Blue Screen Problems

[BinaryMage]

Hello all. I have been plagued with frequent BSODs on my main computer. (see system specs for details) I am getting "Page Fault in Nonpaged Area", or the 0x50 stop error, blue-screens.
What I read on Google suggested that this blue-screen indicated a memory or hard drive error. I ran memtest86+, which passed, and chkdsk, which found no problems. I took all of my components down to stock clocks, and that didn't help. Does anyone have any experience or advice as to what I should try next?

[timta2]

How long did you let memtest run for? I would let it run overnight. Did you try running something like Intel Burn Test? It sounds like you took the steps I would suggest. I had that same motherboard (and E8400) and when I had that BSOD it was always memory related.

[BinaryMage]

Originally Posted by timta2

Run Memtest and test your memory.

Please read my post. I clearly stated that I did.

[timta2]

Originally Posted by BinaryMage

Please read my post. I clearly stated that I did.

You responded too fast

[Asylum]

Try running it with 1 memory stick and see if it still does it.
If so try the next one and so on.

[Israar]

Originally Posted by BinaryMage

Hello all. I have been plagued with frequent BSODs on my main computer. (see system specs for details) I am getting "Page Fault in Nonpaged Area", or the 0x50 stop error, blue-screens.
What I read on Google suggested that this blue-screen indicated a memory or hard drive error. I ran memtest86+, which passed, and chkdsk, which found no problems. I took all of my components down to stock clocks, and that didn't help. Does anyone have any experience or advice as to what I should try next?

Hey mate, sorry to hear you're having a BSOD error, lets hope we can get you to the bottom of it!

Have you tried or been able to load Safe-Mode up? (F8 just after POST)? Also have you added new hardware or installed any recent driver updates at all?

Considering the tests you've tried, I'm going to assume it's a situation I tend to see at the Computer Clinic I work at part time, in the cases I've found BSOD occurrences, I've often found that it's driver-based errors, graphics drivers the majority of the times. If you can load safe-mode, you can roll back the recent drivers, if not then either a system restore or a reinstallation of windows tends to be the way.

People may have other ways around it but I tend to just go for a straight reinstallation if safe-mode and driver rollbacks don't work out.

Originally Posted by timta2

How long did you let memtest run for? I would let it run overnight. Did you try running something like Intel Burn Test? It sounds like you took the steps I would suggest. I had that same motherboard (and E8400) and when I had that BSOD it was always memory related.

I don't mean to be harsh or sound it mate, but you don't really need more than one pass of memtest, a full pass should be more than ample really, as bad or faulty memory spits out errors more or less from the get-go. BSOD tend to normally be driver based errors, most BSOD I get at the computer shop mostly relate to operating system faults (drivers ) -- Generally a re-install or restore repairs it, next to that is memory

--Lee

[BinaryMage]

Originally Posted by Asylum

Try running it with 1 memory stick and see if it still does it.
If so try the next one and so on.

I ran memtest86+ on each of my sticks individually and they all passed.

Originally Posted by Israar

Hey mate, sorry to hear you're having a BSOD error, lets hope we can get you to the bottom of it!

Have you tried or been able to load Safe-Mode up? (F8 just after POST)? Also have you added new hardware or installed any recent driver updates at all?

Considering the tests you've tried, I'm going to assume it's a situation I tend to see at the Computer Clinic I work at part time, in the cases I've found BSOD occurrences, I've often found that it's driver-based errors, graphics drivers the majority of the times. If you can load safe-mode, you can roll back the recent drivers, if not then either a system restore or a reinstallation of windows tends to be the way.

People may have other ways around it but I tend to just go for a straight reinstallation if safe-mode and driver rollbacks don't work out.

My computer can boot, and it runs fine for awhile; it just blue-screens at the seemingly most inconvenient moments. I actually have reinstalled Windows, partially for other reasons, but I had BSOD issues both before and after. Videocard driver updates have also done nothing. Maybe an evil spirit lives inside my computer...

[Israar]

Originally Posted by BinaryMage

My computer can boot, and it runs fine for awhile; it just blue-screens at the seemingly most inconvenient moments. I actually have reinstalled Windows, partially for other reasons, but I had BSOD issues both before and after. Videocard driver updates have also done nothing. Maybe an evil spirit lives inside my computer...

Do you have anything like Norton installed on the system you're running? Also do you have any other memory modules you can try to run as a process of elimination?

--Lee

[BinaryMage]

Originally Posted by Israar

Do you have anything like Norton installed on the system you're running? Also do you have any other memory modules you can try to run as a process of elimination?

--Lee

No Norton, I have ESET Smart Security. As for memory modules, I initially had 4 2GB modules installed. That blue-screened & failed memtest. Tested all of them individually; they all passed. Took one out, tryed the four possible combinations of three others. That didn't work. Finally switched to 2 2GB modules; that worked for awhile, but now I'm having BSODs again. I wonder if something is wrong with my motherboard...

[Asylum]

Have you tried reformating your harddrive with fresh install?
I would try that before i rmaed my board.

