BSoD caused by nvlddmkm.sys

kobane · 14 Feb 2013

Hello everyone. First of all, I apologize for any possible misspellings/mistakes, English is not my mother tongue.

I've been having an issue with the "nvlddmkm.sys" driver for about 3 months now. The thing is that it started all of a sudden, when the screensaver started playing back then. It seemed to freeze the laptop and then it restarted, showing a "double screen" and a lot of vertical pink/green lines all along both screens. Even the resolution quality seemed way lower. It was something that could be fixed by shutting the laptop down and turning it on again or just by restarting it but, one day, it just showed that issue everytime. I took it to a technician who couldn't find the problem and I just kept using the laptop as usual. When I turn it on, most of times, it does the "double screen and lines" thing but some other times it works normally, as if nothing was wrong. When it works properly, sometimes it crashes down. That's how I got to finally notice (not long ago) what the problem was: An issue with the nvlddmkm.sys file as it finally displayed a BSoD and I got to see the System failure details. I've been searching for help in different forums with no luck. I've seen there's a way to fix it but many people say it doesn't work (the "download another nvlddmkm.sys file, rename the older one and replace with the new one" thing). I haven't tried it because I'm afraid of making a mistake and not being able to use the laptop anymore ^^; That's why I tried asking of possible solutions and it's effects before doing something wrong.

I'm attaching the .rar archive from the SF tool.

As additional info:

The laptop with the issue is a Dell Inspiron 1420
My OS is Windows 7 Home Premium 32-bits
Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo
CPU T7250
2.00GHz 2.00GHz
RAM memory: 1.00GB

GPU: NVIDIA GeForce 8400M GS
BIOS Video version: 60.86.45.00.10
Driver version: 185.85

I have a question: What are the normal/common temperatures for this kind of laptops? And for that specific GPU?

Any help will be appreciated

koolkat77 · 15 Feb 2013

Welcome to SevenForums.

For a stop 116, please go through this link: STOP 0x116: VIDEO_TDR_ERROR troubleshooting

Code:

*******************************************************************************
*                                                                             *
*                        Bugcheck Analysis                                    *
*                                                                             *
*******************************************************************************

Use !analyze -v to get detailed debugging information.

BugCheck 116, {84891510, 8da4b260, 0, 2}

*** WARNING: Unable to verify timestamp for nvlddmkm.sys
*** ERROR: Module load completed but symbols could not be loaded for nvlddmkm.sys
Probably caused by : nvlddmkm.sys ( nvlddmkm+c260 )

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

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

VIDEO_TDR_FAILURE (116)
Attempt to reset the display driver and recover from timeout failed.
Arguments:
Arg1: 84891510, Optional pointer to internal TDR recovery context (TDR_RECOVERY_CONTEXT).
Arg2: 8da4b260, The pointer into responsible device driver module (e.g. owner tag).
Arg3: 00000000, Optional error code (NTSTATUS) of the last failed operation.
Arg4: 00000002, Optional internal context dependent data.

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


FAULTING_IP: 
nvlddmkm+c260
8da4b260 55              push    ebp

DEFAULT_BUCKET_ID:  GRAPHICS_DRIVER_TDR_FAULT

CUSTOMER_CRASH_COUNT:  1

BUGCHECK_STR:  0x116

PROCESS_NAME:  System

CURRENT_IRQL:  0

STACK_TEXT:  
90fe0b74 8c93392c 00000116 84891510 8da4b260 nt!KeBugCheckEx+0x1e
90fe0b98 8c93474b 8da4b260 00000000 00000002 dxgkrnl!TdrBugcheckOnTimeout+0x8d
90fe0bbc 8e3ac92c 00000000 00000102 826ad788 dxgkrnl!TdrIsRecoveryRequired+0xb8
90fe0c34 8e3d6a32 fffffcfb 00005312 00000000 dxgmms1!VidSchiReportHwHang+0x3c0
90fe0c5c 8e3d7153 00000000 00000000 00000000 dxgmms1!VidSchiCheckHwProgress+0x68
90fe0c98 8e3b38f0 90fe0c90 82717668 82703378 dxgmms1!VidSchiWaitForSchedulerEvents+0x1b1
90fe0d28 8e3d84b7 826ad788 82e513f1 826ad788 dxgmms1!VidSchiScheduleCommandToRun+0xaa
90fe0d3c 8e3d8573 826ad788 00000000 826b7848 dxgmms1!VidSchiRun_PriorityTable+0xf
90fe0d50 8302366d 826ad788 8b19e68a 00000000 dxgmms1!VidSchiWorkerThread+0x7f
90fe0d90 82ed50d9 8e3d84f4 826ad788 00000000 nt!PspSystemThreadStartup+0x9e
00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 nt!KiThreadStartup+0x19


