Windows 10 Frequent, Semi-random BSODs (Thread stuck in device driver)

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SpaceKitkat

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As the title says, almost* every time I launch a video game (specifically, a minecraft mod), I get a BSOD with the error "THREAD_STUCK_IN_DEVICE_DRIVER".
I'm also getting them more and more frequently just using google chrome, even just now while trying to get minidump log.
Checking the log, there was something about atikmdag.sys, and my problem seems to be very similar to this thread:
However, that thread's main solution was when someone checked the logs, they listed drivers that needed to be removed, and I don't think I have any of the same drivers.

After a bit of googling, a couple "easy" solutions were to update my BIOS and reinstall GPU drivers.
So I uninstalled all of my display drivers, deleted everything AMD, used DDU (Display Driver Uninstaller), restarted into my BIOS, updated my BIOS successfully, installed the new GPU drivers (Radeon Crimson edition software, for an R9 290), and restart my computer.

I've also performed several Windows diagnostics, including a RAM check, disk checks on all of my hard drives, and a "sfc /scannow" via CMD. All have come up with no errors.
I tried to add the minidump W7F log, but it said the file size was too large.. lol (RIP).
I've uploaded it to
but if it needs to be uploaded elsewhere, just let me know.
If any other logs are needed, I'll supply them ASAP. Any help is very much appreciated, as I work from home and this is currently my only available computer!
 
Solution
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I had a look through your thread and signed up to chime in.

I have an R9 290 and the exact same problem, it has plagued me for the majority of the year. You may stop butchering your PC now.

It is categorically a result of AMD's drivers.

I am not exactly sure at what point the issue arose, but the same very frequent yet erratic BSOD/crashes on wake up have been present for the last dozen or more driver versions.

A poster on another forum found a BIOS altering solution that I didn't want to replicate, but this is what he discovered. It seems related to a new driver based power saving system that lowers the clock speeds of your card during idle situations. This was "improved" at some point over the 16.xxxx series of...
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Hello Kemical,

you are right. For running something useful it is not so much.
For idle + ClockBlocker 42% is already very audible and already much.
Without the Blocker the GPU sits at ~42°C, fanspeed = 0%
 
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My next step will be to evaluate drivers post 15.12.
It would be important to find exactly which was the last driver that worked and the first one that broke it.
Then it should be much more easy for AMD to find the changes that broke it.

BR

Sven
 
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I have an odd request could you use gpu-z to dump your gpu firmware and post it here please. I've an idea and how to get full clocks but with out crunching a opencl workload unnecessarily.
 
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Hello nmsuk,

yes i have already updated the firmware. and have copies of all firmware version.
Thank you for the offer but i don't want to try a hacked firmware.
I am currently testing 16.3.2 driver as i already had it on the system and cant remeber it to BSOD.


BR

Sven
 
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16.3.2 just crashed
Next one I try is 16.3, i suspect i will also crash. Then I will try 16.2.1.
For me it often happens during Youtube watching.
 
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sven31415 said:
For me it often happens during Youtube watching.
Click to expand...
Are you sure nothing else is tripping the gpu drivers to bsod such as network drivers or apps? Make sure everything is up to date plus what are you using for security?
Which AV suite do you use?
 
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Kemical,
if I switch back to 15.12 driver, BSODs were gone (tested for a 5 days).
If I switch back to Intel HD4600 GFX BSODs were gone. (also 5 days).
It has to be the GPU.

The crashes happen on idle Desktop, during video playback and leaving games.
I am running AVG as AV suite.
If Circinae runs ClockBlocker it is also gone. [But that is not my comptuter and could have different reasons]

BR
 
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I am just watching youtube and have Radeon Overclocking tab open. I can see the clocks they switch from minimum to maximum all the time during video watching.
 
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Try removing AVG AV and just use the on board Defender. AVG can at times cause issues so remove to test.

If you have the dump file from the above crash please post.
 
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I would do that after I find out which driver version introduced the BSODs.
I don't want to mix up things now. If i change multiple things at one time my gain on information is quite small.
I should take a driver version that is known to me to crash and try it without AVG.
Currently i try to find out if the version I use crashes.

BR

Sven
 
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No, i didn't test them all. That is the reason why I am testing them now. Circinae also didn't test them systematically.
The drivers made a change that introduced a regression. It has happened before 16.3 and after 15.12
If i can find exactly which version breaks it, AMD could try to find the error and fix it.
I want to narrow it down. Without narrowing it down it is impossible to find the root cause and all that tinkering simply wastes time.
Maybe they also have registry switches to disable some of the changes and i could exactly test only a single change. I will ask them after I find the version that breaks it.
But first I have to find the driver version that breaks it.

I suspect it to be like this:
16.3 not ok
16.2.1 ok

but i am currently try to prove it.
I think it because they changed the voltage / frequency scaling in 16.3 I suspect the problem to be a timing problem. They somehow do something too early / to late. They suspect some process to be ready but the hardware still isn't or the hardware somehow locks up. There is some sort of race condition happening.
The hardware is not working serial, it is working parallel and this can sometimes be a problem.
These things are quite hard to find as they happen not that frequently.

BR
 
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Am I correct, did you contact XFX and they stated it was a card fault. Just wondering as I put my r9 290x XFX DD card in for over a day and had no issues on the latest drivers.
 
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nmsuk said:
Am I correct, did you contact XFX and they stated it was a card fault. Just wondering as I put my r9 290x XFX DD card in for over a day and had no issues on the latest drivers.
Click to expand...
Hello nmsuk,
that is correct they said that. XFX argumentation was:
Put on the latest VBIOS, put on the latest drivers and if it does not work it is a card fault.

As there is a driver (15.12) that does not crash and I am not the only one, it does not make really sense right ?

Watch it for more than one day please. If that simplay works the information is also interesting for me.

I just had BSOD with 16.1.1.
This means drivers >15.12 all have the BSOD issue.

BR
Sven
 
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sven31415 said:
This means drivers >15.12 all have the BSOD issue.
Click to expand...
If it was something in the driver they would have probably released a hotfix as everyone would be bothered by the issue surely?

Personally I feel the issue lays with either the hardware or something that is conflicting. You could try running the driver verifier just to see if anything flashes up.
 
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