Question Hal.dll and ntoskrnl.exe + HID crashing PC?

[BinaryGreen]

So I've owned GTA5 for a few weeks, but starting on the 10th, randomly while playing, my game froze (sound still played), and a small directx window popped up saying my display driver had crashed. I closed the box, and the game quit. Apparently the game crash was caused by nvlddmkm.sys.

Yesterday at 4:00 AM, also playing in GTA5, my game froze, and the sound stopped. My entire PC was frozen (as I couldn't alt+tab out or ctrl+alt+del) and a minute later of trying to close GTA5, my computer restarted, none of my USB (or monitor) devices worked, and had to be re-plugged back in upon reboot. I actually did not see a BSOD, but BlueScreenView did report it as one (I'll get to that later).

Specs:

N850EP6 laptop
Windows 10 Home, Version 1903
16 GB RAM
i7-8750H
GTX 1060 6GB (latest update)

I've saw on Reddit that someone owning a HyperX Cloud headset experienced this same exact issue. This was found in EventViewer:


Critical error, DriverFrameworks-UserMode (Event 10110):


<Event xmlns="

http://schemas.microsoft.com/win/2004/08/events/event

">

- <System>

<Provider Name="Microsoft-Windows-DriverFrameworks-UserMode" Guid="{2e35aaeb-857f-4beb-a418-2e6c0e54d988}" />

<EventID>10110</EventID>

<Version>1</Version>

<Level>1</Level>

<Task>64</Task>

<Opcode>0</Opcode>

<Keywords>0x2000000000000000</Keywords>

<TimeCreated SystemTime="2019-07-12T08:02:14.420966500Z" />

<EventRecordID>5006</EventRecordID>

<Correlation />

<Execution ProcessID="544" ThreadID="1092" />

<Channel>System</Channel>

<Computer></Computer>

</System>

- <UserData>

- <UMDFHostProblem xmlns="

http://www.microsoft.com/DriverFrameworks/UserMode/Event

">

<LifetimeId>{fed7142f-53ac-44eb-9fb0-abf94a008da3}</LifetimeId>

<Problem>3</Problem>

<DetectedBy>2</DetectedBy>

<ActiveOperation>3</ActiveOperation>

<ExitCode>259</ExitCode>

<Message>72448</Message>

<Status>4294967295</Status>

</UMDFHostProblem>

</UserData>

At the time of the crash, event 10111 was also generated:

Critical error, DriverFrameworks-UserMode (Event 10111):


<Event xmlns="

http://schemas.microsoft.com/win/2004/08/events/event

">

- <System>

<Provider Name="Microsoft-Windows-DriverFrameworks-UserMode" Guid="{2e35aaeb-857f-4beb-a418-2e6c0e54d988}" />

<EventID>10111</EventID>

<Version>1</Version>

<Level>1</Level>

<Task>64</Task>

<Opcode>0</Opcode>

<Keywords>0x2000000000000000</Keywords>

<TimeCreated SystemTime="2019-07-12T08:01:12.564101100Z" />

<EventRecordID>4985</EventRecordID>

<Correlation />

<Execution ProcessID="544" ThreadID="1092" />

<Channel>System</Channel>

<Computer></Computer>

</System>

- <UserData>

- <UmdfDeviceOffline xmlns="

http://www.microsoft.com/DriverFrameworks/UserMode/Event

">

<LifetimeId>{87054ad2-ca6b-4ae7-ab0c-1730ab40e2b8}</LifetimeId>

<FriendlyName>HID-compliant headset</FriendlyName>

<Location>(unknown)</Location>

<InstanceId>HID\VID_1532&PID_0504&MI_03&COL02\7&2B481298&0&0001</InstanceId>

<RestartCount>5</RestartCount>

</UmdfDeviceOffline>

</UserData>

</Event>

This is where the other person with the headset comes in. Even though I own a Razer headset, he had the same issue, an "HID-compliant headset" causing the issue. It wasn't like I was "idling" the headset and playing GTA5 without any sound, there was plenty of sound, and I'm not sure how that crashed my PC. Also, another event was generated at the same time:

Critical error, Kernel-Power (Event 41):


<Event xmlns="

http://schemas.microsoft.com/win/2004/08/events/event

">

- <System>

<Provider Name="Microsoft-Windows-Kernel-Power" Guid="{331c3b3a-2005-44c2-ac5e-77220c37d6b4}" />

<EventID>41</EventID>

<Version>6</Version>

<Level>1</Level>

<Task>63</Task>

<Opcode>0</Opcode>

<Keywords>0x8000400000000002</Keywords>

<TimeCreated SystemTime="2019-07-12T08:00:03.348474400Z" />

<EventRecordID>4929</EventRecordID>

<Correlation />

<Execution ProcessID="4" ThreadID="8" />

<Channel>System</Channel>

<Computer></Computer>

</System>

- <EventData>

<Data Name="BugcheckCode">0</Data>

<Data Name="BugcheckParameter1">0x0</Data>

<Data Name="BugcheckParameter2">0x0</Data>

<Data Name="BugcheckParameter3">0x0</Data>

<Data Name="BugcheckParameter4">0x0</Data>

<Data Name="SleepInProgress">0</Data>

<Data Name="PowerButtonTimestamp">132073919760061089</Data>

<Data Name="BootAppStatus">0</Data>

<Data Name="Checkpoint">0</Data>

<Data Name="ConnectedStandbyInProgress">false</Data>

<Data Name="SystemSleepTransitionsToOn">0</Data>

<Data Name="CsEntryScenarioInstanceId">0</Data>

<Data Name="BugcheckInfoFromEFI">false</Data>

<Data Name="CheckpointStatus">0</Data>

</EventData>

</Event>

It's weird because the first time it appeared to be a GFX-related crash, now this appears to be more of an either USB-interface-related or driver-related crash, though it could still be GFX. This so far has only happened in GTA5, and not other games I'm playing (though it may just be luck) or while doing non-game things.

