Windows XP Prof BSOD when playing games

[pipeloi]

Windows XP Prof crashes with BSOD when I play games like Call of Duty and Farcry. :(
What 's the solution of this problem? :rolleyes:

System:
Windows XP SP2
Asus 9800 XT video with latest ATI 8.162.0.0 driver (Catalyst 5_8) (older driverversions didn't solve the problem)
Soundblaster Audigy 2 ZS driver 5.12.2.444
mobo: Gigabyte 8KNXP (rev 2)

With Windows Debugger I get this information:

Microsoft (R) Windows Debugger Version 6.5.0003.7
Copyright (c) Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

Loading Dump File [C:\WINDOWS\Minidump\Mini082005-02.dmp]
Mini Kernel Dump File: Only registers and stack trace are available

Symbol search path is: *** Invalid ***
****************************************************************************
* Symbol loading may be unreliable without a symbol search path. *
* Use .symfix to have the debugger choose a symbol path. *
* After setting your symbol path, use .reload to refresh symbol locations. *
****************************************************************************
Executable search path is:
*********************************************************************
* Symbols can not be loaded because symbol path is not initialized. *
* *
* The Symbol Path can be set by: *
* using the _NT_SYMBOL_PATH environment variable. *
* using the -y <symbol_path> argument when starting the debugger. *
* using .sympath and .sympath+ *
*********************************************************************
Unable to load image ntoskrnl.exe, Win32 error 2
*** WARNING: Unable to verify timestamp for ntoskrnl.exe
*** ERROR: Module load completed but symbols could not be loaded for ntoskrnl.exe
Windows XP Kernel Version 2600 (Service Pack 2) MP (2 procs) Free x86 compatible
Product: WinNt, suite: TerminalServer SingleUserTS
Kernel base = 0x804d7000 PsLoadedModuleList = 0x805624a0
Debug session time: Sat Aug 20 23:06:12.265 2005 (GMT+2)
System Uptime: 0 days 0:28:44.963
*********************************************************************
* Symbols can not be loaded because symbol path is not initialized. *
* *
* The Symbol Path can be set by: *
* using the _NT_SYMBOL_PATH environment variable. *
* using the -y <symbol_path> argument when starting the debugger. *
* using .sympath and .sympath+ *
*********************************************************************
Unable to load image ntoskrnl.exe, Win32 error 2
*** WARNING: Unable to verify timestamp for ntoskrnl.exe
*** ERROR: Module load completed but symbols could not be loaded for ntoskrnl.exe
Loading Kernel Symbols
.....................................................................................................................................................................
Loading unloaded module list
................
Loading User Symbols
*******************************************************************************
* *
* Bugcheck Analysis *
* *
*******************************************************************************

Use !analyze -v to get detailed debugging information.

BugCheck 1000000A, {6d536d63, 1c, 0, 804e1745}

***** Kernel symbols are WRONG. Please fix symbols to do analysis.

*************************************************************************
*** ***
*** ***
*** Your debugger is not using the correct symbols ***
*** ***
*** In order for this command to work properly, your symbol path ***
*** must point to .pdb files that have full type information. ***
*** ***
*** Certain .pdb files (such as the public OS symbols) do not ***
*** contain the required information. Contact the group that ***
*** provided you with these symbols if you need this command to ***
*** work. ***
*** ***
*** Type referenced: nt!_KPRCB ***
*** ***
*************************************************************************

Followup: MachineOwner
---------

1: kd> !analyze -v
*******************************************************************************
* *
* Bugcheck Analysis *
* *
*******************************************************************************

IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL (a)
An attempt was made to access a pageable (or completely invalid) address at an
interrupt request level (IRQL) that is too high. This is usually
caused by drivers using improper addresses.
If a kernel debugger is available get the stack backtrace.
Arguments:
Arg1: 6d536d63, memory referenced
Arg2: 0000001c, IRQL
Arg3: 00000000, value 0 = read operation, 1 = write operation
Arg4: 804e1745, address which referenced memory

