[SOLVED] BSOD / Verifier Minidump included

[justadude71]

Hello,

I have been getting BSOD off and on for a while now. I first fixed the problem by updating my Evo SSD drivers, but it seemed to come back. I have run the Memtest as well as úsed Crystaldiskinfo and Samsung Magic to check the health of my system. I also ran scannow and chkdsk. All test reported no errors.

When I setup Driver Verifier the system would not even get to the Windows loading screen before reporting BSOD. I entered Safe Mode to reset it, but I did get two dumps which reported ntoskernel as the culprit(which is most likely not the case.

My System:
Intel i7-6700
ASUSTeK H170M-Plus
Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 (MSI)
16 GB RAM
1 Samsung SSD 850 250GB (Windows)
1 WD 2TB HDD
1 Samsung SSD 850 500GB (Windows)

I recently updated all drivers using Driver Booster as well as downloading and installing from the ASUS and NVidia as well as checking to make sure all Disk Firmware was up to date.

Here are the dumps(two are from Driver Verifier) :
Minidump 1
Minidump 2
Minidump 3
Minidump 4

Thank you

 

[Colif]

Driver Booster isn't ideal way to update drivers, it can and will install the wrong ones.

I will ask @gardenman to convert dump files into a format I can read.

NTOSKRNL = windows kernel. It handles all driver requests, power management, and memory management. It sits between Hardware and Applications. It got blamed but its not the cause. Windows generally isn't suicidal.

 

[gardenman]

Hi, I ran the dump files through the debugger and got the following information: https://pste.eu/p/vthu.html

Spoiler

File information:	041219-6609-01.dmp (Apr 12 2019 - 06:30:28)
Bugcheck:	KMODE_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED (1E)
Driver warnings:	*** WARNING: Unable to verify timestamp for nvlddmkm.sys
Probably caused by:	Pool_Corruption (Process: X-Plane.exe)
Uptime:	0 Day(s), 2 Hour(s), 03 Min(s), and 53 Sec(s)

File information:	041219-6593-01.dmp (Apr 11 2019 - 20:41:50)
Bugcheck:	SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION (3B)
Driver warnings:	*** WARNING: Unable to verify timestamp for nvlddmkm.sys
Probably caused by:	nvlddmkm.sys (Process: TheDivision2.e)
Uptime:	0 Day(s), 17 Hour(s), 10 Min(s), and 59 Sec(s)

File information:	041219-6234-01.dmp (Apr 12 2019 - 06:57:18)
Bugcheck:	DRIVER_VERIFIER_DETECTED_VIOLATION (C4)
Driver warnings:	*** WARNING: Unable to verify timestamp for GUBootStartup.sys
Probably caused by:	GUBootStartup.sys (Process: System)
Uptime:	0 Day(s), 0 Hour(s), 00 Min(s), and 08 Sec(s)

File information:	041219-5703-01.dmp (Apr 12 2019 - 06:39:38)
Bugcheck:	DRIVER_VERIFIER_DETECTED_VIOLATION (C4)
Driver warnings:	*** WARNING: Unable to verify timestamp for GUBootStartup.sys
Probably caused by:	GUBootStartup.sys (Process: System)
Uptime:	0 Day(s), 0 Hour(s), 00 Min(s), and 04 Sec(s)

The nvlddmkm.sys file is a NVIDIA graphics card driver. There are a few things you can do to fix this problem. First off, try a full uninstall using DDU in Safe Mode then re-install the driver (more information). Or try getting the latest version of the driver. Or try one of the 3 most recent drivers released by NVIDIA. Drivers can be found here: http://www.nvidia.com/ or you can allow Windows Update to download the driver for you, which might be a older/better version.

Possible Motherboard page: https://www.asus.com/Motherboards/H170M-PLUS/HelpDesk/
BIOS updates are available for your system. Wait for additional information before deciding to update or not. Important: Verify that I have linked to the correct motherboard. Updating your BIOS can be risky. Never try it when you might lose power (lightning storms, recent power outages, etc).

