Hello everyone thought i stop by and say hello while i got the chance and ask for some help for my brother 2 computers.

My brother has ran in to this issue with his computer keeps getting a blue screen about every 1 hour after it is up and running with fresh install of OS and all new hardware and software installed.

He built 2 new system one with a Asus motherboard combo from tigerdirect and built another one using a DFI Lanparty nF4 SLI-DR and both machines boot up fine and run great for about 1hr then he gets a blue screen, not exactly sure what it says i think he told me something about memory dump, now everything he is using is brand new, Memory he is using on his DFI is Kingston HyperX DDR 400 same memory i use on my DFI mobo's in 2 of my cases. 2 Brand new Hard drive 250gb Maxtor IDE for both the DFI and Asus mobo's, as for memory for the Asus board he is using Corsair memory

Now he is running XP Pro 32 bit version for those that would like to know.

Now since i have the same DFI mobo as he has i went through all the bios with him so he would have all the same settings as mine our.

Now both pc's will boot up ok even after he gets the blue screen but only runs for the 1hr period again.

Would anybody have any clue as to why it would run great for about a 1hr then all over a sudden it would go to a blue screen on both machines, both pc's give the same blue screen message he told me saying memory dump.

If any further info is need let me know and i will try and get it for you.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thank You
Ranger1033

Is the CPU and GPU Coolers seated good? kinda sounds like a heat issue to me....

I would start by unplugging anything that's not necessary, basically take it down to mobo, cpu, ram, video card, hard drive, cd-rom, and of course keyboard and mouse.

The next thing I would try is running memtest all the way through. On the DFI board memtest should be built into the BIOS. If not then hit Memtest86+ - Advanced Memory Diagnostic Tool

If that passes then I would look at it being maybe a heat issue, or even a flaky power supply. What CPU and cooler? Also what model power supply?

EDIT: BeetleMan beat me to the heat issue

I would have to agree with heat as its happening to 2 machines at the same time ............

where are the machines , under a desk, in a cabnet ?

Have him take the side panels off and run them again and see if they stay on for a longer amount of time ( like over night or something) , if they do, then he needs better cooling and ventilation

Another thought, how about, I assume both computers are plugged into the same 120v circuit, could there be a voltage drop in his house, maybe a AC unit that kicks in etc, refrigerator compressor etc, has he noticed the lights dim at the same time?
Its a longshot, but worth a thought since both machines do it at the same time.....

Edit: Check for refrigerator on same circuit, could drop the voltage as compressor kicks in, and drop the voltage to the PSU's, I've seen it before, not with computers tho....

what do the house lights do when they bsod? if the pc's were overheating, the next startup would be with a warmed hsf and the shutdown should come sooner.it sounds like a voltage drop or spike from the mains.

*man i type slow*

Quote: Originally Posted by piscikeeper what do the house lights do when they bsod? if the pc's were overheating, the next startup would be with a warmed hsf and the shutdown should come sooner.it sounds like a voltage drop or spike from the mains. *man i type slow*

Yar I got you beaten there....

Thanks guys for the fast response, Mace he has the computer on top of the desk and side panel of it.

Beetleman the CPU he has on the DFI is a AMD Athlon 64 X2 3800 as for the cooler he is using a ThermalTake Big Typhoon and for PSU he is using a plain Antec Sli ready 500 watt.


Snowman he is running memtest now will let you know what it says in little bit. and the only things he has hook up are exactly what you posted.

Oh just on a side note he used the thermal paste that came with the cpu cooler if that makes any difference, i never used the paste before i always was told to use Artic Silver 5.

Edit: none of those things have happened as both computers are plug into separate outlets and running on different circuits. Thanks that was worth looking into.

I've got to agree with heat being the most possible issue. It sounds almost like a memory problem though so I would check the Northbridge coolers and replace the TIM 1st thing.

Ok guys just getting back to you on the problem with blue screen, my brother ran memtest and everything passed ok, one of the things i forgot to mentioned is my brother also tried 2 different video cards and the first one he tried was a Sapphire HD 3850 512MB PCI Express and the 2nd was a MSI MULTI MEDIA BEYOND 3D 512MB NVIDA G FORCE 7300 LE PCI Express, so when he installed the Sapphire and the computer booted up to windows it went to the blue screen so he took that card out then tried the MSI and it lasted about the 1hr period then the blue screen would come up.

I told him as soon as he gets another blue screen to right down everything it is saying and i would post it here for you guys to see what it is saying, so hopefully we can get his problem resolved.

Just one hunch i had and wondering if maybe if it could be a corrupted OS issue causing this since he installed the same OS disc on both pc's and they both act the same.

Edit:Slay i had my brother check the North Bridge cooler and it is spinning and very cool to the touch.

Quote: Originally Posted by ranger1033 Just one hunch i had and wondering if maybe if it could be a corrupted OS issue causing this since he installed the same OS disc on both pc's and they both act the same. Edit:Slay i had my brother check the North Bridge cooler and it is spinning and very cool to the touch.

maybe is the OS cd is a copy or original?

cool to the touch means nothing if the heat sink not sitting right the heat sink will stay cool but the chip will overheat , any bios probe for the chipset?

your brother he's using 2 monitors or just one?
maybe it could be the monitor?

