4gb RAM BSOD

[stevet]

Alright, I will try to mess with voltages and all that stuff in the BIOS because I already have installed the patch and that only leaves me with the voltage specific fixes to try out.

Thanks again.

It can get quite frustrating. If you want a quick check of your RAM (not as comprehensive as memtest but a good quick and dirty test) use the memory test that is built into vista.

You can find it in the control panel, under administrative tools. It is the memory diagnostics tool. You set it and reboot your system. It does two passes, takes maybe 15min for 4G of RAM. If you have any gross errors this will point them out.

 

[dmex]

0xA1: PCI_BUS_DRIVER_INTERNAL

The PCI_BUS_DRIVER_INTERNAL bug check has a value of 0x000000A1. This indicates that the PCI Bus driver detected inconsistency problems in its internal structures and could not continue.

There are no options for diagnosing this blue screen unfortunately.

0xA: IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL

The IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL bug check has a value of 0x0000000A. This indicates that Microsoft Windows or a kernel-mode driver accessed paged memory at DISPATCH_LEVEL or above.

Cause
This bug check is issued if paged memory (or invalid memory) is accessed when the IRQL is too high.
The error that generates this bug check usually occurs after the installation of a faulty device driver, system service, or BIOS.
If you encounter bug check 0xA while upgrading to a later version of Windows, this error might be caused by a device driver, a system service, a virus scanner, or a backup tool that is incompatible with the new version.

# Check the System Log in Event Viewer for error messages that might identify the device or driver that caused the error.
# Try disabling memory caching of the BIOS.
# If your system has small computer system interface (SCSI) adapters, contact the adapter manufacturer to obtain updated Windows drivers. Try disabling sync negotiation in the SCSI BIOS, checking the cabling and the SCSI IDs of each device, and confirming proper termination.
# For integrated device electronics (IDE) devices, define the onboard IDE port as Primary only. Also, check each IDE device for the proper master/subordinate/stand-alone setting. Try removing all IDE devices except for hard disks.

 

[MrBiggz]

Be thankful your getting a BSOD. I'm not even getting that.

I'm still having trouble posting through the mobo. I'm a noob when it comes to all this setting the volt in them memory and stuff. I'm str8 old skool. What happened to a 8Mb simm? I'm got 4 X 1gb DDR2 pc6400 800Mhz .. how long is the memory test going to run? Days probably!

But I have gotten some support from the support forums from the makers of my mobo (abit). Geeez .. I hope this works! I need my 'puter back .. i'm feeeeeeeein'n!!!!

 

[tekjoe]

So will I have to completely reinstall again or just uninstall all the drivers and any virus scanning programs?

Oh and to the previous poster, I barely know what to do with what people tell me but I can seem to get by with most of the information.

 

[dmex]

Try uninstalling each program and running without them, it can help isolate the cause better.

 

[Sirstoneofgall]

I have 4gb of ram and Vista x64..i dont have this problem at all. I had no idea this was an issue until started reading it on forums AFTER i installed Vista x64.

What causes this to happen to others and not me? I install the hotfix but it come later with windows update.

You seem to be the only one using a AMD cpu/motherboard. After tirelessly reading every online post I could find over the past couple days while trying to figure why my system wouldn't run with the 4th stick of 1 gig ram the common factors seem to be the Asus motherboards combined with Intel chips/Vista 64bit.

Manually setting memory voltage AND speed to the ram manufacturers spec(1.95v/800mhz for my Kingston sticks) in the system bios fixed things for me. It used to be that I just bought ram spec'd for my board, jammed it in the slot, and BAM! I had more ram, no problems. Guess that's changed now with the promise of computers capable of running 8+ gigs of ram.

Wish I had found this forum yesterday, I could've been gaming ALL day today instead of just half a day,haha. At least I'm learning something new.

 

[tekjoe]

Alright so i started uninstalling different things but no change. I decided to run the vista memory test and got through the first, but the second seemed to freeze so i decided to cancel. What I did see in the test however was that it said that a hardware problem was detected. I did wait for about 45 minutes to see if the problem would resolve but it was stuck at the same point. Hopefully I'm on the right track to getting the problem solved.

 

[dmex]

The best program around to set your memory timings is CPUZ hxxp://www.cpuid.com/cpuz.php


For anyone using a NVidia chipset use NTune hxxp://www.nvidia.com/object/sysutility.html


Both these programs are a great help messing with BIOS settings or overclocking your system.

 

[ltwally]

I've no idea why you weren't affected by the 4G RAM issue.

Actually, most people with 4+ gb ram didn't have the problem. It's been a while since I read up on it, but the core of the problem as I recall had to do with BIOS PCI memory mappings in the 3.2-4gb range, and then not reporting those mappings in the way that Vista expected and new how to handle.

