I REALLY need to find out what is wrong with my computer, but i can't find what it could possibly be.

By benjamine6
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benjamine6

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Okay, for several months now, my computer has given me bull . It freezes, It bluescreens, exedra. I can't tell you how many things i've figured. I replaced the hard drive, (TWICE!) as well as the video card, and i put thermal paste on the CPU thinking it was just overheating, etc. The only bluescreen error that i get is DRIVER NOT LESS OR EQUAL. Now i think that would be a driver problem, but it's obviously not. I've reinstalled the drivers here and there, and always kept them up to date, but never struck any luck on fixing the damn machine. So i just need help figuring out what the hell it could possibly be, I could use a program or utility that scans EVERYTHING inside the computer for possible faults, But i'm not so sure if there is a program like that out on the web.

The computer is a custom build, if that helps. I built it just after Christmas 2014.

Oh, and i snapped a photo of it when it just bluescreened around 15 minutes ago. What really burns me is i was fighting a couple of bandits in a game called Apocalypse Rising at the time of the crash, and when i get back in the game, my data is going to be reset for "Combat Logging".

 

IMG_0078.jpg

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Setnom

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The same problem kept happening to my PC. For months as well. One day, instead of using the most recent chipset drivers from Intel's website, I tried using the ones from the motherboard manufacturer's website. Never happened again.

It nagged me, using Windows 7 drivers in Windows 8, but I never had problems. Now, with Windows 10, I don't even to install anything and it works fine.

Try to update your chipset drivers, either from the MB's manufacturer's website or from the chipset maker. If it keeps crashing, try using older versions.

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farmeunit

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Memory or PSU.  If you can find an extra PSU, try it for a while.  I had a machine that kept crashing due to Intel onboard driver.  Once I replace the PSU, it never happened again.

That BSoD has pretty generic causes.  Could be several things.

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benjamine6

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I got another bluescreen, but this is different. REFERENCE_BY_POINTER

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

The problem seems to be caused by the following file: hal.dll

REFERENCE_BY_POINTER

If this is the first time you've seen this stop error screen,
restart your computer. If this screen appears again, follow
these steps:

Check to make sure any new hardware or software is properly installed.
If this is a new installation, ask your hardware or software manufacturer
for any Windows updates you might need.

If problems continue, disable or remove any newly installed hardware
or software. Disable BIOS memory options such as caching or shadowing.
If you need to use safe mode to remove or disable components, restart
your computer, press F8 to select Advanced Startup Options, and then
select Safe Mode.

Technical Information:

*** STOP: 0x00000018 (0x0000000000000000, 0xfffffa8006eddfe0, 0x0000000000000002,
0xffffffffffffffff)

*** hal.dll - Address 0xfffff80002a44401 base at 0xfffff80002a14000 DateStamp
0x4ce7c669

 

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benjamine6

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I have windows 7 btw, Home premium to be exact. I used NirSoft Bluescreenview to figure out this one. Windows XP Style bluescreen in the options menu gives me everything needed to know. But what the hell could be wrong with hal.dll? It's not corrupt or anything. This install of Windows 7 is fresh. About a week ago is when i installed it.

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eddman

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Yes, the lovely 0x0000000A BSOD.

Had it for months. It seems to be gone now apparently.

Things I'd suggest:

1) Disconnect and reconnect the SATA cables. 2) Re-sit the RAM modules and the video card. Make sure the slots are clean, no dust. 3) update the drivers, video card, LAN, sound, chipset. If didn't work, then try older versions.

Still, no luck? Could be a faulty RAM module or the PSU. Maybe the motherboard or video card, but I lean more towards the former two.

Also, have you tried a clean install?

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Tidosho

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First, try new RAM. If the issue persists, try a replacement PSU. They can cause all sorts of weird issues when the voltage rails start fluctuating, especially the 3.3v rail as that supplies the RAM. Install HWMonitor on your computer, and see if it shows you the different voltages (not all motherboards support the voltage reporting function). Post a screenshot here if you can. If they are fluctuating wildly (5v dropping to 4.1v etc) then there's a problem in your supply.

