Solved random BSOD before & after replacing faulty RAM

[montagohalcyon]

A few weeks ago, I started having many BSODs, mostly while playing Dawn of War II or Crusader Kings II, but just in case I thought my games were the issue, also a few while on the internet or doing nothing at all. Did some research, ran some diagnostics, determined it was probably bad memory.

I ran Memtest86+ and did indeed find errors. Continued testing to find only one stick of RAM was bad, tested the good one in both slots to see if they were also at fault. Didn't seem like it, so I ordered a replacement. I considered upgrading but decided what I had had served me well enough the last 4-5 years. As far as I could tell both before ordering and now that it's arrived and been installed, this is identical. https://www.natex.us/ProductDetails...oppingengine&gclid=CI_npvvUzMQCFU5o7Aod-F8A5g

No BSODs as far as I remember in the days before the RAM arrived, though I didn't use my laptop much so maybe they just didn't have a chance to. Several since, but I just got done running 9 passes with Memtest86+ over the last 24 hours and found no errors, same as the 1 pass just after I put it in.

Normally when I have computer issues I stubbornly work it out Googling others' threads, but since this may yet be a hardware rather than software problem and I don't want to waste money or accidentally make it expensively worse poking through the innards of my laptop I'm registering myself.

 

[Gator]

Hi montago,

Can you follow the link below and post the additional information?
http://www.sevenforums.com/bsod-help-support/96879-blue-screen-death-bsod-posting-instructions.html

Thank you. It is a very big help in analyzing crashes.

 

[montagohalcyon]

Thank you for your reply! I thought I did though. Is the zip file wrong/missing something?

 

[Gator]

It's missing all of the logs. Try right-click and running it as administrator.

 

[montagohalcyon]

My fault, sorry. The first time I closed it early when "copying event logs" took a while. Don't know what I was thinking...Hopefully this has everything.

 

[Gator]

All of your logs still are not present. Try to follow the directions exactly and allow the log collector time to collect all necessary files.

BugCheck 50, {ffffffffffffffe4, 0, fffff8000345b44b, 0} 
Probably caused by :  ntkrnlmp.exe ( nt!ExQueryPoolUsage+e0 )  
 
BugCheck 50, {ffffffffffffffe4, 0, fffff8000345144b, 0} 
Probably caused  by : ntkrnlmp.exe ( nt!ExQueryPoolUsage+e0 )  
 
BugCheck A, {fffffa800cee0930, 2, 1, fffff800034f57fe} 
Probably caused  by : dxgmms1.sys ( dxgmms1!memset+80 )  
 
BugCheck 1A, {41287, 20, 0, 0} 
Probably caused by : win32k.sys (  win32k!memmove+bd )

One BSOD references your Video Driver

*** WARNING: Unable to verify timestamp for atikmpag.sys
*** ERROR: Module load completed but symbols could not be loaded for atikmpag.sys
[COLOR=Red] atikmpag[/COLOR]+0x179ef

Update your drivers if one is available, if not, try reverting back one driver.
Support & Drivers


Also, remove Daemon Tools and Hotspotshield
dtsoftbus01.sys Thu Jan 13 03:27:08 2011 (4D2EB75C)
Daemon Tools driver [br] Possible BSOD issues in Win7
http://www.carrona.org/drivers/driver.php?id=dtsoftbus01.sys


hssdrv6.sys Tue Apr 2 20:54:05 2013 (515B7DAD)
Hotspot Shield Routing Driver [br] Possible BSOD cause seen in mid-2012
http://www.carrona.org/drivers/driver.php?id=hssdrv6.sys

Since one BSOD has a hint of Direct X issues, follow the link below to see if you may be having problems.

Run DirectX Diagnostic Tool

[COLOR=Red]BugCheck A[/COLOR], {fffffa800cee0930, 2, 1, fffff800034f57fe} 
Probably caused  by : [COLOR=Red]dxgmms1.sys[/COLOR] ( dxgmms1!memset+80 )

Remove them with Revo Uninstaller
Completely Uninstall Programs And More With Revo Uninstaller

Also remove McAfee with Revo Uninstaller

Download Microsoft Security Essentials
Microsoft Security Essentials - Microsoft Windows

If problems still persist, Bugcheck 50 can be one of several things

Test your Ram with Memtest86+
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/105647-ram-test-memtest86.html

Run the test for at least 8 passes or until you receive ANY errors. Upon receiving an error, stop the test and move onto Part 3

Also open an elevated command prompt and run the command chkdsk to see if you find any problems.

