P5K EPU continual BSOD

[stevo1210]

Hello Everyone,

I just assembled a computer for a client of mine but it's been nothing but trouble for me. The stupid thing keeps restarting and giving out BSODs at random times. I am stumped and extremely pissed off. This is what the PC has:

* Intel Pentium D 3.4Ghz CPU
* Asus P5K EPU
* 2x Kingston DDR 800MHz DDRII 1GB
* Generic Nvidia 7600GS PCIe graphics card
* Cooler Master Extreme 500W PSU
* 320GB Seagate 7200.10 SATA HDD
* Windows Vista Ultimate.
* Creative Soundblaster Live! 24 bit PCI sound card
* LG DVD Burner

At first I couldn't install Windows because it kept giving me random BSODs during the Windows install so I reseated the RAM and that went well and I didn't have a single problem. I've installed everything else on there without a hitch. Now it is restarting when I click on the volume control in Windows. It's becoming a pain in the butt and I'm not happy and neither is my client. When we install XP, it will come up with a BSOD saying ntfs.sys error or some pagefile error on a blue screen. I have a feeling that the brand new Kingston sticks of RAM is faulty?
The computer boots perfectly everytime and POSTs picture perfect everytime so I doubt a faulty motherboard, but then again I could be wrong.

Thanks.

[stevo1210]

Re: P5K EPU continual BSOD

My client just stated that one of the errors that came up was a BSOD stating PFN_LIST_CORRUPT.... this was during a Windows XP Install. We have tried several different Windows XP CDs with the same result (My client doesn't like Vista as photoshop CS2 doesnt work with it so we are back to XP).

The files copy to the HDD without the issue.... it's only when we start the rest of the install from the HDD that kills everything with BSODs.

I don't have the PC here but it will come back to my place this Friday. I have never experienced such a problematic PC since the day I started building PCs.... every single PC has walked out of here without an issue except this one. I did a google search on the PFN error and it says we have a memory issue.

My client has changed the graphics card as well with no success as the BSODs keep coming up. We have tried different PSUs (from Cooler Master, Thermaltake etc.) and that hasn't solved anything either.

Anyway, I know there are more experts here on badcaps so I need an opinion to what the hell is going on.

Thanks.

[stevo1210]

Re: P5K EPU continual BSOD

I forgot to add before...

But whilst I was installing Vista, I also experienced reboots during the Vista Installation. It wasn't until I took one RAM module out and reseated the remaining single 1GB stick to get the Vista install working properly. After the Vista install finished, I installed the other 1GB module back in to make it 2GB of RAM and that went well yesterday except for a single BSOD when Windows was loading, I thought that would be a stray BSOD caused by software, but I guess I am wrong.

I also reconnected the PSU, reseated the graphics card and PCI cards. CPU temperature is in spec at only 42c under load. Motherboard temperature was at 37c under load last time I checked. All fans are running perfectly.

The computer POSTS perfectly everytime with that nice single beep except for the BSODs when Windows loads.

Thanks.

[willawake]

Re: P5K EPU continual BSOD

umm why did you not get him to test the ram by this stage?
test them individually then both. ram errors can be not only bad ram but also settings and power supplied. although in this case i think you have one bad stick

disable EPU crap

follow process of elimination if no success
test the hdd also although i am not a fan of seagate utility, it seems to pass everything..........
disable/remove everything but the minimal, then add until problem

personally if i cannot install os without error i do not proceed further

[WNG]

Re: P5K EPU continual BSOD

did you run a burn-in test using Memtest 86+?
I make sure I do this on all builds and upgrades and overclocks.
And I do mean allowing it to run for at least 12 hrs.

[stevo1210]

Re: P5K EPU continual BSOD

I didn't run any burn in application when I put the PC together, I guess there's my mistake there. The PC is coming back tomorrow so I will have to do some diagnostics on the memory and similar.

disable EPU crap

I don't think there's an option to do that last time I checked in the BIOS.

I am wondering if anyone has used a motherboard that POSTs everytime without a problem, has no bad caps, but crashes in Windows? I'm kinda paranoid about this issue at the moment so I'm drawing random conclusions. I will have to confirm my suspicions tomorrow afternoon when my client drags the PC back here.

Thanks.

