Please help! Complicated Windows/Hardware issue!

[sebastianoswell]

Hey guys, I previously posted for help in another thread but decided to get the best level of help and broadest level of expertise I would start my own thread.

Also, I'm really not sure as to whether or not its a software or hardware problem and because there is no general troubleshooting sub-topic thingo on this forum this will have to do.

Here is my issue,

I recently built my first PC about 3 weeks ago and have had nothing but problems with booting up the computer and keeping it going. Now, I believe I got everything correct in the install of all the components but feel free to point out something to me that I might not have thought about.

No matter what I do, I can't get it to stop blue screening. Usually, the computer blue screens after windows updates and I reboot the computer after 3-4 times. All the drivers are new off the manufacturers website and everything. As far as I know, I have done everything to the book as well as making sure everything is correctly installed etc. I have wiped and reinstalled windows about 15 times trying to troubleshoot different drivers that may be causing it to no avail. The problem is that I can't actually get into the computer after it blue screens to retrieve the crash dumps. If i could, I might be able to solve this problem.

The most recent blue screen error I got was a c000021a fatal system error with an error code of 0x0 (0xc0000001 0x001004b0)

System Repair says that the root cause that a system volume is corrupt, and the fact that I can't boot into last good config or safe mode makes me think that its a registry/login file issue. Whats causing it though, I have no idea.

My System Specs:

ASUS P8Z77-V Deluxe Mobo

i7 3770k

GTX 680

16GB RAM (4x4)

OCZ Vector SSD

Corsair H100

850W Corsair PSU

Any Help would be greatly appreciated! Its tough dumping 2-3k on a beast gaming rig and having it not work :\

Thanks

Seb

[SubTract]

What are you installing windows off of, which version of windows is it. Do you have another disc?

[sebastianoswell]

Ah yes, sorry, Installing windows 7 off of the retail cd/dvd that I bought with the system. I do yes, do you think it would make a difference?

[christoi]

By the sounds of it, going through this may help:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;156669

[sebastianoswell]

Unfortunately, nothing on that article seems to work :( Thanks for the suggestion though! I'm leaning towards a serious hardware failure to be honest, one of the other bsod errors I have gotten is related to to storage and storage controllers, yet, my hardware seems to be fine when I test it when I can boot into windows...

[191x7]

Is the latest Bios version flashed on your MBO?

Have you tried running Memtest86+ to test your RAM?

Is the latest available firmware flashed on the SSD?

[sebastianoswell]

When I flashed the latest BIOS thats when I started seeing problems I think, I'm not 100% sure though. It could have been a coincidence.

I have, my RAM is entirely fine, and no I haven't put the latest firmware on my SSD. I'm fairly sure it had the latest firmware on it from the factory though, but when I reinstall windows again I will check that out. Thanks!

[Wats]

BSOD Codes for IvyBridge

0x101 = increase vcore

0x124 = increase/decrease vcore or QPI/VTT... have to test to see which one it is

0x0A = unstable RAM/IMC, increase QPI first, if that doesn't work increase vcore

0x1E = increase vcore

0x3B = increase vcore

0x3D = increase vcore

0xD1 = QPI/VTT, increase/decrease as necessary, can also be unstable Ram, raise Ram voltage

0x9C = QPI/VTT most likely, but increasing vcore has helped in some instances

0x50 = RAM timings/Frequency or uncore multi unstable, increase RAM voltage or adjust QPI/VTT, or lower uncore if you're higher than 2x

0x109 = Not enough or too Much memory voltage

0x116 = Low IOH (NB) voltage, GPU issue (most common when running multi-GPU/overclocking GPU)

0x7E = Corrupted OS file, possibly from overclocking. Run sfc /scannow and chkdsk /r

[SubTract]

Ah yes, sorry, Installing windows 7 off of the retail cd/dvd that I bought with the system. I do yes, do you think it would make a difference?

I think at this point its worth a try.

[Whaler_99]

I would try a new DVD ROM drive and a new disk. I have actually seen a corrupt install disk cause something similar and sometime the DVD drive can go a bit wonky - esp if re-using it from previous builds...

