Random BSOD, Error ntoskrnl.exe+cca4a

[thunderkiss]

Greetings, I was hoping someone would help me with my BSOD ntoskrnl.exe issue as I've experiencing them randomly throughout the day but not quite enough to the point it would cripple my PC. I had this issue a year ago that was fixed by simply running Memtest86+ through a few passes on all RAM modules and I found out that 2 out of 3 of my sticks had errors all over them. I smartened up a bit when I replaced them several months back by running them through the same test and fortunately none of them had any errors.

I tried digging through the other similar ntoskrnl.exe threads but to no avail, also tried running each stick in 4-7 passes and none of them displayed any errors.

Any help and insight would be greatly appreciated

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Hello and welcome thunderkiss first up the memtest mate should be run at least 8 passes unless errors come up straight away but if you are satisfied with what you have done try these for starters the files I am not real sure so do these first

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1538-sfc-scannow-command-system-file-checker.html

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/433-disk-check.html< DO NOT runon a SSD

http://www.superantispyware.com/

http://www.malwarebytes.org/products/malwarebytes_free/

http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/download/adwcleaner/

download from bleeping computer

 

[thunderkiss]

Hello ICit2lol, I ran System File Checker already and the error log is the CBS.zip I've included in my original post

I ran the following in the meantime:

1. Driver Verifier - BSOD at login screen with nvlddmkm.sys (Strange since I regularly update my drivers and I know how to install them clean)
2. CrystalInfo and SeaTools - All HDDs are okay
3. Adwcleaner - It didn't see anything of value, cleaned everything anyway
4. Malwarebytes - No malicious items detected

Will try to run a comprehensive disk check and maybe another Memtest run a few hours from now

I'm starting to think this could be a hardware issue but I cannot find proof

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Ok Thunder it could be something as simple as reseating the sticks and GPU and you can do that easily and while you are at it do this

SLOTCLEANING

Now as for the slots to clean them use astrip of old credit card about 1/2 inch wide nip the corners off one end - preferably round them off hold apiece of thin lint free cloth over the end dab on some form of alcohol - isopropyl alcohol (what we swab the skin with before an injection) is good and GENTLY swipe along the slots.

This can also be done for the GPU slot/s.

 

[thunderkiss]

Just finished a Memtest run, found out that the last stick had errors after 6 passes

Plugged in a new stick, system is stable so far and no BSOD/hanging yet

I'll try to clean up my case in the meantime before I start Checkdisk

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Just finished a Memtest run, found out that the last stick had errors after 6 passes

Plugged in a new stick, system is stable so far and no BSOD/hanging yet

I'll try to clean up my case in the meantime before I start Checkdisk

Greta some progress mate and while you are cleaning up try the slot cleaning too because they do accumulate crud over time even though they are a reasonably tight fit.

 

[thunderkiss]

I just finished Chkdsk at this time on all four drives, they're all mint clean from the inside

ICit2lol, I've done all you've asked; I think I would be best if I just wait it out for a day or two of normal use since I've been testing and diagnosing this rig with your help for the past two days.

EDIT: PC just froze a minute ago and my headphones had this intense buzzing sound

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Ok mate I might just ask for some help here as it sounds to me like the HDD is either badly corrupted or failing or even the board.

 

[Arc]

Stress test the CPU.
Hardware - Stress Test With Prime95

Test your RAM modules for possible errors.
How to Test and Diagnose RAM Issues with Memtest86+
Run memtest for at least 8 passes, preferably overnight.
If it start showing errors/red lines, stop testing. A single error is enough to determine that something is going bad there.

Stress test the Graphics Card using Furmark.
Video Card - Stress Test with Furmark

Are you overclocking? As you are getting BSODs, you should stop overclocking and run all the hardware components like CPU, GPU and RAM to their default settings.

Try to update the BIOS to the latest, from MSI Global ? Motherboard - Eclipse SLI

Let us know the results.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

*******************************************************************************
*                                                                             *
*                        Bugcheck Analysis                                    *
*                                                                             *
*******************************************************************************

Use !analyze -v to get detailed debugging information.

BugCheck 101, {19, 0, fffff880031d5180, 3}

Probably caused by : Unknown_Image ( ANALYSIS_INCONCLUSIVE )

Followup: MachineOwner
---------

http://pcsupport.about.com/od/fixtheproblem/tp/clearcmos.htm

 

[rvcjew]

I would run with one stick only atm to test your other stuff like cpu, it sounds like you have:
A: bad ram
B: bad ram slots
C: other undetermined problems.

