ahci and required drivers

[wilbur]

hello,

i am running a home build pc:

windows 7 ultimate 64bit

nvidia 8800gts 512mb graphics card
intel e6750 dual core processor
p35 ds3p gigabyte mobo
2x 500gb samsung spinrite hdd
2x 1000gb samsung spinrite hdd
4x1gb ram corsair
on ahci and sata2

I was getting intermittent crashes since december 2010. nothing majopr but very anoying. i have not been able to identify the cause, i did thisnk that it was the nvidia driver.

i removed the graphics card and ram modules and cleaned alll contacts. I have updated all drivers. still intermittent crashes.

about 2 weeks ago i did a clean install of windows 7 ultimate 64 bit. i have had no crashes until today and the same bug report codes as before. i thought that it would be fixed.

the only thing that changed today was i manually installed service pack 2 for microsoft office 2007 and updates for it and updated firefox 4 to 5. went out for an hour and came home to find a double bug report for the same crash

here is the report:

On Thu 23/06/2011 16:02:09 GMT your computer crashed
crash dump file: C:\Windows\Minidump\062311-22011-01.dmp
uptime: 02:21:39
This was probably caused by the following module: ntoskrnl.exe (nt+0x70700)
Bugcheck code: 0x50 (0xFFFFF8200B454CB8, 0x1, 0xFFFFF8800127962D, 0x5)
Error: PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA
file path: C:\Windows\system32\ntoskrnl.exe
product: Microsoft® Windows® Operating System
company: Microsoft Corporation
description: NT Kernel & System
Bug check description: This indicates that invalid system memory has been referenced.
This appears to be a typical software driver bug and is not likely to be caused by a hardware problem.
The crash took place in the Windows kernel. Possibly this problem is caused by another driver which cannot be identified at this time.


On Thu 23/06/2011 16:02:09 GMT your computer crashed
crash dump file: C:\Windows\memory.dmp
uptime: 02:21:39
This was probably caused by the following module: ntfs.sys (Ntfs+0x3262D)
Bugcheck code: 0x50 (0xFFFFF8200B454CB8, 0x1, 0xFFFFF8800127962D, 0x5)
Error: PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA
file path: C:\Windows\system32\drivers\ntfs.sys
product: Microsoft® Windows® Operating System
company: Microsoft Corporation
description: NT File System Driver
Bug check description: This indicates that invalid system memory has been referenced.
This appears to be a typical software driver bug and is not likely to be caused by a hardware problem.
The crash took place in a standard Microsoft module. Your system configuration may be incorrect. Possibly this problem is caused by another driver on your system which cannot be identified at this time.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Conclusion
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2 crash dumps have been found and analyzed.
Read the topic general suggestions for troubleshooting system crashes for more information.

Note that it's not always possible to state with certainty whether a reported driver is actually responsible for crashing your system or that the root cause is in another module. Nonetheless it's suggested you look for updates for the products that these drivers belong to and regularly visit Windows update or enable automatic updates for Windows. In case a piece of malfunctioning hardware is causing trouble, a search with Google on the bug check errors together with the model name and brand of your computer may help you investigate this further.

googling has got me knowhere, does anyone have any ideas? this stuff is way beyond me at the moment.

I was also wondering if as the logs suggest, if it is a driver issue, could it be because i have no Intel SATA RAID/AHCI Driver installed, and my os was installed using the ahci settings in bios and native drivers, which i did not think were necesarry as i do not have raid.

any suggestions would be appreciated

[Karlston]

I've found that many strange things can be caused by memory issues, so it's worth ruling that out early.

Try downloading Memtest86+ (a pre-compiled bootable ISO) from here...

http://www.memtest.org/#downiso

...burn the ISO to a CD and boot with it. Let it run a pass or two and see if any errors are reported.

[wilbur]

hello,

have done memory test using windows on board diagnostics, but I cant find the log. there is some sort of event log in the event viewer but it does not say much to me as the info is in binary (i am binary iliterate). conversly there is nothing to say that there was any error. I will however use the memtest soft ware mentioned already.

I have never updated my bios since, which is since 2007, may be this may sort it out. although this is not something i particularly care to do given the hazzards involved.

may be this bsod was a one off???.