[NannerBeans]

Try installing windows from a usb drive. It usually causes less problems. Linus has a YouTube vid going through the process. Just search "installing windows 7 on usb drive" on youtube

[RavenXE]

1. Make sure you have installed the latest bios

2. Clear the CMOS

3. Set stock speed not XMP for the cpu

4. Set ram to max 1600mhz 1.5v (JEDEC standard)

5, Disable Asus Ratio Lock by pressing F6 in the bios

6. Enabled AHCI or RAID

7. Memtest your RIG

8. Reinstall Windows using the latest intel RST driver (Rapid storage Technology)

9. Retest your Rig using prime 95, OCCT wichever you like

Good luck !!

[sebastianoswell]

Thanks everyone for the suggestions! I shall see if anything works and get back to you guys! :)

[Umeshwarnath]

This might sound random..........do you have maxpayne 3 installed?

[sebastianoswell]

Nope! I didn't have many games installed, or much of anything installed really. Just steam, origin and chrome.

[mvitkun]

try installing windows with only 1 or 2 of the ram sticks.ifit doesn't work alternate which ones are used until all possible combinations are used

(ie.A,AB,AC,AD,B,BA,BC,BD,C,CA,CB,CD,D,DA,DB,DC)

try installing windows on a different storage device.

[sebastianoswell]

Ok, If anyone wants to know, I kept trying everything under the sun to get this to work, to no avail. However, just last night I completely reset my SSD with the help of support at OCZ, and so far so good. I will keep running the system to see if it goes into chkdsk (which is usually the signal that its going to BSOD). I just want my system to work because of the crapload of awesome games coming out right now! :P

[asusfan]

Process of elimination, it sounds if you have re-installed windows a lot of times, i don't think its a pure windows problem.

Things i can suggest:

unplug any devices you dont need, only use a basic mouse & keyboard.

I assume you have a laptop or other device to get internet (hence you can post on here) use a USB stick and download the newest version of the BIOS from Asus onto the stick.

Not sure if you have ability to flash the bios without turning on your computer, if you can i would do that after resetting the CMOS.

Make sure you have a clean formated hard drive and don't even bother with RAID at the moment unless you want to and have 2 drives the same.

If possible have all the newest drivers on the USB stick (only from Asus)

check all you power connections and sata conmmection to divies like you optical drive and hard drives and all cables in general.

make sure everything in Bios is set to default (for now) just turn on LAN and disable onboard graphics (if it has that and you are running your own card)

Now try and make sure other hardware like memory or the heatsink etc are all properly located and installed.

flash the Bios as soon as you can

boot up using windoes cd / dvd

go into Bios check settings and just run LAN and if you have your own graphics turn off onboard, make sure it can read all divices like memory, drives etc

set boot priority to flash / cd / hard drive, then change later once system running

save and restart

boot from windows, press key to alow to install from cd,

new install, format all drives and old partitions

let it do its stuff

once installed

back into Bios, change boot to flash / hard drive / cd

save and exit

reboot and check if its running

if any beeping or blue screens i suspect it can be some hardware like memory.

if you get it running make a system image and back up

record and remember every change you do and don't install everything all at once, do something then reboot and make sure is stable

slowly after a few days i hope you get it all running smooth again.

keep us updated.

hope this helps....

[sebastianoswell]

Process of elimination, it sounds if you have re-installed windows a lot of times, i don't think its a pure windows problem.

Things i can suggest:

unplug any devices you dont need, only use a basic mouse & keyboard.

I assume you have a laptop or other device to get internet (hence you can post on here) use a USB stick and download the newest version of the BIOS from Asus onto the stick.

Not sure if you have ability to flash the bios without turning on your computer, if you can i would do that after resetting the CMOS.

Make sure you have a clean formated hard drive and don't even bother with RAID at the moment unless you want to and have 2 drives the same.

If possible have all the newest drivers on the USB stick (only from Asus)

check all you power connections and sata conmmection to divies like you optical drive and hard drives and all cables in general.

make sure everything in Bios is set to default (for now) just turn on LAN and disable onboard graphics (if it has that and you are running your own card)

Now try and make sure other hardware like memory or the heatsink etc are all properly located and installed.

flash the Bios as soon as you can

boot up using windoes cd / dvd

go into Bios check settings and just run LAN and if you have your own graphics turn off onboard, make sure it can read all divices like memory, drives etc

set boot priority to flash / cd / hard drive, then change later once system running

save and restart

boot from windows, press key to alow to install from cd,

new install, format all drives and old partitions

let it do its stuff

once installed

back into Bios, change boot to flash / hard drive / cd

save and exit

reboot and check if its running

if any beeping or blue screens i suspect it can be some hardware like memory.

if you get it running make a system image and back up

record and remember every change you do and don't install everything all at once, do something then reboot and make sure is stable

slowly after a few days i hope you get it all running smooth again.

keep us updated.

hope this helps....

