BSODS, GPU drivers failure, possible overheating

[gradeAhaze]

Alienware Aurora
Intel x58 Revision 13
Intel 8280 1JR (ICH10R) Revision 13
Intel Core i7 CPU 960 @ 3.20 ghz
6 gb mem
ati radeon hd 6950.

For some time I have been having BSODS when I first start up my computer and start running a video or gaming.
After the first crash I can run the system all day and game for 4+ hours straight with no crash.

Usually when it crash I get black screen with artifacts then to a BSOD.
Sometimes, I get the black screen with artifacts but the GPU recovers and I get a bubble in bottom right that says "ati drivers have stopped responding but have recovered."

I had a guy come and look at my computer, and he checked all my error messages but could not find the exact problem with the computer. Also when he was here I restarted my computer, slept it ran videos and video games but could not reproduce the crash for him.

However he did run SWI and monitored my temp sensors for certain components. Everything was fine, even the GPU temps were normal.

One temp that startled him was that the TMPIN0 sensor maxed out at 150 F which he said was pretty high as the other TMPIN's maxed out at 114 F.

Almost instantly upon running video the system fans basically max out and the TMPIN0 sensor starts running up. The fans have been running high and loud since the day i got the system but I have never noticed the temp to be so high.

As of right now, I do not know what to do. Dell warranty is out, and they wont help me anymore. I feel cheated because the fans were a problem since day one and they never resolved it for me, now it seems to be biting me in the ass.

Well this is all the info I can think of right now, anymore is need let me know and I will try my best to get it out. This problem has been happening for some time and I could really use some help, thanks in advance and sorry for the long post.


EDIT: Ive also uninstalled/reinstalled drivers for GPU, but to no avail. Also tried reinstalling windows 7 with a day one factory setting, but the ing discs dell/alienware sent me wont even work to reinstall.

[PGeo36]

Do you have a crash dump file you can post? I had a similar problem a while ago, I'm curious if it's the same problem.

Also, if it's a temp problem, clean you computer out using compressed air, should help with the temps.

[Crazyeyesreaper]

as for temps when it comes to PCs post in
'C not 'F only in america do we use this system the rest of the world laughs at us regardless every test on a PC is still done in 'C for enthusiasts here in the states. Makes it easier to cross reference info without needed to convert the temps.

I digress PGeo36 has the right idea start with simple things and see if helps the problems

that said i dont think its temps 150'f is only 65'C most PC components can hit 90-100'C except for the CPU in which case your is still perfectly safe at that temp anyway. Let me mull over some thoughts in my head ill post again when i get some ideas

[gradeAhaze]

ok thanks guys.

and I'd be willing to post the dump files, but could you please sort of walk me through how to post them? I've never done it before and I',m not the best with computers.

[PoleCat]

ok thanks guys.

and I'd be willing to post the dump files, but could you please sort of walk me through how to post them? I've never done it before and I',m not the best with computers.

If you're using a Win7 machine try the Start button first. From there use the Search function - type in the following:

• \windows\minidump

Hopefully that should lead you to your dump folder and you can copy\paste the files here for us to look over. That's the first step. Hopefully someone will see something in those files that will point to a solution.



The other thing that would really help us out is to know exactly what kind of BSOD error message you're getting. But that will require a bit more work on your part. Please download BlueScreenViewer from CNet and post the results here. It may help us to know what kind of blue screen error you're actually suffering. There are no guarantees but if we can see which driver is at fault we may be able to come to some solution. Good luck!

[gradeAhaze]

Well, i tried \windows\mindump

It will not let me access the files.

I will get bluescreen view but i'd like you all to view the dump files first, as soon as I can figure out how to get them to you.

[PoleCat]

I'll assume Win7. Turn off the User Account Control and try accessing the minidump folder again.

[mrmouth]

The temp sensor is different on every board. It is enitely possible that the TMPIN0 sensor is indeed your cpu socket temp. And there could be some reasons why this person didnt see the problem.

There is a new virus going around that causes your CPU and even possibly your GPU (as was in my case) to go almost full load and spool the fans way up. I just spent last week diagnosing it. Fortunately removing it is very easy.

Basically it installs something called "search indexer" which is the parent for something called igfxupdate.exe, which wont show up in task manager. And in fact when you open task manager it will go into a mode where it hides itself by returning your temps and activity to normal for as long as task manager is open. The only way to see it is to have a good firewall and see it communicating back home (likely tying to steal your personal info).

You can read more on it here. It appears to be very new and neither Microsoft Security Essentials or Malwarebytes thought it was suspicious. Tricky little thing, and it is spreading like wildfire. Ive helped two people on another forum with the same issue.

Beyond the temp and fan and processing activity, the experiences vary wildly and include some of what you are seeing. At least browse to the windows folder and see if it is in there. It mimics hardware problems very well.

Just an idea.

[gradeAhaze]

There is a new virus going around that causes your CPU and even possibly your GPU (as was in my case) to go almost full load and spool the fans way up. I just spent last week diagnosing it. Fortunately removing it is very easy.



Just an idea.

Well, the only thing is, if this is a recent virus, I've had this stupid fan problem since Shogun 2 came out. this was about the time I got the current rig I have and I think it is just a problem becuase dell/alienware is and they never fixed it in the 4 times I sent them my computer back. I also searched for the file but I could not find it.

edit:

And yes Polecat, I do have windows 7. I followed the link you posted, but at the 3rd step, the choice it gives is not included on the control panel. I then tried searching for the file \windows\minidump but the only one that came up was a folder that says Minidump and it has a lock on it. When I click on the folder, it just shows files that I cannot view because I dont have the correct progam, etc.

edit: Here are two separate bsods i got some info on.

