Multiple 0x0000009c BSODs on Windows 10 Lenovo Laptop

chessoriginal · 03 Mar 2017

Symptoms:

Windows 10 Pro BSODs randomly (after freezing). I have almost 12 identical dumps (attached).
There seems to be no pattern to it but sometimes it happens when the machine is idle.
The machine just hangs and then eventually reboots -- most of the time I don't even see a BSOD screen, it just goes from a frozen screen to reboot and the dump is generated.

Steps Taken With No Success:

Ran full memtest with no issues.
Clean Windows reinstall.
Changed from HDD to Crucial SSD.
Updated BIOS and drivers to what I think are the latest (manufacturer website).

Important System Characteristics:

Lenovo Z70 laptop with dual Intel 5500 and nVidia GeForce 840M graphics cards
Virtualization technology is turned on in BIOS in order to run virtual machines
The BSODs stopped for a good while and then started up again quite frequently lately. I haven't been able to pinpoint any changes in how I use the machine.

Most of the dumps seem to point to intelppm.sys --I'm not sure where to go from here.I have attached the output of the information DM log collector. I have gone through all the files and sanitized them to remove any sensitive personal information (according to me) but that shouldn't affect the integrity of the information.

Ztruker · 03 Mar 2017

Most of the dumps, including the latest indicate a hardware machine check:

Code:

MACHINE_CHECK_EXCEPTION (9c)
A fatal Machine Check Exception has occurred.
KeBugCheckEx parameters;
    x86 Processors
        If the processor has ONLY MCE feature available (For example Intel
        Pentium), the parameters are:
        1 - Low  32 bits of P5_MC_TYPE MSR
        2 - Address of MCA_EXCEPTION structure
        3 - High 32 bits of P5_MC_ADDR MSR
        4 - Low  32 bits of P5_MC_ADDR MSR
        If the processor also has MCA feature available (For example Intel
        Pentium Pro), the parameters are:
        1 - Bank number
        2 - Address of MCA_EXCEPTION structure
        3 - High 32 bits of MCi_STATUS MSR for the MCA bank that had the error
        4 - Low  32 bits of MCi_STATUS MSR for the MCA bank that had the error
    IA64 Processors
        1 - Bugcheck Type
            1 - MCA_ASSERT
            2 - MCA_GET_STATEINFO
                SAL returned an error for SAL_GET_STATEINFO while processing MCA.
            3 - MCA_CLEAR_STATEINFO
                SAL returned an error for SAL_CLEAR_STATEINFO while processing MCA.
            4 - MCA_FATAL
                FW reported a fatal MCA.
            5 - MCA_NONFATAL
                SAL reported a recoverable MCA and we don't support currently
                support recovery or SAL generated an MCA and then couldn't
                produce an error record.
            0xB - INIT_ASSERT
            0xC - INIT_GET_STATEINFO
                  SAL returned an error for SAL_GET_STATEINFO while processing INIT event.
            0xD - INIT_CLEAR_STATEINFO
                  SAL returned an error for SAL_CLEAR_STATEINFO while processing INIT event.
            0xE - INIT_FATAL
                  Not used.
        2 - Address of log
        3 - Size of log
        4 - Error code in the case of x_GET_STATEINFO or x_CLEAR_STATEINFO
    AMD64 Processors
        1 - Bank number
        2 - Address of MCA_EXCEPTION structure
        3 - High 32 bits of MCi_STATUS MSR for the MCA bank that had the error
        4 - Low  32 bits of MCi_STATUS MSR for the MCA bank that had the error
Arguments:
Arg1: 0000000000000000
Arg2: fffff8026cbadba0
Arg3: 0000000000000000
Arg4: 0000000000000000

Start with Patrick Barker's response in this thread. It's for Windows 7 but still applies.
https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/...3-4f832d050c49

He shows 4 actions and if none of them apply then one conclusion which I agree with.

You could also try turning of Virtualization in BIOS, see if that has any effect.

chessoriginal · 06 Mar 2017

I stumbled across that article when I was first researching the issue and I have checked all those suggestions except for monitoring temperature. I can give that a try and see if maybe there is an overheating problem.

Unfortunately I can't properly test turning off virtualization because I use that on a daily basis (this is my primary machine) and the BSODs happen randomly, sometimes a few weeks in between.

I'm still under warranty with the manufacturer but something tells me they'll just do a factory reset.

Edit: I've also done a clean install so there is no Lenovo bloatware on the system.

Ztruker · 06 Mar 2017

A warranty replacement would be good as that would give you a new CPU. A clean install didn't help so a replacement is the way to go if possible.

What are you using virtualization for? Is there an alternative you can use for awhile? Oracle VirtualBox or VMware?

chessoriginal · 06 Mar 2017

I use virtual machines for Linux development -- I have various Linux boxes I use on a daily basis on VMware Player. It wouldn't be too big of a deal to switch to VirtualBox.

I'm going to run a few virtual machines and do simultaneous stress tests on each machine to see if I can force it to crash that way. Otherwise I might have to see about getting a warranty replacement.

Ztruker · 07 Mar 2017

Worth trying.

BSODHunter · 08 Mar 2017

Hi,
its definitely a hardware error. Most dumps point to things like this:

memory_corruption
hal.dll (Hardware Abstraction Layer DLL. NO Driver)
intelppm.sys [16.07.2016] * Intel Processor driver

Also the bugcheck codes itsself point to that.

So now 0x9C is similar to STOP 0x124

Did u follow those steps?:

Code:

TO RESOLVE:    1. Remove every Overclocking
               2. Ensure that the machine is adequately cooled
               3. Update BIOS
               4. Update all hardware-related drivers
               5. Re-seat all connectors, ram modules, etc.
               6. Check PSU for power supply issues
               7. Check RAM with MEMTEST
               8. Make sure that all memory modules are of the same type
               9. Perform CPU stress test and check Temperatures
              10. Perform GPU stress test and check Temperatures
              11. Check Hard Disks
              12. Check Event Viewer for DISK error messages
              13. If the preceding steps fail to resolve the error, take the system motherboard to a repair facility for diagnostic testing