Windows 7 hangs on startup after installing Nvidia graphics drivers

Sean448 · 19 Sep 2010

Hello all.

I have recently bought a new Windows 7 system and am having a problem installing the graphics card drivers. The store I bought it from pre-installed the OS and all the drivers, and when I fired up the computer for the first time, it got to the point just after the "starting windows" screen - the glowing windows logo desktop background appeared, but the mouse pointer, icons, task bar, start button, etc. did not appear, and I could do nothing at that point other than turn off the computer. So I restarted the computer, booted in safe mode, used system recovery to restore to a previous point, and then I was able to start the computer properly. Then using the process of elimination I figured out that the graphics card drivers were causing the hanging problem.

The card is an Nvidia GeForce 210 512MB.

The other specs for the computer are as follows:

Motherboard: MSI H55M-E33
OS: Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
CPU: Intel i7 870
4GB RAM.

So how can I get around this problem with my graphics card drivers stopping Windows 7 from starting properly? I was trying to install the latest driver package available from Nvidia's website.

cbs362 · 19 Sep 2010

I had a similar problem: I downloaded the driver for my Nvidia GF 8200 M G graphics card from NVidia's website, and when I started the setup program, it told me that I didn't have required hardware or software.

To solve this problem, I suggest you to use a software called DriverMax (available from Download DriverMax and update your Windows Vista drivers, a short registration is needed after installing it) In the main window, click "Check for driver updates", and the results will be shown in your web browser. Find your graphics adapter, and download the driver for it. Your browser will attempt to download a file with a .dmx-info extension, that's only an information file, which contains, from where the driver needs to be acquired.

After adding the driver to the downlaod list, wait until it's downloaded. Then click Install drivers. After the procedure a system reboot will be required.

I hope it helped.

cbs362 · 19 Sep 2010

To solve this problem, I suggest you to update your graphics driver with a program called DriverMax. It's available from Download DriverMax and update your Windows Vista drivers, a short registration is needed in order to download drivers.

After installing and registrating the software, select Check for driver updates in the main window. The results will be shown in your web browser. Find your graphics adapter in the list, and click the floppy icon to downlaod the driver. Your browser will attempt to download a file with a .dmx-info extension, this is only an information file, which contains, from where the driver needs to be acquired.

Then open the downloaded file, and add your graphics adapter to the download list. Wait until the driver is downloaded, and after it has done it, click Install Driver. A wizard will guide you through the installation process, follow the instructions. After the procedure a reboot will be required.

I hope it helped.

Keiichi25 · 19 Sep 2010

Sean448 said:

Hello all.

I have recently bought a new Windows 7 system and am having a problem installing the graphics card drivers. The store I bought it from pre-installed the OS and all the drivers, and when I fired up the computer for the first time, it got to the point just after the "starting windows" screen - the glowing windows logo desktop background appeared, but the mouse pointer, icons, task bar, start button, etc. did not appear, and I could do nothing at that point other than turn off the computer. So I restarted the computer, booted in safe mode, used system recovery to restore to a previous point, and then I was able to start the computer properly. Then using the process of elimination I figured out that the graphics card drivers were causing the hanging problem.

The card is an Nvidia GeForce 210 512MB.

The other specs for the computer are as follows:

Motherboard: MSI H55M-E33
OS: Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
CPU: Intel i7 870
4GB RAM.

So how can I get around this problem with my graphics card drivers stopping Windows 7 from starting properly? I was trying to install the latest driver package available from Nvidia's website.

First, how did you determine by process of elimination that it was the Video Drivers.

Second, do you know who made the card? While I would normally recommend the manufacturer drivers, some people have posted that the people who make the card will often times tweak it a little, so the chipset manufacturer might have some issues.

Third, what version of the drivers were you using?

Sean448 · 20 Sep 2010

Keiichi25 said:

First, how did you determine by process of elimination that it was the Video Drivers.