Problem signature:
Problem Event Name: BlueScreen
OS Version: 6.1.7601.2.1.0.768.3
Locale ID: 1033

Additional information about the problem:
BCCode: 116
BCP1: FFFFFA80061B64E0
BCP2: FFFFF8800497926C
BCP3: 0000000000000000
BCP4: 0000000000000002
OS Version: 6_1_7601
Service Pack: 1_0
Product: 768_1

Files that help describe the problem:
C:\Windows\Minidump\101012-32541-01.dmp
C:\Users\Brendon\AppData\Local\Temp\WER-108358-0.sysdata.xml

Problem signature:
Problem Event Name: BlueScreen
OS Version: 6.1.7601.2.1.0.768.3
Locale ID: 1033

Additional information about the problem:
BCCode: 116
BCP1: FFFFFA80059C24E0
BCP2: FFFFF88002C0926C
BCP3: 0000000000000000
BCP4: 0000000000000002
OS Version: 6_1_7601
Service Pack: 1_0
Product: 768_1

Files that help describe the problem:
C:\Windows\Minidump\100412-26348-01.dmp
C:\Users\Brendon\AppData\Local\Temp\WER-85145-0.sysdata.xml

[PoleCat]

...And yes Polecat, I do have windows 7. I followed the link you posted, but at the 3rd step, the choice it gives is not included on the control panel. I then tried searching for the file \windows\minidump but the only one that came up was a folder that says Minidump and it has a lock on it. When I click on the folder, it just shows files that I cannot view because I dont have the correct progam, etc.

Sorry - I forgot to tell you to download the Windows Debugging Toolset. You can't view .dmp files without it. Once you download that you can post your dump files here.

As for UAC - just confirm that your account has Administrator level permissions and that you have ownership of drive C:\. Good luck!

[PGeo36]

I found this in regards to your Bug Check Code http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ff557263.aspx

The error points to your video card, either the drivers or the card itself seems to be the problem. Do you have another video card to swap in and see if the problem continues?

[gradeAhaze]

I found this in regards to your Bug Check Code http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ff557263.aspx

The error points to your video card, either the drivers or the card itself seems to be the problem. Do you have another video card to swap in and see if the problem continues?

no i do not. I figured it was the video card though because it usually crashes during video playbacks. Though like I said, once it crashes, I can play and watch video for hours on end so the card cant be that messed up if it still works afterwards.

[PoleCat]

no i do not. I figured it was the video card though because it usually crashes during video playbacks. Though like I said, once it crashes, I can play and watch video for hours on end so the card cant be that messed up if it still works afterwards.

There's something very frustrating with your bug. It presents as both a software glitch and a hardware problem at the same time.

As you said - your hardware runs fine for hours after the initial crash-and-reboot. This would seem to rule out the hardware as the problem.

But on the other hand you've reinstalled the GPU drivers (as you say) multiple times. And even after reinstalling the drivers you still seem to have this problem. That would seem to rule out the software side. Yet the problem persists.

Let's go back to the beginning. Please give us your DxDiag log with your system specs. Also, if you could, please give us s screenshot of your system temps via Speedfan or some other program.

One last thing - make sure your system is clean and your fans aren't covered with a layer of dust and the intakes are clear. Heat could be your issue but it's hard to tell from here. Good luck!

[Seraph07]

Attachment 253108

This summer I experienced total system crashes, completely shutting the PC down but still playing audio. When looking at my temp monitors i realized why, my GTX 480 was going past 45 Celsius, and the system was shutting itself down for its own protection.

Distraught as I was, I found an easy fix. I have a HAF case similar to the one shown here. My PC sits underneath a desk in a compartmentalized and safe area, so I simply removed the side panel and placed a 30 inch box fan in it's place. The hottest it ever gets now is 32 Celsius, and ive had no CTD's. The down side is about every 2-3 months I have to take it to a gas station and carefully use the compressed air machine to dust out the components. Hope that helps anybody in my shoes.

[gradeAhaze]

Ok, so I've noticed that my core temps get pretty high.

One of them maxed out at 98 C under full load. When not gaming or watching videos, they seem to sit around 60 C. Are these normal temps??

EDIT:

Ok, so after noticing my high temps, i dismantled my system. Cleaned off the main system fan which was a little dusty. Then removed and cleaned another smaller system fan and heatsink, but it was less dusty than the main system fan. I then removed my vid card, and cleaned it best I could, but it was the least dusty of the 3.

As I was about to start putting everything back together, I noticed my liquid cooling unit, and I decided to remove it. Well as I went to remove it, only 2 of the 4 screws were fastened, and so only half of the ing unit was covering my processor. I cleaned it, but its mostly a closed unit, so there wasn't much dust.

After fastening it fully WITH ALL 4 SCREWS ATTACHED!!!!, I then fastened the rest of the hardware in and fired my computer up. Here is what happened;

Fans, much quieter in general. Processor temps down 20-30 degrees on average.
It seems that when the ers at dell sent me my refurbished system 8 months ago, they didnt fasten the liquid cooling unit down all the way. This is why my fans ran so high since I got the thing.(caused many an argument between me and my parents) I'm surprised I never fried my processor running at those high temps, for such an elongated period of time.
All this and dell said they wouldnt cover any hardware damage, and if anything would have happened it would have been because of their own negligence!!
Is there any recourse I can take, because after figuring out my problem after all this time was a simple hardware install issue, I'm extremely ing pissed these morons could be so incompetent, not to mention i was stupid and bought an extended warranty which i later find out ONLY COVERS SOFTWARE ISSUES. Needless to say im dsiputing the payment of that as i write this.