Random Crashing Problems

fullmetalfan720

fullmetalfan720

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My computer has been crashing quite a bit on me lately. Sometimes, it just locks up randomly, and the only way to fix it is to unplug it. The power and reset buttons will do nothing, or the reset button will reset it, but then it will either crash during start up or just stay on a black screen. Other times, it randomly goes to a black screen in the middle of use, and I can hear the fans speeding up, but nothing can be done. The rest and power buttons stop working. It completely locks up. The sound even freezes. Often, it will work for a while, sometimes even hours at a time if I am not using any taxing applications. When I tried play Left 4 Dead 2, it locked up about 20 mins in. Any ideas as to what the problem is?

Specs are:
AMD Athlon X2 6000+
3 GB RAM (a 1 GB and a 2 GB stick)
nVidia 9600 GT
ECS nForce6M-A Motherboard
Windows Vista
Coolmax M-500B 500 Watt power supply
NZXT Guardian Case
500 GB Western Digital Caviar GP
18X Super Write Master DVD Burner
 
Check your Windows Event Logs for errors. Windows Key + R brings up the Run menu. Then type in "eventvwr.exe" without the quotes. You'll want to look under Application and System for any errors that are popping up with timestamps around these times. Though any recurring errors generally aren't good.

That's usually the best way to start a diagnosis.
 
Around the time of the last crash, it shows an error from CAPI2
Failed extract of third-party root list from auto update cab at: with error: A required certificate is not within its validity period when verifying against the current system clock or the timestamp in the signed file.
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5 minutes before the crash. Then five minutes after it shows
The previous system shutdown at 6:30:23 PM on 2/7/2011 was unexpected.
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and
Audit events have been dropped by the transport. The real time backup file was corrupt due to improper shutdown.
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both from source eventlog.
 
Try Googling parts or all of the first error message and "crash" and see if others are having similar problems. I searched for (without single quotes) 'authrootstl.cab crash' and came up with some threads in the windows support forums that might apply. Try using more of the error message to zero in on it.

The middle error message is what you always get after a crash. Not sure about the 3rd error message. Might try some google for that too.

On a more general note, here is my standard answer for systems behaving badly:

http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=111152
 
The first error is related to Windows Updates. Normally you should only be getting that if you're on a server and the WSUS servers certificate expired but you may want to look into running Windows Update manually. Next one is pretty worthless, it just tells you that you had an improper shutdown. Third one shows that your Shadow Copy/VSS/Windows Backup was running when this happened. If this is a regular occurrence with crashes, then try temporarily disabling automated backups.

As for what Megazell said, HijackThis is a fairly decent application that can help one sort through some registry settings, start settings and file settings. You can always post what you get from here and it could help us see if you have any malware on your system. Not everything the list generates is bad. So don't automatically have it remove everything.

There could also be an issue with drivers, however normally you'd see something in the error logs and so I can't really see this being an issue. Though it never hurts to reinstall/install the latest drivers for your computers hardware.
 
I got a BSOD earlier, and after googling the error, I found out that it is likely my hard drive, CPU or RAM.
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Here's the log from HijackThis
Logfile of Trend Micro HijackThis v2.0.4
Scan saved at 5:03:23 PM, on 2/12/2011
Platform: Windows Vista SP1 (WinNT 6.00.1905)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v8.00 (8.00.6001.19019)
Boot mode: Normal

Running processes:
C:\Windows\system32\Dwm.exe
C:\Windows\system32\taskeng.exe
C:\Windows\Explorer.EXE
C:\Program Files\Canon\MyPrinter\BJMYPRT.EXE
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Xbox 360 Accessories\XBoxStat.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Java\Java Update\jusched.exe
C:\Program Files\iTunes\iTunesHelper.exe
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Security Client\msseces.exe
C:\Program Files\Windows Sidebar\sidebar.exe
C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe
C:\Users\Eric\Program Files\DNA\btdna.exe
C:\Program Files\Windows Media Player\wmpnscfg.exe
C:\Program Files\SUPERAntiSpyware\SUPERANTISPYWARE.EXE
C:\Program Files\Valve\Steam\Steam.exe
C:\Program Files\Panasonic\PHOTOfunSTUDIO -viewer-\PhAutoRun.exe
C:\Program Files\OpenOffice.org 3\program\soffice.exe
C:\Program Files\OpenOffice.org 3\program\soffice.bin
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Virtualization Handler\CVH.EXE
C:\Program Files\Common Files\microsoft shared\virtualization handler\OfficeVirt.exe
C:\Windows\system32\wuauclt.exe
C:\Program Files\Trend Micro\HiJackThis\HiJackThis.exe
C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\plugin-container.exe

