Video Card Driver causing BSOD and other errors.

Hello All, For some reason I don't know why I'm getting BSOD more often and before I rarely got any, is bad to a point thats causing my World of Warcraft to crash and giving me WoW (World of Warcraft) Errors. If a BSOD happens is due to the video driver and same thing with the game WoW errors.

Is so bad that I couldn't stay in Safe Mode for more then a few minutes, because I got BSOD and it happen again when I tried going in Safe Mode. Can anyone help on finding out what's going on? I'm getting to a point about reinstalling Windows XP.

All this started to happen when I wanted to reinstall the video drivers the right way and not overriding old video card drivers with the new ones. I followed this guide http://forums.nvidia.com/index.php?showtopic=169555&hl=

Idk maybe this user mess up on the guide? But it sure mess up my windows, thanks all hopefully I can solve this annoying issue.

 

Greetings, Angel1985.

Quick question: is the problem machine the same one as in this thread?

 

BSODs can be caused by a mutitude of reason (both hardware and software). If you were trying to upgrade your GPU driver this could be the cause or it could be coincidence.

Fixing it could be difficult if you are getting contant BSODs but give this a go to start. Download and install Driversweeper from here. When you run it it will list a load of drivers select your GPU driver and remove it.

Then download the latest driver for your GPU and install it.

Having just read the link you posted you have probably already installed driver sweeper so on that basis just use it to remove your existing driver.

If you are able to successfully install the new driver and you are still having BSOD then please post back.

 

Thanks @Caliban: Yep, but for some reason is causing errors when I play online games and it has to do with my video driver, funny thing is I couldn't even last in safe mode for long because I got 2 BSOD when tried 2 times. Is the first time I ever experienced BSOD in safe mode since I got this computer in Oct 2007. Sorry for taking long to respond and it looks like someone hi-jack my thread =/.

Thanks @Tueur: So how would I go in about to fix and get my video card driver working right? Should I do the following steps:

Can I go to Add/ Remove Programs un-install the following:

NVIDIA - Graphics Driver 270.61
NVIDIA - nView 135.70
NVIDIA - PhysX System Software 9.10.0514
NVIDIA - Update 1.1.34

Then

Do I need to be in safe mode to install and remove my video card drivers? then use driver sweeper (check mark the following 3 under Driver Sweeper):

NVIDIA - Chipset
NVIDIA - Display
NVIDIA - PhysX


Btw last night for some reason when I was playing World of Warcraft the game just frozed, I know it was trying to give me a World of Warcraft error, but it couldn't due to it freezing my computer completely to a point I had to power it off from the back.

 

Thinking about it a bit more I am less sure that it is your GPU Driver. I dnot think tha windows loads your GPU driver in safe mode and I think it just uses the standard VGA driver. Hence the reesolution being 600x800 in safe mode. This means it is not your driver causeing the problem. (Can someone please correct me if this is not the case)

My guts say that it is hardware related. Did you test your GPU RAM as suggested in your other thread?

I would recomend the following if you have tested it.

Download and run Memtest86 (assuming you are running 32bit OS, Memtest64 if running 64 bit) to rule out RAM problems.

Find the hard dissk diagnostic tool for your HD (Please post back your make and model of HD if you do not know what utility you need), download and run it.

Then test your PSU with a multi-meter to rule out PSU problems.

Personally I suspect all of the above will come back clean but these are the first things I always do with any BSOD. If you are still having problems then remove all non essential components and peripherals. (Anything USB [including any wireless network adapter], secondary hard disks, optical drives etc) Run your system again and seee if you are still getting BSODs. At this point you have ruled out PSU, HD and RAM which really only leaves motherboard, CPU and GPU. you cant really test MB (uness ou have one with the same chipset) and it is very rare for CPUs to fail so I would suggest swapping out you GPU.

If ou have a spare one kicking around I would suggest swap your GPU fist but the above process will help you narrow down the list of possible causes before spending money on new GPU

 

I tried running MemTest86, but it showed it was gonna take like 22-24 hours for it to complete. Question: When I do run MemTest86 it asked me the following -

Your current video mode is 1024x768x32, for test more video memory will good if it be temporary changed to 640x480x16.
Do you want to set this mode now and restore your original mode after testing?
Yes or No?

So should i hit yes?

