Random BSODs, freezes and artifacts
Hello,
I have random BSODs (mostly while gaming, but not exclusively), freezes (always while doing stuff on Windows desktop or while navigating the Internet. Everything gets stuck and I have to manually press the reset button) and artifacts (always at the bottom of the screen, on Windows desktop. It looks like shifted squares, hard to explain. I have to minimize and maximize a window to make it disappear).
It has been like this for months now. Sometimes I can get up to five BSODs a day and sometimes I get none for four or five days in a row.
I don't really remember when it started. I think I have artifacts since long ago, but only when I use the latest Nvidia driver, not with an old one.
Now I will make a list of what I have already done to try to find the problem:
Here are my computer's specs:
I changed the RAM (I now have the one specified in my computer's specs) because I found out something strange with my two old sticks:
The computer does boot with one of the stick whatever the slot I put it in.
The computer does not boot (well it kind of start, but the motherboard don't even beep, and it stay like that, with black screen) when I put the other stick in the slot 3 or 4 of my motherboard (but the computer start normally when that same stick is in slot 1 or 2).
I'm not sure if this is normal.
I do not overclock my computer.
The windows event viewer does not show errors apart from those related with the BSODs ("The previous system shutdown at xx:xx:xx on xx/xx/xxxx was unexpected.).
I have been keeping some of the minidumps files from the BSODs I got.
I have been trying to get useful information from them with the Microsoft Debugging Tools but I really don't know what to understand from them, so here they are.
I'm really desperate.
Thanks in advance for your help.
-Nineven-
EDIT: Problem solved. Defective graphic card (video ram).
Hello,
I have random BSODs (mostly while gaming, but not exclusively), freezes (always while doing stuff on Windows desktop or while navigating the Internet. Everything gets stuck and I have to manually press the reset button) and artifacts (always at the bottom of the screen, on Windows desktop. It looks like shifted squares, hard to explain. I have to minimize and maximize a window to make it disappear).
It has been like this for months now. Sometimes I can get up to five BSODs a day and sometimes I get none for four or five days in a row.
I don't really remember when it started. I think I have artifacts since long ago, but only when I use the latest Nvidia driver, not with an old one.
Now I will make a list of what I have already done to try to find the problem:
- I updated all drivers I could (BIOS firmware already up to date)
- I cleaned my computer including fans and slots (RAM, video card, etc)
- I checked for overheating
- I tested the RAM with Memtest86+ two entire nights
- I bought new different RAM sticks and tested them with Memtest86+ an entire night
- I manually set the RAM timing and voltage in the BIOS
- I tested one stick of RAM in each of the motherboard's slots, and then the same with the other stick
- I bought a new PSU and checked all voltages while the computer was idle and on heavy load
- I unplugged all USB devices except the mouse and the keyboard
- chkdsk /f /r
- I disabled the pagefile
- sfc /scannow
- I reinstalled Windows on another hard drive
Here are my computer's specs:
- CPU: Intel Core 2 Quad Q8400
- Motherboard: Asus P5QD Turbo
- RAM: Corsair (XMS2) DDR2 800 MHz/PC2-6400 (2 sticks of 2 GB each)
- GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTS 250 (Asus)
- PSU: OCZ ModXStream Pro 600W
- OS: Windows 7 Ultimate 64 bit
I changed the RAM (I now have the one specified in my computer's specs) because I found out something strange with my two old sticks:
The computer does boot with one of the stick whatever the slot I put it in.
The computer does not boot (well it kind of start, but the motherboard don't even beep, and it stay like that, with black screen) when I put the other stick in the slot 3 or 4 of my motherboard (but the computer start normally when that same stick is in slot 1 or 2).
I'm not sure if this is normal.
I do not overclock my computer.
The windows event viewer does not show errors apart from those related with the BSODs ("The previous system shutdown at xx:xx:xx on xx/xx/xxxx was unexpected.).
I have been keeping some of the minidumps files from the BSODs I got.
I have been trying to get useful information from them with the Microsoft Debugging Tools but I really don't know what to understand from them, so here they are.
I'm really desperate.
Thanks in advance for your help.
-Nineven-
EDIT: Problem solved. Defective graphic card (video ram).
