Built my rig a couple months ago, recently getting BSOD's. Help!

[slyde56]

Part list below.

I'm getting BSOD after BSOD. It seemed to start with Windows Explorer quitting errors, and I sometimes get these from time to time (even when rebooting in Safe Mode). I've been a Mac user for most of college and after, and I'd like to think of myself as pretty tech-savvy, but this one has me thrown for a loop. The most often bluescreens are IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL and MEMORY_MANAGEMENT.

I've tried:

- Running CHKDSK on all of the volumes I see in DISKPART from the command prompt in the F8 "repair your computer" several times and got errors and fixed them (not any errors on my system disk, though). This hasn't helped the BSODs.
- Memory test comes up with no errors.
- Flashed motherboard BIOS to latest build (F11), have tried to use both fail-safe and optimized defaults.
- Attempted System Restore (the only points I could find were very recent--first time I tried it, I got an error, just a little while ago I got a bluescreen error IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL).
- Updated firmware for Crucial M4 64GB to latest 0309.
- Removed one stick of memory, as well as removed graphics card--running on Intel HD graphics.
- Reformatted system disk and reinstalled Windows clean.
- Ran Drive Fitness Test on the Hitachi drive, 0x00 returned (no errors)

An interesting thing that I've noticed. I have tried to use Hiren's Boot CD to start up Parted Magic and use it, but I get an error message that says that the parted_magic_6.7.sqfs file cannot be found, and I just get a Unix command line. I've only successfully booted into the Parted Magic environment once, and that was with "failsafe defaults" chosen as an option for the boot CD. Perhaps related to this, I had a lot of trouble reinstalling Windows onto the reformatted Crucial drive--files would be "copied" immediately, and then would stick on "Expanding Windows files" and would give an error message like "Windows cannot be installed." I've just tried to use a straight up Parted Magic .iso, and this gets stuck on a line that says "kernel_thread_helper+0x6/0x10"

I've been considering trying to install Windows onto an empty partition of the Hitachi HD, but I'm having trouble booting into any sort of environment that will either be stable enough (in the case of Windows, even safe mode) or actually boot (in the case of Parted Magic) to shrink a partition and make a new one to try installing Windows on.

I've also just found Sean Webster's SSD/HDD optimization guide (http://www.overclock.net/t/1156654/seans-windows-7-install-optimization-guide-for-ssds-hdds) that I'm also thinking about using. I've previously (for both other Windows installs) used this guide (http://www.overclock.net/t/664738/how-to-setup-ssd-boot-drive-with-secondary-hard-disc-optimization) which basically puts the Users folder on the HDD. Would it be worth it to try Sean Webster's guide?

Thanks so much for any help and ideas you might be able to give!

Error messages I've gotten:

(4/2)
IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL
STOP: 0x0000000A
# This one seems to happen the most often

(4/2)
STOP: c000021a {Fatal System Error}
The Windows SubSystem system process terminated unexpectedly with a status of 0xc0000005 (0xffbac86d 0x00ace580). The system has been shut down.

(4/2)
MEMORY_MANAGEMENT STOP: 0X0000001A

(4/3)
(within windows) WerFault.exe - Application Error The instruction at at 0x77c1d8c8 referenced memory at 0x00000015. The memory could not be read. Click on OK to terminate the program.

(4/3) (starting windows)
Windows - Bad Image Exception Processing Message 0xc000007b Parameters ...

(4/3) (trying to run System Restore in "Repair your computer")
IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL STOP: 0x0000000A

Part list permalink / Part price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-2500K 3.3GHz Quad-Core Processor ($199.99 @ NCIX US)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 Plus 76.8 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($22.99 @ NCIX US)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z68X-UD3H-B3 ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($148.99 @ NCIX US)
Memory: G.Skill Sniper 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($47.99 @ Newegg)
Hard Drive: Hitachi 500GB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($86.97 @ CompUSA)
Hard Drive: Crucial M4 64GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($84.99 @ Amazon)
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon HD 6950 1GB Video Card
Case: Cooler Master CM690 II Advanced ATX Mid Tower Case ($69.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: OCZ 750W ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($79.15 @ NCIX US)
Optical Drive: Samsung SH-222AB DVD/CD Writer
Monitor: Samsung E2420L 23.6" Monitor ($168.98 @ eCost)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Professional SP1 (64-bit) ($129.00 @ Compuvest)
Total: $1039.04
(Prices include shipping and discounts when available.)
(Generated 2012-04-08 02:22 EDT-0400)

 

[egilbe]

The Hard drive controllers by Marvell have been shown not to play nice with SSD drives. Check to make sure you are using the intel HDD controller and not the Marvell one.