[95Viper]

IMO, it is the memory you are using.

I have a Gigabyte GA-x48-DS4 and it hated the OCZ memory and I changed to GSkill sticks and never had anymore problems. The memory would pass every test I threw at it.

I would get the same messages as the OP and random blue screens. The would not OC worth a cr*p. GSkills = trouble gone.

If you google around... you find others with the same trouble and over at OCZ they will help, but eventually they will say - It is your motherboard! But, mine is still cookin'. They were wrong.

Anyway, I ramble: try this thread for some info... Best Timings for Asus P5Q! --> NOW UD3P!! or try some different ram.

Don't take this post wrong; as, I don't believe there is anything wrong with OCZ or Gigabyte. It just seems to be a incompatible combination in some instances.

[BinaryMage]

Originally Posted by Asylum

Have you tried reformating your harddrive with fresh install?
I would try that before i rmaed my board.

RMA isn't an option; it's out of warranty. I did a fresh install, as I mentioned earlier, and that did not fix the problem. Even if it had, it still doesn't explain the weird memory behavior.

Originally Posted by 95Viper

IMO, it is the memory you are using.

I have a Gigabyte GA-x48-DS4 and it hated the OCZ memory and I changed to GSkill sticks and never had anymore problems. The memory would pass every test I threw at it.

I would get the same messages as the OP and random blue screens. The would not OC worth a cr*p. GSkills = trouble gone.

If you google around... you find others with the same trouble and over at OCZ they will help, but eventually they will say - It is your motherboard! But, mine is still cookin'. They were wrong.

Anyway, I ramble: try this thread for some info... Best Timings for Asus P5Q! --> NOW UD3P!! or try some different ram.

Don't take this post wrong; as, I don't believe there is anything wrong with OCZ or Gigabyte. It just seems to be a incompatible combination in some instances.

Thanks, that's useful. Question: That thread seems to suggest that 2.1V is correct for these modules. Is that the case? My BIOS has them at 1.8V, and 2.1V seems like it would be too much of an increase.

[95Viper]

Try them at 2.0 at first. Or, bump them a little at a time to see if it will go stable.

[OneMoar]

Originally Posted by BinaryMage

RMA isn't an option; it's out of warranty. I did a fresh install, as I mentioned earlier, and that did not fix the problem. Even if it had, it still doesn't explain the weird memory behavior.



Thanks, that's useful. Question: That thread seems to suggest that 2.1V is correct for these modules. Is that the case? My BIOS has them at 1.8V, and 2.1V seems like it would be too much of an increase.

there rated to 2.1v 1.8 is WAYYY to low for 1066

[OneMoar]

Originally Posted by OneMoar

there rated to 2.1v 1.8 is WAYYY to low for 1066

pagefaults = memory

[Israar]

Originally Posted by OneMoar

there rated to 2.1v 1.8 is WAYYY to low for 1066

I must admit, I skipped this question, I used to use Corsair XMS3 now using Kingston, the XMS3 didn't like 1.5v one bit, they needed to be set at 1.8v, though with the trouble I had with them, it just did my head in.

From what the other folks have said here, I'd definitely try upping the voltage to the rated 2.1v incrementally mate, although I would also recommend using another branded or value memory module just to eliminate the modules themselves.

As another said, OCZ are a good brand, I like them myself personally and had no trouble what so ever, though there has been a case where I found out today that a client had major trouble like you and he used OCZ memory modules, his problems all went away by swapping to Kingston. I'm not trying to get you to use Kingston, all I'm saying is that I would highly recommend trying a different brand of memory, as have others stated also

It's the only way you are really going to eliminate the memory modules.

Originally Posted by OneMoar

pagefaults = memory

+1

BinaryMage, is there any chance of an update maybe? Hope we can get you sorted as soon as possible!

--Lee

[BinaryMage]

Originally Posted by Israar

I must admit, I skipped this question, I used to use Corsair XMS3 now using Kingston, the XMS3 didn't like 1.5v one bit, they needed to be set at 1.8v, though with the trouble I had with them, it just did my head in.

From what the other folks have said here, I'd definitely try upping the voltage to the rated 2.1v incrementally mate, although I would also recommend using another branded or value memory module just to eliminate the modules themselves.

As another said, OCZ are a good brand, I like them myself personally and had no trouble what so ever, though there has been a case where I found out today that a client had major trouble like you and he used OCZ memory modules, his problems all went away by swapping to Kingston. I'm not trying to get you to use Kingston, all I'm saying is that I would highly recommend trying a different brand of memory, as have others stated also

It's the only way you are really going to eliminate the memory modules.



+1

BinaryMage, is there any chance of an update maybe? Hope we can get you sorted as soon as possible!

--Lee

Thank you guys very much, this is super helpful. I will kick the voltage on my RAM modules up to 2.1V and see if that solves the problem.

EDIT: Running @ 2.0V. Didn't want to risk damaging the modules. Hopefully this will work! Thanks again everyone!

EDIT #2: Alas, that did not fix my problem; another blue screen occurred. Any other ideas?