I booted in safe mode and used system recovery to restore to a point before any drivers were installed, and then installed them one by one, restarting the computer after installing each set of drivers to see if it would still boot. When I got to the video drivers the problem happened again. So I restored the system to before I installed the video drivers and the problem no longer occured. Now I have all my drivers & all the windows updates installed, with the sole exception of the video drivers, and the computer starts fine, so they're definitely the problem.

Keiichi25 said:

Second, do you know who made the card? While I would normally recommend the manufacturer drivers, some people have posted that the people who make the card will often times tweak it a little, so the chipset manufacturer might have some issues.

It was made by Palit. I just checked their website and they direct you straight to Nvidia's website for drivers.

Keiichi25 said:

Third, what version of the drivers were you using?

I was using version 258.96 WHQL. This: NVIDIA DRIVERS 258.96 WHQL

Keiichi25 · 20 Sep 2010

What video drivers are you currently using? The Windows one for GeForce 210?

Did you set your Video drivers to VGA when you tried installing the current video drivers?

spyknee · 20 Sep 2010

What was wrong with the drivers that came with the purchase?

The 258.xxx driver you listed is for the latest nVidia cards. It uses PHYSX and CUDA. Does your vid card support? I am not familar with what you listed, if its it an old model............................
Run DXDIAG and see if theres any issues. Go into Device Manager see if the vid cards been flagged.

Generally, when installing driver updates for vid cards, you should be in SAFE MODE, you should uninstall previous drivers and use Driver Cleaner, or such, to clean out all remnants of previous driver. Download the new driver to desktop 1st, then try install.
Find out what specs your card can handle as well.

Sean448 · 20 Sep 2010

Keiichi25 said:

What video drivers are you currently using? The Windows one for GeForce 210?

"Standard VGA Graphics Adapter".

spyknee said:

What was wrong with the drivers that came with the purchase?

Forgot to mention, I tried those as well. The same thing happened. I believe it's the same driver package or a very similar version.

spyknee said:

The 258.xxx driver you listed is for the latest nVidia cards. It uses PHYSX and CUDA. Does your vid card support? I am not familar with what you listed, if its it an old model............................

The driver package I linked to is the one I got directed to on the Nvidia site after entering my card and OS information. It is a newer model card, but a low end one. That driver package apparently supports all Nvidia cards from GeForce 6 upwards.

spyknee said:

Run DXDIAG and see if theres any issues. Go into Device Manager see if the vid cards been flagged.

Generally, when installing driver updates for vid cards, you should be in SAFE MODE, you should uninstall previous drivers and use Driver Cleaner, or such, to clean out all remnants of previous driver. Download the new driver to desktop 1st, then try install.
Find out what specs your card can handle as well.

Alright.

missismiggins · 01 Nov 2010

I had some problems using my ASUS Nvidia 9400 which is due to go in the bin in a day or two anyway. (but that is another story)

Window 7 automatic updates always wanted me to update my driver to the Nvidia latest driver, it simply does not work!

In order to get it working correctly, I contacted ASUS and they told me only to ever use the ASUS Nvidia drivers, since doing that, no problems.

I a day or two, post willing, a new Gigabyte GTX 460 - 1GB is winging its way to me as I post, let's see what fun this holds - never used Gigabyte before, I always liked ASUS until I ran into a ferw problems with that stupid Smart Doctor, and their PC Probe and OSD Gamer.

None of them ever worked properly, and after uninstalling them, rendered my graphics card useless!

So I was forced to reinstall them, and just quit them after they booted up.

alphanumeric · 01 Nov 2010

I'm running a GT220 here on windows 7 Home Premium x64. I just updated to the 260.99 drivers from the 258.66 drivers. No problems that I know of with either set of drivers for me. here is a link to the 260 drivers if you want to give them a try.
NVIDIA DRIVERS 260.99 WHQL
Your card is listed under the supported products tab. Thats the 64 bit version.