Blue Screen of Death

SezMe · 17th July 2017, 04:23 AM

I am running Win 10, 64-bit. I am now getting a Blue Screen of Death about once a day.

I downloaded BlueScreenView which shows a lot info in the minidump file. Unfortunately, I don't know how to read the information in order to figure out what is breaking.

Anyone here who has experience with dump information?

paulhutch · 17th July 2017, 07:05 AM

Originally Posted by SezMe

I am running Win 10, 64-bit. I am now getting a Blue Screen of Death about once a day.

I downloaded BlueScreenView which shows a lot info in the minidump file. Unfortunately, I don't know how to read the information in order to figure out what is breaking.

Anyone here who has experience with dump information?

Memory dumps are usually only helpful to the authors of a program. A BSOD is nearly always related to installed drivers or malfunctioning hardware.

This is what I do when troubleshooting BSOD.

Look in device manager to see if any devices are showing question marks or exclamation points.
Make sure all Windows updates where successful and there are no pending updates.
Look in Event Viewer for logged driver and hardware failures.
Try updating all your drivers.
Run a thorough memory test.
Disconnect all hardware that is not absolutely necessary.

bytewizard · 17th July 2017, 10:48 AM

Originally Posted by paulhutch

Memory dumps are usually only helpful to the authors of a program. A BSOD is nearly always related to installed drivers or malfunctioning hardware.

This is what I do when troubleshooting BSOD.

Look in device manager to see if any devices are showing question marks or exclamation points.
Make sure all Windows updates where successful and there are no pending updates.
Look in Event Viewer for logged driver and hardware failures.
Try updating all your drivers.
Run a thorough memory test.
Disconnect all hardware that is not absolutely necessary.

If the above doesn't solve the problem, back up all of your files to the cloud or to another physical drive, and replace your hard drive. Over the years, I have seen many blue screens of death, and if running the computer "bare bones" doesn't resolve it, it usually boils down to a hard drive read/write failure.

xterra · 17th July 2017, 11:30 AM

I don't run Windows 10 so I might be talking/writing nonsense here, but could it be run in Safe Mode (does that even exist?), and would that show any useful information?

rjh01 · 17th July 2017, 04:08 PM

Originally Posted by bytewizard

If the above doesn't solve the problem, back up all of your files to the cloud or to another physical drive, and replace your hard drive. Over the years, I have seen many blue screens of death, and if running the computer "bare bones" doesn't resolve it, it usually boils down to a hard drive read/write failure.

Do this first, not last. Then ensure you have all your files backed up.

AJM8125 · 17th July 2017, 06:19 PM

Originally Posted by paulhutch

A BSOD is nearly always related to installed drivers or malfunctioning hardware.

Can attest.

My last two bouts with BSOD were from a graphics card going bad, then a wifi dongle. Win 10 pro 64, Core i3, 8 gigs.

SezMe · 17th July 2017, 07:03 PM

Good comments. Give me some time to try these ideas. I installed a new hard drive about 18 months ago so that should be ok. But I have a second physical hard drive that I use for backup that is a lot older so that may be the culprit.

commandlinegamer · 18th July 2017, 01:40 AM

There's little point in replacing parts you merely think might be faulty, unless you've spares available for that purpose and have not other way to test devices.

A live CD/flash drive with memtest86 can be used to check memory for issues, and if it contains the appropriate tools, your hard disk too.

System Rescue CD is quite handy for that sort of thing, but there are others.

Worm · 18th July 2017, 01:42 AM

Memtest caught the error for me last time this happened, but that was back in XP days and the world may well have moved on

SezMe · 19th July 2017, 02:44 AM

Originally Posted by commandlinegamer

There's little point in replacing parts you merely think might be faulty, unless you've spares available for that purpose and have not other way to test devices.

Couldn't agree more. The hard drive I replace was clearly failing which was why I replace it. I'm a software guy, I hate mucking around with hardware.

17th July 2017, 04:23 AM	#1
SezMe post-pre-born Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Santa Barbara, CA Posts: 22,051	Blue Screen of Death I am running Win 10, 64-bit. I am now getting a Blue Screen of Death about once a day. I downloaded BlueScreenView which shows a lot info in the minidump file. Unfortunately, I don't know how to read the information in order to figure out what is breaking. Anyone here who has experience with dump information?

