BSOD when running laptop off battery power

[richc46]

Did we try to run in safe mode, while on battery?

 

[Reverend Truth]

No, but that's a good idea.

I'll give that a try.

 

[richc46]

If it works, then we have a new lead to work on.

 

[Reverend Truth]

OK – I’m 99% certain that the problem is my display driver for my Mobile Intel 4 Series Express Chipset Family: http://www.intel.com/support/graphics/intelgm45/

When I uninstall the driver through the device manager Windows automatically installs driver version 8:15:10:1749 upon reboot. Windows update provides version 8:15:10:2032. I get crashes with either one. The Intel driver update utility recommends version 8:15:10:2555 which also gives me BSOD.

I’ve been running the standard VGA Graphics Adapter 6:1:7600:16385 dated 6/1/2006 by Microsoft for several battery cycles without a crash. I'll give it a couple of more days to be sure thare are no crashes with it. It’s not a permanent solution though because the display is not terribly sharp, my UM video player won’t work and some websites won’t either (including the Intel driver update utility).

Using the autodetect feature on the Lenovo support website gives me this http://support.lenovo.com/en_US/downloads/detail.page?DocID=DS001653 as the only driver for 64-bit systems and an Intel display. It is supposed to install version 7.15.10.1591. I followed the instructions for a manual install. At the end it tells me to reboot to complete the installation. When it starts back up I find version 8:15:10:2032 has been installed (the same driver I get through windows update). Either it is mislabeled on the Lenovo site, or something funny is happening.

I’m unsure of what my next step should be. I figured maybe the old drivers weren’t completely uninstalled and I might have a corrupted file that keeps getting slipped in with the Intel drivers. I downloaded Driver Sweeper but it doesn’t support Intel display drivers. It provides a link to download Driver Fusion which does detect my Intel display drivers.

Do you think I should I use it and try installing the driver from the Lenovo site and see if it is stable?

 

[richc46]

First lets see if you have any remnants of the driver
Go to search by the start button
Type cmd
In cmd type driverquery.
The rest will be obvious and you will know what to do.

 

[Reverend Truth]

You give me far too much credit.

driverquery shows me a bunch of drivers but I don't know what I'm looking for.



I still have the intel graphics drivers installed.

I just chose the standard VGA driver from the list at Device Manager>Display>Update Driver>Browse>Let Me choose.

 

[richc46]

Fair enough. The next BSOD send me the files and Ill check to see what drivers were involved in the dump. We have to get rid of the old likely problems, before we begin to hope for a good working computer.

 

[Reverend Truth]

The laptop is perfectly stable as long as I'm running the Standard VGA driver.

It has crashed three times though but each time after it reboots I find that the Intel 8:15:10:2032 driver is installed.

I'm assuming that windows is making the switch prior to the crashes, but I'm not positive.

Attached are the minidump files from the last three BSOD's.

 

[richc46]

Install the correct driver.
Then change Windows Automatic Updater to Notify and not install. When you get the notice, right click on the update, then hide. It should not upadate driver after that.

 

[gregrocker]

When you go to Device Manager>Display>Update driver>Browse>Let me Pick do you see the driver you've been trying to install? Can you select it and will it stick?

If not do you see the later version driver 8:15:10:2032 that seems to be installing itself from the Lenovo download? If so, install it first and then Uninstall it choosing to delete the driver in the process.

Now see if you can install the Lenovo driver from its download page.

If it will install then watch Automatic Updates to see what is offered and Hide the problem driver.

 

[Reverend Truth]

The Standard VGA driver doesn't provide full functionality.

The drivers that I can download from Lenovo or what Windows Update installs cause crashes while running on battery power.

I tried wiping all traces of those drivers using Driver Fusion and downloading fresh drivers but they still cause crashes.

This may be an issue for Lenovo, but this machine is well past the warranty period.

What to do?

 

[Reverend Truth]

I have changed the windows update setting so I can be sure the Standard VGA driver stays put.

 

[gregrocker]

Standard VGA is only meant as an installer placeholder driver until optional Updates delivers a newer driver, or you provide it yourself.

You may need the Intel chipset drivers in this case to help identify correctly your Intel Display chip: Intel Chipset Device Software for Windows Vista and XP - ThinkPad SL300, SL400 and SL500

If that fails I would manually identify beyond doubt the exact model display device to find and try the driver from the manufacturer's Support Downloads webpage: Hardware Identification.

In rare cases where old hardware is failing to find a driver, I use DriverMax for it's 3 free drivers per day. It isn't much needed with Win7 but is more accurate than any other driver program for finding difficult drivers.