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[Dodgy]

Lately my computer has been crashing constantly, and I don't have a clue what's causing it. Was hoping that someone here with more technical expertise than I could help me identify the problem.

Most of the time I'll get a BSoD, but sometimes it just freezes. There doesn't seem to be a pattern to when it crashes, it's happened a lot when I have chrome open but sometimes it just happens when it's idle.

I've changed my graphics card and RAM and updated my drivers, and it still happens. I ran 2 half hour CPU stress tests in Prime95 and it didn't crash once, so I don't think the problem is my processor. I'm at a loss tbh, any help would be appreciated.

[CruelCow]

Google the numbers the BSOD gives you, often that can point in a good direction.

[Rct33]

Try analyzing the mini dump?

[Zarf]

Go here - http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?displaylang=en&id=8279
Download the Debugging tools.
Create the directory c:\tmp
Start WinDBG (Start - All Programs - Debugging Tools For Windows - WinDBG)
Click File - Symbol File Path and enter:

Code:

SRV*c:\tmp*http://msdl.microsoft.com/download/symbols

Click File - Open Crash Dump
Browse to c:\windows\minidump and open the most recently modified one. It'll take a little while to run, but you should see a "probably caused by" section at the bottom that'll give you more clues.

[discordance]

http://www.resplendence.com/whocrashed

has a nice gui and easy to setup just gives you one big date sorted report on everything, less work that zarfs and i assume gives the same information based on the minidumps. Just hope you aren't getting a shitty non-descript error code like I was.

[Junta]

Every single BSOD I've seen in the last 2 years has been memory related.

Problem with the dump information is that it doesn't tell you for sure if it's software OR hardware. I'd reckon on running MEMTEST dodgy, needs a good 8 hours to do several passes, could expose failed memory.

Unless you can link the BSOD's to a definite change in driver (i.e."I saw BSOD after installing driver x on DD/MM/YYYY") then I'd say do the memtest first. Free and can run overnight.

WhoCrashed is also a good app at getting extra info for non techies.

One other indication of software error is the *same* module reported as faulting all the time. With a memory error it is much more likely to "walk"... meaning various modules may be reported as the source of the fault over time.

Some things to consider:

1) Can I repeat the BSOD (i.e. a specific set of actions triggers the BSOD = more likely a driver / software error)
2) It is random, the same module always reported as causing the BSOD = maybe software driver at fault.
3) It is random, different module reported as causing the BSOD = more likely (I reckon) on faulty ram

[Tommy the Cat]

Nothing constructive to say but that sucks dude

[discordance]

i was getting wandering errors but it might actually have been a pagefile problem rather than physical memory not 100% certain, but i've not run into any problems since may when i sorted out my critical lack of space issues and moved the pagefile onto a separate drive and doubled its size. Can anyone with more windows knowledge confirm me being dumb and causing pagefile problems with lack of space could crash stuff?

[e90]

sounds like memory, cpu, or PSU

usual things, memtest (memcheck?)

if you have many sticks take out all but one, test for a while...
-if just as bad, swap which stick you use
-if good, problem was that stick

Anything in event viewer?

Get a diag tool for your mobo.  I had a problem a few years ago, where the 3.3v rail was dipping to 2.9, this crashed the PC on the spot... a diag tool shows the instability in the psu, replaced it, problem solved.

Should give you enough to work with for a bit?

OS recovery install?

[Officer Dibble]

I'm assuming you haven't recently changed any major parts eg. mobo? I replaced mine a few days ago and until I did a fresh install of Windows it would blue screen randomly and often repeatedly on startup.

[DoomWolf]

As Junta says, sounds like a memory issue. Try e90's suggestion. If you have multiple memory modules (usually will be at least two) try taking them out and running with only one at a time and see if it crashes. That way you might be able to narrow it down to one faulty stick.

[Dodgy]

Thanks for all the input. I've followed zarf's suggestion and apparently it's a driver issue. I googled the error code and got a possible fix. Haven't had any crashes since yesterday, we'll see if it lasts.

[Dodgy]

More problems, my comp has decided that it doesn't want to work with more than 2gb of RAM. I have 2x2gb ddr2, whenever I use both of them my comp will bsod constantly, sometime even before windows has loaded. I know both of the sticks are working as I've tried them both individually in different RAM slots and the comp runs fine. But if I use both of them at the same time, I'm lucky if I see my desktop before it crashes. The crash dumps all have memory related error codes. I have nothing overclocked.

Anyone have any ideas?

[Barbrady]

I had a similar problem with my old computer, it seemed the one of my memoryslots of the motherboard was broken. Had to replace my motherboard to fix it.
Did you try the ddr2's individualy in different slots?

[Junta]

More problems, my comp has decided that it doesn't want to work with more than 2gb of RAM. I have 2x2gb ddr2, whenever I use both of them my comp will bsod constantly, sometime even before windows has loaded. I know both of the sticks are working as I've tried them both individually in different RAM slots and the comp runs fine. But if I use both of them at the same time, I'm lucky if I see my desktop before it crashes. The crash dumps all have memory related error codes. I have nothing overclocked.

Anyone have any ideas?

Would strongly indicate a motherboard problem now tbh