CTD blue screen windows restart

[wolfee 1]

Hi y'allAfter about 10 mins flying, FSX freezes for approx 5 seconds before blue screen "windows has encountered a problem and is re-starting in order to prevent damage to your computer". Windows then restarts. This happens very regularly and FSX is unusable as a result. My computer is about 1 old - Windows 7 64bit, I7 950 @ 4ghz (factory overclocked) with GTX470. I'm not very technical at all, so any help greatly appreciated. I'm sure ye would need more info so just let me know what ye need n I'll try get it. I'm pulling my hair out....Thanks for your time Martin

[Guest firehawk44]

Download and run BlueScreenView - http://www.nirsoft.net. Run it and it will show you the files that caused the crash. Let us know. Most likely a problem with the installed memory settings in the ASUS bios. Run memory diagnostics (click on the start button and in the search bar, type Memory Diagnostics, then look up in the menu and you'll see Windows Memory Diagnostics. Click on it and run it). Just remember, a successful run of Memory Diagnostics does not necessarily mean you have no problem with memory. There are other 3d party freeware memory diagnostic programs that puts a lot of resources on your memory and CPU but running the Windows diagnostic is a start. ASUS has a PC Diagnostic program and you can download it from their website. It could be a overheating problem too where a fan in your computer is blocked and your system is not getting air to keep your system cool. FSX uses the CPU(s) to run FSX more than the GPU (graphics card). In FS9, this was the opposite. You could have your settings in FSX set too high which is causing the overheating (after 10 minutes of flight). In this case, you'll have to lower your sliders until the problem goes away.Best regards,Jim

[wolfee 1]

Thanks Jim, I'll follow that in next few days, see how we go and let you know. Regards, martin

[wolfee 1]

hi Jim,I downloaded "Bluescreenview" and ran it after the latest Crash and it showed a record of all the previous Blue Screens which I had a look at.All the issues are caused mainly by driver ntoskrnl.exe+7cc40 and sometimes by driver Ntfs.sys. Any idea what these drivers do or why they are blue screening my sim. The CPU temps seem to be within limits and i ran the windows mem diag showing no memory problems (although I know that still might be the issue)If you are still hanging around here maybe you might know what the above drivers are doing.RegardsMartin

[Dean_EGTC 57]

Forgive me jumping in here Martin, but I'm having the same issue. Seems to happen after about 20mins, mostly when in Multiplayer. Temp never exceeds 61C, idles at 38.BlueScreenView points to Hal.dll and the same ntoskrnl.exe.Windows mem diag didn't find anything.

[Guest firehawk44]

All the issues are caused mainly by driver ntoskrnl.exe+7cc40

Martin,Check this link - http://www.sevenforums.com/crashes-debugging/190800-solved-random-bsod-around-ntoskrnl-exe-7cc40.html. The ntoskrnl.exe file is connected to system memory. I was getting similar BSOD's and ran several memory diagnostic tests and all passed but the crashes continued with FSX. It turned out my memory settings in the BIOS were not correct (as I recall I had them set to Automatic). I ran CPU-Z and looked under the SPD tab and saw the different settings I could use for my installed memory. I used the last column or XMP-1600 and set my Bios profile to XMP then made sure by memory timings were set as shown in the column for XMP and made sure the voltage was set properly. I read somewhere that these mobo manufacturers are not very good with automatic timings and voltage settings. That solved my issues forever.Dean - same should go with your issues too.Best regards,Jim

[wolfee 1]

JimAgain thanks for your help, I'll have a look and report back. One step closer maybe, I wouldn't mind but I have finally found a sweet spot in terms of performance just need to eliminate these BSOD's and occasional fatelerrs. (penny drop... I always wondered what BSOD meant, now i know) @Dean, we seem to have similar issues alright. Here's hopingRegards GuysMartin

[Dean_EGTC 57]

Jim,

 

I've looked at CPU-Z and its table. It appears to me to say if your RAM has a max bandwidth of 667MHz you should refer to the JEDEC #3 table, no?. My BIOS has the timings & voltage correct, but in the type says 'DDR3 1600MHz'. Shouldn't it be 'DDR3 1333MHz'?

 

Thanks.

[Guest firehawk44]

Shouldn't it be 'DDR3 1333MHz'?

 

I don't know what type of memory you have installed. In most cases, if you set the frequency to 'auto' in the bios, it will show up as 1333MHz when the true frequency is 1600. That's what happened in my case anyway. That's why I use the XMP profile settings in the bios.

 

Best regards,

Jim

[Dean_EGTC 57]

Jim,

 

My info -

 

 

My BIOS settings under Primary Timings show 9 - 9 - 9 - 24 - 2

 

I think i'll try 8 - 8 - 8 - 24 - 2

[Guest firehawk44]

I think i'll try 8 - 8 - 8 - 24 - 2

 

Yes, exactly. You memory frequency should be 1600 but only under X.M.P. BIOS settings on your ASUS board. Make sure voltage does not exceed 1.50V as ASUS will try to exceed. I'm not an expert or guru on memory settings/timings but this is what I learned with my system and I have seen others with the same.

 

Best regards,

Jim

[wolfee 1]

Hi guys

 

Double Dutch to me... However I seem to have unwittingly solved the problem using some of jim's initial advise on the bios settings for RAM. All I did was tinker with the speeds. It advised me that one speed should be double or more what the other is so I changed that setting from auto to 3264mhz as offered in the drop down menu. (hope I've described it adequately I'm not at my PC to get you specifics)

 

I have yet to experience a crash since making this change although I haven't really tested it much. Just a few circuits etc which would normally be enough to BSOD.

 

Friday is set aside for flying so I'll know more after then and will report back but it looks promising so far.

 

Regards

 

Martin

[Guest firehawk44]

from auto to 3264mhz as offered in the drop down menu.

 

Is this the frequency? Can't be. Think the highest freq right now is PC2400 and I heard FSX will not run properly with anything higher than 2200 (could have changed by now as tech changes). Anyway, you should be cool as long as it was in the drop down list. You should run CPU-Z and see what it says under the SPD and Memory tabs and make sure your timings and voltages are what's rated for your memory. Don't want you to overheat your memory. Glad to hear it's working so far though.

 

Best regards,

Jim