17th July 2017, 07:05 AM	#2
paulhutch Graduate Poster Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Blackstone River Valley, MA Posts: 1,796	Originally Posted by SezMe I am running Win 10, 64-bit. I am now getting a Blue Screen of Death about once a day. I downloaded BlueScreenView which shows a lot info in the minidump file. Unfortunately, I don't know how to read the information in order to figure out what is breaking. Anyone here who has experience with dump information? Memory dumps are usually only helpful to the authors of a program. A BSOD is nearly always related to installed drivers or malfunctioning hardware. This is what I do when troubleshooting BSOD. Look in device manager to see if any devices are showing question marks or exclamation points. Make sure all Windows updates where successful and there are no pending updates. Look in Event Viewer for logged driver and hardware failures. Try updating all your drivers. Run a thorough memory test. Disconnect all hardware that is not absolutely necessary.

17th July 2017, 10:48 AM	#3
bytewizard Graduate Poster Join Date: Jan 2016 Location: In the woods Posts: 1,547	Originally Posted by paulhutch Memory dumps are usually only helpful to the authors of a program. A BSOD is nearly always related to installed drivers or malfunctioning hardware. This is what I do when troubleshooting BSOD. Look in device manager to see if any devices are showing question marks or exclamation points. Make sure all Windows updates where successful and there are no pending updates. Look in Event Viewer for logged driver and hardware failures. Try updating all your drivers. Run a thorough memory test. Disconnect all hardware that is not absolutely necessary. If the above doesn't solve the problem, back up all of your files to the cloud or to another physical drive, and replace your hard drive. Over the years, I have seen many blue screens of death, and if running the computer "bare bones" doesn't resolve it, it usually boils down to a hard drive read/write failure.

17th July 2017, 11:30 AM	#4
xterra So far, so good... Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: On the outskirts of Nowhere; the middle was too crowded Posts: 2,509	I don't run Windows 10 so I might be talking/writing nonsense here, but could it be run in Safe Mode (does that even exist?), and would that show any useful information?
	__________________ Over we go....

17th July 2017, 04:08 PM	#5
rjh01 Gentleman of leisure Tagger Join Date: May 2005 Location: Flying around in the sky Posts: 22,809	Originally Posted by bytewizard If the above doesn't solve the problem, back up all of your files to the cloud or to another physical drive, and replace your hard drive. Over the years, I have seen many blue screens of death, and if running the computer "bare bones" doesn't resolve it, it usually boils down to a hard drive read/write failure. Do this first, not last. Then ensure you have all your files backed up.
	__________________ http://rsi.org.au/ http://www.2xxfm.org.au/

17th July 2017, 06:19 PM	#6
AJM8125 Potsing whiled runk Tagger Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Ignore Posts: 19,297	Originally Posted by paulhutch A BSOD is nearly always related to installed drivers or malfunctioning hardware. Can attest. My last two bouts with BSOD were from a graphics card going bad, then a wifi dongle. Win 10 pro 64, Core i3, 8 gigs.
	__________________

17th July 2017, 07:03 PM	#7
SezMe post-pre-born Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Santa Barbara, CA Posts: 22,051	Good comments. Give me some time to try these ideas. I installed a new hard drive about 18 months ago so that should be ok. But I have a second physical hard drive that I use for backup that is a lot older so that may be the culprit.

18th July 2017, 01:40 AM	#8
commandlinegamer Philosopher Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Mazes of Menace Posts: 8,499	There's little point in replacing parts you merely think might be faulty, unless you've spares available for that purpose and have not other way to test devices. A live CD/flash drive with memtest86 can be used to check memory for issues, and if it contains the appropriate tools, your hard disk too. System Rescue CD is quite handy for that sort of thing, but there are others.
	__________________ He bade me take any rug in the house.

18th July 2017, 01:42 AM	#9
Worm Graduate Poster Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 1,450	Memtest caught the error for me last time this happened, but that was back in XP days and the world may well have moved on
Worm Graduate Poster Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 1,450	__________________ "Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent" Isaac Asimov Not all cults are bad - I've joined a cult of niceness

19th July 2017, 02:44 AM	#10
SezMe post-pre-born Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Santa Barbara, CA Posts: 22,051	Originally Posted by commandlinegamer There's little point in replacing parts you merely think might be faulty, unless you've spares available for that purpose and have not other way to test devices. Couldn't agree more. The hard drive I replace was clearly failing which was why I replace it. I'm a software guy, I hate mucking around with hardware.