BSOD Windows 7

[ScottyCFC]

Hi All,

 

I get regular BSOD a few times a day. After debugging the .dmp files, it always shows Unknown_Image.

 

Last night I updated all my drivers and got some really bad spyware. So I had enough and reinstalled Windows 7 (64).

 

After setup, and about 5 minutes of play, BSOD again, so I assumed it was a hardware fault. (Ive had the same hardware for 2 - 3 years)

 

I rebooted with just keyboard, mouse and display... BSOD

 

I started taking out internal hardware such as TV card, sound card, ram etc to home in on the problem... BSOD

 

I have narrowed it down to the following:

Graphics Card: HD3870 (I strongly suspect)

CPU: E6750

HD 300Gig (only windows)

Mobo: P35 Neo

 

My main question, as I dont have a spare GFX card or onboard graphics, is there a way to test the card on an already unstable system?

 

Ive wanted to move over to nvidia for a long time anyway as the ATI drivers are soooo unstable! But due to financial technical difficulties, its not really an option yet http://www.pchelpforum.com/images/smilies/sad.gif

 

Any suggestions, insight or previous experiences appreciated.

 

Many thanks

 

Scott

[DSTM]

Hi Scott.Welcome to Extreme Tech Support - Free PC Help.

What are the error messages you are getting when your OS BSOD's?

The only way I know to test a Graphics card is to try it in another working Computer.

Maybe someone else will have ideas,as to your issue.

Edited September 10, 2010 by DSTM

[Plastic Nev]

Hi and welcome to Extreme Tech Support - Free PC Help,

DSTM has basically covered it, without specialist equipment that not even all repair shops may have, the only real way to check this one out is either try the card in a different computer, or try a different card in the problem computer.

However if you can show us the messages you get when it BSOD's there may be a clue in that.

Nev.

[rowal5555]

There are a couple of programs which may, (and I do stress MAY), help you track down the culprit.

Blue screen of death (STOP error) information in dump files.

Resplendence Software - WhoCrashed, automatic crash dump analyzer

 

However, when I had this problem earlier in the year, I found it impossible to track down. I strongly suspected the Motherboard and so replaced it with a cheap one and was away laughing again. A tiny component which goes faulty can drive you bonkers, LOL. Am now looking at a more expensive replacement seeing that the RAM, Graphics etc have been cleared of causing the problem.

 

Cheers

[ScottyCFC]

Nice one, thanks for the replies!

 

I would have attached the minidump info, but they have gone since reinstalling. If I get another BSOD, ill attach one.

 

Cheers Rowal, I have added them 2 links to my favorites, hopefully wont need to use them!

 

My PC is a little more stable after installing 40 windows updates, I have been putting the pc through its paces and had 2 hangs (not BSOD) and 3 ATI driver Failures (recovered). But much better than before!

 

I have set aside some cash for a cheap Nvidia GTS 250 graphics card, so if it can hold out til next month, im happy. lol

 

Thanks for the help.

[ScottyCFC]

Here we go

 

Use !analyze -v to get detailed debugging information.

BugCheck 101, {60, 0, fffff880009e9180, 1}

Probably caused by : Unknown_Image ( ANALYSIS_INCONCLUSIVE )

Followup: MachineOwner

---------

0: kd> !analyze -v

*******************************************************************************

* *

* Bugcheck Analysis *

* *

*******************************************************************************

CLOCK_WATCHDOG_TIMEOUT (101)

An expected clock interrupt was not received on a secondary processor in an

MP system within the allocated interval. This indicates that the specified

processor is hung and not processing interrupts.

Arguments:

Arg1: 0000000000000060, Clock interrupt time out interval in nominal clock ticks.

Arg2: 0000000000000000, 0.

Arg3: fffff880009e9180, The PRCB address of the hung processor.

Arg4: 0000000000000001, 0.

Debugging Details:

------------------

 

BUGCHECK_STR: CLOCK_WATCHDOG_TIMEOUT_2_PROC

CUSTOMER_CRASH_COUNT: 1

DEFAULT_BUCKET_ID: VISTA_DRIVER_FAULT

PROCESS_NAME: System

CURRENT_IRQL: d

STACK_TEXT:

fffff880`02fe6d88 fffff800`02a70443 : 00000000`00000101 00000000`00000060 00000000`00000000 fffff880`009e9180 : nt!KeBugCheckEx

fffff880`02fe6d90 fffff800`02acc5f7 : 00000000`00000000 fffff800`00000001 00000000`0002625a 00000000`00000000 : nt! ?? ::FNODOBFM::`string'+0x4e3e

