BSODing during boot

alexs2602 · 8 Mar 2013 at 21:41

Tried booting from OS drive and then from windows disc to try to install on a spare hard drive to be confronted by a BSOD a couple of seconds after the windows logo appears(while it's still on the screen). Current testing leads me to believe it's not a software problem, nor hard drive/SSD problem. Although I haven't been using my computer for the last few days, after sufficient time to warm up CPU is idling at 31℃, mobo at 17℃ as per uefi.

Mobo is Asus P8Z68V-LX. CPU - 2500K. CPU cooler - Gelid tranquillo rev 2. RAM - Corsair Vengeance Low Profile 2x4GB 1600MHz. PSU - Antec TruepowerNew 550W.

I need help working out what the problem could be. Can someone shine any light on it?

Thanks.

Swordfish · 8 Mar 2013 at 21:42

First thing I would do is run Memtest to test your memory.

Also try booting the system with only one stick of ram and your OS drive, keyboard, mouse and monitor only.

alexs2602 · 8 Mar 2013 at 21:47

Swordfish said:
First thing I would do is run Memtest to test your memory.

Also try booting the system with only one stick of ram and your OS drive, keyboard, mouse and monitor only.

"Memory OK! Succeeds in system booting!"

Will follow up with this shortly. Edit: Booted as per suggested. It's working. Does this mean it's a RAM issue?

Nickolp1974 · 8 Mar 2013 at 21:59

Have you cleared cmos?

alexs2602 · 8 Mar 2013 at 22:35

Nickolp1974 said:
Have you cleared cmos?

Just cleared CMOS. Restored "optimised defaults" in BIOS/UEFI. Booted fine then I tried putting the second stick of RAM back in and was reminded of something I forgot to mention. It was bootlooping(I believe that's the term). Post, got to windows logo then went back to post and repeat. So I removed the second stick of RAM again. I'm on my desktop now but obviously I'd prefer to use both sticks of RAM.

Nickolp1974 · 8 Mar 2013 at 22:49

As already suggested, run memtest with both sticks in, does sound like a bad stick unfortunately

alexs2602 · 8 Mar 2013 at 22:53

Nickolp1974 said:
As already suggested, run memtest with both sticks in, does sound like a bad stick unfortunately

Done that already as per previous post: "Memory OK! Succeeds in system booting!"

Are you saying I should run memtest on the sticks separately?

Nickolp1974 · 8 Mar 2013 at 23:25

Just to clarify, you have burnt memtest86 to a cd or usb stick?
Sorry i dont recall it saying "memory ok! Suc etc"

If we have our wires crossed i do apologise if not http://www.memtest.org/download/4.20/memtest86+-4.20.usb.installer.zip
Dl this file and stick it on a usb, then press f8 or f12 to get to boot menu and select usb stick and run the test, it can take around an hour to do a pass, the more the better though.

dt97583 · 8 Mar 2013 at 23:30

Run memtest on one stick of RAM, replace with the other than let us know the result.

Also burn a linux liveCD i.e. ubuntu and test.

alexs2602 · 8 Mar 2013 at 23:46

Nickolp1974 said:
Just to clarify, you have burnt memtest86 to a cd or usb stick?
Sorry i dont recall it saying "memory ok! Suc etc"

If we have our wires crossed i do apologise if not http://www.memtest.org/download/4.20/memtest86+-4.20.usb.installer.zip
Dl this file and stick it on a usb, then press f8 or f12 to get to boot menu and select usb stick and run the test, it can take around an hour to do a pass, the more the better though.

Oh! Right, no, I forgot about that. There's a memtest of some kind built into my mobo.

I think I'll get back to you on that one then. It's already late now and I've been missing my computer so I'll settle in, do a few things and then run memtest later. I've installed it to a usb drive so all I need is run it.

alexs2602 · 8 Mar 2013 at 23:50

davidmt83 said:
Run memtest on one stick of RAM, replace with the other than let us know the result.

Also burn a linux liveCD i.e. ubuntu and test.

I was thinking of getting a liveCD of some kind. I tried to get a liveCD type thing on my usb drive from my tablet. I won't lie, I'm not a total expert but I usually know enough to fix any issue I have. The usb drive "liveCD" didn't work for whatever reason but I finally got a proper windows CD which at least confirmed it wasn't a problem with my OS drive. Which reminds me, I think I might install windows and a linux distro to my spare hard drive just in case too.

dt97583 · 9 Mar 2013 at 00:00

alexs2602 said:
I was thinking of getting a liveCD of some kind. I tried to get a liveCD type thing on my usb drive from my tablet. I won't lie, I'm not a total expert but I usually know enough to fix any issue I have. The usb drive "liveCD" didn't work for whatever reason but I finally got a proper windows CD which at least confirmed it wasn't a problem with my OS drive. Which reminds me, I think I might install windows and a linux distro to my spare hard drive just in case too.

Be interesting to see the results from memtest but for reference:

http://www.ubuntu.com/download/help/create-a-usb-stick-on-windows