Hardware or easy software fix?

[kieshon]

Hello everyone. My computer keeps crashing and giving me the blue screen. I don't know what it is. Right now I play games on it and run Unreal Development Kit as well as Maya 2012 on it. I play World of Warcraft, Minecraft, Battlefield Play4Free, League of Legends, some Heroes of Newerth, Mount & Blade: Warband, DC Universe Online, Counter-Strike: Source and Diablo 2. It is a computer that I ordered the parts for and built myself and I have had it since Feburary on 2011 and it has been doing this ever since then. I have noticed that this happens only when I play video games one here until it happened once today when I was in the Unreal Development Kit (UDK) program building my a map. Here are my specs for my computer:

Motherboard: MSI 760GM-P33 Motherboard
CPU: AMD Anthlon 2 X3 455 @ 3.30GHz
PSU: Ultra ATX Switching 550W Power Supply
Graphics Card: ATI Radeon HD 5570
RAM: Kingston HyperX Blu 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3
HDD: 500GB Standard HDD
DVD Burner: Standard DVD Burner

Here is also a picture of the blue screen I keep getting:

http://s1195.photobucket.com/albums/aa391/John_Finlay/?action=view&current=2012-01-03002956.jpg

Thanks
~John Finlay

 

[djrabbit]

From what I see this is usually the problem of faulty RAM or bad windows installation.

 

[kieshon]

Since you say this I think it is how the installation of Windows 7 was done. I have Windows 7 64-bit right now. I am saying this because I have reformatted and installed a clean version of Windows quite a few time on this rig and one out of like six times it didn't crash on my with this blue screen while in games so I must have had a good installation. The reason it isn't good right now is because I thought re-installing Windows 7 64-bit and wiping and formatting my hard drive was the best idea for my computer before I brought it to college with me to use the school programs on it.

Could you tell me please how to determine if the installation of Windows 7 64-bit is a good one or not?

 

[phyco126]

Easier way to trouble shoot: run memtest on your RAM. If any errors show, then its time to RMA your RAM. For me, as djrabbit said, most of the time its RAM and occasionally it can be Windows. But 9 time out of 9, it has always been RAM for me.

 

[kieshon]

Could someone tell me how I get memtest and use it?

 

[phyco126]

http://www.memtest.org/

Don't have enough time to walk you through how to do it, but that is where you get it. Good luck, I'll check back here tomorrow.

 

[kieshon]

Alright. I got MemTest and I am running the scan now. It is at 32% as of the time I posted this reply showing 0 errors. I will post again when it is done and the final results are given.

 

[phyco126]

Make sure you run the test for several passes. Do it over night while you are sleeping if need be. If the test shows errors, doesn't finish, or freezes, then I would RMA your RAM.

 

[kieshon]

Alright. I will reply tomorrow because I am going to let it run tonight while I am asleep. I have to get started on some homework.

 

[phyco126]

Alright, good luck.

 

[kieshon]

Okay. I went to bed last night and left my computer on running the MemTest. When I awoke this morning and looked at the results it was still running through passes but wasn't frozen. The "Pass: 7% ##" was still moving and everything was still running and nothing was frozen. In another words it was still going through passes. When I awoke though it had gone through 9 passes with 0 errors. So, I take it that these results means that my memory are fine and nothing is wrong with them?

 

[phyco126]

After that many passes, then yes your memory is fine. Give me some time tonight to do some further research on the particular blue screen, it may be an issue elsewhere. Unfortunately, blue screens are a pain to sometimes diagnose.

 

[phyco126]

You know what? Try updating your graphic card driver. Or roll back to an older driver if you have a current driver.

 

[kieshon]

I have rolled back an update and updated my drivers for my video card many times and it still happened. I do I have a switch on my motherboard called the overclock FSB switch. There are 2 switches and the other day I switched them so that they both are facing up towards "ON". This is the default setting and after that I haven't gotten a blue screen from playing any of the games it usually gives me one on. (World of Warcraft, Minecraft and DC Universe: Online) before I had it on switch 1 up and switch 2 down which increases the FSB speed by 10%. Like I said before, now it is on default and I haven't gotten any blue screens since. Does this information help you?

 

[phyco126]

That could have had something to do with it. So is your computer stable now? What happens if you put both switches in the off position?

 

[kieshon]

If I do that then my computer starts to the Windows startup screen but then it stays there.

 

[phyco126]

Huh, odd. Okay, well leave both switches on then. So no more blue screens? Your system is running stable after doing that?

 

[kieshon]

It seems to be running normal now but I have a feeling that when I start to play Minecraft next time it will crash but I did test that out once already and it didn't so we will have to see then.

 

[phyco126]

Right, but you mentioned that if you have both switches on then you don't get any blue screens. So if both switches on, do you have any issues? Sorry if there is any confusion here.

 

[kieshon]

Haha, no problem. There hasn't been any issues or blue screens since I put both switches "ON" but I turned them both "ON" yesterday so I will have to wait longer to see if it happens again with the switches switched to "ON".

 

[phyco126]

Okay. Well if it fixes that, then I'm classifying this as weird. If it doesn't, report back and we'll see what else we can do.

 

[kieshon]

Gotchya. Yeah this is a weird matter as I had a few different problems with this computer starting with the motherboard but I fixed that by RMA-ing it. Also, I have to use UDK (Unreal Development Kit) for school and the first time I got it and used it I got a blue screen. After switching both switches to "ON", every time I run UDK I am able to use it no hassle, blue screen free. Seeing this for myself boosts my confidence tremendously. This is my first build and of course I would get this bad luck. Also, I am searching for a 1TB or 2TB internal HDD and a 700W to 800W PSU from www.newegg.ca or www.tigerdirect.ca for $75 to $100. Could someone please find a good deal for me with those price tags please? Please the Canadian site as well and this is going to be a budget purchase. Thank you.

 

[phyco126]

Well, you really don't want to get a cheap PSU. Its not worth the hassle, especially when they blow up and take out your computer with it. Its better to spend the extra money on a quality brand/PSU. Just outside of your budget, but this is a great PSU: http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139021 . There are better ones out there, at a higher price, but Corsair has fairly high quality (though not going to vouch for this particular model).

As for those HDDs that isn't going to happen for some time still. Flooding of several factories have resulted in a HDD shortage, which has driven prices up to absurd levels. However, now that the factories are restarting prices are starting to, slowly, drop. I suggest waiting for another few months at least if you can manage it.

 

[kieshon]

Alright. I have that PSU in mind. I found this one one www.newegg.ca and it looks to be alright. http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817822015 What do you think?

 

[kieshon]

Actually, never mind. I will go with the one that you recommend. I am going to be getting a keyboard as well with the money left over. I think I am going to order this tomorrow.