# BSOD ntkrpamp.exe



## crwk78

Hi,

I have repeated BSODs on a clean install of Windows 7 (32 BIT) with all Windows Updates (but nothing else) installed. 

The BSOD always says:

STOP: 0x0000007F (0x00000008, 0x807c8750, 0x00000000, 0x00000000)

The .dmp file always points to ntkrpamp.exe. I have done lots of searches on the issue and most posts seem to indicate hardware issues. I have run memory tests, taken out and swapped graphics cards, sound cards, network cards and RAM, but the problem still persists.

So far (the crashes are random and often irregular, so I'm not 100% sure), I have not had the BSOD on a clean install before installing the Windows Updates, which makes me think it might be a software issue.

First of all, I cannot find the file anywhere on my system. Apparently it is meant to be in \WINDOWS\SYSTEM32 but I can't see it! Can any Windows 7 (32 BIT) users find the file on their systems and confirm it exists somewhere?

Thanks in advance for any help!

Charlie K


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## usasma

*NOTE:* Please provide the following information for a more detailed response: http://www.techsupportforum.com/for...-instructions-windows-7-and-vista-452654.html

ntkrpamp.exe may (I'm not 100% sure of this) be listed as ntoskrnl.exe on your system. It's (IMO) because the different types of kernels are renamed at installation so they'll work with the coding in the system (which is coded to use ntoskrnl.exe)

These are the kernel (core) of the operating system. If it was to blame, you'd be seeing many more problems other than just the occasional BSOD. When we see this we immediately look for other causes.

With the requested information we'll have a good chance of figuring out what the problem is.

Here's a link to a description of the error (and some of it's usual causes): BSOD Index - STOP 0x7F


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## crwk78

Thanks usasma,

I am waiting to get a BSOD on a clean install with no windows updates at the moment. I want to run it for a few days before installing the updates to see if it remains stable. Unfortunately I didn't save any of the .dmp files from the previous installation.

Once I'm confident that the BSODs don't appear under the current config, I'll install all the updates and then attach a .dmp file as soon as the inevitable happens!

Thanks for the info about ntkrpamp.exe and ntosknrl.exe (which does exist in the SYSTEM32 folder).

I'll post the files and all the other info when I have the next BSOD!

Cheers,

Charlie K


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## crwk78

Hi,

Got a BSOD in the last hour, the first one in about a week. So much for my theory of it being a windows update issue.....

Attached is the requested folder.

Any assistance much appreciated.

Cheers,

Charlie K


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## usasma

No memory dumps in this upload - nor any evidence of it in the WER section of MSINFO32. Please do the following:


> *Upload Dump Files:*
> *NOTE:* If using a disk cleaning utility, please stop using it while we are troubleshooting your issues.
> Please go to C:\Windows\Minidump and zip up the contents of the folder. Then upload/attach the .zip file with your next post.
> Left click on the first minidump file.
> Hold down the "Shift" key and left click on the last minidump file.
> Right click on the blue highlighted area and select "Send to"
> Select "Compressed (zipped) folder" and note where the folder is saved.
> Upload that .zip file with your next post.
> 
> If you have issues with "Access Denied" errors, try copying the files to your desktop and zipping them up from there. If it still won't let you zip them up, post back for further advice.
> 
> If you don't have anything in that folder, please check in C:\Windows for a file named MEMORY.DMP. If you find it, zip it up and upload it to a free file hosting service . Then post the link to it in your topic so that we can download it.
> 
> Then, follow the directions here to set your system for Minidumps (much smaller than the MEMORY.DMP file): Set MiniDump
> More info on dump file options here: Overview of memory dump file options for Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008, Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2


Multimedia Audio controller drivers not installed. Please install the drivers for this device

Only 58 updates since SP1 - most systems have 70 or more. Please visit Windows Update and get all available updates.


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## crwk78

Thanks again Usasma,

OK, 3x .dmp files (all happened this morning) are attached in the latest attachment, together with a new jcgriff set of files.

I have installed the Audio drivers too. Windows Update didn't have any more updates, but I counted over 70 in the list of installed updates. Maybe I did these since my previous post.

For what it's worth, I'm 95% sure that the system is more stable with no Windows Updates installed. BSODs have been occuring since installing Windows 7, the system was fine two months ago using Vista, although not used as frequently as in the last two months. No hardware changes (from what you see below) for about 4 years.

