System crashes and BSOD

[mikeo01]

ntoskrnl.exe is responsible for memory management and other kernel based services. It could be a driver causing the issue.

Check your event logs for any error or critical problems when the BSOD occurred to see what the issue is.

Also I would start up verifier.exe (Included Windows tool) and create a custom setting for non-Windows based services/drives. It'll throw up a BSOD when a violation is detected and should help determine what driver has caused the issue.

Then check the mini dumps again, remember to delete the settings after you're done with them.

NOTE: If you BSOD before you log in just means that driver is set to load at boot up. Just restart into safe mode.

[adamsonm]

It's been 2 days since my last system crash or hang. (Touch Wood).

2 days ago I ran CCleaner and disabled C1/C3/C6 State in the bios. After running CCleaner the PC hung again. I haven't really cleaned my computer for a number of years, so I gathered there must have been a number registry faults and other random faults. Anyway, like I said since running CCleaner and disabling C1/C3/C6 State in the bios I haven't had a system crash or BSOD. If I get another crash I will follow your advice @mikeo01.

[adamsonm]

Unfortunately the computer hung again today after installing a few windows updates . I clicked restart to allow the windows updates to install completely however it just hung as the force restart option came up. Anyway, I will follow your advice now @mikeo01. I will let you know what I come up with ASAP.

[Apex]

Are you running any kind of mointoring software from gigabyte, the only reason i ask is that my Win7 install on my asus mobo would have random BSOD till i took all the asus branded software off, something was very dodgy with their drivers - since that time my machine hasn't crashed / locked up once

I know it's a long shot but it does apear to be driver related currently....

[adamsonm]

@Apex I'm not running any gigabyte related monitoring software.

[adamsonm]

@mikeo01 I have run verifier for each of the drivers that appear in the blue screen mini dumps I have from the past. Unfortunately I don't get any errors from those drivers, so it appears they are not to blame which is odd.

This past week or two I have only been receiving a system hang where nothing is functional, including the mouse and keyboard so I have to turn the PC off from the plug. I don't seem to be getting any BSOD anymore which I guess is a good thing. Any other ideas to try and solve the system hang??

UPDATE: I have reinstalled Windows again. As I was in the process of installing Windows updates, the PC hung again ( mouse wasn't responding or the keybaord ) but managed to unfreeze itself. Usually the PC would just hang and not unfreeze itself, which would require me turning of the PC from the plug. So maybe this is a positive???

I will continue installing drivers and updates for the next couple of hours. Lets see what happens.

[mikeo01]

In fact system hangs aren't the best signs. A BSOD helps as there is some sort of error and it is detecting, whilst a system hang can be from faulty hardware.

Have you tried running the verifier for other drivers? When a BSOD occurs a different driver may be causing that driver to flag up the error. So try running the verifier for all non-MS drivers and services to see.

Right, so your CPU is fine at overclock settings and also disabled your C-states. How about keeping your CPU in the lower P-states. I also mentioned this on another thread funny enough. Because you mentioned earlier it gets worse at stock. In other words use power savings to see if you can get your processor in the high P-states.

Also have you ran memtest86+?


Other things you could try is booting off a USB, a copy of Linux or bootable Windows. That means removing all devices in your computer, as a faulty hard drive or ever SATA cable can cause these issues.

[adamsonm]

Unfortunately my PC crashed again today. It hasn't crashed since the reinstall action of windows. However today I connected my second monitor for a dual monitor and the PC crashed straight away. Now even with the monitor disconnected it has crashed once more just browsing the Internet. I'm beginning to think its the gpu. I have a spare gpu so I'll connect that and see of I get any crashes. Will update in a few days.

[adamsonm]

Sorry for the late reply. Have been busy with work this past week.

I swapped out my gpu for a ENGT220. This was a cheap gpu that I decided to buy incase I ever experienced problems with computer.
Anyway, with this new gpu that I installed, the computer still hangs and freezes. So I think I can rule out a problem with the gpu.

I did run a CPU stress test and RAM stress test and both passed the tests. So the only thing I can think of is a problem with the motherboard as I have rulled out other components in my system.

What else can I do to see what the problem could be??

EDIT: I put the new cheap gpu in a different slot in the motherboard. I will see if that helps. I can't do that with my main gpu, the ati 6870 because there is no space. The gpu is too big

[mikeo01]

So GPU is kind of out of the question. Keep it in.

However try leaving one RAM in a different slot. ntoskrnl.exe is responsible for memory management (you got BSODs with this) so it is possible a slot may be dodgy.
So yeah check the RAM slots.

Also have you tried a different power supply? Or have access to a multimeter to check voltages? The TX650W (Your still using it?) should have an additional 4/4-pin or EPS connector for the CPU. Using a different cable will check the other rail (if you have more than one rail), but the connectors can go bust on them for whatever reason.

You can at least try a different GPU slot if there is physical damage or ESD. However you did mention you were running an overclock; what voltages did you play around with and what temperatures? You can easily damage the northbridge or VRMs if your not careful.

As mentioned also your hard drive can easily cause lock ups.


It's a matter of testing each component one by one to determine the dodgy hardware. As it doesn't seem to be software considering you've completely reinstalled Windows.

[adamsonm]

@mikeo01 I'll check out the RAM slots like you say. I am still using the same power supply. Not sure if it has an additional connector but will check that out too. I am not running an overclock currently so its running at stock clocks.

Will update soon

Edit/Update: So I have been removing the RAM sticks in my PC and I still get the hangs. I have 4 RAM sticks (4*2Gb) so will keep testing and removing the RAM sticks. I currently only have one RAM stick installed at the moment. I kept the cheap GPU inside the PC like you said.

Last night I put the computer to sleep and this morning when I turn it on I see that windows didn't shut down or sleep properly. A message pop up cam up saying check for solution. It seems there was a bluescreen although I didn't see this bluescreen. Anyway, I opened up BlueScreenView and I noticed that the bluescreen was caused by driver dxgkrnl.sys. After looking on the internet, it seems its a video driver issue which is weird because I kept this cheap GPU in this PC which I know isn't faulty because I have used it before without any problems. I'm not too sure what to think of this to be honest.

I opened up MyEventViewer next to see what logs windows recorded before the time of the crash. It shows a Microsoft-Windows-Kernal-Power source with category 103, event ID 109. The message says "The kernal power manager has initiated a shutdown process". A solution I found is to update Realtek audio drivers. I will try this and see what happens.

UPDATE 2: I installed the latest drivers for Realtek Audio. Then I installed the latest driver for my wireless card. I never actually installed the driver for the wireless card. Never really had to. I installed the wireless driver because of something I read on the internet regarding the kernal power manager. Anyway, when it finished installing I received a hang again, but this time the whole screen turned green. The monitor switched off but the PC was still running. Had to turn the PC off to get the monitor to turn on again.