Critical event - Windows 8.1 - Hardware error (recurrent)

[midlife_crisis]

Hello,

Sometimes, while casually browsing the internet, my PC freezes for a moment and then restarts normally, warning a GPU failure in the notification area. After that, usually two hardware errors appear in sequence within Reliability Monitor.

The last time, this was the first one:


Source
Windows

Summary
Hardware error

Date
‎26/‎01/‎2018 01:05

Status
Report sent

Description
A problem with your hardware caused Windows to stop working correctly.

Problem signature
Problem Event Name: LiveKernelEvent
Code: 141
Parameter 1: ffffe001850c5230
Parameter 2: fffff801eb85ef80
Parameter 3: 0
Parameter 4: 288
OS version: 6_3_9600
Service Pack: 0_0
Product: 256_1
OS Version: 6.3.9600.2.0.0.256.48
Locale ID: 1040

Extra information about the problem
Bucket ID: LKD_0x141_Tdr:6_IMAGE_nvlddmkm.sys



The second one:


Source
Windows

Summary
Hardware error

Date
‎26/‎01/‎2018 01:05

Status
Report sent

Description
A problem with your hardware caused Windows to stop working correctly.

Problem signature
Problem Event Name: LiveKernelEvent
Code: 141
Parameter 1: ffffe00190c714d0
Parameter 2: fffff801eb85ef80
Parameter 3: 0
Parameter 4: dfc
OS version: 6_3_9600
Service Pack: 0_0
Product: 256_1
OS Version: 6.3.9600.2.0.0.256.48
Locale ID: 1040

Files that help describe the problem (some files may no longer be available)
WD-20180126-0105-01.dmp
sysdata.xml
WERInternalMetadata.xml

Extra information about the problem
Bucket ID: BAD_DUMPFILE



Gpu is MSI GEFORCE GTX 1080TI AERO 11G OC with driver v390.65, on a Window 8.1 Pro x64 machine. I have not personally overclocked the GPU, as I much prefer system stability, but the card came factory overclocked (1620/1506 instead of 1582/1480 MHz). However, selecting debug mode from the Nvidia Control Panel, I used the card at standard clock, but I run into the issue nonetheless.

I already reinstalled the GPU driver and run the SFC and DISM commands to repair Windows, but it's still the same.

It's very difficult to pinpoint a moment since when the issue appeared, I guess about a month ago. When I bought the GPU early November, I run Windows 10 for a month, but even there I remember always getting "Windows was not properly shutdown" Critical Events and other random errors. At that time, it was early December, the infamous Samsung 960 Pro firmware update failure happened, so I was forced to swap my SSD drive, and I decided to try old Windows 8.1, blaming Windows 10 for the issues encountered. However, the "Windows was not properly shutdown" Critical Events continued to appear on Windows 8.1 too, but I've been able to address them by disabling "Fast Startup" in Windows. I can't help but think that these things are all related 😕 (maybe the motherboard then?)

I tried downgrading to previous driver version [388.71] and also upgraded to the newer one [390.77] yesterday, but the issue persists. I'm definitely going to try the other driver versions available.

In the meantime, I've relocated the GPU to another slot and connected two separate pci-e power cables to the GPU, instead of just using both the connectors from only one cable. I really hope this solves the problem, but the "Windows was not properly shut down" events are still there, sadly.

These freezes have happened quite a few times till now. Does anybody know where I should start looking to sort this issue? Could it be an hardware fault? Any help will be much appreciated.

[Chino]

Try clearing your CMOSand running your system at stock defaults to see how that goes. If possible, install a fresh copy of Windows for testing.

[midlife_crisis]

Chino wrote:
Try clearing your CMOSand running your system at stock defaults to see how that goes. If possible, install a fresh copy of Windows for testing.

Chino, I've tried both of them time and time again, but to no avail, unfortunately.