R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Page = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896
R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = about:blank
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Page_URL = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=69157
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Search_URL = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Page = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=69157
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,SearchAssistant =
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,CustomizeSearch =
R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings,ProxyServer = http=127.0.0.1:5577
R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Toolbar,LinksFolderName =
O1 - Hosts: ::1 localhost
O2 - BHO: AcroIEHelperStub - {18DF081C-E8AD-4283-A596-FA578C2EBDC3} - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\Acrobat\ActiveX\AcroIEHelperShim.dll
O2 - BHO: Windows Live ID Sign-in Helper - {9030D464-4C02-4ABF-8ECC-5164760863C6} - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Windows Live\WindowsLiveLogin.dll
O2 - BHO: Java(tm) Plug-In 2 SSV Helper - {DBC80044-A445-435b-BC74-9C25C1C588A9} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\bin\jp2ssv.dll
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Windows Defender] %ProgramFiles%\Windows Defender\MSASCui.exe -hide
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [CanonMyPrinter] C:\Program Files\Canon\MyPrinter\BJMyPrt.exe /logon
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Adobe Reader Speed Launcher] "C:\Program Files\Adobe\Reader 9.0\Reader\Reader_sl.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [XboxStat] "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Xbox 360 Accessories\XboxStat.exe" silentrun
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [NvCplDaemon] RUNDLL32.EXE C:\Windows\system32\NvCpl.dll,NvStartup
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [NvMediaCenter] RUNDLL32.EXE C:\Windows\system32\NvMcTray.dll,NvTaskbarInit
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SunJavaUpdateSched] "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Java\Java Update\jusched.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [QuickTime Task] "C:\Program Files\QuickTime\QTTask.exe" -atboottime
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [iTunesHelper] "C:\Program Files\iTunes\iTunesHelper.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [MSC] "c:\Program Files\Microsoft Security Client\msseces.exe" -hide -runkey
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [Sidebar] C:\Program Files\Windows Sidebar\sidebar.exe /autoRun
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [WindowsWelcomeCenter] rundll32.exe oobefldr.dll,ShowWelcomeCenter
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [BitTorrent DNA] "C:\Users\Eric\Program Files\DNA\btdna.exe"
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [AlcoholAutomount] "C:\Program Files\Alcohol Soft\Alcohol 120\axcmd.exe" /automount
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [SUPERAntiSpyware] C:\Program Files\SUPERAntiSpyware\SUPERAntiSpyware.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [Steam] "C:\Program Files\Valve\Steam\Steam.exe" -silent
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [WMPNSCFG] C:\Program Files\Windows Media Player\WMPNSCFG.exe
O4 - Startup: OpenOffice.org 3.1.lnk = C:\Program Files\OpenOffice.org 3\program\quickstart.exe
O4 - Global Startup: PHOTOfunSTUDIO -viewer-.lnk = C:\Program Files\Panasonic\PHOTOfunSTUDIO -viewer-\PhAutoRun.exe
O16 - DPF: {1E54D648-B804-468d-BC78-4AFFED8E262E} (System Requirements Lab) - http://www.srtest.com/srl_bin/sysreqlab_srl.cab
O16 - DPF: {D1E7CBDA-E60E-4970-A01C-37301EF7BF98} (Futuremark Measurement Services Client) - http://www.yougamers.com/systeminfo/MSC3.cab
O22 - SharedTaskScheduler: Component Categories cache daemon - {8C7461EF-2B13-11d2-BE35-3078302C2030} - C:\Windows\system32\browseui.dll
O23 - Service: Apple Mobile Device - Apple Inc. - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Apple\Mobile Device Support\AppleMobileDeviceService.exe
O23 - Service: Bonjour Service - Apple Inc. - C:\Program Files\Bonjour\mDNSResponder.exe
O23 - Service: iPod Service - Apple Inc. - C:\Program Files\iPod\bin\iPodService.exe
O23 - Service: NVIDIA Display Driver Service (nvsvc) - NVIDIA Corporation - C:\Windows\system32\nvvsvc.exe
O23 - Service: PinnacleUpdate Service (PinnacleUpdateSvc) - KALiNKOsoft - C:\Program Files\KALiNKOsoft\Pinnacle Game Profiler\pinnacle_updater.exe
O23 - Service: PnkBstrA - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\PnkBstrA.exe
O23 - Service: Steam Client Service - Valve Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Steam\SteamService.exe

--
End of file - 5719 bytes
Click to expand...
I just took out one of my memory modules and things are working fine for the most part, however, I did encounter another crash while playing Left 4 Dead 2 about 15 minutes in.

Oh, and thanks for the help guys.
 
That BSOD image helps. Your HijackThis! log looks pretty clean. I don't see anything that looks like it shouldn't be there.

Anyways, that BSOD error means it was unable to page the information out of memory. Common causes for this error are hardware failure (Usually RAM or Video Card [Faulty Video RAM or driver] before Processor or Motherboard), anti-virus causing the issue (Your HijackThis log shows Windows Defender and Microsoft Security Essentials; I would try disabling them temporarily) or drivers.

Start with some memory tests, like Lawyers recommended:
http://www.memtest.org/
http://oca.microsoft.com/en/windiag.asp

Then if those turn up nothing, try disabling Windows Defender and Microsoft Security Essentials. You can also try downloading Malwarebytes and running a full scan.

If that doesn't work either, then download some new drivers for your video card and monitor (if you don't use a Plug and Play driver). Then go into safe mode without networking, uninstall them, reboot back into safe mode and reinstall those two drivers (This includes the Plug and Play driver if you use it) and reboot into normal windows. Just in case there is some other malware effecting things.
 
I would suspect the RAM before the CPU or HD. Or, as has happened to me, not the RAM but the memory slots on the mobo. It definitely seems like a memory issue though- I have had similar symptoms in the past and it was for me a bad ram stick in one case, and a bad ram slot in another.
 
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