N40L - DPC_WATCHDOG_VIOLATION

[Arghs]

Hi,
So basically i'm after some help with this Watchdog Violation in Win8 x64.
The system is a HP N40L which is a Microserver running an AMD CPU.
In this I have placed a nVidia GT620.
Whenever the onboard NIC Is enabled (via BIOS) the system either throws a Watchdog Violation or simply sits at the Win8 loading screen (where the little circle goes round and round) and never loads.


As per
DPC_WATCHDOG_VOILATION after install windows 8 - Microsoft Community
and
dpc_watchdog_violation during windows 8 upgrade - Microsoft Community
others are having this problem as well, however we all appear to have the latest NIC drivers (Windows 8 x64 15.4.0.17 10/29/12).

Attached is the information i have gathered from that system
View attachment N40L.zip

Thanks in advance!

 

[usasma]

No memory dumps in the uploaded attachment. Please check in C:\Windows\Minidump for any minidumps. If none are there, please check in C:\Windows for a MEMORY.dmp file. If found, please zip it up and upload it to a free file-hosting service and post a link to it here.
Then try this procedure: Set MiniDump
Also, ensure that your pagefile is large enough to capture a memory dump. If you don't have a pagefile, then this can make the troubleshooting process much harder.

USB drivers have not been installed. I presume that these are your Fresco Logic USB 3.0 drivers (PCI\\VEN_1B73&DEV_1000)
Please get them from the manufacturer's website and install them.

You have no Windows Updates listed. Please visit Windows Update and get all available updates (from what I've seen the number of updates now ranges between 17 and 40).

No network device is listed in the systeminfo.txt file, yet MSINFO32 lists HP NC107i PCIe Gigabit Server Adapter

We've seen a number of BSOD issues with SSD's. Here's the information that I've compiled so far:

There's not a whole bunch available to test SSD's. The "easiest" test is to remove the SSD, install a platter-based hard drive, install Windows and test for stability that way.

Here's some suggestions:
- Update the SSD's firmware to the latest available version (VERY IMPORTANT!!!)
- Update the motherboard controllers drivers to the latest available version from the controller manufacturer (NOT the mobo manufacturer unless you can't find any on the controller manufacturer's website)
- Slow the memory (RAM) down to the next slower speed (I've only seen one person who claimed that this worked for them).
- Use any manufacturer's utilities that you may have. If you don't have any, then try this free one (I haven't used it myself): Crystal Dew World
- Update chipset and storage controller drivers to the latest available from the manufacturer of the device (not the manufacturer of the motherboard). Be sure to update ALL controllers on the motherboard!
....NOTE: Recently (Nov 2011) we had BSOD issues with the Marvell 91xx controller and an SSD. You may have to switch controllers also.
- Replace the SSD with a platter based hard drive and see if that stops the BSOD's. If it does, then it's likely that there's a problem with the SSD OR an incompatibility with your system.
It's my opinion that SSD's aren't reliable enough (with current hardware) to be used on a system that needs to work reliably. Until I see reliability I will not recommend, nor will I use, SSD's for critical applications.
06 Dec 2011 - This post tends to confirm issues with certain SSD chipsets and certain controllers - [SOLVED] cant find the cause of BSOD F4 - Tech Support Forum
29 May 2012 - The frequency of BSOD's with SSD's seems to have been decreasing over the last several months. It may be approaching time to re-evaluate my stand on their suitability for use in production systems.
10 Nov 2012 - I'm seeing an upswing in SSD errors - but most appear due to older storage controller drivers. I strongly suggest NOT using storage controller drivers that don't date from 2012 (if none are available, don't connect an SSD to that controller)

Lot's of errors trying to validate your copy of Windows, most errors relate to networking difficulties.

So, after all of this I have to conclude that there's something wrong with your network card (well, no duh!). I put all of the above stuff in quotes as I believe it's just anecdotal evidence that the network card isn't Win8 compatible.

HP doesn't show any drivers for Win8 here: http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsuppor...Id=135&prodTypeId=329290&prodSeriesId=3811480
But there are updates for Server 2012 here (to include a firmware update - which makes me wonder about the compatibility of this device without the update): HP NC107i Integrated PCI Express Gigabit Server Adapter -  Download drivers and software - HP Business Support Center

Try updating the drivers for the onboard card (if you can do this without it crashing on you).
Leave the onboard card disabled and try an Win8 compatible add-on card to see if it fixes things.

