Solved New build, random BSOD - ntoskernel.exe, BCCode: 124

[UnS3eN]

New build, fresh Win 7 Ult x64 install. Random BSODs caused by ntoskernel.exe. BCCode: 124

Things I've tried so far:
- Re-installed the OS
- Tried vendor drivers and official catalyst up-to-date drivers
- Tried running the system on 1 memory stick at a time in each slot
- Ran Unigine Valley maxed out several times, no crashes during benchmarks
- Ran MemTEST86+ for 2 passes - no faults
- Disabled Cool'n'Quiet in BIOS (read that Win 7 doesn't always like that)

Things I haven't tried so far, but planning on tonight:
- Dual-booting into a different OS Still crashes
- Running the system on integrated GFX0 No crashes for over an hour
- Running HDD diagnostics HDD is fine
- Swapping PCI GPU for a different one NO crashes for hours, gaming and testing, system remained stable
- Swapping PSU for a more powerful one Still crashing

I'm currently at work so I can't upload any logs/.dmps. All hardware is running on stock clock times, no OC (yet).

Any preliminary ideas as to what might be causing this? I'll upload all the necessary stuff listed in here once I'm back home.

Edit: There seems to be a lot of stability updates for this mobo's BIOS. Will try updating as well. Wanted to do it last night, but the support page for the mobo was down.

 

[UnS3eN]

Update: BIOS is at it's latest version out of the box. .dmp attached

 

[essenbe]

Please make sure your system is configured for Small Memory Dumps http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/174459-dump-files-configure-windows-create-bsod.html .

Your files have no dump files to analyze also please install SP1. Learn how to install Windows 7 Service Pack 1 (SP1)

Also please, open an elevated command prompt ( click start, type cmd in the search box, right click on the cmd entry and select run as administrator) in the black box that opens, copy/paste sfc /scannow. If you decide to type it, notice the space between the sfc and the /. It is a system file checker which will scan your system files and attempt to correct any missing or corrupt files. What we want are the results to say windows found no integrity violations. If it says files were found but could not be repaired, close the box, reboot and run it again, after opening the administrative command prompt. You may have to reboot and run it three times for it to repair all system files. If it can't repair them after 3 reboots, let us know.

 

[UnS3eN]

C:\Windows\system32>sfc /scannow

Beginning system scan.  This process will take some time.

Beginning verification phase of system scan.
Verification 100% complete.

Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations.

SP1 was installed on the previous Win 7 install and it was still crashing (installing it right now on this one).

I might have located the source of the problem though. I've been running the system on integrated GFX for nearly an hour now with no crashes.

Now I need to figure out if it's a driver issue or hardware fault. I'm leaning towards drivers as I've successfully run Unigine Valley on max settings and it was working fine.

 

[essenbe]

Try a good, known working card, if you have one. If you don't borrow one from a friend or swap cards with them.

 

[UnS3eN]

Currently running the system with the GPU in without installing the drivers. Stable for 2 hours.

Afraid to install drivers - they might break stuff again. On the other hand, there's no 3D acceleration at the moment.

 

[essenbe]

If you have the card installed, the motherboard will disable on board graphics.

 

[UnS3eN]

I know. What I was trying to say was I ran the system on integrated for an hour and got no crashes (which was the PC's record for stability). Then I plugged the GPU, connected the DVI lead to it and made it the primary card in BIOS. Ran the system for 2 hours on just the generic Windows drivers and, again, no crashes.

I can safely say the system only crashed with both GPU and drivers installed. So now I'm installing older drivers to see if it makes any difference.

 

[essenbe]

Ok, I got it. Why not try another pcie slot? See if it still crashes. What Manufacturer and size PSU do you have?

 

[UnS3eN]

micro-ATX mobo - only have 1 PCIe.

Corsair CX650M

As soon as I install the drivers, system crashes within 10 minutes. And I wasn't even doing anything, just left it on.

 

[essenbe]

Do you have SP1 installed now?

Try reinstalling whichever WHQL driver is the most stable for you, but do it this way and see if it helps.

I am going to give you some links that will help you get a good clean install and not have any drivers you don't need that will conflict with other drivers. Download a WHQL driver from http://www.sevenforums.com/graphic-cards/329659-latest-amd-catalyst-video-driver-windows-7-a.html . Once you have them downloaded, uninstall you current driver from control panel. next clean up any left over drivers from following this tutorial http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/83814-drivers-clean-left-over-files-after-uninstalling.html and select only ATI Display Drivers. After you have done that and rebooted, install the new driver, only select custom install and install only what you have to. Very few people need most of what they include. You do not need the audio/HDMI drivers as you already have that in your Motherboard drivers. Unless there is some reason you need them, the only thing you really need is the Display Driver.

With a graphics card there is very little involved. The drivers, the card, the Motherboard and the PSU. If you can find no drivers that work, it pretty much means it is not drivers. If you can borrow another good, working card and run it OK, that means it is not the Motherboard. If you try your card in another machine with an ample PSU and it has the same problem, it will pretty much say it is the card.

Also, I didn't say it, but if you are overclocking, set everything back to default levels. Also, remember your card, from what I can find, can spike up to pulling well over 300 Watts.

 

[UnS3eN]

I pretty much tried all the diver versions that support my GPU - still crashing within 10 minutes.

I've a few thing to do now:
- Use a more powerful PSU to determine if it's the card's hunger for power that's causing it. Benchmarks show ~300W at full load, so a 650W PSU should be enough to power the system.
- Use a different GPU to make sure the MB and the PSU work fine
- Use the GPU in a different system to see if it starts causing the same issues

 

[essenbe]

If I were you, I would start at the bottom of the list and work my way to the top. You crashed while doing nothing. The card does not pull that many amps at idle. Go into BIOS and give me the values of the +12V, +5V and +3.3V.

 

[UnS3eN]

3.324
5.010
12.105

 

[essenbe]

Voltages look good.

 

[UnS3eN]

So, I ran more tests and managed to pinpoint the exact issue. Faulty GPU card. It crashes causes random BSODs when it's running on Catalyst drivers. It crashes in idle, it crashes while browsing, it crashes in 2D games, it crashes in 3D games. I was unable to reproduce the crashed intentionally, it just happens with no seaming pattern.

I put a 2 year old Corsair TX850W - that I know works - in and it still kept crashing. I then put a GTX 660 I borrowed from a friend in and have been testing the system, running all sorts of benchmarks and playing Far Cry: Blood Dragon for 5 hours at this point.

Not a single issue.

So one more disappointment from the Red team. Will be returning this card.

Thank you for your help. Marked solved now.

 

[essenbe]

Sounds like the card then. Has he tried your card in his system?

 

[UnS3eN]

He wouldn't allow to take a hacksaw to his case to fit the card in

 

[essenbe]

OK, but I think you still have your answer, or at least most of it. But, I hope when you get your new card things go much better.