Machine_Check_Exception BSOD

AmmonJ · 21 Feb 2016

For the past few days, playing Fallout 4 seems to invariably end in a BSOD usually with a MACHINE_CHECK_EXCEPTION error, but a few times the screen has simply frozen during play, sound crashed loudly, and the machine has not responded to any keyboard or mouse input. Graphics card and sound card drivers are all up to date (according to their updater software packages). Today, I had to boot twice in order to pass a plain black screen (no error messages at all).

The crashing only seems to happen during game play of Fallout 4, but then, that's also about the only activity recently that pushes this machine at all.

Thanks in advance for any time spent and help offered with this.

<Edited>Removed attachments as issue is now marked Resolved. </Edited>

Arc · 22 Feb 2016

Your system specs says:

Code:

Memory 16.0GB Dual-Channel DDR3 @ 1066MHz

On the contrary, your data says: (each of the two)

Code:

  Size                          8192MB
  Device Locator                ChannelA-DIMM1
  Bank Locator                  BANK 1
  Speed                         2133MHz             
  Part Number                   CM3X8GA2133C11Y4

2133MHz is OC, as your motherboard manufacturer says:

Support for DDR3 3200(O.C.) / 3100(O.C.) / 3000(O.C.) / 2933(O.C.) / 2800(O.C.) / 2666(O.C.) / 2600(O.C.) / 2500(O.C.) / 2400(O.C.) / 2200(O.C.) / 2133(O.C.) / 2000(O.C.) / 1866(O.C.) / 1800(O.C.) / 1600 / 1333 MHz memory modules

MACHINE_CHECK_EXCEPTION is a hardware issue, and OCing is one of the most frequent reason behind it.

Set all the hardware components like RAM, CPU and graphics card free from OC. See how it goes. Let us know.

AmmonJ · 22 Feb 2016

Thanks. I was aware that the CPU was professionally overclocked, but had no idea that the memory had been too. However, it turns out this is not the issue - or at least, I found something a lot more likely. The CPU cooler seems to have failed (it is a water-cooled system) as the CPU is running very hot under any strain at all. Temperatures for disks, memory, etc are all fine, around 30 degrees, but the CPU is going from its safe 30-40 degrees C to above 80 degrees C within minutes under stress.

I have a new cooler being delivered tomorrow, and won't be buying any Corsair products again (third thing of theirs to have a ridiculous failure in a short lifespan in the past 2 years). If there are still issues after that, I'll revisit the overclocking setup and report back.

Arc · 23 Feb 2016

I used to think that Corsair makes the best components .... those always worked very stable for me.

OC puts a high load on the hardware, so overheating and accelerated decay is most possible there. All the overclockers are aware of it, and do it bearing that risk.

AmmonJ · 23 Feb 2016

I think it depends on the product, with Corsair. Their memory certainly has a great reputation, and I've had no issues with it. The PSU is also Corsair, and again, no issues. However, I bought a gaming mouse by Corsair and it was a terrible purchase decision, dead in 5 months of general regular use where products literally a tenth the price last longer. And for that liquid-cooled CPU cooler to die so fast (2 years) really made a fool of me for spending so much extra for the promise of quieter running and better heat control. It was never any quieter than a decent fan and heatsink option of half the price, and while it handled the heat well while it worked, it had far too brief a lifespan considering the I5 it was on is barely overclocked (safest levels).

I'm still not certain about the memory. I certainly hadn't ordered it overclocked, and it generates almost no heat at all, running cooler than any other component such as the SSD and HDD, so I think there may have simply been a glitch claiming the higher speed. No other diagnostic software reports anything but standard, cool-running although I know the memory is specifically built for OC enthusiasts by Corsair. I simply chose it for the high grade components and higher overhead allowances.