"ntoskrnl.exe" causing BSOD...can't pinpoint the hardware though...

J

JoeUser

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OK so the past week or so I've been having at least one or two BSOD a day caused by "ntoskrnl.exe". I have read that this is the memory management part of Windows.

So considering this I ran Memtest on my RAM for at least 8 hours and it came back clean. Then I figured my SSD was bad ("ntoskrnl.exe" deals with RAM and disks) so I installed Windows on a HDD that I have...which seemed to work for a lot longer but just got another BSOD with the same "ntoskrnl.exe" causing the problem.

So I'm stuck. Does anyone know if "ntoskrnl.exe" interacts with GPU RAM at all? I mean, its been narrowed down to either the GPU RAM or the mother board. Not to say system RAM or the SSD still aren't bad but again, the RAM tested fine, and the HDD just crashed so I can't say if the SSD is bad as well.

Anyone have any tips or thoughts on what might be the issue?

Thanks!
 
I just remembered that a week ago or so I had a bad BIOS update so I ordered a new BIOS chip that came with the latest BIOS.

So I just now inserted my bad BIOS chip, reflashed it back to the OG BIOS I was using before all this started happening. All I can do now is see if maybe the new BIOS was causing issues. As far as I can tell my system is completely back to pre-BSOD specs.

Can't believe I didn't realize this earlier, guess I just assumed that the BIOS wouldn't cause issues...but that's yet to be seen...
 
Well at this point I'm trying a lot of things. I have the graphics card out and I'm just using the IGP for now. At least this way I can test the RAM without the video card being a factor. Only have one stick in there now that I'm using. Will Memtest it tonight and use/test the second stick tomorrow, if both check out then it has to be the video card...I don't have a second power supply to see if that's the issue however.
 
ntoskrnl is the core of Windows itself (the kernel). The BSOD isn't being caused BY ntoskrnl, but rather something that is interacting with it (which is everything running on your computer) passing in bad information that the kernel can't figure out how to deal with, or hardware that doesn't behave the way it was expected to. So it throws an exception and your system crashes.
 
Well OK so that mean's that it could be anything. Think it could be caused by a bad power supply though? I've ruled out the hard drives (both HDD and SSD) and unless something changes in the next two days when I run Memtest86 on each RAM stick separately (I've already run it for a good 8 hours on both sticks TOGETHER and they were fine) than the RAM is OK.

Which would only leave the GPU or the motherboard. Honestly cutting the CPU out of the equation simply because in the 10 years I've been messing with PC's I've never once had a CPU go bad on me. Not to say that CAN'T be the case, but I just don't see it.

I HOPE it isn't my GPU but at this point that's looking to be the case. I know that out of the ~30 BSOD I've had the past week or so I did see that something like 1 out of 10 also had "dxgmms1.sys" as the cause ALONG with "ntoskrnl.exe". Now out of the 30 though "ntoskrnl.exe" shows up in ALL the BSOD dumps. So if it IS my video card then it seems to not be a major issue as the card works fine without a single glitch or artifact or anything like that (it's water cooled as well so all temps are fine).

Meh, I don't know, just gonna test the RAM first and do so completely and see if the problem lies with this.
 
Looks like a driver problem to me. Check the drivers on your asrock board; the asrrd.exe file is the driver that is most likely causing the problem. Do you have a power management driver?

The description of the bugcheck aslo seems to point at your CPU -- I'm just hoping it's a bad driver for you, and not the CPU itself.



Code: 
*******************************************************************************
*                                                                             *
*                        Bugcheck Analysis                                    *
*                                                                             *
*******************************************************************************

[color=orange]CLOCK_WATCHDOG_TIMEOUT (101)
An expected clock interrupt was not received on a secondary processor in an
MP system within the allocated interval. This indicates that the specified
processor is hung and not processing interrupts.[/color]
Arguments:
Arg1: 0000000000000031, Clock interrupt time out interval in nominal clock ticks.
Arg2: 0000000000000000, 0.
Arg3: fffff880009ee180, The PRCB address of the hung processor.
Arg4: 0000000000000001, 0.

