GPU stops working if the drivers are updated

blokewhoknowsnothingabouttech · Aug 24, 2017

Hi, I'd like to update my GPU drivers on my EVGA GTX 960 to the latest drivers due to half my games not working anymore. However, when I try to do this, the GPU stops sending signal to the monitor as soon as the PC wakes up after the initial restart. The only way I can get it to function normally again is to revert back to the drivers that came with the GPU on the disc. Can anyone tell me what's wrong?

thanks in advance,
Robert

blockhead78 · Aug 24, 2017

if it stops displaying after a driver update, how are you getting back to a working display to be able to revert back to the old drivers?

blokewhoknowsnothingabouttech · Aug 24, 2017

blockhead78 :

safe mode

blockhead78 · Aug 24, 2017

ok, might be some issues with the original install of the drivers, or the install of the new ones

Are you familiar with DDU wipe?

It's a tool commonly used with driver issues. It completely wipes any current nvidia drivers from the pc and then allows to install the latest ones from fresh

http://www.guru3d.com/files-details/display-driver-uninstaller-download.html

Also, which version of windows are you running?

blokewhoknowsnothingabouttech · Aug 24, 2017

blockhead78 :

I use DDU to remove the updated drivers to get the PC working again & I can tell you that it doesn't make a blind bit of difference. Still doesn't let me use newer drivers. I'm running Windows 10 Pro 64 bit

blockhead78 · Aug 24, 2017

have you tried not going for the latest driver, but going for some of the recent versions instead?

http://www.nvidia.com/Download/Find.aspx?lang=en-us

blokewhoknowsnothingabouttech · Aug 24, 2017

blockhead78 :

yes I did, it didn't work though. it only seems to want to work with the drivers it originally came with (driver version 347.88)

blockhead78 · Aug 24, 2017

might sound simple, but once the driver has installed and restarted and you lose the display signal, try disconnecting the display cable from the GPU and monitor and then re-connect it

blokewhoknowsnothingabouttech · Aug 24, 2017

blockhead78 :

I tried that, it didn't work I'm afraid

blockhead78 · Aug 24, 2017

do you have onboard graphics as well as the GPU?
what display connection type are you using?

blokewhoknowsnothingabouttech · Aug 24, 2017

blockhead78 :

I have onboard graphics but they are disabled. I am using a VGA cable hooked up to a VGA to DVI-D adapter

blockhead78 · Aug 24, 2017

does your monitor have any other display ports that are compatible with your GPU?

Just thinking to try being connected without an adapter if possible

On some other very similar posts (ie. no signal after nvidia driver restart) someone elses suddenly started working after they enabled the onboard graphics, removed the GPU, booted with onboard graphics only, then re-installed the GPU and restarted without the onboard graphics... could be a long shot but also might be worth a try

I've also seen a number of posts where people had to resort to re-installing windows to resolve it

blokewhoknowsnothingabouttech · Aug 24, 2017

blockhead78 :

I have tried a different connection with no adapter and the GPU didn't work at all, regardless of what drivers I had installed

I've tried re enabling the iGPU and disabling it and re installing the GPU and it didn't work either

blockhead78 · Aug 24, 2017

hmmm no display at all even with original driver when not using an adapter... that's certainly odd

it might suggest there's an issue with the GPU, or even possibly the monitor

don't suppose you have a different monitor you can try?

blokewhoknowsnothingabouttech · Aug 24, 2017

blockhead78 :

I've tried a different monitor and it didn't work. There is nothing wrong with the GPU as I've tried the PC with a known working GPU (a 750ti if you're interested) and have had similar issues with getting it to display without an adapter

blockhead78 · Aug 24, 2017

man, this gets even stranger... so same problem with a different monitor and the same issue using a different GPU

through process of elimination, it would potentially point to some issues in the operating system that are conflicting with the newer driver install

before entertaining a system re-install though, might be worth seeing if your bios is up to date and if not, get the latest version updated

also, when you've replicated the problem each time... are the fans spinning on the GPU? (ie. does it appear to be getting power)

blokewhoknowsnothingabouttech · Aug 24, 2017

blockhead78 :

Right. The BIOS is the latest revision (can't remember exactly what it's called off the top of my head and I can't be bothered to do a restart to find out but it's the latest one available for my DELL Optiplex 390.) As for the power question, the GPU is getting power and the fans do spin. If you're interested my PSU is a EVGA 430W unit.

blockhead78 · Aug 24, 2017

must admit I'm pretty stumped now, besides resetting all defaults in bios and a last resort of a windows re-install

hopefully someone else might jump on the post with some different suggestions

I hope it gets resolved for you

RobCrezz · Aug 24, 2017

Run GPU-Z, and post a picture of the specs please.

Where did you buy the card from?

blokewhoknowsnothingabouttech · Aug 24, 2017

RobCrezz :

Here's the GPU-Z specs you asked for - http://imgur.com/3oidlWi

I bought the card used from eBay and in every other sense apart from the drivers it has worked without fault

RobCrezz · Aug 24, 2017

Ah ok, just checking as it was sounding like a counterfeit card, but yours looks genuine.

Do you have a monitor plugged into the gpu as well as the motherboard?

blokewhoknowsnothingabouttech · Aug 24, 2017

RobCrezz :

No. I have the monitor plugged into the GPU. No displays are plugged into the motherboard. If I were to plug a display into that while also having one plugged into the GPU it would cause an error message to be displayed.

RobCrezz · Aug 24, 2017

Ok. I would try wiping and doing a clean install of windows. Only installing the newest drivers from scratch.

blokewhoknowsnothingabouttech · Aug 24, 2017

RobCrezz :

UPDATE - There's been a bit of a worrying development. Earlier on I was on Google Sketchup (yes I know, I'm boring) messing around & listening to some music when suddenly the PC froze, the screen went black for a few seconds and the GPU fans stopped spinning, then the screen came back on and the fans fired up once more when a few seconds later, the PC froze, the screen went black and the fans died again. This cycle continued for a while when eventually I'd had enough and held the power button until the PC turned off. I've not tried to turn it back on since then and I'm currently typing from one of my other rigs. Thoughts?

blockhead78 · Aug 24, 2017

possibly the psu has failed, but not definite

unplug PSU from mains, disconnect everything in the PC from the PSU, clear the cmos, reconnect everything back and then try to boot

GPU stops working if the drivers are updated

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