STOP: 0x00000124

boredgunner · Apr 19, 2009

Yes I've read about it here, other forums, microsoft website, and I've googled it. This error seems somewhat common in systems that run Vista 64 bit. I've become very annoyed by this issue. For me, this BSOD occurs mainly in games at completely random times. First, let me list my computer specs.

OS: Windows Vista Home Premium 64 bit w/ SP1
MOBO: (XFX) NVIDIA nForce 680i LT SLI (latest official BIOS)
CPU: Intel Core 2 DUO E8400 @ 4.05 ghz (450 x 9, 1800 mhz FSB)
CPU Cooler: iBuyPower IBP-Z001 Liquid Cooling System
Memory: 4 GB RAM (4 x 1 GB Crucial Ballistix DDR2 @ 900 mhz)
GPU 1: (EVGA) NVIDIA GeForce GTX 260 CORE 216 - 55nm @ 684/1476/1190
GPU 1 Cooler: Stock @ 80%
GPU 2: (PNY) NVIDIA GeForce 9600GT @ 720/1800/950 (Dedicated PhysX Processor)
GPU 2 Cooler: Stock @ Auto (35%)
Sound Card: Creative Sound Blaster Audigy SE 7.1
PSU: Tested on both COOLER MASTER Real Power Pro 650W (45A on the +12v rails - 19A/19A/19A = 540W) and my current OCZ StealthXStream 700W (56.25A on the +12v rails - 18A/18A/18A/18A = 675W)

Some people were suspecting this was a hardware issue. I've tested my overclocked CPU/RAM with IntelBurnTest, which puts the CPU to 100% load and RAM to 95% load. For my video cards, I've used ATItool and 3DMark Vantage (also tests the whole system). The system is stable when speaking of hardware. Stress tested for many hours, no BSOD with this error.

Temperatures are not a problem, CPU idle temps are borderline 30 degrees Celsius and max load temps for the CPU are 55-60 degrees Celsius. MOBO never exceeds 40 degrees Celsius, my GTX 260 idles around 40 degrees Celsius and never gets above 65 degrees, and the 9600GT never gets to 45 degrees. HDD is always below 30 degrees Celsius.

Just to be sure, I've reseted the BIOS do the defaults and reset all GPU clocks back to defaults, the issue still existed.

This error can be caused by audio devices in Vista x64

I run an XFX 680i LT motherboard, Creative Sound Blaster Audigy SE 7.1, and Windows Vista Home Premium 64 bit. All drivers are updated to the latest version, and I use driver sweeper in safe mode after uninstalling older drivers. I've switched back and forth between my onboard audio, disabling the one that is not in use via device manager. No fix.

Entering the BIOS and disabling the C1E Enhanced Halt State can be a temporary fix.

As a system overclocker/tweaker, doing this is natural for me so my CPU always runs at it's overclocked speeds. The C1E Enhanced Halt State is always disabled on my PC, the problem still exists.

Now heres where things get interesting.

Make sure the 32 bit access is enabled on the HDD in the BIOS.

I'd love to check if the 32 bit access is enabled, but I could not find such a feature in my motherboard's BIOS.

One thing I did notice in the BIOS was a way to completely disable onboard sound, better than the device manager does. I disabled the onboard sound this way and it doesn't even show up in the device manager. Did it work? Of course not! Blue screens all the way!

Then somebody showed me this.

A "0x00000124" Stop error message occurs when you use the "hot plugging" feature to add or to remove a PCI Express device on a Windows Server 2008-based computer or on a Windows Vista-based computer

An official hotfix? Too good to be true. I installed it, went to go play some Cryostasis, 5 minutes in BAM. BSOD, same error. Changed back to onboard sound and disabled the sound card, no difference (well except about 25 minutes in). Now I'm stuck with this BETA hotfix, who knows what else can happen.

It seems I've tried just about everything. The only things I haven't done are reinstalling Vista and testing out a different hard drive. I'm working on that...

rive0108 · Apr 19, 2009

STOP: 0x00000124 (Vista) - NVIDIA Forums

boredgunner · Apr 19, 2009

Pfft, none of them even have the same MOBO as me. So I guess there isn't a fix...

rive0108 · Apr 19, 2009

boredgunner said:
Pfft, none of them even have the same MOBO as me. So I guess there isn't a fix...

Did you update your BIOS recently?

