Random BSODs with no apparent cause or pattern - Windows 7 x64

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AIO

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Jun 23, 2014
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Hello guys,

I'll get straight to the point: I've been having random BSODs ever since I assembled my new desktop PC, about one and a half months ago.
Given that every component is brand new and out of the box, I'm taking there is some fault to my installation of the system.
Right to the details:

· OS - Windows 7
· OS - x64
· What was original installed OS on system? - Nothing, brand new SSD (Samsung 840 EVO 120GB).
· Full retail version of OS
· Age of hardware - 1 month, 2 weeks.
· Age of OS - 7 days


· CPU - Intel i5 4670
· Video Card - None, currently using HD4600 from the CPU
· MotherBoard - Gigabyte ga-z87m-d3h
· Power Supply - Antec 500W (advertised in the box as real)


· System Manufacturer - N/A
· Exact model number (if laptop, check label on bottom) - N/A


· Laptop or Desktop? - Desktop

Additional comments:
I recently formatted the OS drive so I lost a bunch of the previously generated .dmp files, but the errors were the same as the ones specified here.
The errors occur under no visible pattern. Might happen while the system is totally idle just after boot and login; might happen while playing a game, dealing with Ubuntu on a VirtualBox or even having two simple chrome tabs and skype open.

Something I did notice today, while playing this game - League of Legends, was that system BSOD'ed. After forcefully rebooting and relaunching the game, happened again after 3-5 mins. For the sake of testing, I repeated the process two more times with the same result.

Anyway, I'm awaiting help from @Patrick who directed me here in the first place. I'll be running the suggested programs and tests in the meantime.

Thanks in advance for any input on the matter, working from home has become quite impossible with this happening.
Cheers!
 

Attachments

Hi,

Thanks for registering, I appreciate it!

All of the attached DMP files are of the CRITICAL_OBJECT_TERMINATION (f4)

This indicates that a process or thread crucial to system operation has unexpectedly exited or been terminated.

Code: 
BugCheck F4, {[COLOR=#ff0000]3[/COLOR], fffffa80078efb30, fffffa80078efe10, fffff80002dda270}

The 1st parameter is 3 which indicates it was a process as opposed to a thread.

If we look further into the dump as I also said above, we see EXCEPTION_CODE: (NTSTATUS) 0xc0000006 - The instruction at 0x%p referenced memory at 0x%p. The required data was not placed into memory because of an I/O error.

What's an I/O error you may ask? An I/O error is when any hardware device (hard disk, flash drive, etc) cannot perform its basic input/output actions such as reading or copying data. When this is the case with a hard disk itself, or any storage related media, it's due to the device PHYSICALLY failing. Do note that with hard disks, the connections can be faulty as well (i.e the SATA cables from the controller on the board to the hard disk itself). Do note that at times a software conflict can exist and cause this error, such as an antivirus causing file system conflicts.


1. Remove and replace avast! with Microsoft Security Essentials for temporary troubleshooting purposes as it may be causing file system conflicts:

avast! removal - avast! Uninstall Utility | Download aswClear for avast! Removal

MSE - Microsoft Security Essentials - Microsoft Windows

2. If the above fails please run Chkdsk (paste log afterwards) and then Seatools:

Chkdsk:
There are various ways to run Chkdsk~

Method 1:

Start > Search bar > Type cmd (right click run as admin to execute Elevated CMD)

Elevated CMD should now be opened, type the following:

chkdsk x: /r

x implies your drive letter, so if your hard drive in question is letter c, it would be:

chkdsk c: /r

Restart system and let chkdsk run.

Method 2:


Open the "Computer" window
Right-click on the drive in question
Select the "Tools" tab
In the Error-checking area, click <Check Now>.

If you'd like to get a log file that contains the chkdsk results, do the following:

Press Windows Key + R and type powershell.exe in the run box

Paste the following command and press enter afterwards:

get-winevent -FilterHashTable @{logname="Application"; id="1001"}| ?{$_.providername –match "wininit"} | fl timecreated, message | out-file Desktop\CHKDSKResults.txt

This will output a .txt file on your Desktop containing the results of the chkdsk.