fffff880`02fe6e20 fffff800`02a1d090 : 00000000`00000000 fffff880`02fe6fd0 fffff800`02a383c0 00000000`00000000 : nt!KeUpdateSystemTime+0x377

fffff880`02fe6f20 fffff800`02ac03f3 : fffff800`02c3ce80 fffff800`02a383c0 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 : hal!HalpRtcClockInterrupt+0x130

fffff880`02fe6f50 fffff800`02a832c9 : fffffa80`050708d0 fffffa80`0506d790 fffffa80`03bda960 fffff880`01875837 : nt!KiInterruptDispatchNoLock+0x163

fffff880`02fe70e0 fffff800`02d5a64f : 00000000`00000000 fffff880`02fe7700 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 : nt!KeFlushProcessWriteBuffers+0x65

fffff880`02fe7150 fffff800`02dbea06 : fffff8a0`0b7210a8 fffff880`0001ff58 fffff880`02fe72e0 00000000`00000000 : nt!ExpGetProcessInformation+0x7f

fffff880`02fe72a0 fffff800`02dbfe49 : fffff8a0`0b7210a8 fffffa80`6365734b 00000000`00000000 fffff880`02fe7c20 : nt!ExpQuerySystemInformation+0xf14

fffff880`02fe7640 fffff800`02ac3153 : fffff880`02fe7710 fffff800`02ac20fd 00000000`00000001 fffffa80`04867c80 : nt!NtQuerySystemInformation+0x4d

fffff880`02fe7680 fffff800`02abf6f0 : fffff880`01521a9c 00000000`00000000 fffff880`02fe7844 00000000`00000000 : nt!KiSystemServiceCopyEnd+0x13

fffff880`02fe7818 fffff880`01521a9c : 00000000`00000000 fffff880`02fe7844 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 : nt!KiServiceLinkage

fffff880`02fe7820 fffff880`0152156d : fffffa80`04867c80 00000000`00000000 fffff800`20206f49 fffff800`02aceac1 : cng!GatherRandomKey+0x22c

fffff880`02fe7be0 fffff800`02dbd541 : 00000000`00000000 fffffa80`04a75670 fffffa80`04a75670 fffffa80`039e2b60 : cng!scavengingWorkItemRoutine+0x3d

fffff880`02fe7c80 fffff800`02ad1161 : fffff800`02c67500 fffff800`02dbd504 fffffa80`039e2b60 00000000`00000000 : nt!IopProcessWorkItem+0x3d

fffff880`02fe7cb0 fffff800`02d67166 : 08438b00`04c3cb0d fffffa80`039e2b60 00000000`00000080 fffffa80`039ce040 : nt!ExpWorkerThread+0x111

fffff880`02fe7d40 00000000`00000000 : 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 : nt!PspSystemThreadStartup+0x5a

 

STACK_COMMAND: kb

SYMBOL_NAME: ANALYSIS_INCONCLUSIVE

FOLLOWUP_NAME: MachineOwner

MODULE_NAME: Unknown_Module

IMAGE_NAME: Unknown_Image

DEBUG_FLR_IMAGE_TIMESTAMP: 0

FAILURE_BUCKET_ID: X64_CLOCK_WATCHDOG_TIMEOUT_2_PROC_ANALYSIS_INCONCLUSIVE

BUCKET_ID: X64_CLOCK_WATCHDOG_TIMEOUT_2_PROC_ANALYSIS_INCONCLUSIVE

Followup: MachineOwner

---------

[Plastic Nev]

Well most of that is above my head, I reckon a programmer would struggle too.

However one clue suggests the graphics card, but no expert here so see if someone else can understand it.

Nev.

[DSTM]

I agree Nev.Never seen those errors.

What we are looking for, are error codes similar to this.eg 0x0000008E

[ScottyCFC]

After using them tools suggested by Rowel, it appears to be random files that crash, like ehshell (Media Centre), ntskrnl.exe (dunno, didnt look into it) etc.

 

Ill update you guys next month to see if it was the graphics card, if not, im gonna be ****ed! LOL

 

Thanks for the help :)

[ScottyCFC]

Mark this as "solved".

 

I did this in one shot, not sure what part fixed it.

 

*Took the PC completely apart, even took the fan and heat sink off the CPU.

*Completely cleaned every component.

*Replaced the ThermalTake CPU heat sink/fan with the stock one.(did this coz its loud)

*Added more of that white cream stuff to the CPU

*Removed all the Case connections accept the extra USB ports and power button.

*Flashed the bios with an update (I hate doing that, but i think what fixed it)

*Installed every single driver update I could possibly find.

 

2 - 3 hours of this and now my PC is lightning fast, and no BSOD for 2 days (compared to every 30min-1hr).

