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I have a crash issue I have been trying to figure out for three years.

976 views 23 replies 7 participants last post by  Aluwolf 
#1 ·
This is going to be lengthy. To start off about three years ago I built my own computer. It has the following specs:

Fx-4100
Seasonic 620 watt psu
HIS ICEQ 6850 turbo
Corsair Vengance 8GB 2 x 4 ram
Windows 8.1
GIGABYTE GA-970A-UD3 AM3+

The issue: At any time, my computer screen will turn a random color, this color is almost always the color of my taskbar based on my current wallpaper. Soound still works, in fact during the latest crash I could even skype. My only option is a manual reboot.

There are also other weird issues. Computer randomly comes out of sleep mode. Computer often doesn't display a signal to the TV if I turn the TV off and back on. Computer will stay in sleep mode and ignore input from devices to try and wake.

The steps I took to try and fix it.

Updated EVERYTHING. I even flashed my Bios.
Reinstalled windows.
Ran Memtest.
Ran furmark.
Ran prime 95.
REPLACED PSU WITH NEW SEASONIC PSU.
Underclocked GPU and messed with voltages to try and make it stable. Has seemed to have worked for a while but might have been placebo as this issue can go away for weeks and then appear 5 times in a day. However in this instance it went away for about half a year.
Reseated everything.

For the longest time I was sure it was my psu, I even replaced it. The next conclusion is the GPU, however it rarely ever crashes during a game. I play a lot of league of legends, among other games and in the 2000 games I have probably played, it has only crashed twice during league.

The crashing first became apparent during my playing of kotor, a very old and very undemanding game. For some reason, the less resources I am using the more likely a crash is to occur.

I have had one hard drive since the computer was built. I added another one in recently so there's two. Nothing special USB wise except for my mouse and keyboard which have been changed since the issue first started.

Also at the top of my screen there is an occasional flicker. When I tried using overdrive to automatically determine an overclock on my CPU, the flickering got really really bad until I rebooted it.

However, manually overclocking it showed no issues. Could my issue lie in something that happens when you try and choose an automatic overclock? I replaced my Psu so I don't see how it could be electrical.

However as of last night I made a discovery

I looked in event viewer, and noticed something I hadn't before.

The driver \Driver\WudfRd failed to load for the device SWD\SensorsAndLocationEnum\LPSensorSWDevice.

So I went and started driver verifier. For those who don't know, it tries to force a blue screen and then creates a dump file of what caused it.

So I tried reading the dump file, however most of the dump file was text about symbols being unable to be read (???) but at the end it said the most likely reason for the crash: ntoskrnl.exe[ ( nt+692934 )

What next? I already spent a good sum of money replacing one part. I don't want to randomly replace parts and I am willing to try anything.

Edit: One more thing, the problem was thought to be gone until I added a second hard drive in.
Underclocking my Gpu was thought to be the solution.
 
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#2 ·
sounds like a ram issue to me i would try running MemTest86 if not a ram issue would check hd for smart errors CrystalDiskInfo
 
#3 ·
I did run memtest, but I wasn't sure how many passes I should run so I think I did two? Would Ram even cause the flicker or could that be unrelated.

Also I put a bit more information in the OP. I thought the problem was gone by changing the voltages on my card, but it came back when I added a second hard drive. That screamed PSU fault so I replaced it. Still crashing.
 
#4 ·
How long did you let it run?
 
#6 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by ozlay View Post

sounds like a ram issue to me i would try running MemTest86 if not a ram issue would check hd for smart errors CrystalDiskInfo
Sounded like a memory issue to me too, but I was thinking more vram then system ram. VRAM issues I have seen in the past all had to do with random color issues going across the screen. underclocking the GPU fixing the issue leading to the issue not coming up for a very long time also seems to point to this.

It could specifically be a hardware stability issue in the graphics memory on the GPU during certain power states, like the bios is not giving it enough voltage in a certain lower power pstate. That is why the issue doesnt happen much if at all on demanding games but it does happen on light loads and during desktop stuff. One way to check for a solution without spending money is to have a custom bios made or make one yourself and flash the GPU with it. In the custom bios either bump up all the voltages of every pstate, or simply clone the highest performance pstate to everything so the card runs at max all the time. Wasteful on energy, but an easy way to test if the problem goes away with the extra voltage. Does your 6850 have a dual bios and selector switch? I know the earlier cards did, mine does. If yours does too then this is even easier and safer
smile.gif
 
#7 ·
Yeah my second guess was the GPU, but I was wrong once and don't want to be wrong again. I had to reseat the GPU to add in the second drive. Then the problem started again after it vanished for ages.. I thought maybe it was a seating issue but I checked the seating multiple times since.
 