Good luck!

 

[Arghs]

Hi,
Thanks for the quick reply.
And yep your right, I forgot the memory dump!
In terms of the USB drivers, i've left them off for now - 1 less device to deal with.
Windows Updates - i can't do, because the NIC is not working.
NIC Firmware updates - can't run this either, because it seems to require Win Server! ie. it won't let me run the executables.

ok so i've re-run the info collecting scripts in safe mode (minimal, no network). It's the only way i can boot the system, with the NIC being displayed in Devices.
I also updated the NIC driver to the latest Broadcom driver.
This info + memory dump is now attached:
View attachment N40L_2.zip

I have a feeling it is Win8 driver incompatibility between the NIC & the Vid card.
Unfortunately i don't have anything else to test with right now.

 

[usasma]

I suggested that the USB driver be installed because the device does show up on the system - therefore it has some impact on the system.
Further, I suppose that a device with the appropriate drivers will function better than a device without any drivers.

Memory dump blames the NIC drivers. I'd suggest leaving the NIC disabled in the BIOS and trying a Win8 compatible NIC. AFAIK, you can purchase one for about $15 (US) - and it's always handy to have a spare on hand (in case you lose network connectivity when the stores aren't open). Also, most major retailers will let you return the NIC for your money back if it's not needed.

Good luck!


Analysis:
The following is for informational purposes only.

[font=lucida console]**************************Thu Dec 20 04:58:36.800 2012 (UTC - 5:00)**************************
Loading Dump File [C:\Users\John\_jcgriff2_\dbug\__Kernel__\122012-5600-01.dmp]
Windows 8 Kernel Version 9200 MP (2 procs) Free x64
Built by: [B]9200[/B].16384.amd64fre.win8_rtm.120725-1247
System Uptime:[B]0 days 0:00:37.716[/B]
*** WARNING: Unable to verify timestamp for b57nd60a.sys
*** ERROR: Module load completed but symbols could not be loaded for b57nd60a.sys
Probably caused by :[B]b57nd60a.sys ( b57nd60a+24ed1 )[/B]
BugCheck [B]133, {1, 784, 0, 0}[/B]
BugCheck Info: [url=http://www.carrona.org/bsodindx.html#0x00000133]DPC_WATCHDOG_VIOLATION (133)[/url]
Arguments: 
Arg1: 0000000000000001, The system cumulatively spent an extended period of time at
	DISPATCH_LEVEL or above. The offending component can usually be
	identified with a stack trace.
Arg2: 0000000000000784, The watchdog period.
Arg3: 0000000000000000
Arg4: 0000000000000000
BUGCHECK_STR:  0x133
DEFAULT_BUCKET_ID:  WIN8_DRIVER_FAULT
PROCESS_NAME: [B]System[/B]
FAILURE_BUCKET_ID: [B]0x133_ISR_b57nd60a+24ed1[/B]
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨``
[/font]

3rd Party Drivers:
The following is for information purposes only.
Any drivers in red should be updated or removed from your system. And should have been discussed in the body of my post.

[font=lucida console]**************************Thu Dec 20 04:58:36.800 2012 (UTC - 5:00)**************************
b57nd60a.sys                Fri Oct 21 01:21:58 2011 (4EA10176)
nvhda64v.sys                Tue Jul  3 11:25:04 2012 (4FF30ED0)
dump_storahci.sys           Wed Jul 25 22:30:35 2012 (5010ABCB)
nvlddmkm.sys                Fri Nov 30 22:24:02 2012 (50B97852)
[/font]

http://www.carrona.org/drivers/driver.php?id=b57nd60a.sys
http://www.carrona.org/drivers/driver.php?id=nvhda64v.sys
http://www.carrona.org/drivers/driver.php?id=dump_storahci.sys
http://www.carrona.org/drivers/driver.php?id=nvlddmkm.sys

 

[Arghs]

hmm ok so i gave up with troubleshooting this thing..
from reading other posts, it is the nVidia vid card that is causing the trouble with the NIC (in Win8)
so i went and bought an ATI/AMD card..and now everything works fine..including the NIC

having said that, thanks for trying to help me with this. appreciate it!