 

I'm still getting a GTS250 card lol

 

Thanks for your input.

 

Scott

[Dalo Harkin]

I have only just seen this :-

 

The error is related to the CPU (dual core or more I suspect)

It was skipping clock cycles and causing the BSODs

 

When you installed the OS, you need to make sure that you install all the Chipset drivers and drivers that came with the MOBO

 

these are the mostly responsible for errors like you got.

 

Sorry its late, but now you know what it was :D

[ScottyCFC]

Thanks for the info Dalo!

What do you recommend?

I got 3 BSODs when I got in from work tonight! (one while trying to post here!)

I attached a jpeg with info for 1 of them (using Rowels helpful tools).

This is the minidump:

 

Microsoft ® Windows Debugger Version 6.12.0002.633 AMD64

Copyright © Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

 

Loading Dump File [C:\Users\Scott\Desktop\091510-15843-01.dmp]

Mini Kernel Dump File: Only registers and stack trace are available

WARNING: Whitespace at end of path element

Symbol search path is: SRV*f:\localsymbols*Symbol information

Executable search path is:

Windows 7 Kernel Version 7600 MP (2 procs) Free x64

Product: WinNt, suite: TerminalServer SingleUserTS

Built by: 7600.16385.amd64fre.win7_rtm.090713-1255

Machine Name:

Kernel base = 0xfffff800`02e4c000 PsLoadedModuleList = 0xfffff800`03089e50

Debug session time: Wed Sep 15 20:34:28.288 2010 (UTC + 1:00)

System Uptime: 0 days 0:02:06.069

Loading Kernel Symbols

...............................................................

................................................................

...............................

Loading User Symbols

Loading unloaded module list

......

*******************************************************************************

* *

* Bugcheck Analysis *

* *

*******************************************************************************

Use !analyze -v to get detailed debugging information.

BugCheck 101, {60, 0, fffff880009e9180, 1}

Probably caused by : Unknown_Image ( ANALYSIS_INCONCLUSIVE )

Followup: MachineOwner

---------

0: kd> !analyze -v

*******************************************************************************

* *

* Bugcheck Analysis *

* *

*******************************************************************************

CLOCK_WATCHDOG_TIMEOUT (101)

An expected clock interrupt was not received on a secondary processor in an

MP system within the allocated interval. This indicates that the specified

processor is hung and not processing interrupts.

Arguments:

Arg1: 0000000000000060, Clock interrupt time out interval in nominal clock ticks.

Arg2: 0000000000000000, 0.

Arg3: fffff880009e9180, The PRCB address of the hung processor.

Arg4: 0000000000000001, 0.

Debugging Details:

------------------

 

BUGCHECK_STR: CLOCK_WATCHDOG_TIMEOUT_2_PROC

CUSTOMER_CRASH_COUNT: 1

DEFAULT_BUCKET_ID: VISTA_DRIVER_FAULT

PROCESS_NAME: svchost.exe

CURRENT_IRQL: d

STACK_TEXT:

fffff880`03139508 fffff800`02e6a443 : 00000000`00000101 00000000`00000060 00000000`00000000 fffff880`009e9180 : nt!KeBugCheckEx

fffff880`03139510 fffff800`02ec65f7 : 00000000`00000000 fffff800`00000001 00000000`0002625a fffff800`00000000 : nt! ?? ::FNODOBFM::`string'+0x4e3e

fffff880`031395a0 fffff800`02e17090 : 00000000`00000000 fffff880`03139750 fffff800`02e323c0 fffff800`00000000 : nt!KeUpdateSystemTime+0x377

fffff880`031396a0 fffff800`02eba3f3 : 00000000`6fa7e592 fffff800`02e323c0 00000000`00001000 00000000`00000000 : hal!HalpRtcClockInterrupt+0x130

fffff880`031396d0 fffff800`02ecbe00 : fffffa80`03a07100 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 : nt!KiInterruptDispatchNoLock+0x163

fffff880`03139860 fffff800`02ed1c8b : 00000000`000005ed 00000000`00000001 00000000`00000002 00000000`000005ea : nt!KeFlushMultipleRangeTb+0x260

fffff880`03139930 fffff800`02f3ea0e : fffffa80`05b253f8 fffff880`00000001 00000000`00000001 fffff880`03139bb0 : nt!MiAgeWorkingSet+0x36b

fffff880`03139ae0 fffff800`02ed26e2 : 00000000`00000075 00000000`00000000 fffffa80`00000000 00000000`00000005 : nt! ?? ::FNODOBFM::`string'+0x49926

fffff880`03139b80 fffff800`02ed296f : 00000000`00000008 fffff880`03139c10 00000000`00000001 fffffa80`00000000 : nt!MmWorkingSetManager+0x6e

fffff880`03139bd0 fffff800`03161166 : fffffa80`03a07040 00000000`00000080 fffffa80`039e7040 00000000`00000001 : nt!KeBalanceSetManager+0x1c3

fffff880`03139d40 fffff800`02e9c486 : fffff800`03036e80 fffffa80`03a07040 fffff800`03044c40 ff77ffba`2010d130 : nt!PspSystemThreadStartup+0x5a

fffff880`03139d80 00000000`00000000 : 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 : nt!KxStartSystemThread+0x16