Debugging Details:
------------------


BUGCHECK_STR:  CLOCK_WATCHDOG_TIMEOUT_4_PROC

CUSTOMER_CRASH_COUNT:  1

DEFAULT_BUCKET_ID:  WIN7_DRIVER_FAULT

[color=orange]PROCESS_NAME:  asrRd.exe[/color]

CURRENT_IRQL:  d

STACK_TEXT:  
fffff880`0913ec78 fffff800`0312eb0a : 00000000`00000101 00000000`00000031 00000000`00000000 fffff880`009ee180 : nt!KeBugCheckEx
fffff880`0913ec80 fffff800`030e17e7 : 00000000`00000000 fffff800`00000001 00000000`00026161 00000000`0008fd20 : nt! ?? ::FNODOBFM::`string'+0x4e3e
fffff880`0913ed10 fffff800`03023895 : fffff800`03049460 fffff880`0913eec0 fffff800`03049460 00000000`00000000 : nt!KeUpdateSystemTime+0x377
fffff880`0913ee10 fffff800`030d4193 : 00000000`6be78bbd fffff800`03253e80 00000000`00000083 fffff900`c0800000 : hal!HalpHpetClockInterrupt+0x8d
fffff880`0913ee40 fffff800`030dcaf0 : fffff800`03253e80 00000000`00000001 00000000`00000000 fffff880`0913f0d8 : nt!KiInterruptDispatchNoLock+0x163
fffff880`0913efd0 fffff800`030f7351 : 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000002 00000000`00000001 fffff800`030ea478 : nt!KeFlushMultipleRangeTb+0x260
fffff880`0913f0a0 fffff800`030f9d88 : 00000000`00000002 fffff880`0913f200 fffff900`c537f000 fffff800`03313ac0 : nt!MiFlushTbAsNeeded+0x1d1
fffff880`0913f1b0 fffff800`03209f86 : 00000000`00001240 fffff880`07621cc0 00000000`00000021 fffff900`c5380238 : nt!MiAllocatePagedPoolPages+0x4cc
fffff880`0913f2d0 fffff800`030f7ab0 : 00000000`00001240 fffff880`07621cc0 00000000`00000021 00000000`00000001 : nt!MiAllocatePoolPages+0x906
fffff880`0913f410 fffff800`0320d43e : 00000000`00000000 fffff800`032095b1 00000000`00000020 00000000`00001240 : nt!ExpAllocateBigPool+0xb0
fffff880`0913f500 fffff960`00174945 : fffff900`c1c943b0 00000000`00000000 fffff880`0913f7a0 fffff960`001860cd : nt!ExAllocatePoolWithTag+0x82e
fffff880`0913f5f0 fffff960`00175ff6 : 00000000`00000000 fffff880`0913f790 00000000`00000000 fffff960`001860cd : win32k!AllocateObject+0xdd
fffff880`0913f630 fffff960`0014cf20 : 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 : win32k!SURFMEM::bCreateDIB+0x38a
fffff880`0913f720 fffff960`0014ca9a : 00000020`00000020 00000000`00000020 00000000`01080030 00000000`00000020 : win32k!hsurfCreateCompatibleSurface+0x3bc
fffff880`0913f7f0 fffff960`0016293e : fffff900`c5230b60 fffff880`0913fb60 00000000`00000000 fffff900`c00c0010 : win32k!GreCreateCompatibleBitmap+0x26e
fffff880`0913f8d0 fffff960`00164942 : 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 : win32k!InternalGetIconInfo+0x19e
fffff880`0913f9c0 fffff800`030d6ed3 : fffffa80`09b5b060 00000000`0008e2a8 fffff880`0913fa88 00000000`00000000 : win32k!NtUserGetIconInfo+0x182
fffff880`0913fa70 00000000`751702ca : 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 : nt!KiSystemServiceCopyEnd+0x13
00000000`0008e288 00000000`00000000 : 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 : 0x751702ca


STACK_COMMAND:  kb

SYMBOL_NAME:  ANALYSIS_INCONCLUSIVE

FOLLOWUP_NAME:  MachineOwner

MODULE_NAME: Unknown_Module

IMAGE_NAME:  Unknown_Image

DEBUG_FLR_IMAGE_TIMESTAMP:  0

FAILURE_BUCKET_ID:  X64_CLOCK_WATCHDOG_TIMEOUT_4_PROC_ANALYSIS_INCONCLUSIVE

BUCKET_ID:  X64_CLOCK_WATCHDOG_TIMEOUT_4_PROC_ANALYSIS_INCONCLUSIVE

Followup: MachineOwner
---------
 
Could be your Antivirus interaction with that executable as well. I've seen AV cause BSOD every time you edited signatures in Word.
 
