Recent build, constant BSODs

[evismang]

Built a new computer about 2 weeks ago, been having nothing but trouble since. Stackhash crashes, Appcrash crashes, memory management BSODs, system service exception BSODs, startup freezing at classpnp.sys, etc.

Here's the system:
Gigabyte Z68P-DS3 mobo
Hyper 212 Plus CPU cooler
Intel Core i5 2500K
PNY XLR8 8GB (4GBx2) DDR3 1600
NZXT Gamma Classic
PowerColor HD6870 1GB

The BSODs started when playing Rift or WoW (the only 2 games I installed). But running FurMark for a couple hours provides no errors or artifacts (I watched for artifacts for about 30 mins). Prime95 running for 8 or 9 hours had no issues. Tried the FF14 benchmark (I've liked these since seeing the FF11 benchmark that my computer at the time couldn't handle), no issues. No issues with the DX11 AMD Mecha demo. Ran the Windows RAM test, no issues, and told Prime95 to run the CPU+RAM tests during those 8-9 hours.

Sometimes I can have the computer on all day and all night with no issues. Others, it BSODs within 30 mins of light internet browsing with Chrome. Chrome has constant tabs crash. My PSU is a Thermaltake ToughPower 700W, HDD is a 500GB Seagate Barracuda 7200.12. I've reinstalled Windows quite a few times, played with BIOS, switched RAM slots, tried with each stick of RAM separately. Right now I'm using my old EVGA 8800GT 512mb, but Rift won't even start up with that for some reason. I press play and instantly it crashes.

Every fan is running, CPU stays around 30 Celsius, GPU stays around 45 Celsius. I've read about lots of issues with this GPU, but I'm not sure it could be causing all of my problems. I've looked up almost every BSOD, and the things I've seen that could be causing them have ranged from the GPU to the HDD to the motherboard. I can afford to replace all 3, but naturally I'd prefer not to if I don't have to.

So...any suggestions? Besides memtest. Have no USB drive or floppy to boot that up on, and with the Windows test and Prime95 not having any issues, and switching RAM around and trying each separately not having any effect, I'd like to rule RAM out as being the issue.


EDIT: at first, I had a PCI to IDE adapter card from Masscool installed and thought that was causing my problems, but even after pulling that out and reformatting, nothing changed.

EDIT2: If you guys can download them from Google Docs, here are the minidump files. I can't open them. Tried installing the problem to do so, kept failing installation in Safe Mode and normal Windows, wouldn't tell me why.
BSOD dump 1
BSOD dump 2
BSOD dump 3

EDIT3: Running OCCT for the CPU Linpack benchmark, ran for 7-8 mins, then BSOD for "Bad Pool Header" 0x19

EDIT4: Cause I haven't edited enough yet. Running OCCT Custom 1 hour with Large Data Set, ran for all of 2 mins before saying "Error detected on Core #3". The graphs say my 12V line only went up to 1V. Would that be causing all my issues? And why was Prime95 able to run so well then?

 

[Ketchup]

Spontaneous reboots like that could point to a RAM problem. Try running one stick at a time.

 

[evismang]

I've done that. Neither ram changed what happened.

Also, bios says 12v rail is at 12v, so thankfully occt was just reading it wrong or something.

 

[evismang]

Took one stick of ram out again. And strangely, so far so good. Which is weird, cause I've already tried this. But instead of 10-30 mins of Rift, I'm up to 30-40 atm. I'll update if it crashes with 1 stick. If it doesn't in the next 30 mins, I'll try putting the other stick back in, but in a different slot.

 

[evismang]

1 stick lasted an hour and a half. Crashed after 5 mins with both sticks in. Suppose I could try swapping the sticks, see if it's specifically this stick that's bad or the RAM slots in my mobo.

 

[evismang]

Swapped in other stick of ram, crashed in 10 minutes. Meanwhile first stick lasted close to 2 hours with no crashes, until I turned off computer of my own accord. Welp, there's my problem then.

 

[BTRY B 529th FA BN]

loosen the timings and slightly raise the DRAM voltage

 

[evismang]

loosen the timings and slightly raise the DRAM voltage

Raised voltage from 1.5v to 1.64v (product page on Newegg says it should be 1.65v, but it was 1.64v or 1.68v with this motherboard, and everything above 1.68v was pink...not sure what that means). Booted into Windows, started doing the same instability stuff as before. Programs crashing for no reason, etc, right when entering Windows. It always did that, then blue screened, so I just shut it off. On the shutoff screen, there were a couple lines showing up, which makes it seem like a video card issue, but without that one stick of RAM in, everything else works fine. Played Rift and WoW for literally 7 straight hours yesterday without the slightest problem without that stick in.

But as far as I know, if I RMA'd, I'd have to send in both sticks (and with the packaging that I no longer have), which would leave me without a computer for over a week, which isn't an option I'd like to entertain. So I'll see how 4GB of RAM works for me, if I find it too slow, I'll probably just order another set, since they're fairly cheap these days.

 

[BTRY B 529th FA BN]

Just order a set and then return the other for a refund if you can. If it's past 30 days just contact a rep and talk to them about it. I've done that several times with bad ram kits.

EDIT: bad ram sticks are more common than people think

 

[evismang]

Doesn't it need the packaging to be returned? Cause all I have is the little cardboard backpiece, which I used to write the password to my wireless on (using a router from the DSL company, didn't bother changing the default password, which is some number on the bottom of the router - and if the person trying to steal my internet can see the bottom of my router, I have other worries!)

 

[BTRY B 529th FA BN]

Just ask them on the phone about it. They'll probably then charge you a restocking fee er some other charge.. but try working it out with them. My past experiences have been good with N/E

 

[rnjeezy]

looks like you've got the problem solved, but anyway you can use easybcd to add a boot entry for a memtest iso file you place on your harddrive someplace.

also the program 'who crashed' can be used for elementary bsod dump analysis

 

[evismang]

Sent Newegg an email, waiting on a response. And that's actually really useful for future reference, thanks rnjeezy! Was always told I needed a floppy disk or thumb drive to be able to run memtest.

 

[RadiclDreamer]

Did you run memtest86+ on it to make sure its memory, typically this kind of thing is either memory or power. Memtest can at least rule out memory

 

[evismang]

Considering that all of my problems disappear if this single stick is out of my computer, I'm fairly confident its the memory. I've done both sticks in, stick 1 in all 4 slots with no issue, stick 2 giving me issues in every slot even when it's in alone.