 

[popatim]

If you disable virtual memory, re-enable it and let windows manage it.
remove the sata cable from the ssd and try booting up without it. Reinstall windows onto an HDD if you need to.
run memtest86 for several hours, not just 1 pass.

a few things I would try first.

 

[slyde56]

Yup, both drives have been connected to the SATA3_0/1 connectors, controlled by Intel Z68 chipset. I did notice, though, that my optical drive was connected to the GSATA, controlled by Marvell, so I shifted that over to a free connector controlled by the Intel chipset. I'm now able to find the pmagic_6.7.sqfs file that I couldn't when previously trying to use Hiren's Boot CD and Parted_Magic.

When I boot into Windows, however, while trying to install updates, I still get the IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL bluescreen error after a bit.

 

[slyde56]

If you disable virtual memory, re-enable it and let windows manage it.
remove the sata cable from the ssd and try booting up without it. Reinstall windows onto an HDD if you need to.
run memtest86 for several hours, not just 1 pass.

a few things I would try first.

I haven't disabled virtual memory.

Unfortunately, I somehow set up my HDD in the GPT partition style instead of MBR, so Windows won't let me install on the space that I freed up with GParted. Seems like I'll need to erase and reformat in order to convert it. I've got all of my Steam games on my HDD, and I'd really like to not have to download all of them again, but if it's necessary, I'll do it.

I've actually not used MemTest86+ before, just the Windows Memory Diagnostic, and running it right now, it seems like I'm getting lots of errors. Every error, the difference between the Good and the Bad (the "Err-Bits") comes up with "00000400." I don't think I've passed one test yet. I have a question about this, though: my CAS timings are 11-11-11-28 on my screen and on the BIOS (I think), but listed on the Newegg site for my memory the CAS timings are 9-9-9-24. Also, the ram is underclocked to 774 MHz (DDR3-1549) instead of DDR3-1600. Could these differences cause these errors, or do I have bad memory?

Also, if these are memory issues, can they be traced to one or the other sticks using this test? Do you run one stick, then the other? I have both sticks in right now. Thanks for your help.

 

[egilbe]

Looser timings like that should help it run more stable. Pull one stick out and test and see if you keep getting errors. Repeat with other stick and check. You could (read: probably) have bad memory, memtest or windows memory diagnostics work the same way.

 

[rainman34]

I haven't disabled virtual memory.

Unfortunately, I somehow set up my HDD in the GPT partition style instead of MBR, so Windows won't let me install on the space that I freed up with GParted. Seems like I'll need to erase and reformat in order to convert it. I've got all of my Steam games on my HDD, and I'd really like to not have to download all of them again, but if it's necessary, I'll do it.

I've actually not used MemTest86+ before, just the Windows Memory Diagnostic, and running it right now, it seems like I'm getting lots of errors. Every error, the difference between the Good and the Bad (the "Err-Bits") comes up with "00000400." I don't think I've passed one test yet. I have a question about this, though: my CAS timings are 11-11-11-28 on my screen and on the BIOS (I think), but listed on the Newegg site for my memory the CAS timings are 9-9-9-24. Also, the ram is underclocked to 774 MHz (DDR3-1549) instead of DDR3-1600. Could these differences cause these errors, or do I have bad memory?

Also, if these are memory issues, can they be traced to one or the other sticks using this test? Do you run one stick, then the other? I have both sticks in right now. Thanks for your help.

It Sounds like a memory issue in the bios load default settings and check timings or put everything to auto

 

[slyde56]

Yup. So far, so good, with a new Windows install and getting rid of the bad stick of memory, seems like I'm in the clear. Thanks everyone in this thread for their help.

 

[slyde56]

Best answer selected by slyde56.