Windows 10: Mystery shut down--confirm diagnosis, advice on next steps

This is an update to an ~year old post of mine which describes rare but super annoying mystery shutdowns.

Since that post, mystery shutdowns have happened 9 times to me on 2019-10-20, 2019-10-27, 2019-11-20, 2019-11-21, 2019-12-01, 2019-12-06, 2019-12-25, 2020-03-29, and then 2020-06-06 (yesterday morning). So, less than once per month, with the frequency decreasing to about once every 3 months so far in 2020. But it happened again yesterday. I have got to find the culprit...

One suggestion to my original post was to see if the shutdown happens in Safe Mode or if I do a clean boot. I am not sure if that is helpful, since the problem is so sporadic.

Instead, surely somewhere in Microsoft's Byzantine event logs, there must be a clue as to what is going on. Since my original post, I have gotten better at capturing events and analysing them.

This time, ultimately using Windbg on a dump file, I am fairly sure that I have narrowed the issue down to my PCI driver, especially HDAudBus.

To keep this initial post short and readable, the details why I concluded that are in my next reply to this post ("REPLY #1: why I think that PCI, especially HDAudBus, is the culprit"). I would appreciate it if you pour thru that and let me know if you agree with my conclusion or not. I have another reply after that, in which I discuss for completeness some other things I observed, but which I guess are not issues ("REPLY #2: a mystery logon, Client License Service").

If I am correct that it is my PCI driver, especially HDAudBus, what do I do next about this?

Is this something that I need to report to Dell or Microsoft?

My hardware has been stable for over a year (its a Dell Precision 7530 laptop). It is running Windows 10 Pro for Workstations updated to the Windows 10 May 2020 Update version 2004 three days ago. I run Dell's SupportAssist frequently, and always update all my drivers, BIOS, etc. I ran it today, and there is nothing to install except an optional "STMicroelectronics Free Fall Data Protection Driver". For some reason, this software refuses to install: it remains stuck on "Validating..." for a long time, so I abort.

Finally, this link advises the following steps after a bugcheck: 1-Driver verifier and 2-Memtest. (This was also part of dalchina's answer to my original post.) I ran a Memtest (mdsched.exe) as described here and it found no memory problems. My computer is currently running Driver Verifier, but it is ONLY stress testing HDAudBus. I have seen no shutdown so far. I will let it run for up to 2 days.

:)

 

PC Build Steps

all parts should be here by friday...any last advice? I will follow the step lists we created guys...

 

PC Build Steps

Ok just because I like steps i am going to create some steps. Please give me the stamp of approval/disapproval

• Install system in case
  • Remember to connect SSD and optical to same SATA ports on motherboard
• Turn on PC
• setup HDD
• run blend test in prime95 for 30-60 min
  • run realtemp at the same time

• While in Prime95 test
  • if CPU goes above 70c in RealTemp, I have a leaky CPU
  • if my system locks up or blue screens, there is an instability in the system somewhere
  • if my system does not lock up or blue screen, my CPU is not damaged and I am in the clear!

What do you guys think??

 

x800 GTO 16 pipe unlock step by step

Ok, there is a gigantic thread going on with this that has been extremely helpful. However, you have to search the entire thread to actually figure out what to do. So, I'm going to list step by step instructions right here for anyone who needs them.



Step 1: Download the attachment
Step 2: Follow the instructions about checking your fuses
Step 3: Dump your bios with ATItool (Settings -> Miscellaneous -> dump bios)
Step 4: Open your current BIOS with RaBit 1.7 or later and go to "Logging" section scroll down and search for:
Desc: RADEON X800 GTO
Info: 11X-CC6600SA-004, CC6600SA.004, 01/20/05,14:19:32
Step 5: If all checks out, simply burn the iso, boot from it, and flash!

Ultra special thanks to dolf for coming up with all this stuff and thanks to everyone else in the forum. This should simplify the process a bit!