Hey! Yeah, I have literally done all of those suggestions already :P

Installed windows over 40 times now, every time trying to focus down on what the issue is, since I can't access the memory dumps.

Every time its at a random point, sometimes it will be after I install a certain driver or it might happen as soon as I install the OS.

Oh well, OCZ support is being really helpful at the moment, as I think it may be a hard drive issue.

Thanks though! :)

[asusfan]

Could be memory conflict, check the Asus manual and see if the type you have is recommended??

try some other memory and maybe a different hard drive.

[Gidiyorsun]

Use a piece of software like drivergenius to check for updates to your drivers. You need the NEWEST drivers available!

Update BIOS and set everything to defaults.

Try using BlueScreenView from Nirsoft to take a look at the BSOD dumps. Post them in here so we can have a look at what it might be. (a screenshot or something)

[sebastianoswell]

Use a piece of software like drivergenius to check for updates to your drivers. You need the NEWEST drivers available!

Update BIOS and set everything to defaults.

Try using BlueScreenView from Nirsoft to take a look at the BSOD dumps. Post them in here so we can have a look at what it might be. (a screenshot or something)

I've tried to use BlueScreenView before, but I couldn't get it to work, especially because after it did BSOD, I couldn't actually get into the computer through safe mode or anything. However, secure erasing the SSD and reinstalling as normal has apparently worked with no problems for now.

[IdeaStormer]

I have a very similar setup but with the Agility 3 drive, well identical. I had issues with the SSD's (had two in RAID 0) but things got a lot better after a flash upgrade to the SSD's reinstalling the OS to just one (taking baby steps) SSD and not using the Marvell controller for anything, actually disabled those ports for now, system was much more stable after that. I still need to revisit my RAID 0 setup and using the Marvell ports, just liking not BOSD-ing anymore so postponing my testing for now.

Also, I was able to use the Marvell ports to install/boot a drive during this mess like yours of trying just about everything to get it to not BSOD. Yes, it BSOD while using the Marvell ports for the boot drive (a spinning HD).

[sebastianoswell]

I have a very similar setup but with the Agility 3 drive, well identical. I had issues with the SSD's (had two in RAID 0) but things got a lot better after a flash upgrade to the SSD's reinstalling the OS to just one (taking baby steps) SSD and not using the Marvell controller for anything, actually disabled those ports for now, system was much more stable after that. I still need to revisit my RAID 0 setup and using the Marvell ports, just liking not BOSD-ing anymore so postponing my testing for now.

Also, I was able to use the Marvell ports to install/boot a drive during this mess like yours of trying just about everything to get it to not BSOD. Yes, it BSOD while using the Marvell ports for the boot drive (a spinning HD).

Yeah, I have heard that the Marvell ports and drivers have caused issues. Do you know if all of the SATA ports use the Marvell controller? Or if its just the 6gb/s ports...

[IdeaStormer]

I have a very similar setup but with the Agility 3 drive, well identical. I had issues with the SSD's (had two in RAID 0) but things got a lot better after a flash upgrade to the SSD's reinstalling the OS to just one (taking baby steps) SSD and not using the Marvell controller for anything, actually disabled those ports for now, system was much more stable after that. I still need to revisit my RAID 0 setup and using the Marvell ports, just liking not BOSD-ing anymore so postponing my testing for now.

Also, I was able to use the Marvell ports to install/boot a drive during this mess like yours of trying just about everything to get it to not BSOD. Yes, it BSOD while using the Marvell ports for the boot drive (a spinning HD).

There are only two Marvell SATA3 Ports, they are the darker blue ports aka Navy Blue according to the manual, they are the closest to the CPU next to the USB3 header and 24 pin mobo power connector. The two white SATA ports are also 6gb/s ports, those are on the Intel controller.