Solved BSOD DRIVER_POWER_STATE_FAILURE Random occurrence, error 0x0000009f

[Griffihn]

It started about 3-4 weeks ago, after I installed new RAM and changed the nVidia drivers ("luck"" has it i did both at the same time). It seemed to have no actual cause, no set time for the BSOD to show up and no real sense behind it. I've since reinstalled my system and ran through pretty much every solution i could find (including a couple on this forum), to no avail. Looking at the minidumps with BlueScreenView, it shows the error to be in ntoskrnl.exe+748c0. So, my question would be this: what/if I did anything wrong, what can i do to get rid of these BSODs and what exactly is going on? I've had trouble before but nothing like this. Please help!

Don't know if this will help but i will post them here just in case:
060415-49124-01.dmp 04/06/2015 23:52:01 DRIVER_POWER_STATE_FAILURE 0x0000009f 00000000`00000003 fffffa80`09bdda10 fffff800`00b9a3d8 fffffa80`09e075b0 ntoskrnl.exe ntoskrnl.exe+748c0 NT Kernel & System Microsoft® Windows® Operating System Microsoft Corporation 6.1.7601.18869 (win7sp1_gdr.150525-0603) x64 ntoskrnl.exe+748c0 C:\Windows\Minidump\060415-49124-01.dmp 4 15 7601 1,069,192 04/06/2015 23:53:39

Any other information you need, let me know.

 

[Arc]

It is a display related issue, and the RAM is not a suspect here.

Which was the display driver version that you had installed before the update?

Uninstall the installed display driver using Display Driver Uninstaller. Then download and install the previous one. See if it really solves the issue or not.

If not, we will explain the issue in detail (it is a bit critical one) and will attempt to minimize it.
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BugCheck 9F, {3, fffffa8009bdda10, fffff80000b9a3d8, fffffa8009e075b0}

Unable to load image \SystemRoot\system32\DRIVERS\nvlddmkm.sys, Win32 error 0n2
*** WARNING: Unable to verify timestamp for nvlddmkm.sys
*** ERROR: Module load completed but symbols could not be loaded for nvlddmkm.sys
Probably caused by : pci.sys

Followup: MachineOwner
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[Griffihn]

which driver are you referring to? the intel 4000HD or the nVidia? the intel is a modified driver that can't be updated, made specifically for this line (the K55 series). i know this because i tried to update it off the intel website since my first thought was a faulty driver. as for nVidia, it all started with 350, before the PhysX engine update this week (though even with the latest update i still get some BSODs). funny thing I've noticed: if i switch pretty much every program i have/install into my computer to no longer use the intel graphics but the nVidia ones, i stop getting BSODs (at least it's valid for today).

thank you for the DDU link. gonna uninstall both drivers and see what comes of it.

 

[Arc]

Leave the intel one intact ... the little poor thing. Concentrate on the nvidia driver.

 

[Griffihn]

yea... when plugged in, I need to run everything off nVidia, when on battery, off intel. this is starting to get me both annoyed and confused. I'm thinking if I should not re-install the intel drivers off the drivers and utilities cd and get the ones off the intel site and actually use the 347 for nVidia. that's the last one i remember without problems. meh, I'll know how those work by tomorrow.

 

[Arc]

You cannot keep aside either of the displays at the present situation. Both of them are controlled by a program called Nvidia Optimus Technology embedded in the BIOS and in most of the cases, hidden by OEM.

You need to let either of the graphics go. Decide which one you want to sacrifice. Let us know. Then we may attempt to do that, but cannot guarantee a success, as the fact underlined above.

While deciding about the display to keep, remember that nvidia gives better performance in games, but hard on the battery; and intel is not as good as nvidia for some games, but battery friendly.

 

[Griffihn]

well, this laptop is mostly for gaming and videos (recording, editing, 3D viewing...) so I'm guessing the nVidia stays since the intel one can barely handle half of what i do. quick question though: would changing the VRAM amount in BIOS do anything? also, I updated the BIOS when I reinstalled windows about 3 weeks ago with the one given on the ASUS website (they provide both the program and the new firmware), after the BSODs started).

EDIT: one thing I've forgotten to mention that I don't know if it makes any difference: I use TuneUp Utilities. have been using it for about 5 years now. and no, I don't have the new/latest version since that one is released under the AVG logo and I don't trust that company with anything (bad experiences with their products).

 

[Arc]

would changing the VRAM amount in BIOS do anything?

No.

I updated the BIOS when I reinstalled windows about 3 weeks ago with the one given on the ASUS website (they provide both the program and the new firmware), after the BSODs started).

Nice. Now read this post: http://www.sevenforums.com/bsod-hel...ter-startup-error-0x0000009f.html#post2908302 and the rest of the thread. If you are as lucky as EndaC, then your issue will be solved by doing it. But, a very few of the optiums users are that lucky.

