Graphics Driver has Stopped Responding and has Successfully Recovered

[mrtnplass]

Hello,
I am having a continual problem with my graphics. My screen will randomly flicker or blackout. Most of the time it will turn back on in a few seconds, but sometimes it will shut the computer down or freeze it up so that it needs to be manually shut down. I originally had Vista and was getting the flickering and blacking out screen, with the BSOD sometimes. I upgraded to 7, still had the same problems, bought a new graphics card, still the same problems, completely wiped my hard drives and did a clean install and am still having the issue. It seems like most of the time the black screen occurs when watching a video or viewing pictures, but it will happen occasionally even when just browsing online or working in Word. When I first replaced the graphics card, it seemed that the problem was gone but it came back in several days of using the new card.

I've tried using just about every possible driver for my graphics card but to no avail. I also spent some time with HP Support and they gave up. One peculiar things is that I looked at my Windows Experience Index and it was saying my lowest score was a 5.5 for graphics. It said that it needed to be refreshed, so I did that and now it comes back with a score of 1 for graphics and 2 for gaming graphics. Is it just a coincidence and this graphics card is going bad too? If anyone has any ideas on what this might be, I would really appreciate it.

The BSOD was not always the same error, but several times I remember that it was related to "nvlddmkm .sys." This is the error report that it provided after one of the BSOD crashes:

Problem signature:
Problem Event Name: BlueScreen
OS Version: 6.0.6000.2.0.0.768.3
Locale ID: 1033

Additional information about the problem:
BCCode: fe
BCP1: 00000005
BCP2: 8473D0E0
BCP3: 80862832
BCP4: 87527BE4
OS Version: 6_0_6000
Service Pack: 0_0
Product: 768_1

Here is my system info:

Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Quad CPU Q6600 @ 2.40GHz
RAM: 4GB
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GT 320
Avg GPU temp: 63 degrees C
OS: Windows 7, 32 Bit, with all latest updates

 

[Rockdpm]

sounds like either a heat issue or your graphics chip is failing

 

[swifty_morgan]

"nvlddmkm .sys."........... that is nvidia......... driver problem ? try older driver ?

rest of system/hardware and don't forget power supply.

 

[mrtnplass]

sounds like either a heat issue or your graphics chip is failing

Is 63 C too warm?

 

[edogawa]

Is 63 C too warm?

Idle it's kind of hot, what's your temperature while in games?

Do you have the latest nvidia drivers installed?

How good is airflow in your case? Sounds like a heat issue.

 

[mrtnplass]

"nvlddmkm .sys."........... that is nvidia......... driver problem ? try older driver ?

rest of system/hardware and don't forget power supply.

From my research online, it sounds like the nvddmkm problem is a driver error. I have also gotten a "USB Bugcode" BSOD before. I've tired all sorts of drivers, all the way from the original one to the latest and greatest beta and there has been no difference with any of them.

 

[Rockdpm]

Usually when your graphics driver stops responding you need to either re-install drivers or RMA your card because the card may be defective. But its usually just a bad driver install

 

[mrtnplass]

Idle it's kind of hot, what's your temperature while in games?

Do you have the latest nvidia drivers installed?

How good is airflow in your case?

I can't get in and play any games, as it will lock up when I do. The hottest I have seen it get is in the mid 70s while running TV is windows media center.

Yes, latest driver from last week is installed.

The airflow is average I guess. This is pretty much a stock HP machine. I have pulled the cover off and it was hard to tell if that made a difference.

 

[edogawa]

I can't get in and play any games, as it will lock up when I do. The hottest I have seen it get is in the mid 70s while running TV is windows media center.

Yes, latest driver from last week is installed.

The airflow is average I guess. This is pretty much a stock HP machine. I have pulled the cover off and it was hard to tell if that made a difference.

Well, what you could do is download evga precision http://www.evga.com/precision/ and set the fans to 80% and try a game; even could try down-clocking to test if it's a heat issue too.

If that does not work you could uninstall drivers and use drive sweeper to clean anything out and then attempt to reinstall them.

Uninstall drivers then use this: http://treexy.com/ Then restart and install drivers.

If that does not work you should contact HP for an RMA on that GPU; it might be going bad.

 

[mrtnplass]

Usually when your graphics driver stops responding you need to either re-install drivers or RMA your card because the card may be defective. But its usually just a bad driver install

Pretty sure it isn't a bad driver install because I have run over 10 clean installs of new and old graphics drivers and it changed nothing.

 

[Rockdpm]

Pretty sure it isn't a bad driver install because I have run over 10 clean installs of new and old graphics drivers and it changed nothing.

Ok then its your Graphics cards fault.

Here let me write you a logical algorithm for this issue:

If tried multiple drivers then issue still occurs, hardware issue
If cooled down gpu or tried other gpu then software issue

So i'm thinking since the 2nd is canceled out then if then solvant 1 is answer choice to this situation. You can try modifying fan speed or voltages but your best bet if that doesn't work would be to call your computer manufacture and tell them your issue so they can assist in a replacement or RMA

 

[mrtnplass]

Well, what you could do is download evga precision http://www.evga.com/precision/ and set the fans to 80% and try a game; even could try down-clocking to test if it's a heat issue too.

If that does not work you could uninstall drivers and use drive sweeper to clean anything out and then attempt to reinstall them.

Uninstall drivers then use this: http://treexy.com/ Then restart and install drivers.

If that does not work you should contact HP for an RMA on that GPU; it might be going bad.

When you say to uninstall drivers, you mean all drivers on the computer?

 

[Rockdpm]

When you say to uninstall drivers, you mean all drivers on the computer?

No no, he just means the official drivers for your video card. Don't worry it won't disable your display because Windows will detect the part and run a Windows Default driver which may make your screen format down in size but its stable enough to navigate to get things rolling

 

[swifty_morgan]

thanks so much for reading my post and not giving all the info requested........... however, having other problems ( usb and whatnot ) sounds more like the mother board got spiked. now it's trash.

 

[edogawa]

When you say to uninstall drivers, you mean all drivers on the computer?

Well yes, the Nvidia Graphic Drivers.

It should be: "NVIDIA Graphics Driver 306.97" After uninstalling the screen will switch to Windows default display drivers, and you can then run the driver cleaner.

After that just reboot and do a clean install.

 

[mrtnplass]

Well yes, the Nvidia Graphic Drivers.

It should be: "NVIDIA Graphics Driver 306.97" After uninstalling the screen will switch to Windows default display drivers, and you can then run the driver cleaner.

After that just reboot and do a clean install.

After you mentioned temperature, I tried pulling off the side of the case again and it improved. Since then, I've repositioned the desktop so that it has better airflow and my gpu temp is now ranging from 45 (idle) to 58 (streaming video) and I have not had the blacking out screen yet. I'll see if it continues to stay away this week, but right now it looks like it might have been temperature problem. When I was having the problems this summer when it was hot, it might have been that the room was too warm to cool it off enough by just opening the case. Now that temperatures are down, the room is cooler and that might be helping. Seems logical to me anyway... Keep you posted.

Thanks to everyone for the comments!

 

[edogawa]

That's good news, you should install some fans with high static pressure inside the case and do some cable management; maybe buy a case with better air flow.

I hate summer, drastically raises temperatures where I live; have to run air conditioner 24\7.