This information can be used by others to help you. I can't help you with this. Someone else will post with more information. Please wait for additional answers. Good luck.

 

[Colif]

So top 2 blame NVIDIA drivers, so follow advice above about DDU. You have latest drivers so perhaps try the windows update ones.

the other 2 blame

GUBootStartup.sys which is part of Glary Utilities startup manager so I would delete it unless you really need it. If you do, try to update it and see if it fixes BSOD.

 

[justadude71]

Thank you for your quick and helpful responses.

Glarys was gone before I posted, when I went through my installs to get rid of obvious offenders. Thank you for the tip on Driver booster. I will stop using it. Does Windows update keep all those drivers up to date? I would assume that I will need to check myself or is the Intel Driver and Support Utility a good choice?

I used DDU in safe mode to update my driver and it seemed to work well. I re-installed the latest driver from Nvidia and now we wait and see.

 

[gardenman]

Drivers don't need to be updated nearly as much as people think. You really only to need update drivers if you are having problems. Sometimes we even recommend slightly older drivers.

3rd party driver utilities try to lure you in by promising a better performing system if you have all of the latest and newest drivers. That's rarely the case. Most of the time you'll see no change in the latest drivers for any piece of hardware (except GPU drivers with certain games). But what is more likely to happen is you'll download a new more buggy driver which will cause BSODs, freezes, or other types of problems. This often happens when you didn't need an update at all. And as Colif said, these driver updaters sometimes download the wrong driver, therefore disabling your hardware or causing crashes.

Registry cleaners work on the same principle. They promise you a faster cleaner running system, when in fact what they remove may cause serious problems. And what they do remove won't speed your system up.

The Intel driver update Assistant is OK to use. It's not a 3rd party utility. It's directly from Intel so it should be fine.

 

[Colif]

I used to trust DB, as it was the easy route to finding new drivers for system. But twice it messed up my system and its only saving grace is that it creates a System restore point before changing anything, so I could roll back. I think 1st time it messed up my lan drivers and second time it left me with no sound.

I would only use it for suggestions, and now I would more likely use Driverview, hide all MIcrosoft drivers and see what is old on my system and go get the drivers individually.

I used to want to have new drivers all the time but things like the Nvidia drivers not always improving performance of old cards, or MIce drivers being buggy on 1st day of release, I now don't bother upgrading something that was working before the drivers release. Only upgrade drivers if you have a problem - or if item is so new its still getting new features added to it to support other hardware (this mainly applies to BIOS updates) you have now.

 

[justadude71]

Thank you for your help so far. I have followed your advice and they yielded good results so far. The DDU of the gfx drivers seemed to have enhanced performance.

I had about two stable days when I got hit with another BSOD.

Bad Pool Header

If you could be so kind to help me out again. Thanks.

 

[gardenman]

I ran the dump file through the debugger and got the following information: https://pste.eu/p/OHyl.html

File information:	041419-5812-01.dmp (Apr 14 2019 - 17:03:44)
Bugcheck:	BAD_POOL_HEADER (19)
Probably caused by:	ntkrnlmp.exe (Process: TheDivision2.e)
Uptime:	0 Day(s), 8 Hour(s), 22 Min(s), and 02 Sec(s)

This information can be used by others to help you. I can't help you with this. Someone else will post with more information. Please wait for additional answers. Good luck.

 

[Colif]

so much for the easy fixes... this one blames windows which isn't right.

So Nvidia installed newest and yet they from 2017, interesting... unless you got them from windows update in which case it makes sense

Newer version of Intel Management Engine Interface on web site for motherboard dated April 4 2019 - this matches the newest BIOS on web site as well so if you get one, you need the other.

You are 9 BIOS versions behind so that could well help you. INstructions for updating bios are in your BIOS Update manual - https://dlcdnets.asus.com/pub/ASUS/mb/LGA1151/B250M-BASALT/E13571_BIOS_Update_EM_V4_WEB.pdf

everything else on motherboard web site older than what you have installed anyway, surprised there are no newer intel lan drivers.