[wilbur]

quick update, found the windows diagnostic memory log and 'no error found'. i will still run the memtest softwasre overnight.

[Dark Mantis]

Actually the proper way to run Memtest is as follows if you want to be thorough.

The first thing i would want to check is the memory. Please follow these instructions exactly.

I would suggest that you download and run the latest version of  Memtest86+ to check your RAM first.

Memtest86+        http://www.memtest.org/

Insert one stick of memory in slot 1 and run Memtest on it for at least 10 complete loops/cycles and if there are no errors then swap it over with the next one and continue untill you have checked all  modules.
 
If you have any errors the module is faulty.

If you have any faulty modules you will have to return the whole kit as they are matched.

Post back when you have done that with the results.
 

[wilbur]

didnt see your post till this morning. but have run all tests for several hours yesterday evening. completed 10 passess with all test on each pass - no errors found 10/0

i hope this is conclusive enough to rule out memory failure?

[Dark Mantis]

Hi

Did you run the tests exactly like I indicated  on a single module at a time basis ?  If so then I think you can conclude that the memory's ok.

I notice that you have filled all the banks of memory. Have you manually configured all this or have you left it to Auto in the BIOS ?

[wilbur]

I did not get your post till after running the test, so unfrotunately i did not run the test, one module at a time.

left  4 x 1gb memory sticks in situe and ran test. I ran all 1 to 10 tests consecutively (std tests), 10 times/passess, taking about 8 hours.

''I notice that you have filled all the banks of memory. Have you manually configured all this or have you left it to Auto in the BIOS ?'' not sure what you mean by this.

I inserted the sticks, and bios found them. Do they have to be configured. if so, then i have never done this.  I have assumed that as they showed up, then they were configured? (i hope this assumption is correct. 4years on)

[Dark Mantis]

The thing is if you have only two modules in the system then you can often get away with leaving the setting on "Auto" in the BIOS but if you have filled the banks then this won't work properly any more and you need to enter all the settings and voltage manually. If you will list all the relevent settings and voltage for your memory(usually printed on the side of the sticks) like 8-8-8-24 1.5v. I will try and help you sort it out.

The thing is that by filling the banks you have put more pressure on the memory controller and it must be adjusted to help work properly.

[wilbur]

Hello, i had no idea about this. I hope i have not causedtoo much damage. The 2nd set of 2gb ram was installed about 10 months ago.

The spec of my ram is:

Corsair ddr 2
cm2x1024 - 6400c4

2.10v ver2.1
 4-4-4-12
800MHz
1024
XMS2 - 6400

I have looked in the BIOS, and the only thing I could find, that looked like what i should be adjusting was the 'system memory multiplyer (SPD) which is set to auto and the voltage controller options. not sure how to apply the settings when I looked in further.  I would therefore like to take you up on your offer to advise me of the correct settings.

Thank you.

[Wonderwrench]

In my experience running 4 modules in P35 chipset boards can be problematic. A simple fix may be to run the memory at 666 mhz instead of 800 mhz. Your CPU is a 1333 FSB processor so memory performance will not be much faster at 800 mhz anyway. It may actually perform better at 666 mhz. So give 666 mhz a try for a week or so and see it the problem goes away.

Bill

[wilbur]

Hello Bill,

I do not know how to adjust settings you mention. You also mention the processor, it is a   DualCore Intel Core 2 Duo E6750, 2666 MHz (8 x 333), I assume that this is what you menat by A 1333 FSB.

just a quick mention however, i have had another crash today, whike I was out and had utorrent downloading. Now that I come to think about it,  this senario is when most bsod's have occured. But hten I do this a lot and bsod are sitll intermitent. it cant be much more than twenty this year.  

On Mon 27/06/2011 13:02:39 your computer crashed
crash dump file: C:\Windows\Minidump\062711-19312-01.dmp
uptime: 04:01:14
This was probably caused by the following module: ntoskrnl.exe (nt+0x70700)
Bugcheck code: 0x50 (0xFFFFFA0004782184, 0x0, 0xFFFFF880012E650D, 0x7)
Error: PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA
file path: C:\Windows\system32\ntoskrnl.exe
product: Microsoft® Windows® Operating System
company: Microsoft Corporation
description: NT Kernel & System
Bug check description: This indicates that invalid system memory has been referenced.
This appears to be a typical software driver bug and is not likely to be caused by a hardware problem.
The crash took place in the Windows kernel. Possibly this problem is caused by another driver which cannot be identified at this time.