Howevere, a few days ago, after so much efforts and time spent, I’ve finally figured this one out: the very cause of this and several other minor issues affecting my PC all this time was the Rampage V Edition 10 motherboard. I just bought one from another manufacturer, clean-installed Windows 10 and the latest Nvidia drivers 390.77, and all is working fine, even the Fast Boot feature which was so problematic in the past. Finally, no more BSODs, no more annoyances. I don’t know, there is a remote chance I was doing something wrong (and I tried resetting and updating and tweaking to the exhaustion, without any significant documentation to be found), but I more inclined to assume that that particular product is just bad (and I’m being polite).

After this, I'm done with ASUS for a long while. On paper this MB is awesome, but, for me at least, it's just been a PITA and I should just have ditched it sooner, as from the very beginning going on it’s been showing one of the worst driver support I’ve ever seen in my life, and I even RMAed it a while back for networking related issues.

[MaacK]

First off why are you running Windows 8.1? Upgrade to Windows 10. Seriously.

This is a Nvidia issue. Wipe your drivers completely and reinstall. Boot into safe mode, download and run Driver Sweeper (http://www.guru3d.com/content-page/guru3d-driver-sweeper.html), reboot, run CCleaner to clear registry, and re-download the latest drivers.

I'd also say that using Windows 8 is your issue here. Everything is being geared towards Windows 10. It's silly to even use Windows 8. And some games are even *requiring* Windows 10.. I assume you're gaming with that 1080ti.

Also, **** asus, I'm done with them for good too!

[midlife_crisis]

MaacK wrote:
First off why are you running Windows 8.1? Upgrade to Windows 10. Seriously.

This is a Nvidia issue. Wipe your drivers completely and reinstall. Boot into safe mode, download and run Driver Sweeper (http://www.guru3d.com/content-page/guru3d-driver-sweeper.html), reboot, run CCleaner to clear registry, and re-download the latest drivers.

I'd also say that using Windows 8 is your issue here. Everything is being geared towards Windows 10. It's silly to even use Windows 8. And some games are even *requiring* Windows 10.. I assume you're gaming with that 1080ti.

Also, **** asus, I'm done with them for good too!

Wow, this is really past due... 😉 just joking

Luckily, I already sorted out those issues, as I wrote in my last post.

The freezes were definitively caused by the Asus motherboard, and happened either in Win8 and Win10. In the past, I've RMAed that Asus Motherboard at least three times and every time there was something wrong: it was just a bad product overall. I've long ditched it and I'm running one from another brand which is absolutely perfect and never gave me any problem. I don't want to be harsh but, in every aspect, my current motherboard is far superior than the Asus one: for instance, it even received an updated BIOS for the Spectre vulnerability very early, unlike Asus motherboards, which as far as I know, are still demanding proper care. In this regard, Asus driver support is by far the worst I've ever seen.

However, the "Windows was not properly shutdown" errors are another thing entirely, but I identified the culprit in my Sound Blaster USB DAC, which is another product that I would not recommend and I wish I didn't buy (oh well...), but I found a solution by disabling the "Fast startup" feature in Windows, and no more errors since then.

[davemon50]

MaacK didn't bother to read your explanation on W8 vs. 10.

Midlife, in reading through your issue, the repeating thought that keeps coming to me is that your video card was overheating. Personally I don't like the airflow arrangement of that case you have in your profile specs. In past reviews the GPU cooling performance didn't rank high against other cases. Also, you are pulling all air in at the bottom so you must have a rigorous filter cleaning routine for your computer (not sure if you do or not?). I am guessing that changing out the motherboard within the same case you probably cleaned the filters and are getting better airflow as a result, and also the GPU is in slightly different configuration. Both having impact.

It may not be the cooling issue at all, but rather the driver issue as MaacK suggests. However, he is advising registry cleaning. Please be advised that registry cleaners are inherently very dangerous. If you don't know exactly what you are doing you can really mess up your Windows installation. Proceed with great caution if you decide to do that. Or steer clear of them entirely. I have never ever used one and do just fine with Windows maintenance, although I muck around in the registry from time to time. You just need to be confident you know what you are doing.

