Problems with corruption only till computer is shutdown...

[Bearach]

Recently I updated to the 11.2 Catalyst drivers and immediately noticed I was experiencing some data corruption.

The 11.2 Catalysts have been tested extensively and have *not* caused this issue, it was just a coincidence that they coincide.

Things would not install off my hard drive at all, and would supposedly download off the internet corrupted in some cases too.

Just recently found that shutting the system down and powering back up after a few seconds shows that none of the data is corrupted and the system is fine for a while again.

I had this issue with USB a while back, and considered it a possible issue with the USB reader that I was using. It would seem USB too becomes unable to reliably open a file till it's shutdown.

I have ran extensive tests on the hard drives, in many different programs, they're both giving me issues once it starts happening.

Both are Western Digital's Cavier Green drives, and have been extended tested with Western Digital's Data lifeguard many times.

Chkdsk has been ran on each thoroughly and the data corruption seems random and once it happens a quick shutdown and power up automatically brings the system back up okay.

I'm thinking perhaps a motherboard issue? I am basically using the onboard SATA controller. Could it still be the hard drives, though 1 is less than 2 weeks old?

Going to test drives in another computer now to see if they function okay.

 

[Elixer]

Recently I updated to the 11.2 Catalyst drivers and immediately noticed I was experiencing some data corruption.

The 11.2 Catalysts have been tested extensively and have *not* caused this issue, it was just a coincidence that they coincide.

Erm, then why mention it ?

Things would not install off my hard drive at all, and would supposedly download off the internet corrupted in some cases too.

Sounds like a RAM issue or maybe even heat related.

I had this issue with USB a while back, and considered it a possible issue with the USB reader that I was using. It would seem USB too becomes unable to reliably open a file till it's shutdown.

Everything was corrupted on USB?

I'm thinking perhaps a motherboard issue? I am basically using the onboard SATA controller. Could it still be the hard drives, though 1 is less than 2 weeks old?

Going to test drives in another computer now to see if they function okay.

I would check the RAM first with memtest86+, and go from there.

 

[Bearach]

Erm, then why mention it ?

So people whom know the issue from the Video section would know it's the same issue.

Sounds like a RAM issue or maybe even heat related.

I thought that too, RAM has been tested completely too, and memtest has been run for 16 hours with no errors, OCCT (small data set) over night, IntelBurnTest for over 5 hours.

Everything was corrupted on USB?

CRC data errors would happen when trying to boot from USB, or just copying data to them till the system was shutdown totally and repowered. But? The data, and the boot up software was all perfect, even though they were put on the USB drive during the corruption.

 

[taltamir]

Just recently found that shutting the system down and powering back up after a few seconds shows that none of the data is corrupted and the system is fine for a while again.

...

Chkdsk has been ran on each thoroughly and the data corruption seems random and once it happens a quick shutdown and power up automatically brings the system back up okay.

Ok, explain this to me as I am not getting it.
You have data corruption, you restart your computer, and the corrupt data on your hard drive magically gets changed to uncorrupt data when you restart your computer?
This is what you are SAYING but that doesn't make much sense (although it could be... please clarify).

Are you sure you don't mean "files get corrupted, files don't get corrupted after a reboot"?

And you said downloaded files, could it be the internet connection? have you tried copying files?

Please use a program like quickpar, hashcalc, or something to check hashes of files. Do some file copy transfers to see if it corrupts, and clarify the restart issues.

 

[Bearach]

Ok, explain this to me as I am not getting it.
You have data corruption, you restart your computer, and the data on your hard drive magically fixes itself when you restart your computer?
This is what you are SAYING but that makes no sense.

Are you sure you don't mean "files get corrupted, files don't get corrupted after a reboot"?

And you said downloaded files, could it be the internet connection? have you tried copying files?

Please use a program like quickpar, hashcalc, or something to check hashes of files. Do some file copy transfers to see if it corrupts, and clarify the restart issue.

I'll explain it again, the files are being read wrong and issue CRC errors, even download wrong with CRC errors, when it's happening... As soon as the computer is shutdown and repowered back up? There is no CRC errors anymore (in the same files) till it randomly happens again. (When it randomly happens again, these same files from this time may not be shown as corrupted, but something else might be)

I have tried copying files, and I've done read/write tests which show that it is a random issue... and apparently, QuickDiskTest filling option can verify as errors till it's shutdown and rebooted again, the files (same files) then verified on next startup show no errors.

