Random BSODs - Please help.

[tragedyx]

I'm having random BSOD Errors with a new system. I'm getting the errors whenever I try to copy any data from an external source, whether it be a flash drive / external hard drive / etc, or if I try to install Vista. I currently have Windows XP on the computer, and it almost works, but the second I go to install any game or software I get a random BSOD. The three most consistent are Memory_Management (1a), Driver_IRQL_Not_Less_Or_Equal (0x00...D1) NTFS.sys, and PFN_List_Corrupt (0x00..4E). Also, upon rebooting after an error, when I was running a raid setup it would take 1-2 minutes to detect the array. I've tested the ram using testing software with no errors. I've also tried multiple other sticks of ram with the same result. All components are new and at stock voltage / clock aside from the case itself which I'm using from a previous build. The list of components are as follows:

CMS Stacker (Case)
Rocketfish 700W2 PSU
Intel Q9550 CPU
XFX 680i LT SLI Motherboard
BFG Tech Nvidia 8800 GT Video
Crucial Ballistix DDR2 PC2 6400 (DDR2-800) Ram set at 4-4-4-12
Western Digital Black 1TB Hard Drive

I actually have two 8800 GT cards and two hard drives i'd like to run in a raid, however once my initial setup with both cards and the drives striped didn't work due to BSOD, I backtracked and took a card and HD out, but still get the same BSODs.


Any help would be greatly appreciated, as i've been trying to get this system to work for roughly a month and i'm stuck on a laptop until then. Thanks in advance.

 

[jitpublisher]

Hate to say it, but with these various errors, I am thinking your motherboard has a problem.
Is it too late to return it?

 

[miocene]

I get those quite a bit too, usually just after booting up.
Thought it was just my vista install gone dodgy and did a clean install to Windows 7 beta. Still get the BSODs though so guessing its a hardware prob, most likely the mobo
Will prob get a new comp when the i5s come out

 

[tragedyx]

This is the third motherboard i've tried in the system (All of them 680i LT SLI boards). The first board worked, but ended up dying for one reason or another and I had to RMA it. Once I received the RMA board I started getting these problems, and figuring it was the mobo I sent it back for another RMA, only to have the same problems again. I really hope it isn't the mobo. Anyway I can find out?

 

[tragedyx]

I ran memtest at least 7 times per stick, no errors. I also ran WD Diagnostics on both hard drives with no errors.

Considering this motherboard is new, i'm wondering what could possibly be the problem. Any other ideas?

 

[sub mesa]

Check your HDD Smart data, check the UDMA CRC error count or any property that comes close. It could be your SATA cable; i've had such problems where memory and CPU tests showed the system to be stable, but both in Linux and Windows it would crash and give weird errors. In linux you get to see immediately that its due to the harddisk (you see lots of timeouts/retries/etc). On Windows this is not as easy to detect, but you can read the SMART info that should definately give UDMA CRC errors should you have the same problem as me.

Replacing the SATA datacables with thicker (higher quality) cables resolved my issue.

 

[tragedyx]

Thanks for the advice. I'll definitely look into it and maybe that will resolve the problem.

 

[tragedyx]

Any idea of what specific type of sata cables? The ones it came with are the standard sata 3.0 cables and it's a WD1001FALS (1 TB, WD Black). Even suggestions would be great.

BTW, if this does fix the problem you're my new favorite person.

 

[tragedyx]

I've tried everything that has been suggested. Ran all memory tests, WD Diagnostics, benchmark (stress) tests, etc. I even got new sata cables, as someone said that may be the problem. The same errors keep occurring however and I haven't figured out a solution. The problem usually only occurs when copying any data (over 500mb generally), or if I attempt to install vista instead of XP I get the issue during installation of a fresh OS.

I'm willing to paypal some cash to anyone who can figure this out, because once I explain everything to most computer shops they get a baffled look and then tell me it'll cost 40-whatever dollars just to look at it. I need to get this comp back up and running.