Solved ntoskrnl.exe causing BSOD

Underscore

New Member
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6
Hi,

I've had this pc for about 4 months and it has suddenly started crashing, the first two were prior to a system restore so I don't have the dump files, however the subsequent two I do and they're attached as the results of the SF_diagnostic_tool report.

Not sure what other information is needed?

Thanks.

Edit:
So after posting this the computer crashed a further perhaps 10 times. I've removed all peripherals (speakers, mouse, keyboard) to check that this had nothing to do with it and the crashes persisted. The most recent crash occurred while I was attempting to reinstall Windows by booting from CD. Something I haven't done due to this crash. Attached is the more recent set of reports from SF_diagnostic_tool (Underscore2). I'm beginning to think this may be a hardware issue (the pc was a custom build).
 
Last edited:

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8
I can't tell exactly what's happening inside the NVidia driver at the time of the crash, but I can make a guess it's probably trying to retrieve internal values and is crashing within itself (and thus causing the bugcheck):
Code:
3: kd> .bugcheck
Bugcheck code 00000050
Arguments fffff880`0c83edc0 00000000`00000001 fffff880`04185f20 00000000`00000002

3: kd> !thread
GetPointerFromAddress: unable to read from fffff801e01dc000
THREAD fffffa80072d8080  Cid 0d60.06e4  Teb: 000000007f3a5000 Win32Thread: fffff9010260eb90 RUNNING on processor 3
Not impersonating
GetUlongFromAddress: unable to read from fffff801e00fbcf0
Owning Process            fffffa80088df940       Image:         chrome.exe
Attached Process          N/A            Image:         N/A
fffff78000000000: Unable to get shared data
Wait Start TickCount      83473        
Context Switch Count      5107           IdealProcessor: 3             
ReadMemory error: Cannot get nt!KeMaximumIncrement value.
UserTime                  00:00:00.000
KernelTime                00:00:00.000
Win32 Start Address 0x00000000624a7588
Stack Init fffff8800c5a0c90 Current fffff8800c5a06a0
Base fffff8800c5a1000 Limit fffff8800c59b000 Call 0
Priority 11 BasePriority 8 UnusualBoost 0 ForegroundBoost 2 IoPriority 2 PagePriority 5
Child-SP          RetAddr           : Args to Child                                                           : Call Site
fffff880`0c59e9c8 fffff801`dff9f57c : 00000000`00000050 fffff880`0c83edc0 00000000`00000001 fffff880`0c59ebb0 : nt!KeBugCheckEx
fffff880`0c59e9d0 fffff801`dff188eb : 00000000`00000001 fffff880`0c83edc0 fffffa80`072d8080 fffff880`0426c0d7 : nt! ?? ::FNODOBFM::`string'+0x33ec8
fffff880`0c59ea70 fffff801`dfedbcee : 00000000`00000001 fffffa80`09d5fa20 00000000`00000000 fffff880`0c59ebb0 : nt!MmAccessFault+0x55b
fffff880`0c59ebb0 fffff880`04185f20 : fffffa80`09d5fa00 fffffa80`09d5fa00 00000000`00000000 fffffa80`06c27010 : nt!KiPageFault+0x16e (TrapFrame @ fffff880`0c59ebb0)
fffff880`0c59ed40 fffffa80`09d5fa00 : fffffa80`09d5fa00 00000000`00000000 fffffa80`06c27010 fffff880`0c59f1a0 : nvlddmkm+0xcef20
fffff880`0c59ed48 fffffa80`09d5fa00 : 00000000`00000000 fffffa80`06c27010 fffff880`0c59f1a0 fffff880`0c59f194 : 0xfffffa80`09d5fa00
fffff880`0c59ed50 00000000`00000000 : fffffa80`06c27010 fffff880`0c59f1a0 fffff880`0c59f194 fffff8a0`01d1f2b0 : 0xfffffa80`09d5fa00

3: kd> .trap fffff880`0c59ebb0
NOTE: The trap frame does not contain all registers.
Some register values may be zeroed or incorrect.
rax=0000000000000000 rbx=0000000000000000 rcx=fffffa8007672010
rdx=0000000000000001 rsi=0000000000000000 rdi=0000000000000000
rip=fffff88004185f20 rsp=fffff8800c59ed40 rbp=fffff8800c59f260
 r8=0000000000000001  r9=fffffa80099cd4d0 r10=0000000000000001
r11=fffffa8006967018 r12=0000000000000000 r13=0000000000000000
r14=0000000000000000 r15=0000000000000000
iopl=0         nv up ei pl nz na pe nc
nvlddmkm+0xcef20:
fffff880`04185f20 88942480000000  mov     byte ptr [rsp+80h],dl ss:0018:fffff880`0c59edc0=00