STACK_COMMAND:  .bugcheck ; kb

FOLLOWUP_IP: 
nvlddmkm+c260
8da4b260 55              push    ebp

SYMBOL_NAME:  nvlddmkm+c260

FOLLOWUP_NAME:  MachineOwner

MODULE_NAME: nvlddmkm

IMAGE_NAME:  nvlddmkm.sys

DEBUG_FLR_IMAGE_TIMESTAMP:  49fa9243

FAILURE_BUCKET_ID:  0x116_IMAGE_nvlddmkm.sys

BUCKET_ID:  0x116_IMAGE_nvlddmkm.sys

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

0: kd> lmvm nvlddmkm
start    end        module name
8da3f000 8e3a3ca0   nvlddmkm T (no symbols)           
    Loaded symbol image file: nvlddmkm.sys
    Image path: \SystemRoot\system32\DRIVERS\nvlddmkm.sys
    Image name: nvlddmkm.sys
    Timestamp:        Fri May 01 12:10:11 2009 (49FA9243)
    CheckSum:         009678C0
    ImageSize:        00964CA0
    Translations:     0000.04b0 0000.04e4 0409.04b0 0409.04e4

Please upload all files next time you get a BSOD.

kobane · 17 Feb 2013

Hello, koolkat77, thank you for replying.

I read read the link you provided me with the info on the Stopx116 problem but I didn't understand exactly what should I do.

As for the last thing you mentioned about the files, which files should I upload? Is there any way to get them besides waiting until another BSoD? I ask this last question because, when the laptop displays the "double screen and the lines", it never crashes down and, instead, works normally, only with thos things and a very low resolution. When the screen looks normal, it usually crashes down (it sometimes doesn't) but hardly ever lets me see the BSoD since the screen turns black or blue but I can't read anything on it. That, or it just freezes and a lot of green lines show up all along the screen. That's why it took me so long to notice it was an issue with the nvlddmkm thing.

koolkat77 · 17 Feb 2013

Update your video card driver first:

Download NVIDIA Forceware 306.23 WHQL Vista - FileHippo.com

For a clean installation of the drivers follow:

Sometimes drivers remain, not completely uninstalled. Follow this tutorial for complete removal of drivers of the particular program:

How to Clean Left Over Driver Files with Driver Sweeper

If playing with video driver versions hasn't helped, make sure the box is not overheating. Try removing a side panel and aiming a big mains fan straight at the motherboard and GPU. Run it like that for a few hours or days - long enough to ascertain whether cooler temperatures make a difference. If so, it might be as simple as dust buildup and subsequently inadequate cooling." - H2SO4If all that doesn't work, then I'd have to suggest trying a new video card.

A Microsoft article about fixing Video TDR timeout (STOP 0x117) here: "Display driver stopped responding and has recovered" error in Windows 7 or Windows Vista

kobane · 17 Feb 2013

I've installed the Driver Sweeper successfully. About the driver, will that one work properly? It says it's for Vista and XP but my OS is Windows 7 :/

koolkat77 · 18 Feb 2013

Woops, a very bad mistake from my part.

You should get the NVIDIA drivers, not ATI:

Please use this link: Download NVIDIA Forceware 306.23 WHQL Vista - FileHippo.com

kobane · 23 Feb 2013

It's okay ^^ I wasn't able to do much lately so I hadn't tried with the ATI. I did the first part (Uninstalling the drivers from Control Panel and Cleaning everything with the DriverSweeper program). The thing is that I downloaded the file you told me, the last one, and tried installing it but it says something like:

"NVIDIA installer cannot continue.
This graphic controller/driver couldn't find compatible graphic hardware." (I'm sorry if the translation isn't accurate, the original message it displays is written in Spanish ^^; )

What should I do? Or what other driver should I download?

koolkat77 · 23 Feb 2013

You might find it in the dell website / your laptop's manufacture website.
I'm not finding an appropriate link.

kobane · 23 Feb 2013

Should I search for an especific driver there? or any for this model will work?

koolkat77 · 23 Feb 2013

NVIDIA Driver Downloads - Automatically Detect NVIDIA Products