[SOLVED]Need help resolving BSOD.

[epzy]

Hey guys.

Could anyone with a bit of experience help me solve my blue screen problem? It started two days ago, and it keeps me from doing anything at my computer. Basically I get a blue screen every 1-3 hours while just listening to music, browsing the internet, or playing games. I re-installed Windows 1 hour ago, so it's not a virus. Two very noticeable things that started to happen prior to my first blue screen; programs randomly stopped working (I get that 'has stopped working' error message and need to close the program) and when I'm browsing the internet, sometimes I will get a "oh no!" error message, and I then need to refresh the page for it to work. This never, ever happened before I started getting blue screens. I'm pretty sure it's all connected somehow.

My specs are;

i7-4770k CPU @ 3.5 ghz (No OC)
RAM: 16 gig
GPU: Nvidia GeForce GTX 780 (Newest driver installed)
OS: Win 7 ultimate, 64 bit
If you need anything else, please ask.

My computer never overheats or anything, my CPU is always at 0%-10% etc... Any help would be appreciated. I'm not very knowledgable about computers, so just keep that in mind. It's also really hard to capture the error code for the blue screen, because it fades away pretty quick, doesn't happen very frequently and I can't reproduce the blue screen at will; it just happens.

[katushkin]

How old is your 780?

[epzy]

How old is your 780?

~2 months.

[Novus]

There's too many things that cause a BSOD.
What you've written doesn't help anybody diagnose your issues - it could still be anything.

We need dump files and specific error codes.
You can also use something like bluescreenview or something similar.
If it's a common issue, you can probably self diagnose it.

Also write the basic trouble shooting steps you've gone through such as:
1) Re-seat your memory
2) Memtest
3) Reset CMOS.
4) Check temperatures
5) Test your PSU.
etc etc

Usually the culprit in these cases is the PSU or bad memory.

[IPT]

if you can't give the dump file, gotta at least know what the BSOD code is for.

[epzy]

There's too many things that cause a BSOD.
What you've written doesn't help anybody actually diagnose your issues - it could be anything.

Start by posting your dump files and specific error codes.
Write the basic trouble shooting steps you've gone through.

Anyways the typical stuff:
1) Re-seat your memory
2) Memtest
3) Reset CMOS.
4) Check temperatures
5) Test your PSU.

Temp is 29c. Can't post the specific error code, because I never know when the blue screen will happen, and it goes away in like two seconds, but I will try next time. No clue how to do those other things. :/

[epzy]

if you can't give the dump file, gotta at least know what the BSOD code is for.

How can I find the dump file?

[IPT]

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_7-performance/locate-dump-files/a6ad18df-70a8-4c53-8596-797b63bd35e7

 also:
 Control Panel - System - on left side Advanced System Settings - Advanced tab -

Startup and Recovery - Settings - System Failure - check the box to Write an Event to System Log

uncheck Auto Restart

[smknjoe]

Is this a "new" build or did it work fine for a while until two day ago? If the latter, what changed two days ago?

[Novus]

These 3 things are quite user friendly and should be sufficient:
Google the offending culprit and you should be able to self diagnose from there.
Check memory and PSU. It's always one of those 9 out of 10 times.


BlueScreenView - Free - scans all your minidump files created during 'blue screen of death'
crashes, and displays the information about all crashes in one table.
http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/blue_screen_view.html

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

MyEventViewer can be checked at the time of the BlueScreen (BSOD) to within a second or
so of the time of the BSOD to provide more information as to possible cause - see TIP.

MyEventViewer - Free - a simple alternative to the standard event viewer of Windows.
TIP - Options - Advanced Filter allows you to see a time frame instead of the whole file -
set it to a bit before and after the time of the BSOD.
http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/my_event_viewer.html

------------
AppCrashView - Free - a small utility for Windows Vista and Windows 7 that displays the
details of all application crashes occurred in your system. The crashes information is extracted
from the .wer files created by the Windows Error Reporting (WER) component of the operating
system every time that a crash is occurred. AppCrashView also allows you to easily save the
crashes list to text/csv/html/xml file.
http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/app_crash_view.html

[epzy]

Is this a "new" build or did it work fine for a while until two day ago? If the latter, what changed two days ago?

