Perplexing Blue Screen Issue for One User
I’ve had this perplexing issue with one user at a small business client. She experiences random blue screens, mostly when using Microsoft Word, although in 1 or 2 instances out of about 10 total incidents, she was not using Word but was using Outlook. The BSODs occur on average about once per month and other than occurring mostly within Word, they seem random. For example, sometimes she can be working on many documents at once, sometimes only one document. Windows 7 Pro is the OS. There are two required programs for this environment, which contain MS Office Add-Ins. These are Worldox GX3 and Workshare Professional.
Prior to this issue surfacing over a year ago she was using MS Office 2007 and NEVER experienced any issues. All of this started after her machine was replaced and a fresh installation of Office 2010 was implemented. Of the 22 users at this client, no one has EVER experienced a BSOD. Generally, everyone has the same computer setup with Windows 7 Pro (all updates applied), 4GB RAM & Office 2010 or 2013 running on a Dell OptiPlex 380 or 390.
Here is what I've tried to resolve or even isolate the issue:
1. Replaced Windows machines – this is her third one – utilizing either a Dell OptiPlex 380 or 390.
2. Called Dell hardware support to confirm no hardware issues – this makes sense since 3 different PCs used.
3. Updated BIOS and Dell drivers, video, NIC, etc.
4. Used a blue screen viewer utility, which seemed to point to a video driver issue but Dell confirmed the latest and correct driver was installed with no apparent issues; plus it's the same driver other identical machines use and other machines/users don't have this issue.
5. Fresh install of Office 2010 on new machine.
6. Added new SSD drive to replace SATA drive and did a fresh install/update to Office 2013 on new machine.
7. Worldox GX3 has remained current throughout the process – there are no issues with Add-Ins becoming disabled.
8. Completely removed Workshare Pro and installed the latest (v9) on current machine.
9. Installed small APC backup battery just in case there were power issues.
10. Swapped out network cables and changed switch ports – just in case something weird was going on with her network connection.
11. Reset Worldox ini profile – which up until recently was stored on the server and downloaded to each new machine.
The only other thing I can think of is to recommend configuring a machine that's loaded with more physical memory and possibly a video card with higher memory capacity (see blue screen viewer bullet above), just in case some kind of memory leak or whatever is occurring.
Any other ideas to help nail down what's causing these BSODs?
Thanks!
Prior to this issue surfacing over a year ago she was using MS Office 2007 and NEVER experienced any issues. All of this started after her machine was replaced and a fresh installation of Office 2010 was implemented. Of the 22 users at this client, no one has EVER experienced a BSOD. Generally, everyone has the same computer setup with Windows 7 Pro (all updates applied), 4GB RAM & Office 2010 or 2013 running on a Dell OptiPlex 380 or 390.
Here is what I've tried to resolve or even isolate the issue:
1. Replaced Windows machines – this is her third one – utilizing either a Dell OptiPlex 380 or 390.
2. Called Dell hardware support to confirm no hardware issues – this makes sense since 3 different PCs used.
3. Updated BIOS and Dell drivers, video, NIC, etc.
4. Used a blue screen viewer utility, which seemed to point to a video driver issue but Dell confirmed the latest and correct driver was installed with no apparent issues; plus it's the same driver other identical machines use and other machines/users don't have this issue.
5. Fresh install of Office 2010 on new machine.
6. Added new SSD drive to replace SATA drive and did a fresh install/update to Office 2013 on new machine.
7. Worldox GX3 has remained current throughout the process – there are no issues with Add-Ins becoming disabled.
8. Completely removed Workshare Pro and installed the latest (v9) on current machine.
9. Installed small APC backup battery just in case there were power issues.
10. Swapped out network cables and changed switch ports – just in case something weird was going on with her network connection.
11. Reset Worldox ini profile – which up until recently was stored on the server and downloaded to each new machine.
The only other thing I can think of is to recommend configuring a machine that's loaded with more physical memory and possibly a video card with higher memory capacity (see blue screen viewer bullet above), just in case some kind of memory leak or whatever is occurring.
Any other ideas to help nail down what's causing these BSODs?
Thanks!
Download and execute http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/blue_screen_view.html and make a screenshot just like the first on that very page and upload it here.
ASKER
Interesting thought on the display question, Gerwin Jansen. I have yet to confirm this, but the client had probably just replaced all users' monitors with larger ones. I suppose what you're getting at is there may be an issue with either the monitor cable or the monitor itself, correct?
can you post the dmp file here?
how is the OS installed ? from an image? is that the same image for all
also try making a new user account - and check if the problem persists in the new one
look also in event viewer for errors
how is the OS installed ? from an image? is that the same image for all
also try making a new user account - and check if the problem persists in the new one
look also in event viewer for errors
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
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Your Screenshot shows, there have been a few bluescreens at different dates in the last months, but nowhere next to 10 like you reported. Please explain.
Reason I ask: if there were indeed 10 blue screens but only a few were recorded (dump files), it would mean that recording fails and that would open up more questions for trouble shooting.
Reason I ask: if there were indeed 10 blue screens but only a few were recorded (dump files), it would mean that recording fails and that would open up more questions for trouble shooting.
ASKER
Nobus: Dmp file was posted as a jpg. OS installed from an image and is the same for each machine type (i.e. OptiPlex 380 or 390). Nothing in event viewer that's unusual except for evidence of a stop error. I hesitate creating a new account because prior to this, she never experienced an issue for years and no one else is experiencing the issue.
Gerwin Jansen: Monitor and cabling was new out of the box when old one was replaced. Once the client confirms the monitor was replaced prior to BSODs starting, I'll try swapping for a replacement and see if that resolves the issue.
McKnife: The few BSODs you see are for her current machine. I have replaced a total of 3 machines, so two other machines' BSODs are not shown. Can you draw any conclusions from the info you see on the jpg?
Gerwin Jansen: Monitor and cabling was new out of the box when old one was replaced. Once the client confirms the monitor was replaced prior to BSODs starting, I'll try swapping for a replacement and see if that resolves the issue.
McKnife: The few BSODs you see are for her current machine. I have replaced a total of 3 machines, so two other machines' BSODs are not shown. Can you draw any conclusions from the info you see on the jpg?
I see. No, I can't draw conclusions, yet. 4 BSODs in 4 months, that's all. Same source (driver file win32k.sys). Could be simply an instability caused by something installed on that machine. But if it's that rare, we cannot determine it. or are you able to provoke the BSOD?
ASKER
BSODs are random, but the common factor is she's using Word in almost all instances.
Word is nowhere next to be prone to creating BSODs. A very stable software (apart from usability problems ;-)
ASKER
Agreed.
You need to isolate the problem, and that's no easy. Setup a clean installation on such a machine, take no AV software, no gimmicks, just plain windows and drivers and office. See if that works for a while and then, step by step, re-add what else you have running on your machines.
ASKER
Thanks for the suggestions. I've actually already done most of that during the machine replacement process. I received confirmation that the monitors were indeed replaced just before her machine started crashing. I'm going to proceed by swapping out the monitor and see what happens from there.
ASKER
I never dreamed a monitor could be the cause of a BSOD, but the more I research it the more I see this has caused issues for some. I hope this is it! Thank you all for the replies.
Does this user have the same brand/type of display as the other users?
Any other special hardware or devices in use by this user?