Random BSOD on Windows 7 Beta

[HwKok]

Hello all,

About 3 weeks ago I bought and build my own PC.
I downloaded Windows 7 Beta before and installed it directly from the beginning, including Windows-7 drivers for everything which I downloaded from the internet.

Everything works fine when I’m working at it in stressed situations, like playing GTA IV and Need For Speed Shift etc. But almost everytime in "easy" situations like when the PC is "waiting" for a while (approx. 15min) on the Windows-login screen I get a BSOD.

This are the last 3 BSOD’s:

http://img98.imageshack.us/img98/8057/29092009021y.jpg

Also, I packed all my minidump-files which I got since the first one 3 weeks ago (it was directly after the Windows install when I installed GTA IV). I have totally no idea how to work with debugging-tools, so could anybody please have a look at it and tell me what is happening?!?!

Thanx in advance

　
　

 

[H2SO4]

One of the more interesting crash patterns seen here recently

Out of curiosity, would you have any idea why your OS thinks it's Win 7 RTM (7600), even though you downloaded and installed the beta? Also, at least a couple of these crashes occurred while you were in GTA, for what that's worth.

Many of your dumps (I didn't go through all 23!) show what's called a "stride" memory corruption pattern - the corruption is periodic, repeating, affecting every 8th byte. Without getting bogged down in detail, it is very likely that a particular region of physical memory which holds the contents of the TCPIP.SYS driver is unreliable.

You've also got at least one IP misalignment crash which is another common indicator of a hardware fault.

I'd suggest you start by running the Windows memory diagnostics tool for a while. Also, if the machine is being over-clocked or under-cooled, either of those could lead to a problem.

My gut feeling is that you've got bad RAM.

 

[HwKok]

Well, I really don't understand why it thinks it is Windows 7 RTM. To be honest: I downloaded this version via newsgroups as I thought this was a reliable build and Microsoft removed it from their download page...

I ran memtest86+ last week for at least 12 hours and it gave me 12x a pass and 0x an error. So I was thinking this BSOD's are no RAM-errors. I will, however, still test it with the Windows memory diagnostics to be sure.

Could it be possible that it's because some wrong settings for my memorysticks in the BIOS? I've read on the forums of OCZ that the Gigabyte-motherboards are using some wrong settings for the OCZ memorysticks when they are set to "auto" in the BIOS. Would some adjustment to manual settings help?!

Thnx for your help so far...

 

[zigzag3143]

hwkok

If you downloaded it from usenet you have no idea what has been included (virus) or left out (critical files). you can tell what version it is by typing winver in search

good luck

ken

 

[HwKok]

Allright, I'll check that later this day when I'm back home.

BTW: Everything on my system is on stock-speed and I've nothing overclocked so far. Also it's on a cool place with a nice airflow, so I don't think it's overheating. The fact that I get BSOD's when running "light" processes confirms that I think.

 

[zigzag3143]

Allright, I'll check that later this day when I'm back home.

BTW: Everything on my system is on stock-speed and I've nothing overclocked so far. Also it's on a cool place with a nice airflow, so I don't think it's overheating. The fact that I get BSOD's when running "light" processes confirms that I think.

hwk

you can a lso go to c:\windows\minidump, zip the dump file )*.dmp) and upload it to us so we can debug it

ken

EDIT: Im sorry I missed that and H2SO4 has already debugged them. I dont know where my brain was but...

 

[HwKok]

Ken,

Look at my first post. I've added my 23(!) minidump-files in there...
Good luck and thnx for watching at it!

Grtz. HwKok

 

[H2SO4]

Ken,

Look at my first post. I've added my 23(!) minidump-files in there...
Good luck and thnx for watching at it!

Grtz. HwKok

Try uninstalling AVG as well. There's no reason to be certain that all 23 crashes are caused by the same thing, but more than three quarters of them are in networking code, and TCPIP.SYS specifically. (Some of the dumps show activity by the AVG filter driver just beforehand - or maybe it was Avast? - whichever of the two you've got installed - I no longer have the dumps open.)

As ZigZag said, that install may be riddled with malware. For starters, it most definitely reports itself as RTM, even though you supposedly downloaded a beta.

I'm still relatively confident your hardware is unreliable. Either that, or you've got malware which deliberately patches TCPIP.SYS - and does it so badly the thing crashes.