If they seem good (they're normally just above the nominal voltages with a -/+5% tolerance, so for example your 12v will be 12.2v) then you may have a motherboard voltage regulator issue. The voltages from your PSU are further regulated by circuitry on your motherboard, but I strongly feel you might have an issue in those two areas. Without being there to perform diagnostics with my electronics test equipment it's really hard to pinpoint stuff like this over the Internet, and software tools like HWMonitor don't always get things right.

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DevTech

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First, try new RAM. If the issue persists, try a replacement PSU. They can cause all sorts of weird issues when the voltage rails start fluctuating, especially the 3.3v rail as that supplies the RAM. Install HWMonitor on your computer, and see if it shows you the different voltages (not all motherboards support the voltage reporting function). Post a screenshot here if you can. If they are fluctuating wildly (5v dropping to 4.1v etc) then there's a problem in your supply.

If they seem good (they're normally just above the nominal voltages with a -/+5% tolerance, so for example your 12v will be 12.2v) then you may have a motherboard voltage regulator issue. The voltages from your PSU are further regulated by circuitry on your motherboard, but I strongly feel you might have an issue in those two areas. Without being there to perform diagnostics with my electronics test equipment it's really hard to pinpoint stuff like this over the Internet, and software tools like HWMonitor don't always get things right.

Off topic: I don't think the 3.3V does much of anything anymore although of course the mobo manufacturer can do whatever it wants. On a modern mobo the good ones anyways will create all the various voltages from the 12 volt line.

I guess that reminds me to add  to the OP's todo list:

"make sure all the extra 12V connectors are attached to the mobo and didn't wiggle loose in the last 4 months"

 

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DevTech

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You appear to have used a "shotgun" approach to diagnostics. That can produce confusing results and the variety of suggestions you will get here will multiply the effect.

1. Please make a detailed list of your hardware.

2. Did you make any changes 4 months ago when the problem started?

3. Did you overclock anything?

4. Is there a general pattern to the BSOD? such as happens during gaming, heavy usage etc.

5. How often do they happen?

6. The specific errors you are getting are traditionally very unhelpful but do indicate a fundamental hardware or software issue. Either software or hardware can cuase this.

7. The most common hardware cause is bad RAM. Can you take out your RAM one stick at a time and run for a while to see if it goes away?

8. If it is happening only in games, the GPU could have bad RAM on it or could be overheating. Also some video cards can be picky about sockets so yank the card and put it back firmly to get a good connection.

9. Make sure all the extra power connectors the mobo needs are in place and you have the full 24 pin power connector. Also check the power connectors to the video card.

10. need your system specs to speculate any more on hardware such as quality and size of PSU etc etc.

 

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DevTech

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A crazy new fix-it option that actually can work sometimes is to do the Windows 10 upgrade.

Windows 10 is extremely clever about finding the right hardware drivers and has some reasonable chance of just making the problem go away.  No way to predict or identify cases where this technique is best applied.

 

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benjamine6

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Yes, the lovely 0x0000000A BSOD.

Had it for months. It seems to be gone now apparently.

Things I'd suggest:

1) Disconnect and reconnect the SATA cables. 2) Re-sit the RAM modules and the video card. Make sure the slots are clean, no dust. 3) update the drivers, video card, LAN, sound, chipset. If didn't work, then try older versions.

Still, no luck? Could be a faulty RAM module or the PSU. Maybe the motherboard or video card, but I lean more towards the former two.

Also, have you tried a clean install?

Step 3 might have fixed my situations. I can't conclude until it continues to work well for the next week or so, but if nothing else happens, I'll make the assumption that your third step fixed my problems.

Thanks, mate.

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+devHead Subscriber²

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Step 3 might have fixed my situations. I can't conclude until it continues to work well for the next week or so, but if nothing else happens, I'll make the assumption that your third step fixed my problems.

Thanks, mate.

Wait, you mean, you were overclocking your PC, and instead of changing that, you removed and replaced a HDD twice, your video card, put thermal paste on the CPU?  And it Blue screened while you were playing a game.  Bro, you need to get some PC troubleshooting training, especially when the core of the problem was basically PEBKAC.

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benjamine6

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THis whole time, nothing needed to be replaced. Just a simple freaking chipset driver update. I updated the chipset drivers, and now it doesn't give me any more bull.

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