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Help trouble shoot my PC

C

cipher6

Android Enthusiast
Ok, this has been driving me crazy.

One day out of the blue, I get blue screen error. Reboot, loads windows, loads desktop blue screen. Can't remember the exact stop code, but it had to do with kernals and drivers.

So, I suspected my video card, its the oldest component, and stop code reserach said most the time its video card.

Replaced video card. Same issue, blue screen when I get to the desk top.

Safe mode gives me a blue screen only sometimes, randomly.

I have a duel boot setup Windows 7 64 and 32. I never use the 32 install except for situations like this... boot to 32 causes same issue.

Thought it might be memory, I took all but on stick out, reboot same issue. I rotated all 3 sticks 1 at a time, same issue. I doubt all three sticks went bad at the same time.

The only other thing I can think is hard drive, the SATA connection is kinda loose and dosn't snap in like it should. But why then would it work in safe mode sometimes? When safemode does work I can read and write to the drive fine.

mem tests say everything is ok.

It a year old build. i7 920, 6 GB Ram, Asrock x58 Extreme motherboard.


Through all this I've seen about 3 different stop codes, all referencing kernels, drivers or drivers accessing a space in memory thats not there (or something like that.)


So, any ideas? The only other thing I can think of is a hardware problem with the mother board.
 
If you have Ultimate Boot CD, run the test from that on your computer. Ultimate Boot CD is free and has lots of different test on it to test hardware on your PC.
 
Check the capacitors on the MB. My dad's PC did a similar thing a couple weeks ago, popped 4 capacitors on the MB. If the top is bulging, it's popped.
 
I'm not a computer whiz like you guys but I thought I'd put my two cents in. I have an older asrock 939dual sata2 and I started getting blue screens that slowly led to the screen freezeing. I thought it was drivers. Long story short it turned out to be the usbs on the mb going bad. Google the error codes. I put in a usd card and the problem was solved. It made me want to pull my hair out (whats left).:)
 
My first instinct would be the RAM, but that appears to be in the clear. Second choice would be video drivers, but BSODs in safe mode rule that out. Mikedt's suggestion about a failing PSU would be my next port-of-call, as it's relatively easy to swap another in temporarily to check. Give the system a good examination too and ensure that the CPU cooling fan is spinning freely, and that the heatsink is securely seated and isn't clogged with dust. Sometimes the simplest things catch us out.
 
Ok, I don't think its viruses, I've got dual boot machine, happens with both.

After running some tests, I think I've got it narrowed down to something PCI related. I put in a brand new Video card, same issues. Different slot, same issues.

I ran PCISniffer from the UBC, and it crashed... screen just went dark.

Other weird thing, someone mentioned USB problems... There is something weird where sometimes, if things are plugged into certain USB ports the machine hangs on boot, after the first splash screen (where you press f8 to go to safe mode), after that screen, it just stops screen goes blank. Sometimes is just shows a blinking cursor _ in the upper left forever.

But even if I unplug all USB, and let it boot all the way up, I get the same blue screens. Most the time, I have to unplug all USB, wait till the OS starts to load up, then plug things back in.

I really think something is jacked with my MB.
 
Open the case, look at the motherboard. You may see some capacitors bulging on top, these are popped and bad. Some people have replaced them but you may be looking at a new MB or a whole system.
 
Are you overclocked at all? I had a problem with blue screens after OC and found error logs in Event Viewer pointing to fatal errors in the Processor Cores. I resolved this by upping the voltage and lowering the VTT settings.
 
Open the case, look at the motherboard. You may see some capacitors bulging on top, these are popped and bad. Some people have replaced them but you may be looking at a new MB or a whole system.
Click to expand...

Yeah, checked that, all capacitors look ok, no bulging I can see or feel.

Are you overclocked at all?
Click to expand...

Nope, running at stock speeds.



I'm thinking I might just have to get a new MB. I built the system about a year ago, so everything else should be good.
 
It also sounds like there could be a problem with the PCI communications controller. This is the problem I've had with two of my boards. One was able to be fixed with a driver update and on the other board I had to swap to the AGP video. The actual controller went out and wouldn't communicate with a PCI video card properly.
 
ludeawakening said:
It also sounds like there could be a problem with the PCI communications controller. This is the problem I've had with two of my boards. One was able to be fixed with a driver update and on the other board I had to swap to the AGP video. The actual controller went out and wouldn't communicate with a PCI video card properly.
Click to expand...

That sounds like my issue, but don't have on board video on my MB.

New board I guess.
 
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