Thanks,

Charlie K

More info:

Dell XPS600
Windows 7 32 BIT Service Pack 1 Full Retail with all updates installed
Original OS Windows XP OEM
System is 6 years old
OS Installation is a week old, but BSODs occurred before this

Pentium D 965 3.73 GHz (used to be overclocked to 4 GHz), originally a Pentium 4 670 3.8 GHz
Nvidia Geforce 7900 GTO (added)
Nvidia Geforce 7800 GTX (original)
NForce 4 Series Chipset
2048MB DDR2 667 RAM
320 GB SATA RAID HD
Soundblaster X-Fi Xtreme Music soundcard
Original Power Supply (unsure of brand or wattage)


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## crwk78

Let me know if you need a new perfmon /report


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## usasma

No need for a perfmon /report - I prefer the MSINFO32, although the perfmon sometimes highlights things that aren't that easy to find.

If Windows is more stable without Windows Updates - then there's most likely a problem with either 3rd party drivers/programs, or with the hardware (less likely).

Late for doctor's appt right now....
Creative drivers and nVidia chipset drivers date from 2008.
They need to be updated/removed
When looking at nForce 4 chipset drivers at nVidia - look at Legacy drivers, then look for Vista 64 bit. That download should also be Win7 compatible.

I'm unsure about the Creative drivers - and they've been a real PITA for a long time. Remove them if you have to - then reinstall AFTER the system is stabilized.

Run Driver Verifier according to these instructions: Driver Verifier Settings

BSOD BUGCHECK SUMMARY 


Code:


[font=lucida console]
Loading Dump File [C:\Users\FUBAR\_jcgriff2_\dbug\__Kernel__\021412-18218-01.dmp]
Built by: 7601.17713.x86fre.win7sp1_gdr.111025-1505
Debug session time: Tue Feb 14 05:29:22.385 2012 (UTC - 5:00)
System Uptime: 0 days 0:23:53.948
Probably caused by : Unknown_Image ( ANALYSIS_INCONCLUSIVE )
BUGCHECK_STR:  0x7f_8
DEFAULT_BUCKET_ID:  VISTA_DRIVER_FAULT
PROCESS_NAME:  autoruns.exe
Bugcheck code 1000007F
Arguments 00000008 8733a750 00000000 00000000
BiosVersion = A11
BiosReleaseDate = 09/27/2006
CPUID:        "Intel(R) Pentium(R) D CPU 3.73GHz"
MaxSpeed:     3730
CurrentSpeed: 3724
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨``
Loading Dump File [C:\Users\FUBAR\_jcgriff2_\dbug\__Kernel__\021412-20578-01.dmp]
Built by: 7601.17713.x86fre.win7sp1_gdr.111025-1505
Debug session time: Tue Feb 14 05:00:48.910 2012 (UTC - 5:00)
System Uptime: 0 days 0:05:02.457
Probably caused by : Unknown_Image ( ANALYSIS_INCONCLUSIVE )
BUGCHECK_STR:  0x7f_8
DEFAULT_BUCKET_ID:  VISTA_DRIVER_FAULT
PROCESS_NAME:  autoruns.exe
Bugcheck code 1000007F
Arguments 00000008 807c8750 00000000 00000000
BiosVersion = A11
BiosReleaseDate = 09/27/2006
CPUID:        "Intel(R) Pentium(R) D CPU 3.73GHz"
MaxSpeed:     3730
CurrentSpeed: 3724
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨``
Loading Dump File [C:\Users\FUBAR\_jcgriff2_\dbug\__Kernel__\021412-23093-01.dmp]
Built by: 7601.17713.x86fre.win7sp1_gdr.111025-1505
Debug session time: Tue Feb 14 04:13:04.859 2012 (UTC - 5:00)
System Uptime: 0 days 0:24:44.484
Probably caused by : Unknown_Image ( ANALYSIS_INCONCLUSIVE )
BUGCHECK_STR:  0x7f_8
DEFAULT_BUCKET_ID:  VISTA_DRIVER_FAULT
PROCESS_NAME:  drvinst.exe
Bugcheck code 1000007F
Arguments 00000008 8733a750 00000000 00000000
BiosVersion = A11
BiosReleaseDate = 09/27/2006
CPUID:        "Intel(R) Pentium(R) D CPU 3.73GHz"
MaxSpeed:     3730
CurrentSpeed: 3724
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨``
  
  [/font]

 
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨


[/font][/code]

*** 3rd PARTY DRIVER LIST *** 
*** 3rd PARTY DRIVER LIST *** 

Further info on BSOD error messages available at: http_:_//www.carrona.org/bsodindx.html

*The following info is just FYI*, I've already addressed the issues that I saw in the above paragraphs:
3RD PARTY DRIVERS PRESENT IN THE DUMP FILES
- Create a System Restore Point prior to doing any of this. *DO NOT* mess with the drivers themselves - leave the Windows\System32\drivers directory alone unless we specifically direct you to it!
- Please either update the *older* drivers from the device manufacturer's website - or uninstall them from your system. *Reference links are included below.*
- *DO NOT* use Windows Update or the Update Drivers function of Device Manager. 
- Please feel free to post back about any drivers that you are having difficulty locating.
- Windows Update exceptions may be noted below for Windows drivers. 