Worked completely fine for ~2 months. All that changed was I installed f.lux, I think. Before I re-installed Windows, I also tried to do a roll-back to before I even had gotten a blue screen, and before I had installed f.lux

[epzy]

These 3 things are quite user friendly and should be sufficient:
Google the offending culprit and you should be able to self diagnose from there.
Check memory and PSU. It's always one of those 9 out of 10 times.


BlueScreenView - Free - scans all your minidump files created during 'blue screen of death'
crashes, and displays the information about all crashes in one table.
http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/blue_screen_view.html

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

MyEventViewer can be checked at the time of the BlueScreen (BSOD) to within a second or
so of the time of the BSOD to provide more information as to possible cause - see TIP.

MyEventViewer - Free - a simple alternative to the standard event viewer of Windows.
TIP - Options - Advanced Filter allows you to see a time frame instead of the whole file -
set it to a bit before and after the time of the BSOD.
http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/my_event_viewer.html

------------
AppCrashView - Free - a small utility for Windows Vista and Windows 7 that displays the
details of all application crashes occurred in your system. The crashes information is extracted
from the .wer files created by the Windows Error Reporting (WER) component of the operating
system every time that a crash is occurred. AppCrashView also allows you to easily save the
crashes list to text/csv/html/xml file.
http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/app_crash_view.html

http://tinypic.com/r/xnge2x/8

Does this tell you something?

[smknjoe]

That's weird that it was fine for 2 months and now with a clean installation of Windows (including all proper drivers and updates) you are still getting the BSOD.

Lonewolf already touched on this but:

I always start with a quick hardware test that takes about 20 minutes and then move on to troubleshooting software. UBCD (Ultimate Boot CD) has Memtest that will test your RAM and Processor and part of the North bridge on the Mother Board. Run, Memtest for at least one complete cycle or 10 minutes, test your HD with the manufacturer's diagnostic software, and test the PS if you have a PS tester or multimeter. All of that should take about 20 minutes. Then, move on to the software troubleshooting if everything looks good.

[Novus]

These 3 things are quite user friendly and should be sufficient:
Google the offending culprit and you should be able to self diagnose from there.
Check memory and PSU. It's always one of those 9 out of 10 times.


BlueScreenView - Free - scans all your minidump files created during 'blue screen of death'
crashes, and displays the information about all crashes in one table.
http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/blue_screen_view.html

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

MyEventViewer can be checked at the time of the BlueScreen (BSOD) to within a second or
so of the time of the BSOD to provide more information as to possible cause - see TIP.

MyEventViewer - Free - a simple alternative to the standard event viewer of Windows.
TIP - Options - Advanced Filter allows you to see a time frame instead of the whole file -
set it to a bit before and after the time of the BSOD.
http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/my_event_viewer.html

------------
AppCrashView - Free - a small utility for Windows Vista and Windows 7 that displays the
details of all application crashes occurred in your system. The crashes information is extracted
from the .wer files created by the Windows Error Reporting (WER) component of the operating
system every time that a crash is occurred. AppCrashView also allows you to easily save the
crashes list to text/csv/html/xml file.
http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/app_crash_view.html

http://tinypic.com/r/xnge2x/8

Does this tell you something?

It means you either have bad internal hardware or incompatible external peripherals.
 

[IPT]

what did you add in the last 2 days?
Any new peripherals or install anything new?

[Photoelectric]

I'd check memory too.  Is it 4 sticks of 4GB or 2 sticks of 8GB?  4 sticks often need a bit extra VCCIO voltage for stability.

[epzy]

I'd check memory too.  Is it 4 sticks of 4GB or 2 sticks of 8GB?  4 sticks often need a bit extra VCCIO voltage for stability.

It's 4x4.

[Photoelectric]

Which motherboard brand/model?

[epzy]

what did you add in the last 2 days?
Any new peripherals or install anything new?

Just f.lux (which I have used before, with zero problems.) No new peripherals... :/

[epzy]

Which motherboard brand/model?

