Vista Bluescreen - Hardware Failure

[outofline]

I'm getting frequent blue screens in vista that just say:

"The system encountered an uncorrectable hardware error"

*** STOP: 0x00000124 (0x00000000, 0x92561498, 0xB2000010, 0x00010C0F)


This is what I'm running:

AMD Athlon 64 3000+
1 GB RAM (2x512)
Windows Vista
Radeon X1300/X1550 series
200GB Maxtor IDE drive
400W PSU


This is what happened:

0. Situation normal, no new hardware, no new updates/drivers to my knowledge
1. Woke up, computer was off (I leave it on 24/7, so this was odd)
2. Turned on computer - had power but no post or video
3. Checked connections - same thing
4. Removed one 512 MB RAM - computer booted up but was slow
5. Added different 512 MB RAM from another PC - computer booted up, stayed on for a while then blue screened and restarted


This is the error I get after Vista starts:

Problem signature:
Problem Event Name: BlueScreen
OS Version: 6.0.6000.2.0.0.768.3
Locale ID: 1033

Additional information about the problem:
BCCode: 124
BCP1: 00000000
BCP2: 938F4A08
BCP3: B2000010
BCP4: 00010C0F
OS Version: 6_0_6000
Service Pack: 0_0
Product: 768_1

Files that help describe the problem:
C:\Windows\Minidump\Mini010308-02.dmp
C:\Users\userj\AppData\Local\Temp\WER- 55656-0.sysdata.xml
C:\Users\userj\AppData\Local\Temp\WERD59.tmp.version.txt


Current Status:

Can get into safe mode no problem and have never gotten the blue screen/hardware failure that way (with 512 or 1GB ram)
Can sometimes get into vista normally (with 512 or 1GB ram) but get the blue screen/hardware failure frequently (sometimes during log in, sometimes after 5 minutes or more)

I'm hoping someone can point me in the right direction... am I looking at a hardware failure? (RAM, CPU, Disk) or should I just try reloading vista or xp? (my data is backed up)

Thanks!

 

[cprince]

I'm thinking the RAM is bad. Use memtest86 to check.

 

[outofline]

I just ran memtest86 and chkdsk... no errors.

 

[cprince]

How long did you run memtest86? It needs to go through at least 1 pass, which can take several hours. You mentioned that the computer was off unexpectedly. This could mean a power supply issue.

 

[outofline]

I ran memtest86 right after you posted and then replied right after it finished... ~2hrs for one pass.

After that I tried an Ubuntu 6.06 live CD which worked except for the networking. I just tried Vista again... it booted fine and is now running, I'm afraid it won't be long before it blue screens again though... would a power supply failure cause a blue screen like that or just cause it to turn off?

 

[cprince]

Originally posted by: outofline
... would a power supply failure cause a blue screen like that or just cause it to turn off?

Yes. If it turns off without reporting any kind of errors then it's likely the power supply. Overheating might also has the same effect, but most of the time it's random rebooting. Try to see if you can smell something like burnt rubber from the back of the power supply.

 

[outofline]

Ok, I swapped the 400W PSU for a 480W PSU from another PC... so far so good. I'll be back if things change

Thanks for the help!

 

[outofline]

Well it ran longer than usual, but I got the same blue screen:

"A problem has been detected and Windows has been shut down to prevent damage to your computer.

The system encountered an uncorrectable hardware error." etc...

Any other ideas on how to figure this out?

 

[dclive]

Sure - debug the dump. See my website for the how-to, and report back on the output from !analyze -v.

 

[outofline]

Here is what I got:

Use !analyze -v to get detailed debugging information.

