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The BSOD - New System unstable (Prime95 Error)

M

MartinFrom

Junior Member
Hello,

i have had problems with the BSOD ever since i put together my new computer about 1½ month ago.
It happens very often and seems totally random.

My new computer consists of the following:
- CPU: Intel Core 2 Quad Q9550
- Motherboard: Asus P5Q-E
- CPU Cooler: Scythe Ninja 2
- PSU: Corsair HX520
- Graphiccard: Asus EN9600GT
- Memory: OCZ Reaper PC8500 2x2 GB
- Harddrive: 2x 500 GB Seagate 7200.11

I have installed Windows Vista 64 Ultimate and have my 2 harddrives set up in Raid 1 (one of them i sent back for a replacement currently).

Everything is currently set to default in the bios, except i have changed the DRAM Voltage to 2.20 V to be sure that the Memory gets the right voltage.


I have been trying to find out what is causing the problems that makes the system give me the Blue Screen of Death all the time, but unlucky so far.

The error messages i get is either IRQL_LESS_OR_EQUAL (0xA), PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA (0x50) or MEMORY_MANAGMENT.

By looking at the stop codes it seems to be either defect hardware in form of memory in either the RAM, CPU or Graphiccard, or a Driver error.


I have tried with only one RAM dimm in the motherboard at the time, and in different slots. Also i have tried underclocking the RAM. All of it with no success.

I have run MemTest86 without any errors.


Yesterday i then decided to try to run Prime95 (25.6).
I ran with 4 threads because of the 4 cores.

First time it only ran for 6 minutes then one of the threads stopped with the following error:
FATAL ERROR: Rounding was 0.4970703125, expected less than 0.4
Hardware failure detected, consult stress.txt file.

I tried to run it 3 times afterwards. All of the times one or more (1-3 threads / cores) of the threads stopped with the following error, within 2-6 minutes:
FATAL ERROR: Rounding was 0.5, expected less than 0.4
Hardware failure detected, consult stress.txt file.

I didnt get a BSOD any of the times the threads stopped because of an error.

I had the HWMonitor and CpuZ open all the time and the CPU didnt get hotter than 56-57 Degress on one of the cores (which should be okay), it was lower on all other cores.

I have downloaded IntelBurn, but didnt dare to try it out as it should stress the CPU even more than Prime95.



I have no idea what to do now.

Can someone help me ?



Martin
 
You don't say if you've got any case fans installed, but one possible cause for this might be an overheating northbridge chipset.
Have a feel of the heatsink when you've had a BSOD. You could try running for a while with the case side left off.

Failing that, I'd be inclined to suspect the RAM

Bob
 
I have 3 big case fans (120mm) and 1 Big fan (120 mm) on the CPU Cooler.
In a Antec P180 Performance One case.




Btw.
I have the newest Bios (1306) installed.

Also i have just run 3D Mark Vantage (Trial version) without any problems.
I tried Intel Burn Test, first with the lowest settings and then 5 passes at medium and the 1 pass at Max.
I didnt experience any problems.

(But i should probably try 20 pass on max - i just wanted to test if it might be a heat problem or a problem with the power supply delivering enough power).

On core #0 it only got up to 61 degress at max.
But maybe it is the chipset as Uncle Bob writes.


It stills give me an error on one or more threads/cores when running Prime95.
 
If you've got enough cooling then that's one less thing to worry about.

Although many people use the heatsinks as handles when they're installing motherboards and can sometimes break the thermal bond between hs/chip without noticing it.

Did the errors occur before you updated the bios?, I've seen some reports that 1306 is not considered stable.

Try running some more tests with one stick of ram at a time. It's interesting that Burn Test has not produced any
fails yet but Prime95 consistently errors, although what it actually indicates I don't know.

 
hmmm, IRQL errors are normally RAM. Try running just test 5 in memtest, it seems to pick up errors a lot quicker than cycling through all the tests for me. I think the key combination to get it is c - 1 - 3 - 5 - enter - 0 or something like that. But the fact that prime95 fails when you run it on lots of cores means maybe it is CPU afterall. Have you tried bumping up CPU volts a bit and seeing if that helps? You should be ok up to 70 degrC though that is starting to get a bit on the toasty side.
 
Uncle Bob: Yes. I first updated from 0610 to 1201, and then from 1201 to 1306. It happend when i had 1201 installed but i actually dont think it happend when 0610 was installed as it was one of the first things i updated (but first after Vista was installed - and then the problems began).

I just found this post on another site http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/...57-10-qx9650-asus-bios
He is also experiencing problems with 1306.


My CPU voltage is changing between 1.10 V and 1.20 V depending on the load. Is that to low ?


Ill try testing the RAM some more now, hopefully to rule them out.
Ill leave it overnight while i am sleeping.
 
Tonight while sleeping i have run 12 passes of MemTest with everything in the bios set to default / auto (5-5-5-15 - tighter timmings), and the DRAM Voltage to 2.20 V.

It gave me 210 errors !


I then tried setting it manually to 1066 mhz, 5-5-5-18 and still 2.2 V, and within 1-2 minutes it already got the first error.


It is pretty weird though as i have earlier run 24 passes without any problems with one dimm at the time. Also no problems under Intel Burn Test or running 3D Mark Vantage (trial version).

So i better test the RAM dimms on at the time again and see what happens.



I am wondering if the bios could be the reason for the RAM errors and should i try going back to etc. the 0610 version ?


The CPU cant be the reason for the memory errors in MemTest ?
 
I have done some further Testing of the RAM.

With one dimm inserted at the time, i still got errors both when setting everything to Auto, setting them manually, or underclocking them.

I didnt get these errors last time i tested with MemTest.


I am wondering if the CPU can cause the RAM to fail when running MemTest ?

Or can i be totally sure that it is the RAM when tested with MemTest ?

Should i Try downgrading the bios to an old version ? Is there any chance that the RAM errors is caused by the Bios ?
 
Bad cache ram on the CPU *could* cause the problems you're having but CPU failures are rare. I'm still a bit concerned about your cpu temps, I don't know what Quad cpu's are supposed to run at but my dual core is currently showing cpu temps around 28C with no major cooling rig installed. The release notes on the ASUS bios updates often refer to improvements in memory compatibility so you could try downgrading your bios version. The last P5Q I saw shipped with 0703 installed so perhaps ASUS considered that a stable release and it maybe a good starting point. Whether you can downgrade I don't know, you'll have to try it and see. To make real progress though, you need to test your ram in another system. Perhaps if you let us know your general location, someone might volunteer to help you out testing your ram.



 
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