Random NON-BSOD crashes, Event ID 41: Kernel-Power

mcswift101

New Member
Messages
7
Please do not ask me for dump files or anything related to BSODs: My crashes are not related to BSODs. I HAVE NOT GOTTEN ANY BSODs AND THUS DO NOT HAVE ANY DUMP FILES.

For about the past month and a half, I've been getting random crashes in Windows 7. My computer suddenly turns off and reboots itself. Just a black screen. Sometimes I don't get a crash for five days, sometimes I get one twice in the same day.

My copy of Windows 7 wasn't genuine. I did a completely clean install of a genuine copy of Windows 8.1 one week ago, just to rule out problems on the OS level. I just got a random restart an hour ago. I only brought over media files from Win7, so I'd say my problem must be hardware related, or something to do with my power socket.

Thoughts? Unfortunately, I can't change sockets easily, as I would have to move my computer into another room for possibly weeks just to see if the problem reoccurred (it's so rare).

The event viewer shows that these crashes coincide with Event ID 41: Kernel-Power. The event data is always blank as follows:

BugcheckCode 0

BugcheckParameter1 0x0

BugcheckParameter2 0x0

BugcheckParameter3 0x0

BugcheckParameter4 0x0

SleepInProgress false

PowerButtonTimestamp 0

My monitors do not turn off when the computer self-reboots and they are connected to the same surge protector as the computer. Does that pretty much rule out a socket problem?

My computer specs (nothing is overclocked):

i5 3570k @ base clock
Gigabyte Windforce 3X GTX 670 graphics card
Dell U2312HM (main monitor)
Dell P2214H (2nd monitor)
CM Storm "Spawn" mouse
Corsair K70 mechanical keyboard
Corsair TX750M PSU
16GB Corsair Vengeance LP RAM
MSI Z77MA-G45 mATX motherboard

Seagate Barracuda ST2000DM001 2TB HDD
OCZ 120GB Solid 3 SSD

Things I've tried:

1. Ruled out overheating: my computer is very well cooled. Prime95 can't push any of my CPU's cores past 50C. My CPU runs @ about 35C during heavy gaming and my GPU doesn't seem to get past 40C.
2. Run Prime95 for about 14 hours with no errors.
3. Run Memtest86 to rule out faulty memory. I only did one pass, so I'm guessing I should do more?
4. Unchecked the "automatically restart" option in advanced system properties. It hasn't had any effect.
5. Uninstalled my GPU drivers and updated to the latest ones.
6. Tried to rule out a faulty PSU to no avail. Hardware monitor programs give me crazy voltage readings (8V on my +12V), but voltages seem normal in the BIOS. Should I buy a digital multimeter to test voltages under full load?

Any and all help would be very much appreciated. This problem seems very hard to solve and I really need outside help at this stage. If you need any more information, dont hesitate to ask.

Thanks for reading,

Swift
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1
Hello Swift,

Seems more of a power statement than a bsod issue of some form.

Your system also has the capability of shutting down in the event of some form of MAJOR hardware fault.

I have this issue several times with servers in the past, most of the it turned out be a fault PSU.

Have you tried running LinX Stress Tester? with max settings all ram included?

Cheers
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 64bit
Just a quick update,

I can 100% tell you that this "8V on my +12V" is not normal.

That rail should always be at 12V regardless of load.

Cheers
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 64bit
Hello Swift,
Seems more of a power statement than a bsod issue of some form.
Cheers

That's why it says "non BSOD crashes" in the title ;)

I realise that 8V on the +12V rail is NOT normal. But as I said above, in the BIOS voltages are normal. I did research and I'm not the only one to get crazy readings from hardware monitors. I'm not saying it's not the PSU, but if my BIOS shows normal readings, why trust a hardware monitor that gives me crazy readings when my computer is at idle? I don't know if my computer would even function if my +12V rail were at 8V.

I'll try Linx, cheers.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1
Hey,

Okay well another potential issue to give you is that when the system loads into Windows it generally uses a lot more power than when in the BIOS.

The BIOS is designed this way to specifically prevent any issues occurring, for example your GPU, CPU, RAM etc... are all at full swing when it goes into the operating system.

This draws more from your PSU and your RAIL of which here is why your having issues in an operating system rather than the BIOS.

What PSU do you have?

Cheers
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 64bit
Hey,

Okay well another potential issue to give you is that when the system loads into Windows it generally uses a lot more power than when in the BIOS.

The BIOS is designed this way to specifically prevent any issues occurring, for example your GPU, CPU, RAM etc... are all at full swing when it goes into the operating system.

This draws more from your PSU and your RAIL of which here is why your having issues in an operating system rather than the BIOS.

What PSU do you have?

Cheers
I see, but does that match up with the sporadicness of my crashes? I've gone weeks without a crash, and I use my computer intensively every day. I've gotten crashes when idle, too. Leave the room and come back to find myself back on the welcome screen.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1
Yes,

I mean i had an EVGA Supernova power supply with the exact same symptoms.

That power supply was 1500WATT it ran great for over a year then the sudden't power off would happen.

Eventually it just died.

I suppose here what you have to look at is the following.

You've been driving your power supply ( of which i don't know the specs, if you could post the specs i would know more ) every power supply has it's limits and generally once it's been pushed and pushed the voltage issue you are describing comes into play.

