Random Freezes, BSOD, other crashes

MvdB · 27 Jul 2011

Driversweeper: Phyxion.net - Driver Sweeper

Your multiple instances... is exactly what we want to cure with driversweeper...

waterhaus · 27 Jul 2011

OK, ran driver sweeper in safe mode, but before I make any changes I have a big question: I have an AMD graphics card, and as I built the system I know it's the only GPU that's ever been used with this comp/windows install. Driver Sweeper finds AMD-Display drivers, but also finds NVIDIA_Display, NVIDIA-Chipset, and NVIDIA-PhysX. I know that the Nvidia chipset may be from the windows install or the mobo, but I should get rid of the nvidia display drivers for sure, right? What about the PhysX drivers? Will AMD drivers install that back?

Also, I am showing sound drivers from both Creative and Realtek, as well as Asus - should I only be using one? I'm pretty sure Realtek is the one I downloaded from the Asus mobo website, yet Asus is listed too. I have had some minor sound problems - for instance Ventrilo telling me I have a sound driver conflict, yet playing sound just fine.

Finally, I have 2 USB drivers, from Fresco Logic and from NEC. The mobo came with a addon card for 2 more USB3 ports, so I am assuming it has something to do with that and is not a problem. I have no idea either way, though.

Thank you so much for all the help you've given so far! I am crossing my fingers that this Nvidia Display driver is the source of my problems, but I am at a complete loss as to figure out why it is even installed.

MvdB · 27 Jul 2011

I'm on a iPAD right now so it is hard for me to check your system specs...

1. The double nvidia drivers should not be needed. Depending on you mobo (that is what i cannot check right now) it could be the mobo has onboard nvidia graphics. But even so... My choice would be to de-install. We know how to find up to date stuff if it proves to be needed.

2. The same goes for sound. I would deinstall all, reboot and install latest from the manufacturer.

3. Be careful with the chipset however. I have no reason to suspect those for now. Lets do one thing at a time and remember this for later...

4. Multiple usb is logical only if you have multiple different usb components (ie mobo usb2, mobo usb3 etc)

Good luck, hope we're getting there....

waterhaus · 28 Jul 2011

OK, I ran driversweeper in safe mode and uninstalled AMD -Display, Nvidia - Display, Nvidia - PhysX, and the 3 sounds drivers (realtek, Asus, and Creative). I reinstalled Realtek (from the P8P67 Pro downloads section - that's my mobo). I rebooted into safe mode again and tried to install the latest 11.7 AMD drivers for my Radeon HD 6950, and I got this error: "Failed to load detection driver." The install failed. I rebooted into safe mode again and ran driversweeper again to clear out any partial install that the AMD drivers might have done, and tried again, with the 11.6 drivers (these 11.6 drivers are the one I was using before, I still had the install saved on my machine) I got the exact same "Failed to load detection driver" error. Also, curiously, driversweeper said there were no Realtek or any other sound drivers, too, but sound is working just fine from the green output on the mobo to my speakers, but whatever. The big issue is that my computer is no longer benefitting from the GPU. I can run regular and safe mode both without issue, but obviously this is no good because of the terrible resolution from whatever onboard CPU graphics processing or whatever I am getting now.

How do I re-install the drivers for the GPU? I have looked around online for people with similar errors, but the advice is wildly varying and I can't find a consensus on what to do. In Device Manager, Windows is recognizing that I have an AMD Radeon 6900 Series card, but the Device Status Message says this:

"Windows cannot start this hardware device because its configuration information (in the registry) is incomplete or damaged. (Code 19)"

Driver File Details on that card points to Windows\system32\coinst.dll and Windows\sysWOW64\Oemdspif.dll

The settings also show a Driver Date of 5/24/2011 and Driver Version 8.861.0.0, Device Provider: ATI Technologies.

Help! I have no clue what to do now.

waterhaus · 28 Jul 2011

OK, I went ahead and tried to install the most recent video drivers in regular mode (not safe mode) and they installed without problem. I rebooted and they appear to be working again; at least my resolution and dual monitors are back to normal. However, I also noticed that when the computer first booted, there was a small window on the top left of the screen that looked like some sort of video or something. The program was named "MMloaddev" or something - it disappeared after just a second. What is this??

MvdB · 29 Jul 2011

We would have to check with AMD as I am not entirely sure... but that should be a warning that your graphics card is not getting enough power (amps on the 12v rail).
My advice would be to be careful and keep doing one thing at a time, takes patience but it is the only way to find out exactly what action helps (or causes) what problem... If your system works ok now with normal usage, give it some time to be sure. Only the raise the stakes and test something heavier, maybe a demanding (graphics-wise) game. If it messes up when you do that, lets keep a potential power issue in mind for further testing?

Since it is a personal build, you probably know, and have calculated, the details. So IF you realize there might be something loose or incorrectly connected, it's fine to check of-course... but looking at your spec's I'd say the psu should be fine for your system.

What you can / should do if a message on that process returns is uninstal Catalyst itself, not with driversweeper but with its own de-install. That way you should keep your drivers whilst losing the overhead of the extra Catalyst stuff of which this process is a part.

waterhaus · 29 Jul 2011

I did what was suggested and I haven't had a freeze yet, but it's still too early to tell if I will.

I did, however, have another BSOD, a 3d error pointing back at that MV91xx.sys file, which I think is the Marvell storage controller. I have the most recent version from the mobo manufacturer's website:

ASUSTeK Computer Inc. -Support- Drivers and Download P8P67 PRO

but in looking around on the net, I found this website

ASUS P8P67 Pro bios & drivers

Which looks to have more recent Marvell drivers. Also, the mobo site only has one marvell driver, while this other site appears to have 3, one of those 3 pointing specifically to the MV91xx BIOS or something. Should I download and install these newer drivers? Should I install all three of the drivers they have, or just focus on the plain driver download?

I'm not sure if it's important, but before the BSOD my screen did the rainbow color static, but just for a second. I wonder if it's the GPU, but why would it reference HDD/SATA drivers as the cause? I'm still confused. Thanks for your help, MvdB.

MvdB · 30 Jul 2011

It does not hurt to try. As a rule, we go for drivers from the manufacturer of the HW item. However, sometimes a mobo manufacturer needs special settings for a SATA driver to work on his mobo. In that case we must go with the drivers that come with the mobo. I don't like it but sometimes this is trial and error. If you know what you're doing and can retrace your steps / go back, it doesn't hurt to try both and see what is stable.