BSODs and total freezes only when gaming

Hello all,

I have been having random freezes (only when I game) that sometimes result in a BSOD or just a hard freeze entirely where the music just keeps stuttering and only pressing reset or powering down completely will let me do anything. Basically what happens is during a game (not even a graphically intensive one) it will all of a sudden lag for a sec and play a weird stuttering noise, then it happens again and again over a period of a few minutes until it just completely locks up or BSODs.

My system specs are:

Motherboard: ASUS P6T LGA 1366
CPU: Core i7 920 2.66Ghz
PSU: Corsair 650W
RAM: OCZ Platinum 6GB (3x2GB) DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800)
GPU: EVGA GTX260
HDD: Western Digital 500GB 7200RPM SATA
OS: Windows 7 64-bit (upgraded from Vista business)


I ran Memtest86 and Prime95 and found no errors with the RAM or CPU (but I don't think that would rule them out entirely). I broke out my digital multimeter and tested my PSUs power going to the MOBO and found everything to be nominal.

Last time I froze I got this error when I reloaded Windows:

BCCode: 9c (I read this means a hardware issue)
BCP1: 0000000000000000
BCP2: FFFFF88003090C70
BCP3: 0000000000000000
BCP4: 0000000000000000

I have attached my last 3 minidump logs for viewing. I downloaded the program "Bluescreen View" but it didn't offer me any insight into the problem.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.
 

Attachments

  • Minidump Logs.zip
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Two of your errors are 0x124: WHEA_UNCORRECTABLE_ERROR and is described as "A fatal hardware error has occurred."

This error code and definition has replaced the older XP code 0x9C: MACHINE_CHECK_EXCEPTION and though it is older the definition still is applicable (in fact, your third error is this code): This is a hardware issue: an unrecoverable hardware error has occurred. The parameters have different meanings depending on what type of CPU you have but, while diagnostic, rarely lead to a clear solution. Most commonly it results from overheating, from failed hardware (RAM, CPU, hardware bus, power supply, etc.), or from pushing hardware beyond its capabilities (e.g., overclocking a CPU).

Honestly, this is a very difficult error to work with because as it says a clear diagnosis rarely comes forth and I have never seen a minidump with either error codes give a definitive answer. I know IT techs that don't like working with it. What makes it so difficult is that it can be any hardware in your system -- and I mean any. Your dump simply cited hardware as the issue and nothing more definitive.

Here are some of the causes that were determined to be the source o 0x124/0x9C errors from posters here and abroad: NIC, DVD/CD drives, dust build up around the CPU that caused overheating of said CPU, bulging capacitors hidden by heatsink, video card, psu, motherboard, and external harddrive connected by USB.

* What are your memory voltages set in your BIOS and do they match the manufacture's specs? Have you tried running your system with just 4 gigs of RAM?
 
I have everything set to auto as far as voltages are concerned.

I checked my RAM and it said the recommended timings were 7-7-7-24 and the BIOS was set to 9-9-9-24, so I changed it to match the factory specs.

Also there was an option called "Speedstep Tech" which says the CPU is controlled by the OS and it was enabled, so I disabled it.

I'm going to try and replicate a freeze with these new settings and see what happens.
 
Good steps but still check your auto settings because we have seen far too often in the last year of motherboards auto setting the voltage that did not match the memory manufacture's designed specs.
 
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