BSOD usually while idle, but never while gaming: error 0x0000001e

I will be uploading the zip file from the instructions given for 'BSOD threads' along with this post. The entire error message I receive is: ***STOP: 0x0000001e (0xffffffffc0000005, 0x0000000000000000, 0x0000000000000008, 0x0000000000000000)

Just a little background on the issue. I had not updated my nvidia graphics drivers in some time because I was taking classes and not playing a lot of video games at the time, so I just didn't think about it. About a month or month and a half ago I decided to update my drivers and later that day I began to get BSOD crashes - which was the first time ever with this system since I built it about 3 years ago. At the time I didn't know what to do so I simply reverted to a previous Restore Point and the crashes stopped. But any time I decided to update my nvidia graphics driver I would begin to get the BSOD crashes again - so I decided to "mess with it later" and reverted to the previous Restore Point once again. Well now is "later" and I'd like to get some professional help. I've tried a few different drivers, not just the latest and it still crashes. It also seems to occur more so while the computer is idle - it has never happened while I'm actually playing a video game. So for me to write this post - and to follow all of the previous steps in acquiring the zip file - I have had a game running in the background.

I have decided it is time to get to the bottom of this and fix it once and for all. I am assuming from what I have read in the dump files that there is probably a driver conflict with the nvlddmkm.sys file on my system, of which appears to be the prime suspect - but also in a separate section it also shows 'ntoskrnl.exe+a48a0' as a crash address. If you need any other information just let me know and I will provide it.

Thank you so much for your time in this matter.

Hello, I am not a certified professional, but if you believe the BSOD's have started since your latest update, one thing you can try is a program to clean out all your old nvidia files so you can do a fresh install. I use Display Driver Uninstaller (DDU) and it works great.



Step 1: Make sure you have installed Microsoft .NET 3 or later.

Step 2: Download the (as of now) latest version of Display Driver Uninstaller and install. Don't click the orange sponsor btw. [click here]

Step 3: Uninstall any nvidia geforce related drivers, including PhysX, Nvidia HD Audio Driver, Geforce Experience, and 3D Vision drivers. You will probably be prompted to restart your computer over and over. Do so. Just make sure to uninstall the actual graphics driver LAST. If for some reason you are unable to, then...


Step 4: Restart and reboot into Safe Mode

Step 5: Run DDU, select "Clean and Restart"

Step 6: Reinstall latest drivers. You may have to restart your computer one last time. Hopefully everything is good after that.

Thanks MyPoorPC for the tip - as it is an excellent one - but I've already been using DDU for years now. It's the best way to go, fresh clean installs every time I update drivers. But seriously I do greatly appreciate the response.

There were 10 BSOD mini dump files debugged.
There was one misbehaving hardware driver identified in all of the dump files:
Nvidia GPU dirvers: nvlddmkm.sys
The other drivers seen in the dumps are ordinarily fixed by Windows updates.

Perform the following steps:

1) Open administrative command prompt and type or copy and paste:
2) sfc /scannow
3) chkdsk /scan
4) When these have completed > right click on the top bar or title bar of the administrative command prompt box > left click on edit then select all > right click on the top bar again > left click on edit then copy > paste into the thread
5) uninstall the Nvidia GPU driver using DDU (display driver uninstaller)
6) re-install the Nvidia GPU driver from the Nvidia website
7) make sure that you check the clean install box and if available install the physx driver.
Display Driver Uninstaller Download version 17.0.8.2
Display Driver Uninstaller: How to use - Windows 7 Help Forums
NVIDIA
Download Display Driver Uninstaller - MajorGeeks
8) Perform Windows updates

Code:

Adapter Description	NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980
Adapter RAM	(1,048,576) bytes
Installed Drivers	nvd3dumx.dll,nvwgf2umx.dll,nvwgf2umx.dll,nvd3dum,nvwgf2um,nvwgf2um
Driver Version	24.21.13.9882
INF File	oem117.inf (Section007 section)
Color Planes	Not Available
Color Table Entries	4294967296
Resolution	2560 x 1440 x 105 hertz
Bits/Pixel	32
Memory Address	0xFA000000-0xFAFFFFFF
Memory Address	0xC0000000-0xCFFFFFFF
Memory Address	0xD0000000-0xD1FFFFFF
I/O Port	0x0000E000-0x0000E07F
IRQ Channel	IRQ 32
I/O Port	0x000003B0-0x000003DF
I/O Port	0x000003C0-0x000003DF
Memory Address	0xA0000-0xBFFFF
Driver	c:\windows\system32\drivers\nvlddmkm.sys (24.21.13.9882, 16.22 MB (17,012,184 bytes), 8/3/2018 12:41 PM)
	
Name	NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980
PNP Device ID	PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_13C0&SUBSYS_39883842&REV_A1\4&3671AB7A&0&0018
Adapter Type	NVxx, NVIDIA compatible
Adapter Description	NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980
Adapter RAM	(1,048,576) bytes
Installed Drivers	nvd3dumx.dll,nvwgf2umx.dll,nvwgf2umx.dll,nvd3dum,nvwgf2um,nvwgf2um
Driver Version	24.21.13.9882
INF File	oem117.inf (Section007 section)
Color Planes	Not Available
Color Table Entries	Not Available
Resolution	Not Available
Bits/Pixel	Not Available
Memory Address	0xF8000000-0xF90FFFFF
Memory Address	0xA0000000-0xB1FFFFFF
Memory Address	0xB0000000-0xB1FFFFFF
I/O Port	0x0000DF80-0x0000DFFF
IRQ Channel	IRQ 40
Driver	c:\windows\system32\drivers\nvlddmkm.sys (24.21.13.9882, 16.22 MB (17,012,184 bytes), 8/3/2018 12:41 PM)

Code:

Event[2272]:
  Log Name: System
  Source: Application Popup
  Date: 2018-08-03T12:15:59.747
  Event ID: 26
  Task: N/A
  Level: Information
  Opcode: N/A
  Keyword: Classic
  User: N/A
  User Name: N/A
  Computer: VALsREDBEAST
  Description: 
Application popup:  : \SystemRoot\system32\DRIVERS\nvlddmkm.sys failed to load

Event[2273]:
  Log Name: System
  Source: Microsoft-Windows-Kernel-PnP
  Date: 2018-08-03T12:15:59.747
  Event ID: 219
  Task: N/A
  Level: Warning
  Opcode: Info
  Keyword: N/A
  User: S-1-5-18
  User Name: NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM
  Computer: VALsREDBEAST
  Description: 
The driver \Driver\nvlddmkm failed to load for the device PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_13C0&SUBSYS_39883842&REV_A1\4&1955a1f&0&0010.

Code:

nvlddmkm.sys Mon Jul 30 10:30:57 2018 (5B5F4B51)

Code:

nvlddmkm     nvlddmkm               nvlddmkm               Kernel        Manual     Running    OK         TRUE        FALSE        7,348,224  7,168,000  0      7/30/2018 1:30:57 PM   C:\Windows\system32\DRIVERS\nvlddmkm.sys         32,768

Microsoft Windows [Version 6.1.7601]
Copyright (c) 2009 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

C:\Windows\system32>sfc /scannow

Beginning system scan. This process will take some time.

Beginning verification phase of system scan.
Verification 100% complete.

Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations.

C:\Windows\system32>chkdsk /scan
Invalid parameter - /scan

C:\Windows\system32>

****************************************
I ran chkdsk scan from boot with no errors/issues, uninstalled gpu drivers using latest DDU version software - I keep that up-to-date, reinstalled latest gpu drivers with clean install with physx driver - as usual, checked for Windows updates - none - I keep that up-to-date as well.