PC crashes when playing games

[Benzz]

Okay well, around 2 months ago, my PC started crashing about once everyday only when I played Starcraft 2, I would just ignore it, but now it happens quite a few times a day and it's getting really annoying, basically when it crashes and I restart it will say,
Files that help describe the problem:
C:\Windows\Minidump\012111-20451-01.dmp
C:\Users\Ben\AppData\Local\Temp\WER-35864-0.sysdata.xml

So I've gone into the event viewer and found quite a few errors.
A fatal hardware error has occurred.

Reported by component: Processor Core
Error Source: Machine Check Exception
Error Type: Bus/Interconnect Error
Processor ID: 1
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
The system has rebooted without cleanly shutting down first. This error could be caused if the system stopped responding, crashed, or lost power unexpectedly.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
The computer has rebooted from a bugcheck. The bugcheck was: 0x00000124 (0x00000000, 0x858a48fc, 0x00000000, 0x00000000). A dump was saved in: C:\Windows\Minidump\012311-19344-01.dmp. Report Id: 012311-19344-01.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
The previous system shutdown at 1:28:21 PM on ‎23/‎01/‎2011 was unexpected.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Audit events have been dropped by the transport. 0
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

And this was a warning,

Windows detected your registry file is still in use by other applications or services. The file will be unloaded now. The applications or services that hold your registry file may not function properly afterwards.

DETAIL -
1 user registry handles leaked from \Registry\User\S-1-5-21-4240200242-897087023-1943678831-1001_Classes:
Process 2788 (\Device\HarddiskVolume1\Windows\System32\svchost.exe) has opened key \REGISTRY\USER\S-1-5-21-4240200242-897087023-1943678831-1001_CLASSES

I have no idea what any of this means, but I've checked my CPU temp with Speedfan and my System temp stays around 45c, CPU around 37c, Core 0 and 1 around 40 but jump to around 50 when playing Starcraft.

So yeah I've had my PC setup for around 7 months without any modification of any hardware but only around 2 months ago did it start crashing.

My system specs are,
Windows 7 Ultimate 32-bit
Memory: 2048MB RAM
ATI Radeon 5750
Intel(R) Core(TM) 2 Duo CPU E4500 @ 2.20GHz 2.20GHz
P5GC-MX motherboard.

I also reformatted my PC after thinking it was a virus or something and that didn't work, I also couldn't install any chip sets because I can't find any for windows 7 :S, but it was never a problem 7 months ago. I'd really appreciate any help, thanks!

 

[EXCellR8]

sounds like something could be simply overheating. make sure that your cooling system is clean and that you are monitoring temperatures. there could be a lot of dust built up in the CPU cooler or other components, so i would pop the side panel off and check.

 

[Benzz]

I will check now, can I just clean with a tissue or something? I'm not really sure how to clean it, or just give it a blow?

 

[EXCellR8]

compressed gas canister will work best, or a regular air compressor. you're gonna get light-headed if you try to blow it all out yourself lol. also, dust in the throat is one of the most annoying things you may experience. the dust will most likely be very fine particles and it will go everywhere, so i would highly recommend taking the tower outside before you blast it... just look for heavy concentration in or around cooling fans etc.

 

[Benzz]

I checked inside my case and there's not much dust, just at the bottom, which I cleaned, all the fans were pretty much clear

 

[Benzz]

Bump, anyone got any idea of whats going on?

 

[Benzz]

Bump~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

[Route44]

I read your first post and...

Your error is 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: 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 other than simply hardware or UNKNOWN_ANALYSIS. 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.

Here are some of the causes that were determined to be the source of 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.

This link will give further useful information: http://www.sevenforums.com/crash-lockup-debug-how/35349-stop-0x124-what-means-what-try.html


* It is late here on the East Coast so I need to go to bed. I would say in closing that the solid, basic diagnostic steps of testing your RAN with memtest and running a harddrive diagnosis that includes the long test are in order.