Now, as to whether what Vista expects is a standardized way and the BIOS folks are to blame, or whether Microsoft dropped the ball, I honestly don't know. It could be both. BIOS software is ancient and gimpy, and have been continually hacked to work with ever expanding hardware/software while having to maintain backwards compatibility all the way to the original AT.

As for me, I have a MSI P6N Diamond. The board worked flawlessly when I originally installed Vista with 4gigs of RAM. No funky steps required.

 

[warpedhifi]

This is a little late, but I have the same issue, using a ASUS M2N-E mb, 2x2gigs of G Skill memory and a EVGA 8800gt video card. Not sure if this help, but when I swapped my video card with a evga 7600, the bsod went away and I could boot into vista 64 with 4 gigs with no problem. I put the 8800 back in and it bsod again. This is as far as I have gotten with this so far.

Anybody get around this problem yet???

 

[billybob]

Shoot. My AMD from Texas and my 4 gigs fired Vista U. right up on the first try. Guess I'm one of the lucky ones.

 

[dmex]

warpedhifi do you know the BSOD code you where getting? we can lookup the code and find the exact cause

 

[warpedhifi]

It is the same code that Tekjoe is or was getting 0x0000000a and if I go over 4 gigs to 6 gigs I get this error 0x0000007e. I find it strange that vista works fine with 4 gigs and the 7600 video card, but not with the 8800gt. I been reading about the kb 929777 patch that is suppose to fix this issue. When I installed vista with 3 gigs, I did do all the auto updates, but I am not 100% sure if the 929777 update was install or not. I will double check in the morning.

Warped

 

[grimreaper]

The answer is real simple.
If you're installing a fresh copy of Vista X64, insert only 2 or 3GB of memory.
Once you have finished installing X64, shut down, then insert the additional 1GB, reboot, and walaaa
I had the same problem, and no more BSOD.

 

[warpedhifi]

Update, I verified that the patch 929777 was never installed on my computer even after all the auto updates. So I downloaded the patch, installed and she works fine with 4 gigs of memory!:D Now I can actually enjoy vista!!!

 

[aniruddha]

Err this thread seems to be dead but I kinda need to bump it up.

First, My rig:

Intel Core 2 DUO E6750 2.66 GHz
XFX Geforce 8800GT Alpha Dog edition 512 MB x1
XFX 680i LT SLI motherboard
Seagate 250 GB SATA
Transcend 4GB DDR2 800MHz (2GBx2)
OS: Vista x64 SP1 ULTIMATE

The problem:
Random BSOD. REALLY random.

Most common STOP messages are:
IRQL NOT LESS OR EQUAL
MEMORY MANAGEMENT
DRIVER IRQL NOT LESS OR EQUAL
Sometimes no message at all.

Most common Addresses are:
0x0000000A and 0x0000001A

The crash location is in any random .sys file from nvidia drivers to ntfs.sys

The solutions I have tried (none of which work BTW):

Adjusting the memory voltage
Upgrading/Downgrading Drivers for Video/mobo
Upgrading/Downgrading BIOS
KB929777 Won't even install on Vista x64 SP1 (This update does not apply to your system)
Various other attempts (group policy, ACPI etc.; They don't work)

Some sidenotes:

Nothing's wrong with the memory sticks. I've tested them on three computers.
I'm running latest drivers of EVERYTHING.
XP Pro SP2 x64 Edition works flawless.
Vista x64 SP1 ULTIMATE works Flawless with 2GB. (thats what I'm running now)

From what I have searched on the net, This problem is common on PCs more or less similar to mine.

There it is....

 

[KOz1]

Did you try upping the North Bridge Voltage by .05 v.
Im running a P35 Intel mobo and some cant run all 4 dimms at 800 mhz and above so I have to go to 2 X 2 Gig and that will work.
You have a 680i mobo but maybe that will help.

 

[aniruddha]

It's definitely not a voltage issue. I am running 2x2gigs too, not 4x1gigs. and like I said before, XP pro SP2 x64 edition works flawless. thus, not a voltage issue.

It's something with vista all right.

Something i forgot to mention earlier: I also tried a Vista32 bit setup, and It freezes a lot before the BSOD, Even after detecting 4 gb ram with KB929777. I'm guessing vista has Inherent issues with handling 4 gb? That would mean problems, BIG problems.

BTW I am not bashing vista x64 here. Amazing OS. Hands down best windows ever. DX10 FTW.

 

[hkancyr]

Aniruddha-Sounds like a video driver issue. At least the random BSOD. Just my $.02.

 

[KOz1]

Ill be testing some more this week but so far I think I fixed my 4 gig issue and with 4 X 1 gig to boot, heres what I did.

Turned all antivirus and anti malaware off, uinstalled KB929777, rebooted, while rebooting in bios turned on memory remap feature, booted, rebooted, turned off all anit virus and anti malware installed KB929777, rebooted, rebooted , rebooted, installed all 4 gigs, booted, rebooted, rebooted,
So far its working flawlessly.
Crosses fingers!!

Might help ya who knows.