BugCheck 124, {0, 9149eb50, b2000010, 10c0f}

Probably caused by : hardware

Followup: MachineOwner
---------

kd> !analyze -v
ERROR: FindPlugIns 80070035
*******************************************************************************
* *
* Bugcheck Analysis *
* *
*******************************************************************************

WHEA_UNCORRECTABLE_ERROR (124)
A fatal hardware error has occurred. Parameter 1 identifies the type of error
source that reported the error. Parameter 2 holds the address of the
WHEA_ERROR_RECORD structure that describes the error conditon.
Arguments:
Arg1: 00000000, MCA_ASSERT
Arg2: 9149eb50, Address of WHEA_ERROR_RECORD structure
Arg3: b2000010, High 32 bits of MCi_STATUS MSR for the MCA bank that had
the error
Arg4: 00010c0f, Low 32 bits of MCi_STATUS MSR for the MCA bank that had
the error

Debugging Details:
------------------

WHEA_ERROR_RECORD: !errrec ffffffff9149eb50

BUGCHECK_STR: 0x124_AuthenticAMD

CUSTOMER_CRASH_COUNT: 1

DEFAULT_BUCKET_ID: VISTA_DRIVER_FAULT

PROCESS_NAME: PnkBstrB.exe

CURRENT_IRQL: 0

STACK_TEXT:
81ceef84 81fa6e93 00000124 00000000 9149eb50 nt!KeBugCheckEx+0x1e
81ceefa0 81cced6a 9149eb50 838e7aa0 00000001 hal!HalBugCheckSystem+0x37
81ceefc0 81fa6e52 838e7aa0 838e7bb8 81ceeff4 nt!WheaReportHwError+0x10c
81ceefd0 81fa6f73 00000003 838e7aa0 00000000 hal!HalpReportMachineCheck+0x28
81ceeff4 81fa389f 80154000 00000000 00000000 hal!HalpMcaExceptionHandler+0xc3
81ceeff4 00000000 80154000 00000000 00000000 hal!HalpMcaExceptionHandlerWrapper+0x77


STACK_COMMAND: kb

FOLLOWUP_NAME: MachineOwner

MODULE_NAME: hardware

IMAGE_NAME: hardware

DEBUG_FLR_IMAGE_TIMESTAMP: 0

FAILURE_BUCKET_ID: 0x124_AuthenticAMD

BUCKET_ID: 0x124_AuthenticAMD

Followup: MachineOwner
---------

I'm seeing AMD, VISTA_DRIVER_FAULT and a PunkBuster process...

 

[dclive]

Great. Uninstall Punkbuster and see if you can repro the issue, and debug (and post results for) that dump, if so.

 

[outofline]

Ok, punkbuster is gone and it bluescreened twice more. Below are the debug results. It doesn't seem to be related to a particular process... the first shows dwm.exe (windows manager) and the second shows Firefox...

kd> !analyze -v
ERROR: FindPlugIns 80070035
*******************************************************************************
* *
* Bugcheck Analysis *
* *
*******************************************************************************

WHEA_UNCORRECTABLE_ERROR (124)
A fatal hardware error has occurred. Parameter 1 identifies the type of error
source that reported the error. Parameter 2 holds the address of the
WHEA_ERROR_RECORD structure that describes the error conditon.
Arguments:
Arg1: 00000000, MCA_ASSERT
Arg2: 85fefa78, Address of WHEA_ERROR_RECORD structure
Arg3: b2000010, High 32 bits of MCi_STATUS MSR for the MCA bank that had
the error
Arg4: 00010c0f, Low 32 bits of MCi_STATUS MSR for the MCA bank that had
the error

Debugging Details:
------------------

WHEA_ERROR_RECORD: !errrec ffffffff85fefa78

BUGCHECK_STR: 0x124_AuthenticAMD

CUSTOMER_CRASH_COUNT: 1

DEFAULT_BUCKET_ID: VISTA_DRIVER_FAULT

PROCESS_NAME: dwm.exe

CURRENT_IRQL: 0

STACK_TEXT:
81ceef84 81fa6e93 00000124 00000000 85fefa78 nt!KeBugCheckEx+0x1e
81ceefa0 81cced6a 85fefa78 8526dde8 00000001 hal!HalBugCheckSystem+0x37
81ceefc0 81fa6e52 8526dde8 8526df00 81ceeff4 nt!WheaReportHwError+0x10c
81ceefd0 81fa6f73 00000003 8526dde8 00000000 hal!HalpReportMachineCheck+0x28
81ceeff4 81fa389f 80154000 00000000 00000000 hal!HalpMcaExceptionHandler+0xc3
81ceeff4 00000000 80154000 00000000 00000000 hal!HalpMcaExceptionHandlerWrapper+0x77

