BSOD - Win8_driver_fault on Windows 10

Question

So, i have been having a lot of BSODs since I bought my new Laptop. HP 15-ab034tx

I clean installed Windows 10 on it, and it reduced the frequency of BSODs. After that, installing an older version of Graphics Card Driver, reduced the BSODs caused, by it. (I know this sounds a bit different but I guess the newer drivers were not that stable).

After doing all that, I still get BSODs with different errors, like WHEA_UNCORRECTABLE_ERROR, SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION, PAGE_FAULT_IN_NON_PAGED_AREA, etc But on debugging them, they all have the same DEFAULT_BUCKET_ID : WIN8_DRIVER_FAULT, but the process differs.

Here is the debugged version of the latest crash

BUGCHECK_STR:  0x124_GenuineIntel

CUSTOMER_CRASH_COUNT:  1

DEFAULT_BUCKET_ID:  WIN8_DRIVER_FAULT

PROCESS_NAME:  gta_sa.exe

CURRENT_IRQL:  f

STACK_TEXT:  
fffff803`059cba38 fffff803`0384194f : 00000000`00000124 00000000`00000000 ffffe001`79ec0028 00000000`be000000 : nt!KeBugCheckEx
fffff803`059cba40 fffff803`03ad0374 : ffffe001`79ec0028 ffffe001`769f6930 ffffe001`769f6930 ffffe001`769f6930 : hal!HalBugCheckSystem+0xcf
fffff803`059cba80 fffff803`03841e3c : 00000000`00000728 00000000`00000000 fffff803`059cbe70 00000000`00000000 : nt!WheaReportHwError+0x258
fffff803`059cbae0 fffff803`0384219c : ffffe001`00000010 ffffe001`769f6930 fffff803`059cbc88 ffffe001`769f6930 : hal!HalpMcaReportError+0x50
fffff803`059cbc30 fffff803`03842088 : ffffe001`75c93b40 00000000`00000001 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 : hal!HalpMceHandlerCore+0xe8
fffff803`059cbc80 fffff803`038422c6 : 00000000`00000004 00000000`00000001 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 : hal!HalpMceHandler+0xe4
fffff803`059cbcc0 fffff803`03842450 : ffffe001`75c93b40 fffff803`059cbef0 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 : hal!HalpMceHandlerWithRendezvous+0xce
fffff803`059cbcf0 fffff803`039d5e7b : 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 : hal!HalHandleMcheck+0x40
fffff803`059cbd20 fffff803`039d5c31 : 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 : nt!KxMcheckAbort+0x7b
fffff803`059cbe60 00000000`5f26ab30 : 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 : nt!KiMcheckAbort+0x171
00000000`090ffe00 00000000`00000000 : 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 : 0x5f26ab30


STACK_COMMAND:  kb

FOLLOWUP_NAME:  MachineOwner

MODULE_NAME: GenuineIntel

IMAGE_NAME:  GenuineIntel

DEBUG_FLR_IMAGE_TIMESTAMP:  0

FAILURE_BUCKET_ID:  X64_0x124_GenuineIntel_PROCESSOR_CACHE

BUCKET_ID:  X64_0x124_GenuineIntel_PROCESSOR_CACHE

And here is the zip of all dumps I have Google Drive

Edit: The BSODs are solved. HP Support helped me out by changing some settings of the WiFi adapter.

Solution

The newest dump from today shows an L2 Cache execution error (ICACHEL2_IRD_ERR):

===============================================================================
Common Platform Error Record @ ffffe00179ec0028
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Record Id     : 01d156748c4a7f72
Severity      : Fatal (1)
Length        : 928
Creator       : Microsoft
Notify Type   : Machine Check Exception
Timestamp     : 1/24/2016 7:16:17 (UTC)
Flags         : 0x00000000

===============================================================================
Section 0     : Processor Generic
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Descriptor    @ ffffe00179ec00a8
Section       @ ffffe00179ec0180
Offset        : 344
Length        : 192
Flags         : 0x00000001 Primary
Severity      : Fatal

Proc. Type    : x86/x64
Instr. Set    : x64
Error Type    : Cache error
Operation     : Instruction Execute
Flags         : 0x00
Level         : 2
CPU Version   : 0x00000000000306d4
Processor ID  : 0x0000000000000000

===============================================================================
Section 1     : x86/x64 Processor Specific
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Descriptor    @ ffffe00179ec00f0
Section       @ ffffe00179ec0240
Offset        : 536
Length        : 128
Flags         : 0x00000000
Severity      : Fatal

Local APIC Id : 0x0000000000000000
CPU Id        : d4 06 03 00 00 08 10 00 - bf fb fa 7f ff fb eb bf
                00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 - 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
                00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 - 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00

Proc. Info 0  @ ffffe00179ec0240

===============================================================================
Section 2     : x86/x64 MCA
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Descriptor    @ ffffe00179ec0138
Section       @ ffffe00179ec02c0
Offset        : 664
Length        : 264
Flags         : 0x00000000
Severity      : Fatal

Error         : ICACHEL2_IRD_ERR (Proc 0 Bank 5)
  Status      : 0xbe00000000081152

The 2nd last dump shows bad instruction pointer:

SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION (3b)
An exception happened while executing a system service routine.


MODULE_NAME: hardware

FAILURE_BUCKET_ID:  IP_MISALIGNED

This looks like a CPU issue. Run a CPU stresstesting tool (Prime95) and look if you see errors. If you have errors and still warranty, send it to HP to replace the CPU.

Comments

[DavidPostill]

Why are you using a Windows 8 driver on Windows 10?