MSI Z87-G45, Socket-1150

[IPT]

Really the only thing I can think of is to do a full hardware test of everything you can

Run Memtest86+ for a few passes to make sure the memory isn't bad.
If you have a spare PSU, try using that PSU and see if it still BSODs.
Same with the vid card, try running with onboard video to see if it causes the crash.

Also did you recently update any drivers?

[smknjoe]

Keep it simple. If everything is stock and no hardware has changed and you have a clean installation of Win...unplug everything from the PC but the essentials, run Memtest (from UBCD or some similar diagnostic suite NOT IN WINDOWS) and test your HD with the manufacturers diagnostics (NOT IN WINDOWS) and let us know what happens.

[epzy]

Really the only thing I can think of is to do a full hardware test of everything you can

Run Memtest86+ for a few passes to make sure the memory isn't bad.
If you have a spare PSU, try using that PSU and see if it still BSODs.
Same with the vid card, try running with onboard video to see if it causes the crash.

Also did you recently update any drivers?

Will try to run that Memtest. Don't have a spare PSU, unfortunately. I only updated my GFX card driver AFTER I had been getting blue screens.

[Photoelectric]

Had to look at some BIOS screenshots.  What is your SA voltage shown at ?



You could bump it by 0.005-0.010V from what you have currently and see if it helps.  If it's set on auto, you could set SA offset to +0.005 or +0.010.

[epzy]

Had to look at some BIOS screenshots.  What is your SA voltage shown at ?

Show Image

You could bump it by 0.005-0.010V from what you have currently and see if it helps.  If it's set on auto, you could set SA offset to +0.005 or +0.010.

http://tinypic.com/r/20zo2a0/8

Should I change anything?

[Photoelectric]

Right, so click on SA Offset Mode, I think.  I'm not sure what the options there are.  But you want the mode to be Offset instead of Auto.  And then select the offset value to be positive 0.005V or just to be sure make it 0.010V for starters, and see if that stops crashes.  That would mean the voltage is automatically selected + your offset value.  If it helps, you can drop it to +0.005V and see if that's sufficient too.

[epzy]

Right, so click on SA Offset Mode, I think.  I'm not sure what the options there are.  But you want the mode to be Offset instead of Auto.  And then select the offset value to be positive 0.005V or just to be sure make it 0.010V for starters, and see if that stops crashes.  That would mean the voltage is automatically selected + your offset value.  If it helps, you can drop it to +0.005V and see if that's sufficient too.

Thanks, will do that after my next crash. I lacked one driver btw, which I forgot to mention - the Razer synapse for my Deathadder... maybe that could be the cause for the BOSD? Idk, 1 hour without any problems now.

[Photoelectric]

I doubt that lacking a driver for your mouse would crash the computer with a BSOD.

[epzy]

I doubt that lacking a driver for your mouse would crash the computer with a BSOD.

Okay, well - I went ahead and changed the voltage as you suggested anyway. Let's see if it works out. If it doesn't I'll get help from a irl friend to test my hdd, memory and all that ASAP.

[Photoelectric]

Good luck!!  I'd start with testing using Prime95 and then this http://hcidesign.com/memtest/.

[smknjoe]

You really need to run your diagnostics at the lowest level possible. I would not run them from Windows. Especially since Win is already unstable. You may not get accurate results.

http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/

[epzy]

Thanks guys. Will update you when it's solved or if I never solve it, haha.

[Photoelectric]

You really need to run your diagnostics at the lowest level possible. I would not run them from Windows. Especially since Win is already unstable. You may not get accurate results.

http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/

I don't know if "need" is the right word there.  His system is not crashing at boot.  It's more of a fine-tuning issue, it seems, based on the symptoms.  That could be analyzed from within windows.

[Wildcard]

I know a lot of people are posting suggestions so I'll keep it simple.

The BSOD will tell you what failed and as others suggested will help you pinpoint the problem. Assuming this is a hardware error do the following:

Remove everything from the motherboard except for the basics (CPU, PSU, boot hard drive, one stick of ram). Your MOBO should have onboard video through the intel APU.

