BSoD at least once a day?

I don't know what happened, but since 3-4 days ago, my notebook BSoD at least once a day. I've tried running Memtest86+ via Ultimate Boot CD, and the result is Pass once then I press Esc.

The notebook I'm using is the one in my signature:

Here is some information I can get from the last BSoD 15 minutes ago:

Code:

Problem signature:
  Problem Event Name:	BlueScreen
  OS Version:	6.0.6001.2.1.0.256.6
  Locale ID:	1033

Additional information about the problem:
  BCCode:	1000007f
  BCP1:	00000008
  BCP2:	80154000
  BCP3:	00000000
  BCP4:	00000000
  OS Version:	6_0_6001
  Service Pack:	1_0
  Product:	256_1

Files that help describe the problem:
  C:\Windows\Minidump\Mini012309-01.dmp
  C:\Users\Fiona\AppData\Local\Temp\WER-102414-0.sysdata.xml
  C:\Users\Fiona\AppData\Local\Temp\WER8A25.tmp.version.txt

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I couldn't find WER-102414-0.sysdata.xml, but I've uploaded Mini012309-01.dmp and WER8A25.tmp.version.txt.

Please help find the cause and how to fix it. Thanks.

EDIT: I forgot to include the attachment. Silly me, in the morning and haven't sleep yet... I've really uploaded it now.

 

This is a site that has a good amount of stop codes. It's saved me quite a few times:

http://www.aumha.org/a/stop.php#0x7f

 

I'm sorry, but which one is stop codes? I'm really confused.

I've tried opening the mini dump file using Windows debugging tool. I think this is what I got (???). Here is the opened dump file. I do not put it in this post because it is very long.

 

The stop code is in your BSOD from your first post:

Additional information about the problem:
BCCode: 1000007f

See listing for 0x0000007F: UNEXPECTED_KERNEL_MODE_TRAP

It could be a number of things, how long did you run memtest?

Edit: from your dump "Probably caused by : nwifi.sys"

Did you just update your wireless drivers or significantly change any wireless settings?

These KB articles might help: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/943899
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/935222

There is a high probability it could be bad RAM, so try running memtest for longer.

 

Thank you for the fast reply.

No I haven't update my wireless drivers or change any settings. I set my notebook to run Windows Update automatically and I've installed all updates there are.

Ok, I'll run Memtest86+ again, how long do you think I should run the test? I just need to go with the default configuration, correct?

 

OK well unless your dump file specifically points to nwifi.sys again on another BSoD it was probably just the memory image that suffered the possible error this time around.

Correct, memtest will run a test period, and then if you let it sit it will just keep running after the tests are complete. It's hard to say how long to run it, since you say once a day, it'd be best to run it for a day, but that may not work out for you. It's not necessary either, a few hours should pick up any memory errors. It would be something else in that case, another component, or a bad driver, or a bad windows update?

 

I do Windows Update automatically, so I might not remember the last time I did Windows Update. But as I check of now, I have no updates left.

Ok, I'll try leaving Memtest running while I'm off to sleep then.

 

Basically what is happening is the windows kernel is saying 'I can't do that...' or 'This is an impossible or prohibited situation to compute and normal operation cannot continue.' So that obviously could be anything triggering that, but it's at a low level, possibly a driver not playing nice, or memory errors.

Some BSoDs are very specific but this one is a bit vague...

Edit: running a chkdsk /f is worthwhile but less likely to fix the problem

 

You need to load the symbols into the debugger (as well as the dump file).
See here on loading the symbols: http://forums.majorgeeks.com/showthread.php?t=35246

Anyway, since the debugger identified what looks like a wifi driver... see if there's an update to your wireless driver.

Also some stuff I generally recommend for curing BSODs:
- Make sure your BIOS is up-to-date.
- Run Windows Update to make sure Windows and most drivers are up-to-date.
- Check for updates to any security apps (antivirus, firewall, etc.) since they often run in the kernel.
- Go to Device Manager and disable any devices you've never used on this machine. May include: modem, smart card reader, expresscard reader, firewire, etc. (If you ever need one of those devices, it only takes a few seconds to re-enable it.)
- Go into BIOS setup and disable any devices that aren't actually in the computer (WWAN, extra ports, etc.). I don't know whether this will apply to your computer/BIOS.