STACK_COMMAND: kb

FOLLOWUP_NAME: MachineOwner

MODULE_NAME: hardware

IMAGE_NAME: hardware

DEBUG_FLR_IMAGE_TIMESTAMP: 0

FAILURE_BUCKET_ID: 0x124_AuthenticAMD

BUCKET_ID: 0x124_AuthenticAMD

Followup: MachineOwner

kd> !analyze -v
ERROR: FindPlugIns 80070035
*******************************************************************************
* *
* Bugcheck Analysis *
* *
*******************************************************************************

WHEA_UNCORRECTABLE_ERROR (124)
A fatal hardware error has occurred. Parameter 1 identifies the type of error
source that reported the error. Parameter 2 holds the address of the
WHEA_ERROR_RECORD structure that describes the error conditon.
Arguments:
Arg1: 00000000, MCA_ASSERT
Arg2: 97e067e0, Address of WHEA_ERROR_RECORD structure
Arg3: b2000010, High 32 bits of MCi_STATUS MSR for the MCA bank that had
the error
Arg4: 00010c0f, Low 32 bits of MCi_STATUS MSR for the MCA bank that had
the error

Debugging Details:
------------------

WHEA_ERROR_RECORD: !errrec ffffffff97e067e0

BUGCHECK_STR: 0x124_AuthenticAMD

CUSTOMER_CRASH_COUNT: 2

DEFAULT_BUCKET_ID: VISTA_DRIVER_FAULT

PROCESS_NAME: firefox.exe

CURRENT_IRQL: 0

STACK_TEXT:
81ceef84 81fa6e93 00000124 00000000 97e067e0 nt!KeBugCheckEx+0x1e
81ceefa0 81cced6a 97e067e0 8526dde8 00000001 hal!HalBugCheckSystem+0x37
81ceefc0 81fa6e52 8526dde8 8526df00 81ceeff4 nt!WheaReportHwError+0x10c
81ceefd0 81fa6f73 00000003 8526dde8 00000000 hal!HalpReportMachineCheck+0x28
81ceeff4 81fa389f 80154000 00000000 00000000 hal!HalpMcaExceptionHandler+0xc3
81ceeff4 00000000 80154000 00000000 00000000 hal!HalpMcaExceptionHandlerWrapper+0x77

STACK_COMMAND: kb

FOLLOWUP_NAME: MachineOwner

MODULE_NAME: hardware

IMAGE_NAME: hardware

DEBUG_FLR_IMAGE_TIMESTAMP: 0

FAILURE_BUCKET_ID: 0x124_AuthenticAMD

BUCKET_ID: 0x124_AuthenticAMD

Followup: MachineOwner
---------

 

[cprince]

I'm thinking that it is either a driver issue or an actual hardware failure. Check to see if newer drivers are available.

 

[outofline]

Well, I had enough and since I had no reason to keep Vista, I went back to XP. So far I haven't had any problems...

 

[dclive]

http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb725851.aspx

Hardware issue. Be happy it hasn't happened yet in XP.

 

[Notorio]

I also face this problem when I move to Windows Vista x64. If it's a hardware error which could be anythin', i'm thinkin it's most likely my GPU, because the BSOD mostly happen when I was watching video. I'm already using the latest drivers for x64, so the only reason is an actual hardware failure, but I know I don't have this problem on Windows XP. When I was using Windows Vista 32 Bit I didn't have this problem also, but that was on a different system, with this new system I haven't tried Vista 32 bit to be sure.

But if there's no problem on Vista 32 bit or Windows XP, it couldn't be hardware failure right? If it only happens on Vista x64 then it could be a bad x64 driver? or the GPU itself is not actually stable with x64?

I also remember I get this BSOD even without installing any display driver, so it was using the windows default driver of some kind, that also means I can't suspect a bad driver I've used? hmmm I don't really know...