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Windows 7 Pro Crash

My PC, Athlon 64bit x2 with 4GB RAM runs W7 32bit.

I have had this not running for a while as I been using my laptop. When I started using it again it started to blue screen, this is intermittent and not linked to applications (as far as I can see).

I have done the usual. Updated all drivers, Win Update, Kaspersky full scan, check for power supply issues to component and the compulsory check for fans and dust re overheating.

All to no avail. Still happens ever so often.

How can I go about diagnosing the reason, is there a log file for the blue screen, that can be analyzed or do I need to have MS tools for dissecting dump files?

Any help will be appreciated.

Thanks
capt.
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Phoenixke
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Starting with the message of the blue screen would be helpful ^^
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sweeps

you can download bluescreenview that will automaticaly connect to your dump files when it is opened.  then you can use that information to get more help.

http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/bluescreenview.zip
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Probably RAM going bad.

Try running memtest to see.

I was going to post that ^

Too slow again.
"that" = BlueScreenView link
Additional info: Windows creates a memory dump [ .dmp] on your system partition at every BSOD.

The only exception is, if you don't have a page file [swap file] on that partition you will not get the memory dump.
I found out the hard way.
Upload the .dmp file located in windows folder for analysis.


Ded9
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LeeTutor
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Sorry been in meetings all day, will look into this later.

Thanks so far.
If you have daughter boards, try get rid off... Check for bad caps... loosen fan of the cpu/gpu... consider bios upgrade!!!
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>>you can download bluescreenview

OK have run this:
17/03/2011 13:53:17
KERNEL_MODE_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED
Bug Check Code 0x1000008e
Para 1 0xc0000005
Para 2 0xe299014d
Para 3 0x8df07aa3
Para 4 0x00000000

No other info re driver, address, file, product etc.

>>Try running memtest to see.
Will download ISO and run later/Monday


>If you have...
Checked all connections, fans, and boards, no daughter boards anyway. Will look for bios upgrade and patch Monday if there is one...

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There are older dmp files too:
10/03/2011 18:00:48      
NTFS_FILE_SYSTEM      
0x00000024      0x001904fb      0x9594e8a0      0x9594e480      0x8c04b21c      Ntfs.sys      Ntfs.sys+1421c      NT File System Driver      Microsoft® Windows® Operating System      Microsoft Corporation      6.1.7600.16385 (win7_rtm.090713-1255)      32-bit            C:\Windows\Minidump\031011-19890-01.dmp      2      15      7601      157,200      

24/02/2011 15:17:30      
BAD_POOL_HEADER      
0x00000019      0x00000003      0x8dcfe850      0x8dcfe850      0x0012ef38      win32k.sys      win32k.sys+cbab0      Multi-User Win32 Driver      Microsoft® Windows® Operating System      Microsoft Corporation      6.1.7600.16385 (win7_rtm.090713-1255)      32-bit            C:\Windows\Minidump\022411-15475-01.dmp      2      15      7600      159,928      

This all means nothing to me...

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As they are random reasons it seems more likely that it is a RAM issue?

Would suggest that it is not a particular app or file/driver but whatever runs at the time the PC crashes...
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Upload the minidump .dmp file located in windows folder for analysis.


Ded9
@StoneG:
You made a comment that got my attention.  Are you suggesting that if one has Windows installed on C: but the swap file is on a different partition, there will be no dump files after a crash?

If so, this is very significant!
It would be a good idea to run System File Checker after you check the memory.

The following link gives you the step-by-step: sfc
sorry

Run sfc /scannow from a elevated command prompt.
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will run sfc and upload minidump Monday. Time to go home now. Memtest is running and is complete 31%...

thanks
capt.
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RAM test did  not show up any errors, have left the PC on in locked state now, but no crash since Monday.

Fluke.

Will monitor and report back when more info is there.
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I am sorry but there are so many other things going on right now that I have not had any chance to follow this up.

The few times I had a chance it behaved normally...

I will check back when I know more.
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One update:

sfc /scannow

Beginning system scan.  This process will take some time.

Beginning verification phase of system scan.
Verification 100% complete.

Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations.
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3 days. I kept the PC running with full application load running. No crash.