Debugging Details:
------------------

***** Kernel symbols are WRONG. Please fix symbols to do analysis.

*************************************************************************
*** ***
*** ***
*** Your debugger is not using the correct symbols ***
*** ***
*** In order for this command to work properly, your symbol path ***
*** must point to .pdb files that have full type information. ***
*** ***
*** Certain .pdb files (such as the public OS symbols) do not ***
*** contain the required information. Contact the group that ***
*** provided you with these symbols if you need this command to ***
*** work. ***
*** ***
*** Type referenced: nt!_KPRCB ***
*** ***
*************************************************************************

MODULE_NAME: nt

FAULTING_MODULE: 804d7000 nt

DEBUG_FLR_IMAGE_TIMESTAMP: 42250f77

READ_ADDRESS: unable to get nt!MmSpecialPoolStart
unable to get nt!MmSpecialPoolEnd
unable to get nt!MmPoolCodeStart
unable to get nt!MmPoolCodeEnd
6d536d63

CURRENT_IRQL: 1c

FAULTING_IP:
nt+a745
804e1745 6683781601 cmp word ptr [eax+0x16],0x1

CUSTOMER_CRASH_COUNT: 2

DEFAULT_BUCKET_ID: DRIVER_FAULT

BUGCHECK_STR: 0xA

LAST_CONTROL_TRANSFER: from 804e20e7 to 804e1745

STACK_TEXT:
WARNING: Stack unwind information not available. Following frames may be wrong.
a85c4cd4 804e20e7 e1a25b10 e4c3e368 87d26910 nt+0xa745
a85c4ce8 805f82a7 e1a25ba4 00000001 00000000 nt+0xb0e7
a85c4d54 804dd99f 00000208 000a5940 0006e07c nt+0x1212a7
a85c4d64 7c90eb94 badb0d00 0006e060 a7c7ed98 nt+0x699f
a85c4d68 badb0d00 0006e060 a7c7ed98 a7c7edcc 0x7c90eb94
a85c4d6c 0006e060 a7c7ed98 a7c7edcc 00000000 0xbadb0d00
a85c4d70 a7c7ed98 a7c7edcc 00000000 00000000 0x6e060
a85c4d74 a7c7edcc 00000000 00000000 00000000 0xa7c7ed98
a85c4d78 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 0xa7c7edcc

STACK_COMMAND: .bugcheck ; kb

[JANINE]

looks like a driver fault somewhere. next time it happens can you obtain the stop error information and whatevers said at the top. it'll help but my guess is that it might be a software driver fault. may even be the hardware but wont know unless u can provide us with the stop info

[Kintak]

I just read in another forum that if you have bad RAM then you'll get the BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH
I love that name.
Speaking of the BSOD, who began that term? I remember when I was just a little nerd that my mom and aunt would call it that. :cheesy:

[pipeloi]

looks like a driver fault somewhere. next time it happens can you obtain the stop error information and whatevers said at the top. it'll help but my guess is that it might be a software driver fault. may even be the hardware but wont know unless u can provide us with the stop info

Thank you for the answer...

I thought it was the ATI driver or a overheated grapics card but it turned out to be something else! But there wasn't a message about a rotten driver in the Windebug results.

I think I have the solution:
my c-drive: didn't have much free space while playing games. I've resized the drives with Partition Magic and with 860 MB free space on my c-drive there appears no funny blue screens anymore! I've played COD for hours without a crash!!! :p

[Kintak]

Congrats on living out the Nerderican dream: fixing a computer problem without having to resort to drastic measures.
Its a good feeling when your computer finally works after tinkering around with it for hours, eh?

[JANINE]

good you got it sorted.

[Catweazle]

errmmm.........

You're being cruel to Windows by only having less than a Gig of free drive space to play in! I'd suggest you back some data up to CD, add another hard drive, do anything to free up space on that system drive ;)

[JANINE]

errmmm.........

You're being cruel to Windows by only having less than a Gig of free drive space to play in! I'd suggest you back some data up to CD, add another hard drive, do anything to free up space on that system drive ;)

agree with you there catweasle ;)

[MartyMcFly]

Yeah, for a gaming machine I recommend 2xRAM initial and 3xRAM max on virtual memory settings, and you should leave that space on your drive. I have 6Gb allocated for my max setting.

Also, drives fill up of general Windows stuff, and unless you have a stringent house cleaning policy....