Vista x64 BSOD problem

Status
Not open for further replies.
C

Ckorban

Posts: 69   +2
Problem:
I am getting random BSODs, almost always when I am playing Counter-Strike Source or Left 4 Dead. They don't happen everytime I am playing, but if they happen, I am normally in game.

Background info:
Recently had to reformat due to OS corruption caused by me, had no hardware additions/changes from before, just installed on a different harddrive that was already in my system.

Question:
What can I do to start troubleshooting? Where can i find the BSOD dump files?


Thanks,
Chris
 
Sounds like a video card driver issue. I suggest doing this first...

1. Download Driver Cleaner Pro to your desktop screen and install.

2. Download the latest diver(s) for your video card but don't install them.

3. Uninstall your video card drivers and reboot your PC into Safe Mode. Run Driver Cleaner Pro. If it doesn't find any video card drivers that is quite okay.

4. Reboot and install new video card drivers.

If that doesn't rectify the problem then either you should roll back to an earlier driver or...

To find your Minidumps: My Computer > C Drive > Windows Folder > Minidump Folder > Minidump Files. It is these files we need. You DON'T have to Zip each and everyone of your Minidump Files into a Zip File. You can Zip together 5 per Zip file.

Attach these files to your next post if need be.
 
I can't find the minidumps.. Do i need to enable it or are they being deleted after a certain amount or.. ?
 
You shouldn't have to enable because minidumps are automatically produced by Windows for it is Windows that shuts the system down in order to protect from damage.

Did you find the minidump folder? The files should be in there. However, if you've run something like CCleaner it will clear out minidumps.

Also, did you try updating your drivers?
 
I did try updating my drivers but I'm doing it again as we speak..
however, I did find the minidump folder but there was nothing in there, and a BSOD JUST occured, i check right after it.. any ideas on this?

Oh and this time, it was in the middle of watching a downloaded TV episode.

By the way, when the BSOD is shown, it gets stuck at "preparing drive for dump" or something similar and i manually cold restart it with the button at that point... should i be waiting longer or something? how long does the "dumping" need?
 
Windows will automatically shut down. It is quick and without warning. After the Blue Screen comes up it gives the usual bla blah warning, gives the code and sometimes the cause and then begins the physical memory dump.

Okay, let's try some other standard diagnostic steps:

1. Run ChkDsk.

2. Do a full harddrive diagnostics using the harddrive diagnostic utility supplied by your manufacturer that you can download from their website.

3. Run memtest for a minimum of 7 Passes. www.memtest.org
 
I ran my HD diag tools for a full scan and it passed completely, i ran chkdsk but I can't find the results, where would they be? And do I need to do chkdsk to all disks or just the one my windows is located on?

I also ran memtest for about 10 minutes and no errors but i'll obviously run it for 7 passes overnight.

Another BSOD and no minidump as usual... but the BSOD had this info:

IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL



0x0000000A
(0x000000000000002F, 0x0000000000000002, 0x0000000000000001, 0xFFFFF80001C596B2)

Note, sometimes I don't see the IRQL etc.. when it BSODs, i believe i saw a ndisp.sys or something similar once or twice..

Also, is there no info I can get from the event log or such? If there is, can you give me some instruction on how to do so?
Also, I have a memory.dmp, 350mb though...

Any ideas from the codes I pasted?
 
Was it this driver that it cited: NdisIP.sys? This is related to Microsoft IP Driver.
NdisIP.sys is a part of your Operating System.

That 0xA error is a strong indication of hardware issues, but at this time we don't have enough information.

Did Windows write a minidump?
 
it might have been that file, I didn't write it down at the time..
And about the minidumps, my minidump folder is ALWAYS empty, i dont think it ever wrote one even though I have had a LOT of BSODs
 
Went back and read some of your Posts. Memtest to be effective must run for at least 7 Passes and this takes a long time. Many people start it around two hours before going to bed and check on it the next morning when they get up. Did you go back and complete it as you indicated you were going to do?
 
K, ran memtest overnight, it did 5 passes and was 50% thru the 6th one, but I couldnt keep my PC off longer... 0 errors.. If necessary for 7 passes, I can run it this night and leave it till its done with the whole 7 passes, does it matter?
 
I know people who have received errors into the 15th and 16th Pass. Of course they let it run longer than the normal overnight run. 7 is the standard. It wouldn't hurt in the least to let it run over night.

By the way, are your BSODs still occuring only when you are playing those two games or are they now happening at other times as well? Is the fan running as needed? When gaming the load is significantly increased on the video card thus significantly elevating the temparature and heat will quickly shut down a system.

