pickering]

wrong file uploaded last time

We're not looking at physical problems with the optical drive hardware, but rather an error for a driver that's trying to load. Namely, pfc.sys. Take care of that and we'll go from there.

I uploaded an old event file last time. Here is the one I meant to do. I seem to have a ULead driver somewhere in my system, to do with ULead Video Studio SE perhaps. I can find some files/folders carried through from my old PC, but don't know how/if any drivers are involved. Perhaps one of my apps uses ULead? Some I suspect include: Adobe Audition 1.5; Winfast PVR2; AVS Video Editor (and other AVS apps); Nero 10; MPEG Video Wizard DVD; VideoPad Video Editor; Prism Video File Converter; Sony Vegas Movie Studio 9; Handbrake; ConvertX to DVD4. I still have quite a number of the installers in my Downloads, so it would be a relatively easy matter to uninstall some for the time being if you think that might help.

 

[Jonathan_King]

You should be able to uninstall any program from Programs and Features:

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/77761-programs-features-uninstall-change-program.html

If you can't figure out which program is using that driver, go to C:\Windows\System32\Drivers, and delete pfc.sys.

 

[Bob Pickering]

You should be able to uninstall any program from Programs and Features:

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/77761-programs-features-uninstall-change-program.html

If you can't figure out which program is using that driver, go to C:\Windows\System32\Drivers, and delete pfc.sys.

There is no pfc.sys driver in that folder. Are we now getting closer to the source of the error?

 

[Bob Pickering]

You should be able to uninstall any program from Programs and Features:

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/77761-programs-features-uninstall-change-program.html

If you can't figure out which program is using that driver, go to C:\Windows\System32\Drivers, and delete pfc.sys.

There is no pfc.sys driver in that folder. Are we now getting closer to the source of the error?

There is a pfc.sys driver in the Windows\SysWOW64\drivers. That seems to be the one referred to in the error messages. Should I delete that, or am I on quicksand? Here's a perfmon file I tried to upload earlier today, but didn't seem to succeed.
p.s. I have already uninstalled some of the programs I don't use. The Event Viewer still reports a lot of problems every restart though. Let me know if a new file will help.
HMMM! I just checked and no event problems at last restart.

 

[Bob Pickering]

I think I will do a clean instal of Windows and see if I can avoid all these errors. Thanks to those who have helped so far.

 

[Bob Pickering]

Well, am not having a lot of success. After a clean instal of W7, I am getting BSODs with only the MB software added to the original W7-64 installation. Can anyone help me to fix at this early stage?

 

[Jonathan_King]

Try running some hardware tests:

Run each of the three Prime95 tests:

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/100352-hardware-stress-test-prime95.html

Also run Memtest86: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/105647-ram-test-memtest86.html

 

[zigzag3143]

From line 10 of 10 in your event viewer.

Log Name: Application
Source: Microsoft-Windows-Security-SPP
Date: 4/9/2012 1:50:23 PM
Event ID: 1017
Task Category: None
Level: Error
Keywords: Classic
User: N/A
Computer: Bob-PC
Description:
Installation of the Proof of Purchase failed. 0xC004F050
Partial Pkey=MGD4G

http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=52012


The time is off by more than the time service can change.

The time service has detected that the system time needs to be changed by -59317 seconds. The time service will not change the system time by more than 54000 seconds. Verify that your time and time zone are correct, and that the time source time.windows.com,0x9 (ntp.m|0x9|0.0.0.0:123->65.55.21.17:123) is working properly.

 

[Bob Pickering]

From line 10 of 10 in your event viewer.

Log Name: Application
Source: Microsoft-Windows-Security-SPP
Date: 4/9/2012 1:50:23 PM
Event ID: 1017
Task Category: None
Level: Error
Keywords: Classic
User: N/A
Computer: Bob-PC
Description:
Installation of the Proof of Purchase failed. 0xC004F050
Partial Pkey=MGD4G

http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=52012


The time is off by more than the time service can change.

The time service has detected that the system time needs to be changed by -59317 seconds. The time service will not change the system time by more than 54000 seconds. Verify that your time and time zone are correct, and that the time source time.windows.com,0x9 (ntp.m|0x9|0.0.0.0:123->65.55.21.17:123) is working properly.

Hope that one is now fixed.

 

[Bob Pickering]

Try running some hardware tests:

Run each of the three Prime95 tests:

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/100352-hardware-stress-test-prime95.html

Also run Memtest86: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/105647-ram-test-memtest86.html

Am running the Prime95. I don't understand 'three . . . tests' ? There seems to be only one here.

 

[Jonathan_King]

There should be three Prime95 tests: Blend, Large FFTs, and Small FFTs.