Help with a crashing PC!

[Casper]

I am struggling with random BSOD.

I cannot figure out what is causing it.

I'm using:

Gigabyte Z87X-UD3H Motherboard

2x 8 GB Kingston HyperX 2133 memory (Running at 1600mhz)

Gigabyte Radeon HD 7950 VGA

2x Seagate Barracuda 1TB HDD

Intel i7-4770K

PC is not overclocked, haven't fiddled with voltages or anything like that.

PC has been running fine for about 2 months, but suddenly I'm getting BSOD. I don't know of anything that could have caused this.

memtest86+ shows no errors.

Uninstalled all Gigabyte apps (except drivers).

Not running Avast but MS Security Essentials.

BSOD happens at random, even while pc is idle.

Please can you help me find the problem! It is driving me insane, and this PC cost quite a bit.

I'm seeing something about ntkrnlmp.exe in the memory dumps but I don't what it is telling me.

[eurobyn]

have you looked at the logfiles ?

is there something you can tell us more ?

[Kalju]

At first I recommend to set Vcore and Voffset manually if these are set to auto.
For this You can read more here and also you need this tool. (Of course, I do not know whether it is suitable for you.)

If all this don't give effect, you/we can continue the search..

Links:

http://www.cpuid.com/downloads/cpu-z/1.67-setup-en.exeftp://ftp.cpuid.com/cpu-z/cpu-z_1.67-setup-en.exehttp://www.overclock3d.net/articles/cpu_mainboard/how_to_manually_set_and_undervolt_your_cpu_vcore/1

Edited March 10, 2014 by Kalju

[avmad]

I'm no expert but these are what I would do.

1. Install BlueScreenView http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/blue_screen_view.html

Run it after a bsod occurs and read or post what it says.

Also install WhoCrashed http://www.resplendence.com/whocrashed

Use it the same as above. There's a pro version around here somewhere if needed.

2. In my experience bsod is caused by software conflicts. If you can list your software maybe someone will see something.

Start with any security software of any kind.

3. Look here: Start button, programs, Administrative Tools, Event viewer.

On the left Windows Logs, look through each starting with system for the times the blue screen happened.

See what it says for Critical and work your way down.

[davmil]

I'm no expert but these are what I would do.

1. Install BlueScreenView http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/blue_screen_view.html

Run it after a bsod occurs and read or post what it says.

Also install WhoCrashed http://www.resplendence.com/whocrashed

Use it the same as above. There's a pro version around here somewhere if needed.

2. In my experience bsod is caused by software conflicts. If you can list your software maybe someone will see something.

Start with any security software of any kind.

3. Look here: Start button, programs, Administrative Tools, Event viewer.

On the left Windows Logs, look through each starting with system for the times the blue screen happened.

See what it says for Critical and work your way down.

Good advice, but h/ware causes problems as much as s/ware in my experience. Power supplies and memory and loose connections are all suspect(s).

[OrbingStorm]

Make sure all motherboard ,graphics ect drivers are the latest as sometimes this fixes just such a problem.

[Casper]

Thanks, I'm glad you guys are willing to help me. It makes me feel a bit better.

I've done a system restore so far. I still need to test further. The only "suspect" change i found in system restore points was perhaps "on/off charge configured". If my memory serves me right, gigabyte told me there was an update to on/off charge, but when updating, during install it said I already had a later version installed and it didn't continue. It was the earliest restore point available, and the other restore points were created after some Windows critical updates. The restore point was the 2nd & I only noticed problems from the 8th. But since it is random, it is possible I just didn't experience it. It's difficult to test because I am only home at night during the week. I will do your suggestions. Software I have installed I've used for a long while:

MS security essentials.

Logitech setpoint and gaming software

Steam & games

Utorrent

Networx

MB drivers (latest), latest BIOS (F8).

MS Office

Apps from nsane like notepad++, k-lite codec pack

emClient

Opera

mSecure

and other apps that aren't digging into the system.

I will have to check tonight again. Patience...

Edited March 11, 2014 by Casper

[masterupc]

First of all I'll upgrade BIOS to the latest version. It fixes a lot of problems. Use Gigabyte @BIOS.

If you have support for 2133 DDR3, then use it selecting the profile in BIOS. Auto config makes the trick.

Enable xhci/ehci/port60-64 emulation

Enable all the features related to virtualization, performance (without overclocking) and response (3d voltage)

Check if your CPU is not overheating.

I have a GA-X79UD3 w/Core i7-3820 running @4.2GHz without overclocking (BIOS does the trick) and adjusting it little by little, all the bsod's dissapeared.