On Mon 27/06/2011 13:02:39 your computer crashed
crash dump file: C:\Windows\memory.dmp
uptime: 04:01:14
This was probably caused by the following module: ntfs.sys (Ntfs+0x9F50D)
Bugcheck code: 0x50 (0xFFFFFA0004782184, 0x0, 0xFFFFF880012E650D, 0x7)
Error: PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA
file path: C:\Windows\system32\drivers\ntfs.sys
product: Microsoft® Windows® Operating System
company: Microsoft Corporation
description: NT File System Driver
Bug check description: This indicates that invalid system memory has been referenced.
This appears to be a typical software driver bug and is not likely to be caused by a hardware problem.
The crash took place in a standard Microsoft module. Your system configuration may be incorrect. Possibly this problem is caused by another driver on your system which cannot be identified at this time.

Unfortunately I am concerned that it may be a hard ware problem more specifficallly hdd. I hope someone with much more knowledge and experience of such matters can tell that this is, in all probability, not the case.

[wilbur]

I have just done a ram stress test using everest and the sesults are confusing, because it is telling me that the memory sticks are different to what the label on them says.

                 Motherboard:
         CPU Type     DualCore Intel Core 2 Duo E6750, 2666 MHz (8 x 333)
         Motherboard Name     Gigabyte GA-P35-DS3P (2 PCI, 3 PCI-E x1, 2 PCI-E x16, 4 DDR2 DIMM, Audio, Gigabit LAN, IEEE-1394)
         Motherboard Chipset     Intel Bearlake P35
         System Memory     4096 MB (DDR2-800 DDR2 SDRAM)
         DIMM1: Corsair XMS2 CM2X1024-6400C4     1 GB DDR2-800 DDR2 SDRAM (5-5-5-18 @ 400 MHz) (4-4-4-13 @ 270 MHz)
         DIMM2: Corsair XMS2 CM2X1024-6400C4     1 GB DDR2-800 DDR2 SDRAM (5-5-5-18 @ 400 MHz) (4-4-4-13 @ 270 MHz)
         DIMM3: Corsair XMS2 CM2X1024-6400C4     1 GB DDR2-800 DDR2 SDRAM (5-5-5-18 @ 400 MHz) (4-4-4-13 @ 270 MHz)
         DIMM4: Corsair XMS2 CM2X1024-6400C4     1 GB DDR2-800 DDR2 SDRAM (5-5-5-18 @ 400 MHz) (4-4-4-13 @ 270 MHz)

Is this to do with not manually configuring the RAM. I still cant seem to figure it out.

[Dark Mantis]

The first thing i would want to check is the memory. Please follow these instructions exactly.

I would suggest that you download and run the latest version of  Memtest86+ to check your RAM first.

Memtest86+        http://www.memtest.org/

Insert one stick of memory in slot 1 and run Memtest on it for at least 10 complete loops/cycles and if there are no errors then swap it over with the next one and continue untill you have checked all  modules.
 
If you have any errors the module is faulty.

If you have any faulty modules you will have to return the whole kit as they are matched.

Post back when you have done that with the results.

[wilbur]

I have already downlaoded and run memtest, 10 passess all ten tests, but the first time I left all four sticks in situe as I had not seen your post expalining that they should be done one at a time, as per my earlier post.

would it not be possible to set the memory correctly at this stage as it appears they are not, after reading your post regarding memory settings.

As this is not a diagnostic procedure I am familiar with, would you please breifly explain what the difference is between testing all four banks, which showed no errors when I tested them, and how that differs form a single stick at a time.

thanks.

Ps here is the spces for each stick as it appears on the side of each stick;

Corsair ddr 2
cm2x1024 - 6400c4

2.10v ver2.1
 4-4-4-12
800MHz
1024
XMS2 - 6400