Please report back with the results and please try to repost the full logs. This analysis is not complete without them.

 

[montagohalcyon]

Hotspot Shield has no entries in Revo Uninstaller, Start Menu, Program Files, Add/Remove Programs, etc. I had every reason to think it was gone completely. I don't know how to locate any remaining registry entries or drivers, and unless I'm missing something the wiki instructions are not specific on that front. I would appreciate any further detail.

The AMD autodetect utility says I have the most up-to-date driver. I will manually select one or revert if necessary.

Daemon Tools removed.

dxdiag reports no problems.

chkdsk reports no problems.

McAfee removed and replaced with Microsoft Security Essentials. Quick scan after installation and updates revealed no issues.

I ran 9 passes of Memtest86+ yesterday with no errors. Do you want me to repeat that?

 

[Gator]

Yes, try to use the guide below to remove any leftover files

How to Uninstall Hotspot Shield (V2.16) (with Pictures) - wikiHow

 

[montagohalcyon]

I've updated my previous post, done every step but the dm log collector.

Tried a third and fourth time, let it run until it closed itself. It creates an "SFdebugfiles" folder which vanishes/turns into a temp file after I refresh my desktop and a zip folder with nothing in it but the crash dumps, or a zip folder with the crash dumps and a few other text files (less than the second run, so it's obviously still not everything).

Fifth attempt running now, downloaded it to a folder rather than my desktop. Still created "SFdebugfiles" on the desktop.

 

[Gator]

Please try to upload the rest of the logs. Have you experienced any more BSODs after the steps you performed?

 

[montagohalcyon]

No further BSODs yet.

Still trying to get those logs...the dialog box at the end that says it's copying files disappears with the progress bar only about 1/3 green every time, I have another automatically generated zip folder with nothing but crash dumps inside.

 

[montagohalcyon]

Well, after a day of running normally with no bluescreens, I'd hoped maybe something from the list you gave me had fixed it, but I just had another one. SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION

I promise I have not been deliberately obstinate about providing the log files. I don't know why it's been cutting off partway through copying to the zip folder.

After rebooting my computer in safe mode I tried running the log collector again and I think, comparing the zip folder to others posted on this forum, everything is now included that should be. But since this is safe mode rather than normal operating conditions it might still not be helpful enough.

Found hssdrv6.sys in C:\Windows\System32\drivers and removed it following these instructions. Getting Blue Screen error System Thread Exception Not Handled - Microsoft Community

I suppose I'll try reverting my graphics card driver a step now.

 

[Gator]

Well, more are there but some are still missing. Some of the most important ones are present but its odd that all of them won't populate. Anyway, you'll have to give me a while to check into these, I have family in town. I'll get to it sometime tonight and let you know.

 

[montagohalcyon]

Scratch that part about hssdrv6.sys being gone...my Wi-Fi broke on the next reboot, I think because I did something I shouldn't in the removal process, and after my attempts to fix it did nothing I made a System Restore to this morning, which brought it back. And will probably require me to reinstall Steam later or something, as SR has in the past... *sigh*

 

[montagohalcyon]

Just got several more BSODs...Windows Update wanted me to restart, left the room while it did that, came back to find PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA blaming dxgmms1.sys

Next two attempts to start my computer have resulted in BAD_POOL_HEADER seconds after the login screen. Posting from dad's laptop.

I keep thinking from the (as it seems to me) wide variety of errors there must be something wrong in the hardware still or the error/source of blame would be more consistent, I just don't know what it could be...I'll keep checking here from work, or my laptop if it cooperates next time I turn it on, but I'm considering turning it over to a computer repair place...

EDIT: Windows wanted me to run Startup Repair this morning, did so and was able to log on successfully again.