I also thought it was my internet connection at one point, but have tested that also and found no issues... even installed another NIC instead of using onboard, same thing happens.

When the issue is happening, if I move the data across the network? Then that data is corrupted.

 

[taltamir]

ok, if file A is issuing a CRC error, and a reboot makes it read without a CRC error, then the file is not corrupted.
the data in that file is correct on the drive since the HDD will not magically alter the data on a reboot.
What you are having is significant read errors. This rules out the internet & NIC. Assuming that the CRC errors are local and not something you see on trasmission.

Speaking of, what exactly is throwing the CRC errors? windows itself?

next time, can you try running hashcalc on a file showing this issue. Try doing it 10 times in a row for a large file (several gigs). Note the hashes (just one type is enough, but not CRC, too short. any other hash is good). Then reboot and hash calc that same file 10 times again.

http://www.slavasoft.com/hashcalc/index.htm

If the USB sticks AND HDD do it at the same time then it cannot be the HDDs. I would look into:
1. OS - reinstall
2. PSU
3. Mobo
4. Ram
5. CPU

I think PSU is a likely culprit, getting unstable power after long operating time causing errors. A shut of for a few seconds is the rest it needs to be stable (for a little while) again.
Note, if you have this issue while installing the OS or any OS updates (via windows update) then you likely have corrupt OS files and should reinstall the OS. When you are done fixing the problem a clean install of the OS is recommended.

 

[Bearach]

ok, if file A is issuing a CRC error, and a reboot makes it read without a CRC error, then the file is not corrupted.
the data in that file is correct on the drive since the HDD will not magically alter the data on a reboot.
What you are having is significant read errors. This rules out the internet & NIC. Assuming that the CRC errors are local and not something you see on trasmission.

Speaking of, what exactly is throwing the CRC errors? windows itself?

next time, can you try running hashcalc on a file showing this issue. Try doing it 10 times in a row for a large file (several gigs). Note the hashes (just one type is enough, but not CRC, too short. any other hash is good). Then reboot and hash calc that same file 10 times again.

http://www.slavasoft.com/hashcalc/index.htm

Okay, will do... also, the reboot has to be powered down, if that makes sense. A simple restart doesn't work.

 

[taltamir]

Okay, will do... also, the reboot has to be powered down, if that makes sense. A simple restart doesn't work.

it does makes sense; in fact it makes more sense then a restart without having to be powered down for a little while.
It points at a hardware issue, probably PSU; although CPU, RAM, mobo are also possible.
I saw this on your previous posts and was editing it into my post while you replied to it

 

[Bearach]

it does makes sense; in fact it makes more sense then a restart without having to be powered down for a little while.
It points at a hardware issue, probably PSU. I saw this on your previous posts and was editing it into my post while you replied to it

Gah! I have only just bought this PSU... I sure hope it's not, anyway of testing without any special tools? Already was going to reinstall everything once I know the issue is gone, have reinstalled Windows a lot of times thus far testing the 11.2s and other things.

 

[taltamir]

Just bought it? about when then the problems started maybe?
What PSU is it exactly (the vast majority lie about their capacity, claiming double or more what they can handle) and what kind of CPU and GPU do you have? (RAM, mobo, and HDD take insignificant amounts of power compared to CPU and GPU)

And I wouldn't bother with specialized tools... Simply get another PSU from a friend, buying it at somewhere with a generous return policy (keep it if it fixes the problem, return if it does not; as long as their return policy allows that then it isn't fraud. Many places WILL allow that), or RMAing your current PSU to the manufacturer.

 

[Bearach]

Just bought it? about when then the problems started maybe?
What PSU is it exactly (the vast majority lie about their capacity, claiming double or more what they can handle) and what kind of CPU and GPU do you have? (RAM, mobo, and HDD take insignificant amounts of power compared to CPU and GPU)

And I wouldn't bother with specialized tools... Simply get another PSU from a friend, buying it at somewhere with a generous return policy (keep it if it fixes the problem, return if it does not; as long as their return policy allows that then it isn't fraud. Many places WILL allow that), or RMAing your current PSU to the manufacturer.