#8 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by EniGma1987 View Post

Sounded like a memory issue to me too, but I was thinking more vram then system ram. VRAM issues I have seen in the past all had to do with random color issues going across the screen. underclocking the GPU fixing the issue leading to the issue not coming up for a very long time also seems to point to this.

It could specifically be a hardware stability issue in the graphics memory on the GPU during certain power states, like the bios is not giving it enough voltage in a certain lower power pstate. That is why the issue doesnt happen much if at all on demanding games but it does happen on light loads and during desktop stuff. One way to check for a solution without spending money is to have a custom bios made or make one yourself and flash the GPU with it. In the custom bios either bump up all the voltages of every pstate, or simply clone the highest performance pstate to everything so the card runs at max all the time. Wasteful on energy, but an easy way to test if the problem goes away with the extra voltage. Does your 6850 have a dual bios and selector switch? I know the earlier cards did, mine does. If yours does too then this is even easier and safer
smile.gif
Just an fyi, this model of HIS 6850 is by default already overclocked.

I'm not sure what a selector switch is. I'm looking to see if it has a dual bios but so far nothing.
 
#9 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by Aluwolf View Post

Just an fyi, this model of HIS 6850 is by default already overclocked.

I'm not sure what a selector switch is. I'm looking to see if it has a dual bios but so far nothing.
Overclocked only affects P0 state and not the lower power states, so it wont have an effect if the issue is in one of the lower states as I suspect.
You actually wont have a selector switch, I got confused since it was so long ago and the switch was actually on 6950 models, and people flashed them to 6970's. The 68xx do not have the switch near the crossfire connectors and only have 1 bios. I still think you should look into using a modded bios though to check for stability on the GPU since it is a free thing to check. Either bump up your core and mem voltages in all P-State's by 0.075v or replace all P-State's with the P0 data to make the card always run at max speed and voltage. That way you can see if the crashing still happens under light usage when giving it extra voltage.
 
#10 ·
Few more things.

I mostly leave my computer on idling, it has never crashed idling.

Secondly, the caps lock button stops working, which I have read means windows itself has stopped working.

Also...I wouldn't know where to begin to make my own bios. Any tips?
 
#11 ·
This tool should work for you to edit the bios:
http://www.techpowerup.com/rbe/
use GPU-Z to save your bios. And I cant remember off the top of my head what to use to flash the bios. It has been a LONG time since I flashed my 6950. It actually looks like you can flash from the bios editor itself, so you may give that a try. I know I didnt use that though, I did mine through a command line tool. Shouldnt matter though as long as whatever you use can read the card correctly. You may try using this bios editor tool to make a copy of your bios as well instead og GPU-Z, that way you know whether the editor can talk to the GPU'z bios

In this screenshot here:

You can see the different "Clock Info xx" areas. These would be your P-States. See how the last ones are lower clocked and voltage? You want to bump up voltage on all the clock info states, but especially the lower clocked ones.
 
#12 ·
Some good news. I contacted my GPU manufacture and they gave me some solid advice that i think fixed my issue.

As you know my issue never really happens in demanding games. Well they showed me how to disable 2D clock mode, a lower voltage mode designed for web browsing. Upon disabling it my screen flickered one last time and has not flickered once since. So far no crashes but I think my problem is solved based on the lack of random flicker.

If the issue persists I will follow your guide. Thanks for taking the time to help.
 
#13 ·
Good to hear that HIS is still offering great support even for their older products. I owned a 48** series, maybe a 4870 512GB and it was a great product.
 
#14 ·
Hey guys some bad news. The 2D clock disabling did fix my issue, however this HIS Iturbo program is causing me to blue screen if I check for it to launch with windows. Also for some reason the rest of the settings do not work, and effectively cause my computer to crash.

Does anyone know of any other programs that can turn off my 2d clock that are more stable? I guess having to launch it manually isn't that bad, but I'm sure there's something better out there.

For example, when i disable 2d clocks, my gpu and memory clock display as 0, trying to change them results in a black screen, trying to turn on the Iturbo setting results in a black screen. It just doesn't seem like stable software, as I used MSI afterburner forever without issues. Sadly Msi does not have an option to turn off 2D clock..
 
#15 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by Aluwolf View Post

Hey guys some bad news. The 2D clock disabling did fix my issue, however this HIS Iturbo program is causing me to blue screen if I check for it to launch with windows. Also for some reason the rest of the settings do not work, and effectively cause my computer to crash.

Does anyone know of any other programs that can turn off my 2d clock that are more stable? I guess having to launch it manually isn't that bad, but I'm sure there's something better out there.

