Instability with Win 7 x64 + nVidia drivers (9600M GT)  

Hi!

It's been 4 months since I've bought a new laptop (HP Pavilion dv7-1253ca with a GeForce 9600M GT, originally branded with Vista) and upgraded it to Windows 7 Ultimate (64-bit version). Since then, I have a series of instability problems caused by an unknown agent (possibly an incompatible/conflicting driver?), and that includes:

• constant Firefox crashes (with the crash report window);
• constant Chrome "Aw, Snap!" messages;
• constant Flash Player 10 crashes with all browsers (Firefox, Chrome, Opera, IExplorer);
• constant random crashes playing games like The Sims 3 and Fallout 3;
• "Desktop Window Manager" service constantly stopping.

Here are a few fixes I've already tried:

• fresh re-install of Windows 7 a couple of times (32-bit & 64-bit versions);
• disabling DEP (Data Execution Prevention);
• uninstalling/disabling IDT Audio drivers;
• uninstalling/disabling Bluetooth drivers;
• clean-boot Windows;
• memory testing with memtest+ (diagnostic OK);
• BIOS update to the latest version;
• disabling Powermizer within nVidia drivers.

So, the only solution to the problem I've found was to uninstall the nVidia drivers and use the crappy "Standard VGA Display Adapter" drivers that come with Windows, that don't support Aero or let me play any game. As soon as I install the GeForce drivers, everything starts crashing again. Another solution I've found was to run Windows Vista, but that's totally unacceptable after you try Windows 7 for the first time.

I've already tried using many driver releases, from the HP-provided 179.04 to the latest 195.62 from LaptopVideo2Go.com; but it's no use...

Any ideas? Please help! It's been weeks I'm after a solution, but I'm just hopeless... Thank you!

:):)

P.S.: I'm also starting the same thread @ nVidia Forums and HP Forums.
P.S.2: One thing I've noted: older driver versions have better stability.

I'm experiencing the same issue with my Geforce 9800 GT.

Also, in the device manager, I have exclamations next to my processors, stating the following:
Windows cannot verify the digital signature for the drivers required for this device. A recent hardware or software change might have installed a file that is signed incorrectly or damaged, or that might be malicious software from an unknown source. (Code 52)


I had no issues in Win 7 32-bit. But I found 64-bit was working flawlessly on my Dell Latitude laptop at work. Guess my Intel i5 processor just isn't up enough to specs as the Intel Core2 Duo... even though all the parts I bought assured full 64-bit Win 7 support. Gotta love it.

phmoschetta said:

Hi!

It's been 4 months since I've bought a new laptop (HP Pavilion dv7-1253ca with a GeForce 9600M GT, originally branded with Vista) and upgraded it to Windows 7 Ultimate (64-bit version). Since then, I have a series of instability problems caused by an unknown agent (possibly an incompatible/conflicting driver?), and that includes:

• constant Firefox crashes (with the crash report window);
• constant Chrome "Aw, Snap!" messages;
• constant Flash Player 10 crashes with all browsers (Firefox, Chrome, Opera, IExplorer);
• constant random crashes playing games like The Sims 3 and Fallout 3;
• "Desktop Window Manager" service constantly stopping.

Here are a few fixes I've already tried:

• fresh re-install of Windows 7 a couple of times (32-bit & 64-bit versions);
• disabling DEP (Data Execution Prevention);
• uninstalling/disabling IDT Audio drivers;
• uninstalling/disabling Bluetooth drivers;
• clean-boot Windows;
• memory testing with memtest+ (diagnostic OK);
• BIOS update to the latest version;
• disabling Powermizer within nVidia drivers.

So, the only solution to the problem I've found was to uninstall the nVidia drivers and use the crappy "Standard VGA Display Adapter" drivers that come with Windows, that don't support Aero or let me play any game. As soon as I install the GeForce drivers, everything starts crashing again. Another solution I've found was to run Windows Vista, but that's totally unacceptable after you try Windows 7 for the first time.

I've already tried using many driver releases, from the HP-provided 179.04 to the latest 195.62 from LaptopVideo2Go.com; but it's no use...

Any ideas? Please help! It's been weeks I'm after a solution, but I'm just hopeless... Thank you!

:):)

P.S.: I'm also starting the same thread @ nVidia Forums and HP Forums.
P.S.2: One thing I've noted: older driver versions have better stability.

Try all of the troubleshooting guide in my sig.

Frostmourne said:

Try all of the troubleshooting guide in my sig.

Well, I think I've tried pretty much everything you suggest on your troubleshooting guide. Maybe I'm doing something wrong... Maybe nVidia drivers/services are conflicting with other device drivers (but how am I supposed to diagnostic that?)...

The strange fact is that with Mozilla Firefox, for example, there aren't normal Windows crashes with that "Check for a solution and close the program" message. There is always the Mozilla Crash Reporter window.

...

Attached: I've generated a report with HWiNFO32 for better details of my hardware configuration.

bobtran said:

I have found 191.07 driver to be very stable.

Yup, I tried playing some minutes with this driver version, after removing the older version with Driver Sweeper, but got no success.

thefabe said:

Welcome to Seven Forums. Their is a program for modding the 9600M GT .inf file that has had success in the past.

Thanks! I've tried using the MobilityModder with the 191.07 drivers and some other versions, but still... Nothing.



Guys, I believe this is something all nVidia drivers have in common, like a component, or a service running, or a DirectX/Aero issue... I don't know. Because this isn't exactly an instability (with BSODs and that stuff), it looks more like a conflict/incompatibility.

Everything without the nVidia drivers, or using Windows Vista, runs fine. Why?

FZ21Z said:

Have you not tried the 195.66 or 195.88 - LaptopVideo2Go Forums -> 19x Series GeForce Driver Releases

Yeah, I did. I even tried with the latest 196.xx drivers and the DOX optimized drivers, but still got the same thing.