Will upgrade firmware Monday. Let's see.
Big bunch of Windows updates due Tuesday.

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OK, more than one week without a crash, I have been trying to upload the DMP nut got knocked back as it is too large (269Mb >>>zip 84Mb)
That's pretty big.
Have you tried looking at it with BlueScreenView to see if there's anything that jumps out at you?
This TechNet article was originally for NT but the error messages are still pretty much valid I am told. They are near the beginning of the article & might give a clue or two.

****
>Are you suggesting that if one has Windows installed on C: but the swap file is on a different partition, there will be no dump files after a crash?<
Sorry. For some reason I thought I had responded to this, but apparently I didn't.

****

Yes. That is correct.
I have not done this on my Win 7 but on my XP I have the swap file on its own partition.
At one point I got a BSOD and was anxious to try out BlueScreenView.
No dump was available.
I created small swap file on C: [I think it was 80MB] and the next time I blue screened I had a dump file. [  I had a bad video driver :-)  ]

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No w7 swap is on C:, I had a look with the viewer but it was not meaningful. On hols this week will have another look after Easter
Have fun!

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This has now been up and running without fail for a whole week, I cannot fathom what the problem was. I cleaned out the cabinet so maybe it was a heat issue??

How to close this? Any ideas?
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Good idea, I will give it a week and then split.
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I will have a go at deleting it again just in case...

thanks for the info.
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OK, I think it is heat related. Today the PC just crashed without dump file, and also shut down half way through reboot. And today is a hotter day than usual. It may be that the heating was on in the past causing this.

I have reseated the heatsink and turned on a/c. So far so good.
Does your BIOS/motherboard have CPU temp. reporting ability?
BTW a corrupted swapfile points to hardware failure [most likely hard drive].
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>>Does your BIOS/motherboard have CPU temp. reporting ability

In BIOS yes, there may be an ASUS tool for in OS reporting, I'll check.

I have not followed on the swap file issue, this was on my list but then I had the heat issue first. I suspect the cleaner may have knocked the PC but it has been stable since I reseated the CPU. I also installed a secondary fan to keep the levels down.

When it failed to boot during POST I checked CPU temp in BIOS and it blew 59C so that is too hot. Will try a new heatsink when I get one...
What's your CPU?
Intel or AMD?
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AMD
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btw, PC Probe (ASUS tool for OS info) does not run on W7 for my mobo...
59C is not too hot for AMD

AMD's run hotter than Intel's.

What processor is it?


If the ASUS tool runs in Linux you might be able to use a live LINUX CD/DVD to boot from & run it.
...or you might try one of these:

http://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000100.htm

I haven't tried any of them in Win7
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>>use a live LINUX CD/DVD to boot from & run it.

yes I thought of that, but then I would still only see CPU temp under Linux load not running all the blob I have installed at the moment...


>>What processor is it?

AM2 5000+
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>>...or you might try one of these:

cute, nothing better than a free bit of software, installed HWMonitor...

Cool:

Cores (soz CPU is Athlon X264 5000+) both below 40C
Geforce GPU is at 66C

All others are in the equatorial regions.

great tool thanks. I will monitor this now and see if the PC becomes unstable with temp. If it is stable enough over next week will split this amongst the heatseekers.

thanks
capt.
The AMD 5000+ maxes at between 55C - 70C per http://www.cpu-world.com/CPUs/K8/AMD-Athlon%2064%20X2%205000+%20-%20ADA5000IAA5CZ.html

Maybe one of the other utils I suggested will give you a real-time view of the temp?
I've been pre-posted again!
:-)



Good luck!
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:) Sorry it is not meant to be a habit...

I would not be surprised if a poor heatsink connection had the temp spark up above 65+ when running apps in W7, the temp check at reboot was still high even there was only POST load...

So guess it is now a question of waiting for the next crash..
Here's info on stress testing your CPU.
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Thanks I will check that out tomorow.
Maybe is the mouse... have you check it???
This is not the Lounge.
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Points for pointing me in the direction to exclude certain problems.

Thanks for helping, I suspect there is a heat issue. However stress testing has not kicked out the PC but there have also not been any bsods any more.

Baffling...
Good luck & thanks.