Random BSODs while idle

[SwizzzzZ]

Hey,

I just experience a BSOD while idle. I was a crossed the room and noticed the screen go black. I was only on youtube at that time. Restarted and windows loads, then BSOD again. Then I booted up safe mode and it happened again. I couldn't catch the error codes, they went away too fast. I haven't installed any programs in awhile or changed any hardware in years, so I'm a bit confused.

Any help would be appreciated! Thanks in advance

Intel E7500
Gigabyte GA-EP45-UD3L
G.SKill 2x2gb
HD5750

 

[himnextdoor]

If you leave the computer off for a while do the BSoD's take longer to occur?

Is your computer situated near a radiator? Dirty fans and a slight increase in ambient temperature can cause this kind of issue.

Leave the computer of for a while and let it go cold then see how long it takes for a BSoD to appear.

 

[SwizzzzZ]

If you leave the computer off for a while do the BSoD's take longer to occur?

Is your computer situated near a radiator? Dirty fans and a slight increase in ambient temperature can cause this kind of issue.

Leave the computer of for a while and let it go cold then see how long it takes for a BSoD to appear.

It's not near any source of heat and it's pretty avg temp in the computer room. I haven't cleaned it in awhile so i know the fans are are bit dusty but could that really be the issue? I will leave it off for a while and give it a good cleaning.

 

[himnextdoor]

I think I would exhaust the thermal possibilities first. I found that by taking of the side cover of my desktop some years ago, I could stop blue screens and freezes. Turned out that my computer was near a radiator that was coming into more frequent use.

I would suspect that this is a thermal/fan problem until I know it isn't and this is quite easy to check. Taking the cover off should slow down the temperature increase which would delay your BSoD.

Next on my suspect list would be recently downloaded updates. I have known of occasions where Windows Update either installed bad software or installed good software badly, leading to issues.

And yes, supposing the CPU was staying cool but the Graphics processor overheated - if the graphics processor stops operating due to thermal shutdown then a blue screen could very well be the result.

The North Bridge, drive controller, any of those chips with heatsinks or fan can fail intermittently due to temperature.

Did Windows update you graphics card recently?

 

[SwizzzzZ]

I think I would exhaust the thermal possibilities first. I found that by taking of the side cover of my desktop some years ago, I could stop blue screens and freezes. Turned out that my computer was near a radiator that was coming into more frequent use.

I would suspect that this is a thermal/fan problem until I know it isn't and this is quite easy to check. Taking the cover off should slow down the temperature increase which would delay your BSoD.

Next on my suspect list would be recently downloaded updates. I have known of occasions where Windows Update either installed bad software or installed good software badly, leading to issues.

And yes, supposing the CPU was staying cool but the Graphics processor overheated - if the graphics processor stops operating due to thermal shutdown then a blue screen could very well be the result.

The North Bridge, drive controller, any of those chips with heatsinks or fan can fail intermittently due to temperature.

Did Windows update you graphics card recently?

I let it rest for a while and also clean it thoroughly. I turned it on and it lasted for about a 30min then bsod. That is what's happening now....I log in and about 30-45min later it bsod

I can't remember exactly but the last windows update was about a week ago I think. and I don't remember any graphics card updates either.

 

[gskill support]

What model is your RAM? Test each one individually to see if they are stable.

It is also a very good idea to clean out all the dust just in case that is causing the BSOD.

Thank you
GSKILL SUPPORT

 

[himnextdoor]

I still think that this could be a heat problem. The timings seem too consistent.

While I was cleaning my fans and hovering out the dust, I would re-seat any plugs or connectors that were accessible. Disconnect then reconnect them.

Unplug the drives and re-attach them.

Removes any cards then re-insert them. I might even run some fine sand-paper over the card's edge that connects to the mobo.

Remove the memory cards and re-insert just one.

Do all this, restart and see if you still get a blue screen.

You might have to put the memory into a different slot if your PC won't start.

Are you still getting blue screens?

The fans are working, aren't they?

 

[SwizzzzZ]

What model is your RAM? Test each one individually to see if they are stable.

It is also a very good idea to clean out all the dust just in case that is causing the BSOD.

