PC crash, weird graphics, need help (Solved)

[Wraith_3]

A few days back I was using my older PC (QX6700, nforce 680sli mobo, 4GB RAM, BFG Tech GTX 285 OC) started getting artifacts all over the desktop. I rebooted and it went back to normal. The day after it immediately had artifacts all over the picture when the PC first started. Then it would start and asked to run a repair. It couldn't repair. So I rebooted again and instead of the normal Windows 7 wavy flag loading screen, I got what looked like an old Windows XP loading screen, no graphic just a little green bar moving. After that the screen went blank with graphic artifacts all over it. Eventually I got the BSOD.

I figured the graphics card was bad so I tried both (was in SLI before) in my newer PC and the card I had been using did have graphic artifacts. The other card I thought had been dead, booted and worked fine other than the resolution. I didn't want to mess that up so I shut down.

So I put the card that worked back in the old PC and again got artifacts all over and it wouldn't boot. So either both of these cards are bad or the motherboard is going bad, or there's a third problem. Does this sound familiar to anyone? Here's some screenshots of what's it's doing. In this case I could see the BIOS, but sometime it's all gibberish and I can't make anything out.
BIOS screen:
http://i.imgur.com/7IfjfVY.jpg
This is right after the XP style loading bar:
http://i.imgur.com/0LQ2ni7.jpg
BSOD...
http://i.imgur.com/GhHPEcT.jpg

Here's the error message, which you can't really read in that last pic:
STOP: 0x00000050 (0xFFFFF8000000FB8F, 0X0000000000000008, 0xFFFFF8000000FB8F, 0x0000000000000000)

 

[Wraith_3]

Anybody? I figured out the file that caused the BSOD was ntoskml.exe, but my main problem is the graphics. I have to reboot multiple times before I can see the screen or else it's all gibberish on the POST screen. I know the monitor/cable is working fine, so it's something with the the graphics card(s) or mobo. Any ideas?

 

[RLGL]

easy cheap first, memtest, chg vid cable

 

[Wraith_3]

The cable is fine because I checked the monitor/cable on my main PC. I never even thought of the memory though. I just searched how to check it and one of the problems sounds exactly what I'm experiencing. I'll check that tomorrow. I hope that's it, because it's cheaper than a mobo! Thanks!

 

[DAPUNISHER]

It could be bad ram, or you could just need a hotfix patch for "This issue occurs because a pool corruption occurs in the Srvnet.sys file"

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us...ror-in-windows-7-or-in-windows-server-2008-r2

 

[Pick2]

How old is your Power Supply? Bad caps / lots of ripple on the 12 volt rail will do ALL kinds of weird things.

 

[Wraith_3]

PSU is the newest thing in it, so I doubt it's that. It's a Corsair 1000w, one of the newer ones with modular plugs. I'm going to run Memtest86 later. I tried the stupid Windows Memory Diagnostic thing, but it never gave me results, then tried to boot to Windows. Then Event Viewer didn't show the results either, which it's supposed to. I pulled all DIMMs and tested them one by one, with the same graphic artifacts, so either it's not the memory, the slot I tested is bad, or it's something else.

I ran Bluescreen View and it showed a file called ntoskml.exe caused the Windows BSOD. From the little I looked up, one of it's jobs is memory management, so that might be another thing pointing at memory. Not sure yet.

 

[Wraith_3]

Okay I ran Memtest for like 4 hours and it did 4 passes with zero errors. So I'm guessing memory is fine. I cleared CMOS and no change. I did notice that during boot the device list says all four memory controllers' IRQ is NA, as well as SMBus cntrlr is NA. I don't remember if they should have an IRQ, but it seems odd when the problem looks like something described as a memory problem and then those are NA. Anymore ideas?

 

[DAPUNISHER]

Okay I ran Memtest for like 4 hours and it did 4 passes with zero errors. So I'm guessing memory is fine. I cleared CMOS and no change. I did notice that during boot the device list says all four memory controllers' IRQ is NA, as well as SMBus cntrlr is NA. I don't remember if they should have an IRQ, but it seems odd when the problem looks like something described as a memory problem and then those are NA. Anymore ideas?

Reinstall drivers and try the hot fix if you have not done so.

 

[Wraith_3]

Will do, I forgot that the other day. I did reinstall drivers with the same results. The more I find online about this, and after testing the RAM, it sounds like a graphics card issue. I found one cheap so I may go ahead and get it just to rule that out.

 

[Ketchup]

It really does sound like the video cards are done.

 

[Wraith_3]

I went ahead and got a card for $30 on eBay so we'll see. Fingers crossed. So even if that's not it or if the card doesn't last long I'm not out a bunch of money.

The hotfix and new driver (which I thought I did, but didn't) both say they won't install in Safe Mode. I don't get how they make a fix for a crash, but it can only be installed in Windows, which you can't boot into because of the crash the fix is for!

 

[Comdrpopnfresh]

Clean the heatsinks thoroughly with pressurized air, and check the PCI-e contact for corrosion or salts (clean with 90%+ Iso if there is any). Try running a Linux Live CD and running something graphics intensive. If you use a completely static OS to stress the hardware and do not have the same symptoms, you can rule out hardware.

 

[Wraith_3]

I got the replacement, used card today and it booted right up. So it was the video card. I'm glad it was a cheap solution. Thanks for all the help and suggestions!

 

[DAPUNISHER]

Thanks for posting your solution, it will help others.