I went back and looked at the second dump you posted, and it's completely different... that one I would point at memory.

Code: 
*******************************************************************************
*                                                                             *
*                        Bugcheck Analysis                                    *
*                                                                             *
*******************************************************************************

[color=orange]IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL (a)
An attempt was made to access a pageable (or completely invalid) address at an
interrupt request level (IRQL) that is too high.  This is usually
caused by drivers using improper addresses.[/color]
If a kernel debugger is available get the stack backtrace.
Arguments:
Arg1: ffffda800b4945c0, memory referenced
Arg2: 0000000000000002, IRQL
Arg3: 0000000000000000, bitfield :
	bit 0 : value 0 = read operation, 1 = write operation
	bit 3 : value 0 = not an execute operation, 1 = execute operation (only on chips which support this level of status)
Arg4: fffff800030b6928, address which referenced memory

Debugging Details:
------------------


READ_ADDRESS: GetPointerFromAddress: unable to read from fffff80003307100
GetUlongFromAddress: unable to read from fffff800033071c0
 ffffda800b4945c0 Nonpaged pool

CURRENT_IRQL:  2

FAULTING_IP: 
nt!MiRestoreTransitionPte+c8
fffff800`030b6928 488b18          mov     rbx,qword ptr [rax]

CUSTOMER_CRASH_COUNT:  1

DEFAULT_BUCKET_ID:  WIN7_DRIVER_FAULT

BUGCHECK_STR:  0xA

[color=orange]PROCESS_NAME:  chrome.exe[/color]

TRAP_FRAME:  fffff880098006e0 -- (.trap 0xfffff880098006e0)
NOTE: The trap frame does not contain all registers.
Some register values may be zeroed or incorrect.
rax=ffffda800b4945c0 rbx=0000000000000000 rcx=fffff8800080001a
rdx=0000098000000000 rsi=0000000000000000 rdi=0000000000000000
rip=fffff800030b6928 rsp=fffff88009800870 rbp=0000000000000001
 r8=0000000000000001  r9=0000000000000001 r10=0000000000000002
r11=0000000000000001 r12=0000000000000000 r13=0000000000000000
r14=0000000000000000 r15=0000000000000000
iopl=0         nv up ei ng nz na po nc
nt!MiRestoreTransitionPte+0xc8:
fffff800`030b6928 488b18          mov     rbx,qword ptr [rax] ds:ffffda80`0b4945c0=????????????????
Resetting default scope

LAST_CONTROL_TRANSFER:  from fffff800030ce1e9 to fffff800030cec40

STACK_TEXT:  
fffff880`09800598 fffff800`030ce1e9 : 00000000`0000000a ffffda80`0b4945c0 00000000`00000002 00000000`00000000 : nt!KeBugCheckEx
fffff880`098005a0 fffff800`030cce60 : fffff6fc`40016c98 fffff800`03089a33 fffff6fc`40016c90 fffffa80`012deba0 : nt!KiBugCheckDispatch+0x69
fffff880`098006e0 fffff800`030b6928 : fffffa80`012deba0 fffff680`0008c000 fffff880`09800ae0 fffff6fb`40000460 : nt!KiPageFault+0x260
fffff880`09800870 fffff800`0318e5fe : 00000000`00002dc8 fffff880`00000001 fffffa80`012deba0 fffff800`0330acf0 : nt!MiRestoreTransitionPte+0xc8
fffff880`09800900 fffff800`030dc8f4 : 00000000`00000000 fffff880`09800a00 00000000`00000000 ffffffff`ffffffff : nt!MiRemoveLowestPriorityStandbyPage+0x21e
fffff880`09800980 fffff800`030ccd6e : 00000000`00000001 00000000`11830000 00000000`11718f01 00000000`113e0000 : nt!MmAccessFault+0x19e4
fffff880`09800ae0 00000000`5ff06fca : 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 : nt!KiPageFault+0x16e
00000000`001ce1fc 00000000`00000000 : 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 : 0x5ff06fca