3: kd> kn
  *** Stack trace for last set context - .thread/.cxr resets it
 # Child-SP          RetAddr           Call Site
00 fffff880`0c59ed40 fffffa80`09d5fa00 nvlddmkm+0xcef20
01 fffff880`0c59ed48 fffffa80`09d5fa00 0xfffffa80`09d5fa00
02 fffff880`0c59ed50 00000000`00000000 0xfffffa80`09d5fa00

3: kd> u nvlddmkm+0xcef20
nvlddmkm+0xcef20:
fffff880`04185f20 88942480000000  mov     byte ptr [rsp+80h],dl
fffff880`04185f27 4d85e4          test    r12,r12
fffff880`04185f2a 7420            je      nvlddmkm+0xcef4c (fffff880`04185f4c)
fffff880`04185f2c 84d2            test    dl,dl
fffff880`04185f2e 0f8416020000    je      nvlddmkm+0xcf14a (fffff880`0418614a)
fffff880`04185f34 41f74534ffff0100 test    dword ptr [r13+34h],1FFFFh
fffff880`04185f3c 750e            jne     nvlddmkm+0xcef4c (fffff880`04185f4c)
fffff880`04185f3e 41f745340000feff test    dword ptr [r13+34h],0FFFE0000h
3: kd> ub nvlddmkm+0xcef20
nvlddmkm+0xceefa:
fffff880`04185efa 488b8c2460040000 mov     rcx,qword ptr [rsp+460h]
fffff880`04185f02 83b92004000002  cmp     dword ptr [rcx+420h],2
fffff880`04185f09 ba01000000      mov     edx,1
fffff880`04185f0e 89942458040000  mov     dword ptr [rsp+458h],edx
fffff880`04185f15 7409            je      nvlddmkm+0xcef20 (fffff880`04185f20)
fffff880`04185f17 40387138        cmp     byte ptr [rcx+38h],sil
fffff880`04185f1b 7503            jne     nvlddmkm+0xcef20 (fffff880`04185f20)
fffff880`04185f1d 408ad6          mov     dl,sil

3: kd> lmvm nvlddmkm
start             end                 module name
fffff880`040b7000 fffff880`04b5e000   nvlddmkm T (no symbols)           
    Loaded symbol image file: nvlddmkm.sys
    Image path: \SystemRoot\system32\DRIVERS\nvlddmkm.sys
    Image name: nvlddmkm.sys
    Timestamp:        Fri Jan 18 08:22:15 2013 (50F94C87)
    CheckSum:         00A92B69
    ImageSize:        00AA7000
    Translations:     0000.04b0 0000.04e4 0409.04b0 0409.04e4

I know there's a newer Nvidia driver than this one, you might want to start by updating that - mine is from April of 2013, and I'm running the 314.22 driver package.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 x64
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Custom
    CPU
    Intel Core i7 4790K @ 4.5GHz
    Motherboard
    Asus Maximus Hero VII
    Memory
    32GB DDR3
    Graphics Card(s)
    Nvidia GeForce GTX970
    Sound Card
    Realtek HD Audio
    Hard Drives
    1x Samsung 250GB SSD
    4x WD RE 2TB (RAIDZ)
    PSU
    Corsair AX760i
    Case
    Fractal Design Define R4
    Cooling
    Noctua NH-D15
Hi cluberti,
Thanks for your response. The latest set of crashes (see edit in original post) started while trying to update to the 314.22 driver. Nvidia's website is now telling me it's installed so I'm not sure if this occurred prior to or after the latest set of BSODs.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8
You'll want to find out, because if it was after then the update didn't go successfully. Might be time to completely uninstall the NVidia software stack and reinstall it after a reboot.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 x64
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Custom
    CPU
    Intel Core i7 4790K @ 4.5GHz
    Motherboard
    Asus Maximus Hero VII
    Memory
    32GB DDR3
    Graphics Card(s)
    Nvidia GeForce GTX970
    Sound Card
    Realtek HD Audio
    Hard Drives
    1x Samsung 250GB SSD
    4x WD RE 2TB (RAIDZ)
    PSU
    Corsair AX760i
    Case
    Fractal Design Define R4
    Cooling
    Noctua NH-D15
Hi,
The Nvidia Control Panel tells me the driver version is 314.22 so I'm fairly sure the update was successful. Unfortunately yet another BSOD has occurred and as usual the diagnostics are attached in the original post (Underscore3.zip).
With regards to uninstalling Nvidia software stack, how would one do that?

Edit: The latest BSOD gives a "special pool detected memory corruption" error again ntoskrnl is given as the cause of the error in the memory dump. This has to be a problem with either the (RAM) memory drivers or the actual (RAM) hardware right? Is my next step to use memtest?
If so would someone be able to talk me through it in a little simpler detail than you would if guiding someone who knows about computers. I'm not too confident with this side of things.
 