[midlife_crisis]

davemon50 wrote:
MaacK didn't bother to read your explanation on W8 vs. 10.

Midlife, in reading through your issue, the repeating thought that keeps coming to me is that your video card was overheating. Personally I don't like the airflow arrangement of that case you have in your profile specs. In past reviews the GPU cooling performance didn't rank high against other cases. Also, you are pulling all air in at the bottom so you must have a rigorous filter cleaning routine for your computer (not sure if you do or not?). I am guessing that changing out the motherboard within the same case you probably cleaned the filters and are getting better airflow as a result, and also the GPU is in slightly different configuration. Both having impact.

It may not be the cooling issue at all, but rather the driver issue as MaacK suggests. However, he is advising registry cleaning. Please be advised that registry cleaners are inherently very dangerous. If you don't know exactly what you are doing you can really mess up your Windows installation. Proceed with great caution if you decide to do that. Or steer clear of them entirely. I have never ever used one and do just fine with Windows maintenance, although I muck around in the registry from time to time. You just need to be confident you know what you are doing.

Could you provide those reviews you're talking about? I'm curious to read them, since, actually, I'm very satisfied with my Silverstone case, IMO its strengths being an high build quality and a very good and practical filtering system. In the four years and two builds that it has endured, it's still going strong, with very low temperatures for all the components. I'm talking about, under heavy stress, sub-35°C for motherboard and storage and PSU, sub-50°C for CPU and sub-70° for GPU, all while producing very low noise. I do clean the filters every two to three months, but that's it. Due to the aging, I had to change two of the AP181 fans, but that was expected due to they being of the sleeve bearing type, which Silverstone addressed with the AP182 series.

Anyway, as I've experienced, the heat was not the issue here, but rather some bad behavior from the Asus motherboard, as I explained.

[MaacK]

davemon50 wrote:
MaacK didn't bother to read your explanation on W8 vs. 10.

Midlife, in reading through your issue, the repeating thought that keeps coming to me is that your video card was overheating. Personally I don't like the airflow arrangement of that case you have in your profile specs. In past reviews the GPU cooling performance didn't rank high against other cases. Also, you are pulling all air in at the bottom so you must have a rigorous filter cleaning routine for your computer (not sure if you do or not?). I am guessing that changing out the motherboard within the same case you probably cleaned the filters and are getting better airflow as a result, and also the GPU is in slightly different configuration. Both having impact.

It may not be the cooling issue at all, but rather the driver issue as MaacK suggests. However, he is advising registry cleaning. Please be advised that registry cleaners are inherently very dangerous. If you don't know exactly what you are doing you can really mess up your Windows installation. Proceed with great caution if you decide to do that. Or steer clear of them entirely. I have never ever used one and do just fine with Windows maintenance, although I muck around in the registry from time to time. You just need to be confident you know what you are doing.

Right since I didn't offer an explanation and you clearly did finish reading what I posted.

[davemon50]

Glad you have good temps, it's what kept coming to mind for me in your description.

I didn't like the relative position of your case on the first page of THIS REVIEW, as it related to the GPU. As in all cases, there are hangups for components if there are obstructions, and another review pointed out easy pitfalls for this case without proper cable management.

[midlife_crisis]

davemon50 wrote:
Glad you have good temps, it's what kept coming to mind for me in your description.

I didn't like the relative position of your case on the first page of THIS REVIEW, as it related to the GPU. As in all cases, there are hangups for components if there are obstructions, and another review pointed out easy pitfalls for this case without proper cable management.

I find the mentioned article to be in line with the others I read at the time before making the final decision, e.g. like this one

http://www.silentpcreview.com/article1002-page7.html

I swear by it, I cannot praise enough this cooling design with the rotated motherboard, and I'd really like to see it adopted more from other brands, just to have some proper competition, since Silverstone is obviously applying a conspicuous premium for its unique cases.