Hardware error from newly built PC

[Dancing Devil]

I recently built my own PC with the following specifications:
AMD Athlon 64 3200+
2 x 1 GB Kingston Ram
1 x 250 Maxtor Harddisc (S-ATA)
1 x 130 GB Maxtor Harddisc (used from old computer)
Innovision 3D Geforce 7900 GT 256 MB RAM
Asus A8VE-SE motherboard
CWT KMG-4000LPPC powersupply
+ floppy- cd- og dvd-drives.

Win XP Pro has been installed on the S-ATA harddrive.
Recently I've been experiencing some windows blue screens while gaming.
I cannot say with 100 % certainty that it only happens while gaming as
my computer is completely new - I've had the screen 4 times I believe.
The computer is completely new and formatted, I built it myself. The
screen says that there is a hardware error somewhere and gives me a
hexadecimal value. All drivers are up to date and so is Windows. As I
see it there are 3 possible reasons for this screen:
1: Harddrive error - maybe windows is trying to write on top of a bad
sector? (note that the windows harddisc is new)
2: RAM error
3: RAM error on the graphics card.

I see option #3 as the most likely since the pattern suggests it
happens during gaming, however this is only a guess. The question is
then: What to do now? How do I narrow my problem down and how do I
solve it?

 

[Clark]

I would probably look at any logs first to see if it is leaving a trail.
Check the Events viewer and see if any problems show up and then any other
logs that might be available. Perhaps Dr. Watson would help in this
situation.

What type of sound card are you using? You might turn down the sound and
video settings in the game to see if it improves.

I would then try remove any nonessential equipment in case some type of
conflict was occurring.

Have you checked the timing on when the bluescreens happen in relation to
how long the computer has been on or how long you have been playing.

Have you used the ASUS system monitor utility to watch CPU temps and such?

Clark

 

[Dancing Devil]

Already checked the event viewer - nothing to be found there. I don't
have a seperate sound card - it's integrated in the motherboard.
No pattern in how long the computer has been turned on.
I have used the ASUS utility to monitor PSU voltage and CPU temperature
- nothing to be worried about there.
Know any programs I can use to test my video card memory?

 

[Dancing Devil]

The blue screen says that it tried to execute memory which could not be
executed.
The stop code is:
*** STOP: 0x000000FC (0x144FC9FA, 0x7A9DC067, 0xBACC7C84, 0x00000000)

 

[Clark]

Did you download and install the latest motherboard drivers for the chipset
and sound and whatever else?

I seem to feel blue screens are caused by conflicts, usually hardware, but
can be software. You can use msconfig.exe to keep some programs from
starting, like an anti-virus to see if it is causing problems. Does this
seem to happen with all your games, or just one in particular? Are you
using the internet when the lockups occur?

Is anything else going on, like a warning message from software about
registering or something.

I don't anything to test your video memory, but have you done the DirectX
diagnostic?

Clark

In the past, sound has been the source of some problems, but

 

[paulmd]

I recently built my own PC with the following specifications:
AMD Athlon 64 3200+
2 x 1 GB Kingston Ram
1 x 250 Maxtor Harddisc (S-ATA)
1 x 130 GB Maxtor Harddisc (used from old computer)
Innovision 3D Geforce 7900 GT 256 MB RAM
Asus A8VE-SE motherboard
CWT KMG-4000LPPC powersupply
+ floppy- cd- og dvd-drives.

Win XP Pro has been installed on the S-ATA harddrive.
Recently I've been experiencing some windows blue screens while gaming.
I cannot say with 100 % certainty that it only happens while gaming as
my computer is completely new - I've had the screen 4 times I believe.
The computer is completely new and formatted, I built it myself. The
screen says that there is a hardware error somewhere and gives me a
hexadecimal value. All drivers are up to date and so is Windows. As I
see it there are 3 possible reasons for this screen:
1: Harddrive error - maybe windows is trying to write on top of a bad
sector? (note that the windows harddisc is new)
2: RAM error
3: RAM error on the graphics card.

I see option #3 as the most likely since the pattern suggests it
happens during gaming, however this is only a guess. The question is
then: What to do now? How do I narrow my problem down and how do I
solve it?

Memtest86+ for the RAM, the manufaturors diagnostic tools for the hard
drive. And the video, you will have to swap out to test, so even
thought it's likely, it shoud be done last.

also, just because it's new doesn't mean your motherboard isn't
defective. Check for bulging or leaking capicitors. Critically, do you
have enough of a power supply for your hardware?

 

[Dave]

The blue screen says that it tried to execute memory which could not be
executed.
The stop code is:
*** STOP: 0x000000FC (0x144FC9FA, 0x7A9DC067, 0xBACC7C84, 0x00000000)

Microsoft suggest this is a bad driver:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;886348

here is a workaround:
http://www.jsifaq.com/SUBR/tip8800/rh8847.htm

 

[Dancing Devil]

I have as a temporary fix disabled Data Execution Prevention - though
I'm not fond of it. I don't have a clue how to find the incompatible
driver, so the alternative is to shut off DEP entirely. Maybe it's the
graphics driver?. Now I just hope it works, then I'll switch it back on
when Nvidia releases a new driver for my Geforce 7900 GT

 

[Dave]

I have as a temporary fix disabled Data Execution Prevention - though
I'm not fond of it. I don't have a clue how to find the incompatible
driver, so the alternative is to shut off DEP entirely. Maybe it's the
graphics driver?. Now I just hope it works, then I'll switch it back on
when Nvidia releases a new driver for my Geforce 7900 GT

Make the blue screen happen again (or look in the System Event log for the
earlier ones) and see what it says the faulting module was. This might give
a clue as to what driver is involved.

 

[Dancing Devil]

Didn't say anything about the faulting module I'm afraid