[willawake]

Re: P5K EPU continual BSOD

i hope there is an option to disable epu as i am looking into a P5Q deluxe at the moment and i dont want that shit

anyway yes i have had numerous machines do that kind of issue. all were memory and/or badcaps (board/psu) related. i havent had a single cpu partially faulty and only one hard disk that was corrupting (server) mostly dead ones and slow ones.

for burn in tests i always run some Memtest 86+ (not usually for 12 hours but say 2 passes) then i check the hdd with manufacturers utility. if i get any error in windows install i dont proceed and go back to checking. if i get any error inside windows while completing the install that i cant pinpoint, i have found it to be guaranteed that build will boomerang back later......(at least post win2k the chance of that is severely minimised unless it is a hardware issue.....)

its a shitty situation (one of the kind of reasons why i personally would not seek a career in support but i am sure you will find a solution. we are here to help especially if you can provide some hard data (tests).

[i4004]

Re: P5K EPU continual BSOD

>It wasn't until I took one RAM module out and reseated the remaining single 1GB stick to get the Vista install working properly. After the Vista install finished, I installed the other 1GB module back in to make it 2GB of RAM and that went well yesterday except for a single BSOD when Windows was loading, I thought

it seems odd to put back stick that was causing problems in the first place.

yeas, nothing weird when it comes to post working ok; post cannot bsod , you know, as that is a windows thing...hehe...
sometimes bad pci card can cause it.

[acstech]

Re: P5K EPU continual BSOD

I had a puzzling one recently. I had a computer that I built a couple years ago, with an A8N-E board, 3700+, 1GB memory, Samsung 250GB HD, and so on.

Initially, it worked well. Then after a couple months, the chipset fan locked up due to dust. I replaced that with a large passive one, as well as replacing the CPU fan with a Scythe Ninja, since it was also nearly plugged. That solved the problems for a while. The fins on the new passive heatsinks were too far apart, and the airflow was slow enough that dust didn't build up. But it would create random errors in Windows and applications.

Then some other troubleshooting went on, in which the motherboard was replaced, since I figured the chipset got cooked the first time. The power supply was replaced at the same time, since it was an Antec SP 350w, and I didn't want to take any chances. Problem seems to be resolved initially, but after a couple months problems reappear.

So I got the idea that it might be some kind of data corruption. I created a large file, about 3.8GB in size. Placed it on a DVD, then copied it to the HD. I then used a program called Md5sum , which claculates and verifies MD5 hashes. I ran that on the file on the CD, and on the file on the HD. Hashes were identical. Great. Then I create another copy of the file on the HD. Calculate the hash on the copy and... different! So now I figure it's the HD that's doing it. Swap the HD with a Western Digital HD, reinstall windows, and recalculate hashes as above. Now everything works as it's supposed to with no crashing.

So anyway, you might try creating a large file, copying it, and calculating the md5sum on it to see if you've got data corruption going on.

[stevo1210]

Re: P5K EPU continual BSOD

After all this time it was the creaive soundblaster sound card that caused the issue. Once that was removed, everything went well. I did Memtest 86+ for two passes then booted into Windows to verify everything was OK. Anyway, thanks for the help guys.

Thanks.

[i4004]

Re: P5K EPU continual BSOD

in that case i'd like to quote myself in bold
sometimes bad pci card can cause it.

worth remembering.

[bgavin]

Re: P5K EPU continual BSOD

The SoundBlaster architecture is notorious for bus hogging.

Perhaps it was written by the same folks who bring you Windows Vista... and the sound card is stopping to ask "SB wants your permission to sound a note..."

[stevo1210]

Re: P5K EPU continual BSOD

We were back to square one again today. The PC was showing BSODs again. BTW, it is still running Vista.
Since my client bought another 2GB of RAM to make his PC have 4GB of RAM. I told him to remove the two older sticks and then PC was fine again. Now I can definitely confirm it was bad RAM.

And the sticks that are faulty were utterly overpriced at $100AU for 2x 1GB DDRII sticks. Looks like the store he bought it from made some bigass profit.

He bought the exact same RAM sticks from the store I usually shop at about 2 weeks after and it was only $57 for the 2 sticks.

We'll have to see what the bastard store has to say when we return the faulty sticks.

Thanks.

[kc8adu]

Re: P5K EPU continual BSOD

whole bunch of convoluted bullshit that could be avoided by running memtest.
go download the ultimate boot cd,hirens boot cd,ect.

[stevo1210]

Re: P5K EPU continual BSOD

I have the Hirens boot CD. And yes I do regret not running Memtest on this system.

Usually I don't do any memtest on the systems I build as I will usually assume as they are new that everything is OK. The only testing I get around to doing will probably install Windows and run a short 15 minute burn in test and that would be it.