For example, when i disable 2d clocks, my gpu and memory clock display as 0, trying to change them results in a black screen, trying to turn on the Iturbo setting results in a black screen. It just doesn't seem like stable software, as I used MSI afterburner forever without issues. Sadly Msi does not have an option to turn off 2D clock..
I dont think it is compatible, but you could try EVGA Precision X. Pretty sure that is only for Nvidia cards though. It has an option called "K-boost" that locks the card to 3D mode clocks. I had thought Afterburner also had a similar option...
If you cant find anything that works, just use that bios editor program I linked that is fully compatible with the 6850 and copy your 3d mode clocks and voltages into the 2d mode section and then both 2D and 3D will run the same, while still letting your card idle at lower clocks and voltages when it isnt being used.
 
#16 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by EniGma1987 View Post

I dont think it is compatible, but you could try EVGA Precision X. Pretty sure that is only for Nvidia cards though. It has an option called "K-boost" that locks the card to 3D mode clocks. I had thought Afterburner also had a similar option...
If you cant find anything that works, just use that bios editor program I linked that is fully compatible with the 6850 and copy your 3d mode clocks and voltages into the 2d mode section and then both 2D and 3D will run the same, while still letting your card idle at lower clocks and voltages when it isnt being used.
I'm using your method, however some voltages aren't assigned and show as -- in the bios. What do I do for these?
http://i.imgur.com/ejPk7wa.png

I bumped up all of the .9 to 1.1
Also...there is no list of supported voltages on the bottom left...
 
#18 ·
I used GPU-Z.

All I did was change all .9's to 1.1 and then left everything else alone.

Flickering is gone and so far so good. Might do one more flash if I can figure out what the blank spots mean but I think It's all fixed and I can ditch the crappy Iturbo program now.
 
#19 ·
Alright, well ya if all is good then I wouldnt mess with it further. You could use the bios editor to overclock and overvolt your card, but it is getting a bit old and we know it has a hardware problem already so no sense pushing it too far.

I was just wondering what you used to save your bios because maybe this bios editor saves info just a slight bit differently and if you had saved it with the editor that info may show up. GPU-Z isnt the wrong way to save a bios though by any means, it is the most tried and true way to save a bios and the way everyone would probably recommend these days.

Im glad this worked to fix your issue
smile.gif
 
#20 ·
Well I've got bad news. flashing did not work, in fact merely a week after flashing i got the issue again in full swing. HIS ITURBO has worked by disabling 2d clocks but it's an unreliable program. Full screen games cause my computer to hang with it enabled and it seems to randomly decide to underclock my gpu at times. If I turn my monitor off the computer also freezes with HIS iturbo enabled.

I'm not sure what else can be done besides just buying a new gpu but there has to be another program like His Iturbo that fixes whatever issue I'm having.
 
#21 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by Aluwolf View Post

Edit: One more thing, the problem was thought to be gone until I added a second hard drive in.
Underclocking my Gpu was thought to be the solution.
Maybe this can be of help. The guy here has the SSD as a problem.

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows8_1-hardware/the-driver-driverwudfrd-failed-to-load-for-the/b9f3ad70-8b76-4688-be9f-4c2db434e91e

I 'd follow the leads of the MS technician there. I also run HIS ITurbo on startup and it's perfectly stable. So my suspicion, is that either you have a bad hardware piece like the HDD you mention or you have a drivers conflict. I 'd try to use all drivers that came with your motherboard/GPU, also remove unnecessary programs that run at startup and disable antivirus and see if it changes.

I 'd also suggest you keep googling for "failed to load for the device SWD\SensorsAndLocationEnum\LPSensorSWDevice" because it has many hits and most probably another has had your case before. It's time consuming, but it's worth it.
 
#22 ·
my issue happened since i had the computer, went away for some time and came back around the time i added in the second hard drive, both drives would have to be faulty for this to be a hard drive issue.

when I use HIS I turbo to disable 2D clocks I have NEVER crashed after months of use, only if i try and launch a full screen game or turn my monitor off.

This leads me to believe my graphics card is screwed in some way, and I am trying to find another program like HIS that his more stable..

Also, the version of his is from like 2012 that im using, thats partly why its unstable for me and not for you, the newest version doesnt have 2d clocks disabled/
 
#23 ·
I would try running Prime 95 again for (6-7 hours per test) if you didn't test it that long initially. First test Lots of RAM and then do CPU test.
May sound weird but have you used the same power strip and outlet over the 3 years? I had a surge protector that still worked but would cause my computer to randomly freeze and weird things happened. Replaced it and it all went away.

Just my 2cents.
 
#24 ·
I basically set every state on my gpu to it's max clock speed and power speed so it never runs in a low voltage, low clock mode. I have not crashed in weeks and no longer need HIS. I guess the card was faulty after all, but I'm glad I was able to get it working until I can afford a new card.
 
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