Gaming Sudden BSODs

[Excellentnuke]

Starting Saturday, my computer has been getting BSODs, forcing me to use my Ubuntu partition when I need to use the computer for long periods of time. My computer is running Windows 7 and has been perfectly fine for months. The BSOD says something about memory then instantly restarts. I'm running a virus scan right now using ESET NOD32. Any ideas?

 

[xmrnogatcox]

if you have more than one stick of RAM, try pulling out one stick at a time to try to determine if you have a bad stick. If the error was about a page fault or paging, you might want to run a diagnostics to see if you have bad sectors on your hard drive.

try the RAM first though.

also, write down the error code if it BSODs again. Therels nothing like taking a shot in the dark when trying to fix a computer.. Lol

 

[p1ngpong]

It sounds like it could be a RAM problem. If you have more then one module try testing them out individually to see if the problem still occurs. Also try testing the different RAM slots, I had a similar problem with one of my old laptops when one slot failed. Also running MEMTEST to stress test you RAM and find out if they have any problems is a good idea, if you can stop your PC BSOD'ing long enough to do so.

 

[Excellentnuke]

I have 3GB of RAM on my laptop. It's a Dell XPS M1530, so I don't think it should be a problem since it came pre-made.

The most recent BSOD I got was yesterday while watching anime using VLC. Apparently, I also got one at night when I left my computer on. I have no idea what's going on with my computer.

 

[Quanno]

Pre-made doesn't mean everything.
It's best to do the RAM.

 

[Originality]

All RAM gets old and sometimes a little temperamental. But yeah, follow the above advice: MEMTEST to check that the RAM is fine, then disk diagnostics incase the HDD is going bad. You might also want to try taking the HDD completely out, wiping any dust off it, then putting it back (reseating to clear any static), then do the same for the RAM. It might help.

And as I mentioned in another thread, look in the BIOS settings to see if there's a setting for "Halt on Errors" or words to that effect. There might be a similar setting in MSCONFIG but I'm not sure. Anyway, it should stop the laptop from resetting automatically on BSoD, allowing you to at least write down whatever information it gives you.

 

[Lee79]

Windows 7 has a built in memory tester aswell if you didn't know it is called MdSched.exe paste it into Start Button Search.

 

[Raki]

If it's working while using Ubuntu it's most likely not the RAM. Do you use the factory installed windows? Those are often crappy installs and tend to do a lot of shit...(e.g. my ASUS Laptop even manages to wake up from suspend2disk with the preinstalled windows )

And write down the errorcode as mentioned before

 

[Excellentnuke]

If it's working while using Ubuntu it's most likely not the RAM. Do you use the factory installed windows? Those are often crappy installs and tend to do a lot of shit...(e.g. my ASUS Laptop even manages to wake up from suspend2disk with the preinstalled windows )

And write down the errorcode as mentioned before

I'm using an install of Windows 7 that I did from scratch a few months ago.

 

[Excellentnuke]

Sorry if I'm not allowed to double post. My topic has been inactive for a while and I have new info.

The BSODs are continuing. I ran a memory test using Windows' tester and didn't get any results. Also, the BSODs have various reasons for errors. I'll try to record them, but the latest one I got had something to do with "page" or something. I don't remember because I was gonna finish something up before sleeping when I suddenly got a BSOD.

 

[Originality]

As mentioned above, you should scan your HDD for bad sectors.

Random thought, are there any devices you're using that're connected to the laptop, like USB mice or even a laptop cooler?

 

[Excellentnuke]

A USB mouse and external HD are connected. They were also connected under Linux. And the crashes seemed to have started after Windows offered to scan and attempt to fix bad sectors on my hard drive. Is there a 3rd party program that'll do that for me?

 

[Originality]

Interesting... One of my laptops is peculiar in that it (in rare cases) gets very unstable when USB devices are plugged in - specifically a USB mouse into USB port 4, or an old laptop cooler in either USB port 2 or 3. That all got fixed after I upgraded the CPU, taking the opportunity to clear the dust from the mobo (static and caking heat does not make for a happy laptop), and upgraded to Win7.

Somehow though, I don't think that applies to you. Still, as a test, just try leaving all USB ports empty incase that stops the BSoDs temporarily. In the meanwhile, try googling some disk and S.M.A.R.T diagnostic tools. SMART helps tell you roughly what the physical condition of the drive is like. I don't know any that work in Win7 though... most of my old tools are oldschool.

 

[Excellentnuke]

More info:

The BSODs I get have errors like "BAD_POOL_HEADER" and "IRQL_NOT_LESS_EQUAL". Google hasn't come up with much, so does anyone have any idea?

 

[steve-p]

probably caused by a bad update to 7 or some autostart app like a vurus scanner.

i read the other day some stupid antivirus update was flagging & moving systemfiles!!

 

[Originality]

I definitely think it's the hard drive, or at least the system files on the hard drive. Something has become corrupted along the way, and every time the hard drive is pointed to that corrupted part, you get BSoD.

I could be wrong. There are software methods to find and check these things but I don't know them.

If it were me, I'd grab another laptop drive (since I've a few floating around) and have it copy everything from one drive to the other, then try that. Otherwise, I'd go for a fresh install of windows, but I imagine you'd want to backup your files first (there's a microsoft program that can save all your user settings and stuff, but not program settings - designed for upgrading from vista to 7 or 7 to 7).

 

[Rydian]

Get us the exact codes from the error.

 

[Excellentnuke]

Thanks for the help, but I reformated and the problem was fixed.