StackHash CTD - Possible Fix

[SeanBH 9]

DPC_WATCHDOG_VIOLATION indicates you most likely had a hardware failure or a driver to one of your pieces of hardware is corrupt and not installed properly - http://msdn.microsof...6(v=vs.85).aspx. Here is a possible solution - http://www.sysnative...ON-in-Windows-8

 

Jim: What are the odds when someone suggests two websites to look at, and the other person has already seen them?!?!?! I know those sites well, and I think you're on to something with my Samsung 840 Pro SSD- it's so new, I'm wondering if Samsung released before confiming firmware for Win8. No updates available right now, but I'll keep checking. BTW, I didn't have any problems with my 830...ran like a champ. I hope their firmware updates are better than their website design!

 

I've only got the Watchdog error twice, and it usually is followed up with a IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL and another I can't recall right now. Which is why I suspected memory at first, but your suggestions may have settled that argument!

 

I know my Device Manager like the back of my hand- no flags whatsoever. I spent 2 days last week just updating drivers- ALL of them, and confirmed with two driver update programs that I had all available updates. I don't rely on Win Update to help me there. Trim is also set on my SSD. I have run sfc /scannow, but I haven't run a chkdsk yet. I may do that tonight.

 

For the little time I ran with the new BIOS and memory setup, things seem fine....the system is VERY fast. Gskills came back with a suggestion this morning, so I will fine-tune/check my settings tonight. I just think I may have a bit of a bug when I initially installed Win8 on the new SSD- I think I will try another clean install of Win8 but before I do see if Samsung is working on a FW update.

 

I REALLY DO APPRECIATE all the time you have taken to help me out here. You can trust that I will advise of my tricks I may have learned in this process so others can benefit also. Thanks again!

[SeanBH 9]

Hey Jim:

 

So far so good! I'm waiting for an answer from the G.Skills mod at http://www.gskill.us...ead.php?t=11851, but I'm pretty happy so far. Now I will load all my 737NGX stuff and try it again. I'm glad you suggested to take the plunge at the XMP settings! Thanks again!

[SeanBH 9]

Well, so much for "good". Another StackHash error. Loaded 737NGX and FS2Crew set to Voice, and still got the error about 15 minutes into a flight from KONT to KSFO. System still running full speed, so I'm not quite sure what to do. Interesting that my sounds levels were a lot different- now, only the ATC comes through my PX3's- used to be throughout my system. ATC is a lot louder now also. I think I like. Weekend coming up, so I think I might just reload the whole ball of wax (so to speak), and prolly use my 830 SSD if I try to load Win8Pro64. I had not tweaked my FSX.cfg at this point, other than the memfix. Could this be an issue?

[Jim Young 2,356]

I had not tweaked my FSX.cfg at this point, other than the memfix. Could this be an issue?

 

Hi Sean,

 

Sorry to hear you still have not found a solution. I know personally how frustrating it can be.

 

The highmemfix is about the only additional entry I have in my FSX.cfg. The tweaks are not the issue. The StackHash crash is system related and FSX only triggers the issue. In my case it was my two monitors and my video card and DX10 (which is used by other programs including FSX). It is very difficult to find a solution and I really haven't fixed my OP other than I came up with a workaround. I wish I could help you further.

 

Best regards,

Jim

[jordanal 70]

I'm not sure if it's the exact same situation, but I was getting these CTD errors after properly closing FSX for the longest time. I tried all kinds of different tips and tricks to resolve the issue. I FINALLY solved it with one very simple solution about two months ago and have not had a repeat occurrance since.

 

I appearently had a slightly different variant of the uiautomationcore.dll file copied to the root of my FSX folder to fix the original menu crashing issue also common to FSX. Apperently, there are several different variants of the Vista file and only one of them is the proper dll. Once I replaced it with another version found from a link on this forum (sorry, I can't find it now), my problem was solved. No more CTD's when propely closing FSX.

 

My appologies if this is not the case with regard to this thread - wanted to pass it along just in case.

[SeanBH 9]

Al:

 

Thanks for the info, but I've never had the uiautomationcore.dll issue. But there's no doubt that closing FSX correctly is a key issue.

