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BSOD causes
A quick query if I may,
Can failing audio on my MB cause a BSOD crash? If so, am I right in hoping this can be fixed with an inexpensive discrete audio card? *fingers crossed*
Or.
Do I have larger more serious issues? I did the standard Win updates, GFX drivers updates. MB and CPU are 5 years old at least. PII X4 955 BE. Slightly OC'd to 3156 (201 x 17.5). At idle it runs 33 C. 8 gig ram. I don't have the MB stats handy ATM, it is a Gigabyte. 64 bit Win 7.
Crash happened during FF XIV ARR. Audio locked into a stutter and instantly to BSOD.
Comments appreciated.
Comments
Do u have Realtek built in mobo soundcard? If so it may be an issue. Had this problem on BF3 and some other games when i was using Realtek card. Borrowed normal one from colleague and like a charm it resolved all issues which lead me ti buying soundcard
Previous PC i had was more or less like yours 5 yrs old.
Get some soundcard from a friend and test it.
Also something to consider, do a fresh OS install. Sometimes custom settings or configurations that were made a long time ago are no having issues with patches/updates. If you have installed any new hardware, it could be having conflicts.
Make sure all parts are fully seated and connected properly, check temps, make sure you clean the machine.
Good luck.
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Check your update history and see if you have KB2982791 KB2970228 KB2975719 KB2975331 installed. These have been causing BSOD's for quite a large amount of people.
http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2014/08/after-blue-screen-of-death-reports-microsoft-says-to-uninstall-recent-patch/
Go download a program called "Who Crashed" by Respledence Software.
http://www.resplendence.com/whocrashed
Open the program and then click "Analyze" at the top. Once its done scroll down to the bottom and it will have a detailed explanation of the BSOD.
Post the info here and I will look at it and see what help I can offer.
BSOD can be caused by almost anything. It's possible they it's caused by failing audio card, or it could be completely unrelated. If it's caused by your audio card, then getting a dedicated audio card and disabling the onboard card completely (as completely as allowed by your motherboard) would probably fix the issue.
I recommend first trying to do a clean Windows install and making sure that your computer isn't overheating before starting to buy new parts to the computer.
I would not recommend doing a clean Windows install as "the first step" lol. 9 out of 10 times BSOD are software related, i.e. corrupt driver or bad Windows Update. The first step should be to determine what hardware is producing the BSOD and if it is software/driver related.
A fresh install should be done as the last step when all other troubleshooting has failed. Of course if you dont care about having to re-install all of your games and software and having to re-configure them from scratch only to find out you're still getting the BSOD, then by all means do a fresh install.
Sorry, yes.
I didn't mean that fresh Windows install should be done first. Just that one should also try that before starting to buy new hardware.
Well, it hasn't happened since, just the once.
My time is valuable.
to me. Valuable enough that a inexpensive sound card is cheaper than a day of software installing lol.
Just about every driver can cause a BSOD. So yes, that includes audio.
Other likely culprits aside from drivers are the graphics card and your memory modules (RAM). Use Memtest to check the latter.
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If you've only had audio problems during BSOD, what kind of stuttering it was? Have you used the computers long enough to remember those days when games used to crash, and audio started looping last few bits before the crash because something else crashed.
EDIT: But if the BSOD has happened only once, then actually you shouldn't do anything about it. Computers occasionally do strange things and it might as well have been caused by sudden voltage drop in power lines as a problem in your computer /EDIT
So this has happened one time!?
LOL. That could be any number of things. One time does not a problem make. After it happens 8 times then its a problem. When it becomes a problem then troubleshoot. At the most check your temps and probably give your PC a much needed cleaning. I would not buy hardware or reinstall windows based on one BSOD tho.
This!!! Love WhoCrashed. Diagnosed plenty a video issue with it. Should work for you.
Crazkanuk
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http://www.tomshardware.com/news/microsoft-update-patch-bsod-0x50-stop-error,27481.html
Looks like it might be caused due a Microsoft update.
It has now happened again.
WhoCrashed claims hal.dll
Google claims that if that is the case I am in for a lame repair.....:(
Me? I shall go back to drinking and pretend it is fine until tomorrow.
Bit of an update.
Did a registry fix, and still got a BSOD. SO I ran Memtest for 9 hours last night, ) errors.
Today I will do a HD test maybe a CPU test. Methinks it is HD or MB, but who knows.
Some issues.
Dont use PII as a description peeps here might think its a Pentium 2 :P
Anyways u say you OC your cpu to 3156 witch is weird since the cpu normaly runs 3.200.
(i think you just looked wrong normal multiplieer is 16 you put it at 17.5 that would be 3.500)
Use CPU-Z to find out.
http://www.cpuid.com/softwares/cpu-z.html
33C idle says nothing what does it do under load. (thats verry low for a phenom :P )
Max temperature for that CPU is 55-65 if you have ran that cpu under higher temps for a few years then ehhh.
Use Coretemp switch logging on minimize play game. alt tab then look at max temperature it got.
http://www.alcpu.com/CoreTemp/
Since i think thats where the problem is. check cooling of CPU hope u did not use original cpu cooler.
Its not your audio in lots of crash/bsod the audio gets into a looop.
If i was you i would go and get a z97 and one of them Intel Pentium G3258's
Its cheap runs way faster then what u got.
(Even when it just has 2 cores :P )
http://www.anandtech.com/show/8232/overclockable-pentium-anniversary-edition-review-the-intel-pentium-g3258-ae
And you can allways plop a 4970k in there later if you want :P
If you where almost me, then i would buy a new harddisk (come on we can all use MORE)
And put it in pc and do a windows install on it and see what it does.
I should clarify once again that this is not a regular problem. It has only happened a few, 4 or less, times EVER and those are in the last 3 days.
Lucky for me a computer isn't a car. It only has maybe 5 or 6 pieces that can be checked easily with software. Which is what I am in the middle of.
RAM was good, I am betting my HDD is too, even though it is getting old. I will add here that the GFX card is new as of maybe 6 months ago, so I think it is good but will test it later. My money is the CPU or MB. But I aint no 'Gneer so who knows.
As far as temps go I run aftermarket CPU cooling and have a HAF case with extra fans so my temps rarely hit 60 C.
HD Tune has declared that my HDD is fine. *cheers*
Now on to testing the GFX card and making sure the BIOS is set to factory.
Stress tested the CPU, ran fine. Peaked at 50 C. I still think it is the MB on it's way out. But since the stress test and backing off the mini OC I haven't BSOD'd so maybe I can coast it for a bit, until I can upgrade both MB and CPU.
This. OCs are not static. They don't last for ever.
Just because it ran fine at that OC for years doesn't mean it will continue to do so.