BSOD When running heavy games

[Marco_31]

Hello,

I need help fixing a BSOD it started this week.
I did a fresh install but I still get a blue screen, also worth mentioning is that sometimes the minidump file isnt created.

What I have tried:
Switching rams ( I have 3 pins), tried with 1 , 2, 3 and all eventually resulted in a BSOD.
Fresh windows install
Windows Memtest and also HCI's MemTest. No error reported. Tried doing with each ram separately and with all 3 connected.

Ive replaced (~2weeks ago) my GPU thermal paste but it still gets very hot 90ºC+
CPU temp ~70ºC

It usually results in a BSOD when I play BF4 but it has happened when playing DotA as well. But I've got over 1k play time in DotA and over 300hours in BF4. So something has happened that the BSOD is ocurring now.

pc specs

HD5670 1GB
Phenom X4 965 BE
2gb ddr3 (x2)
4gb ddr3
corsair cx 600
m4a88t-v

thanks

 

[Barty1884]

Under what scenarios is the CPU exceeding 90'C+? And what are you using to monitor?

Phenom X4 965 BE's shouldn't be exceeding 62'C, their max temp.

That's your issue.

What cooler are you running? Is this CPU overclocked?

 

[Marco_31]

CPU exceeds 70ºC when gaming. Stock cooler, I have OC'd it in the past but currently it is not.
Before the fresh install I used Asus Monitor (i think so, i installed it from my motherboard cd) now I'm using SpeedFan.

ATM SpeedFan shows 55ºC GPU and 54ºC CPU 60ºC Core (Idle)

Ive just tried to change my CPU thermal paste but so it just happened that one of the screw couldnt be screwed anymore (it was loose, could not make it to rotate).

Thanks for replying.

 

[Barty1884]

YEah, 60'C at idle for that CPU is waaaay too high - I'm 99.9% sure that's the problem.

Reapplication of thermal paste rarely impacts temps more than a couple of degrees (up to, say, 5) max. So that isn't going to be your 'magic' solution either, unfortunately.

Is your CPU fan still spinning? The CPU cooler is mounted properly?

Wait, a screw was loose? I'm not understanding. If part of the cooler is loose, that'll impact cooling ability.
If it's broken, you'll need to look to replace.

 

[Marco_31]

The screwerdriver cannot make the screw rotate so I can remove it (the metal from the screw is broken, idk how to explain it, the screwdriver cannot fit into the screw because theres just a hole in there so it cannot exerce lateral force for it to rotate, hope you can understand it).

Yes, the cpu is spinning normally and it seems to be mounted properly the cooler itself is not loose.

You mentioned changing thermal paste does not have a big impact, so how can I decrese GPU temp? I ran FurMark and it got almost to 100ºC. Only way would be a custum gpu cooler or a new case cooler?

So you'd say my BSOD is being caused by high cpu temperature?

 

[Barty1884]

Has the head of the screw been damaged? Like this:

If so, that's going to be tough to remove.

It sounds like your CPU cooler is failing (not cooling sufficiently), which can happen in time.
The only way to improve the cooling of your CPU would be an aftermarket cooler.
Case cooling (intake & exhaust fans) will play very little part in this.

I can't say definitively, but it's an educated guess. Your temps are going 10+'C past the 'safe' temps as per AMD. Without lowering the temps, we can't really troubleshoot any further (and I doubt you'd have to. I'd say 99.9% chance a replacement cooler would fix this issue).

 

[Marco_31]

Yeah, that is exactly what happened.

Well ok then, thanks for helping me out. I will see if I can get another cooler to replace this one. Im pretty disappointed with this, I can't play for more than an hour without a BSOD sometimes even less. It was all good just couple of weeks ago.. damn. This PC is almost 6yo though and it still manages to run BF4 with 60fps (low ofc)... xD

Thanks again.

edit:
Managed to overcome the BSOD by underclocking my gpu to 400/900 my temp stays around 70 on load, until I get a new cooler this will have to do it.
My 965 is also underclocked to 2.2ghz just to be sure.

Lost 10 fps on BF4 but its still above 60 (with minor fluctuations). Temperature was def. the problem here.

I still have not been able to remove the stripped screw. I dont have the proper tools and the work-arounds ive tried havent worked yet.