So yeah run prime 95 with blend setting and see if any of the workers stop after about 3 hours or more or even sooner (a bad oc will stop them in about 30 seconds for instance).
Rvcjew

 

[thunderkiss]

Ok mate I might just ask for some help here as it sounds to me like the HDD is either badly corrupted or failing or even the board.

Thanks for the heads-up, will try to look into that. So far I haven't really tested the board.

@Arc
I already tested all of my sticks a couple of days ago with at least 10 passes on each one, the third one failed after the 6th pass so I replaced it with a clean spare

I was thinking of doing stress tests on my CPU and graphics card but I'm worried that I might fry either one or both of them and I wouldn't have anything to replace them on hand. As for the motherboard, I've flashed it to the latest version years back and they've stopped support for LGA1366 boards

@rvcjew
How will I know if my RAM slots are bad or failing? Cleaned them up a day ago at iCit2lol's suggestion

Thanks for the help guys, will try doing Arc's suggestion in the meantime

 

[Britton30]

A bad slot will show up as errors in memtest. did it pass with all of your RAM installed? Also if the RAM sticks aren't matched it can cause issues too, even if the same brans and model but purchased at different times.

Graphics card test:


Video Card Stress Test with Furmark ​

 

[thunderkiss]

A bad slot will show up as errors in memtest. did it pass with all of your RAM installed? Also if the RAM sticks aren't matched it can cause issues too, even if the same brans and model but purchased at different times.

All of my sticks that I use now passed Memtest with no errors

They're also the same model and I bought them at the same time years ago

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Ok Thunder this might sound a little odd but to eliminate it do this
PSU- Jump Start

for a reference
PowerSupply 101: A Reference Of Specifications - Power Supplies asyou will see there is a +/- 5% variance that can make all the difference so11.4v is way too low and 12.6v way too high.

Plus remember correct bolts do not mean correct current (amps - in turn watts)

Just take note of the reference to Power_Good in section 2 and the volts at pin 8 (grey cable) it has to be between 2.4v and 6.0v for the timer chip to fire the system up outside those parameters and the machine will crash as it means the volts to the board are either likely to damage it or not enough to run the board / system.

 

[thunderkiss]

So I just ran Prime95 for 2 hours and everything passed and a few hours later I ran Furmark for 10-15 minutes and didn't experience any artifacts, is it safe to assume that my CPU and graphics card are not the problem?

@ICit2lol: Do you think my PSU has a voltage problem?

 

[rvcjew]

So I just ran Prime95 for 2 hours and everything passed and a few hours later I ran Furmark for 10-15 minutes and didn't experience any artifacts, is it safe to assume that my CPU and graphics card are not the problem?

@ICit2lol: Do you think my PSU has a voltage problem?

that psu is more than enough to power that system unless it is having fluctuations. is your psu hot to the touch in operation? i mean the top of it not the back, it should run fairly cool since it should run at like 50% load at most. you could use a program to monitor and log your voltages for like 24 hours and see if they start to fluctuate more than what they should be. AIDIA64 does this but idk how accurate it is.

 

[Britton30]

A PSU can cause a multitude of issues that mimic other hardware problems and is often overlooked in diagnoses. Rvcjew has a good idea with AIDA64 and getting at least a 24 hour log of output. One can test OK on the bench and fail under a booted, running system.

This HWMonitor CPUID - System & hardware benchmark, monitoring, reporting is another way to check as well. Ignore the big green Download button, the program is over to the right, a white lightning bolt in a red square, 1.24 Setup.

Your PSU may be fine but it will help eliminate one item.

 

[ICIT2LOL]

So I just ran Prime95 for 2 hours and everything passed and a few hours later I ran Furmark for 10-15 minutes and didn't experience any artifacts, is it safe to assume that my CPU and graphics card are not the problem?

@ICit2lol: Do you think my PSU has a voltage problem?

Sorry late reply mate have been away again no I am not suggesting it has a problem but as Britton says it is really to eliminate that source as a problem area. It takes very little time to check and it might just be your problem.

 

[thunderkiss]

A PSU can cause a multitude of issues that mimic other hardware problems and is often overlooked in diagnoses. Rvcjew has a good idea with AIDA64 and getting at least a 24 hour log of output. One can test OK on the bench and fail under a booted, running system.

This HWMonitor CPUID - System & hardware benchmark, monitoring, reporting is another way to check as well. Ignore the big green Download button, the program is over to the right, a white lightning bolt in a red square, 1.24 Setup.

Your PSU may be fine but it will help eliminate one item.

Okay so I got HWMonitor installed, do I just leave it like that for 24 hours because I don't see that much options in the menu.

Also, how do I use AIDA64? Wouldn't the stress test fry my system?

 

[Britton30]

With HWmonitor open, press Ctrl+S to start monitoring. AIDA64 should not fry your system.