About TuneUp, that may cause some different issues, real bad ones, but not this one. It is simply the graphics switching issue controlled by Optimus technology.

 

[Griffihn]

ok... big problem: no nVO in my BIOS. I remember doing something similar on my previous laptop (RIP emachine G620) so I hoped I'd find it just as easy this time... no such luck. apparently the American Megatrends 411 BIOS for the ASUSTek K55 series lacks a ton of configurations. it makes the laptop startup faster but that's about it (not really interested in win 8.1 so...). I remember it took me 15 minutes to figure out how to actually change the boot sequence to be able to boot from USB (which apparently requires a master's degree in programming...). trying to find the manual for this BIOS is like trying to find the holy grail. good thing is though that i haven't had a BSOD since switching everything over to the nVidia GPU on friday. I do have the occasional system freeze now and again when I try to start a game or I start multitasking (4-7 programs opened at once) within the first 5 min after booting windows.

I'd like to request an explanation and some help on the subject of TuneUp. what exactly does it mess up and what should I switch to (or IF I should switch to anything at all). not really a big fan of spending 2-3h to clean up my system, I get enough of a workout just opening it up for physical cleaning (dust, reapplying CPU paste... that kind of things).

also: these problems only started when GWX got ninja'd into my PC after the may update, about a week after I replaced the RAM and the keyboard on the laptop so could that be what started this whole chain in the first place?

 

[Arc]

ok... big problem: no nVO in my BIOS. I remember doing something similar on my previous laptop (RIP emachine G620) so I hoped I'd find it just as easy this time... no such luck. apparently the American Megatrends 411 BIOS for the ASUSTek K55 series lacks a ton of configurations. it makes the laptop startup faster but that's about it (not really interested in win 8.1 so...). I remember it took me 15 minutes to figure out how to actually change the boot sequence to be able to boot from USB (which apparently requires a master's degree in programming...). trying to find the manual for this BIOS is like trying to find the holy grail. good thing is though that i haven't had a BSOD since switching everything over to the nVidia GPU on friday. I do have the occasional system freeze now and again when I try to start a game or I start multitasking (4-7 programs opened at once) within the first 5 min after booting windows.

OEMs keep their BIOS locked, it is a practice followed by almost all of them. If you cannot access to Optimus even after updating the BIOS, your bad luck.

I have only one suggestion left, that is you consult with ASUS about it. Tell them that you want the integrated graphics disabled.

I'd like to request an explanation and some help on the subject of TuneUp. what exactly does it mess up and what should I switch to (or IF I should switch to anything at all). not really a big fan of spending 2-3h to clean up my system, I get enough of a workout just opening it up for physical cleaning (dust, reapplying CPU paste... that kind of things).

TuneUp (with an aggressive junk and registry scan settings) may think some places within the system as junk (places like C:\windows\Installer which will make some pf the icons vanished and some programs inaccessible; and C:\Windows\System32\imageres.dll which will cause odd icons behavior) and it is beyond repair without performing a clean reinstall)

also: these problems only started when GWX got ninja'd into my PC after the may update, about a week after I replaced the RAM and the keyboard on the laptop so could that be what started this whole chain in the first place?

Other than the Optimus settings in the BIOS, nothing else has nothing to do about this issue.

 

[Griffihn]

ok. thank you very much for your help!

the problems you are describing with TuneUp haven't been there since the 2012 version (if I remember right). I would however appreciate an alternative if you have one.

so, should I mark this one as solved? the only thing left to do is to contact their support team and figure out how to disable nVO... which, considering how slow their responses are, should take about a week.

 

[Arc]

the problems you are describing with TuneUp haven't been there since the 2012 version (if I remember right). I would however appreciate an alternative if you have one.

Windows 7 does not need a cleaner or tweaker. The Inbuilt disc cleanup program is enough. Still, if you want a third party tool, the only option is CCleaner.

 

[Griffihn]

ok... I'm back with an update and maybe my problem/solution would help others.

so, the tech support has been about as helpful as a brick in bowl of soup. I've searched around and found out that my laptop is what you'd call "muxless" meaning that I need the intel GPU for displays and there's no going around that. the only thing that I could do was to set every program I have to run off the nVidia GPU manually (which takes a bit). apparently, me reinstalling windows was one of the good things I did. also, the nVidia Optimus gets messed up really fast with pretty much every update and the only workaround I've found seems to give me some headaches. it seems that I'm supposed to work only with the drivers the manufacturer gives me and never update either the nVidia drivers or the PhysX since these seem to mess up Optimus on my kind of laptop. there is one way I've found for updating my drivers which involves me simply unpacking the drivers without actually installing them and manually selecting the new driver from the folder where it was unpacked. that seems to involve jumping through some hoops so like I said: it gives some headaches.

anyway, thank you very much for all your help Arc. thanks to your indications, I've been free of crashes since my last post.
here's to hoping that what I went through will somehow help others.