Do a memtest with 1 stick of ram. If it passes try using your computer for a bit. Use it like you normally would and try to duplicate the BSOD. If your computer works fine after a few days you're lucky

Motherboard, PSU, hard drive and that one stick are good.

Next take the 1 stick of ram out and put another non tested stick in a different slot each time and run memtest.

If you find a bad stick, place a good stick in that dim slot and run memtest again to validate that it isn't the Mobo.

If all memory tests good its onto the video card. There are several video tests you can run to check the card.

Also the system error logs might point to open issues on your system if it's a software/driver issue.

[smknjoe]

EI know a lot of people are posting suggestions so I'll keep it simple.

The BSOD will tell you what failed and as others suggested will help you pinpoint the problem. Assuming this is a hardware error do the following:

Remove everything from the motherboard except for the basics assuming you have onboard video (CPU, PSU, boot hard drive, one stick of ram).

Do a memtest with 1 stick of ram. If it passes try using your computer for a bit. Use it like you normally would and try to duplicate the BSOD. If your computer works fine after a few days you're lucky

Motherboard, PSU, hard drive and that one stick are good.

Next take the 1 stick of ram out and put another non tested stick in a different slot each time and run memtest.

If you find a bad stick, place a good stick in that dim slot and run memtest again to validate that it isn't the Mobo.

If all memory tests good its onto the video card. There are several video tests you can run to check the card.

Also the system error logs might point to open issues on your system if it's a software/driver issue.

Good suggestion, but I would add that you can test all of the RAM at once (just leave all of the RAM installed) instead of one at a time. Then, if you see there is a failure start testing the RAM as Wildcard says.

[Wildcard]

The reason why one stick works better is because you can test the other components with just one stick and split your troubleshooting in half. From there you have a limited set of components you can narrow it down to. Also assuming you didn't pick the one bad stick of ram out of the 4

You should be able to remove the video card and let the APU power your video as you test.

If your computer has been running good for some time and your memory voltages are in spec for the board, and you haven't been tweaking the bios, leave all these settings alone.

Sorry for the edits, on my phone at the moment

[smknjoe]

I don't see how that reduces time, but your suggestion is thorough, methodical, and will yield accurate results. That's pretty much how they teach you to do it in A+ classes.

[iri]

tl;dr remove wndows.

[Novus]

You really need to run your diagnostics at the lowest level possible. I would not run them from Windows. Especially since Win is already unstable. You may not get accurate results.

http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/

I don't think "need" is the right word there.  His system is not crashing at boot.  It's more of a fine-tuning issue, it seems, based on the symptoms.  That could be analyzed from within windows.

Well your system can actually still boot when you have bad components. It'll just be unstable and crash often.
You hear this alot when somebody has a cheap PSU which is in the middle of dying.
So he does "need" to do it from the lowest level possible.


Going back to what's been said:
What he actually needs to do is conduct a proper basic trouble shooting and isolate his variables.
At this point, the amount information provided is too lackluster for definitive results

More

Usually when everything else checks out - it's a bad stick of ram or it's a failing PSU.
That being said, since we don't know if everything checks out, it could be anything from the above, it could be an attached printer with a bad driver, some other peripheral like a usb dongle or it could even be something like his room's power wiring is giving out due to the load from his PC and whatever else is plugged in the outlet.

Preferably, if the issue persists, he should post 2-3 dmp files because some geek here can probably pinpoint the probably cause AFTER he's done the basic check.
It's really as simple as that and it needs to be done.

I don't mean to sound like an ******* to the OP but I get this feeling you're looking for a quick fix but you're not applying enough of your own elbow grease.
I get this impression because of your replies or rather lack off substance in them.
We haven't heard anything about you going inside and checking on your components. Nothing about basic checks either.
You still also haven't provided us with dump files and error codes.

I mean if you had also google'd Ntsokrnl.exe you'd know that it's just a core windows component crashing because of either a bad driver, bad pin sometimes or a component failing on you.
Which pretty tells you it's kind of a generic error and you need to post more information.

[Photoelectric]

That's a lot of conclusions and judgment for a thread that's only been created a few hours ago.  Give the OP some time.

