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Diagnosing the cause of recent BSODs: Possibly my 9600GT card?

tgp1994

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Hi everyone.

For about the past three weeks, I have suddenly been experiencing a large number of BSODs. For the past three-four years of me using my computer, I may have only seen two. But this sudden onslaught seems to indicate something going amiss.

The most recent BSOD included nv4_disp.dll as part of the error, which indicates to me that the graphics card may have been causing these. In detail, the BSOD read:

nv4_disp.dll

PAGE_FAULT_IN_NON_PAGED_AREA 0x00000050 (0xC0916E7C, ...)

At the moment I'm running a benchmark with Furmark, while monitoring various vitals with GPU-Z. I average about 12 FPS, so the card has to be working hard, (99% GPU load, about 53% memory controller load), but what's weird is, the only fan that ends up working harder is my CPU fan. The graphics card fan speed never changes, and I'm pretty sure it should change automatically, with the GPU temperature rising from 51 degrees C to 59 degrees C over the stress testing period.

Furmark has been running for about 9 minutes now, and it just doesn't seem to be pushing my card hard enough. I can't seem to force my computer to BSOD :S (By the way, these BSODs have been occuring pretty much randomly, from me logging in one day, to my sister playing the Sims 3 the next day.)

So I'm hoping someone may be able to help me with first targeting the issue, then solving it.

Thanks!

P.S. Here's some system info:

  • Windows XP Home SP3
  • 2GB system memory
  • ECS GeForce 9600 GT w/ 1GB, at stock speeds: 650 MHz core clock, 900 MHz Mem clock, 1.6GHz shader clock
  • Intel Core 2 Duo Dual Core @ 2.33GHz
  • Maximum temperature achieved on GPU while stress testing: 50 degrees C
  • BIOS version: 62.94.3C.00.65
  • Driver: 6.14.12.5721 (FWare 257.21)

EDIT: Just noticed, I have my Shared underclocked, 25 MHz under the default clock speed. I was using nTune at one point, but it's been gone for awhile now.
 
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Fourstaff

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Your power supply? Sometimes, you might be using a power supply which fails to give enough juice to the graphics card, causing it to crash. Since you have done Furmark, I don't think its the PSU. Maybe the graphics driver is corrupted, try reinstalling it?

Edit: welcome to TPU
 

cheezburger

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the driver seem to be corrupted during the hard drive fragment. or else you have virus infection.
 

tgp1994

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I'm glad to be here :)

I'll go download and reinstall the driver ASAP. (I would also doubt the PSU, failing right now seems kind of unusual.)

EDIT: Seems like nividia released a driver update right under my nose! I was running 257, and it seems like 258 has been out since july. (Does anyone else find their naming system a little weird? 6.14.12.5721 == 257.21 == GeForce/ION Driver Release 255?)
 

tgp1994

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Just got another BSOD today.

IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL

STOP: 0x0000000A (0x0055F754, ...)

Could a mod possibly move this into a more general support section?

P.S. This occurred about 2 minutes after I logged in.
 
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Found this
Some of you may have been stunned when you suddenly got a blue screen error that says "Irql_not_less_or_equal". A windows blue screen appears with that exact message and in an instant your machine crushes, forcing you to reboot. The blue screen of death (BSOD) error is either caused by a buggy device driver or a hardware problem. There are a myriad of reasons why this problem occurs.

The first cause of this problem is that your computer may have overheated too much. Check whether your computer temperature is too high and as a remedy have a cooling fan fixed to it.

However, the major cause for your computer showing such a blue screen error Irql_Not_Less_Or_Equal may have to do with your Windows registry, especially the HAL (Hardware abstraction layer).The HAL is a process in the windows registry that is designed to act as the communication link between the drivers and the hardware. When your registry is corrupted, HAL's communication with the hardware is hampered. This causes your computer to hang and give you the BSOD error. This problem requires a rather talented geek to solve it but with a bit of hard work and luck you could as well solve it. As a first step, scan your computer with a registry repair program that is able to fix problems in the HAL layer. Also, if have loaded a new device driver, you could try to remove it and see if the problem goes away or persists.