 

[HwKok]

H2SO4,

You're right, I HAD installed AVG...but I discussed this problem with some Dutch guys and they said that I had to uninstall AVG aswell. So...I did but it didn't work. I used the AVG de-installation tool from their website to be sure everything would be removed from my PC, but unfortunately I still get BSOD's..

What do you guys think of the fact that Memtest86+ doesn't give any error in 12hrs of scanning, but every BSOD leads to my memory? As you say, It could be because of the "patched" Windows (I actually hope this is it...), but as I said..couldn't it be some wrong settings what are automatically defined in my BIOS by the Gigabyte motherboard?!

 

[H2SO4]

H2SO4,

You're right, I HAD installed AVG...but I discussed this problem with some Dutch guys and they said that I had to uninstall AVG aswell. So...I did but it didn't work. I used the AVG de-installation tool from their website to be sure everything would be removed from my PC, but unfortunately I still get BSOD's..

There's no proof that AVG is involved. It just happens to do stuff near TCPIP.SYS in a couple of the dumps, and since it's not absolutely essential it becomes logical to remove it during the troubleshooting - one variable less.

What do you guys think of the fact that Memtest86+ doesn't give any error in 12hrs of scanning, but every BSOD leads to my memory? As you say, It could be because of the "patched" Windows (I actually hope this is it...), but as I said..couldn't it be some wrong settings what are automatically defined in my BIOS by the Gigabyte motherboard?!

The OS+apps are one big memory tester, and yet it can take days or weeks for a memory-related crash to repeat itself. There's far too much reliance on relatively short runs by memory testers. They exhibit a statistical property termed "high inverse specificity with high sensitivity". In other words, the memory tester will frequently report false negatives (unreliable memory is reported as being OK), but it's practically incapable of false positives (all reports of unreliable memory are accurate).

It's best not to speculate on whether it's the BIOS or whatever. There's insufficient info for that.

 

[HwKok]

Hmz...so you seriously think my RAM is broken, but because the memtest86+ run was too short, it reported that the RAM was ok?

What is the best way to be sure that my RAM is broken? Run the Windows Memory Diagnostic tool for days and days or something? I need to know how to 'proof' it to the shop where I bought them that I need new RAM-sticks

 

[H2SO4]

Hmz...so you seriously think my RAM is broken, but because the memtest86+ run was too short, it reported that the RAM was ok?

What is the best way to be sure that my RAM is broken? Run the Windows Memory Diagnostic tool for days and days or something? I need to know how to 'proof' it to the shop where I bought them that I need new RAM-sticks

A minidump doesn't offer certainty - it offers vague suggestions

Personally, I would not bother trying to fix that install of Windows. The source is (now) known to be dubious, which means the very worst thing that can happen to you is that you somehow manage to mitigate the issue and continue using it, only to later discover somebody's been pwning your online banking through a backdoor left in that OS image.

If I was for some reason being forced to persist with the troubleshooting, I'd be tempted to run the Windows memory diagnostic for a couple of days if necessary.

 

[HwKok]

Well...since it's a desktop PC at my home place with no "important" function like a workstation or something, I am not forced to persist at all.

But let me clear: to be sure that one of my RAM-sticks is broken, it's recommended to check the sticks one by one with Windows Memory Diagnostic?
And when I get new sticks, It's recommended to install a fresh, GOOD, Windows 7 install to prevent myself from being hacked or anything...

Please give some advise, because I really don't know what is best to do in this case..

 

[H2SO4]

Well...since it's a desktop PC at my home place with no "important" function like a workstation or something, I am not forced to persist at all.

But let me clear: to be sure that one of my RAM-sticks is broken, it's recommended to check the sticks one by one with Windows Memory Diagnostic?
And when I get new sticks, It's recommended to install a fresh, GOOD, Windows 7 install to prevent myself from being hacked or anything...

Please give some advise, because I really don't know what is best to do in this case..

Yes, you don't want to be installing torrented operating system images, for multiple reasons.

The first is legality, although I'm personally unclear on whether it's OK to torrent your OS image and then use a valid license key. This forum does not support or condone any form of illegality, so I'm hoping somebody with more knowledge will be able to explain the situation to both of us.

The second is that the torrented image can - and frequently is - riddled with malware.

Therefore, my suggestion to you would be to obtain a copy of Win7 from Microsoft, and to restart from scratch. Should the same errors persist, you may wish to run the memory diagnostic for a couple of days (doing it one-stick-at-a-time is not necessary).