Blue screen of death......

[ARSNishi]

A fairly recent development has been keeping me from my addiction of late: KERNEL_DATA_INPAGE_ERROR and KERNEL_STACK_INPAGE_ERROR's have been booting me from Aces High the last few times I tried to play. 

I am hopeful that one of you fine computer geniuses (I confess to being basically a computer illiterate, plug and play gaming addict) are familiar with this tragic occurrence   Any help getting me back to my addiction would be greatly appreciated. 

  Nishizwa

[Bizman]

Not being a genius, but here goes...

A quick google search for both messages names a failing hdd as a potential culprit. Before doing any repair or diagnostic attempts you should now immediately make a backup copy of everything that's irreplaceable, like photos, your own texts, AH settings etc. to an external device or a CD/DVD, the device depending on the amount of data to be saved. You might even want to do a full backup copy of the entire system to an external hard disk.

After everything is backed up, it's time for diagnostics. The Ultimate Boot CD contains diagnostic tools for most components, including most hdd brands, RAM etc. A hdd test might offer to "repair" a failed disk, but if you're still under warranty, don't do this. It's most often only a temporary fix. The chkdsk tool with the /r parameter in Windows does the same. What these "repairs" do, is to disable failing sectors and substitute them with intact ones - there are spare sectors on every hdd. If your hard disk passes the test, run a Memtest+ for RAM issues. Also take a look into your motherboard for swollen capacitors and loose hard disk, they might produce hard disk error messages while the culprit in those cases lies at the other end of the line.

[Chalenge]

Also. . . have your PSU thoroughly tested by someone that knows how to conduct the test.

[Bizman]

Also. . . have your PSU thoroughly tested by someone that knows how to conduct the test.

Chalenge, do you know any inexpensive ways to reliably test a PSU? For what I've heard, the equipment needed would cost tens of thousands. I have been using a cheap ($15) tester which tells the voltages and power-good time alongside with artificial loads having molex, ATX and 4 pin mobo connectors. I know an oscilloscope might be handy to measure the ripple and other anomalies, but I can't use one...

[Chalenge]

Yes, I do, but what do you consider to be inexpensive? Unfortunately, the question should be how to test the quality of a PSU, which is where it gets to be more expensive. The majority of PSUs that are in use for AH are (I would bet) inferior from the start. Testing a PSU with the Christmas light tester will not tell you anything. A multimeter is better, but still is not telling you much. You can get a PicoScope USB Oscilloscope for less than $1,000, but then are you into computers for gaming or for electronics? Someone that does this (flies AH) for a hobby probably doesn't also play with electronics, except for a few HAM operators. Someone in the business of repairing electronics will have more invested in test equipment. A really good Teledyne unit goes for more than $20,000, but you don't need that for PSUs.

Rather than buy anything it would be cheaper to just replace the PSU.

[MADe]

is it only happening with ah or is it happening with other apps or ie or just sitting in desktop?

[ARSNishi]

is it only happening with ah or is it happening with other apps or ie or just sitting in desktop?

thanks for your responses!  Thus far it has only happened as I've tried to play AH, that's all I really use the computer for so I'm not sure if it would do it with other things.   

Nishizwa

[Bizman]

Yes, I do, but what do you consider to be inexpensive?

Well, as you might know or then again not, I work as a household computer tech. Every now and then there occurs a problem that might be PSU related... Or then again also anything else. I've put a limit not to charge more than half of the price of a new equivalent computer for my work only, so I guess that about will set the price range of my equipment. As you might well know, most of the household computer problems are due to unability to perform regular maintenance tasks such as updating certain browser expansions and such which don't crave for any high tech machinery. You get the picture?

[Skuzzy]

I check all my power supplies with an oscilloscope and various load resistors to make sure that are going to work well in the intended application.

[MADe]

Nish,
1st as biz said backup what you consider valuble now.
2nd if not done already, tell puter not to auto restart. Next Bsod you can get the error code. There is also a freeware app called blue screen view. It will also give you the error code.
3rd Do you have any other 3 D games you could install. See if other 3D apps get same bsod or If just AH causes it. If just AH, uninstall it. Run a check disc, then defrag drive if not an SSD. Then run Windows update. Defrag again after updates. Download latest revision and reinstall AH.
What OS are you using?
Trying to see if it is game or OS corruption vs hardware failure.

[MADe]

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/hardware/ff559211(v=vs.85).aspx
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms854941.aspx

A couple of things to peruse. The exact numerical code could help narrow things. This is why you should stop the auto restart, look into getting Blue Screen View.

Also memtest 86 could be useful. This will test your ram sticks for faults. Memtest is free, you will need to make a boot disk with it, and then boot to CD to run test. Ideally you would test the sticks individually, running multiple passes on each stick.

[Chalenge]

Well, as you might know or then again not, I work as a household computer tech. Every now and then there occurs a problem that might be PSU related... Or then again also anything else. I've put a limit not to charge more than half of the price of a new equivalent computer for my work only, so I guess that about will set the price range of my equipment. As you might well know, most of the household computer problems are due to unability to perform regular maintenance tasks such as updating certain browser expansions and such which don't crave for any high tech machinery. You get the picture?

If you are in business then you know how to tell whether the cost can be justified. As I said, you can go in various directions too.

[Bizman]

If you are in business then you know how to tell whether the cost can be justified. As I said, you can go in various directions too.

Yep, telling if a cost can be justified is no problem. The thing is, last time I saw information about reliable PSU testing devices, the prices started from 50000 which definitely is beyond my reach. At that time no reviewers claimed to have such equipment. My schooling for this job leaned heavily to the end user helping side of computing, troubleshooting hardware issues being mostly changing components one by one and checking in between if that worked. What I'd like to know, is how to determine if the power supplied by the PSU is clean or not, and better yet, if there's a portable device to measure the currencies and ripple under a load.

[BoilerDown]

Obsessing over the power supply = http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=rathole .

The only actual evidence fingers a hard drive problem.  Fix that, see if it goes away and doesn't come back.  If yes, you're good.  Don't listen to those advising you to fix a problem that most likely doesn't exist but they advise because of their fascination with the topic.

[Chalenge]

@Nishizwa: The facts are you have a failing hard drive. Failing hard drives can occur on their own, however they are also symptomatic of a failing PSU. This is why I suggested you have the PSU checked out. Of course you do not want to take it to someone that is going to charge you as much as a new PSU. Failing to have the PSU checked may result in further failed devices. The symptoms of a failing PSU are sound anomalies, data loss, failed hard drives, and then further loss of components and even the entire PC. Ask yourself if you have been hearing, or experiencing audio anomalies, before choosing to take Boilerdown's advice to ignore anyone that has already experienced this.

@Bizman, you seem to be asking how to test for ripple? No, you do not have to spend $50,000. You could if you wanted to.