Check your system temperatures including video card. My suspicion is that those games may demand more from your GPU than other games and thus increasing temps.
 
I ran it overnight but it only made it thru 5 passes :p
Also, my GPU runs at 60 celcius idle and increases only slightly during load.. I even talked to the manufacturers and they said it was fine.
I have also had a BSoD when watching an avi file on my computer, but the other times it is when gaming.. And the games are not heavy on graphics, they are CS:Source and Left4Dead.. I've been monitoring temperatures to be sure and nothing seems to be out of the ordinary (using speedfan).

update: just got yet another BSoD, this time no file name or something like IRQL !<=,
just the STOP error code:
0x0000001E
(0xFFFFFFFFC0000005, 0xFFFFF80001C5D911, 0x0000000000000000, 0xFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF)

Do these codes mean anything?

Minidump empty as usual...

Also, on a side note, the the BSoD does occur, the last two lines on the screen are:

Collecting data for crash dump...
Initializing disk for crash dump...

And thats it, it is stuck on that point till I manually turn off, it doesnt restart automatically or anything...

Any ideas?

Thanks Route44 very much for helping so far
 
0x0000001E: KMODE_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED

The Windows kernel detected an illegal or unknown processor instruction. A Stop 0x1E condition can be caused by invalid memory and access violations similar to those that generate Stop 0xA errors.


* Have you tried a Windows repair?
 
I'll do that next and update the thread... By windows repair you mean shoving the vista 64 disk, booting from it and selecting boot repair option? Would that work or is it just for boot problems?

Alright, another update:
just got another BSOD but this is a first in that I was NOT at the computer, and had nothing but browsers nothing.. I came back to find it in the BSoD state.
Info is: Driver IRQL etc..
ndis.sys i believe the file was.

Have you seen anything like this? Any idea why my computer isn't generating minidumps? Also, is there any other way to glean info about it, maybe event viewer would work?
 
If ndis.sys is missing/quarentined/corrupted often startup will go into a loop , a blue screen will flash (too quick to read), and PC will go to boot again and stop to ask how windows should be started. (Blue screen actualy says: Windows has detected a problem and will shot down to protect your PC) . For some they cannot start windows and is very difficult to fix.

This is not your exact issue but I think doing a Windows Repair is the next logical step. You'll need your CD.

Just google How to do Windows Repair (per your OS) and that will give you the how to. Keep us up-to-date.
 
Very nice kimsland. I know you've been working on a number help guides or help links. Will we see these pooled into permanent stickies? I think they are valuable.
 
The stickies have been reduced to generally 2 at most, on all sub-forums
Basically there are just too many good and worthy threads

The Guides area can be added to though, this is where many of the old stickies landed :grinthumb
 
All the links to the guides for repair are for repairing Startup Problems... would that be any use to my issue even though I have no startup problems (presumably)?

Thanks guys,
Chris

Alrighty, update:
Ran memtest for 2 days, 20ish passes, not 1 error.
Also I did tried the startup repair using the vista DVD. Repair Installer did not find anything wrong with startup and hence did not do anything.

Anyone have any clues what my next options would be?

just got another BSoD..
ndis.sys

Is a reinstall my only option at this point?
 
Route, you know my minidump folder is always empty :p.. It won't even generate those for me.. do I need to change a setting in windows or something?

alright, after some digging around, i found an option in my system properties recovery section about it generating a full fledged dump or a minidump.. it was set to full fledged dump so i set it to minidump, maybe that'll work?
 
Ckorban said:
Route, you know my minidump folder is always empty :p.. It won't even generate those for me.. do I need to change a setting in windows or something?
Click to expand...

Oops! Sorry, my bad. I forgot this part. :blush: As for setting it to minidump next time it BSODs check your minidump folder.
 
Error is 0xD1 which is caused by either faulty drivers or buggy software. The driver cited is pacer.sys and is a Vista OS driver. There is quite a bit on the internet about this driver and Microsoft has a number of hotfixes associated with it depending on error code and situation.

Two drivers were cited in the dump as not being able to load. The first is Rtlh64.sys which is a RealTec audio driver. The other is pnarp.sys which belongs to the networking software Pure Networks. Both were unable to load because of pacer.sys.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

A
PC turns on, but no display. No power to mouse and keyboard.
Replies
5
Views
13K
Kshipper
Kshipper
J
Long time random BSOD problem
Replies
1
Views
2K
Route44
Route44
yRaz
A very confusing yet interesting PSU problem on a new PC build
Replies
0
Views
1K
yRaz
yRaz

Latest posts

Back