 

Fortunately, and I hope I'm not jinxing myself :mellow:, but yesterday I had a handful of all the aforementioned errors, boot after boot, so I decided to do a chkdsk /f/r last night. After getting stuck at 27% for the longest time (about 20 minutes), then going straight to 100% and booting up, I haven't had ANY issue, so I flew a couple of flights and WAH-LAH....no CTD's!!! I then loaded FSUIPC 4.80, then GSX, and have been flying all most of the day with nary the error! Even fixed with *******' fixes (although I found it set AFFINITYMASK to 255, when it should have been 84, so I changed to 84 and the Frame Rates settled UP quite a bit- starting up at KONT I'm getting consistent 50's), and all seems fine. Now to load REX Essentials Plus.

 

I still do have some crazy errors popping up in Event Viewer, but no symptoms of anything wrong. I think I'm going to quit looking at EV, as it just gives me the Murphy effect. :-)

 

I have really appreciated everyone's help here...I will report again after a week or so just to complete any blanks!!! Thanks again!

 

On Edit: I must also advise that I deleted ALL the Metro Apps and now boot right in the Win8Pro desktop with a neat little Start 8 program that brings back the Start Menu. I also deleted a printer showing up on my Homegroup that belongs to my office computer. I also ditched Windows Defender and reinstalled my Norton 360 Premier (go figure). This "fix" (gawd, everyone cross their fingers!), may be a consortium of fixes!

[SeanBH 9]

Hi All:

 

OK...got an update...ALL OK!! Boy, took forever, and I'm not quite sure what the "fix" was, but I wound up re-installing my FSX setup one by one, testing FSX, getting one or two StackHash errors, and backing up. It was hit and miss until I went further as described below. It's been quite the roller coaster, but here is what I recollect I did since my last update:

 

-Found that I had the RealteK onboard audio controller still enabled while also having my Asus Xonar STX Essence installed. (Prolly a big one, based on the errors I was getting)

-Ditched Windows Defender and re-installed Norton360 (yeah, I know, but it's always worked for me). Causes some EV issues, but they're all "information".

-threw the Vista uiautomationcore.dll into my FSX folder for the heck of it. (version 6.0.5840.16386)

-upgraded FSUIPC to 4.859 from 4.827. This might also have been a "kicker".

-reinstalled GSX and FS2Crew.

-disabled AMD External Events Utility

-disabled Microsoft Store and any app updates. Still trying to figure out how to totally rid the sys of the apps. Also, got Start8 to boot right into the old Win7 desktop, and cleaned out the Win8 interface.

 

I've been running flawlessly for over a week now- throwing everything I can to it. Seems to have also fixed the CTD I was getting when cleaning up after a flight with GSX and FS2Crew that I had before. I was even able to tweak up my OC a bit and now get consistent high-20's to 40's FPS's in even KLAS. I have run sfc and chkdsk about every two days and no issues anymore. I am a happy camper.

 

My hope is that this helps the next poor sole who gets these StackHash errors....they are NOT fun to deal with, mainly because they will make you go bonkers. I am reserving some of my issues due to the fact that I installed Win8Pro64 on a brand new Samsung 840Pro, with my system OC'd as before- I've read in many places you don't want to load a new OS on a tweaked system. I may have ultimately won the battle so far, but the jury is out on the WAR. :-)

 

Thanks for ALL your help...especially you Jim!!! I'd be interested in what your thoughts are!

[Jim Young 2,356]

I've read in many places you don't want to load a new OS on a tweaked system. I may have ultimately won the battle so far, but the jury is out on the WAR. :-)

 

I just lost my SSD last night. Well not the drive but it wouldn't boot so had to reinstall Windows (and now FSX). I had my system running great too! So I'm basically going through everything you just went through.

 

Hopefully your problems are fixed and thanks for your kind comments. Always appreciated!

 

Best regards,

Jim

[SeanBH 9]

I just lost my SSD last night. Well not the drive but it wouldn't boot so had to reinstall Windows (and now FSX). I had my system running great too! So I'm basically going through everything you just went through.

 

Hopefully your problems are fixed and thanks for your kind comments. Always appreciated!

 

Best regards,

Jim

 

Dang, Jim....hate to hear that. Only one thing worse than purposely loading a new OS, and you just got it. But somehow I believe you have all the brain tools to even come up with a better install- are ya gonna take the Win8 plunge?

[Jim Young 2,356]

are ya gonna take the Win8 plunge?

