Solved system stability issue

[slinton]

Hey guys,

Just wanted to thank you in advance for taking a look at my computer issues. I built a gaming computer (first computer I've ever built) a few months ago, and have been having intermittent stability problems. My computer had been acting stable for the past few weeks with no problems (except for crashing out of Dragon Age: Origins every once in a while) until tonight. I wanted to put the computer to sleep, but instead there was the option to install updates and shut the computer down. I chose this option, and the computer turned off after installing the updates. Later, when I attempted to turn it back on, I found that the screen resolution was not what it was supposed to be (1920x1080). I attempted to restart the computer, but it froze, so I had to do a hard shut down. Everything seemed to load fine when I turned the computer back on. I went into the Reliability Monitor to see what went wrong, and found that both the svchost.exe_RpcEptMapper and the Services and Controller app had stopped working. Then, I went to the Event Viewer and saw that there were 221 administrative events (see attached pic). I am wondering if there is anything wrong with my OS install (or anything else), and how I would go about trying to find the problem(s). Please let me know if there is any other information I can supply that might help.

Thank you again.

Source
Services and Controller app

Summary
Stopped working

Date
‎8/‎23/‎2011 10:36 PM

Status
Report sent

Description
Faulting Application Path: C:\Windows\System32\services.exe

Problem signature
Problem Event Name: APPCRASH
Application Name: services.exe
Application Version: 6.1.7600.16385
Application Timestamp: 4a5bc10e
Fault Module Name: ntdll.dll
Fault Module Version: 6.1.7601.17514
Fault Module Timestamp: 4ce7c8f9
Exception Code: c0000005
Exception Offset: 00000000000efd5e
OS Version: 6.1.7601.2.1.0.768.3
Locale ID: 1033
Additional Information 1: dad1
Additional Information 2: dad14061f510e1cef1db4919d2aec936
Additional Information 3: c252
Additional Information 4: c25225845807b5ea076fa4435c819f8d

Extra information about the problem
Bucket ID: 42776468

 

[MvdB]

Hello Slinton, welcome to SF!

We need the info as described here: http://www.sevenforums.com/crashes-debugging/96879-blue-screen-death-bsod-posting-instructions.html

in order to help you most efficiently. Thanks.

 

[slinton]

Hey guys,

Sorry I didn't get it right the first time around. Thanks again for taking a look. I've attached the necessary files to this post. Please let me know if you require any more information. My system specs are in my profile. Any help you offer will be greatly appreciated!

 

[MvdB]

Let's hope it is only due to some old drivers I see here:

1-ASACPI.SYS a major cause of BSOD's in the 2005 rev.

The pre 2009 version of this driver is a known BSOD cause.

The 2005 version of this driver is a known BSOD cause.
Please visit this link: http://support.asus.com/download/do...oduct=1&model=P7P55D LE&SLanguage=en-us&os=30
Scroll down to the Utilities category, then scroll down to the "ATK0110 driver for WindowsXP/Vista/Windows 7 32&64-bit" (it's about the 12th item down).
Download and install it.
Go to C:\Windows\System32\drivers to check and make sure that the ASACPI.sys file is date stamped from 2009 or 2010 (NOT 2005).

I'm also not sure about your NIC drivers. Please goto mobo manufacturer and download latest.

Lastly:

Please go to your Maintenance Center and check the Windows Update status. Make sure you are up to date, do them one by one manually if needed.
For help or reset see: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/91738-windows-update-reset.html

 

[slinton]

Thank you very much for the prompt response, MvdB! After work today I will try everything you have recommended. Just a general question about uninstalling/reinstalling drivers in win 7: is there anything I have to do to uninstall the driver before I install a new driver, or will win 7 take care of getting rid of the remnants of the old driver for me automatically? Thanks again.

 

[MvdB]

The link will correctly de-install this one. We have special tools to help where manufacturers failed to make good /full de-install software. So it is not really a W7 problem but more one of the manufacturer of the software.

 

[slinton]

I just downloaded the ATK0110 driver with no problems. I'm wondering what you mean by my NIC drivers - are they located under the Network adapters branch in the Device manager? I have attached a pic of what I think you mean. You recommend I update my current Realtek RTL8168D/8111D Family PCI-E Gigabit Ethernet NIC (NDIS 6.20) driver with the Realtek RTL8111B/C & RTL8112L 10/100/1000M LAN Driver V7.3.522.2009 for Windows 32/64bit Windows 7.(WHQL) driver from the Asus website? Sorry for the confusion. Also, this is the first time I have really looked at the drivers that are installed in my system. Is it ok that a lot of them are from several years ago, and that most of them are from Microsoft as opposed to the original hardware manufacturers?

 

[MvdB]

Regretfully, drivers is not an exact science... we normally go for the latest from the mobo manufacturer first. If that is not successful then we check individual HW PARTS and their manufacturer. So, yes, in your case, first try the more up-to-date drivers from Asus.

 

[slinton]

I just successfully downloaded and installed the new NIC driver. So far so good. Thank you very much for your assistance, MvdB! I know you recommended that I update my other drivers from my mobo website, but do you think I should wait and make sure my system is stable over the next few days before attempting to update any of the other drivers? Is there any way to test to make sure a driver will be stable other than just using the computer and waiting? Thanks again for your help!

 

[MvdB]

Well, the best way is to try and test one thing at a time untill running stable. So... Yeah, test for a day or two. If stable, that's ok. If not update the next from mobo site and test/wait again. This asks for patience but does help to prove what did it in the end....

 

[slinton]

Thanks for the help, MvdB. The system has been running without a problem since I downloaded and installed those two new drivers. I will wait for a little bit longer before trying to update my other dated, non-asus drivers, and will post back if I have any more BSODs. Thanks again.

 

[MvdB]

My pleasure, hope it remains stable!

 

[slinton]

additional problems

Hey again Mvdb-
I haven't experienced any BSOD's since downloading the two new drivers that you recommended I download, but I did have a stability issue when I turned on my computer today. I attempted to play some music, and the player said that it couldn't play music because my sound card wasn't functioning properly. I attempted to restart my machine, but it got hung-up and I had to do a hard shut-down. I turned it back on with no issues, but am wondering if the problem had anything to do with my audio drivers (or other drivers, for that matter). I am unsure of how to proceed at this point. Thanks again for your help so far.

 

[MvdB]

Actually I don't see it in the drivers but you did have (or still have) a problem with your sound recorder driver. Not sure yet what exactly. If it happens again, post again and I'll see what I can do...

The other issue I see, though not a reason for a crash, is that you had errors (within windows startup) with starting the Steam service. Youhave that service strating up due to your settings in startup programs. I would turn that off. Let your PC start as clean as possible and only start a service when you need it.

You also have a problem that can be fixed through a MS "Fix it".. automatically. Go to this link Event ID 10 is logged in the Application log after you install Service Pack 1 for Windows 7 or Windows Server 2008 R2

Scroll down and click the Fix-it button.

 

[slinton]

Thanks for the help, MvdB. I did both things you recommended - stopping Steam on startup and doing the MS "Fix It" for the problem I had. I will post again if I have any trouble! Thanks again for the assistance.

 

[MvdB]

My pleasure... if, after a couple of days you're still ok, Please mark the thread solved?
Thanks...