I bought due to my old OCZ taking out 2 graphics card... It's been in the system since near the end of December, once installed the system was rock solid (although the USB issue? I've always had, right from the day I got the board) The PSU is Corsair TX650W, the CPU is Phenom II X4 965 @ 3.4Ghz, Graphics card is Asus 6850 DirectCU and the memory is 2x 4GB OCZ DDR3 1333 CL9.

 

[taltamir]

That is a good PSU, actually it is more then you need with your kind of system. It is still possible for it to have gone bad.
I would try a new PSU, and if that doesn't do the trick them mobo followed by CPU and RAM.

You just need to replace parts until the problem is gone.

 

[Elixer]

I'll explain it again, the files are being read wrong and issue CRC errors, even download wrong with CRC errors, when it's happening... As soon as the computer is shutdown and repowered back up? There is no CRC errors anymore (in the same files) till it randomly happens again. (When it randomly happens again, these same files from this time may not be shown as corrupted, but something else might be)

If it OK on cold boots, then this really makes me think of heat issues.
What kind of temps is your CPU & system ?

If the voltages of the PSU are on the mark when you stress test it (run linpack or OCCT), then I wouldn't even bother trying a new PSU unit, unless you happen to have another one around.

 

[Sunfox]

I remember something like this I had a long, long time ago. I mean Windows 95 days. I was getting corrupted data reading from a CD - couldn't even install Windows. Eventually I discovered that if I only had half as much memory installed, everything was fine. However all memory tested perfect. Turned out to be a defective motherboard - replaced it with another of the same model, and everything was fine.

More recently (Pentium 4 3.2GHz days), I had a problem where over the span of a year, a system started BSODing more and more often. Eventually I couldn't get it to finish booting. I ended up replacing absolutely every piece of hardware in the system - new RAM, motherboard, hard drive, video card, power supply... eventually it came down to one thing left. The CPU. And that turned out to be the problem - the CPU was actually defective (never O/C'd).

Since I'm not the kind of guy who buys something, uses it, and then tries to return it, I ended up with 2 nearly identical PCs.

 

[Bearach]

Thank you everyone for your help, and after a week of testing with a stable system I can confirm it was my memory. Despite passing memtest constantly and always, the memory was what was causing my issue.

11.2 Catalyst's didn't cause the issue, but did have an effect on making the issue more frequent, and brought it to my attention. PSU change didn't work, in fact it got worst.

I didn't want to confirm it was okay till I tested for at least a week. (Didn't want to make the mistake of thinking it was okay, just cause it was okay for a day or so.)

I thought it was an issue with memory, but discounted it at first due to the long runs of stability tests and memtest without errors.

 

[taltamir]

I thought it was an issue with memory, but discounted it at first due to the long runs of stability tests and memtest without errors.

While it does make it much less likely that the RAM is the issue, its not 100% guarantee... but if it did that I would leave ram switching to last unless you have some spare on hand.

11.2 Catalyst's didn't cause the issue, but did have an effect on making the issue more frequent, and brought it to my attention. PSU change didn't work, in fact it got worst.

Since you know it has to be hardware (you reformatted multiple times) and you know that the PSU change made things worse then you are making good progress in solving it.
Now you just have to try replacing the CPU, mobo, and RAM.

BTW, are there any peripherals attached that you can disconnect? sound card, USB attached stuff, etc...

 

[Bearach]

While it does make it much less likely that the RAM is the issue, its not 100% guarantee... but if it did that I would leave ram switching to last unless you have some spare on hand.



Since you know it has to be hardware (you reformatted multiple times) and you know that the PSU change made things worse then you are making good progress in solving it.
Now you just have to try replacing the CPU, mobo, and RAM.

BTW, are there any peripherals attached that you can disconnect? sound card, USB attached stuff, etc...

RAM was replaced and fixed the issue, that was what I was saying in my post. Thank you though!

 

[taltamir]

RAM was replaced and fixed the issue, that was what I was saying in my post. Thank you though!

I misunderstood you then. Glad to hear you fixed the problem.