Solved Non-specific BSOD

[toranaboy]

Just to report in: 4.5 days with no crashes. Have installed a pdf reader and a game. It is interesting that nothing has happened. Will post if anything happens or in a few days otherwise.

 

[essenbe]

Great, just install 1 or 2 programs at a time then test them and make sure the computer is still stable, then install another 1 or 2. That way if you start having BSODs again, you will know what program is causing it.

If you get everything installed and stable, I would suggest sitting down and having a "Father Son' discussion about where not to go and know what you are downloading and where from. Lay down the rules for him. Put some good security on the system too.

 

[essenbe]

toranaboy, maybe you should run some stress tests with it occasionally. Just idling or browsing won't really tell you a lot. maybe install a game or two and play them to see what kind of reaction you get from it. That was the problem to begin with. So, test it out. If you run stress tests, keep an eye on the temps of the CPU and Graphics card. If it gets too hot, stop the test or game.

 

[toranaboy]

Well waddya know

Had a freeze today and ran WhoCrashed. It wasn't a crash, but it revealed a crash on 6th August, the day I clean installed. Anyhoo, crashed again today after the game and pdf reader were installed. What could be going on? I have uploaded the Diagnostic file.

 

[essenbe]

Where is the file? I don't see it.

 

[toranaboy]

Uploads

I have tried to upload again with another crash report just harvested.

 

[essenbe]

toranaboy, Hold on a little while, I'm going to try to get someone else to look at this. I can't get much from the dump files, other than 1 indicated an NFTS file system error which could be a bad had drive. In the mean time run chkdsk on the drive http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/433-disk-check.html if you use option 1 check both boxes, it will take a long time if you use option 2 run chkdsk C: /f /r Also, 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.

 

[carwiz]

I think you're right on track Steve. Looks like a disk drive may be on it's way out.

wuaueng.dll (1028) SUS20ClientDataStore: The database page read from the file "C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\DataStore\DataStore.edb" at offset 98304 (0x0000000000018000) (database page 2 (0x2)) for 32768 (0x00008000) bytes failed verification. Bit 126985 was corrupted and has been corrected.

This problem is likely due to faulty hardware and may continue. Transient failures such as these can be a precursor to a catastrophic failure in the storage subsystem containing this file.

 

[toranaboy]

I ran Check Disk with neither check box selected. No problems were reported. I ran sfc /scannow and no integrity violations were reported. Since installing the game I have experienced the display driver stopping problem that my son had had. And this is for the onboard graphics, not the ATI Radeon 5670 that was in it before. And, noting what you have said carwiz, I have been wondering whether the motherboard might be a lemon. I have seen the odd comment online about ASRock equipment. Is that possible?

Grateful as ever for your advice.

Jim

 

[carwiz]

The error would indicate a problem with a disk drive. This could be the actual drive or the drive controller (motherboard). Check the motherboard OEM site for driver and BIOS updates, especially Chipset drivers. Also, the drive OEM may have a firmware update.

I'm not familiar with the "comment online" so can you expand on that?

 

[essenbe]

Ken, he should have the newest drivers on the web site. This is a clean install about 2 weeks ago and I had told him to get the drivers from the web site at that time.

 

[carwiz]

Ok, good. I've read through so many threads lately, I forget where I am sometimes. (d)

 

[essenbe]

Don't feel lonesome.

 

[toranaboy]

The 'comment online' was just a remark made by someone in a forum or some such which I would have seen while trawling for answers to this problem. The PC is crashing and the "display driver has stopped and has recovered" (this is for the onboard graphics) afflicts the thing as well. Amount of effort being put in here is considerable and it strikes me that the machine is most ungrateful. Tempted to take it out the back and put it out of its (and my) misery but I haven't got a gun I have a motherboard in my parts box which I could swap in. The win 7 is oem but I think I should only have problems activating it at some later stage. I am conscious of the burden this stuff presents to you folks and I do not want to be a bigger PITA than is necessary.

 

[essenbe]

Don't worry about that, it's what we do. We'll help any way we can. I was hoping it was te Haed Drive, but since it has passed all the tests it seems to me to be down to the PSU, Motherboard or CPU.

 

[Arc]

Hello Jim.

The issue ....

display driver has stopped and has recovered

​

Is not a very good one. If the issue continues irrespective of driver version, it is the fault of the graphics chip. And you are right, you will face some trouble to activate it back if you swap the motherboard for an OEM license.

Getting a decent GPU will be an easier option, IMHO.

 

[toranaboy]

Reporting: display woes; plans

Hi Arc! The display driver problem was happening with the graphics adapter I had in the machine originally too, a Radeon 5670. It is obviously very unlikely that both the Radeon and the onboard adapter are defective. I infer that the problem originates with a flakey motherboard.

I am confident the PSU is ok as I've swapped out PSUs before and they were none of them defective. I have a (basic) psu tester which I can use if necessary.

Thank you all for your patient attention to this problem. I am gratified that I am not being too big a pain

I propose today (Sunday morning here) to swap in an old motherboard from the parts cupboard (warehouse) and see what happens. I can run windows unactivated perhaps for a time if I deselect online activation. I have a Linux Mint 16 disc here if necessary

I will report any new catastrophes in due course.

Jim

 

[essenbe]

Hopefully, you won't have any Major Catastrophes.

 

[Arc]

If you decide to change the motherboard, try http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/18715-activate-windows-7-phone.html

Not a perfect plan as per the OEM licensing agreement, but the activation will work.

 

[toranaboy]

Thanks Arc, I have had to activate by phone a number of times and it gives me the heebie jeebies I gotta tell ya. I don't trust the kindness of Microsoft when it comes to win 7 oem licences. Anyway, have re-installed on the swapped-in board BA-Z68MA-D2H-B3. We shall see what we shall see