BSOD Oh no.

[bonz_d]

I know this old machine is nearing it's end and in need of an update but as of late I've been experiencing the dreaded BSOD. Something about a physical memory dump. Not a clue as to the cause.

Problems started a while ago when I'd get an error message that the video driver has stopped responding, the screen would flicker and then recover. Then I started getting random freezes that I couldn't get out of w/o a reset. Usually while playing videos on youtube or news sites.

What I've done so far is to pull both sticks of memory and try them one at a time in each slot. Same result. I then pulled the video card and tried to use the onboard video. With that it wouldn't even open Freecell w/o freezing. So I blew out the video card slot and reseated the card which seemed to help for about a day. Then the other day I had a BSOD and afterwards I cannot receive emails w/o closing and reopening Outlook.

Again this is an older computer that is using DDR2 memory and PCI-e video card on a Biostar P4M900 MB so I really don't want to buy new old hardware. So any ideas other than buy a new one?

 

[MTboatguy]

First of all, what version of windows, that goes a long way to map a path to fixing it. If it continues to mention a memory dump and video drivers, that is a well known problem with many versions of windows, you will have to roll back the video driver, it probably updated and caused a problem

 

[bonz_d]

Win7 with Service pac. I also have auto update turned off and do all updates manually.. The video card is an older FX7300 as I recall.

 

[MTboatguy]

Have you installed any updated stuff that would affect the video/display settings? 9 out of 10 times when 7 has a crash, it is due to the video stuff, you might turn the video card off and use the built in generic drivers included in windows for a few days and see if the problem continues to happen.

 

[bonz_d]

The only real update that has been done is with IE to IE11. This has been going on since before that.

 

[MTboatguy]

Well there are any number of things that can cause a fatal error, which most of the time that is what a BSOD is, unless you do some deep digging into the log files on the computer and know Microsoft's error codes real good, it is almost impossible to figure it out. Sometimes you can do a google search if you remember exactly what you were doing when it happened, and if it has happened to you, it has happened to others. Normally on older computers when it happens, if I can't fix it quick, I will grab another video card and install it to see if it continues to happen, but I keep several video cards around for that type of situation.

Like I said, if it were me, I would disable or take the current video card out and run on the generic windows driver and see if that helps fix the problem.

 

[bonz_d]

Thanks MT, as I said I tried using the OB video and it wouldn't even open up freecell. If I have another card I would put it in and give it a shot but unfortunately I don't. All the old cards I have left are AGP. Same goes for the memory. I have lots of DDR memory laying around just no DDR2.

 

[MTboatguy]

I have some extra cards hanging around her, I might have one that will work with your board, let me look around in my "extra parts" pile and see what I have.

 

[bonz_d]

Hang tight my friend. Just off the phone with the chief and she has almost ordered me to just go buy a new one. Not fond of that idea, just got settled in with Win7 and from what I see 8.1 is much different.

 

[MTboatguy]

8.1 without some tweeks is not going to be an easy transition, but if you do get one, let me know and I will pass on the information I have used to make it work exactly like 7 does, until 10 comes out, purchasing right now is going to be dicey, 10 is suppose to be more interface friendly, I have been playing with the beta version of 10 and I like it way more than 8 or 8.1

 

[bonz_d]

Thanks, 7 hasn't been bad. I've seen 8 on my grandsons laptop and didn't care for it. Seen some new one that are offering free upgrades to 10 but I hate upgrades. Have you heard yet when 10 is supposed to be released? I can cripple thru for now if I have to.

 

[JASinIL2006]

Makes you wonder if Microsoft hired some of the vBulletin folks to design Win8 (or vice versa), doesn't it?

 

[Average_azn]

Thanks, 7 hasn't been bad. I've seen 8 on my grandsons laptop and didn't care for it. Seen some new one that are offering free upgrades to 10 but I hate upgrades. Have you heard yet when 10 is supposed to be released? I can cripple thru for now if I have to.

You could try loading the windows 10 technical preview on your machine and see if it truly is a software/driver problem. Windows 10 solved some AMD video driver problems i was having with windows 8.1 Its worth a shot anyway:

 

[MTboatguy]

I am running 10 on one of my puters and I like it, but realize it is a beta release and all of the bugs have not been worked out on it yet.

 

[bruceb58]

Go through these steps:
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/resolving-stop-blue-screen-errors-in-windows-7

 

[bonz_d]

Thanks for the leads guys, I've got time to fool with it now that I'm not working again.
Do have an empty drive so I might try loading it up with XP or Linux and see if it's still unstable. Though it's been a few years since I've used a Linux system I still have some old distros on disc's.

 

[bonz_d]

Well so far no BSOD since the other day and only 1 freeze and that was while watching a youtube video on hot peppers.
I think I'm going to try and muddle thru this until Win10 is released and then either build another one again or maybe just buy a boxed one.

 

[NYBo]

While you're muddling, do a little spring cleaning inside the case. Vacuum out all the dust bunnies, especially on the processor heat sink. Of course, maybe you did this while fiddling with the memory and video card.

 

[bonz_d]

Yes I did that already along with the fan on the video card and PSU.