 

Hit, yes - it looks like Memtest can't test RAM in use, using a low res will free up a few more MB of video RAM.

 

Thanks satrow, will run that today and will post the results on here.

 

Hey All, I decided to reinstall my Video Card Drivers and delete the Nvidia Corporation Folder. Will try the other options if something goes wrong, I don't mind running Memtest86 but there is times when I need to check email and /or play online games, but can't play them if this program is running. I will be playing all day today and will get back to you guys to see if I get any errors or BSOD.

Also with Memtest86 running you can't do nothing less you stop it, I'm also gonna dust my computer since I haven't a while.

 

Ok I was broadcasting a basic computer game and outta nowhere I get another BSOD, it had nothing to do with the nv4_disp.dll this time, but instead with:

Crash Time: 4/30/2011 4:22:34 PM
Bug Check String: Driver_IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL
Caused By Driver: nv4.mini.sys

Anyone know what does that mean? I have the actual mini dump file.

 

nv4.mini.sys = part of the nVidia drivers. If you have the minidump file, could you copy it to your Desktop, zip and attach it, please? I'll take a look at it after I get some sleep

 

Thanks Satrow, sure thing here is the most recent one.

Btw I was just playing World of Warcraft and after a few minutes of standing in one of cities I get a WoW error, I can also past the game's error log so you guys can see how is being effected by my video card drivers.

I tried uploading the mini dump file and is saying invalid file

Edit: I figure it out, here is the file

 

It reads like you need to uninstall the latest nVidia drivers and revert to using an older version, when installing, don't install anything you don't need, eg. 3D Stereoscopic drivers, etc. Drivers only is best. While you are at the nVidia site, look for updated nForce chipset drivers for your motherboard, yours look quite old.

Code:

Unable to load image nv4_mini.sys, Win32 error 0n2
*** WARNING: Unable to verify timestamp for nv4_mini.sys
*** ERROR: Module load completed but symbols could not be loaded for nv4_mini.sys
*******************************************************************************
*                                                                             *
*                        Bugcheck Analysis                                    *
*                                                                             *
*******************************************************************************

Use !analyze -v to get detailed debugging information.

BugCheck 100000D1, {0, 2, 8, 0}

Probably caused by : nv4_mini.sys ( nv4_mini+5f9d3a )

Followup: MachineOwner
---------

1: kd> !analyze -v
*******************************************************************************
*                                                                             *
*                        Bugcheck Analysis                                    *
*                                                                             *
*******************************************************************************

DRIVER_IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL (d1)
An attempt was made to access a pageable (or completely invalid) address at an
interrupt request level (IRQL) that is too high.  This is usually
caused by drivers using improper addresses.
If kernel debugger is available get stack backtrace.
Arguments:
Arg1: 00000000, memory referenced
Arg2: 00000002, IRQL
Arg3: 00000008, value 0 = read operation, 1 = write operation
Arg4: 00000000, address which referenced memory

Debugging Details:
------------------


READ_ADDRESS:  00000000 

CURRENT_IRQL:  2

FAULTING_IP: 
+29aac0
00000000 ??              ???

PROCESS_NAME:  prism3d.exe

CUSTOMER_CRASH_COUNT:  2

DEFAULT_BUCKET_ID:  DRIVER_FAULT

BUGCHECK_STR:  0xD1

LAST_CONTROL_TRANSFER:  from b6989d3a to 00000000

FAILED_INSTRUCTION_ADDRESS: 
+29aac0
00000000 ??              ???

STACK_TEXT:  
WARNING: Frame IP not in any known module. Following frames may be wrong.
b84d7ccc b6989d3a 8a50b008 8a536008 8a541008 0x0
b84d7dac b723f11d 88aade20 88cecd88 00000000 nv4_mini+0x5f9d3a
b84d7dc4 b661915f b661297a 8a5d1000 8a541008 ks!CKsQueue::ReleaseIrp+0x8e
b84d7dd4 8a5ca000 b662aac0 8a5d1000 00000003 nv4_mini+0x28915f
b84d7dd8 b662aac0 8a5d1000 00000003 00000000 0x8a5ca000
b84d7ddc 8a5d1000 00000003 00000000 8a541008 nv4_mini+0x29aac0
b84d7de0 00000000 00000000 8a541008 b661915f 0x8a5d1000


STACK_COMMAND:  kb

FOLLOWUP_IP: 
nv4_mini+5f9d3a
b6989d3a ??              ???