Check this
Check your Hard Disk settings in your BIOS if you're experiencing STOP
0x124 errors.
the setting may not necessairly be
labelled "Enable 32-Bit Disk Access". It could be along the lines of
"High Speed Access" or "Advanced Configuration", etc.
http://forum.soft32.com/windows/Solution-STOP-0x00000124-ftopict367875.html

boredgunner · Apr 19, 2009

The motherboard is registered on the XFX official website. I did one update and they haven't notified me of a new one.

Okay I'm now on the P08 BIOS from XFX. Lets see what happens now...

usasma · Apr 20, 2009

STOP 0x124 errors are errors that are reported through the Windows Error Reporting Architecture. Most that I've seen have come from the CPU - and, as such, just don't have a lot of details. I recall several that were due to compatibility issues.

I'd suspect that the use of Driver Verifier may be called for here, but I'm not 100% sure that it'll be effective (because of the path that the error has to take).

H2SO4 · Apr 20, 2009

usasma said:
STOP 0x124 errors are errors that are reported through the Windows Error Reporting Architecture. Most that I've seen have come from the CPU - and, as such, just don't have a lot of details. I recall several that were due to compatibility issues.

Agreed. A stop 0x124 on Vista is the equivalent of the ol' 0x9C on XP and previous versions of Windows - a machine check exception which is being reported by hardware. Except in contrived scenarios such as a driver indirectly triggering an MCE by somehow being unkind to the hardware which it represents, an MCE cannot be caused by software and driver verifier is unlikely to help. Even rarer is the situation described by that KB article where a "phantom" MCE is being reported by the OS.

It is utterly pointless to spend effort on troubleshooting while any portion of the hardware is overclocked and/or otherwise driven beyond its design specs. From the OPs post:

"Some people were suspecting this was a hardware issue. I've tested my overclocked CPU/RAM with IntelBurnTest..."

Some people were almost certainly right.

Element · Apr 20, 2009

0124 stop is hardware plain and simple no matter if its a driver conflict or its a failing device or something going wirey due to overclocking. I had the same bsod for 2months finally after trying everything found it was 2 bad hard drives.

Start by stock clocking everything then test, if thats still a bsod, then run memtest86, nothing there then might wanna post a dump file so someone here can translate it.

boredgunner · Apr 20, 2009

Driver conflict means its a software issue. Once again I've reseted everything to stock clocks. I set the BIOS to defaults and put GPU speeds back to normal on both of them. This BSOD still occurs. I've also stress tested each overclocked part for many hours. CPU/RAM I've tested with IntelBurnTest (puts CPU to 100% load and RAM to 95%). For the video cards I've used ATItool. I haven't tried Memtest86, I'll get around to that.

Updated to latest BIOS (P08). No fix.

usasma · Apr 21, 2009

I'd suggest MemTest and a hard drive diagnostic as the first order of business here. If you've got access to a motherboard tester, that may give some information (but they're expensive - and don't give a comprehensive test). I usually suggest the free version of SiSoft Sandra Lite to get an idea of any issues with the mobo.

As you haven't had any failures with the CPU/RAM/Video tests, I'd suspect that that hardware can be considered "good". The other tests will help rule out the hard drive and RAM - that won't leave much else to diagnose (hardware-wise).

boredgunner · Apr 21, 2009

I'll do the memtest and some HDD diagnostic, but one other thing to note is this error occurred on an older, superior MOBO I owned (EVGA 780i FTW, sold).

smarteyeball · Apr 21, 2009

boredgunner said:
CPU/RAM I've tested with IntelBurnTest

Unfortunately IBT is nowhere near a 100% guarantee of stability. I've had my machine pass 30 runs at max stress, but still appcrash Prime95 blend at the 8 hour mark.

I haven't tried Memtest86, I'll get around to that.

I'd get around to it

And not just a pass or two either.

I just spent two days running memtest for troubleshooting purposes. I discovered I was getting an error on test #5 between pass 5-7. It turns out after bumping my RAM mhz by a few mhz @ 5-5-5-15 gave me an error, whereas 5-6-6-15 saw it though 24 passes of test #5 and 22 full passes with no errors. Before re-running memtest, I was covinced it was stable

And yeah, 0x124 errors are PITA

Since it occured with an old board, it's a 'safe' bet to say it's not the MOBO. Everything else is still a potential culprit :rolleyes:

boredgunner · Apr 22, 2009

I'd go back to Prime95 if it worked, but when I start it up it says something about the rounding being 0.5 and it expected less than 0.4. What does this mean?

smarteyeball · Apr 22, 2009

I'm not sure TBH, I've never come across that message :huh:

At any rate, something is unstable.

STOP: 0x00000124

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