[SOLVED] Windows 7 x64 Crashes Randomly

PBComputer

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I have a PC I'm working on which has me beat.

It will BSOD randomly, I can't find the reason.

memtest for 12+ hours all clear
hard drive tests okay.
All updates and drivers installed
Windows was installed in 2014.

Avast Antivirus.

I seen it once reboot and just display a load of 0's of the BIOS splash screen.

This is the blue screen dumps.

==================================================
Dump File : 121216-16692-01.dmp
Crash Time : 12/12/2016 17:15:01
Bug Check String : IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL ntoskrnl.exe+70400
Bug Check Code : 0x0000000a
Parameter 1 : fffffb80`0341d2b8
Parameter 2 : 00000000`00000002
Parameter 3 : 00000000`00000000
Parameter 4 : fffff800`02e92412
Caused By Driver : ntoskrnl.exe
Caused By Address : ntoskrnl.exe+70400
File Description : NT Kernel & System
Product Name : Microsoft® Windows® Operating System
Company : Microsoft Corporation
File Version : 6.1.7601.23572 (win7sp1_ldr.161011-0600)
Processor : x64
Crash Address : ntoskrnl.exe+70400
Stack Address 1 :
Stack Address 2 :
Stack Address 3 :
Computer Name :
Full Path : C:\Windows\Minidump\121216-16692-01.dmp
Processors Count : 2
Major Version : 15
Minor Version : 7601
Dump File Size : 318,047
Dump File Time : 12/12/2016 17:16:38
==================================================

==================================================
Dump File : 121016-16972-01.dmp
Crash Time : 10/12/2016 10:15:11
Bug Check String : IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL
Bug Check Code : 0x0000000a
Parameter 1 : fffff800`031f5a38
Parameter 2 : 00000000`00000002
Parameter 3 : 00000000`00000008
Parameter 4 : fffff800`031f5a38
Caused By Driver : ntoskrnl.exe
Caused By Address : ntoskrnl.exe+70400
File Description : NT Kernel & System
Product Name : Microsoft® Windows® Operating System
Company : Microsoft Corporation
File Version : 6.1.7601.23572 (win7sp1_ldr.161011-0600)
Processor : x64
Crash Address : ntoskrnl.exe+70400
Stack Address 1 :
Stack Address 2 :
Stack Address 3 :
Computer Name :
Full Path : C:\Windows\Minidump\121016-16972-01.dmp
Processors Count : 2
Major Version : 15
Minor Version : 7601
Dump File Size : 318,047
Dump File Time : 10/12/2016 10:16:00
==================================================
 
Leave Avast alone.

memtest just tells if a memory cell responds. Go beat the crap out of the memory with Prime95 and I bet it fails in 4 hours or less.

(I've not seen a BSOD in the last 10 years that wasn't memory related.)
 
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If the display is crap during BIOS display, the problem has nothing to do with the OS. Bad caps on the MB (or even in the PSU) are more likely at fault. When it crashes, have you checked temps via the BIOS? Checked the CMOS battery? Tried a known-good PSU? Run it using a live Linux CD and see if it still crashes, although I sometimes find that with some HW problems, Linux will run whereas Windows will not, possibly due to light loading or something, idk.
 
If the display is crap during BIOS display, the problem has nothing to do with the OS. Bad caps on the MB (or even in the PSU) are more likely at fault. When it crashes, have you checked temps via the BIOS? Checked the CMOS battery? Tried a known-good PSU? Run it using a live Linux CD and see if it still crashes, although I sometimes find that with some HW problems, Linux will run whereas Windows will not, possibly due to light loading or something, idk.

I'm with this ... Check the caps. If you can figure out a way to replicate the issue then I would throw in a test HD or SSD and load Windows back on it and try and make it fail again.

The crappy part about this situation is it sounds like it is intermittent and it might go away for hours or days at a time then re-appear. This computer is the kind of time pit that could easily net you 2-3 hours in troubleshooting just to end up frustrated with no clear answer. If you sell the client a solution then it would probably fall under 'lets try this and see' again with no 'Clear' answer, as your issue may disappear for a day or maybe two, the return.
 
as mentioned above I'd try a fresh install on spare drive see if you can replicate the issue this should tell you whether it's hardware or not. Also did you check the smart status of the drive could be a failing drive as opposed to a failed drive?

HTH
 
as mentioned above I'd try a fresh install on spare drive see if you can replicate the issue this should tell you whether it's hardware or not.

No!

If it works, it proves nothing. ("You crashed the car but I didn't, therefore the car might or might not be safe.")

If it doesn't work, it tells you something you already know. ("We both crashed the car, therefore either the car is unsafe or we're both bad drivers (or both).")

(Longer and better explanation here.)

If the display is crap during BIOS display, the problem has nothing to do with the OS.

Yes! ("The car exploded when we were nowhere near it, therefore the car is unsafe regardless of our driving skills.")

Logic is a wonderful thing. We should use it more often.
 
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it's flaky hardware. the crash dump tells me a driver failed to communicate with the hardware and crashed. the wacky bios screen tells me it's not windows. could be temperature related, could be power supply related, could be caps or other damage to the motherboard. maybe run some stress tests to get it to warm up. do a tap test on the motherboard.

Edit: loose ram modules or other extension cards
 
Have you looked at the actual dump files to figure out what specifically was on the stack at the time of crash for each instance?

You are looking particularly for non-Microsoft items, and if there are multiple items on the stack, there should be at least one or two items that are consistently on the stack at each and every crash.

That would point to the culprit. At that point updating whatever it is (probably a driver) will most likely fix the problem. A heck of a lot of times you can uninstall that driver via "Uninstall a Program" or via the Device Manager telling it to delete the files... Then usually Windows Update will find a suitable WHQL certified driver and install it if you turn on the driver installation settings.

Other times it will automatically find a better driver.
 
I seen it once reboot and just display a load of 0's of the BIOS splash screen.

Do you mean like the artwork was written out in 0's like some sort of ascii macro?

If it has a video card I would reseat the video card, reseat ram, and after that I would proceed to run prime95 for up to 16 hours to see if any errors.
 
If the display is crap during BIOS display, the problem has nothing to do with the OS.
Well in theory on just a reboot it could be possible but that would be highly highly unlikely especially if nothing was weird prior to the reboot.

Edit: I mean in a driver causing improper hardware instruction kind of ordeal.
 
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