As you can see, the error isn't that hard to fix once you follow these easy instructions.

Fixing Blue Screen is easy to do with registry cleaner. If you scan your computer it will detect all the errors in your registry and safely remove them.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Logan_Yanany
 
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I could be wrong, but I'm fairly sure that is a v-ram memory bsod. Try buying some cheap ram heat sinks : ]

Also try re-applying thermal interface on the gpu if you havn't already.
 

95Viper

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You might want to replace your TIM and remount your cpu cooler(and, possibly your GPU cooler), if you have not done so, lately. Since you have been using the computer for 3 or 4 years.
Clean it out, too(remove any and all dust bunnies).
Re-seat your memory.

Then run Realtemp and Prime95-OCCT-etc. to test and check temps.
Also, for sh*tz and grins run memtest or memtest86 to test the ram for possible errors.

Have you installed any software lately... try, un-installing it and see if the BSODs go away.

Just a couple of ideas.:)
 
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tgp1994

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You might want to replace your TIM and remount your cpu cooler(and, possibly your GPU cooler), if you have not done so, lately. Since you have been using the computer for 3 or 4 years.
Clean it out, too(remove any and all dust bunnies).
Re-seat your memory.

Then run Realtemp and Prime95-OCCT-etc. to test and check temps.
Also, for sh*tz and grins run memtest or memtest86 to test the ram for possible errors.

Have you installed any software lately... try, un-installing it and see if the BSODs go away.

Just a couple of ideas.:)

TIM?

I've cleaned my computer out several times since I first built it, usually when dust begins clogging my side panel fan, will indicate to me it's time to clean the computer :) (I run a very nice air filter about ~25 feet from me whenever I'm down here, so dust hasn't been too much of a problem for awhile :))

For some reason, I'm getting this odd feeling that I'm not using standoffs between my motherboard and the tray. Is it possible that some motherboards don't need them? (I'm using an MSI P6NGM mobo.)

I'll try running the Prime95 and realtemp programs. (Already tried Memtest, that was my first guess :))

Thanks for the ideas!

I could be wrong, but I'm fairly sure that is a v-ram memory bsod. Try buying some cheap ram heat sinks : ]

Also try re-applying thermal interface on the gpu if you havn't already.

V-Ram memory BSOD? That sounds rather far off :S I believe the GPU fan includes the GPU's memory, so I think I'm ok there. I recall applying thermal paste onto the GPU just awhile ago, so I believe I'm ok there as well. (I thought I posted my results of running a graphics stress test here, didn't I? I could not, for the life of me, get my GPU's temperature to rise above 60 degrees C, nor get the fan to start working harder than idle.)

Found this
[stuff]

That was a pretty interesting read, although at some points the author's use of english confused certain meanings. (I.E. Is there a program actually named "Registry Cleaner", or did they mean to say "a registry cleaner"? I use CCleaner, so I think it's got my back in that regard.)
 
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95Viper

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TIM = Thermal Interface Material, also, known as, Heatsink compound, thermal paste, etc.:)

Just my opinion, but, I always use standoffs.

Edit: Comodo makes a nice cleaner. It is free. Use with care; know what you are cleaning, before you wipe.
 

tgp1994

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TIM = Thermal Interface Material, also, known as, Heatsink compound, thermal paste, etc.:)

Oh, ok :D Just an FYI, I've been using a paste called Artic Cooling 5 (I think :wtf:), or something along those lines. Anyhow, I hear it's one of those "professional" choices.

Just my opinion, but, I always use standoffs.

Oh, believe me, I would too. I just don't recall my motherboard coming with any :( (I think that's why I'm not using an I/O shield, the motherboard might be riding a tad low.)