Code:


[font=lucida console]
nvstor.sys        Fri Mar 19 16:51:52 2010 (4BA3E3E8)
nvraid.sys        Fri Mar 19 17:00:09 2010 (4BA3E5D9)
amdxata.sys       Fri Mar 19 12:19:01 2010 (4BA3A3F5)
ctaud2k.sys       Wed May 05 07:42:27 2010 (4BE159A3)
ctoss2k.sys       Wed May 05 07:41:43 2010 (4BE15977)
ctprxy2k.sys      Wed May 05 07:42:31 2010 (4BE159A7)
nvlddmkm.sys      Sat Oct 15 02:34:27 2011 (4E992973)
athr.sys          Mon Oct 05 12:31:48 2009 (4ACA1F74)
[Color=Red]nvm62x32.sys      Fri Oct 17 17:00:39 2008 (48F8FCF7)[/Color]
ha20x2k.sys       Wed May 05 07:42:01 2010 (4BE15989)
emupia2k.sys      Wed May 05 07:41:30 2010 (4BE1596A)
ctsfm2k.sys       Wed May 05 07:41:33 2010 (4BE1596D)
[Color=Red]ctac32k.sys       Wed Jul 02 03:42:27 2008 (486B3163)[/Color]
CT20XUT.SYS       Wed May 05 07:45:44 2010 (4BE15A68)
dump_nvraid.sys   Fri Mar 19 17:00:09 2010 (4BA3E5D9)
dump_CLASSPNP.SYS Mon Jul 13 19:11:20 2009 (4A5BBF18)
CTEXFIFX.SYS      Wed May 05 07:45:35 2010 (4BE15A5F)
[/font]

 http_:_//www.carrona.org/drivers/driver.php?id=nvstor.sys 
http_:_//www.carrona.org/drivers/driver.php?id=nvraid.sys 
http_:_//www.carrona.org/drivers/driver.php?id=amdxata.sys 
http_:_//www.carrona.org/drivers/driver.php?id=ctaud2k.sys 
http_:_//www.carrona.org/drivers/driver.php?id=ctoss2k.sys 
http_:_//www.carrona.org/drivers/driver.php?id=ctprxy2k.sys 
http_:_//www.carrona.org/drivers/driver.php?id=nvlddmkm.sys 
http_:_//www.carrona.org/drivers/driver.php?id=athr.sys 
http_:_//www.carrona.org/drivers/driver.php?id=nvm62x32.sys 
http_:_//www.carrona.org/drivers/driver.php?id=ha20x2k.sys 
http_:_//www.carrona.org/drivers/driver.php?id=emupia2k.sys 
http_:_//www.carrona.org/drivers/driver.php?id=ctsfm2k.sys 
http_:_//www.carrona.org/drivers/driver.php?id=ctac32k.sys 
http_:_//www.carrona.org/drivers/driver.php?id=CT20XUT.SYS 
http_:_//www.carrona.org/drivers/driver.php?id=dump_CLASSPNP.SYS 
http_:_//www.carrona.org/drivers/driver.php?id=CTEXFIFX.SYS


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## crwk78

Usasma,

"When looking at nForce 4 chipset drivers at nVidia - look at Legacy drivers, then look for Vista 64 bit. That download should also be Win7 compatible."

Do you mean 64 bit or 32 bit? The PC is 32 bit.

The BSODs were happening before I installed the Creative Audio drivers - do you still want me to remove them?

I'm running the Driver Verifier as we speak...

I was getting the BSODs more regularly after installing the essential Windows Updates, but before installing the optional (non-Microsoft) ones. Is it worth including the Microsoft Drivers in the driver verifier too?

Charlie


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## usasma

Sorry, I answer a lot of threads - and the vast majority of Win7 systems are 64 bit
I meant 32 bit

A bit of driver "theory". It's my opinion that drivers can be stable when first installed. Then, either through interactions with other programs, or through installation of different updates - they become unstable. IMO this reveals an underlying defect in the design of the driver. Also, over time files (even driver files) may become corrupted - so that's another possibility as to why it may cause crashes.

