Graphics Card causing Kernel Error #41

[Koxxy]

While I save up to buy a new PC I have to make do with my old one. This desktop was built in 2012 and has been wonky ever since it was first built (I was not so PC savy at that time and could not build it myself so the parts were chosen for me and PC built), one of the errors I have not yet managed to fix is random system reboots with the error code Kernel Error 41 in the event logger.

 

So the problem happens only when I am gaming and stopped occurring when I removed the graphics card. The system basically just randomly becomes non responsive and the screen goes black or is filled with vertical grey bars filling the screen. The system wont power off with the power button half the time and I need to reach to the PSU and turn it off by flicking the On/Off switch and then booting the computer back up. These errors have happened when the system is stone cold after just booting up and have not happened at all after an entire night of gaming.

 

This is the error that I get in the event log.

 

 

Log Name:      System

Source:        Microsoft-Windows-Kernel-Power

Date:          3.2.2015 23:27:22

Event ID:      41

Task Category: (63)

Level:         Critical

Keywords:      (2)

User:          SYSTEM

Computer:      Valli-Desktop

Description:

The system has rebooted without cleanly shutting down first. This error could be caused if the system stopped responding, crashed, or lost power unexpectedly.

Event Xml:

<Event xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/win/2004/08/events/event">

  <System>

    <Provider Name="Microsoft-Windows-Kernel-Power" Guid="{331C3B3A-2005-44C2-AC5E-77220C37D6B4}" />

    <EventID>41</EventID>

    <Version>3</Version>

    <Level>1</Level>

    <Task>63</Task>

    <Opcode>0</Opcode>

    <Keywords>0x8000000000000002</Keywords>

    <TimeCreated SystemTime="2015-02-03T23:27:22.129544600Z" />

    <EventRecordID>2854</EventRecordID>

    <Correlation />

    <Execution ProcessID="4" ThreadID="8" />

    <Channel>System</Channel>

    <Computer>Valli-Desktop</Computer>

    <Security UserID="S-1-5-18" />

  </System>

  <EventData>

    <Data Name="BugcheckCode">0</Data>

    <Data Name="BugcheckParameter1">0x0</Data>

    <Data Name="BugcheckParameter2">0x0</Data>

    <Data Name="BugcheckParameter3">0x0</Data>

    <Data Name="BugcheckParameter4">0x0</Data>

    <Data Name="SleepInProgress">0</Data>

    <Data Name="PowerButtonTimestamp">0</Data>

    <Data Name="BootAppStatus">0</Data>

  </EventData>

</Event>

 

And these are the grey bars that fill the screen when it freezes.

 

 

PC Specs:

• Random Power Supply, 720W or 60V 12A 60Hz it says on it.
• 8 gb of DDR2 RAM
• AMD Radeon HD 7800 from Gigabyte (Not OC'd)
• AMD A8-5600K 
• ASRock FM2A75
• I also have 2 HDD

TL:DR: Trying to fix old PC, it keeps freezing and going non responsive without powering down, Think its some kind of graphics card error.

[orangecat]

Most likely dead/defective GPU.

[Koxxy]

Most likely dead/defective GPU.

 

What makes you think so? Have you encounter a problem similar to this that was caused by a dead/defective GPU?

[orangecat]

What makes you think so? Have you encounter a problem similar to this that was caused by a dead/defective GPU?

Unless your GPU is overclocked and extremely unstable this is the basic signs of a dead or defective GPU. I've seen systems act similar to that countless times on the forum and most fot he time its a bad GPU.

[Badger906]

the kernel 41 is always generated when windows shuts down unexpectedly, it will create one if you just hold the power button or hit the reset button.

 

its one of 2 issues i can think of, one would be bad ram, the other would be a faulty gpu.

 

the ram is the easiest to check, just take one stick out at a time to see if the problem persists or not, and or try the sticks in different slots... if the problem persists even with 1 stick in each of the different slots then its not ram based..

 

then id recommend updating to the latest video drivers and seeing if that helps... if it doesnt.. well the only way to test it is to either stick the gpu in another machine and or another gpu in your machine.

 

the fact that it only happens while gaming means its a stress thing.. its working hard and something doesnt like being pushed hard.

 

also monitor your GPU and CPU temps, just incase its heat related.

[Briggsy]

Unless your GPU is overclocked and extremely unstable this is the basic signs of a dead or defective GPU. I've seen systems act similar to that countless times on the forum and most fot he time its a bad GPU.

 

this is what i saw when my 7950 died. more brownish but striped screen of death, none the less.

[Midnight]

defective GPU.

[Koxxy]

this is what i saw when my 7950 died. more brownish but striped screen of death, none the less.

That confirms my fears. Time to prepare the funeral

[Koxxy]

the kernel 41 is always generated when windows shuts down unexpectedly, it will create one if you just hold the power button or hit the reset button.

its one of 2 issues i can think of, one would be bad ram, the other would be a faulty gpu.

the ram is the easiest to check, just take one stick out at a time to see if the problem persists or not, and or try the sticks in different slots... if the problem persists even with 1 stick in each of the different slots then its not ram based..

then id recommend updating to the latest video drivers and seeing if that helps... if it doesnt.. well the only way to test it is to either stick the gpu in another machine and or another gpu in your machine.

the fact that it only happens while gaming means its a stress thing.. its working hard and something doesnt like being pushed hard.

also monitor your GPU and CPU temps, just incase its heat related.

I had already tested the RAM so that narrows it down to the GPU