The BlueScreenView dump is interesting because the things it blamed seem to correlate to the idea that it's possibly hardware / driver related (most likely driver). It seems to be caused by hal.dll, but also ntoskrnl.exe.

BlueScreenView Dump:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1fU5AHsoqL-Zj0TrQFfuNf27fF_aZ8lDc/view?usp=sharing

I've also included a DxDiag log, because it might have some useful stuff at the bottom:

DxDiag:

DxDiag.txt

drive.google.com

Precautions Taken / Things I've Done Since:

• Updated all drivers, including GFX card, Razer Synapse (allows lightning and customization on keyboard, mouse, and headset)
• Ran memtest, came back with no problems
• Ran dxdiag with no problems (except for the ones in the actual log, not the program itself)
• Ran chkdsk /r on both OS and secondary drive
• Checked Reliability Monitor for unreported errors
• Uninstalled 2 updates for Windows 1903 (because I hadn't come across any crashes prior to installing them on 7/10, the first day my game crashed)
• Disabled all bluetooth devices and all other sound devices besides my headset
• Ran the Windows audio troubleshooter (with no solution)
• Ran sfc /scannow, DISM (checkhealth, scanhealth, and repairhealth), and was able to repair corrupted files. However, the CBS.log only found some Windows Defender files corrupted, which is probably unrelated.

I'm afraid that this problem might eventually spread to other demanding games (though I haven't tested any others equally as demanding), and I really hope someone could help me with this.

 

[Colif]

can you go to c windows/minidump
copy the file(s) to documents
upload the copy from documents to a file sharing web site, and share the link here and I will get someone to convert file into a format I can read

Has it crashed since updating GPU drivers? If so, try this: https://forums.tomshardware.com/faq...n-install-of-your-video-card-drivers.2402269/

bugcode 133 - DPC Watchdog violation. Very often caused by drivers
hal.dll = hardware abstraction layer. sits between windows and hardware
ntoskrnl - windows kernel - sits between hardware and applications. Is critical part of windows, often crashes because applications ask it to do things it can't. Many times the actual cause is drivers.

 

[BinaryGreen]

can you go to c windows/minidump
copy the file(s) to documents
upload the copy from documents to a file sharing web site, and share the link here and I will get someone to convert file into a format I can read

Has it crashed since updating GPU drivers? If so, try this: https://forums.tomshardware.com/faq...n-install-of-your-video-card-drivers.2402269/

bugcode 133 - DPC Watchdog violation. Very often caused by drivers
hal.dll = hardware abstraction layer. sits between windows and hardware
ntoskrnl - windows kernel - sits between hardware and applications. Is critical part of windows, often crashes because applications ask it to do things it can't. Many times the actual cause is drivers.

Here's the minidump: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1OyIMkHuHO7QCjVrSp-U7Upf42eJX2RbY/view?usp=sharing

 

[gardenman]

Hi, I ran the dump file through the debugger and got the following information: https://pste.eu/p/kG35.html

File information:	071219-13703-01.dmp (Jul 12 2019 - 03:58:13)
Bugcheck:	DPC_WATCHDOG_VIOLATION (133)
Driver warnings:	*** WARNING: Unable to verify timestamp for nvlddmkm.sys
Probably caused by:	nvlddmkm.sys (Process: System)
Uptime:	0 Day(s), 6 Hour(s), 06 Min(s), and 02 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.

MANUFACTURER: Notebook
PRODUCT_NAME: N8xxEP6
BIOS VERSION: 1.07.09Px

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.

 

[BinaryGreen]

Hi, I ran the dump file through the debugger and got the following information: https://pste.eu/p/kG35.html

File information:	071219-13703-01.dmp (Jul 12 2019 - 03:58:13)
Bugcheck:	DPC_WATCHDOG_VIOLATION (133)
Driver warnings:	*** WARNING: Unable to verify timestamp for nvlddmkm.sys
Probably caused by:	nvlddmkm.sys (Process: System)
Uptime:	0 Day(s), 6 Hour(s), 06 Min(s), and 02 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.

MANUFACTURER: Notebook
PRODUCT_NAME: N8xxEP6
BIOS VERSION: 1.07.09Px

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.

Wait, but the BlueScreenView blamed hal.dll and ntoskrnl.exe, but this is blaming that Nvidia driver? Because the first time I crashed it let me exit my game and said it was that Nvidia driver, the second time it restarted my computer and blamed those other two things.

I don't know why updating my GPU would do anything as my game was fine even before updating it weeks prior, it might've been the new Windows update? I rolled back two updates that I installed on the 10th.

 

[gardenman]

hal.dll and ntoskrnl.exe are a part of Windows and do not cause crashes. They get blamed when the debugger (or another program) cannot find the source of the crash.

The first possible fix is to download DDU and the latest driver. Place both on your desktop. Reboot into safe mode and run DDU to remove the old driver. Boot back into normal mode and install the latest driver. This may or may not work (it often doesn't).

The next thing to try is different versions of the driver, starting with a few versions old from NVIDIA. If that doesn't work, let Windows Update install a driver. I also recommend running DDU between each of the attempts to fully remove the driver.

The NVIDIA driver may or may not be the root cause of the crash. It is what got blamed in the dump file you uploaded so I'm only taking an educated guess.

If trying different drivers doesn't help, I would next look at other drivers or hardware tests.