Windows 7 I could use help in intrepeting BSOD

[Joshua]

Hey everybody,

Let me first by stating the components of my rig.

i7-3770K 3.5 GHz CPU
Asus Maximus V Extreme Mobo
EVGA GTX 690 GPU
Corsair Dominator Platinum DDR3 32GB (4x8GB)
Samsung 840 Pro SSD 128 GB System Drive
3.0 TB Seagate HDD
2.0 TB Western Digital Caviar Black
EVGA SUPERNOVA NEX1500
LG Super Multi-Blue Blu-ray R/W drive
Cooler Master HAF 932
Windows 7 Profession 64-bit

Ever since I have built this thing I have been having problems. I've posted before about these issues but this was the first time I got an error report from a BSOD. I get driver failures, screens go black, screens freeze (sometimes at the windows logo, most times in the middle of games).

I've had the GPU completely replaced, the Motherboard rebuilt by the manufacturer, the CPU was just replaced with a new one, swapped out three different sets of RAM, two different power supplies, installed on three different hard drives. Everything is running at stock settings (no overclock settings). The cables are where they are supposed to be...I'm lost for an explanation.

One thing I have noticed is that the GPU fan will rev up a bit sometimes before the screen goes black....sometimes it is able to recover but not always. About three days ago I got a BSOD. When my computer restarted I received the following error report.

Problem signature:
Problem Event Name: BlueScreen
OS Version: 6.1.7601.2.1.0.256.48
Locale ID: 1033
Additional information about the problem:
BCCode: 7f
BCP1: 0000000000000008
BCP2: 0000000080050033
BCP3: 00000000000406F8
BCP4: FFFFF88006C7DF93
OS Version: 6_1_7601
Service Pack: 1_0
Product: 256_1

on the microsoft forums, somebody read the dump file I posted here: https://skydrive.live.com/redir?resid=EEC2DB40A5F7E655!114&authkey=!AK7wjIEUyVAJn8E

They told me it could have been my Norton Anti-Virus. So I uninstalled it and hadn't received any issues for 3 days until this morning when I was playing a computer game and got another BSOD and another minidump file. The BCCCode is different this time. I've linked to my skydrive folder with the new minidump file. Would anyone be able to help me wit interpreting this. Thank you very much.

Problem signature:
Problem Event Name: BlueScreen
OS Version: 6.1.7601.2.1.0.256.48
Locale ID: 1033

Additional information about the problem:
BCCode: c4
BCP1: 0000000000000091
BCP2: 0000000000000002
BCP3: FFFFF8000301ECC0
BCP4: 0000000000000000
OS Version: 6_1_7601
Service Pack: 1_0
Product: 256_1

https://skydrive.live.com/#cid=EEC2DB40A5F7E655&id=EEC2DB40A5F7E655!110

Any help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Josh

 

[Saltgrass]

The bug check code, c4 seems to be generated by the Driver Verifier. Had you been using that?

If you are using it, you might go to the link to see how to check the status or turn it off.

Verifier Command Line (Windows Drivers)

I am not great at checking dump files, but I will try in the next couple of hours.

Well, I tried and this is what I seem to find.

DRIVER_VERIFIER_DETECTED_VIOLATION (c4)
A device driver attempting to corrupt the system has been caught. This is
because the driver was specified in the registry as being suspect (by the
administrator) and the kernel has enabled substantial checking of this driver.
If the driver attempts to corrupt the system, bugchecks 0xC4, 0xC1 and 0xA will
be among the most commonly seen crashes.
Arguments:
Arg1: 0000000000000091, A driver switched stacks using a method that is not supported by
the operating system. The only supported way to extend a kernel
mode stack is by using KeExpandKernelStackAndCallout.
Arg2: 0000000000000002
Arg3: fffff8000301ecc0
Arg4: 0000000000000000

Loaded symbol image file: nvlddmkm.sys
Image path: \SystemRoot\system32\DRIVERS\
Image name: nvlddmkm.sys
Timestamp: Fri Nov 30 21:24:02 2012 (50B97852)
CheckSum: 00B0A675
ImageSize: 00B21000

It is hard to tell the actual driver date, but mine, in its properties, says created 10/19/2012. You may want to completely remove all the Nvidia drivers, then reboot and load the latest one, again.

But once again, I am not the best at reading these, but the Driver Verifier does appear to be giving the error. There were comments about the nvlddmkm.sys driver that other things might be involved, such as memory problems, power supply, and some others.

I will look through some of the other forums, like EVGA, to see if I find anything.

Edit: Since you did not give the size of your Power supply, this came from the EVGA site.

[h=4]Requirements[/h] Minimum of a 650 Watt power supply.
(Minimum recommended power supply with +12 Volt current rating of 38 Amps.)
Two available 8-pin PCI-E power dongles

I was also wondering if you had tried less than 32 GB of memory. You may be able to post the comment about the driver changing stacks and someone at EVGA might know.

 

[Saltgrass]

I see there was a bug in the original 310.90 driver, which since has been corrected covertly. You might try downloading that driver again, if you are using it.

The other thing about your fan speed increasing, would seem to indicate a temperature increase. Have you ever monitored the card to see what the temps are? You may need to alter the fan speed profile.

I just got a GTX 680 and it seems to be running fine in Windows 7 and 8.

 

[Joshua]

Wow, thats a lot of info, Saltgrass, Thanks. I will look into the driver Verifier. Sorry I left off my power supply. I use EVGA NEX1500 Supernova 1500 W power supply. Every driver I have used has failed. Every RAM config has failed. It is quite depressing as this thing is supposed to be awesome and it is my first rig....I must be missing something. Again, thanks for your response. I will look into your suggestions.