If chkdsk turns out okay, run Seatools -

SeaTools | Seagate

You can run it via Windows or DOS. Do note that the only difference is simply the environment you're running it in. In Windows, if you are having what you believe to be driver related issues that may cause conflicts or a false positive, it may be a wise decision to choose the most minimal testing environment (DOS). I always recommend running Seatools in DOS if absolutely possible.

-- Run all tests EXCEPT: Fix All and anything Advanced.

Regards,

Patrick
 
Hi Patrick,

Thanks again for the prompt reply.
FWIW, I checked on WhoCrashed and I can see some of the dmp files are of the error code 0x7A as well, KERNEL_DATA_INPAGE_ERROR, and one isolated 0x3B, SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION. But maybe that program is not as thorough.
All the same, I'm gonna be running every step you suggested over the next few days and see where that takes me.

One more time, thanks for your time.
Cheers,

Ramiro.-
 
Hello again,

So, I followed every step listed above.
· Removed AVAST! completely and replaced it with MSE.
· Ran chkdsk and SeaTools, and everything went okay.

One thing I noted: I was unplugging my headset from the front jack and I got a BSOD with just the same error code F4, as if I'd caused it. And then I began to recall several times in which I merely touched the case, and got said BSOD.
So my attention turned towards an electrical problem, as if static would've caused it. I'm using a Thermaltake v4 BE case where the SSD is latched onto the floor by 4 screws.

Could my assumption be incorrect? Is this a possibility?

Anyway, thanks again for the time.

Cheers,
Ramiro.-
 
I suppose it could be a possibility but I don't find it likely, especially where cases ground all static electric.

If you are still getting 0xF4s then I find Kernel memory dumps useful.

Go to Start
Right click on My Computer then click properties
On the left side click Advanced system settings
Under the Advanced tab click on Settings in the Startup and Recovery section
Under System failure set the Write debugging information as Kernel memory dump.
Then restart your computer.


Wait for another BSOD, once one has appeared check in this directory:


Code: 
C:/Windows/memory.dmp


Copy the dump file to the desktop then upload it to a file sharing site like Onedrive as it's too big to upload directly.
 
Ok, will do as soon as I get another BSOD. I had to increment the size of the paging file in order to enable this, Samsung Magician had set it to 200MB when I applied the "Maximum reliability" performance option for my SSD.
Also, while working today with Skype, it suddenly logged off, and displayed the following message: "Unable to sign in due to a disk I/O error. [...]"; which most likely emphasizes what Patrick said above.
 
Jared said:
That doesn't sound good, have you done everything Patrick suggested?
Click to expand...

Yes, yes I did. I even ran the Driver Verifier for 24hs straight as suggested on the posting guidelines, and when a BSOD happened, there was no recollection of it by Driver Verifier.

Jared said:
Could you take a screenshot of your drives using Crystal Disk Info

CrystalDiskInfo - Software - Crystal Dew World

Either post them here or upload the images.
Click to expand...

HDD.jpgSSD.jpg

Even though I have a second HDD for storage, the BSODs happened way before I installed it.
Also, my SSD is partitioned in two: 40GB/80GB.
 
Your drives look health, when driver verifier was enabled what was the bugcheck code?
Did it happen when windows started etc or just like any other BSOD?

If it's a different stop error to 0xF4s like 0xC4 etc then that's a strong indication of a driver causing the issue as that means Driver Verifier picked up on a bad driver.
 
When driver verifier was enabled, it was the same error code: 0xF4.
It started on maybe de 23rd hour of it being enabled, after hours of normal PC use.

I think I'm going to install the same Windows on the secondary HDD, see how that goes.
If you come up with any idea, I'll be more than glad to test it out. Right now, I'm lost.
 
Sounds more like a drive failure, driver verifier hasn't found anything and the 0xF4s indicate a disk I/O error.
 
Good idea, I forgot about that, I thought Patrick would have mention it.
 
jcgriff2 said:
Apologies if already mentioned, but is your SSD firmware up to date?

Solid State Drive Downloads | Samsung SSD US
Click to expand...

Indeed it is. I checked both manually on the website + via the Samsung Magician firmware updater.

I was afraid the final conclusion would come to a hardware malfunction, so I want to narrow down whether it is the drive, the cable, the mobo connector or the mobo itself.
What would be your best educated guess here guys?

Thanks again for the input!

Cheers,
Ramiro.-
 

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