 

No. I'm going to skip Win8 (for now at least). Hope you're right about all those brain tools I may have! :lol: I needed to clean things up anyway so maybe this will be a good thing.

 

Best regards,

Jim

[SeanBH 9]

Nuttin' like a good 'ol house cleanin!

 

I am happy to report I have been error free (as far as FSX goes) for another week! Jim: in trying to keep up with some of your other posts regarding StackHash errors and the such, I picked up that you've stated the uiautomationcore.dll fix can be attributed to using menu commands in FSX, which was exactly the cause for my CTDs. I don't think FSX crashed on me without me going into the menu to change something, so there definitely is some correlation.

 

FYI...I was also able to figure out a little overclocking, and though even minor (from 4100 to 4223 MHz CPU), it GREATLY increased my FPS's. I am able to keep them in the high 30's and 40's. Got a little more to do (I'd like 4.5 gHz) but I'll consider myself lucky at this point!

[Jim Young 2,356]

I picked up that you've stated the uiautomationcore.dll fix can be attributed to using menu commands in FSX, which was exactly the cause for my CTDs. I don't think FSX crashed on me without me going into the menu to change something, so there definitely is some correlation.

 

In Word Not Allowed's Software and Hardware Guide - http://#####.wordpress.com/fsx-software-and-hardware-guide/ - he talks about the uiautomationcore.dll with a link to the proper version to download. I have never seen this problem myself and have tried hard to make it happen on my system and it doesn't happen. It doesn't happen to everyone. Just a few so I think it's strange that it works for some and not for others. I really believe the problem occurs when you install pre-FSX addons. I don't have any pre-FSX addons installed.

 

Good luck on your overclocking! You should have no problems attaining your goal of 4.5GHz. I had mine up to 4.8GHz once but started seeing problems so moved the oc back to 44. I personally see no advantage of going any higher than that.

 

Best regards,

Jim

[SeanBH 9]

Jim: did you get your system back up and running? I hope so! Can't have our HW guru without a working system and Google! :-)

 

FWIW: I knew I'd forget one of the steps I took to get FSX flying flawlessly...I did use Win8Pro's compatibility checker to set it back to Win7- not XP. It first asks you the last OS that it worked on, so I selected Win7.

[Jim Young 2,356]

Jim: did you get your system back up and running? I hope so! Can't have our HW guru without a working system and Google! :-)

 

Thanks for asking but I'm having major issues. Reinstalled Windows 7 to my SSD after previously installing it to one of my HDD's. Then decided to reinstall back to the SSD. That went well except the ASUS BIOS does not recognize the SSD anymore as a boot drive. It recognizes the drive and Microsoft installed Windows 7 on it but, when I boot up, the bootloader is on the previous HDD and it loads there first then shoots over to my SSD. The Windows drive manager says it's the boot drive but it also says all my other internal drives are boot drives too. It works but I'm bound to have problems. I'm not going to reinstall FSX or anything else until I can get the SSD seen in the BIOS boot menu. I searched the Internet for a solution and saw this problem with SSD's is very common but I had absolutely no problems when I originally installed the SSD and loaded Windows on it. Looks like I will have to unplug all HHD's, then reinstall Windows on the only available drive, the SSD. It may work, it may not. I have been spending a lot of my time backing up my important stuff so I can get all of this accomplished. Fun stuff!

 

I did use Win8Pro's compatibility checker to set it back to Win7- not XP. It first asks you the last OS that it worked on, so I selected Win7.

 

FSX was made for the VISTA OS. XP was the operating system when FSX was released and Vista was released soon after. Windows 7 came shortly after Vista and it fixed a lot of bugs in Vista. So, if anything, you want compatibility with Vista. If you install FS9 though, that and ALL of the FS9 addons were developed with XP.

 

Best regards,

Jim

[SeanBH 9]

Jim:

Come to think about it, I did have similar issues when I installed my new SSD in my Sabertooth Z77 system. Getting the proper boot order in the BIOS was a bit contentious. I wish I could tell you how I resolved it, but that was a few brain cells ago! :-)

And in the vein of "if it ain't broke don't fix it" theme, things have been running great so far, so if you don't mind, I'm gonna leave my FSX as Win7 Compatible. :rolleyes:

 

Any more luck last night? You were up way past your bedtime!!! :-)