GL!

[Holmes]

What avmad suggested bluescreenview is the best otherwise you have to install debugging tools for windows and make sure windbg is installed so you can open up the dump file in windbg with open crash dump in file menu. You also want to make sure you are getting kernel memory dumps they give the best information when diagnosing crash dumps with any programs. Before I can help you any further I need to know what operating system your running please and thank you..

Edited March 11, 2014 by Holmes

[Blackchildcx]

sfc/scannow...@ boot, sfc.exe @ boot

[Casper]

I'm running Windows 7 x64 SP1.

Removed graphics card, and used onboard. Still got a blue screen after a while.

System restore did nothing.

BlueScreenView doesn't really help me much. ntoskrnl.exe+75bc0 ?

sfc /scannow found no problems.

[Sonar]

Create a second user account and see if that faces the same problem?

boot into safemode - does it also blue screen on idle? - if its hardware then u'll know from this

edit

for got to mention - disable and turn off system restore and never use it!!! that junk MS bundle causes more problems then ever... install a third party app that does snapshots of your drive 150% better then system restore...

AX64 Time Machine 1.4.1.24

this is a stab in the dark, but can a high voltage power supply cause problems here? or are they stable enough.

Edited March 11, 2014 by Sonar

[Rriicckk]

Check the RAM, installing one stick at a time. Memtest is not always reliable when using two sticks. Random BSOD's is often a bad stick of ram. If you have access to some other suitable RAM try that.

Hope this helps

[avmad]

WhoCrashed is better. Usually gives a write up of why things crashed.

Not the latest version but it's Pro.

WhoCrashed Professional 4.01 Retail | 2.1 Mb

http://www56.zippyshare.com/v/7396289/file.html

[Holmes]

Use windows key and r go to advanced system settings startup and recovery settings then in write debugging information make sure kernel memory dump is selected and uncheck overwrite any existing file. If your seeing ntoskrnl.exe its likely not a driver related problem due to if the ntoskrnl.exe is screewed up and your only getting random blue screens then that means its most likely hardware related. Check your ram like rick suggested take one stick out and test one stick at a time. Also what type of BSOD is it does it show IRQL NOT LESS OR EQUAL or what (IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL indicates software related chances are your not going to see that)..

Edited March 11, 2014 by Holmes

[mike.mt]

@Casper as you have already tried the most logical suggestions that have been posted by other helping hands.... If I were you I would also test with another power supply unit....

As SFC shows no errors... You could also download / install the latest Driver Pack Solutions as posted in Software updates today as this should replace / update any faulty ones.

As you have already run MemTest & received no errors... You could also clean the gold contacts on you memory chips to eliminate an infrequent memory issue.

If you have already checked your CPU temps & all was OK.

I hope for your inconvenience that its not down to a faulty / overheating Mobo component.

In situations like yours its down to process of elimination that unfortunately can take a while

[shasi]

it may be hardware problem find the part and replace it

[Casper]

I found WhoCrashed Professional which pointed me in a better direction.

Looking at the dumps I was pointed to some file from NetWorx. Strange, because I never had an issue with NetWorx before, and it has been installed for some time. Nevertheless I uninstalled it and have so far not had any crashes. I also saw something about usb3 in another dump. But I haven't yet uninstalled my USB 3 drivers. One thing at a time..

Maybe NetWorx and my M/Bs ethernet are not friends somehow. Let's just hope it's this. But it's still too early to tell.

You guys are all awesome! *thumbs crossed*.

[cyberber]

Great to see you are getting it solved we all hope its permanently.

[avmad]

Good to see B) I'm having problems of my own lately and it really gets annoying :angry:

[AlienForce1]

WhoCrashed is better. Usually gives a write up of why things crashed.

Not the latest version but it's Pro.

WhoCrashed Professional 4.01 Retail | 2.1 Mb

http://www56.zippyshare.com/v/7396289/file.html

Can you repost it please ?

[hobbykiosk]

WhoCrashed is better. Usually gives a write up of why things crashed.

Not the latest version but it's Pro.

WhoCrashed Professional 4.01 Retail | 2.1 Mb

http://www56.zippyshare.com/v/7396289/file.html

Can you repost it please ?

Resplendence.WhoCrashed.Professional.v4.01.Retail-EAT

http://mir.cr/1IHXHW8G

[avmad]

Here you go Alien

WhoCrashed Professional 4.01 Retail | 2.1 Mb

http://www.multiupload.nl/UBFWONF0TK

[Casper]

kickass.to...lol

Anyhow, so far no crashes this evening since I uninstalled NetWorx. Looking good!