Last edited:

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8
Kernel pool memory is virtual memory, not physical - obviously you can test your RAM if you're feeling a lack of confidence, but the error message calls out a pool of virtual memory in the Windows kernel that is used for drivers and their code, so it's probably still the NVidia driver stack. I'd strongly suggest uninstalling, rebooting, and reinstalling the latest release.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 x64
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Custom
    CPU
    Intel Core i7 4790K @ 4.5GHz
    Motherboard
    Asus Maximus Hero VII
    Memory
    32GB DDR3
    Graphics Card(s)
    Nvidia GeForce GTX970
    Sound Card
    Realtek HD Audio
    Hard Drives
    1x Samsung 250GB SSD
    4x WD RE 2TB (RAIDZ)
    PSU
    Corsair AX760i
    Case
    Fractal Design Define R4
    Cooling
    Noctua NH-D15
Thank you, I will proceed with your fix. Do I have to remove just the Nvidia Graphics Card Drivers or the other NVidia drivers (audio etc) as well?
The latest bsod 'IRQL not less or equal' doesn't even allow me to get as far as the control panel, additionally, the small amounts of time I'm able to log on for something's invariably different on the desktop, e.g. Homegroup shortcut added then removed, skydrive launching on startup, skype logging out on startup.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8
Pardon my butting in here, but I'd just like to give a few statistics:

Well over 90% of BSOD's are caused by problems with 3rd party (non-Windows) drivers.
The majority of the remaining 10% are caused by hardware
There are very few BSOD's due to Windows drivers - and even that is greatly decreased by ensuring that you have ALL available Windows Updates.

Finally, ntoskrnl.exe is frequently blamed in the memory dumps. This is because it's the kernel (core) of the Windows operating system. It's also protected from problems by a number of different error protecting/correcting mechanisms built into Windows. As such, if ntoskrnl.exe was actually to blame, you'd be having many more problems other than the occasional BSOD. So when ntoskrnl.exe is blamed, we have to look elsewhere to determine the actual cause.

Good luck!
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Win8.1Pro - Finally!!!
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Samsung/NP780
    CPU
    Came with the laptop (i7 of some sort)
    Motherboard
    Pretty sure that it has one, but haven't checked inside the case!
    Memory
    upgraded to 12 gB from 8 gB
    Graphics Card(s)
    has switchable - Intel/ATI - Used wrong drivers, now ATI card is inop :( Will have to fix it soon!
    Sound Card
    I'm nearly deaf, so this isn't used often
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Touchscreen on laptop/32" Toshiba on HDMI (laid the Sharp TV on a mouse and cracked the screen!)
    Screen Resolution
    800x600
    Hard Drives
    One Samsung 1tB drive - 5400 rpm. Gonna switch to a 7200/10000 rpm or an SSD (if I can find $500 for a 1tB SSD!)
    - Switched to 500 gB Samsung 840 series SSD - WOW!!!
    PSU
    Why do we ask this for laptops?
    Case
    Silver with a neat Samsung logo
    Cooling
    sub-par, gotta get around to working on it soon Worked on it - still sub-par! :(
    Keyboard
    Microsoft Natural - the same one I've used since it orignally came out around 1995
    Mouse
    no Mouse - Trackball!!!!
    Internet Speed
    too slow when I'm waiting for a download to finish
    Browser
    Yes, I use this (Firefox mostly, w/IE next most)
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender and Windows Firewall
    Other Info
    I'm handsome and a snappy dresser :0)
Thanks for the interesting info.
I'll try to address the Nvidia driver probable cause then. However due to the decay of the system from 1 BSOD 4 days ago to not being able to sign in without a BSOD today I've had to reset the entire pc (4% done as I type), hopefully this will remove the faulty driver as it seems to be the only way I can see to remove the driver since booting in safe mode no longer seems to be an option.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8
Update:
PC reset failed leaving me with a dead copy of Windows (could only launch to run auto repair which failed).
Attempted to reinstall windows completely but this gave a BSOD error.
Ran Memtest which returned 547 errors, so will now return RAM to the vendor and hopefully the new version will work. Thank you for all your help.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8
Wow - that's a lot of errors.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 x64
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Custom
    CPU
    Intel Core i7 4790K @ 4.5GHz
    Motherboard
    Asus Maximus Hero VII
    Memory
    32GB DDR3
    Graphics Card(s)
    Nvidia GeForce GTX970
    Sound Card
    Realtek HD Audio
    Hard Drives
    1x Samsung 250GB SSD
    4x WD RE 2TB (RAIDZ)
    PSU
    Corsair AX760i
    Case
    Fractal Design Define R4
    Cooling
    Noctua NH-D15
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