 

[montagohalcyon]

Apologies for triple-posting, but I don't think you'll get a notification otherwise...any further insights?

On my end...I've done some general organizing/updating/removal and backed up my files to an external hard drive. Couple of bluescreens since I last posted.

That hotspot driver is gone for good now, on the third try...turned out removing it was breaking my wireless because it still had an entry in Wireless Network Connection Properties "this connection uses the following items". Uninstalled it from there. Don't think that was the issue, but it ties up a loose end.

In case it was the issue (hard to know if anything in particular solves bluescreens...is it fixed, or has it just not struck again yet?), or you have any more info or suggestions, I'll hang onto my laptop for a couple more days.

 

[Gator]

Hi montag, apologies for not responding. I get very busy with my work outside of the forum sometimes and sometimes I cant get enough time to help out here for a few days and sometimes weeks at a time. Anyway, I will look into it right now. Give me a little while to check.

 

[Gator]

Your latest dump is corrupted. Have you had BSOD's since the 8th? If so, please try to upload them again.

 

[montagohalcyon]

Three attempts, only got those five text files each time. But at least all the dumps are there, which is what you asked for.

(I wonder if that error loading network card information has anything to do with why it won't copy everything?)

Thanks for your time, hope everything is going well with work/family! I know this is all volunteer and I appreciate it.

 

[Gator]

Your latest BSOD still shows traces of Hotspot Shield

amdxata.sys        Fri Mar 19 12:18:18 2010 (4BA3A3CA) 
AtihdW76.sys       Sat Jun 21 22:31:21 2014 (53A63FF9) 
atikmdag.sys       Thu Nov 20 21:30:27 2014 (546EA3C3) 
atikmpag.sys       Thu Nov 20 21:08:54 2014 (546E9EB6) 
bpenum.sys         Tue Sep 15 15:44:56 2009 (4AAFEEB8) 
bpmp.sys           Tue Sep 15 15:45:06 2009 (4AAFEEC2) 
bpusb.sys          Tue Sep 15 15:44:59 2009 (4AAFEEBB) 
CtClsFlt.sys       Mon Jun 15 01:06:41 2009 (4A35D6E1) 
[COLOR=Red]hssdrv6.sys [/COLOR]       Tue Apr  2 20:54:05 2013 (515B7DAD) 
intelppm.sys       Mon Jul 13 19:19:25 2009 (4A5BC0FD) 
itecir.sys         Tue Jul 13 05:50:47 2010 (4C3C36F7) 
k57nd60a.sys       Fri Oct 16 06:29:38 2009 (4AD84B12) 
MpFilter.sys       Sat Nov  1 15:22:16 2014 (545532E8) 
NETw5s64.sys       Tue Sep 15 15:40:39 2009 (4AAFEDB7) 
NTIDrvr.sys        Tue Mar 24 23:09:39 2009 (49C9A073) 
PxHlpa64.sys       Tue Oct 20 14:08:42 2009 (4ADDFCAA) 
rimspe64.sys       Wed Jul  1 19:54:49 2009 (4A4BF749) 
risdpe64.sys       Wed Jul  1 05:31:57 2009 (4A4B2D0D) 
rixdpe64.sys       Sat Jul  4 06:27:00 2009 (4A4F2E74) 
stwrt64.sys        Thu Jan 21 05:15:11 2010 (4B58292F) 
SynTP.sys          Mon Aug 24 13:37:05 2009 (4A92CFC1) 
[COLOR=Red]taphss6.sys[/COLOR]        Tue Apr  2 19:14:49 2013 (515B6669) 
TurboB.sys         Mon Nov  2 15:47:34 2009 (4AEF4566) 
UBHelper.sys       Mon Apr 27 04:48:19 2009 (49F57153)

http://www.carrona.org/drivers/driver.php?id=taphss6.sys
http://www.carrona.org/drivers/driver.php?id=hssdrv6.sys

You need to completely remove Hotspotshield and see if thats what is still causing BSOD

Manual Removal Guide for Anchor.Hss
How to Remove Hotspot Shield | Lavasoft

Create a registry backup before doing anything in the registry
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/4230-registry-backup-restore.html