If all that doesn't fix it, consider rolling back to an older version of the wireless driver if that was updated recently.

 

Do you remember what you were doing immediately before the problem started? Did you install or remove something?

What wireless card do you have installed in your laptop?

 

It already finished 14 pass and 0 errors. It is safe to say there's nothing wrong with the memory then?

AntiVirus: Avira AntiVir
Firewall: Online Armor (But I've disabled it after one day of installation) and Windows Firewall
IIRC I even close OA system tray icon when the last BSoD happened.
Others: ThreatFire and Windows Defender
All should be fully updated when the last BSoD happened.

Windows Update said that I have no updates left, and so I assume it is up-to-date when the BSoD happened.

Sorry but can you tell how to do this? I don't know how to do this.

Does wifi driver included in Windows Update?

Will try these ASAP.

I already forgot what I was doing, but I don't seem to be doing anything out of the ordinary that I do almost everyday.

If I am correct, this should be the wireless card: Intel PRO/Wireless 3945ABG. Is there a way I can recheck the wireless card in my notebook with a software or something?

Do I need to run chkdsk in safe mode? I still let Memtest running as of now. Is it ok to just stop it and run chkdsk instead?

 

Uh... it depends on the manufacturer, but... basically go to the manufacturer (Sony?) website... look for the support section and a page where you can download drivers and stuff for your computer model... and see if there's any BIOS update.

I dunno... maybe, maybe not... you can see if Sony has an update on their site... or you can go to Device Mgr and select the device and do update driver and see if it can find an update on the internet.

You can also check intel.com to see if there's a newer driver... but if it's not tested by Sony then it may or may not work well on your computer so YMMV.

No... easiest way IMO is right-click your hard drive > Properties > Tools tab > Error checking: Check Now > check both buttons and click Start. It'll pobably make you restart the computer and do the check on bootup.

 

And so I quit the Memtest, last result is 15 pass and 0 error.

Here is the dump file after loading the symbols. And here is after using the command !analyze -v to gather more information.

Is this (from here) what I need to download and run?

This is from Sony. Older than the one from Intel website. Which one should I use?
According to the Device Manager, my driver is up-to-date.
However, it is written that the driver date is 6/22/2006 and driver version is 10.5.0.32.
The one from Intel is version 12.2.0.11.
The one from Sony is version 10.6.0.29.
EDIT: I've just installed the one from Sony (10.6.0.29).

If I have one hard drive but make it into two partitions, I only have to do it on one partition (C) only?

 

I would do it on both partitions.

If you have 2 ram modules, take 1 one out and see. Memtest does not always pick up all errors.

cheers ...

 

I'm really inexperienced when dealing with notebook's hardware. I never open anything, therefore I'm afraid of doing mistakes to do things hardware-related.

It ran it once now, but after waiting a long time to get it finished, after my notebook is restarted (chkdsk finished on both partition) it is running again? Is this normal? Is this caused because I right click on each (both) partition to run the chkdsk (and that cause Windows to schedule twice as I only need to right click on one partition to schedule chkdsk for both?)? Is it okay to just skip it?

 

Swapping out ram modules is straight forward on the SZ model. One does need to invest to get a correct set of (electronic) tools (screwdriver set). Should you let someone does it, just keep an eye and make sure the power is off, the battery is out and the power button being holding down for 20-30secs to fully discharge any remaining static powers.

Leave the chkdsk to go through the cycle, my personal preference. And yes, you got it twice because Windows scheduled it twice for both partitions. If you chose C: then only ONE partition was being checked.

cheers ...

 

No, when it ran, it ran for both partition. But after I restart, it asks for a chkdsk again, then ran for both partition again.

 

Yikes.

Well, I suggest just to let it go through this once and see. If it asks to restart again, then we do have some other issue here.

cheers ...

