Well, I've given up guys, and I've decided its time to ask for help. After a failed 3 month long experiment with Windows x64, I returned to Windows 32 a few days ago. After a perfect install, and getting all of my apps up and running for a few days, I begin getting random BSoD messages saying "Machine Check Exception" with error code 0x0000009c. So far I've tried updating all my drivers (from video, to sound, VIA, usb, everything), removing everything (except for CPU and MB), reseating it all, rehooking up all of my fans. My idle CPU temp is around 37 degrees C, my GPU is at 62 or so. I've reinstalled windows (upgrade, not a total reformat). My Power Supply is 500 watts, so I doubt its that. And when I say its random...its RANDOM. I may be able to play high graphic requirements 3d games for a few hours on end before it happens, or I might get it as soon as I start up. I ran Memtest over night last night, with no errors and up to 2800% coverage. I ran Prime95 for a few hours, but I Blue screened on the third test, but with no error in the log...just the same one as always. So....it doesn't come during high load, though sometimes it does. Here's my system specs.

ASUS SK8V
Athlon Fx-53 (Socket 940)
36 Gig Raptor (C drive, with windows installation)
80 GiG WD (D, backup drive, primary IDE)
Thermalright XP-120 Heatsink (with 120mm fan on suck)
2x512 mb OCZ RAM
NVIDIA Geforce 6800 GT
Soundblaster Audigy Gamer
Netgear WG311T wireless card

I hope somebody can help...I'm fresh out of ideas...and no I'm not overclocking ANYTHING.

You might want to try formatting the hard drive in case there are remnants of x64 left that may be throwing a few glitches. Other than that, I would suggest making sure you are completely up to date via windows update. That being said, you've covered most of the bases. Good luck.

Thanks for the suggestion, but this install of Win 32 is from a fresh format. No remnants of x64 on this pc...though it is odd that it is absolutely random! Any explanation to that?

How do the voltages look on your power supply? Random crashes to me sound like a power problem. I was getting these on my old Aspire PSU, but once I upgraded to an Antec, they stopped. Then, I over-loaded my Antec, and I would get the random BSoD's, as well as sudden restarts with no errors at all.

This sounds 100% like a power problem. Either your PSU is dying, or your motherboard is failing to send steady, clean power throughout your components (mainly, RAM and CPU).

ASUS Probe shows me my voltages at...
+12v 11.904
+5v 4.954
+3.3v 3.312
vcore 1.534

Its a brand (december) new 600 watt PSU...this entire system is new as of December so...any way to see if its the PSU for sure?

I'd bite the bullet and reformat, as much as a pain in the as as it can be . . . From the beginning, Windows has had random occurences of crashes that can ONLY be fixed in this way . . . No tech I've ever spoken to can explain it, nor can Microsoft . . . Hell, the first thing MS suggests most of the time if you were to speak to them is a reformat and install, too.


Edit - Here's MS's official word on that error, btw.

i had the same issues.. swaped out memory....video card... rma'ed my mb... still same issue.... figured out it was a incorrect bios setup

When you say bios problem, do you mean that you needed to flash a newer version, or there was some setting in there that was messed up. I tried the "Restore Defaults" thing yesterday to no avail, and l flashed to ASUS's latest bios. Just to let you all know, I tested both my hds with WD Diagnostics, and it came up with no errors. Thanks for all the replies guys!

it was a bios setting.... i cant remeber what now... it was somthing to do with apic or the settings for ecc memory

Hmm...well I'll go in and just reverse everything that its set at now. Thanks...

if you want a good reference for setting up the bios ... see this thread... http://forums.pcapex.com/showthread.php?t=49883

Thanks for that reference, it is awfully neat. I wish my BIOS had a quarter of those settings (I can't even change the CAS timing on my memory...unless that goes by some weird name that I just plain can't find. All I've got it a setting to change the ratio of CPU to DDR. Any idea how I can use that for my overclocking needs?)
Actually...nevermind, I ought to fix this problem before I go making more with OCing. My only update is that no amount of BIOS tweaking fixed it, though I did read somewhere that a bad IDE drive can be the cause of this. So, I removed the ribbon cable from my D: drive (the 80 gig WD). So far, overnight, no blue screen, but we'll see. Its odd, because I ran all of the WD diagnostic tests on it, with no errors...but oh well. If this is the case, how long doyou thing I have to save my data before the drive goes south on me?

Thanks again!

Another update. With my IDE HD disconnected, it ran for about 12 hours idle, lasted for about 2 hours of SWG, then blue screened after about 1 more hour of being idle. So its taking much longer, but its still there. I also tried switching around the PCI slots everything was plugged into, and blue screened within about 5 minutes. Sigh...I'm going to be formatting very soon. If you guys think of anything in a pinch, please post it soon before I format. And...just think of maybe...what if I still blue screen after the format? :-X

The voltages look good (better than mine!). I concur with the reformat. Just give it one more shot. If that doesn't work, I suspect RAM or mobo problems.

I hopefully can possibly shed some light on this subject.

Just to give you a heads up on my hardware.
AMD64 4000+
ASUS A8N SLI
2x512 Gb corsair xms extreme
ASUS 6800GT
Enermax 600W noisetaker
80 gb Maxtor hd
160 gb seagate hd
SB AUDIGY 2

I put this computer together a few months ago. It been running like a champ with no problems. Then all of a sudden out of nowhere the bsod pops up with a machine_check_exception. I figured that when i left the system idle for several hours it just wigged out. So i restarted and the problem went away. Then a week later it shows up again after i left the system idle for several hours. So now this error has my attention wondering wtf is it? So i look it up on microshaft$ website and it states something relation to a hardware failure. So i start to test my hardware. Ran memtest, hard drive diagnostics, monitored my psu voltages. I ended up coming empty handed. Everything seems to be working just fine. Although the bsod's started to come more frequently when the system was in idle and i was clueless as to what the heck is going on. Then one day i was playing BF2 and it stopped in the middle of my game with the machine check error but when the blue screen came up. I heard my hard drive make a clunking noise and then the drive spun up and repeatedly did this till i shut the system down. So we all know when a hard drive starts making a clunking noise it on its way out. I immediately started to backup my data to DVD. During my backup it once more gave me a machine check exception. So once the backup was complete. I disconnected the drive and its been running excellent for several weeks now with no more machine check exception.

I dont know if your problems could be related to a hard drive failure but, just in case i would backup all your data that important. If the drive craps you'll at least have piece of mind your data is safe.

I hope this helps......
Good luck
TC
rockin'male

Well, thanks for all the replies! Afrer numerous formats, trying the pc without every single piece of hardware it could spare, different harddrives, everything imaginable, before finally, I bnuckled down and attempted installing Windows x64 again. That cured it...could anybody possibly tell me why Windows XP sp2 would BSoD while x64 would not?

yup... if a part of the system got installed on to a bad sector of the hard drive... it can cause some funky behavour