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Constant Random Blue Screens - Motherboard?

I have an admittedly old Dell Inspiron 545 PC that recently started blue screening with a very high frequency. The PC really only serves a "storage" purpose and not much else. Until I noticed the frequent reboots, I didn't even have it hooked to a screen. At first, I blamed recent Windows updates for the issue, but a system restore didn't fix the problem. I thought I would do the built in "Reset PC" that Windows 10 has and that won't work either (crashes in the middle and reboots). Booting from USB to reinstall Windows also blue screens.

I've removed and swapped RAM sticks, disconnected all peripherals (video card, wireless card, DVDRW Drive, all extra hard drives) and it still has issues. Built in diagnostics don't show any errors at all (except maybe with the DVDRW drive itself). I took the primary drive out and hooked it up externally and it also shows no issues.

The only thing I can figure is it's a motherboard issue, but I thought I'd see if there was anything else I should check before ordering a replacement. Am I forgetting anything?
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Paul MacDonald
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So PSU first, then motherboard? That would kill two birds with one stone (reseating the CPU, fresh thermal compound, etc.). Do power issues cause many different blue screens? I wouldn't have thought that.
Any power variance can cause weird problems.  Some components are more susceptible than others.
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Dr. Klahn

The 545 is getting to be of an age now where some of them will start to become cranky.  Some things to try ...

Check the Windows event logs and see if anything is being logged.

Install a thermal monitoring program and see if it's heat related.

Check all fans while the system is running.

Burn a copy of Memtest-86+ to CD or USB stick, and let it run for 24 hours.

Swap the power supply before swapping the motherboard, as it is easier to find one locally

Do not say "It's a BIOS problem" and flash a new BIOS.  Especially not on this system with flaky reliability.
what is " started blue screening with a very high frequency"?
post a recent minidump  - find them in windows minidumps
is it windows 10 compatible? and no errors in device manager?
The problem is it's hard to get it to stay on long enough to look at very much. I will try to enable the minidumps and then zip them up after I get a few. And I'll look at the memtest app via CD or USB (that should stay on, I believe).

I don't think it's heat-related as it has the issue even after it's been off for a long time. I did run the fan diagnostics on the diagnostic partition and everything passed. So I believe motherboard or PSU (as you guys have pointed out).

Dell doesn't certify that it's Windows 10 compatible but it has worked fine for over a year with absolutely no issue, until now.
you can disconnect all external devices for testing;, and even the internal ones that are not needed, like cd,a nd other cards
Okay, finally got the machine to boot and show me some blue screens (I put all the RAM back in to start with and I couldn't even get the machine to show me a WIndows login screen). When I went back down to 1 stick, it finally booted and allowed me to change the setting.

I let it blue screen 5 times and create minidumps. The Stop Codes, in order, were:
  1. IRQL NOT LESS OR EQUAL
  2. IRQL NOT LESS OR EQUAL
  3. PFN LIST CORRUPT
  4. IRQL NOT LESS OR EQUAL
  5. APC INDEX MISMATCH

I did a search of my history to see what other error codes I had searched for and found one other:
SYSTEM THREAD EXCEPTION NOT HANDLED

I'm getting a lot more lock-ups now as well (wasn't getting them before but now the machine will just freeze and I'll have to hold the power button in).

I'll be attempting the Memtest-86+ next.

I've attached the minidumps from the 5 cases listed above.
Minidump.zip
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the 21500 says : PROCESS_NAME:  csrss.exe
28281 says : PROCESS_NAME:  svchost.exe

but both say = memory corruption

did you TEST the ram?  use memtest86+ - i use the ubcd for this :
Hardware diagnostic CD    UBCD
---------------------------------------------------
go to the download page, scroll down to the mirror section, and  click on a mirror to start the download
Download the UBCD and make the cd   <<==on a WORKING PC, and boot the problem PC from it
Here 2 links, one to the general site, and a direct link to the download

since the downloaded file is an ISO file, eg ubcd527.iso - so you need to use an ISO burning tool
if you don't have that software, install cdburnerXP : http://cdburnerxp.se/

If you want also the Ram tested - run memtest86+ at least 1 full pass,  - you should have NO errors!
 
For disk Diagnostics run the disk diag for your disk brand (eg seagate diag for seagate drive)  from the HDD section -  long or advanced diag !  (runs at least for30 minutes)

http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/      

**  you can make a bootable cd - or bootable usb stick
*** note *** for SSD drives  use the tool from the manufacturer, like intel 's toolbox :
https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/18455/Intel-Solid-State-Drive-Toolbox

for completeness -here's how i handle disk problems : https://www.experts-exchange.com/Storage/Hard_Drives/A_3000-The-bad-hard-disk-problem.html

==>>****in order to be able to  boot from CD or usb - you may have to disable secure boot in the bios
Yes, I've tested the RAM using the on-board diagnostics and I left a memTest-86+ test running at the office yesterday. By the time I see the results it will have been running for almost 48 hours so I will let you know. However, the on-board diagnostics showed no memory problems and the first pass of memTest didn't either.
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memTest-86+ did 18 passes with no errors (all 4 sticks of RAM installed).

The DVD drive doesn't work, but I disconnected it and still have the errors. I don't know if the drive is bad or if the motherboard is the cause. I don't use it so don't really care (it can stay disconnected). I guess I'll order a PSU and then Motherboard and see how things improve.
don't you have anothe r cd drive around to test with?
you can run the live cd also from an usb stick
I have an external one I can use or USB (that's what I did memTest with). I'll work on that.
I burned a Knoppix DVD and booted from it using a USB DVDRW drive. It won't even boot. Gets hung at "Booting the kernel."
A second boot from the DVD completed and it's in Knoppix. I'm just letting it sit and run a screensaver. Seems to be okay. What else should I try to narrow down the issue?
you could try copying some files  - access internet etc..
the normal things you do with a pc
It locked up at some point running the screensaver. It doesn't seem like I'm going to get a sure-fire answer as far as what's wrong. Just need to start replacing parts until I find the right one. PSU is on the way. Motherboard will be next. I'm pretty certain it's one or the other.
if it also locks up - you can be certain the problem is hardware
i Always start with only the bare basics: mobo, cpu, ram and monitor + kbd & mouse
Thank you all for your help. I'm going to close and split points e evenly. Hopefully PSU or motherboard winds up being the issue. That's still my gut feeling.
If its already am old machine, its not worth repairing - save your money and buy a new or much younger machine, that will work better with a modern OS line Win10
post the outcome!
Definitely not the PSU! Got a brand new one in place and same issues. Going to try replacement motherboard next. I don't see how it could be anything else.
The long term strategy would be to save your money and buy a replacement that should be more reliable and work better with Modern OS's
Hey Gerald - this PC is literally only used for storage. I can replace the PSU and motherboard for around 70 bucks. If that doesn't do it then yes I plan to look for other options but I don't really need anything modern to do what this PC does. It isn't an everyday use machine. I'm hoping replacing this hardware brings it back. If not then yes I've wasted some money and I'll just have to live with that.
Well if its ONLY storage!

And it is about time we stopped commenting on this, as you decided on a solution and awarded points about a week ago!
Nah, I appreciate all of the interest and help on this. I will let everyone know what it winds up being, just so you know.
It was the motherboard. New replacement is in and is working perfectly. Windows will probably have to be reset but it's been on for over 2 days with no signs of a crash.