BSOD error: A problem has been detected and Windows has been shut down to prevent damage

Hi,

References to Vista also apply to Windows 7.

This is my generic how to for proper driver updates : (Check for BIOS and driver updates.)

This utility makes it easy to see which versions are loaded : Run DriverView - set VIEW

to Hide Microsoft drivers - update those without Dump in their names. (Also update

the BIOS and chipset drivers.)

DriverView - Free - utility displays the list of all device drivers currently loaded on your system.

For each driver in the list, additional useful information is displayed: load address of the driver,

description, version, product name, company that created the driver, and more.

http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/driverview.html

For Drivers check System Maker as fallbacks and Device Maker's which are the most current.

Control Panel - Device Manager - Display Adapter - write down the make and complete model

of your video adapter - double click - Driver's tab - write down the version info. Now click UPdate

Driver (this may not do anything as MS is far behind certifying drivers) - then Right Click -

Uninstall - REBOOT this will refresh the driver stack.

Repeat that for Network - Network Card (NIC), Wifi, Sound, Mouse and Keyboard if 3rd party

with their own software and drivers and any other major device drivers you have.

Now go to System Maker's site (Dell, HP, Toshiba as examples) (as rollback) and then Device

Maker's site (Realtek, Intel, Nvidia, ATI as examples) and get their latest versions. (Look for

BIOS, Chipset and software updates at System Maker's site while there.)

Download - SAVE - go to where you put them - Right Click - RUN AD ADMIN - REBOOT after

each installation.

Always check in Device Manager - Drivers tab to be sure the version you are installing actually

shows up. This is because some drivers rollback before the latest is installed (sound drivers

particularly do this) so install a driver - reboot - check to be sure it is installed and repeat as

needed.

Repeat at Device Makers - BTW at Device Makers DO NOT RUN THEIR SCANNER - check

manually by model.

Manually look at manufacturer's sites for drivers - and Device Maker's sites.

http://pcsupport.about.com/od/driverssupport/ht/driverdlmfgr.htm

Installing and updating drivers in Windows 7 (updating drivers manually using the methods above

is preferred to ensure the latest drivers from System maker and Device makers are found)

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/43216-installing-updating-drivers-7-a.html

If you update drivers manually then it is a good idea to disable Driver Installations in Windows

Updates, this leaves Windows Updates ON however it will not install drivers which will usually be

older and cause issues. If Updates suggests a new driver then HIDE it (Right Click on it) and then

go look for new ones manually if you wish.

How to stop Windows 7 automatically installing drivers

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2500967/en-us

==============================================

Driver Verifier can help find some BSOD issues :

Using Driver Verifier to identify issues with Windows drivers for advanced users

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/244617

How To Troubleshoot Driver Problems in Windows Vista or 7.

http://www.winvistaclub.com/t79.html

Using Driver Verifier

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ff554113(v=VS.85).aspx

How to use Windows Driver Verifier Manager to Troubleshoot & Identify Driver Issueshttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=\_VwIDD9xngM

Driver Verifier

http://www.techsupportforum.com/2110308-post3.html

Using Driver Verifier

http://www.faultwire.com/solutions/using\_driver\_verifier.php

How to use Windows Driver Verifier Manager to Troubleshoot & Identify Driver Issues

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=\_VwIDD9xngM

You can disable Driver Verifier

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/244617

Start - type in Search box -> verifier /reset      hit enter to disable

Use BlueScreenView to see if there is a driver specified in the error message. Also check with

MyEventViewer at the time of the BlueScreen.

If DriverVerifier creates a minidump upload it and post the link here so we can analyze it.

Hope this helps.

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Rob Brown - Microsoft MVP <- profile - Windows Expert - Consumer : Bicycle - Mark Twain said it right.

Hi,

Resolving stop (blue screen) errors in Windows 7 - has a section for if you can or can't start Windows.

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/Resolving-stop-blue-screen-errors-in-Windows-7 

Check this thread for information using BlueScreenView, MyEventViewer and other methods

to troubleshoot BlueScreens - top 3 replies (+1 other).

http://social.answers.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/w7repair/thread/c675b7b8-795f-474d-a1c4-6b77b3fcd990

We can analyze the minidumps if you make them available from the OneDrive or other file

sharing sites (such as MediaFire). If you have problems uploading the minidumps copy

them to the Desktop or the Documents folder and upload them from there.

Adding files to your OneDrive

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-8/getting-started-onedrive-tutorial

One-Drive - Share files and folders and change permissions

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/onedrive/share-file-folder

Zip or upload the contents of C:\Windows\minidump

Use OneDrive to upload collected files

http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/w7itproui/thread/4fc10639-02db-4665-993a-08d865088d65

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Also do this so you can see the likely bluescreens.

Windows Vista automatically restarts if your PC encounters an error that causes it to crash.

(also Windows 7)

http://www.winvistatips.com/disable-automatic-restart-t84.html

===========================================================

BCCode: 18    0x00000018This most often is a driver problem so try updating the major drivers, BIOS, and low level

chipset drivers.

Other possibilities include malware and even antivirus/antispyware/security programs and

others. See the driver update methods in the next message when you get to that part of the

troubleshooter and return to the troubleshooter if needed.

BCCode: 18    0x00000018Bug Check 0x18: REFERENCE_BY_POINTER

The REFERENCE_BY_POINTER bug check has a value of 0x00000018. This indicates that the reference count of an object is illegal for the current state of the object.

Important Info If You Have Received a STOP Code

If you received a blue screen error, or stop code, the computer has shut down abruptly to protect itself from data loss. A hardware device, its driver, or related software might have caused this error.

