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PC Freezing and Crashing with BSOD.

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  • 28-05-2013 10:15pm
    #1
    Sonics2k
    Registered Users Posts: 8,249 ✭✭✭


    (Reposting this here due to no answers in the Windows forum)

    Hey guys,

    Recently been dealing with some annoying issues with my PC. It started off as simple CTD's while playing Skyrim on my PC, which last night escalated to a BSOD with the following error: "video_tdr_failure"

    I opened up my PC and gave it as much of a clean out as possible without having a screwdriver to actually remove the GPU and clean it.

    As it's a probable GPU issue I have checked to see if my drivers are all up to date, and so they are.

    This morning while trying to install AMD Catalyst to see if maybe windows was mistaken, I got this BSOD "system_thread_exception_not_handled (Atihdw83.sys)"

    Now I've since checked to see if the Dell site has any drivers for my model GPU and they don't appear to have it listed at all.

    Specs:
    Dell XPS 420 (bought in 2008)
    Intel Core 2 Quad CPU Q8200 @ 2.33GHZ
    4GB DDR2 RAM
    512 MB AMD Radeon 3870 (current driver is 8.97.10.6)
    Running Windows 8 32-bit.

    I'd really appreciate any help you guys can offer. Are there any more Drivers around I can't find, or do I have to actually get a new GPU?

    As an update to this, I'm trying to find out for sure if this a RAM or GPU issue.
    I've tried installing memtest86 (http://www.memtest86.com/) on my PC and running it from USB but it just comes up with errors.


Comments

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    #2
    ZENER
    Registered Users Posts: 6,163 ✭✭✭ZENER


    I presume it didn't arrive with Windows 8 given its age (2008). Did these problems begin after the install ? Did you clean install or upgrade ?

    Ken


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    #3
    Sonics2k
    Registered Users Posts: 8,249 ✭✭✭Sonics2k


    Hi Zener, yes it was an upgrade.

    I'd not really had an issues I'd noticed before Windows 8 was put on to the system, some minor issues with Skyrim when it first came out, but no crashes or BSOD.

    Upgraded back in January, but the problems only really started recently. Games like Mass Effect have been played on it a lot, the issues only really started kicked up in the last few weeks when Skyrim was installed (which has since been removed). Now all games crash and cause a BSOD, even some streaming sites can have it happen.


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    #4
    ZENER
    Registered Users Posts: 6,163 ✭✭✭ZENER


    Have you tried creating a restore point and then restore the system to before Skyrim was installed ? Gut tells me hardware issue but no harm eliminating software first.

    Have you tried CPU-Z and GPU-Z to monitor temperatures, fans etc ?

    Ken


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    #5
    Sonics2k
    Registered Users Posts: 8,249 ✭✭✭Sonics2k


    ZENER wrote: »
    Have you tried creating a restore point and then restore the system to before Skyrim was installed ? Gut tells me hardware issue but no harm eliminating software first.

    Have you tried CPU-Z and GPU-Z to monitor temperatures, fans etc ?

    Ken

    Literally in the middle of doing a restore now from just a few days before I installed Skyrim to see if it helps.

    Will update tonight or tomorrow once I know more.


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    #6
    Sonics2k
    Registered Users Posts: 8,249 ✭✭✭Sonics2k


    Complete the Restore during the night, made sure no Skyrim or similar files were installed on the PC.

    As a test game I put on Mass Effect 3 at the exact same settings I was using a few months back.
    Sadly, after about 10 minutes or so I got the same BSOD and error.

    I tried to install the GPU-Z recommended, but it won't install correctly for some reason.


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    #7
    ZENER
    Registered Users Posts: 6,163 ✭✭✭ZENER


    From Googling the "video_tdr_failure" it seems you're one of many having similar issues with Windows 8. It's not confined to ATI cards either but in your case it seems to be with support for older catalyst drivers. A couple have solved it by simply cleaning the fan and heatsink on their card. A quick Google might shed some light on it.

    I have little or no experience with Windows 8 so can't really advise for it specifically but if it was possible to borrow another more modern card it might help eliminate other possibilities like mainboard or PSU issues. I have 2 Dell XPS machines here with crippled Mainboards due to bad caps which caused BSODs regularly before giving up the ghost.

    Given it takes a while for the error to occur and it's while pushing the card (gaming) it may be a heat issue though. If it were mine I'd be cleaning the case and fans to ensure it was able to breath before trying a newer card. Then personally I wouldn't have downgraded to Windows 8 ;)

    Ken


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