Edit: Comodo makes a nice cleaner. It is free. Use with care; know what you are cleaning, before you wipe.

Alright, I just got it, and did a clean. Now I'll just have to wait for the next spontaneous BSOD :S. (Are there any programs for testing an entire system? Perhaps like a driver stress tester? I've seen the IRQL error quite a bit now, and I'm beginning to think it's a driver.)
 

tgp1994

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Got another BSOD just the other day;

PAGE_FAULT_IN_NON_PAGED_AREA

0x00000050 (0xC0916E7C, ...)


Any other ideas?
 
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You rly need standoffs . What do you mean anyway "you don`t think there are standoffs" ? Is it a prebuilt ? One last thing running an overclock or not ?
 

tgp1994

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You rly need standoffs . What do you mean anyway "you don`t think there are standoffs" ? Is it a prebuilt ? One last thing running an overclock or not ?

Nah, built it myself, I just can't remember if my motherboard package came with them :( That would be kind of weird, since I think most cases would expect you to install the standoffs, placing the IO panel accordingly, but... I just dunno.
And everything shouldn't be overclocked. I used to, but I'm pretty sure all of the settings are back. In fact, GPU-Z even indicated that I have my GPU memory underclocked.
 
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Run Memtest to test your ram. Those are the exact same BSODs I was getting when one of my sticks started going bad. Just because you saw "nv4_disp.dll" in one of the BSODs doesn't mean that this is being caused by your video card. Do a google search. "MEMORY_MANAGEMENT STOP"?, "DRIVER_IRQL_IS_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL"?, "PAGE_FAULT_IN_NON_PAGED_AREA "?. Sure sounds like Ram to me.
 

tgp1994

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Run Memtest to test your ram. Those are the exact same BSODs I was getting when one of my sticks started going bad. Just because you saw "nv4_disp.dll" in one of the BSODs doesn't mean that this is being caused by your video card.

I'll try running the Prime95 and realtemp programs. (Already tried Memtest, that was my first guess :))

I really wish my memory was the problem though :\ Then I'd have an excuse to upgrade it.

timta2 said:
This post has been added by another user.

Since this is an active topic, this post has been automatically added to the thread while you were reading it. If you are replying to this thread you might want to read this post before doing so.

Wait, what?
 
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Already tried Memtest, that was my first guess

Sorry, somehow I missed that.


Originally Posted by timta2
This post has been added by another user.

Since this is an active topic, this post has been automatically added to the thread while you were reading it. If you are replying to this thread you might want to read this post before doing so.

Wait, what?



I edited the post while you were reading it.

I don't know man, I would start suspecting the motherboard (memory controller) at that point. What brand and model is it?
 

tgp1994

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Hmm.

This is all too weird, though. Don't you think I'd be noticing so many things going wrong as I'm using the computer? This only seems to occur when it boots up.
 

Fourstaff

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Nah, built it myself, I just can't remember if my motherboard package came with them :( That would be kind of weird, since I think most cases would expect you to install the standoffs, placing the IO panel accordingly, but... I just dunno.
And everything shouldn't be overclocked. I used to, but I'm pretty sure all of the settings are back. In fact, GPU-Z even indicated that I have my GPU memory underclocked.

Your mobo doesnt come with standoffs does not mean that you dont need any
 

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first open a side of the case to reduce temp and check if the problem goes away

if it doesn't, drop cpu clock a bit (to reduce memory clock)

if that doesn't help, relax the memory timings big time, run only one stick of memory

only then start reducing gpu and vga memory clock.

running out of suggestions after that .. maybe reinstall windows or strip down to the minimum components or try components one by one in another system
 

tgp1994

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Hmm...

It actually seems like it was a virus.

I was infected a couple of days ago, and literally nuked my computer with every kind of anti virus software known to man kind. I was not in the mood for giving up.

That seems to have done it - I've been able to play games for three days now and not see head nor tail of a BSOD.

Thanks, everyone, for your patience and help!
 
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