Ok he is using only 1 monitor a 22'' Samsung and he reseated the Northbridge to be on the safe side and he still gets the Blue Screen.

Here is what it is saying on Blue Screen.

0x0000009c ( 0x0000004 . 0x8054d5f0 . 0xb2000000 . 0x00070f0f

nv4_mini.sys Address B2000000 base at b1f2e000. date stamed 4684bfe9

Quote: Originally Posted by ranger1033 Ok he is using only 1 monitor a 22'' Samsung and he reseated the Northbridge to be on the safe side and he still gets the Blue Screen. Here is what it is saying on Blue Screen. 0x0000009c ( 0x0000004 . 0x8054d5f0 . 0xb2000000 . 0x00070f0f nv4_mini.sys Address B2000000 base at b1f2e000. date stamed 4684bfe9

doesn't look like a monitor problem but who knows?

to be sure can you brother try another monitor?

i guess both computers have their own psu?
he's not testing with the same one?

is there anything else that he's using for both computers apart from the same monitor?

EDIT: nv4_mini.sys is chipset driver i would think , he is using the right driver for he's nf4? because there is a few different nf4 chipset , nf4 , nf4 410 ,nf4 430v, nf4 SLI , nf4 AMD ,nf4 Intel ,etc...

Quote: Originally Posted by goodman123 doesn't look like a monitor problem but who knows? to be sure can you brother try another monitor? i guess both computers have their own psu? he's not testing with the same one? is there anything else that he's using for both computers apart from the same monitor?

Both pc's are using different psu, but they are both the same brand of psu Antec 500 unless when he got the psu they where bad from Tiger Direct, i will have to see if he get his hands on another psu to give a try.

Quote: Originally Posted by ranger1033 Ok he is using only 1 monitor a 22'' Samsung and he reseated the Northbridge to be on the safe side and he still gets the Blue Screen. Here is what it is saying on Blue Screen. 0x0000009c ( 0x0000004 . 0x8054d5f0 . 0xb2000000 . 0x00070f0f nv4_mini.sys Address B2000000 base at b1f2e000. date stamed 4684bfe9

I Googled nv4_mini.sys. Seems to be a videocard driver. Try upgrading to the newest drivers maybe?

What graphic/video card is he using in both systems?

nv4-mini.sys , I believe is a display driver problem

have him boot up pressing f8 ( safe mode ) uninstall the graphic's card driver , then reboot , go to Nvidia , get a different driver ( not the latest driver *174 or 169* ) I believe for the 7XXX series cards its "163", install that and see what happens ................

For the system NOT running the 7XXX series Nvidia card , Id need the card make/model to tell you what driver .

Quote: Originally Posted by HigHTecHReDNecK What graphic/video card is he using in both systems? nv4-mini.sys , I believe is a display driver problem have him boot up pressing f8 ( safe mode ) uninstall the graphic's card driver , then reboot , go to Nvidia , get a different driver ( not the latest driver *174 or 169* ) I believe for the 7XXX series cards its "163", install that and see what happens ................ For the system NOT running the 7XXX series Nvidia card , Id need the card make/model to tell you what driver .

i though it could be chipset driver but i wasn't sure , now i think you & Morion are both right it's could be graphic driver & not chipset...

Quote: Originally Posted by HigHTecHReDNecK What graphic/video card is he using in both systems? nv4-mini.sys , I believe is a display driver problem have him boot up pressing f8 ( safe mode ) uninstall the graphic's card driver , then reboot , go to Nvidia , get a different driver ( not the latest driver *174 or 169* ) I believe for the 7XXX series cards its "163", install that and see what happens ................ For the system NOT running the 7XXX series Nvidia card , Id need the card make/model to tell you what driver .

Ok Mace will do this tomorrow as for the video card this is the one he is using on the DFI mobo
Sapphire.

As for the Asus board it just a cheap MSI card i think this is the right one,.

but he also tried the Sapphire on the Asus mobo and it gives the same BSOD.

Thanks guys will try all this tomorrow and go from there and hope it all works out.


EDIT: Mace this is the correct video card for the MSI one.

And i i be leave this is right drivers he should be using, let me know if i am correct.

Quote: Originally Posted by ranger1033 Ok Mace will do this tomorrow as for the video card this is the one he is using on the DFI mobo Sapphire. As for the Asus board it just a cheap MSI card i think this is the right one,. but he also tried the Sapphire on the Asus mobo and it gives the same BSOD. Thanks guys will try all this tomorrow and go from there and hope it all works out. EDIT: Mace this is the correct video card for the MSI one. And i i be leave this is right drivers he should be using, let me know if i am correct.

Yup thats the driver , try that one and see if it fixs the problem ( for the MSI )

For the Sapphire one just try using the newest driver available from Ati

Quote: Originally Posted by HigHTecHReDNecK Yup thats the driver , try that one and see if it fixs the problem ( for the MSI ) For the Sapphire one just try using the newest driver available from Ati

Ok just update the computer with the MSI video card has been running close to 3 hrs and has not went to the blue screen it seems that the driver might have solved the problem so will let it run all day to make sure it did solve the issue.

As for the sapphire he has not had a chance to try that one let, so he will try later today or tomorrow.

Thank you all for your help it has been much appreciated..