Thank you
GSKILL SUPPORT

The RAM model is F2-8500CL5D-4GBPK

I tried 1 stick at a time and each one got BSOD right at boot. Then I put both sticks in different slots in the motherboard, and got a BSOD after about 3 hrs.

I still plan on re-seating all the plugs in the case

 

[himnextdoor]

What model is your RAM? Test each one individually to see if they are stable.

It is also a very good idea to clean out all the dust just in case that is causing the BSOD.

Thank you
GSKILL SUPPORT

The RAM model is F2-8500CL5D-4GBPK

I tried 1 stick at a time and each one got BSOD right at boot. Then I put both sticks in different slots in the motherboard, and got a BSOD after about 3 hrs.

I still plan on re-seating all the plugs in the case

Give the memory card contacts a little rub with some fine sandpaper or better yet, some wire-wool.

 

[gamerk316]

...sandpaper?

OK people, back up a few steps here: Lets figure out the issue BEFORE we debug, shall we?

Download/Run BlueScreenView, and post the Bug_Check_Code and Bug_Check_String attributes (or a Screenshot, though my work filter blocks most of them). That should give me an idea what's going on.

Second thing to do is run memtest86+ for a few passes, and see if any RAM errors pop up.

 

[gskill support]

Feel free to send them in for RMA exchange to see if a new kit works better. Make sure not to damage the modules, otherwise it may void your warranty. It is just easier to get them replaced with new ones to see if that solves the issue.

http://www.gskill.com/en/rma

Thank you
GSKILL SUPPORT

 

[himnextdoor]

...sandpaper?

OK people, back up a few steps here: Lets figure out the issue BEFORE we debug, shall we?

Download/Run BlueScreenView, and post the Bug_Check_Code and Bug_Check_String attributes (or a Screenshot, though my work filter blocks most of them). That should give me an idea what's going on.

Second thing to do is run memtest86+ for a few passes, and see if any RAM errors pop up.

You mean in 'Don't try this at home' kind of way?

I have had computers come to me exhibiting randomly appearing blue screens and in many cases, particularly PC's that had had AGP and PCI installed into slots as well as the memory slots that were in use, removal of the cards and a light rub with fine sandpaper was all it took to put the system right.

Suppose memtest detects an error, does that mean that the error cannot be rectified by removing any oxide that may have built up on the contacts.

The fact is, and I know this to be true, many a replacement memory stick has been bought where a little maintenance would have sufficed. And the vendor gains a free memory stick, or the cost of one, which can then be installed into another machine... for the cost of a new stick, plus VAT, then there's the call-out charge...

Perhaps I should have mentioned that I do not recommend using an angle-grinder to clean the contacts.

And for the record, can you tell me the blue screen error-code that indicates that some device of another is overheating?

 

[gamerk316]

0x124: WHEA_UNCORRECTABLE_ERROR is the most common (NT 6.0 onward at least), though I've personally seen 0x101: CLOCK_WATCHDOG_TIMEOUT due to an overheat. I suppose 0x116 and 0x117, the VIDEO_TDR BSOD's could also be generated due to an overheated GPU, though I haven't seen an instance of that happening, yet. Final outcome I know of is a hard lockup of Windows itself (Happened on my old crappy Pentium D when it started to go). Fact is, there is no dedicated BSOD for detecting overheating, though the generated code often gives a hint.

And my issue is more of "Lets confirm the problem" first, even though I do agree that is sounds like a memory issue.

 

[himnextdoor]

And my issue is more of "Lets confirm the problem" first, even though I do agree that is sounds like a memory issue.

Which is cool but what I'm thinking is, OP starts PC which crashes fairly consistently after 30 - 45 minutes.

OP opens case to fiddle with memory, restarts and now it is three hours before he gets a crash.

I'm assuming that the case is still off the computer and that it is taking longer to over-heat because of that.

If this is not a fan problem then I would be thinking about the heat-sink for the graphics processor or the one for the North-bridge perhaps.

If it were my computer, then I would be thinking of removing all the fans and heat-sinks, giving them all a good clean, applying some new heat-sink compound to all the chips that are heat-sinked and re-seating all the heat-sinks and fans as a matter of general maintenance.

It might even be the solution to the problem.

It might not be but I'd do it anyway.