 

[justadude71]

Weird. I thpught used the nvidia drivers from the site. I will update them to the newest version. I will look into the Intel managment Engine.

The Bios is updated to 3805. Gone are that days of frightening floppy disk BIOS upgrades. This BIOS connects to the Internet and downloads it for you

Before replying I had this BSOD:

Unexpected Store Exception

What program do you use to read those? I have Bluescreenview, but can not make heads of tails of it.

Thanks

I noticed that Intel Rapid Storage is deactivated in the BIOS, but I do have it installed. Do I need it?

 

[Colif]

what USB devices fo you have attached to PC?

Can't say I like that new error you got. Its hard to figure out what its caused by, I used to think it was hdd but now I am not so sure.

How you update BIOS depends on age of motherboard, I am not lucky enough to have the internet options in mine so USB drive is only option for me. But then there hasn't been a bios for my board for a few years so it doesn't matter.

if you updated BIOS, update IMEI as well as they match each other.

What program? Windows debugger... but gardenman has... perhaps I should let him tell that story

 

[justadude71]

I reverted back to 388.13 for the Nvidia drivers. I do not know the full implications on stability, but do know I got better fps with them.

I have a Logitech G610 Keyboard, Roccat Kone Pure, Thrustmaster T16000m Joystich and Thrustmaster TWCS Throttle as USB device.

I updated the IMEI tool both from intel and ASUS so I might have overdone it, but The PC is still running.

In the last couple of days my sound settings are getting reset when I reboot the computer as well as the keyboard not remembering the backlight settings on reboots either. That seems strange to me. This usually only happened on BSOD and then the Keyboard backlighting was the only thing effected.

Thanks

 

[Colif]

Xbox wireless controller use a USB receiver?

Doesn't keyboard use LGS? I have a G910, it needs software running to remember settings or its all blue.

i have seen store exception errors tied to USB, its why I asked.

how new are the thrustmasters, new drivers or do they use defaults?

go to settings/accounts/sync settings and turn it all off and see if that helps the settings being reset thing. COuld be a roving profile has bad settings or something. Just after I got my 4k screen I had to turn that off as it remembered by desktop size as 1080p and would reset desktop image on login.

 

[justadude71]

I forgot the xBox wireless controller. That is in there too. The Thrusmasters are less than a year and use default drivers. I do not have LGS installed. Mine rememberd my settings if I shut down normally, only BSOD or crashes caused it to forget. could the BIOS battery be dead?

Sync is greyed out in my Settings. Not a Microsoft account.

 

[Colif]

Not sure why it would reset settings.
Its not your user.
cmos doesn't save windows settings, it just has info for the bios.

the fact you lose all colors in keyboard only after BSOD or crashes, means it always happens if its a fresh boot. Win 10 by default isn't off when you shut it down, it goes into a sleep mode. Its only off during a restart, after a crash or if you have Fast startup turned off. Very strange indeed.

So it sort of makes me think its power related. Or something to do with USB devices. not so much drivers for USB as they are built into windows, but maybe another USB device can conflict another one.

I have seen USB devices do weird things, I am sure my last mouse was causing my GPU driver to stop working. So its possible a device that is playing up can cause other weird things... hard to troubleshoot it though, and I could be wrong.

check if newer drivers for the xbox adapter since it did show as working during the previous crash - have to wait for gardenmen to show up to see what the Store exception shows. He wrote some program that uses the windows debugger but he runs it in a VM each time. Program shows the data from dump in a format I can read and mostly understand.

 

[justadude71]

I have fast startup turn off. It was one of the suggestions I first implemented before coming here. Is it okay to turn back on? That would be great. It does explain the behavior.

The xBox Adapter Drivers are built into Windows. I do not know of a way to updated them manually. I did remove and replug it. Do not think that did much though as it would be logical that Windows Update takes care of that.

 

[Colif]

I have fast startup turn off. It was one of the suggestions I first implemented before coming here. Is it okay to turn back on? That would be great. It does explain the behavior.

it sort of doesn't explain it. It doesn't make sense that you lose settings if PC is powered off. Sure, having it on means PC is always receiving some power and keeping drivers in memory, but this is first time I seen it act like that. Normally drivers that play up with fast startup do it with it on, not with it off. MIght explain why your kb always knows its color scheme... i have fast startup off on mine and its always blue until login process starts and suddenly g910 is multi colored like normal.