If your copy of Windows came with your computer, call the manufacturer of your computer. If you purchased Windows separately from your computer, Microsoft provides support. To find contact info for Microsoft or your computer manufacturer, Contact Support.

If you have experience with computers and want to try to recover from this error, follow the steps provided in the Microsoft article Resolving STOP (Blue Screen) Errors in Windows.

These actions might prevent an error like this from happening again:

1. Download and install updates and device drivers for your computer from Windows Update.
2. Scan your computer for computer viruses.
3. Check your hard disk for errors.

REFERENCE_BY_POINTER Parameters

The following parameters are displayed on the blue screen.

Parameter	Description
1	Object type of the object whose reference count is being lowered.
2	Object whose reference count is being lowered.
3	Reserved
4	Reserved

Cause

The reference count of an object is illegal for the current state of the object. Each time a driver uses a pointer to an object, the driver calls a kernel routine to increase the reference count of the object by one. When the driver is done with the pointer, the driver calls another kernel routine to decrease the reference count by one.

Drivers must match calls to the routines that increase (reference) and decrease (dereference) the reference count. This bug check is caused by an inconsistency in the object's reference count.

Typically, the inconsistency is caused by a driver that decreases the reference count of an object too many times, making extra calls that dereference the object. This bug check can occur because an object's reference count goes to zero while there are still open handles to the object. It might also occur when the object's reference count drops below zero, whether or not there are open handles to the object.

Resolution

Make sure that the driver matches calls to the routines that increase and decrease the reference count of the object. Make sure that your driver does not make extra calls to routines that dereference the object (see Parameter 2).

You can use a debugger to help analyze this problem. To find the handle and pointer count on the object, use the !object debugger command.

kd> !object address

Where address is the address of the object given in Parameter 2.

BCCode: 18    0x00000018  <-- read this linkhttp://www.faultwire.com/solutions-fatal_error/REFERENCE-BY-POINTER-0x00000018-*1039.html?order=date

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Look in the Event Viewer to see if anything is reported about those.

http://www.computerperformance.co.uk/vista/vista\_event\_viewer.htm

MyEventViewer - Free - a simple alternative to the standard event viewer of Windows.TIP - Options - Advanced Filter allows you to see a time frame instead of the whole file.

http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/my\_event\_viewer.html

Here are some methods to possibly fix the blue screen issue. If you could give the Blue Screen info

that would help. Such as the BCC and the other 4 entries on the lower left. And any other error

information such as STOP codes and info such as IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL or PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA and similar messages.

As examples :

BCCode: 116

BCP1: 87BC9510

BCP2: 8C013D80

BCP3: 00000000

BCP4: 00000002

or in this format :

Stop: 0x00000000 (oxoooooooo oxoooooooo oxooooooooo oxoooooooo)

tcpip.sys - Address 0x00000000 base at 0x000000000 DateStamp 0x000000000

This is an excellent tool for posting Blue Screen Error InformationBlueScreenView scans all your minidump files created during 'blue screen of death'crashes, and displays the information about all crashes in one table - Freehttp://www.nirsoft.net/utils/blue\_screen\_view.html

Many BlueScreens are caused by old or corrupted drivers, especially video drivers however

there are other causes.

You can do these in Safe Mode if needed or from Command Prompt from Vista DVD or

Recovery Options if your system has that installed by the maker.

How to Boot to the System Recovery Options in Windows 7

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/668-system-recovery-options.html

You can try a System Restore back to a point before the problem started if there is one.

How to Do a System Restore in Windows 7

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/700-system-restore.html

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Start - type this in Search Box ->  COMMAND   find at top and RIGHT CLICK  -  RUN AS ADMIN

Enter this at the prompt - sfc /scannow

How to Repair Windows 7 System Files with System File Checker

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1538-sfc-scannow-command-system-file-checker.html

How to analyze the log file entries that the Microsoft Windows Resource Checker (SFC.exe) program

generates in Windows Vista cbs.log (and Windows 7)

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/928228

The log might give you the answer if there was a corrupted driver. (Does not tell all the possible

driver issues).

Also run CheckDisk so we can rule out corruption as much as possible.

How to Run Check Disk at Startup in Windows 7

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/433-disk-check.html

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Often updating drivers will help, usually Video, Sound, Network Card  (NIC), WiFi, 3rd party

keyboard and mouse, as well as other major device drivers.

Manually look at manufacturer's sites for drivers - and Device Maker's sites.

http://pcsupport.about.com/od/driverssupport/ht/driverdlmfgr.htm

Installing and updating drivers in Windows 7 (updating drivers manually using the methods above

is preferred to ensure the latest drivers from System maker and Device makers are found)

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/43216-installing-updating-drivers-7-a.html

How to stop Windows 7 automatically installing drivers

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2500967/en-us

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How to fix BlueScreen (STOP) errors that cause Windows Vista to shut down or restart

unexpectedly

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/958233

Troubleshooting Vista Blue Screen, STOP Errors (and Windows 7)

http://www.chicagotech.net/vista/vistabluescreen.htm

Understanding and Decoding BSOD (blue screen of death) Messages

http://www.taranfx.com/blog/?p=692

Windows - Troubleshooting Blue Screen Errors

http://kb.wisc.edu/page.php?id=7033

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In some cases this might be required.

StartUp Repair from Recovery Options or Windows 7 disk

How to Run a Startup Repair in Windows 7

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/681-startup-repair.html

How to Boot to the System Recovery Options in Windows 7

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/668-system-recovery-options.html

How to Create a Windows 7 System Repair Disc

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/2083-system-repair-disc-create.html

How to Do a Repair Install to Fix Windows 7

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/3413-repair-install.html

Hope this helps.

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Rob Brown - Microsoft MVP <- profile - Windows Expert - Consumer : Bicycle - Mark Twain said it right.