 

STACK_COMMAND: kb

SYMBOL_NAME: ANALYSIS_INCONCLUSIVE

FOLLOWUP_NAME: MachineOwner

MODULE_NAME: Unknown_Module

IMAGE_NAME: Unknown_Image

DEBUG_FLR_IMAGE_TIMESTAMP: 0

FAILURE_BUCKET_ID: X64_CLOCK_WATCHDOG_TIMEOUT_2_PROC_ANALYSIS_INCONCLUSIVE

BUCKET_ID: X64_CLOCK_WATCHDOG_TIMEOUT_2_PROC_ANALYSIS_INCONCLUSIVE

Followup: MachineOwner

[ScottyCFC]

Just got a fouth after posting!

 

They all seem to include both atikmdag.sys and ntoskrnl.exe as culprit. The first and fouth were just ntoskrnl.exe, which witha google search indicates graphics card prob maybe?

[Dalo Harkin]

Basically its a hardware issue (one of your CPU cores is unresponsive), have you updated the BIOS for the MOBO, do you know how to?

 

There are some hotfixes but they apply to Server 2008, none for W7 yet!

 

Update the BIOS and then see how it goes, if you need help updating the BIOS then let us know but most MOBO manufacturers allow you to update the BIOS using a piece of their software in a windows environment (better than the old floppy way) :)

[ScottyCFC]

Hey Dalo,

 

Yes, bios is updated. I have a driver installer from MSI for my P35 Neo F, it basically seaches for updated mobo drivers, included is a windows app that flashes your bios without the need for floppys etc. Checked my bios version and it worked.

 

Here's something interesting though, because i strongly suspect its my graphics card, I set my resolution to its lowest. Left my PC on all day in media center (usually BSODs) and it hasnt crashed!

[Dalo Harkin]

The BSOD ONLY applies to the CPU, have you installed ALL the latest drivers for chipset.

 

Basically whats happening is that when you are trying to run something one of your cores isnt working and the PC is BSOD. Now I have seen this before in the older chips and it was related to the BIOS (a BIOS update was released that cured the problem)

 

Now if you are still getting the BSOD then either you dont have the very latest BIOS or your CPU is knackered :(

 

As for the GPU thing, the GPU is not the cause of the BSOD, so just a coincidence

 

Out of interest whats the PSU rated at?

[ScottyCFC]

Not what I wanted to hear Dalo! lol

 

My chipset drivers are all up to date, got the latest P35 ones from intels site after reinstalling windows 7.

 

It'll be a pain if it is the CPU, been really good up until now, didnt even need to overclock it.

 

PSU is a ThermalTake TR2 @ 470W.

 

Well my plan of action is to get a new graphics card anyway, otherwise I will never get one lol.

 

Then following month get a CPU, perhaps an E7500 @ 2.93Ghz, pretty cheap. (would get an i5/i7 but motherboard wont support it)

 

Cheers Dalo

[Dalo Harkin]

No worries, let us know how you get on :)

[ScottyCFC]

Hey,

 

Just a lil update on this one, I seem to have fixed this problem. Been 4 days without a BSOD! :)

 

Solution (i hope lol):

After checking with my RAM manufacturers (OCZ), the recommended voltage was 1.9V, checked my bios, it was on "auto" (1.8) so I increased it to 1.9V. Started up fine.

 

I then went and checked my CPU recommended voltage on intels site, anything up to 1.5V. So I went into bios and set the CPU to 1.4V (according to the bios, the lowest "high performance" setting) ie safe...ish.

 

Started up fine.

 

Since then... happy dayssss :D

 

So perhaps not enough power to the CPU? or RAM? or both?... will never know.

 

Cheers guys

[Dalo Harkin]

Glad you got it sorted, I would say not enough to the CPU :)

 

Strange though as the MOBO will usually do it for you on AUTO

[ScottyCFC]

Yeah I know, it was fine for 2 years with Vista, and been fine with Win 7 for the first couple of months. Perhaps it was a Win 7 update? Or Mobo is being funny... I dunno

 

Still no BSOD's by the way, think we can establish this as fixed. :D

 

Many thanks