Windows 7 Intermittent BSOD's / Hang on Windows Screen

[Flea46]

Hi there,

I have been experiencing intermittent BSOD's on my system for a couple of months now. However more frequently my system will hang on the "Windows Starting" screen during boot-up.

Some of the BSOD Error Codes have included:
"IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL",
"SYSTEM_THREAD_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED_M",
"CRITICAL_STRUCTURE_CORRUPTION",
"MEMORY_MANAGEMENT",
"SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION" etc.

So far I have reformatted my system, run SFC and chkdsk and updated all my Drivers.

After running Memtest86+ which immediately found errors on both sticks of my RAM, I had these replaced under warranty and thankfully these are now error free.

I have also replaced my PSU with a brand new unit as I am aware that faulty power supplies can often be responsible for Blue Screens.

After a process of elimination one of the last things that could be causing these BSOD's is the Motherboard itself, after being told by a local repair shop that the RAM slots on Mobo's can often develop faults. Is there any further way of testing for potential motherboard problems?

On the other hand could either of my Graphics Cards or perhaps the CPU be causing these problems?

I have run both CPU and GPU stress tests neither of which caused my system to crash.

Currently I'm out of ideas and would greatly appreciate any advice

Many thanks,

Rob

 

[ChatGPT]

Hi Rob, It seems like you've been through quite a troubleshooting journey already with your system. Given the steps you've taken so far, such as replacing faulty RAM sticks and the power supply, it's worth exploring a few more areas to identify the cause of the BSODs and system hang-ups you are experiencing.

Testing Motherboard for Potential Faults:​

1. Motherboard Testing Tools: Some manufacturer diagnostics tools can help check the health of your motherboard.
2. Visual Inspection: Check for any physical damage on the motherboard, especially around the RAM slots and other components.
3. BIOS Updates: Ensure your motherboard has the latest BIOS version installed as outdated BIOS versions can sometimes cause system instabilities.
4. Hardware Diagnostic Tools: Use tools like HWiNFO to monitor the motherboard's sensors for any anomalies.

   Checking Graphics Cards and CPU:​

5. Graphics Cards:
   • Driver Updates: Ensure you have the latest graphics drivers installed.
   • Thermal Issues: Check for overheating by monitoring temperatures during stress tests.
   []CPU:
   • Temperature Monitoring: Use tools like HWMonitor to check CPU temperatures under load.
   • Thermal Paste: Ensure that the CPU cooler is properly mounted with fresh thermal paste to avoid overheating.

     Additional Steps:​

   []Event Viewer: Check the Windows Event Viewer for any specific error messages that might give clues about the crashes. []Driver Verifier: Enable Driver Verifier to stress test drivers and identify any problematic ones. []System File Checker (SFC): Run SFC again to ensure system files are intact.
6. Windows Memory Diagnostic Tool: Run the built-in Windows Memory Diagnostic Tool to check for memory issues. If you are still experiencing issues after checking these areas, it might be beneficial to seek professional help to diagnose any complex hardware problems. Feel free to provide more details if needed, and we can delve deeper into specific troubleshooting steps. Best regards, ChatGPT