With the Creative drivers, I've seen several problems with them over the last couple of years - so I feel it's reasonable to attempt to replace them "just in case" they are the problem.

We can include Windows drivers when running Driver Verifier - but I'd suggest finishing the 3rd party drivers first. In short - 3rd party drivers in the dump means you probably have an issue with 3rd party drivers (less likely is a problem with the 3rd party device). Windows drivers in the dump mean either hardware problems or Windows problems (with Windows problems being less likely IME)

Windows has several mechanisms to protect itself, so Windows issues are much less frequent than 3rd party driver problems or hardware problems.
Here's the order that I've seen:
- 3rd party driver problems
- compatibility issues (greater with newer OS's, less with older OS's)
- hardware problems
- Windows problems

Once you've updated/removed the 2008 drivers - and any drivers that have experienced problems IME - then we observe things.

If the system continues to BSOD and we still think that it's a 3rd party driver doing this, we have to see about replacing the rest of the drivers (either by updating or removing). The point here is that we have to be sure to get rid of the current drivers BEFORE installing the freshly downloaded drivers. That way there's a higher likelyhood that the installer will replace those drivers (and, presumably, fix the problem)

Another option is a backup, wipe, and "clean install" of Windows. That will help to rule out any Windows problems. Suggested instructions are here: Backup, Wipe and Clean Install

Hardware problems are diagnosed using a combination of tests and removing/replacing devices. Links for the tests are here: Hardware Diags and a link for a suggested remove/replace procedure is here: Hardware Troubleshooting Via System Stripdown


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## crwk78

> With the Creative drivers, I've seen several problems with them over the last couple of years - so I feel it's reasonable to attempt to replace them "just in case" they are the problem.


They are the latest drivers I can find on the Creative website, maybe I should just remove the drivers and the soundcard whilst we try to diagnose the problem? I don't need it in there for the time being.



> Another option is a backup, wipe, and "clean install" of Windows. That will help to rule out any Windows problems. Suggested instructions are here: Backup, Wipe and Clean Install


I have already tried lots of clean installs as per the link (minus the freeware disc wiping software bit). The system seems to run more stable before I install any updates, and the BSODs seem to be more frequent once I have installed the Microsoft updates (without installing any 3rd party ones).

The system seemed to be fine with Vista, is it worth reinstalling that to see what happens?

Cheers,

Charlie


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## usasma

> They are the latest drivers I can find on the Creative website, maybe I should just remove the drivers and the soundcard whilst we try to diagnose the problem? I don't need it in there for the time being.


I'd uninstall them and remove the card for now. FWIW - I really hate troubleshooting sound issues!

I would like to see a series of BSOD's from the system after you've followed the Clean Install instructions (installing all the Windows Updates but none of the 3rd party stuff).

But, in short, it'll either tell us if it's hardware or Windows.
It's probably not Windows, despite the fact that it occurs with updates.
So I suspect a hardware issue - either hardware that's broken or that's not compatible.

Let's start by removing the sound card and drivers and see what happens.
BSOD = that's not the problem, and we'll have to remove something else.


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## crwk78

OK, I will run the system all day tomorrow to see if the driver verifier picks up anything.

After that I will take the soundcard out, and we'll go from there.

Thanks for your help!

Charlie


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## crwk78

ps. Is the Driver Verifier running every time I start Windows now?


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## usasma

Driver Verifier continues to run until you select "Delete existing settings" on the first screen, click "Finish" and then reboot.


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## kariyo

hi usasma i was reading this thread because it looked like the same problem im having but mine has to do with ntoskrnl.exe
i have a thread very near this one with a full report from perfmon and the other thing lol which i forgot what it is called. maybe its the same issue if you wouldn't mind taking a look at it when you have free time i would greatly appreciate it


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## crwk78

Hi Usasma,

Your mistake above re Windows 7 32 and 64 bit made me wonder if I could actually install the 64 bit version and sure enough I can. So I have just installed that and will run it over the next few days to see if I get any BSODs.

In your experience, and I know it depends on the actual problem, but is it possible that a change from 32 bit to 64 bit can sort these sort of problems out, or is it just wishful thinking?

Cheers,

Charlie


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## usasma

I think it's just a likely to fix it as was the clean install of the 32 bit.
Not real likely, but worth a shot "just in case".

Good luck!


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