"Your PC encountered a problem and needs to restart." - Round 2.

hbenthow · 05 Apr 2017

axe0 said:

I can't say, I've only seen a single dump in the latest zip. With 0x124 there are multiple dumps required for patterns to be identified to possibly identify the culprit.

Here are all three from the three crashes that I recorded the data from:

Attachment 128381
Attachment 128380
Attachment 128379

Could you please try to find out if you can identify a pattern (and thus a possible culprit) from them?

axe0 · 10 Apr 2017

How come there is only 1 dump in each zip? Do you cleanup your system with utilities like Ccleaner?

Reading your previous thread, you ran the hardware tests but I cannot find back certain relevant information such as temps.
Furmark isn't a test that shows errors when the GPU is unstable, it is meant to identify cooling issues and if the GPU appears unstable you should see artifacts or improper graphics on the screen.

For the mentioned reason, I would ask you to run the tests again and provide photos/screenshots or otherwise mentioned details about the test results.
In regards to the hard drive tests, I would ask you to run HDTune instead of Western Digital Data Lifeguard, Western Digital Data Lifeguard honestly sounds like a tool similar to SeaTools to me whereas HDTune provides more information in other areas.

I have removed Memtest86+ since you already ran it and there is only 1 result to get from it (errors or no errors).

STOP 0x124 Troubleshooting

Read carefully before proceeding.

Warning

If you're overclocking your system, revert back to stock clocks now.

Note

Test the system once the overclock is removed before continuing with the steps outlined below.

Part Two: MemTest86+ RAM Diagnostic
Part Three: Hard Drive Diagnostics
Part Four: GPU Stress Test

ONE

CPU TEST

Run Prime95 and/or IntelBurnTest to stress test your CPU. Prime95 - Stress Test Your CPU - Windows 10 Forums & CPU - Stress Test Using IntelBurnTest - Windows 7 Help Forums

Warning

Your CPU temperatures will rise quickly while under this stress test. Keep a keen eye on them and abort the test if overheating occurs.

Make a photo of the result and post it.

Diagnostics Test

HDD TEST

Note

Please run HDTune first, in the order posted!

Run HDTune to

check the health,
scan for errors, no quick scan but full scan
run a benchmark.

It may take some time, but please take the time you need to perform it properly.
When above is done please make screenshots of the following

the health,
the error scan,
the benchmark incl. following
- transfer rate,
- access time,
- burst rate,
- cpu usage.

Run SeaTools DOS to check the integrity of your HDD. SeaTools for DOS and Windows - How to Use - Windows 7 Help Forums
Run the long test.

Note

Do not run SeaTools on an SSD as the results will be invalid.

Make a photo of the result and post it.

Run chkdsk
Disk Check - Windows 7 Help Forums
Use option TWO with parameter /r
Upload the chkdsk log

Check Disk (chkdsk) - Read Event Viewer Log - Windows 7 Help Forums

FOUR

GPU TEST

Run Furmark to stress test your GPU. FurMark - GPU Stress Test - Windows 10 Forums

Note

Run Furmark for around 30 minutes.

Warning

Your GPU temperatures will rise quickly while Furmark is running. Keep a keen eye on them and abort the test if overheating occurs.

Make a photo of the result and post it.

In Furmark you can find a tool called 'GPU-Z' (if you want to install GPU-Z is up to you), when GPU-Z is open click on the 'Sensors' tab, on this tab you can monitor

the frequency of the GPU,
the GPU memory clock,
the temperature,
the power,
the load on the GPU,
Etc.

I would like you to make a screenshot of GPU-Z after you have either cancelled Furmark for any reason or Furmark is finished, post this screenshot in your next reply with the result of Furmark.

hbenthow · 10 Apr 2017

axe0 said:

How come there is only 1 dump in each zip? Do you cleanup your system with utilities like Ccleaner?