[Haider Ali Punjabi]

Thats my problem actually, after clean install of Windows 10, I installed all drivers from HP Website except for NVidia Graphics Card Driver, since the Website one was one of the reasons for my BSODs. So, I dont know which driver is causing the error.

[Moab]

Here are your W10 drivers. support.hp.com/us-en/drivers/selfservice/…

[magicandre1981]

which settings were changed? Post all details in your own answer and accept it later

[Haider Ali Punjabi]

Ok Thanks I started my laptop today, and as soon as I opened Chrome, it crashed with WHEA_UNCORRECTABLE_ERROR, and in the dump it said WIN8_DRIVER_FAULT with the process name chrome.exe . Then, I started Prime95 as you suggested, and ran torture test Small FTT, and it is still running from past 3 hours without any errors or crashes. Although, it went to sleep, (I dont know why), the Event Viewer said the reason was Application API So shall I keep running it, or can i stop it. I read on internet, in most cases the error is reported within first few minutes of running.

[Haider Ali Punjabi]

I ran Prime95 for a few more hours, and when I checked, my laptop had went to sleep due to low battery. When I resumed it, it crashed as soon my account opened. The crash dump again showed Win8_Driver_Fault, but the process this time was Prime95. But I think that was because my laptop had just resumed and had 2% battery remaining. Well here are today's dump files. Hope that you guys would be able to help me through this problems Google Drive

[magicandre1981]

the latest dumps show now a DCACHEL2_PREFETCH_ERR error, so it still looks like L2 cache issues from the CPU. How old is the laptop? Do you still have warranty?

[Haider Ali Punjabi]

I yesterday installed Chipset and BIOS latest drivers. Hopefully it might solve the issues.

[magicandre1981]

Have you seen new crashes? Also check your CPU with the Intel Processor Diagnostic Tool: downloadcenter.intel.com/download/19792/…

[Haider Ali Punjabi]

Yeah, I saw crashes mostly at/after login screen after booting And I am currently using the Diagnostics Tools as I type Quick Edit: The test completed as soon as I posted this comment, the test Showed pass, so I guess we can rule out processor errors?

[Haider Ali Punjabi]

Update:- I was using Visual Studio 2015, and my laptop crashed thrice, with the same WIN8_Driver_Fault, and process names were:- svchost.exe twice, and System once

[magicandre1981]

I need the new dmp files to see what causes it

[Haider Ali Punjabi]

Here they are, Minidump

[magicandre1981]

1 dump shows this: MODULE_NAME: hardware FAILURE_BUCKET_ID: IP_MISALIGNED so it also looks like HW issues. the 2 other dumps are different but still look like HW issues.

[Haider Ali Punjabi]

I don't think it would be a Processor Issue, since the Diagnostics Tool showed passes. I think it might be cause of GPU, cause I have also seen crashes as soon as I plug AC in. Also, it can be a driver issue, since I am using the oldest available driver, since the newer ones crash more.

[Haider Ali Punjabi]

Here are my dumps from yesterday, and day before yersterday. The latest one is of today morning as soon as I started it. Yesterday, it crashed thrice in an hour, while I was using Visual Studio 2015, running on battery. So, I do think it might be a power issue, but I am not that good at hardware. Google Drive DumpFiles

[magicandre1981]

last crash is also 0x124 and also L2 Cache error: DCACHEL2_DRD_ERR, the 2nd last was a DRIVER_OVERRAN_STACK_BUFFER (f7) which also looks HW related. the 3rd last crash is also a 0x124 crash also with a L2 issue: ICACHEL2_IRD_ERR. Save also data and send it to repair (Warranty) if this is a new device.

[Haider Ali Punjabi]

Well I would have, if I lived in a First World Country. My place doesn't have any official HP Store, or something like that. Just engineers fixing it, so I don't need a warranty, to get it fixed. But I would need to tell them the problem, and just telling them that it is running into frequent BSOD's won't do. That is why I am searching the net for a particular cause, and will get the faulty hardware replaced.

[magicandre1981]

run memtest86+ and if this shows no errors, I would say the Intel CPU is damaged and needs to be replaced

[Haider Ali Punjabi]

Ok, I will. But, is there any possibility that it crashes due to inadequate power. I mean, when connected to mains, I use Visual Studio, Photoshop and Play GTA SA, Chrome, Winamp, and a few other stuff simultaneously, and it seldom crashes. While as when on battery, the crashes are more frequent, even if I don't use VS or PS. I would like to tell that, I have an External HDD connected, and a Dedicated nVidia Graphics Card. So, can power be the issue?

[magicandre1981]

this is hard to tell. what is memtest showing? Errors? or everything is fine?

[Haider Ali Punjabi]

Well I selected all 4 CPUs, and started the memtest. After 6 hours, it showed 2 errors. Here is the report file

[Haider Ali Punjabi]

I also contacted HP. They are sending me a recovery disk, so that I can restore it to its original state. If that doesn't fix the problem, I would send it for repairs as fortunately I still have my warranty. Thanks to @magicandre1981 for bearing with me.

[magicandre1981]

if you see 2 errors, test each RAM stick aloe until you found the damaged one. Now look if memtest86+ shows no errors and look if you still get crashes.

[Haider Ali Punjabi]

I have only one 8GB ram stick, another slot is free

[magicandre1981]

ok, in this case replace the RAM with a new RAM stick

[Haider Ali Punjabi]

I will wait,for the HP Recovery Disk, and do the recovery. If it doesnt work, will buy a new one

[magicandre1981]

this doesn't help. if the RAM is damaged you need to replace the RAM

[magicandre1981]

have you tried new RAM? Is the device now stable or do you still get crashes?