 

Sorry I've been AFK for a while... looks like your memory isn't the problem, so that's a good sign at least. If it's running chkdsk multiple times, that probably means your disk has errors. It will run multiple checks during the same instance, one after each other, so if it's run once and reboots and starts checking again that is not a good sign. Sometimes it just pops up for a second or two (that is not the same as a full check) after the first reboot (don't worry if that's what happened). It'd be best to actually do a full chkdsk /f /r c: in that case when you have the time (it can take hours). Running a sfc /scannow is also worthwhile if you have your windows disc handy, after the chkdsk. Those will rule out (to a certain extent) file corruption. If those steps don't work, looking at things like A/V and recent updates (along with drivers) as the other posters have mentioned are where you should look next.

Hopefully you followed those directions above to turn on symbols so that the next BSoD you get at least has the full dump. If it points to wireless again it'll pretty much be a giveaway.

 

The first chkdsk runs for both partitions.
After it restarted, I let it run for the first partition, and for the second partition I tried skipping it and then tried restarting. It doesn't prompt chkdsk again.
So I conclude it just happened because I right clicked and set chkdsk on each partition, that's why it happened.

Here is the dump file after loading the symbols. And here is after using the command !analyze -v to gather more information.
It seems to be pointing to wireless driver again? (I'm not too sure as I don't understand these things much) I've downloaded and installed the update from Sony website. There's a more newer update from Intel, but I'm afraid to install that one.

Do I run sfc /scannow through the command prompt?

 

Yea looks the same. So at least it's consistent -- that means it's probably not a memory error. You can probably safely skip the sfc, but that would be run from the command prompt, yes. It wouldn't be a bad idea to run it anyway. Try to find new wireless drivers. Also I see NexusFile.exe -- is that something you actually use? It looks like it may be a file manager type application, so you might want to try not running that at all if possible. I'd recommend installing the latest Intel wireless drivers. Or you could try disabling wireless altogether and see if the BSoD comes back.

 

This sounds like a driver issue, not a memory issue.

 

I'm actually suspecting nexusfile a bit more after looking through some search results. Does anyone have any experience with it? It looks like an Explorer replacement so that makes me super suspicious (stability wise).

 

So I should try installing the newest driver from Intel? Even though the one from Sony website is an older version of the driver (I've just installed this one)?

I use NexusFile.exe as my primary file manager all the time.

 

Yes. And, uh-oh. Get the latest drivers from Intel. But I have a feeling this could be a bad interaction with NexusFile. Have you installed it recently? Do you suspect it's related to your system instability?

 

Um no. I installed NexusFile since months ago. I use it always on my desktop too.

BTW I am currently running sfc /scannow.

Downloading latest wireless driver from Intel as of now.

 

Alright, don't rule it out though. Explorer replacements have a tendency of causing BSoDs. Maybe the wireless drivers will do the trick though.

 

Okay I've installed the latest wireless driver from Intel.

I think I've been using NexusFile for more than half a year. I don't remember. NexusFile is a commander-like file manager. I hope it's not the cause of the problem, cause I like using it.

 

Run the debugger on a few other dump files... you may need to analyze a few dumps before you can be sure if NexusFile.exe is the problem or if it's just what happened to be running at the moment of the crash. You may have older minidump files sitting around on your drive... or you could wait for future crashes. If NexusFile comes up in every crash dump, then it's part of the problem.

Did you disable your unused devices yet?

As for the wifi drivers... you can try the newer driver from Intel... it'll probably work fine... worst case is something may act funky and you can roll back to Sony's older one. It may not matter though... nwifi.sys appears to be from Microsoft... a part of Windows. It still could matter though, as they may interact with each other.

As for the BIOS... that looks like the right thing... run it with all programs closed and the wifi adapter disabled (in device mgr.) so it is unlikely to crash during the update process. Also follow Sony's other instructions on that page.

Memory... since you passed the memory test it is now at least 100 times more likely to be software/drivers than memory IMO... so I'd worry about memory only after trying a lot of other stuff first.

EDIT: Oh yeah, run a virus/spyware scan in case you haven't done that already... those things can cause BSODs.

 

I have no other dump file than that one, might have to wait for another BSoD to analyse another dump file.

I did scan with both MBAM and Avira after the second BSoD IIRC. Found nothing.

 

This might be a long shot (other than my personal suggestion of swapping the ram around). Have you considered running a registry scan? cCleaner can be a good candidate; and back up your registry first.

cheers ...