No. I entirely restored my system to its pre-crash state using Macrium system image backups after each crash. I always saved the crash data (dump files, etc) before restoring my system, though. As I restored my system to its pre-crash state each time, I eliminated any possible operating system damage caused by the crashes themselves.

Furmark isn't a test that shows errors when the GPU is unstable, it is meant to identify cooling issues and if the GPU appears unstable you should see artifacts or improper graphics on the screen.

I know. It seemed to work fine when I ran it. I didn't see any artifacts. I didn't run GPU-Z, though. Are there any risks to installing GPU-Z?

Regarding temperatures, I eventually discovered that my CPU would often get dangerously hot (upper 60s and lower 70s Celcius) whenever the built-in AMD turbo core option (which automatically overclocks my 3.4 Ghz processor to 3.6 Ghz when it thinks I need the extra power) kicks on. As the turbo option can't be disabled directly on my system, I set the maximum CPU power to 99% in Windows Power Options, which keeps the turbo core from turning on, and thus eliminated my overheating problem (albeit with a slight sacrifice of CPU power, as it underclocks my CPU to 3.0 Ghz). I've also replaced the thermal paste, but that doesn't seem to have made much difference. I've read that high temperatures when the turbo core kicks on are very common, especially on computers with a stock cooler (such as mine).

Regarding the various other tests (CPU, hard drive, etc) it might be a while until I can run them again (I've been very busy with other matters recently), but I'll have to see when my schedule will allow them.

Should Prime95 be run with the processor power turned down to 99% in Windows Power Options to avoid overheating, or should it be run with the options set to 100% (which would almost definitely push it over 70 degrees at times)? The first (and only) time I ran Prime95, I had not yet changed the Windows Power Options setting down to 99%, so my CPU (which was running at full 100% capacity with the turbo core enabled) stayed hot during the test (lower 70s). That said, Prime95 found no errors even during that intense workout. I'm not sure how well running it with the maximum CPU power turned down to 99% (the way I have it now) would work. It would lessen any heating issues from the test, but would maybe make the test less effective. What would you recommend?

I doubt that it could be a hard drive issue (as I've already run CHKDSK and various other tests, plus my hard drive is almost brand new). Is running the same hard drive tests that I already ran (such as CHKDSK) really necessary, or would it be acceptable only to run the hard drive tests that I haven't run already (such as HDTune)?

axe0 · 11 Apr 2017

Are there any risks to installing GPU-Z?

The same risk as installing any other software you would normally use.

Your description about the CPU sounds like a cooling issue.

For chkdsk, simply provide the log.
AFAIK you only ran chkdsk, no other test has been already run.

hbenthow · 11 Apr 2017

axe0 said:

Your description about the CPU sounds like a cooling issue.

It is, in a way. However, as I explained, the overheating only happens when the AMD turbo core turns on, and I've read that this is a fairly common (and apparently normal, albeit problematic) issue with AMD turbo cores, especially in computers with stock coolers. You see, the turbo core is a feature that causes the CPU to use an extra 0.2 Ghz when it thinks it needs to. When the turbo core is disabled (something that can be done in the BIOS of some computers, but apparently not in my computer's sparse and basic BIOS), the overheating usually goes away.

I got around this issue by setting the maximum CPU power setting in Windows Power Options to 99%, which causes my CPU to only use up 3.0 Ghz, completely eliminating the heating issue. My CPU temperatures are now usually in the 50s Celcius, sometimes in the 40s when using less programs, and ocassionally even in the upper 30s when idling.

You didn't tell me whether I should run Prime95 with the Windows maximum CPU power setting set to 99% (as I do now, which eliminates heating issues), or at 100% (which is where it was when I first ran Prime95, but can and did cause high temperatures, but might provide a more thorough test). Which would you recommend?

For chkdsk, simply provide the log.

Here it is:

Attachment 129492

AFAIK you only ran chkdsk, no other test has been already run.