STACK_COMMAND:  kb

FOLLOWUP_IP: 
nt!MiRestoreTransitionPte+c8
fffff800`030b6928 488b18          mov     rbx,qword ptr [rax]

SYMBOL_STACK_INDEX:  3

SYMBOL_NAME:  nt!MiRestoreTransitionPte+c8

FOLLOWUP_NAME:  MachineOwner

MODULE_NAME: nt

DEBUG_FLR_IMAGE_TIMESTAMP:  50e79935

[color=orange]IMAGE_NAME:  memory_corruption[/color]

FAILURE_BUCKET_ID:  X64_0xA_nt!MiRestoreTransitionPte+c8

BUCKET_ID:  X64_0xA_nt!MiRestoreTransitionPte+c8

Followup: MachineOwner
 
Have you tried to run the CPU at default, or at least lower the OC to like 4.2 or something? I know you did the GPU and such.
 
The CPU BSOD was caused by me overclocking it but forgetting to increase the voltage so it crashed due to that. Its the ntoskrnl.exe BSOD that's that's problem.

I know its memory....just don't know WHICH memory.
 
OK so far I ran my PC all day yesterday on one stick and ran it over night (10 passes) with Memtest86 without any issues. Doing the same today with stick number two. So far so good, but even then the BSOD was very random and not very often (like once a day, twice MAX).

Also if it's a video card issue, again, it shows no physical signs that's the case other than the random BSOD. It's happened while gaming, while surfing the web, or while completely idle with no programs open.

Also, if it were a power supply issue (as it's been suggested) then shouldn't the PC just shut down if it's being too stressed? What about when the PC BSOD when the PC is idle? That is assuming however if the problem isn't due to power draw but something else entirely.

So I've limited to the video card, motherboard, or however unlikely the power supply. RAM I'm going to assume is OK at this current point in time.
 
first things first. Remove any overclocking you have going on (RAM, CPU, GPU, kitchen toaster), and make sure all your drivers are up to date.
 
ryan_975 said:
first things first. Remove any overclocking you have going on (RAM, CPU, GPU, kitchen toaster), and make sure all your drivers are up to date.
Click to expand...

Sorry off topic but that last part of your post just made me lol, but you forgot the kitchen sink:D.

On topic have you downloaded any benchmarks that stress each component? so something for the processor, I know you have mem test, and then something to stress your video card. And then you could try something like 3dmark to stress everything, if nothing by its self crashes.

Things like this that could be any of a million different things is one of the reasons why I hate computers some times. I once had a problem where my computer would only show a blinking cursor, I ran memory tests checked my hard drive, processor, all passed. so I came to the conclusion it was my video card, when to a place and asked if they could test it for me and it passed. turns out it was all my memory had failed 4 sticks at once, some times you test something and you think it is ok and it turns out that only under the right conditions that the problem shows its self. Sorry for the long post, just wanted to let you know that just because you think you have eliminated something you need to keep an open mind to anything that could cause the problem you are having.
 
JoeUser said:
So far so good, but even then the BSOD was very random and not very often (like once a day, twice MAX).

Also, if it were a power supply issue (as it's been suggested) then shouldn't the PC just shut down if it's being too stressed?
Click to expand...

The more random the BSOD, the more likely it's the power supply. One of those rules of thumbs I've come to know over years of trying to diagnose computer issues. One issue I had with BSODs *seemed* random until I figured out that I was BSODing every time I reached 700MB of memory usage out of the 1GB installed. Memtest showed that somewhere in the 720MB range I had bad ram. Figuring it out until then was quite the task.

And no, a power supply doesn't have to be too stressed to cause BSODs. It can simply be failing. Dirty power, ripples down the rails, causing components to behave unexpectedly because of fluctuations. I've seen problems completely disappear just from swapping the power supply... granted, that is if the power supply didn't damage additional components.

If you don't use a surge suppressor or a UPS.. that's another thing to consider. Input power quality is just as important as the quality of the PSU you use for output to your components. And yes, failures can 'travel down the line' in the event that you end up with voltage spikes or drops.

Not every overloaded power supply will latch, too. I had a weak PS that I could over load beyond max by at least 100 watts. Just causes efficiency to plummet and heat to become almost too much. But it still kept running for the week after I got the new GPU and before I got a higher wattage PSU.

Power supplies, unlike storage, are not fixed to the numbers on the side and have a bit of headroom.
 
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