Also, you responded to my first post. I reinstalled the OS and am getting similar issues and created a new thread. I should have used the same thread.

-Joshua

 

[Jimbo22]

Since this is a custom built rig, I would start looking at the hardware side of things. First unplug from AC outlet and disconnect all cabling. Then open it up and check to make sure CPU is fitted properly and firmly seated [did you use any thermal paste - to little or to much can cause this type of behavior]. Then make sure all other hardware is firmly seated...eg...RAM, GPU and and any add on PCI cards. Then check the case cabling to the mobo....making sure that all the front panel connections are in the correct pin slots and firmly seated. Make sure have have the proper mobo and cpu power connections firmly seated. Make sure no bare wires are touching the mobo anywhere. Then check all the cabling to the rest of the hardware of the system.

Then if all this checks out and is ok, this might suggest a bad hardware component. The only to verify this is to install know good working components, swapping them out one at a time. Unfortunately, who has extra parts lying around...you may have if so great and swap them out.

Then there's the RAM, you could run Memtest86+, one stick at a time. But with Saltgrass excellent BSOD skills, there is no mention of memory errors that point in that direction.

 

[Joshua]

Hey guys. I tried to fiddle with the driver verifier and my compy didn't like that. After I restarted and loaded windows, it restarted ande then went BSOD and froze on that screen. I'm going to reinstall the OS for the umpteenth time.

As for the hardware, Everything is plugged in as it should. I have not tampered with voltages and fan speeds...and frankly have no idea of optimum levels. I assumed that it would be stable at stock settings. I amusing thermal paste.

Also, I sent the GPU back to EVGA and then sent me a completely different card. Same thing for the Intel CPU. The motherboard was mailed to ASUS who 'rebuilt' it.

I pullin my hair out guys? lol....i put in my SSD with Windows 8 to write this. I haven't tried running much in Win 8 so I am not sure if the same issues will occur. I has locked upa few times in the past.

Thanks,

Josh

 

[Jimbo22]

I just realized your using an SSD, do you have the AHCI driver installed? Do you have the AHCI mode set in your BIOS. From what I've been told and read that for an SSD to operate correctly, the mobo must have the AHCI enabled. This will also require a reinstall of the OS after the AHCI is enabled.

Why do i need AHCI with a SSD Drive (Guide Here!) ... - Crucial Community

 

[Saltgrass]

I was just wondering, are you running the 690 as PCIe 3.0? Do you have anything on the ASmedia SATA controllers?

Are you using the Display port for video, and which one, onboard or 690? If not how are you running the video?

Our specs are similar and you can see those in my listing. But I do not have 32 GB of memory, no 3 TB drive.

Have you checked for a Bios Update?

You have 36 GB of free space on your 128 GB SSD.. I suppose that should be enough.. It looks like you are running a Legacy System (MBR) with one partition. But, if I am reading it correctly, the partition offset is 105,906,176 where mine is 1,048,576. How are you installing your system? I am not an expert on partition offsets, so I could be misreading the data.

You have two listings in your SysInfo for a GTX 690 and Nvidia HD Audio. I will assume that is because the 690 is basically two cards..? But one is showing as NVxx, Nvidia compatible...perhaps this is normal. They both seem to be showing the same drivers.

If you can't get it worked out, I think I would try a different motherboard version. Maybe there is something about the Maximus V.

 

[Joshua]

According to the BIOS, I am running the SSD with AHCI. The 690 is running on PCIe 3.0 x16 and nothing is plugged into the ASmedia SATA controller ports. I'm using the DVI output from the 690 to either plug into my monitor or it came with a DVI to HDMI and use that for my HDTV. I actually just updated my BIOS a few days ago to no avail. I don't know about partitions either. When I first installed Windows, it created the partition by default for reserved memory. It was only like 100 MB.

I actually just bought an EVGA motherboard....that way my motherboard, GPU and power supply will be the same manufacturer. That shouldn't matter I guess, but couldn't hurt. I hope this will solve my problems.

Thanks to all you guys for your help. I will keep you posted if you're interested. If I still have problems with the new motherboard, I think my destiny is to not have have a gaming computer...lol.

-Josh

 

[Saltgrass]

The 100 MB partition was a system partition that contained the boot files. I will assume you just deleted it since the drive only shows one partition.

I think it is important for an SSD to be aligned correctly. If you do not want the System partition, just partition the drive during the install to one partition. You can do that by using Shift+F10 on the Select Language window and use Diskpart, or use a third party partition manager, or another computer.

The only reason I even bring it up is it seems something is wrong that is hiding, so try whatever you can to get it repaired. I don't know if you ever removed half of your memory, but you should try that also.

 

[Joshua]

The last time I installed my OS that partition looked weird. It didn't say reserved system data or whatever; it was just partitioned. I will try to install one more time and then if that don't work, then I will try the new motherboard which I should be getting tomorrow.

 

[Joshua]

not sure if this is a dumb question but: could a third-market xbox computer controller, or any computer controller for that matter, cause computer crashes due to driver conflicts like the ones i am having above.

also, when i reformatted my ssd and reinstalled win 7 the sys reserved partition was created as it should be. maybe this will make a difference.

thanks,

j

 

[Saltgrass]

Drivers can cause crashes. It did not appear from the crash dumps that this was happening, but the correct culprit it not always caught in those.

If you have reinstalled, I would test with as little loaded on your system as possible. Keep track of any Event Viewer entries that might expose some type of problem prior to an actual crash.