SYMBOL_STACK_INDEX:  1

SYMBOL_NAME:  nv4_mini+5f9d3a

FOLLOWUP_NAME:  MachineOwner

MODULE_NAME: nv4_mini

IMAGE_NAME:  nv4_mini.sys

DEBUG_FLR_IMAGE_TIMESTAMP:  4d9e7e5f

FAILURE_BUCKET_ID:  0xD1_CODE_AV_NULL_IP_nv4_mini+5f9d3a

BUCKET_ID:  0xD1_CODE_AV_NULL_IP_nv4_mini+5f9d3a

Followup: MachineOwner
---------

1: kd> lmvm nv4_mini
start    end        module name
b6390000 b6f7c260   nv4_mini T (no symbols)           
    Loaded symbol image file: nv4_mini.sys
    Image path: nv4_mini.sys
    Image name: nv4_mini.sys
    Timestamp:        Fri Apr 08 04:17:51 2011 (4D9E7E5F)
    CheckSum:         00BED260
    ImageSize:        00BEC260
    Translations:     0000.04b0 0000.04e4 0409.04b0 0409.04e4

 

Thanks Satrow, so which video card drivers do you recommend for my Nvidia Geforce 8600 GT? Also shouldn't I be installing the Asus motherboard chipset drivers (my motherboard is by Asus btw)? Wanna make sure I'm clear on what to install.

 

you will want the latest stable drives on your system. unfortunately there is no way of know which were the latest stble ones. download the ones prior the newest. use driversweeper to remove your current driver then install the older ones. if the system is stable then great, if not get the next oldest.

with regard to your chipset, you should get the drivers from nvidia. asus only manufacture the hardware and basically buy the chipset from nvidia. you can download drivers from asus but new drivers are always released on the chipset manufacturers website first. asus will then package them up on their website later.

 

According to my Add/Remove (W7 64bit) I'm using 266.58 on my 9800GT and my nForce 1.7(?) drivers for my ASUS motherboard are from around the same date, both installed on the 8th of March, when they would have been the latest available. I game regularly with never any problem (but not WOW on this install). Basically, once you have a stable Windows, don't update any drivers unless there's a very good reason to.

Many makers tend to stop offering driver updates around 12 months after the last item using the chip was shipped out of their factory and, as Tueur said, the ASUS version drivers would be released some time after the main release for the chip.

 

Thanks Tueur and Satrow, for some reason my computer is getting more BSOD. Today I had have 2 BSOD. Here is both of them:

1st Crash
Crash Time: 5/1/2011 2:06:20 PM
Bug Check String: KERNEL_MODE_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED
Caused By Driver: watchdog.sys (anyone know why this driver has caused 2 BSOD in the last couple of days?)

2nd Crash
Crash Time: 5/1/2011 2:10:14 PM
Bug Check String: THREAD_STUCK_IN_DEVICE_DRIVER
Caused By Driver: nv4_disp.dll

So should I use the ones released on Jan 18, 2011?

 

The January drivers should be worth trying, if they're still listed on the website, I doubt if there are too many problems associated with them.

Watchdog.sys - hmm, could be something from Windows Update or AVG, let's rule out AVG by uninstalling it Download the AVG remover tool first. Run the normal AVG uninstaller from Add/Remove and reboot. Then run the AVG remover to ensure it's all gone.

If you must install an A/V during this testing period, I'd advise Avast! or MSE.

Do you have another (known good) graphics card you can test with? It could be that the 9600GT is failing.

 

Watchdog.sys isnt related to AVG its tied into your GPU

See THIS

That said I would still recomend removing AVG and replacing it with either MSE or Avast.

Both errors seem to be related to GPU and drivers. Roll back your drivers and if possible swap out the card. then see where how you get on.

 

Thanks Tueur and Satrow, for my Video Card I'm gonna install: 266.58_desktop_winxp_32bit_english_whql
and for my Motherboard drivers: 6.86_nforce_win2kxp_international_whql

Also gonna uninstall AVG and try out Avast. Will get back to you guys and see how it goes (hopefully it solves my problems).

 

Hey All, for some reason my Windows XP kept coming up and saying my system has recover from a crash (the error kept popping up 6 times before it finally disappear). I saw it said something about SP3, gonna check on the Microsoft website.