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Question

BSOD Windows 8.1

Dec 17, 2013 7:37AM PST

Over the past couple days I've been experiencing a BSOD 1 or 2 times a day during what seem like, random times. The BSOD is a little funky because the screen is skewed pretty badly and no text is visible. Where do I start troubleshooting this error?

Discussion is locked

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Clarification Request
Usually by revealing make, model, details.
Dec 17, 2013 7:56AM PST

Some laptops are not ready for 8.1. But given so little detail, start with the basics asked for in the RED WORDS you see each time you post.
Bob

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Specs
Dec 17, 2013 9:23AM PST

Oh wow. Don't know how I missed the red text below. My apologies.

So I'm running Windows 8.1 followed by:

Inter i7 4820K Processor
8 GB Ram
Radeon 7800 Series
Asus P9x79 LE motherboard

That's what I recall from memory at the moment. I ended up getting one BSOD error reading Page Fault on Nonpage paged area.

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Any overclocking?
Dec 17, 2013 9:27AM PST

That looks like a custom machine and the K series usually means folk overclock. Sorry but I have yet to enter into any discussion where overclocking happens. It's unsupportable.

All this looks very very new. Is the maker walking on you?
Bob

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No overclocking
Dec 17, 2013 9:35PM PST

I haven't actually overclocked it at all yet. I've had the system for nearly 2 years and just now started running into this issue.

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That's a clue. I'll use it.
Dec 18, 2013 2:49AM PST

8.1 seems to be like low tide at the ocean and exposes the rocks. That is, if your PC is that old it may need BIOS and Driver updates to run without trouble.

However http://ark.intel.com/products/77781 contradicts your statement it is years old. That CPU came out late this year.

At least we know you have fresh heatsink compound, good fans and such as it's pretty new.
Bob

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Wrong
Dec 18, 2013 4:16AM PST

I must remember the processor incorrectly then. I'll have to get the correct information on it when I can access it later today. I'll post and update later with the corrected information. Thanks.

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Way off
Dec 18, 2013 5:13AM PST

AMD Fx 6100 Six Core - 3.60 GHz is the processor. Not sure why I thought it was something else.

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Changes a little but still a good clue.
Dec 18, 2013 5:16AM PST

I'd check to see if the maker has issued BIOS and drivers for 8.1 along with doing the usual cleaning and heat sink compound work.
Bob

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Answer
Not much info, but:
Dec 20, 2013 10:13PM PST

Your problem is almost certainly one of the following:

You may have an obsolete ROM BiOS. You should go to the motherboard manufacturer's website (which is definitely NOT an Asus P9x79 LE as you indicated -- that's a socket 2011 motherboard that accepts only newer Intel Core i and Xeon CPUs) and obtain the new BiOS and instructions on how to reflash your BiOS. Some are as easy as a software upgrade; others are a lot more complicated. You should do this periodically in any event, but it is now highly advisable given the problem you describe.

You also need to update your drivers. There are lots and lots of these. I would start with the video card driver, but there are many others you are likely to need to update. There is a fairly large variety of software, some better than others and a few that are freeware, that can help you with this. Drivermax (available at http://www.innovative-sol.com/dmx.htm) is allegedly one of the better of these. Most of them cost around $30.

If this doesn't solve your problem, it could be a CPU cooling issue, but that would normally set off an audible alarm in your system assuming the builder correctly installed the little speaker. It might also be corrupt system files, which you can discover (and correct if your O/S was installed correctly) by running the command prompt as administrator and executing the command (no quotes) "sfc /scannow".

Good luck. These darn computer thingies can be right tricky!