If your system has any form of incorrect voltage whether it's IDLE or in USE, generally and instant power off is performed to prevent hardware damage as unregulated voltages can cause serious damage to your components.

I would take a guess here, i recon your system turns off more when it's IDLE than it does under load? Would this be correct?

Cheers
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 64bit
Event ID 41 crashes are Windows way of saying it doesn't know why it crashed.
This can be due to hardware problems (to include overheating), to BSOD problems, or even to just shutting the computer off by holding down the power button.

The reports that you submitted don't include much information on the crashes.
Please do the following:
- open Event Viewer (run eventvwr.msc from the "Run" dialog))
- expand the Custom Views category (left click on the > next to the words "Custom Views")
- right click on Administrative Events
- select "Save all Events in Custom View as..."
- save the file as Admin.evtx
- zip up the file (right click on it, select "Send to", select "Compressed (zipped) folder")
- upload it with your next post (if it's too big, then upload it to a free file-hosting service and post a link here).

While waiting for a reply, please monitor your temps with this free utility: HWMonitor CPUID - System & hardware benchmark, monitoring, reporting
 

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)
I have severe eye problems, please excuse me if I miss something that you've already said.

Please finish up the rest of the diagnostics that I suggested. The OCCT test has a PSU function (but I'm not real familiar with it).

If you're adept at using a multimeter, give it a try (they're only about $10 in the US) - but realize that how a PSU operates under load may be drastically different from how it operates when disconnected for testing. Personally I don't bother with testing them as I check them by replacing the PSU with a spare we have in the shop.

Many LiveSplit errors in the Admin log. Please uninstall it while we're troubleshooting. Feel free to install the latest, Win8.1 compatible version once the system has been stabilized.

A number of ISCT (Intel Smart Connect Technology) errors in the Admin log. Try updating this to the latest, Win8.1 compatible version. I believe that this is the link for downloads for your mobo: MSI USA Z77MA-G45

Just FYI:
Should this be a pirated copy of Windows, please be aware that we may not be able to fix it (as the hacks that were done to activate it will cause the OS to behave differently than we expect it to). If that's the case, our efforts to help may just waste your time. Secondly, the forum rules prohibit assisting with pirated software - so the topic would be closed if that is the case.
 

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)
It's no problem, I didn't mean it that way ;)

Finish up what diagnostics? Using Hardware monitor? I actually used that program to monitor my voltages and it gave me crazy readings (8V on +12V rail, etc.). Is that reading even possible? Would my computer function if that were the case? As I said in my post, my voltage readings in the BIOS are normal. But does that even mean much?

LiveSplit is NOT the source of the problem and in my opinion has absolutely no link with it. I never used it on my old Windows 7 install (where I first had this problem) and still had the problem that we're trying to diagnose. The only problem with it is that I have to force close it with the task manager. I use it only a daily basis, so I'm sorry, but I can't uninstall it.

I'm nearly positive that I installed that driver when I did my Win8.1 install over a week ago. Would you recommending downloading it and reinstalling it, just to be sure?

My OS is not pirated. If this Random NON-BSOD crashes, Event ID 41: Kernel-Power - Windows 7 Help Forums is why you posted that message, rest assured that I would NOT have switched OS and resintalled EVERYTHING, just to pirate again. I'm serious about solving this problem and forked over the cash for genuine.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1
The diagnostics are:
- memory test
- hard drive test
- malware test
- Furmark
- Prime95
- Other video tests (OCCT, etc)
- CPU tests

There's something strange going on with the PSU.
What were the results of the OCCT PSU test?
Are you able to try another PSU?

The piracy comment wasn't an accusation. I made it because you stated that your previous Win7 install was pirated.
If I suspected piracy, then there's more info I would have asked for.

It can't hurt to reinstall the Intel Smart Connect stuff. I only mentioned it because there were a couple of errors related to it in the Admin log.

As there's not much else to go on, let's try this:
Then please run the following DISM commands to see if there's any problems with the system (from an elevated (Run as administrator) Command Prompt). Press Enter after each one:
Code:
Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth
Code:
Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth
Code:
Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

FYI - I have repaired systems using the last command even though problems weren't found with the first 2 - so I suggest running them all.

From this article: Repair a Windows Image

You can also run sfc.exe /scannow from an elevated (Run as administrator) Command Prompt to check for further corruption.
 

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)
Sorry for taking so long to reply. I got caught up in other stuff and the problem disappeared for a few weeks.

My computer crashed the other night when trying to play BF4. It crashed three times in a row tonight as soon as I loaded into a map.

I downloaded OCCT and each time I pressed the button to start the PSU test, my computer crashed. One time the test managed to last about two seconds before my computer crashed. The CPU test ran fine when I tried it later, no crashing.

I also performed the three comands you recommended in command prompt. No errors were found although the third one said it repaired something.

So, is it almost certainly a PSU problem? Or could it also be the motherboard?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1
Run the memory tests from here: Memory Diagnostics
Then, if they pass, I'd suspect the PSU first - BUT I AM NOT A PSU EXPERT

I'd suggest posting over in the hardware forums ( Drivers & Hardware - Windows 8 Forums ) for further assistance w/the PSU

Alternatively, you can purchase a PSU from a place that will refund your money if it's not needed.
 

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)
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