[epzy]

You really need to run your diagnostics at the lowest level possible. I would not run them from Windows. Especially since Win is already unstable. You may not get accurate results.

http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/

I don't think "need" is the right word there.  His system is not crashing at boot.  It's more of a fine-tuning issue, it seems, based on the symptoms.  That could be analyzed from within windows.

Well your system can actually still boot when you have bad components. It'll just be unstable and crash often.
You hear this alot when somebody has a cheap PSU which is in the middle of dying.
So he does "need" to do it from the lowest level possible.


Going back to what's been said:
What he actually needs to do is conduct a proper basic trouble shooting and isolate his variables.
At this point, the amount information provided is too lackluster for definitive results

More

Usually when everything else checks out - it's a bad stick of ram or it's a failing PSU.
That being said, since we don't know if everything checks out, it could be anything from the above, it could be an attached printer with a bad driver, some other peripheral like a usb dongle or it could even be something like his room's power wiring is giving out due to the load from his PC and whatever else is plugged in the outlet.

Preferably, if the issue persists, he should post 2-3 dmp files because some geek here can probably pinpoint the probably cause AFTER he's done the basic check.
It's really as simple as that and it needs to be done.

I don't mean to sound like an ******* to the OP but I get this feeling you're looking for a quick fix but you're not applying enough of your own elbow grease.
I get this impression because of your replies or rather lack off substance in them.
We haven't heard anything about you going inside and checking on your components. Nothing about basic checks either.
You still also haven't provided us with dump files and error codes.

I mean if you had also google'd Ntsokrnl.exe you'd know that it's just a core windows component crashing because of either a bad driver, bad pin sometimes or a component failing on you.
Which pretty tells you it's kind of a generic error and you need to post more information.

?

As I already have stated: "I'm not very knowledgable about computers, so just keep that in mind." I'm not going to open up my computer when I don't even know what's what. I'm currently checking my HDD's for errors (which takes hours). The other tests I don't know how to do myself, so I will get help from an irl friend later today.

Edit: And I'm by no means looking for an 'quick fix'. I came here to see if someone could help me with the little information I had, and I got some nice replies which was very helpful.

[smknjoe]

Here is a direct link to the torrent file for UBCD http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/download/ubcd528.iso.torrent

Download the ISO
Burn to CD (bootable) or make a bootable USB
Run Memtest

It should only take about 15 - 20 minutes to do all of that.

[Lanx]

i blame ram, you have 4 sticks, time to test 1 at a time.

[epzy]

Here is a direct link to the torrent file for UBCD http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/download/ubcd528.iso.torrent

Download the ISO
Burn to CD (bootable) or make a bootable USB
Run Memtest

It should only take about 15 - 20 minutes to do all of that.

Will have to buy a burn CD, but I can't do it right now. It's 7.29 in the morning here.

[smknjoe]

Here is a direct link to Universal USB Installer that will allow you to copy the UBCD ISO to a USB drive (instead of a CD) and boot from that instead.

http://www.pendrivelinux.com/downloads/Universal-USB-Installer/Universal-USB-Installer-1.9.5.2.exe

[Novus]

Here is a direct link to the torrent file for UBCD http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/download/ubcd528.iso.torrent

Download the ISO
Burn to CD (bootable) or make a bootable USB
Run Memtest

It should only take about 15 - 20 minutes to do all of that.

Will have to buy a burn CD, but I can't do it right now. It's 7.29 in the morning here.

Make a bootable usb.
I'm just ****ing with you, go back to sleep.

[epzy]

Here is a direct link to the torrent file for UBCD http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/download/ubcd528.iso.torrent

Download the ISO
Burn to CD (bootable) or make a bootable USB
Run Memtest

It should only take about 15 - 20 minutes to do all of that.

Will have to buy a burn CD, but I can't do it right now. It's 7.29 in the morning here.

Make a bootable usb.
I'm just ****ing with you, go back to sleep.

I woke up 6 hours ago. >__________> Fell asleep randomly during the day.

[epzy]

~

[iri]

~

i see what you did there

[epzy]

~

i see what you did there

Ye, still not sure if it's the slots or one of the sticks. Will check that later. ^^^^^^^^