I've also run the long test of Western Digital Data Lifeguard. It's basically the Western Digital equivalent of Seagate's SeaTools, and is supposed to provide more accurate results than SeaTools on Western Digital drives (such as my C drive). And I also ran all of the following Windows commands (none of which found any problems):

dism /Online /NoRestart /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth

dism /Online /NoRestart /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth

dism /Online /NoRestart /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

sfc /scannow

Is running SeaTools necessary at this point (as I've already run Data Lifeguard)?

axe0 · 11 Apr 2017

I would suggest to run at 99%

I've also run the long test of Western Digital Data Lifeguard. It's basically the Western Digital equivalent of Seagate's SeaTools, and is supposed to provide more accurate results than SeaTools on Western Digital drives (such as my C drive).

Yes, it's similar but not the same. (Sometimes I'm a real jerk with this kind of things...., for which I apologize)
Reading more about it you can skip the SeaTools test.

hbenthow · 14 Apr 2017

I've now run the tests.

I ran Prime95 for over 5 hours. There were no problems. Here are two screenshots (one from while Prime95 was still running, and one from after I stopped it).

Attachment 130104

Attachment 130105

Here are the long error scan scan results from HD Tune Pro:

Attachment 130106

Here is the drive health information (which I believe to be HD Tune's reading of the drive's S.M.A.R.T. data):

Attachment 130117

Here are the results of the benchmark:

Attachment 130108

As an added bonus, here are the S.M.A.R.T. results from CrystalDiskInfo and Western Digital Data Lifeguard:

Attachment 130121

Attachment 130124

Furmark seemed to me to run fine. Here is a screenshot of Furmark made after it had been running for 30 minutes:

Attachment 130109

Here are two screenshots of GPU-Z made while Furmark was still running (after making the screenshot of Furmark):

Attachment 130110

Attachment 130112

Here are two screenshots of GPU-Z made after I closed Furmark:

Attachment 130114

Attachment 130115

axe0 · 17 Apr 2017

Please fill in your system specs

Please follow this tutorial and download the tool. The tool will give you detailed information about your system specs, please fill in your system specs more completely including PSU, cooling and other used stuff like mouse, keyboard, monitor, case, etc.
The PSU, cooling and other stuff are NOT mentioned in the tool.

In the left corner below in your post you find 'My System Specs'. After clicking it you can find a link a little below that says 'Update your System Spec', click on this link to get to the page where you can fill in your system specs.

hbenthow · 17 Apr 2017

axe0 said:

Please fill in your system specs

Please follow this tutorial and download the tool. The tool will give you detailed information about your system specs, please fill in your system specs more completely including PSU, cooling and other used stuff like mouse, keyboard, monitor, case, etc.
The PSU, cooling and other stuff are NOT mentioned in the tool.

In the left corner below in your post you find 'My System Specs'. After clicking it you can find a link a little below that says 'Update your System Spec', click on this link to get to the page where you can fill in your system specs.

I downloaded and used that tool, but there were some parts of my computer that both it and Speccy couldn't find any information about (cooler, power supply, etc). I had to do some online research for the rest. I have now updated the information here on TenForums, using all of the information that I was able to find.

axe0 · 18 Apr 2017

Let's see if there may be a driver issue

Diagnostic Test

DRIVER VERIFIER

Warning

Please make a backup of your important files and get your rescue media or create one.
Please create a restore point.

Please follow this tutorial to run driver verifier.

Driver verifier stresses your drivers and will crash your pc if any driver fails due to a violation.

Driver verifier should be performed for a max of 48 hours, or when you have a bluescreen, whatever comes first.

If driver verifier has found a violation and you can't get back into windows normally, try to boot into safe mode and reset in safe mode driver verifier, or in the troubleshooting options open command prompt and type verifier /reset.

Note

Your system will act very sluggishly while driver verifier is enabled, this is normal as your drivers will be being subjected to heavy testing in order to make them crash.