active P3Dv3 with FTX and other addons causing random restarts.

[NeilG]

Hi all,

 

Hope someone can help because this has been driving me mad.I have had it before: random restarts, so not even CTD, but a complete close down and restart. Searching the forums there seems to be a weight of opinion that these events, with the error log designation of 'Kernel Power 41 (63)' is often a hardware problem and usually to do with power supply, surges etc. The only thing is, I have been taking my computer to the guys who built it for me and with whom I have a repair account and they can find nothing wrong, and the crashes seemed to be confined to those times that I am running p3dv3 with FTX and other addons. One solution was to update drivers. This I did and for a while the problem seemed to have been warded off. Then it returned with a vengeance. It started with 29 Palms Samo with FTX compatible patch. The time varied but usually within 10 to 15 minutes there would be a crash and auto restart. I thought it might be the aerosoft addons when it occurred and my Aspen Extended, but eventually it was happening with judge purely FTX addons. I did a reinstall of P3Dv3 and now things are settled down again.

 

My question is this: I cant find much on the P3D or FTX forums about this which worries me that this is something that only I am encountering which suggests a hardware problem, but I have updated drivers and optimised defaults in the BIOS, and what is more since it seems to be confined to P3D at the mo...well I'm confused and wonder if anyone else has had this experience. The other, more important question is: does anyone know how this might be addressed more permanently? As this has happened three times now I wonder what might be creeping back in to cause it? Could it be new installations every so often brining about instability and therefore I have to be careful to update and repair everything when there are a number of such things (seems that this might coincide). I would be so grateful for any help that can be given.

 

Thanks

FTX relevant software.

 

223368

Orbx - FTX: Global   504436 Orbx - FTX: Global openLC North America    256709 Orbx - FTX: Global VECTOR

 

[petfy]

Just one possibility which should be ruled out. Do your guys stress test the CPU under turbo or overclocked mode for a long time? It could be that a dry joint / broken track develops due to thermal expansion?

[NeilG]

Thanks for the reply,

 

I haven't, but the guys who built the rig for me (which is only a year old), put it under various stress tests before. This is why I am thinking it must be a software issue, but I haven't come across a situation in which software problems have brought aboutthis problem before.

[Triplane]

 

I think Petfy is right about the stress test. This is a hardware problem, not software. It's caused by P3D stressing one, or, more components. The complicating factor is that there are  several components that could cause the problem. I'd take it back to the hardware guys and tell them to run the stress tests again. If you want to have a go at it yourself (I'd do this before taking it back to the dealer) these three stress-related tests are a good test of most any machine. There is a high probability that one of them will point to the problem:

 

CPU Test   -   Prime95   http://www.mersenne.org/download/#download

 

GPU Test   -   Furmark   http://www.majorgeeks.com/mg/getmirror/furmark,2.html

 

RAM Test   -   Memtest86   http://www.memtest86.com/download.htm

 

(It could also be the PSU but the only way to test that is to replace it.)

 

Doug

 

[NeilG]

Thanks guys,

will give these a run.

[Jethro VH-JET]

Hi Neil,

 

I think you were on the right track with regard to (Kernel Power 41 (63) error) the error itself is a Microsoft Generic error description, it will be listed in the event viewer when such a crash occurs but does not point to anything specific. Except that since WinVista, Win7, Win8, & Win10 Kernel Power 41 has been making a regular and un-welcome appearance on a few systems. The consensus around the support threads are that it often relates to the Power Supply quality or an inadequate power supply on the 12v rail, which supplies your MOBO CPU RAM and Graphics Card via the PCIe16x slot on your MOBO even though the Graphics Card itself has additional power via the 8pin plug. And on rare occasions can relate to Power chips on a cheap low quality MOBO, rare these days because even the less advanced boards have good quality parts.

 

A number of years ago (2010) I made a rookie error, allowing a system builder to build me an FSX machine who did not understand the power & processing requirements that FSX would need. He convinced me that the power supply he recommended for my system would be up to the task of running FSX. Guess what! Kernel Power 41 made a regular appearance with many crashes and BSOD's, the Kernel Power 41 error did not point to anything specific relating to drivers or a hardware element in my system, nor did it point to FSX as a likely cause. Consequently the PC went back to the maker on numerous occasions for extensive testing and stress testing. At first I believed it was the relatively new at that point in time "Windows 7 OS". However after many frustrating negative stress tests and Power tests taking many days,  and a failure to perform the magical BSOD's crashes that usually resulted in Kernel Power 41 errors while the PC was being examined by its builder, (I was even shown the test data for proof) he pronounced that there was nothing wrong and blamed it on a potentially faulty peripheral device, and that if it should ever happen again I should bring it straight back for more in-depth testing.
Having done this on numerous occasions, feeling foolish and disregarded after each healthy pronouncement, I decided to research everything I could find about the issue, starting with (Microsoft Answers - then following all leads from tech gurus).

It turns out that the my Power Supply, under certain circumstances was inadequate to supply all power requirements from the 12v rail, when all circumstances were met along came Kernel Power 41.  Initially I played around with the OS Power Profiles Hi performance plan settings with various USB and HDD max profiles, removed all but the essential USB devices and peripherals,  but this only partially reduced the frequency of these BSOD's. 
Finally I decided to replace my Power Supply with a (Segate 850w 80+ Gold Modular PSU) with proper 12v rail power delivery, "Kernel Power 41" never made another appearance. Even though I had found my culprit I never went back to the builder, It was a lesson learned, so added that to my kitbag of knowledge for future choices.
 

Since then I have replaced that PC because of a destructive lightning strike, having learned my lesson I built a new PC which has a top quality (CoolerMaster V850 / 850w 80+ Gold, Modular PSU) and have not seen the Kernel "Colonel" ever after.

 

I'll bet that P3D is the most extreme load your system would be placed under, there aren't many software programs that can load up a system to draw Max power than P3D or FSX. Normal PC utilities and popular games just don't place the same power burdens on the system when in use, no matter how many are open at once. And in my personal experience, system builder / tech support / maintenance tests are often inconclusive, indicating no problem while on the (test bench - software tools) but when you take the PC back home the problem quickly returns.

Just for arguments sake, if your current PSU was faulty or inadequate when Power delivery is critical while running power hungry P3D, it might be worthwhile looking into a replacement PSU.   A Top Quality 80+ Gold Modular PSU around 750W -850W are still reasonably priced, mine were around AU $250.00 mark.
 

It would also be a good idea to use Memtest86+ (as mentioned by Doug above) to test your RAM modules individually per test instructions via a Memtest boot disk.  Even though your tech guy as declared perfect healthy stress tests. 

[Guest]

Random restart is one of the symptoms of RAM failure indeed. A PC can work with faulty RAM in particularly if it has a big amount but anytime data are written into corrupted memory module, the system restarts