You can turn it on if you want to.

The xBox Adapter Drivers are built into Windows. I do not know of a way to updated them manually. I did remove and replug it. Do not think that did much though as it would be logical that Windows Update takes care of that.

seems you are right. it might not mean anything apart from fact Gardenman and I didn't know they were win 10 drivers and he has them showing in the 3rd party drivers section of his program, not as Microsoft ones.

 

[gardenman]

What program do you use to read those?

I use the Windows Debugger, a slightly older and better version which comes as part of the Windows SDK (ver. 10.0.14393.795). In addition I've created software (C++) that automatically runs the dump files through the debugger and assigns descriptions to the drivers (and separates 3rd party / Microsoft drivers), converts some of the more complicated info into a more human readable output, and outputs all of the info into a webpage to be viewed by others. I haven't released this software but I might one day, as freeware.

You can find an online website which read dumps file that might help, but it probably can't list the drivers as I can.

BSV (and others) often fail to list the actual driver even when it's listed in the dump file, and the Windows Debugger always lists it correctly.

I ran the dump file through the debugger and got the following information: https://pste.eu/p/zajW.html

File information:	041519-5953-01.dmp (Apr 15 2019 - 06:17:20)
Bugcheck:	UNEXPECTED_STORE_EXCEPTION (154)
Probably caused by:	ntkrnlmp.exe (Process: MemCompression)
Uptime:	0 Day(s), 13 Hour(s), 13 Min(s), and 11 Sec(s)

This information can be used by others to help you. I can't help you with this. Someone else will post with more information. Please wait for additional answers. Good luck.

 

[justadude71]

I wonder if the Memcompression is related to the gfx driver version?

 

[Colif]

I wonder if the Memcompression is related to the gfx driver version?

Its on almost every BSOD I see, mem compression - https://www.howtogeek.com/319933/what-is-memory-compression-in-windows-10/ - I don't know if its helpful to us.

it could still be GPU drivers, I found 1 example of same error relating to GPU. I need to figure out what this error actually means

why not run driver verifier again and we can stop guessing? I made this yesterday - https://forums.tomshardware.com/threads/how-to-use-driver-verifier-relatively-safely.3471039/

 

[justadude71]

The Fast Startup resolved the keyboard issues. I will run the verifier in the next couple of days. Will post results.

Thanks so far.

 

[justadude71]

Hi,

I have not gotten around to running Verifier yet, but will do so tomorrow. I have had following two BSOD. The first came when playing Division, so I suspect a repeat:

Unexpected Store Exception

The next BSOD came when I rebootet the computer the next day. I had to hold the power button until the PC turned itself off to be able to reboot windows. It then rebootet normally all settings remained intact.
The error is listed as:

Worker Invalid 0x000000e4

Thanks

 

[Colif]

Top one can be GPU drivers as well.

Never seen the 2nd error before... some days i wish i would see something other than the normal ones, but then I get a new one... and I am not so sure.

Its an infrequent driver error...

The WORKER_INVALID bug check has a value of 0x000000E4. This indicates that memory that should not contain an executive work item does contain such an item, or that a currently active work item was queued.
This is usually caused by a driver freeing memory which still contains an executive work item.

link

Try running memtesst86 on each of your ram sticks, one stick at a time, up to 8 passes. Only error count you want is 0, any higher could be cause of the BSOD. Remove/replace ram sticks with errors.

not sure if it is ram but it gets rid of a suspicion.

 

[justadude71]

Thanks. Got the memtest86 and will run it tomorrow when I am off as well as Driver Verifier. I have been thinking about reinstalling windows as my install is at least 3 years onld and given the multiple Driver Booster updates, it might help. At least it would most likely rule out software. You have me looking at 32GB RAM kits now

We will see after the memtest86, although it is a medium term goal to upgrade ram.